OVERVIEW

THE FIFTY-TWO LABS IN THIS BOOK WILL HAVE YOU EXPERIMENTING WITH FOOD, IN NO TIME WITH DELICIOUS RESULTS.

Each lab contains instructions along with an easy-to-understand explanation of the science behind the food that introduces vocabulary and ideas you can apply to other recipes. The labs are set up to make exploring food science as simple as following a recipe, with the following sections:

INGREDIENTS: lists all the ingredients you’ll need

CHALLENGE LEVEL: labs with one chef’s hat don’t require much time or concentration; labs with more hats will challenge your culinary skills

ALLERGEN ALERTS: all of the recipes in this book are nut free, but this section will indicate if a recipe contains dairy, eggs, or wheat

EQUIPMENT: lists all equipment that will help you create each dish (you can improvise as needed—for example, a food processor is similar to a blender)

SAFETY TIPS AND HINTS: provides common-sense safety guidelines and hints for making things go smoothly

RECIPE: takes you step by step through making the dish

CREATE AND COMBINE: gives you food pairings, variations, or ideas for taking the recipe a step or two further to inspire your creativity and sense of culinary adventure

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE FOOD: offers simple explanations about different ingredients and how they interact, and information on related topics. Keep in mind that failure and troubleshooting are as important as results when you’re tackling a new recipe and will ultimately make you a better cook. Dive in. Measuring, scooping, stirring, and making mistakes are part of every chef’s experience. Once you’ve got a recipe mastered, see what else you can do with it. Use what you’ve learned to create something entirely new or to improve a dish you’ve always wanted to tweak.

Here’s a list of some basic equipment that’s good to have on hand as you cook your way through this book:

Medium-sized saucepan with heavy bottom

Sauté pan (skillet) with gently sloped sides

Sharp knives

Rolling pin

Cutting boards

Blender

Baking sheets

Digital thermometer

Large Pot

Microplane grater

Measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale

Sieve

Cheesecloth

Parchment paper

Foil

Plastic wrap

Dish towels

Sifter