Appendix C — Kitchen Lab Master List

This appendix is the complete index of Kitchen Labs across all 40 chapters. Each chapter's exercises.md contains 2-3 full Kitchen Lab protocols with materials, time, allergen flags, expected results, and troubleshooting. This appendix gives you:

  • A quick way to find Kitchen Labs by topic, ingredient, or technique
  • Shopping lists organized by what you'd actually buy together
  • An overview of the Kitchen Labs available for each Mastery Food track
  • Safety and equipment summary

For the full Kitchen Lab protocols, go to the relevant chapter's exercises.md.

1. Master List of Kitchen Labs by Chapter

A compact directory. Each chapter's exercises.md has the full protocol.

Part I — Fundamentals

Chapter Lab Theme Equipment Time Allergens
1 — Kitchen as Lab Setting up your kitchen lab notebook Notebook, pen Ongoing None
2 — Water Hardness/TDS test for cooking water Water test kit ($10) 30 min None
2 — Water Salt-water boiling-point demo Pot, thermometer 30 min None
3 — Salt Brining experiment (chicken or pork) Salt, water, food 12-24 hrs Meat
3 — Salt Salt morphology comparison (kosher / sea / table) Multiple salts, scale 30 min None
4 — Heat Transfer Black pan vs aluminum sheet pan browning Two pans, vegetables 45 min Variable
4 — Heat Transfer Covered vs uncovered pot evaporation Pot, lid, water, scale 30 min None
5 — Acid/pH pH-test kitchen ingredients pH strips ($5) 30 min None
5 — Acid/pH Marinade depth experiment (acid penetration) Meat, lemon, time 4-12 hrs Meat
6 — Taste Five-tastes sample plate (Pat's $12 demo) Sugar, salt, vinegar, coffee, MSG 20 min MSG awareness
6 — Taste Retronasal olfaction (blocked-nose tasting) Flavored items, nose clip 15 min Variable

Part II — The Big Molecules

Chapter Lab Theme Equipment Time Allergens
7 — Proteins Egg at 5 temperatures (sous vide or carefully timed) Eggs, sous vide or precise pot 90 min Egg
7 — Proteins Acid coagulation of milk (homemade ricotta) Milk, lemon, cheesecloth 45 min Dairy
8 — Maillard Dry vs wet steak sear comparison Steak, salt, paper towels, pan 30 min Beef
8 — Maillard Onion progression (low-to-high heat over time) Onions, butter, pan 60 min Dairy (butter)
9 — Carbs Starch-iodine test on different starches Iodine, starches 30 min Variable
9 — Carbs Retrogradation observation (rice in fridge) Rice, fridge 24 hrs None
10 — Sugars Candy temperature ladder (cold-water test) Sugar, water, thermometer 60 min ⚠️ Sugar burns
10 — Sugars Caramelization stages observation Sugar, pan, thermometer 30 min ⚠️ Sugar burns
11 — Fats Mayonnaise from scratch (emulsion) Egg, oil, mustard, lemon 15 min Egg
11 — Fats Smoke point comparison Multiple oils, pan, thermometer 30 min Oil safety
12 — Foams Whipped cream stages (soft / stiff / butter) Cream, whisk, bowl 15 min Dairy
12 — Foams Meringue (French / Italian / Swiss) Eggs, sugar 60 min Egg
13 — Enzymes Apple browning + lemon-juice prevention (Pat's $2 demo) Apple, lemon, knife 30 min None
13 — Enzymes Pineapple-Jell-O experiment (proteases denature gelatin) Pineapple, gelatin 4 hrs Gelatin

