On December 5th Science Center’s Science on the Road program. Held at the Community College of Beaver County, a diverse group of parents, educators, professionals and some very eager and excited children were introduced to the science of molecular gastronomy through the process of making Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream. Molecular gastronomy is the merging of scientific tools and processes with the culinary arts.
Although it was a cold night, the young people in attendance were very excited to get their first taste of the icy treat while learning a little bit about phase changes in the process. Normally it takes several hours for home-made ice cream to set in the freezer, but the addition of liquid nitrogen at -320 F into the process makes the freezing time almost instantaneous. Liquid nitrogen is particularly useful in culinary pursuits because it is odorless, colorless and tasteless.
The liquid nitrogen causes the fat and water particles in the ice cream mix to stay very small, giving the ice cream its creamy consistency. Rapid freezing also preserves the nutrients in food. The faster the food is frozen, the less tissue structures are destroyed.
The Franklin Center of Beaver County sponsored the quarterly meeting. A second presentation by the Carnegie Science Center’s Science on the Road will be scheduled for later in the spring.
Beaver County STEM Coalition 