Hack Your Dinner With ‘Edible Inventions’

If you’re like me, you love the idea of putting together robots and other feats of science and technology, but you’re not sure your beginner engineering skills can hack it. Make: Edible Inventions by Kathy Ceceri is the best introduction to some first attempts at becoming a Maker for both you and the kids in a very familiar setting: your own kitchen.

The clear and concise text, paired with a number of color photographs, gives anyone who picks up the book the feeling, “Hey, I can do that.” If you’re ready to start small, Ceceri has you covered. If your kids (or you yourself!) have ever wondered how butter was made back in the old days, the first project, handmade butter, is a great place to begin.

Projects are prefaced by a bit of history or the science behind it. As a mom, that’s always a relief to see, because often when my daughter and I are working on a project together, I get stumped on the invariable, “But why does that happen?”

If history isn’t your kids’ thing, the moment you mention cooking hacks, their interest will be piqued. Edible Inventions has a wealth of them, including making homemade butter with just an empty water bottle and cream. I had to try it.

Did I ever think I’d eat butter I made myself? Nope. But thanks to this true “cooking hack” in Edible Inventions, I did just that. You can even take the project one step further by creating your own battery-powered butter bot with Ceceri’s expert guidance.

Another project caught my daughter’s eye: making rock candy. We had tried unsuccessfully before, but thanks to the detailed walkthrough in Edible Inventions, we finally had our first delicious batch.

Projects of all difficulty can be found in Edible Inventions, including more advanced DIY like:

• A food printer made with LEGO
• Gelatin noodles and dots
• An aquaponic jar
• A cardboard solar oven

Make: Edible Inventions often feels more like a cookbook than a technical how-to book, with recipes for homemade marshmallows, tangy ketchup, pancake mix, pickles, and more. And thanks to Ceceri’s helpful instructions, you’ll feel like you’re a master of cooking hacks in no time. If you’ve never picked up one of Maker Media‘s incredible how-to books before because the projects seem daunting, Edible Inventions is the perfect place for you and your kids to start building your Maker confidence.

All photos: Kelly Knox

A promotional copy was provided for review purposes.