Drea Waldron asked Eli Brown:

Did you have to study a lot about food chemistry in order to write about the delicious and creative meals Wedgwood devises in Cinnamon & Gunpowder? Did you try to make any of the meals you describe in the book yourself?

Eli Brown I studied very old cookbooks and early culinary writings such as Brillat Savarin's work, I explored modern cooking trends, and relied on my own experiences and experiments in the kitchen. I wouldn't call it chemistry, though the science behind certain processes (such as rising dough) is fascinating. My focus was on the experiential effect primarily. It's tricky to describe smells, for example, so much of my time was spent on getting the sensations right. Though based on real methods, most of the meals are untested. We polished one of Wedges desserts and it was published by Bon Appetit magazine (link below.)
For well-tested recipes with a fanciful twist you might look into my recent culinary/cultural experiment, The Feasts of Tre-mang.
Thanks for reading, Andrea!
http://www.bonappetit.com/entertainin...

flag