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Shots - Health News
TK splatchcock turkey

This Thanksgiving, let science help you roast a tastier turkey

Nov 21, 2021
Cooking your bird to a safe 165 F often just results in a dry boring plate of meat. Luckily food scientists have studied this problem. Learn their techniques to roast your tastiest bird yet.
NPR
Shots - Health News
Butyric acid gives some cheeses their distinctively strong scent.

From Stinky Cheese To Cat Pee, Author Takes A 'Nose Dive' Into The Science Of Smell

Nov 11, 2020
Harold McGee talks about how our sense of smell affects taste, why things smell the way they do and the ways different chemicals combine to create surprising (and sometimes distasteful) odors.
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NPR
Shots - Health News

Trust In Scientists Is Rising, Poll Finds

Aug 02, 2019
The proportion of people who say they have a "great deal" of confidence in scientists to act in the public interest increased from 21% in 2016 to 35% in 2019, according to the Pew Research Center.
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NPR
The Salt
The key to making the quintessential biscuit of the American South, like these from Callie's Charleston Biscuits Bakery in Charleston, S.C., is more about technique than a specific flour, some bakers say.

Is The Power Of The Flour Really The Secret To Baking The Perfect Biscuit?

Jan 19, 2019
While some bakers believe that soft wheat flour, found primarily in the American South, is the best for making light, flaky biscuits, others say the key to better biscuits comes down to technique.
NPR
The Salt
Samin Nosrat travels to different countries to learn how salt, acid, fat and heat affect food on her four-part Netflix series.

On Netflix, Chef Samin Nosrat Goes Global To Demystify 'Salt Fat Acid Heat'

Dec 06, 2018
In her four-part show, James Beard award-winning food writer and chef Samin Nosrat travels the globe, talking to home chefs to learn more about the four essentials of great food.
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NPR
The Salt
"Our data suggests that something about baking seems to be changing the hands of the people who do the baking," says ecologist Rob Dunn.

Sourdough Hands: How Bakers And Bread Are A Microbial Match

Nov 12, 2018
In Robert Dunn's new book, Never Home Alone, he explores our symbiotic relationship with food: Not only do we impact the bacteria in our food, but the microbes in our food imprint our bodies.
NPR
The Salt
Brian Wansink demonstrates his "bottomless bowl of soup" — used to show that people eat more when served in a bowl secretly replenished from the inside — after he was awarded a 2007 Ig Nobel Prize in 2007 at Harvard University. Wansink made a name fo

Cornell Food Researcher's Downfall Raises Larger Questions For Science

Sep 26, 2018
Brian Wansink made a name for himself producing pithy, palatable studies that connected people's eating habits with cues from their environment. His data manipulation now serves as a cautionary tale.
NPR
The Salt
Another plant and culinary riddle: <a href="https://botanistinthekitchen.blog/2018/06/12/kiwifruit-2-why-are-they-green/" data-key="369">Why are kiwis green when ripe?</a>

Leave It To Botanists To Turn Cooking Into A Science Lesson

Sep 05, 2018
Why do artichokes look so strange? What makes okra so slimy – and how can science help you turn that attribute into a taste sensation? Two botanists take plant science into the kitchen.
NPR
The Salt
Brick transfers heat to dough more slowly than steel, allowing both pizza crust and toppings to simultaneously reach perfection.

Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake The Perfect Italian-Style Pie

Jul 23, 2018
Brick transfers heat to dough more slowly than steel, allowing both crust and toppings to simultaneously reach perfection. In a home oven, that balance is elusive — but you might be able to get close.
NPR
The Salt
A collection of the ancient cobs unearthed by Tom Dillehay, one of Dolores Piperno's collaborators, at a site in Peru.

The Oscar For Best Snack Goes To ... Popcorn, The 6,000-Year-Old Aztec Gold

Mar 01, 2018
Zoom in and behold the science secrets behind popcorn's airy crunch — and learn about the snack's ancient origin — in this bite-sized video.
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NPR
The Salt
Colonies of microbes from different cheese rinds. From right to left, Comte, Robiola, blue cheese.

