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Science of Food

Discover how a pinch of curiosity can improve your cooking.

Water: The Universal Ingredient

Water is everywhere and may seem like an afterthought as an ingredient, but it’s a crucial aspect of food and cooking—everything we eat was once a living organism largely composed of water, and many of the ways we cook rely on the properties of water. Thinking your way to success in the kitchen often boils down to simply understanding how water works.

 

Features

Dive into ways in which water interacts with your food.

water molecules
Explorable Water

Take a molecule's view of temperature changes in a drop of water.

Pressure Cooking
Pressure Cooking

Water helps you cook under pressure.

Brining turkey
Brining Turkey

Keep your Thanksgiving turkey moist through the science of brining.

frozen stawberry
Freeze-Thawing Strawberries

This video explores what's happening to your food at a molecular level as it goes through a freeze-thaw cycle.

Popping Popcorn
Popping Popcorn

Find out how water pops your popcorn.

Simmering Rice
Simmering Rice

Explore the knuckle method of cooking rice.

Soaking Pasta
Soaking Pasta

Reduce the carbon footprint of cooking pasta.

Freeze-Drying Ice Cream
Freeze-Drying Ice Cream

This video explores a way to dry food out without heating it up.

Searing Steak
Searing Steak

Searing doesn’t retain water—it eliminates it.

Try this

Turn your kitchen into a lab with these recipes and activities.

Knuckle-Method Rice
Knuckle-Method Rice

Measure out rice and water with just your hand.

Low-Energy Spaghetti
Low-Energy Spaghetti

Cook pasta right in its sauce by presoaking it first.

Basic Brine recipe
Basic Brine

Keep your meat moist by adding water.

bowl of popcorn
Every Last Popcorn

Take a minute to make sure every kernel gets popped.

More to explore

Hungry for another helping? Feast on more food science.

Timing the Perfect Turkey
Timing the Perfect Turkey

Timing the perfect turkey isn't easy, especially when they come in different sizes. Discover how a turkey’s geometry affects its cooking time.

Cooking Equivalents and Measures
Cooking Equivalents and Measures

Different countries use different measurement systems, and converting between them can be a challenge—but we’re here to help.

Interactive: Science of Food: Cooking conversion calculator
Cooking Conversion Calculator

Use this calculator to convert between measurement systems.

Science of Cooking
Science of Cooking

Explore the science behind food and cooking with recipes, activities, and archived Webcasts.

Edible Snacks
Edible Science Snacks

Snack on these ingredients before, during, or after your investigations.

Pairings: Cultivating a Taste for Science Through Food

Check upcoming events for dates and time

Join us on second Thursdays for robust presentations and refreshing conversations designed to inspire your scientific palate alongside delectable tasting menus by Chef Loretta Keller.

  • Science of Food: Water
  • Explorable Water
  • Pressure Cooking
  • Brining Turkey
  • Freeze-Thawing Strawberries
  • Popping Popcorn
  • Simmering Rice
  • Soaking Pasta
  • Freeze-Drying Ice Cream
  • Searing Steak
  • Try this
  • More to explore
  • Cooking Conversion Calculator
  • Cooking Equivalents and Measures
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