the water molecules then heat up the cell wall, starch, and other plant molecules (p 786) Because radiation penetrates into food an inch/2 cm or so, it can be a fairly rapid method, and is an excellent one for retaining vitamins and minerals However, it has several quirks that the cook must anticipate and compensate for Because the microwaves penetrate a limited distance into the food, they will cook evenly only if the food is cut into similar-sized thin pieces, and the pieces arranged in a single layer or very loose pile Energetic water molecules turn into water vapor and escape from the food: so microwaves tend to dry foods out Vegetables should be enclosed in an almost steam-tight container, and often benefit from starting out with a small amount of added water so that their surfaces don’t lose too much moisture and shrivel And because the foods must be enclosed, they retain some volatile chemicals that would otherwise escape — so their flavor can seem strong and odd The inclusion of other aromatics can help mask this effect Cooks can exploit the drying quality of microwave radiation to crisp thin slices of fruits and vegetables This is best done at a low power setting so that the heating is gentle and even, and doesn’t rapidly progress to browning or burning When there’s little water left in a patch of tissue, it takes more energy to break it free, so the local boiling point rises to a temperature high enough to break apart carbohydrates and proteins, and this causes browning and then blackening Pulverizing and Extracting In addition to preparing fruits and vegetables more or less as is, with their tissue structure intact, cooks often deconstruct them completely In some preparations, we blend the contents of the plant cells with the walls that normally separate and contain them In ...can seem strong and odd The inclusion of other aromatics can help mask this effect Cooks can exploit the drying quality of microwave radiation to crisp thin slices of fruits and vegetables... In addition to preparing fruits and vegetables more or less as is, with their tissue structure intact, cooks often deconstruct them completely In some preparations, we blend the contents of the plant cells with the walls... energy to break it free, so the local boiling point rises to a temperature high enough to break apart carbohydrates and proteins, and this causes browning and then blackening Pulverizing and Extracting In addition to preparing fruits and vegetables