The scientific principles of our daily cooking. Researchers explain, with the help of professional cooks, how to prepare some simple recipes and the science that lies behind those procedures. Simple, but very scientific...

 

Chef:  Joaquim Figueiredo *

Friday, 11th May

11am

Everybody can do chocolate mousse!  

The secret of a good chocolate mousse lies in the way the chocolate is melted and the tricks to obtain firm whipped egg whites... to explain why we shall be talking about things like the composition of chocolate, the temperature at which the chocolate melts, denaturation of proteins.

Paulina Mata, Centro de Química Fina e Biotecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Pedro Brogueira, Departamento de Física do Instituto Superior Técnico

Luís Afonso, Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais do Instituto Superior Técnico

 

Some delicacies are the artwork of bacteria  

During lactic fermentation, bacteria produce acids and flavors responsible for the preservation properties and the taste of cheese, delicatessen products, olives, yoghurt, kefir.

Maria da Conceição Loureiro Dias e Margarida Guerreiro, Departamento de Botânica e Engenharia Biológica do Instituto Superior de Agronomia

 

Adventures of water in a microwave oven  

Traditional ovens heat everything. Microwave ovens only heat water. Microwaves cause an oscillation of polar molecules, producing an increase in the number of molecular collisions and in the temperature. Our food is heated and cooked by the heating of the water contained in food.

Pedro Brogueira, Departamento de Física do Instituto Superior Técnico

Lígia M. Saraiva, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica

 

2pm

So much science in a pastelinho de bacalhau (codfish croquette)!  

Who would say that the secret of a good codfish fry lies in things like: inhibition of enzymatic activity, denaturation of proteins, surface tension, water evaporation and even Maillard reactions...

Paulina Mata, Centro de Química Fina e Biotecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa

 

Mayonnaise that never fails  

In a mayonnaise two enemies – water and olive oil – end up living together peacefully… lecithin, the nice emulsifier present in the egg yolk is the responsible for this miracle.

Paulina Mata, Centro de Química Fina e Biotecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Margarida Guerreiro, Departamento de Botânica e Engenharia Biológica do Instituto Superior de Agronomia

 

Ever-fresh salad  

Short term preservation using antioxidants

José António Lopes da Silva, Química Orgânica e de Produtos Naturais

Agroalimentares (Aveiro)

 

Science in farófias (egg whites – beaten and baked)  

Formation and stability of foams made from the proteins of egg whites

José António Lopes da Silva e Pedro Vasco, Química Orgânica e de Produtos Naturais e Agroalimentares (Aveiro)

 

Science in custard cream  

How to form a nice tasty cream using the proteins from the egg yolk

Maria da Conceição Loureiro Dias e Margarida Guerreiro, Departamento de Botânica e Engenharia Biológica do Instituto Superior de Agronomia

Saturday, 12th May

10am

Science at breakfast  

Juices, jams, eggs, bacon, coffee and the unavoidable toothpaste afterwards: discover their secrets

Lígia M. Saraiva e António Lopes, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica

 

Bread, yeast and flour  

Yeast produces gas, making the dough light and tasty; gluten is responsible for the elastic properties of dough.

Maria da Conceição Loureiro Dias, Margarida Guerreiro, Departamento de Botânica e Engenharia Biológica do Instituto Superior de Agronomia

 

Cream, chantilly or butter?  

Emulsion inversion: from oil in water to water in oil.

Ivonne Delgadillo, Química Orgânica e de Produtos Naturais e Agroalimentares (Aveiro)

 

Scones: the rise and fall  

The secret lies in a chemical reaction between an acid and a base and in the control of the interactions among proteins…

Paulina Mata, Centro de Química Fina e Biotecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa

 

2pm

Coffee foam  

Formation and stability of foams depend on the origin of the coffee beans and reflect their composition in polysaccharides.

Bruno Nabais, Química Orgânica e de Produtos Naturais e Agroalimentares (Aveiro)

 

Foams: from beer to dishwashing  

Formation and stability of liquid foams

Bruno Nabais, Química Orgânica e de Produtos Naturais e Agroalimentares (Aveiro)

 

 

* Chef: Joaquim Figueiredo Curriculum Vitae:

Graduated in France. Got the Academia Portuguesa de Gastronomia Award. He was nominated the best cook in 1998. He has worked as a cook in well-known restaurants in Lisbon. Presently he teaches at "Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo de Lisboa" and works as a consultant for the Portuguese Navy and "Pousadas de Portugal".