Week 9: Functional Properties of Eggs

This week we learned about the functional properties of eggs. They can be used as emulsifiers, thickeners, binders, as well as for color or structure. Chef Kristi taught us that we can measure the freshness of an egg without breaking it by either putting it in water to see if it will sink or float or by shaking it and listening for sloshing around. She also talked about egg substitute powders for vegans, or egg beaters, which are just colored egg whites. In addition to all of our recipes this week, we also worked with Chef Kristi and Meghan to learn more about making omelets! Yum! The Tuesday section of lab was lucky to have lab in the morning with all of these breakfast foods. We had a nice balance of sweet and savory in this week's lab. We had some delicious French toast, a mushroom quiche, some eggs benedict, pasta carbonara, a lemon pudding cake, and some Asian inspired egg drop soup! See you next week when we try out some baking techniques!

Week 8: Milk and Milk Products

During this week's lab we discussed milk products and alternatives. We got to taste many different types of milk, besides just regular cow’s milk which we are used to. We tried soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, rice milk, and even chocolate soy milk! Yum! More and more alternatives have been put out in recent years due to a rise in lactose intolerance. These "milks" are enriched with calcium and other nutrients that are found in cow's milk. Several discussions and recipes showed us how different kinds of milk affect the outcome of your product. We had lots of yummy treats to sample this week like Key lime pie, fondue, and manicotti. We also made some cheddar cheese crackers, and some pumpkin tofu cheesecake! See you in next week’s lab where will make some EGGcellent egg recipes!

Week 7: Characteristics of Fats and Oils

This week we made a move from colorful and fibrous fruits and vegetables to fats and oils. Chef Kristi taught us all about a variety of oils and what it means for an oil to hit its smoking point. We also got to taste some peanut butter alternatives. Who knew almond, cashew, and sunflower butter could be so delicious! We also tasted differences between whipped butter, margarine, and smart balance spread. Fats and oils are a little more complicated than most people realize. You can have solid fats with straight chain fatty acids or liquid fats that have higher amounts of kinked chain fatty acids. When we refer to the state (solid, liquid, or in between) of fats, it is what they are like at room temperature. Straight chain fats are your saturated or trans fats and kinked chain fats are mono and polyunsaturated fats. Fats have a smoke point, at which they begin to break down and the glycerol section of the triglyceride turns into acrolein, which is very irritating to the eyes and nose. Frying isn't very simple either. There are several things you need to consider when frying, including the temperature of the fat/oil (can't be above the smoke point, but can't be too cold or it will encourage fat absorption), the kind of food you're frying, the temperature of the food (if it's too cold it will reduce the temperature of the oil), and how much food needs to be fried. We saw this when we tasted our delicious vegetable tempura. Thanks Unit 1!!

Week 6: Fruits and Vegetables

From the monochrome of the Starches Lab we move into living color this week and explore several different aspects of vegetables and fruits! We had a quite a variety of dishes this week, using potatoes, carrots, apples, pears, and bananas, among some others. Chef Kristi showed us some clever ways to keep herbs fresh in our refrigerator or freezer so that they can last a long time. She also showed us some interesting produce that we had never seen before. What’s a rutabaga anyway? We enjoyed some healthy fruits and veggies this week, next week we will be back to learn all about characteristics of fats and oils! Your comments look great! Keep them coming! And remember- you only have until before next week's lab! Thanks, Susan

Week 5: Starches

10/1 Pictures
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR. 10/2 Pictures
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR. This week we learned about starches! Chef Kristi started by showing us a variety of grains, rices, and pastas, before and after they were cooked. They really increased in size from absorbing all that water! She then demonstrated how to make a roux and took us down south and showed us a slurry! We used a wide variety of starches to thicken the food we made today, from risotto to stir fry to ravioli! Each unit made something to demonstrate the thickening power of various starches and how added ingredients affect their thickening ability. Next week we'll be working with fruits and vegetables, and there will be a lot of delicious things to eat!