Dr. Harold McGee, PhD, is a renowned author on the topics of food chemistry and culinary science. He explains how cooking methods, types of cookware and temperature can be used to transform food and drink flavors and presents simple but powerful ways to improve nutrient availability. We also discuss how our individual biology, genetic and cultural backgrounds shape our taste preferences. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or someone who simply loves to eat, our conversation will change how you think about food and cooking, give you actionable tools to try and deepen your appreciation of the experience of eating and drinking.
Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.
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Timestamps
00:00:00 Harold McGee
00:02:21 Food Chemistry, Using Copper, Modern vs Traditional Techniques
00:09:59 Sponsors: Eight Sleep & Our Place
00:13:33 Cooking, Food & Heat, Taste & Smell
00:22:10 Umami, Savory Tastes, Braising & Meat
00:29:56 Chemistry of Cooking & Eating, Sugars & Conjugates; Slowly Enjoying Food
00:36:14 Savory Meal & Dessert; Food Course Order; Palate Cleansers
00:43:56 Salt, Baseline & Shifting Taste Preferences
00:47:18 Sponsors: AG1 & Mateina
00:50:07 Whole vs Processed Foods, Taste & Enjoyment
00:53:37 Brewing Coffee, Water Temperature, Grind Size
01:00:33 Tea & Tannins, Growing Tea Plants; Tea & Meals, Polyphenols
01:08:16 Food Combinations, Individual Tolerance; Is there an Optimal Diet?
01:11:34 Onions & Garlic, Histamines, Tool: Reduce Crying when Cutting Onions
01:13:55 Gut Sensitivities & Food, Capsaicin & Spicy Foods
01:17:21 Supertasters & Taste Buds, Bitter Taste, Chefs
01:21:57 Sponsor: Function
01:23:45 Salt & Bitter, Salting Fruit, Beer or Coffee, Warming Beer
01:26:11 Human History of Alcohol & Chocolate
01:29:25 Wine Expense vs Taste, Wine Knowledge
01:35:49 Cheese Making, Aged Cheese & Crystals, Tyrosine; Smoke Flavors, Distilling
01:44:30 Fermentation, “Stink Fish”, Caviar, Traditional & New Foods
01:50:42 Personal Journey, Astronomy, Poetry & Food
01:54:55 Beans & Gas, Tool: Soaking Beans
01:57:23 Gut Microbiome, Fermented Foods; Kids & Food Aversions
02:00:47 Cilantro & Divergent Tastes; Microwave Popcorn, Parmesan Cheese
02:04:46 John Keats Poetry, To Autumn; Acknowledgements
02:10:48 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
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