Part III — The Foods

Chapter Lab Theme Equipment Time Allergens
14 — Eggs 5 eggs cooked 5 ways at 5 temperatures Eggs, thermometer 60 min Egg
14 — Eggs Aquafaba meringue (egg-white substitute) Chickpea liquid, sugar 60 min None
15 — Meat Steak doneness temperature ladder Steaks, thermometer 60 min Beef
15 — Meat Brining depth comparison Chicken, salt, time 12+ hrs Poultry
16 — Dairy Make ricotta (Pat's $5 demo) Milk, vinegar, cheesecloth 45 min Dairy
16 — Dairy Yogurt from scratch (12-hour incubation) Milk, starter culture 12 hrs Dairy
17 — Bread Baker's-percentage simple lean bread Flour, water, salt, yeast 4 hrs Wheat
17 — Bread Knead vs no-knead crumb comparison Same dough, two methods 6 hrs Wheat
18 — Vegetables Red cabbage pH demo (Pat's $4 demo) Cabbage, vinegar, baking soda 30 min None
18 — Vegetables Apple browning prevention comparison Apples, acid/heat/anti-oxidant 60 min None
19 — Legumes Bean cooking time (soaked vs unsoaked) Beans, water, time 8+ hrs Legumes
19 — Legumes Aquafaba whip test Chickpea liquid 15 min None
20 — Chocolate Tempering chocolate (seeding method) Chocolate, thermometer 60 min Dairy (milk choc)
20 — Chocolate Cocoa percentage taste flight Multiple chocolate bars 30 min Dairy (some)
21 — Beverages Coffee brew method comparison Same beans, multiple methods 60 min Caffeine
21 — Beverages Tea oxidation observation (bruised vs whole) Tea leaves 60 min Caffeine
22 — Spices Whole vs ground spice taste test (Pat's classroom) Multiple spices 30 min Variable
22 — Spices Capsaicin relief comparison (water/milk/sugar) Hot sauce, dairy, water 15 min Dairy

Part IV — The Processes

Chapter Lab Theme Equipment Time Allergens
23 — Wet Heat Boil vs simmer egg textures Eggs, thermometer 30 min Egg
23 — Wet Heat Pasta water as ingredient Pasta, cheese, oil 30 min Dairy/Wheat
23 — Wet Heat Stock-making (clear vs cloudy) Bones, vegetables 4-8 hrs Animal product
24 — Dry Heat Convection vs conventional cookies (Pat's $5 demo) Cookie dough, two ovens or sequential 90 min Wheat/Dairy
24 — Dry Heat Steam-in-oven bread (Dutch oven) Bread dough, Dutch oven 4 hrs Wheat
25 — Frying Tempura cold-batter test Cold batter ingredients 60 min Wheat
25 — Frying Oil temperature control Oil, thermometer, food 60 min ⚠️ Oil safety
26 — Grilling Direct vs indirect heat zones Grill, food 60 min ⚠️ Charcoal CO
26 — Grilling Smoke wood comparison (apple/hickory/mesquite) Smoker, woods 4+ hrs Variable
27 — Sous Vide Sous-vide steak at three temperatures Sous vide circulator, steaks 90 min Beef
27 — Sous Vide 63°C egg (45-min cook) Eggs, sous vide 60 min Egg
28 — Cold Freezing-point depression demo (Pat's $4 demo) Salt, ice 30 min None
28 — Cold Liquid nitrogen ice cream LN2, dairy mix 15 min ⚠️ LN2 safety; Dairy
29 — Modern Pressure cooker beans speed test Pressure cooker, beans 90 min Legumes
29 — Modern Microwave heating uniformity (donut vs block) Microwave, food 15 min Variable

Part V — Fermentation

Chapter Lab Theme Equipment Time Allergens
30 — Fermentation Sauerkraut over 2 weeks (Pat's AP Bio unit) Cabbage, salt, jar 14 days None
30 — Fermentation Yogurt vs kefir vs kombucha succession Multiple cultures 14+ days Dairy variable
31 — Bread/Beer Sourdough starter creation (5-7 days) Flour, water, time 7 days Wheat
31 — Bread/Beer Yeast activity at different temperatures Yeast, sugar, water 60 min None
32 — Cheese Make fresh mozzarella (rennet + heat + stretch) Milk, rennet 90 min Dairy
32 — Cheese Aged cheese tasting flight Multiple aged cheeses 30 min Dairy
33 — Pickles Cucumber pickle with pH testing Cucumbers, salt, jar, pH strips 14 days None
33 — Pickles Baechu kimchi (with cultural respect — sourcing notes) Napa cabbage, gochugaru, etc. 14 days Variable
34 — Coffee/Tea/Choc Single-origin coffee tasting Multiple coffees 60 min Caffeine
34 — Coffee/Tea/Choc Pu-erh tea aging observation Multiple aged teas 30 min Caffeine