The Cheese Does Not Stand Alone: How Fungi And Bacteria Team Up For A Tastier Rind

Jan 29, 2018
Cheese rinds may seem simple, even discardable, but the microbial world they contain is complex. Among their inhabitants: bacterial swimmers that hop on highways of fungal tendrils to get around.
NPR
The Salt
Curl's fruity Dreams Come Chew candies

The Trick To Making Your Own Halloween Candy? Swallowing Your Fear

Oct 25, 2017
Jami Curl is a homemade candy evangelist. The sweet stuff can be made from "real" ingredients — and you can do it at home. The process can be intimidating, but also kind of magical.
NPR
The Salt
Food historian Paula Marcoux decided to follow the 1651 recipe for Eggs in Snow, using the period cooking tools it called for. Instead of an oven, she placed the eggs on a buttered dish over hot coals and heated it from above using a hot fire shovel call

Cloud Eggs: The Latest Instagram Food Fad Is Actually Centuries Old

May 21, 2017
The fanciful dish was meant to impress nearly 400 years ago, so don't roll your eyes at photos of these pretty edibles: They're actually a time-honored tradition tinged with a bit of kitchen science.
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NPR
The Salt
Today, Ben & Jerry's has seven flavors of almond-milk-based vegan frozen desserts.

How To Give Vegan 'Ice Cream' That Creamy Taste, Minus The Milk

May 15, 2017
From avocado to almonds, vegan frozen desserts abound today. But replicating the complex choreography of water, protein, fat and sugar that milk usually takes care of is a challenge.
NPR
The Salt

Why Is Brown Rice Sushi So Awful? Here's The Science

Dec 05, 2016
Sure, brown rice is better for you than refined white rice. But if you cringe when you see it on sushi, there's good reason behind that, and it's rooted in flavor science and biochemistry.
NPR
The Salt
During the experiment, the taster rates a black glass of unknown wine, describing attributes or sensations such as sour, astringent, bitter, floral and so on.

Pairing Wine And Cheese? Science Says White May Be A Better Choice Than Red

Nov 08, 2016
A new technique that examines the evolution of taste suggests that the strong flavor of red wine may dominate the taste of some cheeses, while white varieties may be more versatile and refreshing.
NPR
The Salt
Edible raccoon scat made with brownie, chopped oatmeal, and chopped cranberries. Snickers or Baby Ruth can also work in lieu of a brownie.

Still Have Leftover Halloween Candy? Use It For Science!

Nov 08, 2016
No need to risk sugar shock, folks. We've got a whole bunch of experiments you can do with leftover candy that are possibly more fun than eating it.
NPR
The Salt
The author's starter showing the bubbles starting to form. Woo first mixed it up on Jan. 20, 2016, and has maintained it since. In this photo, the starter was close to its peak.

Discovering The Science Secrets Of Sourdough (You Can Help)

Oct 28, 2016
Many bakers treat their sourdough starters like a family heirloom. Some starters date back decades, even centuries. Now researchers want to analyze your starters to unlock their flavor secrets.
NPR
The Salt

Snap, Crackle, Kale: The Science Of Why Veggies Spark In The Microwave

Oct 03, 2016
Online sources suggest cooking vegetables in the microwave for a quick and easy dinner. But microwaving veggies can get a little bit explosive. Who knew kale chips could offer a lesson in physics?
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There's The Beef: UNR Scientist Develops A New Steak

Sep 14, 2016

The Bonanza cut was once used for ground beef, but can now be sold as steak.

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NPR
The Salt

When Food Firms Cut The Salt, What Do They Put In Instead?

Aug 04, 2016
Too much salty goodness isn't great for health. Food companies looking to cut the sodium while keeping the flavor have a promising candidate: potassium chloride. But it's far from perfect.
NPR
The Salt
Flavor really does depend on how you slice it, experts tell us — though the reasons why are complicated.

Slice, Dice, Chop Or Julienne: Does The Cut Change The Flavor?

Jul 11, 2016
When it comes to produce, the answer is yes, experts tell us. But the reasons are complicated — and sometimes mysterious even to restaurant critics, chefs and food scientists.
NPR
The Salt
Impossible Foods CEO Patrick Brown demonstrates how the company's "meat sniffer" allows researchers to identify specific aromatic compounds in cooked meat.

Silicon Valley's Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes And Sizzles Like Meat

Jun 21, 2016
Impossible Foods took a high-tech approach to creating a meat-free burger that replicates the real thing. It's all designed to tempt carnivores to eat less meat. And it's set to hit restaurants soon.
NPR
The Salt
Grapes are gathered and sorted by hand for processing at Barboursville Vineyards in Virginia.

Demystifying Terroir: Maybe Its The Microbes Making Magic In Your Wine

Jun 17, 2016
Part of what makes a wine-growing region special may be its microbes. A study finds that the collection of bacteria and fungi on pressed grapes can help predict the flavor profile of a finished wine.
NPR
The Salt
Fried chicken: Nailed it.

Fry And Fry Again: The Science Secrets To The Double Fry

Mar 24, 2016
You might have heard that double-frying food gives you a thicker, crunchier, more soul-completing crust. Here's why it works.

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