Cooking is actually Chemistry

One day in my high school chemistry class, we were discussing how water can exist in multiple forms—ice, liquid, and vapor. Then my teacher pointed out something fascinating: if you cook an egg, it can never return to its original state.

That was the moment it clicked for me.

Cooking is chemistry.

Every time we step into the kitchen, we're creating chemical reactions that permanently transform food.

With that in mind, let's talk about why many cooks use acids, baking soda, and baking powder when preparing proteins.

If you've grown up around Caribbean or Black cooking, you've probably seen meat cleaned with lemon juice, lime juice, key lime, or vinegar. While it's often viewed as a cultural tradition, there's chemistry happening too. Acids can affect the surface of the meat by beginning to denature (unfold) some of the proteins, which can influence texture and flavor. They also help remove surface residue and odors, which is one reason many people continue the practice.

Chinese cooking is famous for a technique called velveting, where baking soda is used to tenderize meat. Because baking soda is alkaline, it raises the pH on the meat's surface, making it more difficult for muscle proteins to tighten during cooking. The result is a noticeably more tender, juicy texture.

And finally, there's baking powder.

If you've ever wondered how restaurants achieve incredibly crispy chicken wings, baking powder is often part of the secret. Baking powder raises the pH of the skin while helping draw moisture to the surface, where it evaporates during cooking. This encourages better browning and creates that crispy, crackly skin we all love.

The more I learn about cooking, the more I realize that recipes aren't just instructions—they're chemistry experiments. Once you understand the science behind ingredients and techniques, you stop simply following recipes and start understanding why they work.

That's when cooking becomes even more fun.

🌹 The Martian Muse