 |
Garnett-Lambert Professor of Chemistry April Marchetti |
 |
Chemistry Professor
Emeritus Brian Moores |
Randolph-Macon College
Chemistry Professor Emeritus Brian Moores will present “What’s Cookin’? Chemistry in the Kitchen” on Friday, February 25, 2011. The event will take place in the Trustees Room of R-MC’s Estes Dining Hall. A 6:00 p.m. reception and cash bar will be followed by a gourmet, four-course seated dinner at 6:30 p.m.
The event, which is open to the public, is presented in conjunction with the February meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
The event will be hosted by April Marchetti, the Randolph-Macon College Garnett-Lambert Professor of Chemistry. R-MC chemistry students and chemistry department faculty will also be in attendance.
During each course of the dinner, Moores will discuss the chemistry of different categories of foods, using as examples dishes prepared for the meal. He will look at the chemistry of capsaicin, the ingredient that gives spicy food its “kick”; the chemistry of browning reactions, both the caramelization of sugars and the browning of meats during roasting; the processes involved in preparing cocoa and chocolate; and the chemistry of common food emulsions such as salad dressings.
“The composition of familiar foods, and the transformations they undergo during cooking, represent an interesting area of chemistry,” says Moores. “Also, knowledge of the structural and process chemistry involved in the preparation of familiar dishes can help a cook do a better job in the kitchen.”
A discussion will follow dinner and will include a look at the “local foods” movement. Moores will also give away copies of the cookbook
Cookwise: The Secrets of Cooking Revealed, written by Shirley O. Corriher, as door prizes. The cookbooks were donated by the R-MC chemistry department.
For Marchetti, the event is a unique way to connect R-MC and the community. “One of the goals of the chemistry department’s community outreach efforts is to make chemistry accessible to the public, and this is a fun and enjoyable way to do so,” she says.
Reservations:
Please make reservations by noon on Tuesday, February 22 by contacting Barbara Wirth at (804) 752-7368 or
bwirth@rmc.edu.
Pricing information:
General public - $25 each; ACS members and guests - $25.00 each; high school students, college students, high school teachers - $13.00 each; retired ACS members and guests, retired teachers and guests - $20.00 each
Menu:
Roasted Pepper Appetizer with Assorted Dips and Sauces
Fresh Greens with Choice of Dressing
Prime Rib with Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes,
Green Beans with Roasted Red Pepper, and Fresh Bread
Chocolate Pavé with Raspberry Coulis
A vegetarian eggplant dish is available on request when reservation is made.
For more information, contact Brian Moores at
BrianMoores@rmc.edu or April Marchetti at
amarchet@rmc.edu, (804) 752-7319.