Students participate in Science Behind Cooking Camp in Ripley County

(VERSAILLES, Ind.) – Local students improved their cooking skills during a recent camp at South Ripley High School. 

There were 29 students who participated in ‘The Science Behind Cooking’ which was hosted by Genesis: Pathways to Success. 

The three-day camp gave students an opportunity to explore signature dishes from different regions across the United States. 

The journey began in the Southern region, where students whipped up fried green tomatoes, skillet fried corn, Jambalaya, buttermilk biscuits, and Hummingbird cake. 

“My favorite part of camp was getting to work with everybody and my favorite food that we made was the Jambalaya, ” said St. Louis School seventh grader Greysen Farmer. 

Campers also made items including New York coleslaw, Philly cheesesteak, Cape Cod corn pudding, baked potato wedges, and pumpkin whoopie pies. 

The final day toured the Western region, which campers were most excited for. They cooked 5 minute cheese sauce, guacamole, tomatillo salsa verde, homemade tortillas, and churros. 

“Learning how to properly cook meat on the griddle is a skill I will take and use at home,” Farmer added. 

The Science Behind Cooking Camp not only allowed students to sharpen their skills in the kitchen, but to also learn about the chemistry of cooking. 

Jenny Schneider, chemistry teacher at Oldenburg Academy, taught students the importance of roasting peppers while also explaining the science behind how the taste changes due to the added heat.

She continued to highlight how allowing meat to marinate improves the taste rather than just adding it to the pan while cooking.

Olivia Fledderman, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Sprouted in Strength also taught kids how to read a food label and helped them understand more about nutrition. 

Click here to learn more about the summer camp as well as Genesis: Pathways to Success.