Part VI — Society

Chapter Lab Theme Equipment Time Allergens
35 — Food Safety Refrigerator thermometer audit Fridge thermometer 30 min None
35 — Food Safety Cross-contamination demo (food-safe dye) Food coloring, surfaces 45 min Variable
36 — Preservation Water activity test (salt/sugar/honey) Multiple substrates 1-2 weeks None
36 — Preservation pH-tested tomato canning (acidified) Tomatoes, jars, canner 4 hrs None
37 — Nutrition Read a nutrition label (label literacy) Multiple food packages 30 min Variable
37 — Nutrition Calculate macros for a meal Recipes, food data 60 min Variable
38 — Future Plant-based vs conventional burger tasting Multiple burgers 30 min Variable allergens
38 — Future Cultured rennet vs animal rennet cheese Two rennet types, milk 90 min Dairy

Part VII — Synthesis

Chapter Lab Theme Equipment Time Allergens
39 — Recipe Design Design-your-own vinaigrette Multiple acids, oils, sweeteners 30 min Variable
39 — Recipe Design Reverse-engineer a beloved restaurant dish Variable 90 min Variable
39 — Recipe Design Adapt a recipe for dietary restrictions Variable 60 min Variable
40 — Joy The "perfect bite" multi-sensory experience Variable Variable Variable

2. Equipment Summary (across all Kitchen Labs)

Tier 1: Basic kitchen + ~$30 in tools

Most Kitchen Labs work with: a sharp knife, a cutting board, a stove and oven, a 3-quart saucepan, a 10-inch skillet, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, a sheet pan.

Plus: - A digital instant-read thermometer ($10-25): unlocks Ch 7, 8, 14, 15, 24, 27, 35, etc. - pH strips ($5-10): for Ch 5, 33, 36. - A digital kitchen scale ($15): for Ch 17 (baker's percentages), Ch 36 (curing), and any weight-based recipe.

Tier 2: Mid-range additions ($100-500 total)

  • A sous vide circulator ($75-150): Ch 7, 14, 15, 27.
  • A cast-iron pan ($30): Ch 4, 8, 15, 24.
  • A Dutch oven ($60-300): Ch 17 (bread), 23 (stock), many others.
  • A food processor ($80-300): Ch 11 (mayo), 22 (spice blends), Ch 39.
  • A blender ($50-300): Ch 11 (emulsions), Ch 16 (dairy), Ch 19 (legumes).

Tier 3: Advanced ($500-2000+)

  • An immersion blender ($30-100): Ch 11 emulsions.
  • A high-quality refractometer (Brix, $30-80): Ch 10 (candy), Ch 36 (jams).
  • A pH meter (digital, $20-100): Ch 5, 30, 33, 36.
  • A pressure cooker / Instant Pot ($60-150): Ch 29.
  • A pressure canner ($80-200): Ch 36 (low-acid canning — REQUIRED for safety).
  • A smoker / grill setup ($200-2000): Ch 26.
  • A liquid-nitrogen dewar ($100-300, plus fill ~$10): Ch 28 advanced demos.
  • A bread oven thermometer ($10-30): essential for any home oven user.

3. Mastery Food Track Lab Roadmaps

A focused list of which Kitchen Labs serve each mastery food track.

🥖 The Bread Track

Ch 1 (notebook), Ch 2 (water hardness), Ch 3 (salt-yeast), Ch 5 (sourdough acid preview), Ch 7 (gluten as protein), Ch 8 (Maillard on crust), Ch 9 (gelatinization), Ch 10 (caramelization on crust), Ch 11 (enriched-dough fats), Ch 12 (bread crumb as foam), Ch 13 (amylase in malt), Ch 14 (egg wash), Ch 17 (THE core bread Kitchen Labs), Ch 23 (oven steam), Ch 24 (Dutch oven), Ch 31 (sourdough starter), Ch 39 (design your loaf).

