February 2, 2011 -- DINNER: The Chemistry of Chocolate with Candace Kristensson
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, what could be more fun than talking about chocolate? The chemistry of chocolate and its history are fascinating, and Candace Kristensson, a PhD chemist, will discuss chocolate facts and myths at our Feb. 2 dinner program.
Candace (could her name be more appropriate?) will tell us where chocolate comes from and how it is made. She will reveal the multitude of compounds found in chocolate and their different characteristics.
What about the benefits of chocolate for our health? Candace will cite recent clinical studies and explain their findings. She wants to get people excited about the complexity of chocolate and the chemistry involved in our daily lives, including the foods we eat. She is passionate about getting people to think critically about “health studies” touted in the media.
A Colorado native, Candace did her undergraduate work at Dartmouth, where she met her husband. She earned her Ph.D. in organic chemistry at the University of Utah. She has worked on childhood diabetes and public health epidemiology studies. In the fall of 2007 her husband’s software job brought them to the Seattle area.
Candace worked at the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center before her visiting assistant professorship at PLU last year. She is a now a new mom to Elna Ruth.
Please join us for this enlightening program and sample some chocolate! We’ll have milk, semisweet and bittersweet. We’ll try several different quantities of cacao – from 55% to 75%. And we will try some chili-flavored chocolate. Don’t miss this opportunity for a fun chocolate fix.
RSVP via email by Monday, January 31 at 12:00 pm. Members: $25; Guests of Members: $30; General Public: $35. Pre-payment is required and no-shows will be billed.