Let me explain, there was a time, I tested this product: Buki France - 7065 - Scientific Games - Science and Nature - Kitchen Atrocious. This kit came with a small book. It made you do an experiment in the kitchen, and then we explained its operation. The book "The little chemist in the kitchen" has a similar concept to the point that some experiences are the same (eg green beans whose color varies depending on the preparation).
Then to my amazement I found that a significant number of these "experiments" are not in the least culinary world! This means that the room could even lead you directly to the hospital. This is the case, for example:
- A "cocktail" oil-based and alcohol pharmacy
- A "dancing milk" in which you put dishwashing liquid
- An alcohol mixture (pharmacy) and water, just for fun to show a drop of oil can become round. So awesome.
- An egg that grows for weeks
- An egg that you are over 20 days old
Without risking poisoning yourself, other experiments have no culinary interest in the state. Or even serve no purpose, except to say we did an experiment:
- When the experiment is to use a siphon, so only put strawberries in the trap ... sorry but that I could do it alone. Ditto when it comes this time (warning, originality), to do the same with chocolate!
- You learn to put sheets of gelatin in tea. Well, that's not good, but your life has changed.
- Flour, it can stick. And another experiment without interest.
- Experience in a caramel whose author is proud to claim that if it is "missed our experience it is successful"
And then they give you some culinary tips edible (marked "good to eat"), just to say that this is still a cookbook. Eatable but basic. And it is not really revenue (unless leather boiled egg counts as such), it is rather the track debut. Like:
- That's how we make ice-free freezer but I'll explain only the concept, rather than making your ice cream, just take custard ready made ... and that's it
- You make a discolored tomato juice and you you manage to make something interesting
- If you had the square container adapted to a boiled egg in it (basically, if you already knew the concept, if you had already bought the special containers and therefore if you knew already do), this is how you would get a square egg
- If you had a centrifuge, that's what you could do with
You'll say I'm wrong language. Right. At the end of your experiences (and again, not all) perhaps made you a topo of a few lines on the uses that you could possibly make these experiences.
In the end, we have a few recipes (starting on the fingers of one hand) that actually have a complete solution. For the rest, you know how it works but you do not know how. So yes, the chemistry aspect is fun and well explained. But we still sell you the kitchen. And there, in this case, it represents a relatively insignificant part of the book.
Moreover, special mention for the Pharmacy alcohol, flexible tube type "aquarium pump", the siphon, a square container, syringes (purchased by going to the pharmacy to buy alcohol I presume), uv lamp , etc. It's clear that it's super power and it has totally belong in a kitchen (the siphon in a pinch).
In short, I learned a lot in chemistry. Nothing in the kitchen. If you wish to explore the molecular cooking (or any shorter cooking), this book is a waste of paper, money and ... food. Look instead to a real book.
If the book of the recipient is a child, ultimately opt for Buki cabinet that at least has the merit of providing utensils, hard-to-find ingredients and offers a fun design with dishes simple but equally mature and edible.
Edit: a chef friend to whom I showed the book made me a comment I added to my list of complaints: "This book invites children to play with food and especially the waste which me is unacceptable in our society. In any case, this is not the kind of value that I want to pass on to my children. "
