Sugar is sweet—and that’s why we love it! But add heat to our favorite substance and it transforms from simply sweet to magically complex—an irresistible blend of tart, bitter, buttery, fruity, nutty, toasty, and aromatic that can be summed up in a single word: caramel.
A single word, yes—but it may refer to many different products, from pourable sauces to chewy candies to crisp toppings. What they all share is the sugar-plus-heat formula. And from there, things get interesting… and appetizing!
Mitchell Hughes’s path to a successful culinary career had an unconventional start and a romantic turning point. A native of San Francisco, he worked for 14 years as an immunology technician for a medical laboratory in Southern California—not the usual preparation for a creator of spectacular desserts. Then came a vacation in Paris with his partner, which opened Mitchell’s eyes to a different kind of science: the science of baking. When the vacation was over, he traded his lab coat for a baker’s smock and chef’s hat at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.
