This week we studied the properties of foams and emulsions using egg whites and egg yokes. Foams and emulsions are different types of dispersions in liquids. Foams, like meringue, consist of air bubbles dispersed in liquid egg whites. Emulsions, like … Continue reading
This week, we focused on eggs and emulsion. So, the discussion returned to the topic of proteins. A couple of weeks ago when we examined enzymatic browning, we focused on protein structure, function, and enzymatic activity. This week, in addition … Continue reading
Sarah and I are doing our project with Juniper in the Wellesley ville! We recently went in for a second time to discuss our plans on our dish (or ingredient), which is mint oil. Chef Tim’s problem is that he … Continue reading
Last week, we made cheese and butter in our class! I never knew how easy (and tasty) making your own cheese could be. We first heated up half a gallon of milk and then added some citric acid and rennin … Continue reading
This week Annie and I started our research for the “chef’s problem” project, working with Susu Alyward of Susu’s Bakery in the ville. Our assignment is to transform one of their top selling bakery items into a gluten free item. … Continue reading
Last week, we learned about the molecular components of milk and the chemistry behind cheese making. Milk is made of three simple components: proteins (casein proteins and whey proteins), milk fat, and lactose (a complex sugar combination of glucose and … Continue reading
This week, we had a special guest, Professor Vanja, visiting our class to gives us a lecture on microbiology in cheese. Just until last year, I avoided fresh cheese because I couldn’t stand the strong smell. From Prof. Vanja, I … Continue reading
This week we also learned why Jell-O does not set when certain fresh fruits are added. Often on boxes of Jell-O there is a warning to not add fresh pineapple, kiwi, or papaya. We set up a few experiments to … Continue reading
In week 4, we learned about the process of agarose gel electrophoresis and how the technique can be used to separate the color components of common food dyes. Although gel electrophoresis is typically used to separate DNA or proteins, it … Continue reading
After reading the online sources and McGee’s chapter on Milk and Dairy products, I can’t stop thinking about how much is going on in the block of cheddar cheese in my refrigerator. There’s so much biology and chemistry to explain … Continue reading