Lina Lopes 
I hate cooking. I don’t know what bothers me more—the amount of work, the expectations, or how annoying it is to cook without good tools. Yet, I love an experiment. Recently, I discovered that my 10-year-old daughter, Diana, also loves experiments. She prefers chemistry over biology or physics, but still, experiments.
I discovered my daughter’s passion by accident. Speaking of which, I love the words “accident” and “experiment.” Have you ever thought about the similarities and differences between them? I’m fortunate to have friends like Geruza Zelnys, who is captivated by Foucault’s definition of an accident.
Here are some thoughts about experiments and accidents (but if you’re in a rush, just skip to the next section where the story begins)
Experiments are typically planned and controlled processes designed to test hypotheses and explore unknowns systematically. They are central to scientific and philosophical inquiry, producing new knowledge and understanding. Experiments are conducted with specific goals and frameworks in mind, highlighting their intentional nature.
Accidents, on the other hand, are unforeseen and unplanned events that occur without intentional direction. They have the potential to disrupt existing knowledge and practices, often leading to unexpected insights or changes. In Foucault’s view, accidents can act as catalysts that force society or science to re-evaluate and adapt, leading to new understandings and developments.
Both experiments and accidents contribute to the evolution of knowledge. Experiments intentionally seek to expand understanding, while accidents can unexpectedly reveal new truths. Unplanned events often prompt further investigation, leading to experiments, and experiments can result in accidental discoveries.
My husband subscribed to MEL Science: Fun Science Kits & Experiments for Kids, an educational kit we receive every month by mail. Diana was thrilled. We follow the instructions in the box, but we often digress and improvise. These kits serve as a provocation for our imagination.
This month’s kit was about the chemistry of materials. And I’m not even a material girl 😂. “Plastics and iodine,” “Plaster crafts,” and “Chemical worms”—wait, chemical worms? What is this? Oh, it’s made with sodium alginate and calcium chloride! I know these substances—they’re used in Molecular Gastronomy!
I proposed to Diana, “Let’s make Coke Spaghetti!” Why Coke spaghetti? My usual answer is, “Why not?” We had these chemical materials and a Coke in the fridge, so why not try them together? I believe we need to embrace experimental science and technology, welcoming accidents, experiments, and serendipity.
click on top of the videos to see them in Flickr
The Recipe of Coke Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 200 ml of Coca-Cola
- 2 g of sodium alginate
- 5 g of calcium chloride
- 500 ml of water
Equipment
- Blender or hand mixer
- Pipette or syringes (without needles)
- Spoon or spatula
- Bowls
- Silicone tubes (optional, for forming the spaghetti)
Step-by-Step
- Preparation of the Coca-Cola and Sodium Alginate Mixture:
- Degas the Coca-Cola by stirring it well to remove as much gas as possible. I used a magnetic stirrer for this purpose.
- In a blender, mix the Coca-Cola with the sodium alginate. Blend until the alginate is completely dissolved and the mixture is homogeneous.
- Let the mixture rest for about 30 minutes to eliminate any air bubbles. Again, I used a magnetic stirrer for this purpose.
- Preparation of the Calcium Chloride Solution:
- In a bowl, dissolve the calcium chloride in 500 ml of water, stirring well until completely dissolved.
- Forming the Spaghetti:
- Fill a pipette or syringe with the Coca-Cola and sodium alginate mixture.
- Slowly drip the mixture into the calcium chloride solution, forming small strands that turn into spaghetti upon contact with the solution. If using silicone tubes, inject the mixture into the tubes and then immerse them in the calcium chloride solution.
- Leave the formed spaghetti strands in the calcium chloride solution for about 2-3 minutes to ensure they are well-formed.
- Rinsing:
- Remove the spaghetti from the calcium chloride solution with a spoon or spatula.
- Rinse them in clean water to remove any excess calcium chloride.
- Serving:
- Serve the Coca-Cola spaghetti immediately or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
This Molecular Gastronomy recipe is a great basis for developing more recipes for my bio 3D printer. Gelification, the process we used to create our Coke spaghetti, is a fascinating technique in the world of food science. It involves transforming liquids into gels using substances like sodium alginate and calcium chloride. This method opens up endless possibilities for creating unique textures and shapes in food.
As we continue to experiment with Molecular Gastronomy and bio 3D food printing, we open ourselves up to a new era of culinary creativity. By blending science, technology, and art, we can push the boundaries of traditional cooking and explore new dimensions of flavor and design.
Does this taste good? Well, for me, Coke Spaghetti tastes like food made inside a lab 🧫 😂.
[!warning] Diana is allowed to have Coke just on the weekends
What did I learn from this?
- Embrace Creativity: Combining unusual ingredients like Coca-Cola and alginate can lead to exciting culinary discoveries.
- Lina’s Zen mode: This experiment requires patience and precision. Successful gelification requires careful measurement and patience, teaching important life skills.
- Encouraging Curiosity: Nurturing my daughter’s interest in experiments can inspire lifelong learning and exploration.
- Innovation in the Kitchen: Bio 3D food printing and Molecular Gastronomy open up new possibilities for creativity and personalization in cooking.
- Cooking Can Be Fun: For me, not yet 😂, but understanding the science behind cooking processes helped me to have fun during the process.
Programmed Deaths