Burnt food

[Second Summer]

I keep seeing burnt food in my FB feed and being served to me in restaurants. What is wrong with people?!

Recently, I was at a restaurant and ordered a dish titled something like "ancient grains with grilled seitan". What I was served was quinoa and burnt seitan bits. Perhaps it was supposed to be some kind of "paleo vegan" dish, because, as you know, stone age people grilled their food over open flames, so probably ate burnt food on a regular basis.

But come on now - it's 2016 and acrylamide is real, people! Burnt food is bad for us. Or is there some new development in the acrylamide research I don't know about?

 

[shyvas]

Grilled isn't meant to be burnt. I think that you should have sent it back.

 

[AeryFairy]

Well, there are techniques involving burning/charring certain elements of dishes (for example, burnt caramel), and it can be done really well. But that doesn't sound like whatever you were served

 

[beancounter]

Yea, that's just a careless cook. Send it back next time.

 

[ledboots]

That's terrible. It said "grilled" not "blackened", right? I've had blackened tofu.

 

[Blobbenstein]

#firstworldproblems

 

[Second Summer]

That's terrible. It said "grilled" not "blackened", right? I've had blackened tofu.

I'm not sure, but I don't think so. Anyway, this was just one example of many. I regularly see pictures of supposed "delicious" food online and in magazines where the food is clearly burnt. Which makes me question whether I'm being over-zealous in judging all this food as burnt? Or am I the only sane person left in the world?!

 

[Blobbenstein]

it's an environmentalist plot to sequester carbon......not sure what happens to charcoal...does it re-enter the carbon cycle?

 

[AeryFairy]

I'm not sure, but I don't think so. Anyway, this was just one example of many. I regularly see pictures of supposed "delicious" food online and in magazines where the food is clearly burnt. Which makes me question whether I'm being over-zealous in judging all this food as burnt? Or am I the only sane person left in the world?!

Next time you see it, post examples

 

[Andy_T]

Hmm, but this also raises the question whether restaurants should be serving "blackened' things at all, right?

Another question on the acrylamide thing .... what about smoke?
To be precise, "Liquid smoke" that is produced by distilling actual woodsmoke and added as a condiment to many foods.
Anything wrong with this?

 

[Second Summer]

Here is one picture I saw recently:

(From this article: Kjendiser i front: Starter året med «veganuar» )

 

[AeryFairy]

That one looks deliberately charred. I'm assuming three types of burger (carrot, beetroot, and broccoli)? It's probably been done to get that burger-like sear and barbecue flavour. But it doesn't look like it's been done massively well The carrot one looks ok.

 

[shyvas]

They are really burnt.

 

[beancounter]

Man, I wish I could get a broccoli burger around here. They seem partial to black bean burgers in my neck of the woods.

 

[Second Summer]

That one looks deliberately charred. I'm assuming three types of burger (carrot, beetroot, and broccoli)? It's probably been done to get that burger-like sear and barbecue flavour. But it doesn't look like it's been done massively well

Yes, there appear to be bits of carrot, beetroot and broccoli next to each of the burgers, so that is a reasonable guess. And you may be right about what they're trying to accomplish. Unfortunately, it's a massive FAIL!

The carrot one looks ok.

Agreed, it's the two other ones that caught my attention.

 

[Second Summer]

Another question on the acrylamide thing .... what about smoke?
To be precise, "Liquid smoke" that is produced by distilling actual woodsmoke and added as a condiment to many foods.
Anything wrong with this?

This doesn't actually mention acrylamide, but it talks about liquid smoke and cancer:

A later study, however, tested across the board, looking specifically at five different carcinogens in retail liquid smoke seasonings.

The recommended daily upper safety limit for these carcinogens is 47. Hickory smoke flavoring has only 0.8 per teaspoon, so we’d have to drink three bottles a day to bump up against the limit. And mesquite liquid smoke has only 1.1.

More: Is Liquid Smoke Safe? | NutritionFacts.org (The author, Michael Greger, M.D., is the guy who was interviewed by Bite Size Vegan in several videos previously posted here on VV.)

 

[Andy_T]

Thanks, Indian Summer!

That eases my conscience, as I love the stuff
Just made our own smoked tofu (from soybeans, water, liquid smoke, salt, soy sauce) ... Very nice!

 

[shyvas]

I also use liquid smoke in very small quantities especially when making burgers, Boston beans, soya loaf and seitan.

I recently purchase a maple flavoured one but am not sure whether you can really taste the latter.