News from The Arthur Holt Library

This week was Science Week, and what a week it was! The theme this year was ‘Food: Different by Design’, which gave us ample opportunity to spark discussion around such issues as sustainability, healthy eating and the use of native ingredients.
Each morning kicked off with a Science Conundrum, with the day’s winner receiving a themed book in the post. The questions ranged from how Fish Mojo helps shrimp farmers to why the Maillard reaction creates different flavours and aromas in food.
We even welcomed back (albeit via recorded message) Old Trinitarian, Ed Halmagyi (Class of 1992) – better known to most of you as Fast Ed, the chef from Better Homes and Gardens. Ed put together a wonderful presentation that not only showed the boys how to make chicken saltimbocca and gnocchi, but also explained the importance of healthy eating, the science of food preparation and even the importance of planning.

He also showed how we can use native ingredients to replace more familiar flavours in a lot of the food that we cook. He showed how traditional fennel seeds can be substituted for Australian aniseed myrtle and explained why that is a more sustainable option.

Students in the Middle School were also treated to a recorded presentation by Avani Bhojwani of Vow Foods. Vow’s answer to the problem of sustainability in food production is to grow meat in a lab from animal cells. Avani’s presentation certainly highlighted the increasing role of science in helping to solve some of the world’s biggest problems.

“Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.”

― Sir Francis Bacon