The Maillard reaction (it’s French, pronounced ‘mah-yar’) is, according to Wikipedia, “a form of nonenzymatic browning similar to caramelization. It results from a chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar, usually requiring heat.”
What’s that mean? Well. . . Wiki put it best:
The Maillard reaction is responsible for many colors and flavors in foods:
- The browning of various meats, like steak
- Toasted bread
- Biscuits
- French Fries
- Malted barley, as in malt whiskey or beer
- Fried onions (fried anything, really)
- Dried or condensed milk
- Roasted coffee
- Dulce de leche
- The burnished surface (crust) of brioche, cakes, yeastbreads and quick breads
- Roasted meat
- Maple syrup
After that list above, it’s pretty clear to me Louis Maillard is up for culinary sainthood.
And me? Well, I'm Regan, also known as Miss Maillard.
I can't think of a thing that the Maillard reaction touches that I don't love.
But hey, I'm not I'm not French. I'm a 20-something American living in Canada (Calgary, Alberta, to be exact) and that's where the frostbitten foodie stuff comes in.
See? Brrr. So why did I come to Canada?
This kid. We'll call him Sparky. Canadian boys, you gotta watch 'em. They swoop in and steal your heart and the next thing you know you're freezing your bits off for eight months of the year.
But you know, the other four months...? Breathtaking.
We have two girlcats, Johnny and Annabelle. Annabelle loves popcorn and tortilla chips. Don't ask. Johnny just loves laser pointers and chasing specks of dust.
When I'm not in the kitchen or on the internet and it's not snowy and frigid, I enjoy backpacking to get a look at the Canadian wilderness.
And the other times? Sometimes I sew, sometimes I read, sometimes I write. But always, I cook for Sparky, his family and his friends, and it seems to make them happy. . . I know it makes me happy.
Food is my passion, and Maillard is my homeboy.
To contact me, please comment, or email at missmaillardblog@gmail.com.
