The Science Chef Travels Around the World: Fun Food Experiments and Recipes for Kids [Paperback]

Joan D'Amico (Author), Karen E. Drummond (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Discover the delicious answers as you satisfy your hunger for science!

The Science Chef Travels Around the World is serving up a feast of fun with over 60 easy-to-do food experiments and recipes. Come and join the adventure! You'll travel to 14 fascinating countries--starting in Canada and ending in Ghana--and along the way you'll explore the science secrets of food.

Why does orange soda fizz? Do vegetables really die when you pick them? What makes peanut butter smooth? You'll discover the scientific answers to these and dozens of other yummy mysteries. Plus you'll get to make and eat Sizzling Mexican Chicken Fajitas, tasty Italian Cannoli, Awesome Chinese Egg Rolls, and many other delicious dishes.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced cook, you can become an International Science Chef, too. All experiments and recipes are kid-tested, include metric equivalents, and require only common ingredients and kitchen utensils. The Science Chef Travels Around the World also includes rules for kitchen safety and a complete nutrition guide.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-A fun combination of simple science experiments and international cooking, arranged by country. Fourteen nations are included, representing both hemispheres. Each chapter begins with a brief discussion of the cuisine, followed by a quick, easy project related to a basic ingredient, and ends with several recipes for a complete meal. Some of the activities deal specifically with cookery ("How Does Soaking Affect Dried Beans?" and "What Makes Orange Soda Fizz?"), while others are more general in nature ("How Does a Barometer Predict the Weather?") or even quirky ("Do Vegetables Die When You Pick Them?"). The directions and black-and-white drawings are clear and the explanations concise and direct. The recipes are rated for difficulty and include lists of equipment needed and preparation time. Safety information, nutritional guidelines, and nutrient content of individual dishes complete the book. A nice companion to Vicki Cobb's Science Experiments You Can Eat (HarperCollins, 1994), which also utilizes a "learning by doing" approach to relate scientific principles to typical foods.?Joyce Adams Burner, Hillcrest Library, Prairie Village, KS
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5^-7. Although they begin with the same information on equipment, techniques, and safety that they used in The Science Chef (1994), the authors pull recipes from further afield in their latest investigation of food science. There are fewer kitchen experiments and fewer recipes here than in the earlier volume, but once again, the science is explained in easy-to-understand terms. Among the countries tapped for cuisine are Brazil, Ghana, Japan, India, and Canada, with the authors including several traditional recipes (usually only one is related to the science at issue) and brief background on culinary traditions. The recipes aren't necessarily suited to beginning cooks, and the experiments--which answer questions such as "What happens when you cook custard?" and "What makes peanut butter smooth?" --aren't generally suitable for science projects, but this will be a handy source of ethnic recipes for children who know their way around the kitchen. Stephanie Zvirin

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (January 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047111779X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471117797
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,005 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #84 in Books > Children's Books > Sports & Games > Cooking

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for Teachers and Home School Parents!, December 13, 2010

By 

Cynthia E. Downes "Cindy Downes" (Broken Arrow, OK, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Science Chef Travels Around the World: Fun Food Experiments and Recipes for Kids (Paperback)

If your students are working on country reports or if you want to add some fun projects to your geography lesson plans, you MUST HAVE The Science Chef Travels Around the World!

This unique "cookbook" features lesson plans on 14 countries: Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Israel, India, China, Japan, Thailand, Morocco, and Ghana. Each lesson includes brief historical information about the country, a science investigation, and several recipes that best represent that country. History, science, and life skills, all in one lesson! How fun is that!

The recipes are easy to do and use ingredients that can be found in most stores! Measurements are in both English customary and metrics - math class, too!

Examples: Thailand includes a science investigation on growing bean spouts. The recipes included are Thai Salad with Bean Sprouts, Zippy Fried Rice with Chicken, and Banana-Nut Dessert. Spain includes a science investigation on cooking custard and understanding the difference between a sol or a gel. The recipes included are Flan, One-Pot Paella, and Pimento Drop Biscuits. France's science investigation demonstrates how plants take in nutrients and features recipes such as Mixed Green and Celery Salad, Pick-a-Filling Quiche, and Dessert Crepes with Raspberry Sauce.

The book is illustrated with kid-friendly black and white drawings, the font is easy to read, and the layout is well organized. There is a section on cooking skills and another on safety rules in the front of the book. The appendix includes information on nutrition, the Food Guide Pyramid, the nutrient content of recipes, and food safety.

This is a book that makes teaching and learning FUN! Five stars!

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, March 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Science Chef Travels Around the World: Fun Food Experiments and Recipes for Kids (Paperback)

This Book is a great but can get a little boring. The recipes are really fun to make and eat. The discriptions about the countries were very interesting to read. But the one thing I didn't like was the experiments. I didn't think the book needed them and they were weird. example:determining the specific gravity of potatoes. I enjoyed this book and i hope you will too(if you buy it). this book is great for kids and adults alike. They will enjoy learning about different contrys,foods,and coultres.