Philadelphia Science Festival Has Some Nerdy Food Events

If you’re reading this blog you are most likely just as obsessed with food and drinks as we are. We’re in love with the combined flavors of ingredients, the craft that goes into making a really great beer, and the satisfaction they give to our deepest cravings.

Most of the techniques used in the kitchen come down to science. If you think about it, chefs are basically mad scientists, whipping up innovative dishes that may (or may not) work. And we’re their guinea pigs.

I, at least, am pretty content testing the results of these experiments, so I’ll leave the science to the professionals. But I’m still intrigued to learn their secrets.

So it’s good news, then, that we have the return of the Philadelphia Science Festival. From April 24 to May 2, the festival will feature events and exhibitions dealing with the science of a variety of subjects. And for those food-loving closet-nerds like us, this also includes a few special events centered around cooking and brewing.

The first food event is Fun with Kitchen Science on Sunday, April 26. Head over to the Free Library of Philadelphia at 2 p.m. for a lesson on how chefs utilize science to bake, emulsify and whip up their dishes. You’ll also learn about which foods are good for your body (but that’s ok, you can always plug your ears with bacon in protest), and there will be activities that you can recreate in your own kitchen. No tickets required.

Yards Brewing Company is hosting a Beer Lab on Friday, May 1, where participants learn about the ingredients behind different brews and record their observations in a lab manual for the chance to win some prizes. This event is already sold out, but that should only tell you how much of a hurry you ought to be in to grab tickets to one of the other events for which tickets are still available. Like the DIY Brewing event on Monday April 27, also at Yards Brewing Company. From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., get hands-on experience in cider and mead brewing and take home your own bottle of cider or mead. Andrew Howard from Yards, Al Bruno from The Franklin Institute and Steve Frecon from Frecon Farms are speaking at the event. Buy tickets.

Say goodbye to your Weed B Gon, because those weeds may be more valuable than you think. On Thursday, April 30, join Daniel Stern from R2L and Tama Matsuoka Wong from Meadows and More for Dinner from the Weeds at the Free Library of Philadelphia. From 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the hosts will tell you how you can turn those pesky weeds in the garden into delicious dishes. They’ll also tell you which weeds to find in your own backyard. Buy tickets.

You can get more information and check out their non-food related events on their calendar here.

Philadelphia Science Festival [Official]