Serving Up Science

There’s nothing quite like chocolate. It’s delicious, soothing, sensuous and has had a hold on us for thousands of years. Dark chocolate can even lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol. We’ll explore the science of dark chocolate with an expert chocolatier and find out why the percentage of cocoa is so important in terms of quality, taste, nutrition and health!

Ever wondered how beer foam foams? Often referred to as the “head” or “collar,” beer foam is a collection of frothy bubbles carbonating the top layer of freshly poured beer. The bubbles are carbon dioxide gas, which is created as a byproduct of fermentation - the process by which we get alcohol. So grab a cold- as we join a local brewer in exploring the science of beer foam!

When you think of space food, what comes to mind? Probably dried ice cream, jell-o, and food in a tube. But today's advances in cosmonaut cuisine include everything from mashed potatoes to chocolate pudding. And it turns out space impacts your body, so it’s not just the food variety that astronauts need, but nutrient dense meals high in iron and vitamin D.

Tannins are found in nature, but did you know they also give your wine that dry astringent aftertaste? But they are not just in your wine they are found in fruits like blueberries, grapes, and persimmons; they are also found in everything from chocolate to coffee to walnuts. So let’s explore the science of tannins and the role they play in your glass of vino.

Culinary experts, biologists and biotech innovators have done the impossible; by tinkering with ingredients and the genetics of plants they’ve created an alternative meat, relatively indistinguishable from beef. But we’re testing the taste with a panel of protein loving athletes to find out if it plant based burgers could pass as the real deal.