Making kofta in an air fryer
Balancing cultural identity as a second-generation American
“Dinner is ready!” The smells of tahini and allspice waft through my house, while plates and utensils clatter around the kitchen. My family meanders around the kitchen in hungry anticipation, like so many wolves circling their prey… Growing up as a second-generation American, I primarily connected to my Egyptian heritage through food. From kofta and […]
The perfect recipe doesn’t exist
Making connections between baking and experimental materials science
In March 2020, a breadmaking epidemic struck the world. Legions of Youtube gurus, bloggers, and social media users began posting their recipes and adventures in breadmaking, especially sourdough, the type of bread which uses a live starter culture. The creators of xkcd even demystified this phenomenon, implying that coronavirus and bread yeast are symbiotic due […]
A food scientist’s views on instant foods
How to consciously generate instant happiness!
What comes to your mind when you hear the word “instant”? How about “instant foods”? When it comes to food, people tend to relate instantaneity with unhealthy, “bad for you”, or processed. All those associations were also on my mind as a consumer. However, other questions were: Why do people still consume instant foods regularly? What benefits does […]
![Be the [climate] change you wish to see](https://oge.mit.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/unnamed-file.jpg)
Be the [climate] change you wish to see
Don’t underestimate the ripple effects of small changes
“What were they thinking?” That’s a common phrase we might say when we shake our heads at past generations for war, genocide, and slavery. As we eat our cheeseburgers in our air-conditioned cars while rolling past carefully manicured and fertilized lawns (otherwise called a climate change crisis), we might not think this phrase may one […]
Safer grocery shopping guide during the COVID-19
Grocery shopping has been even more difficult during the pandemic, but here are some tips!
I never thought that getting good food without a car would be difficult in my life since I lived in Taipei before moving to Cambridge. In Taipei, you’ll see convenience stores everywhere because Taiwan has the highest density per capita of convenience stores in the world. A five-minute walk in Taipei can get me anything […]
