Today we began the day by making a list of ingredients that we needed to buy at Acme to complete our final presentation dish. Each group decided to make very unique dishes: Arianna and I are making a chocolate sponge cake with a coffee foam on top, Sky and Sean are making pop rocks, Julia, Angela and Matt are making a caramel whipped cream, Elodie and Sam are making fruit gel, and Amanda, Eloise, and Bella are making vanilla dry ice ice cream with Nutella powder. We arrived at Acme and each group ventured off to collect their ingredients, and later met up by the registers. We quickly arrived back to EA and began to experiment with our different foods.
Arianna and I could only make our chocolate sponge cake as we were waiting for our gelatin sheets to arrive in order to make our coffee foam. We attempted to make our chocolate batter, then refrigerated our batter in an ISI Whipper. Unfortunately, our batter did not spray out of the Whipper, and we knew that we had to make changes to our recipe the following week. In the mean time we started to make our coffee for our foam. Other groups faced similar issues, but we all looked forward to the following week of trials in order to perfect our dishes!
Friday, January 15, 2016
COOK trip - Blog Post
Today, Kitchen Chemistry traveled to Cook, a demonstration kitchen in Philadelphia. There, we learned a lot about the texture behind many different types of food and how texture will affect the overall outcome of the dish. Chef Doug Allen, a Japanese food enthusiast, showed the group how fairly simple techniques can make fantastic dishes.
Similiar to Studiokitchen, we did not know going into the restaurant what we were going to have. At Cook, multiple chefs come in, cook, and show off their skills. Chef Allen answered all of our questions and helped many in the group modify their final projects.
Overall, the experience of going to Cook was life-changing. This was my first time eating highly fancy food and watching it being prepared in front of me. I think that most of the group can agree that we walked out of the kitchen with a better appreciation for good food.
Similiar to Studiokitchen, we did not know going into the restaurant what we were going to have. At Cook, multiple chefs come in, cook, and show off their skills. Chef Allen answered all of our questions and helped many in the group modify their final projects.
Overall, the experience of going to Cook was life-changing. This was my first time eating highly fancy food and watching it being prepared in front of me. I think that most of the group can agree that we walked out of the kitchen with a better appreciation for good food.
Rutgers University Trip
On Wednesday we traveled to the Douglass Campus of Rutger's University and explored the department of food sciences. Firstly we were given a power point presentation by Dr. Karl Matthews that explored the key components of the department. Dr. Matthews' research focussed on microbial safety of food impacts on consumers nationally and internationally. To begin with he discussed his work and the different cultural interpretations of foods that may seem strange to one group of people, but customary to the other group. Lastly, Dr. Matthew's talked about some of the different majors available at the school (there are actually 159 offered), and discussed the different jobs, like those in pharmaceuticals, associated with this field. Next we went on a tour of different labs.
We first explored the mass spectrometry lab. The man working this lab seemed to have a very time consuming, yet interesting job. He explained to us some of the different laboratory methods and techniques used to identify the amount and type of chemicals present in a sample, which involved measuring the mass-to-charge ratio and abundance of gas-phase ions.
Next we went to the sensory lab where we met two young ladies who were studying at Rutgers. The first young lady to speak had previously worked at Pepsi. At Pepsi she focused on consumer emotion, or essentially how the consumer feels about a product in relation its appearance, taste, smell, touch, sound. She looked at all the five senses. The other young lady working in this lab discussed her area of academic interest, and told us a little about her current research paper/thesis. Her paper, which was about whether or not if an individual liked his or her dietary food options he or she would be more effective in loosing weight, sounded very interesting. I found the "super-taster" test fascinating. We all tested whether we were super-tasters, medium-tasters, or non-tasters by putting a paper strip on our tongues and judging our response to it. If you were repulsed by a bitter test, you were a super-taster, if you did not taste anything at all, you were a non-taster, and if your response was somewhere in the middle you were a medium-taster.
The last two labs we visited, the Food Chemistry and Food Engineering labs, were fascinating as well. I felt that seeing plasma for the first time was a highlight of the trip. We learned about the uses of plasma, that ranged from uses in luxury car production to uses in medicine and the treatment of surgical wounds.
We ended the day with a hands-on experiment in the reading room and Pilot plant. The spherification lab we completed covered the principle that when a solution containing sodium alginate is dripped into a calcium chloride bath, calcium ions react with alginate molecules by allowing them to align and bind so that a thin gel membrane forms around the droplets. Ultimately, our afternoon spent at Rutger's University was enlightening.
We first explored the mass spectrometry lab. The man working this lab seemed to have a very time consuming, yet interesting job. He explained to us some of the different laboratory methods and techniques used to identify the amount and type of chemicals present in a sample, which involved measuring the mass-to-charge ratio and abundance of gas-phase ions.
Next we went to the sensory lab where we met two young ladies who were studying at Rutgers. The first young lady to speak had previously worked at Pepsi. At Pepsi she focused on consumer emotion, or essentially how the consumer feels about a product in relation its appearance, taste, smell, touch, sound. She looked at all the five senses. The other young lady working in this lab discussed her area of academic interest, and told us a little about her current research paper/thesis. Her paper, which was about whether or not if an individual liked his or her dietary food options he or she would be more effective in loosing weight, sounded very interesting. I found the "super-taster" test fascinating. We all tested whether we were super-tasters, medium-tasters, or non-tasters by putting a paper strip on our tongues and judging our response to it. If you were repulsed by a bitter test, you were a super-taster, if you did not taste anything at all, you were a non-taster, and if your response was somewhere in the middle you were a medium-taster.
