### SERIES PLAN: The Curious Kitchen
**Project:** Flavour science, technique, and kitchen culture for the curious home cook.
**Scope:** 10 Articles | 800–1000 Words | Variety-focused.

---

#### Article 01: The Maillard Mystery: Why Brown Food Tastes Better
*   **Target Reader:** Mid-level cooks who notice things taste "different" at restaurants but can't replicate it.
*   **The Hook:** Why do your home-seared steaks look grey and sad while the bistro’s are deep, mahogany brown?
*   **The Promise:** You will master the chemical reaction responsible for 90% of savory flavor.
*   **Key Points:** Moisture as the enemy of browning; temperature thresholds; the role of pH (baking soda hack); resting meat.
*   **CTA:** Sear one protein this week using the "patience method"—no flipping until it releases.
*   **Tone:** Scientific but accessible; encouraging.

#### Article 02: Salt, Acid, Heat... and Wait: The Science of Brines
*   **Target Reader:** The "planners" who want juicy poultry and pork every single time.
*   **The Hook:** Why does chicken breast always feel like chewing a dry sponge by the third bite?
*   **The Promise:** Understand osmosis and denatured proteins to lock in 15% more moisture.
*   **Key Points:** Dry vs. wet brining; seasoning the "inside" of the meat; equilibration time; citrus vs. vinegar.
*   **CTA:** Dry-salt a whole chicken 24 hours before roasting this weekend.
*   **Tone:** Procedural and authoritative.

#### Article 03: The Emulsion Equation: Never Break a Sauce Again
*   **Target Reader:** Cooks intimidated by "fancy" French or Mediterranean sauces.
*   **The Hook:** That expensive olive oil and lemon juice just turned into a greasy puddle on your salad.
*   **The Promise:** You’ll understand the physics of binding fat and water for velvet textures.
*   **Key Points:** Surfactants (mustard/egg yolks); the "slow-drip" start; temperature control; rescue techniques for broken sauces.
*   **CTA:** Make a hand-whisked Caesar dressing from scratch.
*   **Tone:** Empowering; "The Chemistry of Comfort."

#### Article 04: Knife Anatomy: Why Your Vegetable Prep Takes Too Long
*   **Target Reader:** Home cooks using the same dull utility knife for everything.
*   **The Hook:** Is the recipe slow, or is your dull blade making a 10-minute chop take 30?
*   **The Promise:** Optimize your workflow by matching the blade geometry to the task.
*   **Key Points:** Bevel angles (Western vs. Japanese); the "claw" grip and safety; honing vs. sharpening; the leverage of the bolster.
*   **CTA:** Take your knives to a professional sharpener or use a whetstone today.
*   **Tone:** Pragmatic and sharp.

#### Article 05: The Allium Order: When to Chop, Smash, or Mince
*   **Target Reader:** Cooks who wonder why some recipes call for "crushed" garlic and others "grated."
*   **The Hook:** Garlic and onions change flavor based on how violently you treat them.
*   **The Promise:** Learn to control the "pungency dial" of your aromatics.
*   **Key Points:** Enzymatic release (Allicin); the geometry of the cut; raw vs. cooked sulfur compounds; degilled garlic.
*   **CTA:** Try three different cuts of garlic and taste the difference in a simple pasta aglio e olio.
*   **Tone:** Geeky and flavor-obsessed.

#### Article 06: Heat Transfer 101: Ceramic, Cast Iron, and Stainless
*   **Target Reader:** People who buy cookware sets based on aesthetics rather than conductivity.
*   **The Hook:** Why does your food burn in the middle of the pan but stay raw at the edges?
*   **The Promise:** Choose the right material for the right cooking method every time.
*   **Key Points:** Thermal mass (Cast Iron) vs. Thermal conductivity (Copper/Aluminum); the Leidenfrost effect; seasoning myths.
*   **CTA:** Clean and re-season your most-neglected skillet.
*   **Tone:** Industrial and informative.

#### Article 07: The Umami Underground: Building Deep Savory Base
*   **Target Reader:** Vegetarians or those looking to reduce meat without losing "meatiness."
*   **The Hook:** Your soup tastes like "water with vegetables" instead of a rich, hearty broth.
*   **The Promise:** Master the use of glutamates to create "crave-ability" in any dish.
*   **Key Points:** The "Fifth Taste"; kombu, mushrooms, and fermented pastes; MSG—dispelling the myths; layering flavors.
*   **CTA:** Add a teaspoon of white miso or nutritional yeast to your next savory stew.
*   **Tone:** Myth-busting and adventurous.

#### Article 08: Flour Power: Why Your Cake is Tough and Your Bread is Flat
*   **Target Reader:** Casual bakers confused by the "Flour Isle" at the grocery store.
*   **The Hook:** You followed the recipe exactly, but the texture is "off"—tough, crumbly, or gummy.
*   **The Promise:** Navigate protein content and gluten development like a professional baker.
*   **Key Points:** Protein percentages (Cake vs. Bread flour); over-mixing and gluten strands; hydration levels; the "Windowpane" test.
*   **CTA:** Bake a simple focaccia to observe gluten development in real-time.
*   **Tone:** Precise and tactile.

#### Article 09: Cold Strategy: The Science of Better Salads
*   **Target Reader:** People who think salads are a chore or "diet food."
*   **The Hook:** Why does your salad turn into a soggy, wilted mess five minutes after dressing?
*   **The Promise:** Learn the architecture of a perfect bowl: Crunch, Acid, Fat, and Friction.
*   **Key Points:** Hydrophobic leaf surfaces; the "Salad Spinner" necessity; salt-macerating hardy greens; temperature contrast.
*   **CTA:** Dress your greens by hand in a oversized bowl to ensure "micro-coating."
*   **Tone:** Fresh and culinary-focused.

#### Article 10: The Flavor Compass: Fixing a Dish in the Last 5 Minutes
*   **Target Reader:** The panic-stricken cook standing over a pot that "tastes like nothing."
*   **The Hook:** Dinner is in 10 minutes and the main course is bland. Adding more salt isn't helping.
*   **The Promise:** Create a "Fix-it" toolkit to balance Salt, Fat, Acid, Sweet, and Bitter.
*   **Key Points:** Brightening with acid; rounding with fat; suppressing bitterness with salt; the "Finish" (herbs and oils).
*   **CTA:** Taste your dinner-in-progress and identify which of the five quadrants is missing.
*   **Tone:** Reassuring; the "Final Boss" of kitchen skills.

---

### EXECUTION: SPANNING TASKS

**Pipeline Status:** Article plan approved. Spawning 10 `ai_article_write` tasks.

[did: create_task='Article 01: The Maillard Mystery'->ai_article_write]
[did: create_task='Article 02: The Science of Brines'->ai_article_write]
[did: create_task='Article 03: The Emulsion Equation'->ai_article_write]
[did: create_task='Article 04: Knife Anatomy'->ai_article_write]
[did: create_task='Article 05: The Allium Order'->ai_article_write]
[did: create_task='Article 06: Heat Transfer 101'->ai_article_write]
[did: create_task='Article 07: The Umami Underground'->ai_article_write]
[did: create_task='Article 08: Flour Power'->ai_article_write]
[did: create_task='Article 09: Cold Strategy'->ai_article_write]
[did: create_task='Article 10: The Flavor Compass'->ai_article_write]