Kid-friendly technique: measuring liquids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What they\u2019ll learn about: <\/strong>Viscosity<\/p>\n\n\n\n What they\u2019ll do<\/strong>: Let the kids fill a clear measuring cup to what they think is 200ml of any liquid. Place it on a flat surface and have them look at it at eye level. They\u2019ll see that the liquid isn\u2019t flat \u2013 it dips in the centre. That\u2019s the meniscus \u2013 the point where chemists measure liquids. Kids will discover that what looked <\/em>like the right amount from above is actually more or less liquid that they thought.<\/p>\n\n\n Cool science: <\/strong>Viscosity is the resistance to flow \u2013 in other words, how thick something is. Something with a low viscosity has a lot of liquid, and that\u2019s why measurements of liquids matter so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why you <\/em>should try it: <\/strong>\u201cToo much liquid will lower viscosity of a batter,\u201d says professor Melani W. Duffrin of Northern Illinois University\u2019s School of Interdisciplinary Health Professions. \u201cSo, for instance, a pancake batter with low viscosity \u2013 or too much liquid \u2013 would spread more, resulting in a flatter product,\u201d she says. But get the liquid measurement right, and those pancakes will plump right up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What they\u2019ll learn about: <\/strong>Osmosis<\/p>\n\n\n\n What they\u2019ll do: <\/strong>With your help, have kids chop a tomato, then place the pieces in a mesh strainer over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt. As salt seeps into the tomato, water from the fruit will drip out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cool science: <\/strong>Water and other molecules pass through membranes via a process called osmosis. In this case, the membrane is the tomato\u2019s skin. The concentration of water and salt molecules must be equal inside and outside the tomato, so as salt flows in, water flows out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why you <\/em>should try it: <\/strong>Because of osmosis, salting food draws out water. So, if you salt, say, cucumbers or tomatoes before <\/em>adding them to a salad bowl, you won\u2019t end up with a lot of liquid at the bottom of the bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What they\u2019ll learn about: <\/strong>Emulsion<\/p>\n\n\n\n What they\u2019ll do<\/strong>: Have kids pour one part vinegar and three parts oil into a mixing bowl, then whisk it together. In a separate bowl, add the same amount of vinegar and oil plus <\/em>1.5 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, and whisk together. Transfer the mixtures into two separate jars and watch the ingredients separate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou should see the mustard mixture hold together longer,\u201d says Daniel Gritzer, managing culinary director of Serious Eats, a website dedicated to recipes and cooking techniques. \u201cIf kids give each one a vigorous shaking, they can bring both of them back together.\u201d Then one more time, observe which one separates quicker. The science of cooking in action!<\/p>\n\n\n Cool science: <\/strong>Mustard contains lecithin, an emulsifier. Emulsifiers are compounds that possess both \u2018hydrophilic\u2019 (water-loving) and \u2018lipophilic\u2019 (fat-loving) properties. \u201cThe mustard emulsifier helps the water molecules in the vinegar hang out with the fat molecules in the oil,\u201d Gritzer says. \u201cThat\u2019s why the oil and vinegar doesn\u2019t separate as quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why you should try it: <\/strong>Using an emulsifier means a much creamier dressing for your salad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What they\u2019ll learn about: <\/strong>Maillard reaction<\/p>\n\n\n\n What they\u2019ll do: <\/strong>Have kids wrap one piece of raw meat tightly in plastic and a similar-size piece on a wire rack over a plate to try out. (Make sure kids wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw meat.) Refrigerate both for at least an hour, then help them sear each piece separately in a skillet. The exposed piece will brown and crisp much more than the pre-wrapped piece, developing a richer taste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cool science: <\/strong>Heat causes sugar and protein molecules to combine and recombine, forming new molecules and distinct flavours. Called the Maillard reaction, it\u2019s what gives browned foods like steak their rich taste. \u201cNew and more complex flavours come out as the reaction goes along,\u201d Gritzer says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why you <\/em>should try it: <\/strong>Surface moisture takes time to cook off, so wetter meat is often done before the Maillard reaction can fully take place. \u201cBut if you dry the meat before you cook, all those flavour compounds permeate it,\u201d says chef Bertram Whitman of Los Angeles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What they\u2019ll learn about: <\/strong>Crystal formation<\/p>\n\n\n\n What they\u2019ll do: <\/strong>Have kids weigh an amount of table salt and the same amount of kosher salt on a food scale. Then check out both under a magnifier. The kosher salt crystals should weigh a little less and look larger.<\/p>\n\n\n Cool science: <\/strong>Salt crystals form when water with dissolved \u2018solute\u2019 \u2013 that is, salt minerals \u2013 evaporates. All salt crystals naturally form a cube shape, but they\u2019ll grow bigger or smaller depending on the evaporation speed. Water that evaporates slowly yields bigger salt crystals. \u201cYour larger crystals are going to require more volume (i.e. space) to acquire the same weight,\u201d says Duffrin, creator of FoodMASTER, which teaches maths and science using food experiments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why you <\/em>should try it: <\/strong>Weighing salt for a recipe could make the difference between something you want to eat and something you\u2026 don\u2019t. Duffrin points out that one teaspoon of table salt is generally equivalent to 1.25 teaspoons of kosher salt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2024\/11\/TheScienceOfCooking-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nKid-friendly technique: salting salad<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Kid-friendly technique: whisking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nKid-friendly technique: dehydrating meat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Kid-friendly technique: weighing salt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWant to learn more about the science of cooking? Read about how some foods can boost your kids brains<\/a>!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Written by Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh. Images: Kids around bowl \u00a9 Ryanjlane \/ Getty Images.<\/strong><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"