Welcome to the kitchen, the lab of the home, From the rising of the bread to the honeycomb dome. It’s not just "making dinner" or a tasty little treat, It’s the science of the fuel and the safety of the meat. You’ve got to know the nutrients, the "Macro" and the "Micro," To keep the human body in a healthy little cycle. Let’s start with the Macronutrients, the "Big Three" on the plate, The ones that do the heavy lifting to keep you feeling great. Protein is for growth, the repair of the cell, From the beans and the fish, it’ll serve you really well. Carbohydrates for energy, the "Starch" and the "Sweet," Giving you the power to get up on your feet. Then Fats for the "Protection" and the "Insulation" layer, A little bit is vital, so include it in your prayer. Now look at the Micronutrients, the "Vitamins" and "Minerals," The tiny little soldiers that are essentially original. Vitamin A for the vision, Vitamin C for the skin, And Vitamin D from the sun to let the calcium in. Iron for the blood and Calcium for the bone, The "Hidden" little helpers that are often left alone. Without the "Micro" balance, the system starts to fade, No matter how much "Macro" fuel you’ve managed to trade. Now hit the Food Science, the magic in the pan, Understanding the "Chemical" side as only a chef can. Gelatinisation—where the starch starts to swell, Thickening the sauce so it coats the pasta well. Dextrinisation—why the toast turns to brown, The "Dry Heat" turning starch into a crispy little crown. And Emulsification—how the oil and water meet, With an egg yolk "Liaison" to make the mayo sweet. But keep the kitchen "Hygienic," the Safety and the Care, Because "Bacteria" are invisible and they’re lurking everywhere. Watch the Danger Zone—five to sixty-three degrees— Where the microbes multiply with terrifying ease. Keep the "Cross-Contamination" from the raw to the cooked, Or the "Food Poisoning" symptoms will have you feeling hooked. Salmonella, E. Coli, and the "Campylobacter" bite, Keep the fridge at five degrees to keep the kitchen right. Finally, the Provenance, the "Journey" of the food, The "Environmental" impact and the global-citizen mood. Is it Organic? Is it Fairtrade? Is it Local to the shop? How many "Food Miles" did it take before it had to stop? Look at the Seasonality and the "Processing" as well, And the "Marketing" tactics that are designed to make it sell. From the farm to the fork, every choice has a cost, In a world where forty percent of the harvest is lost.
