The Ethics and Chemistry of Food and Cooking
Describe the project.
The Ethics and Chemistry of Food and Cooking was a cross-curricular project in Humanities and Chemistry. As the title suggests, in Humanities we studied the ethics of eating: where our food comes from, the environmental implications of our diets, and what it means to have a “food ethic.” We read The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, watched the documentary Fed Up, and engaged with several guest speakers. Eventually, we were asked to develop and articulate our own food ethics in a short, personal essay. You can read my essay below.
For the Chemistry part of the project, we learned about various branches of food science. We did a lab on calorimetry to study the amount of energy contained in food. We learned about qualitative and quantitative ways to assess characteristics of food. Then, each student chose their own project regarding some aspect of food science. We were required to do an experiment where we changed a variable in the recipe and observed how it affected the final product. For my experiment, I made ricotta cheese using milk with different fat content. You can see my experiment explained in the recipe card below.
Instead of having a traditional exhibition for this project, we served a meal. Groups of 5-6 students planned, cooked, and hosted a meal for 10-12 people. We called it “slow food:” a time to talk about food ethics and the science of food, meet new people, and generally delight in the experience of eating. My group’s meal turned out very well. The theme of our dinner was “organic vs. conventional” and we served each version of all the dishes. You can see a menu from our meal below.
Reflect on your group’s meal.
My group decided to hold our meal at Sam’s house, which is essentially in the middle of nowhere (it would have made sense to do it a little closer to town). Everything went very well--the food was delicious, there was good conversation, and our guests enjoyed it. However, there are a few things I would have done to improve the atmosphere and experience.
As I mentioned before, Sam’s house may not have been the best venue. I am very grateful to him and his mom for hosting, and they have a very beautiful house. However, we had a bit of a hard time finding enough chairs to seat everyone, and it was set up a little haphazardly; the dining space is an area for refinement. Also, the dining room was right next to the kitchen--they were almost the same room. It was sort of awkward to serve food, then stand right next door and watch everyone eat. I think it would have been nice if the students could sit at the table and eat, too.
Lastly, I don’t think our theme unified the meal as much as it should have. Organic vs. conventional sounds interesting in theory, but the different courses of our meal seemed to clash and were only slightly connected by the theme. Our theme could be used again, but better planning would provide for a better execution.
Overall, I really liked the meal service as a form of exhibition, rather than the traditional stand-and-deliver format. It was a cool way to put our food ethics into practice while doing something kind for our parents and teachers.
How did the interdisciplinary nature of this project impact your learning?
I don’t think I would have as much accountability for my own food if this project hadn’t been interdisciplinary. Over Osprey Week, I learned how to make ricotta cheese. After learning about food corporations in Humanities, I was intrigued by the ricotta because it was fresh and homemade, things you don’t usually find with store-bought cheese. When we started our chemistry projects, I decided to do my experiment with ricotta. I spent hours reading about the science of cheese: the molecular components, how to make it coagulate, the types of protein in cheese, and the role of rennet. Eventually, ricotta felt like “my thing”--it was a unique, interesting food with complicated science that I knew all about.
This project allowed me to engage with cheese-making in a multifaceted way, which expanded my understanding and appreciation of that cheese. Without the Humanities AND Chemistry content, I wouldn’t be as accountable for or interested in ricotta. My relationship with this cheese extends to other foods as well. Because I understand more general food science AND more about the food system in America, I can engage with food in multiple ways.
What are your main takeaways from studying food academically? How has your thinking about food changed from before?
I will never think of food the same way. After studying food academically for about 8 weeks, my entire perspective on food has changed.
Before the project, the main thing I considered about food was its health value. Was it conventionally “healthy” or “unhealthy?” I shaped my diet around how food tasted and how I thought it would impact my health. Those are both important things, but my expanded understanding of food makes me consider more factors when I’m deciding what to eat. I think more about the source of my food, and what had to happen for it to end up on my plate. If it is meat, what were the conditions like for the animal? What is the impact of that food on the environment?
Learning about the chemistry of food didn’t necessarily impact my diet, but it impacted the way I interact with food. While I used to hate cooking, I now enjoy it partly because I understand the science of what happens when you scramble eggs and age cheese.
Since I’ve been in Washington D.C. (I’m living here while I do my LINK), I’ve realized that the timing of this project was nearly perfect. I’ve been responsible for two out of three meals every day, so there are many more opportunities for me to practice my food ethic. Also, cities like Washington have a plethora of food options--unlike Durango. You can find restaurants like Sweetgreen, a salad restaurant dedicated to eating healthy food and being transparent about sourcing. You can eat food from dozens of countries all over the world: we had authentic Indian food for dinner last week, and we’re planning to have Ethiopian food tonight. There is a restaurant called Founding Farmers that sources only from local farms and emphasizes eating seasonally and locally. Since I just studied the importance and impact of food, I really appreciate the options that the city has to offer, and being here at this time has been perfect for implementing and further developing my own food ethic.
