The power of lemons – Lemon science
After reading Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat I became a lot more aware of the importance of acid in food. Not just in a lemon meringue tart (even though those are delicious), in lemon bars or as a drizzle over a…
Category Researching Ingredients
Why is a tomato red? Why an orange orange? What does an egg consist of? Why is an Oreo black?
Those are just a few of the questions we ask ourselves when truly digging into our food ingredients. When you really understand and research your ingredients, you will better understand how your food is made. So, we research food ingredients extensively, to help you feel more comfortable using them and knowing how they work.
If you want to learn more about how ingredients change when you use them check out our posts on using ingredients.
If you want to compare ingredients and know which one to choose for which application, we have a category for that too!
Previous step: all these ingredients started out at a farm!
The Flavour Science of an Onion
The other day we made an onion tart that was so incredibly sweet, it was hard to believe the topping was made of just about nothing but onions. It tasted nothing like raw pungent onion and definitely reminded me that…
The Science of Tomato Ketchup (And How It’s Made)
It’s probably very controversial what I’m about to say, but it’s just my humble opinion: ketchup ruins hamburgers & french fries. Like truly ruins them. It’s such a disappointment to bite into a perfectly fine juicy hamburger and then discover…
Decoding pancake package labels
If you have ever made American-style pancakes (those thick fluffy ones) at home, you know with how little ingredients you can whisk up a perfectly fine pancake. Take some flour, salt, baking powder and a little sugar, mix it with…
Speculaaskruiden – A Dutch spice mix for pepernoten
Every year, at the start of autumn, all over the USA (and the internet), pumpkin spice mixes pop up. Even in Europe you can see it popping up in autumn, though not (yet) as prevalent. Pumpkin spice though isn’t that…
Herb Science – Where Does the Flavour of Basil Come From?
The other day we bought a beautiful fresh bunch of basil. Whereas you can use the dried version of a lot of herbs in a lot of recipes, I find that basil is almost always best when you use it…
The Science of Carrageenan – Thickening/Gelling Foods with Seaweed
Have you also noticed that a lot of store bought chocolate milks do not split whereas in your homemade chocolate milk the cocoa powder sinks down in a matter of minutes? Have you wondered how store bought ice cream is…
Why Brussel Sprouts Are Bitter – Science of Glucosinolates
For as long as I can remember Brussel sprouts have been one of my favorite foods to eat. Up to this day that is still the case, I still enjoy eating those mini cabbages, whether it’s boiled, grilled or sauteed.…
Vegetable and fruit texture – On turgor and plant cells
Poached pears are soft and juicy, whereas a ripe fresh pear has a nice crunch to it. Raw carrots crunch and you need a firm bite to break a bit of, but, the carrots which have been boiling in your…
Ripening of fruits & vegetables – On Ethylene and (non)-Climacteric
Should you buy a banana ripe or unripe? And what about strawberries? Or pineapple, avocado, green beans or Brussels sprouts? Your first reaction might be that it depends. It can depend on when you’ll be eating it. If you don’t…
Why Are Emulsifiers & Stabilizers Added to Ice Cream?
Have you ever looked closely at the label of your ice cream containers? If you did, you might have noticed ingredients on there that you don’t normally use when making ice cream at home. Often, these are called emulsifiers and…
Pumpkin Puree – The science of pumpkins & pectin
All of a sudden, somewhere in September, supermarkets start filling up with pumpkins. The common orange, but also green, yellow and even blueish pumpkins. Pumpkins work great in a lot of dishes, whether it’s pies, cakes, breads, pancakes, soups or…