Mmm, science.

Molecular gastronomy: Saying it just rolls off the tongue. As it should--a process that turns solid food into little "caviar" spheres should roll off the tongue when you say it. However, as much as molecular gastronomists like to turn their food into squishy balls of goo, they also happen to like gel and foam equally as much. But where and how does one learn how to do all this spherification, gelification, and emulsification

ThinkGeek's Molecular Cuisine Starter Kit offers a way for cook/scientists of all skill levels a chance to play with their food. The kit arrives with preportioned sachets of thickeners, emulsifiers, and binders along with the associated tools necessary for food transformation. That would include things like pipettes, silicone tubing, a syringe, and, of course, measuring spoons. As for the magic ingredients themselves: that would be agar-agar, calcium lactate, sodium alginate, soy lecithin, and xanthan gum.

Texture, being a huge part of the eating experience, plays a major role in how food is perceived. With each chemical portioned out into 10 sachets of 20 grams each, there are plenty of experiments in taste and texture waiting to happen. Oh, and there's no worry about going blindly into the brave new world where playing with food and chemicals together at the same time is the goal' an instructional DVD complete with 50 demonstrations is included.