Causality or better known as cause and effect, an interesting topic selection by @calumam for this week's word of the week. A great one nonetheless that embodies much of our lives. The basic principle of the universe cause and effect.
Much like my dinner the other night I was a little busy and couldn't be bothered going all out so chopped up some veggies and whisked em in some egg, popped them in the oven and 30mins later?
A wonderful quiche was delivered that my family enjoyed dearly, the effect was that I realised that my daughter had never eaten a quiche before and she helped me cook it. She was blown away with the simplicity of it all. The effect of putting some food in the oven and coming out looking totally different is a pretty amazing thing.
Like most things in life something needs to occur first to provide an outcome. For me it was simply chopping up some veggies (also Bacon can't go past Bacon) whacking them into the heat of the oven and transforming into something edible. Now, you could eat them prior but no one likes raw potatoes.
For me personally, I love cooking food. It's great to be able to provide a sustaining meal for the whole family. But it's more than that, my wife knows, my friends know and my family know that the kitchen is my domain. I'm good at it, but it's not that I'm good at it. It's that I'm in control.
Every little move, every addition and every flick, stir or sizzle in the kitchen creates a cause that ultimately delivers the effect, a meal. Not just any meal, any bozo can put a piece of flesh on a flame and serve it up.
No, I'm talking about pin point accuracy with one wrong move or one second longer on the heat or being whisked and the whole thing falls apart rendering your time and your meal useless. It's the most basic form but the most important of chemistry. Blending different proteins together to bond, to cure.
Oh yes, the curing process in Salami can be gravely if you don't get your salts, acids, humidity and temperature right. The wrong addition can see your meat become spoiled. Ecoli or other bugs aren't even the worst, you're lucky if you get an upset tummy. The effect of a wrong amount or direction can be deadly with the development of botulism growing. No smells, no visibility just eat and you won't wake up.
The fermentation process is a 4 to 6 week slow maturation which takes effect over that period of time. The first few days gives you a indication if you have done it well as the meat begins to smell but in a few days that smell subsides turning into a sweet, delicious smell not a rotting smell. The kind when you walk into a European deli store you get that wift of fresh meat. A smell of mold a smell of cold meats.
That is the bacteria doing its job and breaking down enzymes and proteins killing off the other nasty bacteria.
In my kitchen I am king, the cause and effect of a delicious meal is smiles on the faces of your loved ones or friends as they visit.
Much like every action has a reaction the Causality of food is that you get to live another day, healthy and strong.