with Food
ice cream Made using liquid nitrogen
chocolate molten cake Explores principles of heating and cooling
cheese The properties behind protein folding
Michael Brenner prepares a raspberry foam with liquid nitrogen.
mayonnaise The science of emulsion
he said, “were really listening.” And they were learning, too. The mean on the course’s final exam was 90 percent. Last spring, the course culminated in a science fair that included wild creations such as hot ice cream, solid soup, and glow-in-the-dark gummy bears. One of the biggest, most surprising things that Brenner learned from the course, which is being offered again this year, is the notion of the critical synergy that exists between scientists and chefs. Science is “really about taking risks,” he said. “It’s really a subject in which failure is very important. In fact, if you are not failing enough, then you are not succeeding.” The chefs, added Brenner, had very much the same mind-set. They were “always inventing crazy ideas that didn’t work, [but cooking is] an experimental science. … For them … failure was the most important thing.” ƒ Colleen Walsh is a staff writer for the Harvard Gazette. This article is adapted from one that originally appeared in the Gazette. r a d c l i f f e m a g azine
25