question: Why does the method of cooking change the taste of food so drastically?
comment: When they are fried they are infused with the oil you fried with, when boiled they are more filled with water, when baked they are as they are minus the burnt juices (speaking of onions as the example given)
passages: Surface chemistry of cooking
  
  In cooking several factors, including materials, techniques, and temperature, can influence the surface chemistry of the chemical reactions and interactions that create food. All of these factors depend on the chemical properties of the surfaces of the materials used. The material properties of cookware, such as hydrophobicity, surface roughness, and conductivity can impact the taste of a dish dramatically. The technique of food preparation alters food in fundamentally different ways, which produce unique textures and flavors. The temperature of food preparation must be considered when choosing the correct ingredients.
  
  Section::::Materials in cooking.
   In the process, hundreds of different flavor compounds are created. These compounds, in turn, break down to form yet more new flavor compounds, and so on. Each type of food has very distinctive flavor compounds that are formed during the Maillard reaction. Flavor scientists have used these same compounds over the years to make artificial flavors.
  
  Section::::History.
   The other non-enzymatic reaction is the Maillard reaction. This reaction is responsible for the production of the flavor when foods are cooked. Examples of foods that undergo Maillard reaction include breads, steaks, and potatoes. It is a chemical reaction that takes place between the amine group of a free amino acid and the carbonyl group of a reducing sugar, usually with the addition of heat. The sugar interacts with the amino acid, producing a variety of odors and flavors. The Maillard reaction is the basis for producing artificial flavors for processed foods in the flavoring industry, since the type of amino acid involved determines the resulting flavor.
   The Maillard reaction is responsible for many colors and flavors in foods, such as the browning of various meats when seared or grilled, the browning and umami taste in fried onions, and coffee roasting. It is similarly responsible for the darkened crust of baked goods, the golden-brown color of French fries and other crisps, of malted barley as found in malt whiskey and beer, and the color and taste of dried and condensed milk, "dulce de leche", the Sri Lankan confection milk toffee, black garlic, chocolate, and lightly roasted peanuts.
   BULLET::::- How and why we evolved our particular taste and flavor sense organs and our general food likes and dislikes
  
  BULLET::::- How cooking methods affect the eventual flavor and texture of food ingredients
  
  BULLET::::- How new cooking methods might produce improved results of texture and flavor
  
  BULLET::::- How our brains interpret the signals from all our senses to tell us the "flavor" of food
  
  BULLET::::- How our enjoyment of food is affected by other influences, our environment, our mood, how it is presented, who prepares it, etc.
  
  Section::::Chefs.
   Cooking techniques can be broken down into two major categories: Oil based and water based cooking techniques. Both oil and water based techniques rely on the vaporization of water to cook the food. Oil based cooking techniques have significant surface interactions that greatly affect the quality of the food they produce. These interactions stem from the polar oil molecules interacting with the surface of the food. Water based techniques have far less surface interactions that affect the quality of the food.
  
  Section::::Interaction of cooking techniques.:Pan fry.
   Preparing food with heat or fire is an activity unique to humans. It may have started around 2 million years ago, though archaeological evidence for it reaches no more than 1 million years ago.
  
  The expansion of agriculture, commerce, trade, and transportation between civilizations in different regions offered cooks many new ingredients. New inventions and technologies, such as the invention of pottery for holding and boiling water, expanded cooking techniques. Some modern cooks apply advanced scientific techniques to food preparation to further enhance the flavor of the dish served.
  
  Section::::History.
   This method of food preparation involves using the Maillard reaction to "brown" the meat or vegetables and then deglazing with stock or water and simmering the mixture over low heat for an extended period of time. It is often done in a cast iron pot or dutch oven, so the heat can be evenly applied and distributed.
  
  Section::::Description.:Meat.
   There are a number of techniques to achieve crispiness when cooking. Frying food can make it crispy, such seen in French fries. A breading coating using flour, egg wash, and bread crumbs will provide a layer of crispiness. Baking and roasting impart crispiness, as well, as noted in the skin of Peking duck or pernil. 
  
  Crispiness is lost when food items are heated in the microwave oven as microwaves heat water within the food that then makes the food margins soggy.
  
  Section::::Other meanings of crispness but not crispiness.
   Food connoisseurs and chefs are increasingly capitalizing on the newly ascertained understanding of the role smell plays in flavor. Food scientists Nicholas Kurti and Hervé This expanded upon the physiology of flavor and its importance in the culinary arts. In 2006, This published his book, "Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor", in which he explores the physical mechanisms that bring about flavor perception. Kurti and This influenced others, such as Harold McGee, whose 1984 book, "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen", has been extensively revised in 2004 and remains a key reference on the scientific understanding of food preparation. His book has been described by television personality Alton Brown as “the Rosetta stone of the culinary world.” Such a breakthrough in the understanding of the mechanisms behind experiencing the flavor of different foods is likely to continue inspiring those in the culinary arts to create novel combinations and recipes.
   Section::::Statement on the 'New Cookery'.:Multi-sensory cooking.
   The extremely varied modern diet is only truly possible on a wide scale because of food processing. Transportation of more exotic foods, as well as the elimination of much hard labor gives the modern eater easy access to a wide variety of food unimaginable to their ancestors.
  
