Culinary fluid mechanics and other currents in food science

Abstract

This review describes recent scientific advances in the context of the culinary arts. It is written as a menu, starting with the physics of drinks, followed by the main course, and ending with complex desserts. Recent discoveries are reviewed, particularly in fluid mechanics and soft matter physics, and their relevance to food science is highlighted. Many phenomena like the Cheerios effect, coffee-ring effect, Brazil nut effect, Leidenfrost effect, and Marangoni effect are described and illustrated by epicurean examples.