9/25: Week 4 Stocks, Sauces and Dressings

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR. This week we learned the processes behind making several kinds of stocks, sauces, and dressings. We learned about emulsions and the units made us three kinds of dressings to show us the different types of emulsions (temporary, semi-permanent, and permanent). We also made butter, mayonnaise, and cooked salad dressing (like Miracle Whip) as more examples of permanent emulsions. Most of this lab was tasting the differences between several commercial and homemade products like hollandaise sauce, marinara, espagnole, and chicken veloute. Next week we'll be doing a lab all about starches. There will be a wide variety of foods made, so come hungry!

9/18: Week 3: Principles and Methods of Heat Transfer

This week's lab was about the three types of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. We all got our carb fixes by demonstrating and practicing the three methods with potatoes and a little bit of pasta. We also talked about dry vs. moist methods of cooking. Every unit made pasta, some with salted water, some with no salt. The experiment was to test the taste and texture of pasta cooked in salted and unsalted water. Every unit also cooked with potatoes - half using a dry heat method with fat, half using a moist heat method with chicken broth. With the potatoes we paid attention to how much of the cooking medium was used (fat or broth), how long the potatoes cooked until tender, and what they looked and tasted like when they were done. The other experiments tested different variables of cooking potatoes with the three types of heat transfer and a variety of cooking methods. Next week we continue learning basics, but actually start cooking more and make stocks, sauces, and dressings.

9/11: Week 2 Weights and Measures

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR. It's week two here in lab! In week two we wanted to teach you all about learning some kitchen basics. We wanted you to become familiar with various pieces of equipment, know the proper ways to measure ingredients, and know the correct way to use, and sharpen a knife. There were some tears in lab this week but that's only because we had you practice various cuts on onions, along with carrots and potatoes. We also wanted you to be comfortable with lab safety, procedures, and what is expected of you when you prepare to come to lab. Although this week was very laid back on lab etiquette and dress, don't forget your apron or suitable shoes next week because you will be penalized. Next week we'll move on to some cooking basics and learn about heat transfer. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your week!

9/4: Lab Week 1!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR. It's another semester here in lab! This week's lab was all about building your palate and learning new ways to evaluate food. We started off by having you get to know the other people in your class - by feeding each other mystery foods while blindfolded. The other experiments were a bit less awkward, like tasting the differences between three different kinds of apple juice and evaluating four kinds of ice cream.  Chef Kristi led an experiment where students sampled eight different fruit juices. Students then had to guess what type of juice each one was. Sounds easy, right? You'd think, but no. Chef tried to trick everyone and make you really use your tastebuds. So she used food dye to dye the differents kinds of juices.
                Another experiment we did was to have you compare four different apples. We started with a reference (or control) apple, a Red Delicious, which we then compared to a Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady apples. The comparisons were based on sweetness, tartness, juiciness, crispness, and mushiness, on a scale of 1-10. This experiment was an example of hedonic scaling (how much you like each item).  See you next time for some practice with weights and measures!