phone did for the telecommunication industry, induction cooking is
now doing for the food industry. While the technology has been around
for decades, in recent years it has been greatly improved upon,
already taking hold in Europe and Japan. There can be no doubt that
magnetic induction promises to be the most attractive cooking option
on the market. In this article we will discuss how induction cooking
works, how it differs from electric and gas stovetops, and explain
the advantages and disadvantages of the new technology.
Up until now, there have been two basic methods of cooking food. Both
methods follow the same basic principles. In the chemical method, a
combustible material—such as wood, coal, or gas—is burned to
generate heat; while the electrical method accomplishes the same thing
by running a current through a coil, or more recently, a
halogen-filled bulb. (A third, oven-only option for generating heat
needed for cooking is microwaving, which generates the heat within the
food itself.) Magnetic induction is a completely different technology.
A crash course in basic physics explains how it works. When a
conductor is placed in the presence of a changing magnetic field,
electricity is produced in the conductor. The result is an
electromagnet. In induction cooking, an electromagnet is placed under
the cooking surface. When turned on, an alternating current runs
through the electromagnet, producing a magnetic field. A large metal
object on the surface will pick up the current and generate heat.
Voila! Now we're cooking!
The biggest difference between induction cooking and its counterparts
is where the heat is generated. Gas and electric stovetops produce
heat on a burner. The heat is then transferred, more or less
efficiently, to a cooking vessel and its contents. In contrast,
induction cook tops generate heat in the vessel itself, while the
burner stays cool. Since there is no transfer of heat from burner to
pan, there is virtually no wasted heat. Studies have shown that
induction cooking may be up to 90% energy efficient, compared to
electric and gas cooking, which are 47% and 40% energy efficient
respectively. In addition to efficiency, induction cooking is the
superior choice when it comes to safety issues. Because the cooking
surface stays cool (i.e. room temperature) there are no more burned
hands or hot pads and there is no open flame sending potentially
dangerous fumes into the air. Best of all, with the heat focused in
the right place, the kitchen-and the chef-stays cool and comfortable.
But the real luxury of induction cooking—the things that sets it
apart as the Porsche of cook tops—is the precision and control it
gives the chef. By varying the strength of the magnetic field, the
heat generated in the pot responds instantly. This means water boils
in half the amount of time it takes electric and gas stoves. Low
temperatures work as well as high ones—meaning you can toss out your
double boiler! One experiment showed chocolate chips melting at such a
low temperature they held their shape until spread with a spoon.
Induction warmers are great for caterers as well, since they hold low
temperatures and keep food warm better than any of the alternatives.
Unfortunately there are a couple big disadvantages to induction
stoves. For the pan to conduct energy it must be magnetic—that is,
it must contain iron. Therefore, cast-iron and steel pots and pans are
necessary. Test your cookware by passing a magnet across the pan. If
the magnet sticks, the pan will work. Some cookware, made with layers
of aluminum and copper for distribution, will still work beautifully
on an induction cook top, as long as the surface of the pan is steel.
The second disadvantage is unavailability. For some reason, induction
cooking has been slower to take off in America than it has across the
Atlantic. Therefore, it's still hard to find, and models are more
expensive. (Prices start well above a thousand dollars.) However, as
the market increases, look for prices to steadily fall. If you can't
wait, there are several websites where you can order an induction cook
top and have it delivered to your home. Installation is relatively
easy.
After using an induction cook top, it's easy to imagine the day when
we will look back on electric or gas ranges with the same astonishment
and nostalgia as we do grandma's old wood stove.
_By: *Emma Snow*_
*About the Author:*
About the Author:
Emma Snow is a gourmet and freelance writer. Writing for Gourmet
Living http://www.gourmet-living.com and BBQ Shop
http://www.bbq-shop.net .
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