Skill Builders

Your Desktop Dining Tips (and Cooking for Geeks Giveaway)

Let’s face it. Likely a large majority of us eat at our desks. I eat nearly all of my meals here (and my keyboard is crummy enough to prove it!). And I not only eat within my work flow, I frequently rush the food prep (especially Breakfast and Lunch) to get back to the ‘board as soon as possible. Both of these behaviors run counter to my increasing desire to eat healthier. So, I’ve at least been trying to make sure it’s better food that I snatch and grab in a mad dash back to my desk.

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Skill Builder: Knife Skills 101

Skill Builder: Knife Skills 101

I treat knives as the second most dangerous implements in the average kitchen. (Microplanes and mandolins hold the top spot.) When using a knife, I’m always thinking about the “failure mode.” If it slips, or something goes wrong, how is it going to go wrong? Where is the knife going to go if it does slip? How can I use the knife and position myself such that if an exception does occur, it isn’t fatal? Of course, getting a good, clean cut and keeping the knife in good working order are also important.

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Skill Builder: Jeff Potter’s Yogurt Lab

Skill Builder: Jeff Potter’s Yogurt Lab

One of the great things about learning food science is the need to test everything. I say “need” because, in truth, it’s a lot of fun to geek out over the details and try various experiments that I wouldn’t normally try. Take yogurt. Everyone is familiar with it, but how is it made? Where does it come from? (Besides the store…) Making yogurt is incredibly easy, especially once you know some of the food science background. A bunch of different types of “friendly” bacteria chow down on the lactose sugars in milk, creating lactic acid in the process. This process, called fermentation, also changes the structure of the milk, turning it into a gel.

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