Hi Justjess:
Quote:
Originally Posted by JustJess
No. 3, yes, it is different. In boiling alcohol, the molecules are simply excited into the air. If you burn alcohol, it is used as a fuel itself, thus undergoes a chemical reaction - aka a change in its chemical makeup. What the byproducts are, I couldn't tell you off the top of my head. But they are likely no longer alcohol molecules.
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Actually, I was more wondering if there was any difference in terms of the food that you're cooking! I realize that burning is different than boiling in terms of the chemical reaction that occurs--the question is, does your banana flambe taste any different if you can't find a lighter?
I've just about convinced myself that the answer is no. What you're burning, if you do set the thing on fire, is alcohol vapor coming off the food, and not anything that was going to be staying in the food. It's almost like the difference between sending your trash to a dump or to an incinerator--your trash can is going to be empty the same way in both cases. However, I'm willing to be convinced otherwise if someone can tell me why.