food science | Chris Aldrich

Chickened Why are chicken eggs different colors? (MSU Extension)

According to Michigan State University Extension, egg color is determined by the genetics of the hens. The breed of the hen will indicate what color eggs she will produce. For example, Leghorn chickens lay white eggs while Orpington’s lay brown eggs and Ameraucana produce blue eggs. An Olive Egger, a chicken that lays olive green eggs, is the product of a cross between a hen and rooster that are from a brown egg and a blue egg laying breed. An interesting tip is to look at the chicken’s ear lobes; typically those with white ear lobes produce white eggs.

TIL: the color of a chicken’s egg is highly correlated with the color of its ear!

Wished for Modernist Bread (The Cooking Lab)

Modernist Bread: The Art and Science is a revolutionary new understanding of one of the most important staples of the human diet. Created by the team that published the award-winning Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, this massive treasury of practical knowledge and groundbreaking techniques captures over four years of independent research and collaborations with leading industry professionals; the result is the most in-depth look at bread to date. Stunning photography brings the complete story of bread to life across five volumes—uncover its incredible history, loaves from every corner of the world, and the breath-taking beauty of scientific phenomena at work above and below the crust. In addition, you will discover innovative recipes and techniques developed by the Modernist Cuisine team that have not been published anywhere else. Housed in a sleek stainless steel case, this five-volume set contains more than 1,500 traditional and avant-garde recipes, as well as a wire-bound kitchen manual so that you can easily bring all of the recipes into the kitchen in one compact collection. Spanning over 2,300 pages, Modernist Bread will become an invaluable resource for anyone who has a thirst for knowledge about bread or wants to advance their craft. This book is a call to arms for any baker—whether you are a strict traditionalist, avid modernist, home baker, restaurant chef, or an artisanal baker—to embrace the possibilities of invention and follow your inspiration to make breads in your own way. The Modernist Cuisine team is an interdisciplinary group in Bellevue, Washington, founded by Nathan Myhrvold. The team comprises scientists, research and development chefs, a full editorial and photography department, and business and marketing staff—all dedicated to advancing the science of the culinary arts through creativity and experimentation.

I thought McGee’s 60 page synopsis of milk was interesting, but how is this to compare to a $520.00 treatise on bread that spans over 2,600 pages?

I’m thinking this would be an awesome Christmas present!! Hint, Hint