Additional readings, organized by topic:
Guacamole, Salsa, and Quesadillas
- How do we rate chili peppers?
- How do you make tortillas?
- Instructions on ripening and peeling avocados.
- Why should we eat avocados?
- History of the avocado
Cookie – Death by Chocolate
- Shopping for Chocolate
- Chocolate is being made in Hawaii. Learn some fun facts about vintage chocolate
- Processing the cocoa bean
- Chocolate Classifications
- Chocolate and the Brain
- Chocolate and Health
- Chocolate Science
- Here's an actual chemical article about chocolate
- There is a traveling exhibit from the Field Museum that is all about chocolate. Click here for more information.
- Fun Sites
Pancakes
- Additional Reading:
- Fun Sites
Bread and Salt
- Yeast
- Bread chemistry
- All About Gluten
- Did you know that there is an International Gluten Workshop?
- Information on Salt
- Salt facts
- This is what people who watch too much Food Network dream about!
- Instructions for the salt tasting:
- Onto a slice of bread (we will be using a baguette or unsalted soda cracker), put some unsalted butter.
- Sprinkle your salt of choice
- Describe how it tastes
- Rinse mouth with water
- Repeat steps 1 to 4 with a different salt
Scones and Coffee
- What exactly is a scone suppose to be?
- Coffee
- Learn all about the science of coffee (growing, harvesting, processing, etc) at the coffeeresearch.org site
- You should look at how to taste the coffee (called cupping)
- We bought our green coffee from Sweet Maria's
- The "primary objective is to bring balance to the coffee and health debate" Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee's
- Leavening agents
- Fun sites:
- Look at the University of Guelph's Dairy Chemistry and Physics site. Do you know the pH of milk?
Meringues
- Meringue making
- Fun sites
- Did you know there is an American Egg Board?
Jams and Jellies
- Step by step procedures of canning
- History of jam
- Why does this recipe have so much sugar?
- Scientific writings on jam making
- Short history of jam making
Chili and Cornbread
- Chili
- Asparagus, beets, and artichokes
- We will also be tasting beets, asparagus and artichokes. For these experiments we need to drink a glass of water, then eat either beets or asparagus. For the artichokes, drink some water, eat the artichoke and then drink some more water. Do you notice any difference in the water?
- Medical case study (everything you did not want to know about your water output)
- Asparagus board of Michigan
Cheese
- Why should I eat cheese?
- Want to buy cheese making supplies yourself?
- Want to buy cheese online?
- Making cheese - a short course
- Still want more dairy courses? Go here.
- Fun Sites
- Want to learn about Cabot Cheese (the Vermont cheese maker)?
Molecular Gastronomy
- What exactly is molecular gastronomy - one definition is here another definition is here.
- Kitchen equipment for chemistry
- Link on the web that demonstrates the caviar experiment
- For a link to a slide show of cool molecular gastronomy experiments by Chef Wylie Dufresne go here.
- Interested in learning more about experimental cuisine, go here.
Ice Cream
- Getting the right texture in the ice cream
- Ice cream FAQ from the University of Guelph.
- Science and ice cream
- Sign up for the ice cream school.
- Step by step directions for making liquid nitrogen ice cream
Spaghetti, Meatballs, and Creme brulee
- Even small children perform creme brulee as an experiment!
- Want to eat pasta without making a mess? Here is a Physicist's explanation.