The Ethics and Chemistry of Food and Cooking was a cross-curricular project in Humanities and Chemistry. As the title suggests, in Humanities we studied the ethics of eating: where our food comes from, the environmental implications of our diets, and what it means to have a “food ethic.” We read The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, watched the documentary Fed Up, and engaged with several guest speakers. Eventually, we were asked to develop and articulate our own food ethics in a short, personal essay. You can read my essay below.
For the Chemistry part of the project, we learned about various branches of food science. We did a lab on calorimetry to study the amount of energy contained in food. We learned about qualitative and quantitative ways to assess characteristics of food. Then, each student chose their own project regarding some aspect of food science. We were required to do an experiment where we changed a variable in the recipe and observed how it affected the final product. For my experiment, I made ricotta cheese using milk with different fat content. You can see my experiment explained in the recipe card below.
Instead of having a traditional exhibition for this project, we served a meal. Groups of 5-6 students planned, cooked, and hosted a meal for 10-12 people. We called it “slow food:” a time to talk about food ethics and the science of food, meet new people, and generally delight in the experience of eating. My group’s meal turned out very well. The theme of our dinner was “organic vs. conventional” and we served each version of all the dishes. You can see a menu from our meal below.
Reflect on your group’s meal.
My group decided to hold our meal at Sam’s house, which is essentially in the middle of nowhere (it would have made sense to do it a little closer to town). Everything went very well--the food was delicious, there was good conversation, and our guests enjoyed it. However, there are a few things I would have done to improve the atmosphere and experience.
As I mentioned before, Sam’s house may not have been the best venue. I am very grateful to him and his mom for hosting, and they have a very beautiful house. However, we had a bit of a hard time finding enough chairs to seat everyone, and it was set up a little haphazardly; the dining space is an area for refinement. Also, the dining room was right next to the kitchen--they were almost the same room. It was sort of awkward to serve food, then stand right next door and watch everyone eat. I think it would have been nice if the students could sit at the table and eat, too.
Lastly, I don’t think our theme unified the meal as much as it should have. Organic vs. conventional sounds interesting in theory, but the different courses of our meal seemed to clash and were only slightly connected by the theme. Our theme could be used again, but better planning would provide for a better execution.
Overall, I really liked the meal service as a form of exhibition, rather than the traditional stand-and-deliver format. It was a cool way to put our food ethics into practice while doing something kind for our parents and teachers.
How did the interdisciplinary nature of this project impact your learning?
I don’t think I would have as much accountability for my own food if this project hadn’t been interdisciplinary. Over Osprey Week, I learned how to make ricotta cheese. After learning about food corporations in Humanities, I was intrigued by the ricotta because it was fresh and homemade, things you don’t usually find with store-bought cheese. When we started our chemistry projects, I decided to do my experiment with ricotta. I spent hours reading about the science of cheese: the molecular components, how to make it coagulate, the types of protein in cheese, and the role of rennet. Eventually, ricotta felt like “my thing”--it was a unique, interesting food with complicated science that I knew all about.
This project allowed me to engage with cheese-making in a multifaceted way, which expanded my understanding and appreciation of that cheese. Without the Humanities AND Chemistry content, I wouldn’t be as accountable for or interested in ricotta. My relationship with this cheese extends to other foods as well. Because I understand more general food science AND more about the food system in America, I can engage with food in multiple ways.
What are your main takeaways from studying food academically? How has your thinking about food changed from before?
I will never think of food the same way. After studying food academically for about 8 weeks, my entire perspective on food has changed.
Before the project, the main thing I considered about food was its health value. Was it conventionally “healthy” or “unhealthy?” I shaped my diet around how food tasted and how I thought it would impact my health. Those are both important things, but my expanded understanding of food makes me consider more factors when I’m deciding what to eat. I think more about the source of my food, and what had to happen for it to end up on my plate. If it is meat, what were the conditions like for the animal? What is the impact of that food on the environment?
Learning about the chemistry of food didn’t necessarily impact my diet, but it impacted the way I interact with food. While I used to hate cooking, I now enjoy it partly because I understand the science of what happens when you scramble eggs and age cheese.
Since I’ve been in Washington D.C. (I’m living here while I do my LINK), I’ve realized that the timing of this project was nearly perfect. I’ve been responsible for two out of three meals every day, so there are many more opportunities for me to practice my food ethic. Also, cities like Washington have a plethora of food options--unlike Durango. You can find restaurants like Sweetgreen, a salad restaurant dedicated to eating healthy food and being transparent about sourcing. You can eat food from dozens of countries all over the world: we had authentic Indian food for dinner last week, and we’re planning to have Ethiopian food tonight. There is a restaurant called Founding Farmers that sources only from local farms and emphasizes eating seasonally and locally. Since I just studied the importance and impact of food, I really appreciate the options that the city has to offer, and being here at this time has been perfect for implementing and further developing my own food ethic.
To see my Chemistry reflection on this project, head to the Chemistry page HERE.