Though you may think of soft serve as something purely to be purchased at a carnival or ballpark, think again! Using dry ice in the kitchen really pays off here, a little science goes a long way when it comes to ice cream.
Looking for a fun experiment in the kitchen for your family this weekend? Learn how to make rock candy, an exciting exploration of geometry, crystallization, and super-saturation!
Want the secret to a killer party trick? Buy a pound of dry ice and make your guests instant soft serve ice cream after dinner, then toss your hair over your shoulder and say, "Oh, this? It's nothing." Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide and reaches dangerously low temperatures (-109 degrees!), which is perfect for making icy desserts.
Looking to refuel after a grueling workout? Learn the science behind electrolytes and get a better understanding of what your body needs when you've been sweating.
I'm a sucker for candy, particularly candy of the sucking variety. Though to be honest, when I'm presented with a stick of rock candy I am much more likely to crunch its crystals to smithereens than delicately decay them with saliva. There is something so terribly pleasing about the obliteration of sugar between teeth.
Hitting the gym and getting sweaty? When you're finished with a workout your body needs a boost of minerals in addition to a healthy dose of H2O. Shake up this quick drink and bid adieu to bottled sports drinks. You've got the ingredients on hand already, electrolytes full steam ahead!
We see so many popular athletes advertising Gatorade and other sports drinks that we assume they’re the best option for electrolyte replenishment after a hard workout. But the truth is, as with many packaged goods, that we can do far better with a few ingredients from our pantries!
Microbes are the oldest life form on this planet. They can be found in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and indeed inside our own bodies. Check out how food-hackers are changing the flavor of coffee with these tiny organisms!
Chili Peppers are not unique to one country or culture. Evidence of their cultivation dates back to 4,000 BC. But the love of hot foods is exclusive to humans. The rest of the animals on this planet either lack the neurological receptors to register hot food or they avoid peppers altogether, lumping them in with other poisonous plants. Why do we love them so much then?!
I miss many things about NYC, primary among those cravings are my local jerk joint. The well-known neighborhood favorite is The Islands, but for my tastes Fever Grass takes the gold medal (never mind that their storefront was directly across from the crimson entryway to my apartment building).
The secret to avoiding mealy fruit this summer lies in temperature control. Learn the science behind those unfortunate peaches and get some tips on storing your favorites while the weather is still warm!
What was once a tool fit only for commercial kitchens has been adapted for your home! The Nomiku is an immersion circulator for the modern cook. Control temperature within a fraction of a degree for perfect cooking.
This is not a new trick, it is simply good, old, cooking at its best. When we slowly replace water content in food with sugar we act to reduce the amount of H2O necessary to support the growth of bacteria and microbes. Which is to say, we preserve the food. Sugar is a most excellent prison for your lemons. Keep them alive far past their due date with this solution.
What is a morning without the powerful aroma of coffee twisting through your skull? Learn the history behind the world's most popular beverage and start roasting your own beans at home today!
What is a morning without the powerful aroma of coffee twisting through your skull? Learn the history behind the world's most popular beverage and start roasting your own beans at home today!
Sugar has withstood much slander of late, and I am tempted to defend it in some sense. Yes, sugar is problematic in the human diet, but not solely because of its chemical structure. You see, we are abusing it. We are junkies. We are addicts. And so I present, not a defense, but an exploration of sugar. Knowledge is power, information is delicious. Eat. Think. Be Merry.
Get in touch with your rural self and shake some butter in a jar tonight. The traditions that kept our prairie-selves alive are ripe for the picking, no need for fancy equipment here just a jar and some cream!
Get shaking kids. We made butter on Home and Family this week and there's no reason you shouldn't follow suit. Warning: full science lesson attached to this one. Nerd alert.
Let me save you from the terrifying moments when you realize, mid-cake, that you're missing an ingredient. A little chemistry goes a long way when it comes to kitchen hacks!
This is the cake built on mistakes. When you run out of certain ingredients in the kitchen, it's always helpful to know the chemistry behind what you're missing. Do you need to mimic fat? Acid? Leavening? In this case, I took every major substitution I know and used them to build a cake.
