Nosrat's treatment of emulsification places it at the centre of sauce-making across all cuisines — the principle that fat and water can be held in stable suspension through mechanical force and emulsifying agents, producing textures that neither fat nor water alone can achieve. Mayonnaise, hollandaise, vinaigrette, pan sauces, and even guacamole are all expressions of the same principle.
The creation of a stable suspension of fat droplets in a water-based liquid (or vice versa) through the action of an emulsifier — a molecule with one fat-loving (lipophilic) end and one water-loving (hydrophilic) end that positions itself at the interface between the two phases, preventing them from separating.
SALT FAT ACID HEAT + THE FOOD LAB