Science of cooking?

[eternallytired]

Are there any materials out there at a kid's level (upper elementary, maybe?) as far as understanding the science of cooking/baking?  My kids are asking questions about why we add the different ingredients and how they can make their own recipes (and why they never seem to work).  I'm not sure if there's a chemistry resource that directly addresses this or if I have to try to find my own thing.  What I'm seeing when I search is either basic experiments (baking soda & vinegar-type) or complex tomes intended for adults.  I'm hoping the hive can help save me some legwork here.  TIA!

[8filltheheart]

What Einstein Told His Cook.....my kids have read it in middle school, not elementary, though. If you read it, it might help you explain it to them.

[Jackie]

Thames and Kosmos has a kit called Candy Chemistry. I didn't buy the kit, as the manual was available to download for free and I had nearly everything contained in the kit. It took a bit of pointing from me ("huh, this recipe is so similar to that one, why should it have any different result?") but it did have some great examples of using a few basic ingredients to create entirely different candies. It certainly isn't healthy, or a great choice if you need to lose weight, but we used the same basic ingredients to make everything from caramels to marshmallows to hard candies, seeing how small additions and temperature made huge differences.

[kirstenhill]

This thread from the Logic Stage board has some ideas, including a book my DD is using: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/600195-kitchen-chemistry-food-science/

[wathe]

Not specifically for kids, but very accessible:  On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee.  Cookbook and science book rolled into one.

[Kerileanne99]

The American Chemical Society put out a cookbook that goes through the chemistry. It also has lots of links to things like the Steve Spangler science of cooking, the tv show Good Eats with Alton Brown (food science) and more.

Here is the link with lots of great resources. This is something I got for fun, but ended up doing quite a bit more with my kiddo than intended because it is just fun! We are chemists, and I learned a lot:)

http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/students/highschool/chemistryclubs/activities/food-and-chemistry.html

[HomeAgain]

I might recommend Science Chef, but our most used books have been Good Eats.  Alton Brown compiled his show into three volumes.  Since each chapter is by food, not recipe, you get the science behind the dish as well as 3-4 recipes to try with that ingredient.

[Jamee]

My son LOVED Good Eats and would record it to watch while he ate lunch.  We made several of the recipes, and many are family favorites.  Really goes into it in a fun way.

[3 ladybugs]

You might also check out The Science of Cooking by Peter Barham. My husband is a scientist and I got him this a few years ago (I think I got it for him at least). It is written in british but it seems to go through the why very well. I wouldn't call it for children, but it should help you understand so you can explain it to your child. 

[bluejay]

This book is not for children and may not necessarily be what you're looking for.  But it teaches something important: ratios and why you need to follow them:  "Ratio: The Simple Code Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking."