flickr user Steve A Johnson

I just finished writing up a handy guide to other websites that post stuff about science and cooking. Included in there are links to all the Harvard Science and Cooking videos, in the order in which they were presented, which apparently some people have been looking for.

And in case you missed it, take a look at Naveen’s behind-the-scenes peek at how he adapted the Harvard curriculum into a summer two-week program for 20 schoolkids.

The theme for the week is collaboration. There are some really great folks out there doing interesting work, and many are just a tweet, comment, or email away.

News

• Our team is proud to participate in the Kitchen Stories network, a collaboration between chefs, foodies, and scientists to explore questions in food and cooking. If you are a researcher and are interested in  face-to-face meetings with other folks interested in food, there may be funding available. Please comment here and we will get you connected to the network.
• Martin Lersch over at Khymos blog breaks the news of an upcoming academic symposium on “The Emerging Science of Gastrophysics” starting… tomorrow! The program and list of speakers is definitely worth checking out.
• We’ve posted the 2010 and 2011 videos. Now Harvard Science and Cooking Course’s 2012 public lecture schedule is up.
• And don’t forget to check out NYU Experimental Cuisine Collective’s 2012 schedule as well.
• Did you know that the chemical that makes chiles spicy is also used to make pepper spray? via Penn State’s Food Science Department

Deep Thought

• University of Melbourne science communicator Helen Gardiner played host to me on my recent trip to Australia. In this blog post, she asks the question: with the rise of food television, why aren’t there more shows about food science?

Inspiration

• Who says “molecular” recipes have to include crazy ingredients? Check out this incredible new take on breakfast.

Geek Out

• Last week, Dave Arnold discovered a $150 counter-top centrifuge and blogged about it. Today, there is exactly one unit left on Amazon. Thanks, Dave.
• Buffalo Trace Distillery has been doing some experiments with small barrels over the last few years, and last week they came out and said their experiments were, unfortunately, a failure. I like that a major company is willing to experiment and share their results, but the blogosphere is now abuzz over whether Buffalo Trace is making the fuss to push back against their microdistillery competitors.

Nutrition

• “While people have a strong desire to eat healthy, most aren’t exactly sure what healthy eating entails” via FoodProcessing.com
• Nutritionist Monica Reinagel applies a rational, well-researched lens to nutritional questions. This week, she writes “Unfortunately, most of the people writing about [a study on soluble fiber and abdominal fat] misunderstood the results.” see Monica’s explanation.
• Scientists discover a way to keep bananas ripe for up to 12 days at a time. Awesome, or scary? via Food52
• If you’ve ever wondered how to choose, store, and use fruits and vegetables for optimal quality and nutrition, find out everything you need to know from the experts in farm-to-table “postharvest” technology.

Sous Vide

• Is cooking scrambled eggs sous vide really worth it? Well, no, not really.
• But maybe sous-viding a whole pork shoulder is?