Weekend MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE
Q FOOD FEATURE Q MOVIE TIMES Q BEST BETS FOR ENTERTAINMENT
new kind of burger
A
Impossible Foods creates a plant-based burger that tastes impossibly like meat story by Anna Medina
photos by Veronica Weber
Q F O O D F E AT U R E
W
The Impossible Burger was engineered to look, smell, and taste like a beef burger, yet is made from plant-based ingredients.
hat if plants could actually mimic the flavor and texture of meat? Many have attempted it with varying degrees of success, as most us who have tried a dry and uninspiring veggie burger can attest. At best, it tastes good, but does not taste remotely like meat. At worst, there’s the resignation that nothing will ever truly compare. Certainly, it’s difficult to convince meat-lovers that anything could fully resemble the sensory experience involved, from the sizzle of the patty on a hot grill to the charred, caramel aroma that permeates the air, to that first, juicy bite of a burger that’s still slightly pink in the center. Only in the fictional world of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” could Oompa Loompas in white lab coats achieve the impossible by creating chewing gum that tasted like a scrumptious dinner. But this is Silicon Valley, where scientists in lab coats really do seek to achieve the impossible, albeit without the wonky blue wigs. Continued on next page October 14, 2016 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q
29