FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | November 14, 2013

Cooking tips from Alton Brown: A new American Chemical Society video

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2013 — Have you ever wondered why some ice cubes are as clear as glass, or why bakers use sugar, even in savory breads? Celebrity chef Alton Brown answers these questions in the American Chemical Society’s (ACS’) latest Bytesize Science episode. The video is available now on www.BytesizeScience.com.

“Everything that happens in the kitchen is science,” Brown says. “So if you understand science, at least some of it, you’re going to have more power over your food.” In the video, Brown gives examples of this principle and explains the basic chemistry behind two of the most essential ingredients in the kitchen — water and sugar.

If you want to impress guests by turning water into glassy rather than foggy ice cubes for your cocktails, the video notes that understanding the behavior of water molecules will help. As for the other key ingredient featured in the video, Brown talks about what makes sugar so important in baking, even in those instances when sweetness isn’t the goal.

For more entertaining, informative science videos and podcasts from the ACS Office of Public Affairs, view Prized Science, Spellbound, Science Elements and Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.                                        

 ###

Follow us:    

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 163,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

Media Contact

Michael Bernstein
202-872-6042
m_bernstein@acs.org

Katie Cottingham, Ph.D.
301-775-8455
k_cottingham@acs.org

Celebrity chef Alton Brown offers kitchen chemistry tips in a new ACS video.
Credit: Elaine Seward, American Chemical Society
High-resolution image