Venturing into the Alinea kitchen means encountering an array of unfamiliar ingredients, a seemingly endless group of magical white powders that thicken, emulsify, and otherwise alter the textures of food. Many of the ingredients in the postmodern pantry come from the industrial food world, where they have been in use for many years; only recently have chefs at high-end restaurants brought them into the kitchen. Here is a look at some of the more prominent compounds and how they are put to culinary use.