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.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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