  The act of processing can often improve the taste of food significantly.
   Flavours may be enhanced by the Maillard reaction, which combines sugars and amino acids at temperatures above . Meat roasted traditionally in a hot oven has a brown crust which is generally considered desirable, caused by the Maillard reaction. Meat can be cooked at a high temperature for a short time to brown just the surface, before or after being cooked at low temperature, thus obtaining the benefits of both methods.
  
  Section::::Theory.:Bacteria.
   Woo said this about the show: “Food does more than just bring people together, it creates memories. I think all of us have the tools to create a memorable meal, so we’re going into people’s homes and showing them how they can use what’s already in their kitchen to make a romantic and delicious meal they'll never forget."
  
  Section::::Chef & TV Career.:Other shows and appearances.
   We travelled and ate our way across so many places when I was growing up and that sense of adventure translates into the food I cook now. The way we cook and the way we eat tell us so much about who we are and where we’ve been.
  
  Section::::Journalist.
   "The Cooking Gene" has received positive reception as it has received praise for both its prose as well as what reviewers saw as unique elements that Twitty ties into the book. "The Chicago Tribune" commented on the work, calling it "honest" and "lyrical". It has been named as one of NPR’s Best Books of 2017 and one of "Smithsonian Magazine"'s Ten Best Books About Food in 2017.
   Section::::Reception.:Modern.
   The dry heat of baking changes the form of starches in the food and causes its outer surfaces to brown, giving it an attractive appearance and taste. The browning is caused by caramelization of sugars and the Maillard reaction. Maillard browning occurs when "sugars break down in the presence of proteins. Because foods contain many different types of sugars and proteins, Maillard browning contributes to the flavour of a wide range of foods, including nuts, roast beef and baked bread." The moisture is never entirely "sealed in"; over time, an item being baked will become dry. This is often an advantage, especially in situations where drying is the desired outcome, like drying herbs or roasting certain types of vegetables.
   Apart from ensuring uniform cooking, sous-vide cooking facilitates development of desired organoleptic flavors and limits off flavors due to oxidation.
  
  Section::::Temperature.
   Other alternatives include allowing extended cooking time, administering increased amounts of juices, coating the meat with moisture rich fruits or fat-rich cuts, such as bacon, or actual fat, place moisture rich fruits and vegetables around the cooking meats, and if possible, using a convection oven.
  
  This is a type of cooking usually recommended for dishes that generally taste mild, but are served with sauces that provide complementing or overpowering flavor to them, for example chicken chasseur.
   Section::::Contemporary.
  
  In the same way, contemporary food reflects both personal and societal aesthetic beliefs. While cuisine in the past was intrinsically related to wealth and social status, contemporary cuisine is much less distinguished by class. The disintegration of highbrow and lowbrow foods has led to increased accessibility of various foods. Now, it is possible to find a hamburger at a five star restaurants and exotic cuisines on street corners. Therefore, contemporary food presentation is determined much more by modern aesthetics and creativity than displays of wealth and power.
  
  Section::::Contemporary.:France.
   Sauces from basic brown sauce to Béchamel sauce and even tomato sauce are simmered for long periods (from 1 to 10 hours) but not boiled. Simmering not only develops the maximum possible flavor, but also allows impurities to collect at the top and be skimmed off periodically as the sauce cooks. Boiling diffuses the impurities into the liquid and results in a bitter taste and unclear stock. Broths are also simmered rather than boiled, and for the same reasons.
  
  Section::::Examples.
  
  Common preparations involving reductions include:
  
  BULLET::::- Consommés, reduced and clarified stocks
  
  BULLET::::- Gravies
   It is difficult to burn food in a solar cooker. Food that has been cooked even an hour longer than necessary is usually indistinguishable from minimally cooked food. The exception to this rule is some green vegetables, which quickly change from a perfectly cooked bright green to olive drab, while still retaining the desirable texture.
   Various food preservation and packaging techniques are used to extend a food's shelf life. Decreasing the amount of available water in a product, increasing its acidity, or irradiating or otherwise sterilizing the food and then sealing it in an air-tight container are all ways of depriving bacteria of suitable conditions in which to thrive. All of these approaches can all extend a food's shelf life without unacceptably changing its taste or texture.
   Cooking increases the digestibility of many foods which are inedible or poisonous when raw. For example, raw cereal grains are hard to digest, while kidney beans are toxic when raw or improperly cooked due to the presence of phytohaemagglutinin, which is inactivated by cooking for at least ten minutes at .
  