🧀 The Cheese Track

Ch 7 (acid coagulation = ricotta), Ch 13 (rennet enzyme), Ch 16 (ricotta + yogurt), Ch 30 (LAB), Ch 32 (mozzarella), Ch 33 (LAB parallels), Ch 35 (raw vs pasteurized safety), Ch 36 (preservation in cheese aging).

🍫 The Chocolate Track

Ch 8 (Maillard), Ch 10 (sugar matrix), Ch 11 (cocoa butter), Ch 20 (THE core tempering Kitchen Labs), Ch 28 (frozen chocolate), Ch 34 (cacao fermentation), Ch 38 (precision-fermented cocoa preview).

🥬 The Fermented Vegetables Track

Ch 3 (salt brining), Ch 5 (pH), Ch 18 (cell walls and turgor), Ch 30 (THE microbial gateway), Ch 33 (THE core lacto-fermentation Kitchen Labs), Ch 35 (food safety in ferments), Ch 36 (preservation principles).

☕ The Coffee Track

Ch 2 (water TDS), Ch 4 (heat transfer in brewing), Ch 8 (roasting Maillard), Ch 11 (oils in French press), Ch 13 (PPO oxidation in some teas), Ch 21 (THE core brewing Kitchen Labs), Ch 24 (roasting curves), Ch 28 (cold brew, ice in cocktails), Ch 30 (fermentation context), Ch 34 (THE coffee fermentation deep dive).

4. Safety Quick Reference

⚠️ Sugar burns are SEVERE. Sugar sticks to skin and continues burning. Long sleeves, eye protection, kids out of the kitchen for candy work (Ch 10).

⚠️ Oil fires. NEVER add water to a hot oil fire. Smother with lid or use a class K extinguisher / baking soda. Move away from the heat. Don't move the pan if possible (Ch 25).

⚠️ Charcoal indoors = death. CO is invisible, odorless, deadly. Outdoor only (Ch 26).

⚠️ Liquid nitrogen. Never tightly seal LN2 (explosion risk). Skin contact = frostbite. Ventilation required (Ch 28).

⚠️ Pressure cookers. Modern ones have multiple safety mechanisms; follow manufacturer instructions. Don't open under pressure (Ch 29).

⚠️ Home canning. Botulism is rare but FATAL. Pressure canner required for low-acid foods. Follow USDA, NCHFP, or tested recipes. Bulged lids = discard (Ch 36).

⚠️ Allergens. Top-9 (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, sesame). Flag every Kitchen Lab. Have substitutions ready. See Appendix D.

⚠️ Raw meat / raw eggs. Cross-contamination protocols. Refrigerate quickly. See Ch 35.

5. Shopping List Generator

For an instructor planning a semester (or a self-paced learner planning the year):

Pantry essentials (have on hand for many labs): - Salt (Diamond Crystal kosher, table salt, sea salt) - Sugar (granulated, brown) - Flour (all-purpose, bread flour) - Cornstarch - Yeast (instant) - Eggs (large) - Milk (whole) - Butter (unsalted) - Olive oil - Neutral oil (avocado, refined sunflower) - Vinegar (white, apple cider) - Lemons - Black peppercorns - Onions, garlic

Special-lab purchases (per chapter, as needed): - Cabbage (red and green) — Ch 18, 33 - Pineapple (fresh) — Ch 13 - Cocoa beans or unsweetened cacao — Ch 20, 34 - Single-origin coffees — Ch 21, 34 - Multiple aged cheeses — Ch 32 - Various chiles and spices — Ch 22

Equipment investments by priority: 1. Digital instant-read thermometer ($15-25) — buy first. 2. Digital kitchen scale ($15) — buy second. 3. pH strips ($5-10) — useful from Ch 5 onward. 4. Cast-iron pan ($30) — many labs benefit. 5. Probe thermometer with alarm ($25) — bread, roasts, sous vide.

🔗 See also: relevant chapter exercises.md files for full Kitchen Lab protocols; Appendix D (Substitutions and Allergens); the instructor guide's kitchen-lab-safety-protocols.md for educator-specific safety guidance.