Lecture – Chocolate, Corn and Floating Farms: the Marvel of Aztec Foods by Dirk Van Tuerenhout Is it possible that the Aztecs may help feed a hungry planet tomorrow? The Aztecs developed revolutionary farming techniques that were a marvel. They also gave us many things we have in our pantry today, but also ate foods […]
Imagine a strange post-apocalyptic scenario in which you somehow became trapped in the Cockrell Butterfly Center alone, with no food or provisions. Pretty weird thing to imagine right? Well, it could happen! Many people come to the CBC to watch the graceful butterflies flit through the trees, but don’t actually realize that it is […]
Happy National S’mores day! Do you love s’mores but don’t have a campfire to make one? Try these great ideas from Café Natalie, one of our exclusive Museum caterers. Did you know these delicious treats are named literally for “some more”? Campfire Cones 1 Cup Mini Marshmallows1 Cup Chocolate Chips Mix marshmallows and chocolate chips […]
My mom was a chemistry and home-ec teacher, so I grew up in a home where ingredients were carefully measured and food items were attractively arranged. While I got to help out in the kitchen as much as I wanted, I always liked being in the kitchen around the holidays. There were always new tricks […]
Recently my daughter and I were making cookies when she asked me, “Where do chocolate chips come from?” I considered the glib answer, “From the chocolate chip factory,” but decided to take advantage of a teachable moment and said, “Well, chocolate is made from seeds of the cacao tree that grows in the South American […]
The earth is vast and its surface seems huge. However, the earth’s crust only makes up 1% of the earth’s mass — subsequent layers (the mantle and the core) make up the other 99%. So, why do we care about the earth’s crust (besides the fact that we live there)? It consists of tectonic plates that move around, […]
On cold nights, one of the best comforts out there is hot chocolate. You come home from a long day’s work, take off your coat, defrost a bit (OK, we’re in Houston, so just go with me here), boil up some water, add in the mix and mmmm … hot chocolate. Oh, the convenience of […]
