Even amateur bakers (like me) know that you can’t bake with Splenda™, a sugar substitute which has become more and more common among calorie-counters all over the world. One yellow packet of the stuff boasts zero calories with arguably comparable sweetness to normal sugar, leaving consumers a little bit less guilty as they add some to their iced tea at a restaurant. So why can’t we use Splenda for baking? Continue reading
Category Archives: Food as Science
The Science Issue is live!
We’re excited to announce that the Culinarian’s Food as Science issue is now live on issuu.com! Check it out for some great features exploring the intersections between food and science, including Jenny’s exploration into the science of taste, Arianna Winchester’s comparison between the science lab and the restaurant kitchen, Carolyn Kang’s explanation of the science behind cooking (and uncooking) an egg, and Lilli Schussler’s investigation into the calorie’s rise to dominance. Continue reading
Trust Your Gut: Inside the World of Microbes and Fermentation
When you hear the word microbe, you probably picture something along the lines of a scary cartoon germ that was shown to you during biology class. However, without microbes, there would be no process of fermentation. And without fermentation, we would not have bread, alcohol, greek yogurt, kimchi, soy sauce, cheese, and a bevy of other foods and drinks. Let’s clear the air for friendly microbes once and for all, and delve into the incredible microbiological world that exists right on your plate. Continue reading
Apple Crisp Recipe
Have some leftover apples from the farmer’s market? Treat yourself and your suite mates to a sweet dessert after a long day of school! Continue reading
The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie
The Levain cookie has achieved a legendary status among New Yorkers. The bakery was founded in 1994 on the Upper West Side and has since expanded to locations in Harlem and East Hampton. Fortunately, both New York City locations are extremely accessible to Columbia students either by a 10-15 minute walk from campus or a few stops away on the 1 train. Walking into Levain is a warm comforting experience, with a friendly staff to help you choose between all wonderful creations: chocolate chip walnut cookie, oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate chip, and dark chocolate peanut butter chip. Continue reading
Old School Italian Comfort Food: Steak Pizzaiola
A traditional Neapolitan recipe once intended to hide tough cuts of beef and horse meat, Steak Pizzaiola is a staple dish of Italian homestyle cooking. But there’s many different versions of this classic dish, depending on which ingredients to include, the origins of the family recipe, and how to execute the meal. The following is my grandma’s recipe that’s been passed down several generations, but I’ve tweaked it a bit to fit my own taste. Enjoy! Continue reading
Stress Eating: Why do we do it?
It’s midnight and you’re studying for a midterm. Fueled solely by stress and caffeine, you don’t even notice as your hand reaches into a bag of potato chips. Why is it that when you are feeling stressed and upset, your body craves food? And not just any food, but addictive, unhealthy junk foods?
Turns out, a real reason exists for your cravings. Continue reading
Breakfast 101
You’ve created your exercise plan, organized your class schedule, and have job interviews lined up. You may think you have everything figured out for the new year, but maybe you forgot to schedule in breakfast. You always hear how important it is to eat breakfast, but with your busy schedule, is it really that necessary? Continue reading
Lactase: The Dairy Lover’s Favorite Enzyme
Most of you ice cream and cheese lovers out there probably haven’t thought twice about what happens to those creamy indulgences after you devour them. Or more specifically, what happens to the sugars, or lactose, found in that dairy. Culinarian writer Ili didn’t think about it either until her stomach forced her to. Unfortunately, many others like Ili are unable to digest lactose with the proper enzyme, lactase, and are diagnosed as lactose intolerant. Biologically speaking, it turns out that lactose intolerance isn’t uncommon at all, and may even be a more natural state for the human body. Continue reading
Cheers for holiday traditions!
Cheers for Holiday Traditions! ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY ASHLEY E. MENDEZ | FALL ISSUE 2014 Finals are over and the holidays are upon us! Raise a glass to a relaxing break while perusing our holiday letter, filled with a few recipes and ideas, in addition to some insight into how your family’s traditions might affect the way … Continue reading
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