Michelle Personick / Chemistry
Molecules on the Menu: From Classic Cuisine to Molecular Gastronomy
My Dream Idea is to teach a monthly “science of cooking” workshop series for a group of 12 first-generation and transfer students who are taking chemistry courses. A goal of the workshop series will be to connect students from these groups to one another, providing a peer community and helping to build a sense of belonging. The framing of topics from chemistry and materials science within the theme of food and cooking provides a context that students can relate to regardless of their background and previous experiences.
Cooking and baking are, at their core, chemistry in the kitchen. The taste, texture, structure, and appearance of our favorite foods result from the interactions—and reactions—of molecules. The workshop will explore the way that molecules interact with one another during the preparation of different recipes as well as how these molecules respond to external physical factors such as heat, cold, or stirring to give the final tasty result. By understanding what is happening when they follow a particular recipe, participants will discover how to adapt recipes to their own tastes, troubleshoot recipes in different situations, and substitute ingredients.
Through cooking and experimenting together, workshop participants will seek to answer questions such as: What is a cookie? How does one cook a “perfect” egg? Is it possible to cook without applying heat?
The last meeting of the workshop series will be a cooking competition where the dishes the participants prepare will be judged on taste as well as the students’ explanation of the science behind the recipe. These recipes and their scientific background will be highlighted on a website of resources for first-generation and transfer students in chemistry that I am building as part of a separate project.
Budget:
UVA Teaching Kitchen academic class use ($350 x 7 sessions) = $2450
Ingredients and supplies = $750
Custom aprons for participants ($25 x 12) = $300
Total = $3500