BCBT 100 - The Science of Cooking - Online Course Information

Because science is everywhere, we can approach a course like Science of Cooking by using everyday items to do real scientific experiments. The supplies and equipment you will need to have access to to complete the experiments in this course include:

DISCLAIMER: I provide a number of links to items that I have found on amazon.com. There are MANY places that sell these items, and you are free to use whatever source you like. I do not endorse amazon.com or get any benefit if you choose to use amazon.com, it is just a convenient marketplace for me to use to give examples of the type of item you will need for this class. If you do a little shopping, you might be able to find the same or similar items cheaper from other sources.

Textbook - "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen" by Harold McGee (ISBN-13: 978-0684800011, available on Amazon and many other places, shop for the best value, it shouldn't cost more than ~$30 as of 2016-06-01). If you have a "foody" among your family or friends, this could be a nice gift for them after this class is finished.

Thermometer - You will need a kitchen thermometer that can measure both high and low temperatures. There are many options available that range in price from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. Everyone should have a reliable thermometer in their kitchen, so if you don't already have one, this will be a good investment for you. For use in this class, you should have a thermometer that has a temperature range of AT LEAST -10C to +200C that can be used in water. Here are a couple examples that would all work well, feel free to shop around. Stick-type 1, stick-type 2, folding-type 1, folding-type 2, folding-type 3.
If you want a higher end (but relatively simple) instant read kitchen thermometer, the Thermapen is a very reliable and professional kitchen thermometer. The MK4 is their current "top" model, but the "classic" model is also available. These are both a little spendy, but if you want a very nice kitchen tool it might be worth the investment. I personally have a classic, but if I were buying today I would get the MK4 for a number of reasons including the fact that it uses regular AAA batteries instead of CR2032 button batteries. A Thermapen is nicer than you absolutely need for this class, BUT it's a great kitchen tool, and it also would make a nice gift when you're finished using it for class.

Kitchen Scale - You will need a kitchen scale/balance that will measure down to 1 gram (approximately). For convenience of current and future use, it should have "tare" function and should have a capacity of at least 5+ pounds (2+ kilograms). Kitchen scales are very handy for portioning food or weighing ingredients (especially for precision baking) so this tool should be very handy even after the class is completed. I personally like glass-topped models because they are easy to clean and provide some degree of thermal protection. Similar to my comments above about the Thermapen, it's also nice if the kitchen scale you get uses standard AAA or AA batteries. Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4.

Access to standard kitchen appliances - You will need access to a microwave oven at least. A conventional oven/stovetop and a refrigerator would both be handy, but you could manage without them.

Glassware and other supplies - You will need a couple glass jars or drinking glasses, some spoons/forks/knives, and other standard things you probably have in your kitchen.

Groceries - You will need to have a few grocery items, but they are all quite standard things. Read through the experiments for details.

Back to Science of Cooking page.