The last two labs we visited, the Food Chemistry and Food Engineering labs, were fascinating as well. I felt that seeing plasma for the first time was a highlight of the trip. We learned about the uses of plasma, that ranged from uses in luxury car production to uses in medicine and the treatment of surgical wounds.
We ended the day with a hands-on experiment in the reading room and Pilot plant. The spherification lab we completed covered the principle that when a solution containing sodium alginate is dripped into a calcium chloride bath, calcium ions react with alginate molecules by allowing them to align and bind so that a thin gel membrane forms around the droplets. Ultimately, our afternoon spent at Rutger's University was enlightening.
Day 9- Presentations and Marigold's Kitchen
On our second to last day of jterm we spent the morning putting the final touches on our projects and practicing our presentations. We helped eachother by providing feedback and tasting eachothers dishes. In the afternoon a kindergarten class came to see Matt, Angela, and Julia make their Carmel whipped cream. The students all loved it especially when it was paired with chocolate ice cream! They were so excited to find out that science could be so fun and tasty! Next a first grade class came to taste and learn the science behind Bradlie and Arianna's microwave chocolate cake and espresso foam. They students learned how they used air to make the cake rise instead of baking side or baking powder. The cake was a big hit and many of the students enjoyed the espresso foam too!
The big highlight of the day was our trip to Marigold's Kitchen. We are everything from truffle powder to foie gras to blue cheese infused Asian pears. The staff was incredibly accommodating and made alternate dishes for those of us with dietary restrictions. It was very cool to see techniques that we had talked about and used in class being performed at a professional level. They used spherification to make vinegar caviar and maltadextren to make powers just like we did! We bonded over dinner and the shared experience of great food and great company! Tomorrow we will be finishing the presentations by welcoming more lower school classes and we will clean the classroom.
The big highlight of the day was our trip to Marigold's Kitchen. We are everything from truffle powder to foie gras to blue cheese infused Asian pears. The staff was incredibly accommodating and made alternate dishes for those of us with dietary restrictions. It was very cool to see techniques that we had talked about and used in class being performed at a professional level. They used spherification to make vinegar caviar and maltadextren to make powers just like we did! We bonded over dinner and the shared experience of great food and great company! Tomorrow we will be finishing the presentations by welcoming more lower school classes and we will clean the classroom.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Readings for Final Presentations
Please read the following articles explaining the chemistry of the final presentations:
Skyler and Sean's Pop Rocks:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/science-questions/question114.htm
https://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=collection/wsu_/activities/wsu_big_chill_activity1/wsu_big_chill_activity1.xml
Matt, Julia and Angela's Caramel Foam:
Arianna and Bradlie's Espresso Foam and Chocolate Sponge Cake:
Introduction, 1.1: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359029413000563
http://www.modernistcookingmadeeasy.com/define/molecular-gastronomy-glossary/what-is/gelification
Elodie and Sam's Fruit Gels:
http://www.moleculargastronomynetwork.com/241-community/forum/What-is-Gelification-.html
Eloise, Amanda and Bella's Carbonated Ice Cream and Nutella Powder:
Skyler and Sean's Pop Rocks:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/science-questions/question114.htm
https://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=collection/wsu_/activities/wsu_big_chill_activity1/wsu_big_chill_activity1.xml
Matt, Julia and Angela's Caramel Foam:
Arianna and Bradlie's Espresso Foam and Chocolate Sponge Cake:
Introduction, 1.1: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359029413000563
http://www.modernistcookingmadeeasy.com/define/molecular-gastronomy-glossary/what-is/gelification
Elodie and Sam's Fruit Gels:
http://www.moleculargastronomynetwork.com/241-community/forum/What-is-Gelification-.html
Eloise, Amanda and Bella's Carbonated Ice Cream and Nutella Powder:
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Blog Post about Drexel Wednesday 1/13/16
Today we started off the day by experimenting with our final project presentations. Some of us are presenting tomorrow so we really needed to nail down the presentation and scripts.
Then, we traveled to Drexel University to meet with some Culinary Arts and Food Science professors and students. During this lesson, we learned myriad information about sugars like Glucose and Sucrose and Galactose. Then, we split into three groups and made Marshmallows, Lollipops, and Peanut Brittle. Of all the candy we made, the most popular was the Peanut Brittle, but everyone enjoyed all of the candy.
Then, we traveled to Drexel University to meet with some Culinary Arts and Food Science professors and students. During this lesson, we learned myriad information about sugars like Glucose and Sucrose and Galactose. Then, we split into three groups and made Marshmallows, Lollipops, and Peanut Brittle. Of all the candy we made, the most popular was the Peanut Brittle, but everyone enjoyed all of the candy.
Then, we traveled back to EA to finish up some more experimenting with our final projects. Can't wait for everyone to present tomorrow and Friday!
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
COOK Reflection
I really enjoyed yesterday's trip to COOK. All of the people we met were so kind and enthusiastic about their work. The atmosphere of the kitchen was very happy and warm, which made me feel more comfortable asking questions.
The meal consisted of five small courses:
(1) an amuse,
(2) Tasmanian Sea Trout,
(3) Wagyu Short Rib
(4) Cypress Grove Purple Haze Cheese
(5) Key Lime Sorbet
Overall, I enjoyed COOK more than Shola because there were more people and it was a more welcoming atmosphere.
The meal consisted of five small courses:
(1) an amuse,
(2) Tasmanian Sea Trout,
(3) Wagyu Short Rib
(4) Cypress Grove Purple Haze Cheese
(5) Key Lime Sorbet
Overall, I enjoyed COOK more than Shola because there were more people and it was a more welcoming atmosphere.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)