ChefSteps is a team of chefs, writers, and food lovers who develop recipes, techniques, and guides to help people cook better at home.

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Managing water is often one of the biggest challenges in cooking. Concentrating a sauce’s flavor requires evaporation. Without freezing, there is no ice cream. Distilling spirits? That requires condensing. You cannot spread butter on hot toast without some melting. Want to avoid freezer burn? You need deposition. To make bright food last for a long time—sublimation. Understand the phases of water and you will understand cooking more thoroughly.