Mini Labs
October 13, 2007 by madhurisinha
Children should be encouraged to help out adults in the kitchen (under strict supervision of course), because kitchens are like mini labs.
They are the gadget corners of the house and if your child thinks that the only gadget at home is your x box, then you do need a kitchen makeover (not to mention jail time for feeding your child frozen, artificially preserved food all the time).
For an example, say you are going to use the mixer grinder for making a paste- there is lurking a perfect example of centrifugal force;the same principle that runs the centrifuges and vortexes in bio labs.
Pressure Cooker is a perfect mini autoclave and the high temperature of the steam under pressure, cooks and sterilizes food and saves time (yes and then you can go and twiddle your thumbs).
Microwave and convection ovens are master pieces of genius physicists. Percey Spencer discovered microwaves when his peanut chocolate bar was zapped by this frequency of waves (Wiklipedia). Convection ovens cook food by circulating hot air through the food.
The process of cooking itself is an experiment in Biochemistry. You have to add the exact amounts of ingredients, you may weigh them out or use your instincts (i am not talking of serendipity but experience), but nothing is more irritating than a ruined experiment because of excess addition or deletion of a component.
For more high tech gadgets used by today’s chefs, you can see this page.
Cooking with children will not only increase bonding, but help them later on when they live away from home.
These gastronomic exercises will also generate their curiosity and allow them to try out a variety of food groups.
Who knows but the gadget studies in kitchen could also build a future Nobel Prize winner.
Madhuri I love this post!
Never quite looked at cooking in this fashion. In fact the kitchen can really be the center of the household if all family members chip in!
Madhuri,
Your post is like having a glimpse of a supernova through a keyhole. But your amazing genius is that no one looks at the supernova; everyone just remains within those locked doors, not even trying to peer through the keyhole, forget opening the door!
Beautiful, extremely insightful post.
There are so many scientific principles we can teach our kids in every day life in our home, but everyone ignores them and sends their kids to various kinds of training courses and whatever.
I feel like lamenting: if only more housewives were like you!
Madhuri: Harold McGee would like this approach to cooking!
Dear Nita and Mahendra,
Thanks. Yes, i think children should be more observant and curious and it should start at home and what better way than parents being a part of this.
(the idea for this post actually came when i was making khichdi yesterday using the pressure cooker and felt nostalgic about using it during my undergrad lab days to sterilize instruments).
Dear Shefaly,
I just glanced through Harold McGee books on Amazon. I would love to read them. I think next time i go to the library, i will reserve some of them. Thanks.
Hey, I commented here this afternoon! It’s not carried here. Not fair! What’s cooking?
@ Rambodoc, you forgot to add the most crucial bit which would have encouraged Madhuri to let you comment:
Usually it goes: What’s cookin’, Good-lookin’?
@ Madhuri: “On cooking” is the book that I have had for ages.. I have a huge number of cookery related books. Memoirs mainly, some mixed with travel and language related adventures. I cannot wait to get to non-work reading… Backlog of 21 today (2 more books came)..
“Good-lookin’?”
Shefaly,
Is it? Is she??
Now don’t get me interested in her….I am probably a better cook…. she can’t get over me!
(in a manner of speaking!)
Madhuri,
You probably are not familiar with my alleged humor.
If that previous wisecrack was OTT, I am sorry.
Thats fine Doc,
Thanks. After reading your posts, i have a slight inkling about your sense of humor.
I do not mind at all. Yes, i am sure you are a great cook.
Usually people who relish food (of course not as passionately as licking their elbows), are better cooks too.
@ Shefaly,
Yeah i too want you to finish your thesis and get to your non work related books soon. After you finish may be you can send me a list of such books, of course i can go through your shelfari too. Thanks.
You wrote a research paper out of such a mundane topic! kudos
@Mahendra - loved the keyhole/supernova bit. You sure know how to create some magic with words
@AD: Thank you! It is very heartening when a commenter comments on your comments on a post! Usually, my comments are pretty insipid, mostly because I comment on blogs written by such wonderful writers (like this illustrious list of commenters), that their posts leave me speechless…
Anyone wondered about Shefaly and Shelfari? After I posted about Shelfari, I used to get these email pop-ups every time someone sent me a friend request on Shelfari. And I kept wondering each time, what has Shefaly now emailed me about?
@AD
Thanks, mundane topics are worth made interesting, otherwise life will become such a drag.
Your posts are wonderful too.
@mahendrap
You are talented with words and i love all your posts.
I want to hear what Shefaly has to say about
the Shefaly vs Shelfari confusion.
I am sure she will put in a one page research about why and how people confuse with similar words.
Rambodoc: I have never met Madhuri but I am sure she is good lookin’
Madhuri: I directed AD to Shelfari too the other day. Feel free to rummage through it although 30 shelves (in 6 book cases) and 2 boxes and the backlog is not on Shelfari yet. In real life I do not let anyone touch my books. Yes I am mean like that…
I too deserve a break I think. So I did finish a book y’day and will review it soon. Started on another today although I already have 2 others “in progress”. I resume work on thesis this afternoon.
Madhuri and Mahendra: The friend who first told me about Shelfari also quipped in a similar manner. Alas I do not even use my own name as handle on Shelfari else it would have amused many more than just those who know Shefaly has a shelf on Shelfari
i would oppose this idea… primarily because the curiosity level of the kids r too high…. and in kitchen you have knives/blades, you have fire, and the worst thing of all boiling oil…
who knows if u involve them.. they might one day try to cook maggi/tea on their own and burn themselves in the process…
sorry if u find me too protective… but i am ok with kids skinning their knees in a playground but not scalding themselves in the mini lab.
Thanks for visiting Ankur.
I understand your concerns and they are justified.
That is why i mentioned strict adult supervision in the post.
My idea was to involve children with scientific mechanisms around the kitchen.
If they have to take 30 cup cakes to school the next day, they could at least break the eggs and mix the batter for you, while you told them about convection ovens.
Since they are curious and observing,
and can soak in information, you could even tell them how diffusion occurs while the hot water in your cup is soaking up the tea from a tea bag.
wow never looked at it from that angle - cooking n chores also bring in humility
im addin u to my blogroll
Just making life interesting.
I like your blog too.