Kitchen Science Lab for Kids: EDIBLE EDITION

Book excerpt: Kitchen Science Lab for Kids: EDIBLE EDITION gives you 52 delicious ways to explore food science in your own kitchen by making everything from healthy homemade snacks to scrumptious main dishes and mind-boggling desserts. When you step into your kitchen to cook or bake, you put science to work. Physics and chemistry come into play each time you simmer, steam, bake, freeze, boil, puree, saute, or ferment food. Knowing something about the physics, biology, and chemistry of food will give you the basic tools to be the best chef you can be. Bodacious Bubble Tea, Flavorful Fruit Leather, Super Spring Rolls, Mouthwatering Meatballs…divided by course, each lab presents a step-by-step recipe for a delicious drink, snack, sauce, main dish, dessert, or decoration. The Science Behind the Food section included with each recipe will help you understand the science concepts and nutrition behind the ingredients. Have fun learning about: Bacteria and the chemical process of fermentation by making your own pickled vegetables. Emulsion as you create your own vinaigrette. How trapped water vapor causes a popover to inflate as you make your own. Crystals by making your own ice cream. Mix and match the recipes to pair pasta with your favorite sauce, make ice cream to serve in homemade chocolate bowls, or whip up the perfect frosting for your cake. There are plenty of fun, edible decorations included for the art lovers in the crowd. Before long, you’ll have the confidence to throw together a feast, bake and decorate show-worthy cakes, or use what you’ve learned to create your own recipes. For those with food allergies, all recipes are nut-free and other allergens are clearly labeled throughout. Let’s get cooking—and learning! The popular Lab for Kids series features a growing list of books that share hands-on activities and projects on a wide host of topics, including art, astronomy, clay, geology, math, and even how to create your own circus—all authored by established experts in their fields. Each lab contains a complete materials list, clear step-by-step photographs of the process, as well as finished samples. The labs can be used as singular projects or as part of a yearlong curriculum of experiential learning. The activities are open-ended, designed to be explored over and over, often with different results. Geared toward being taught or guided by adults, they are enriching for a range of ages and skill levels. Gain firsthand knowledge on your favorite topic with Lab for Kids.