Now You Too Can Cook the Perfect Lasagna From ‘Lessons in Chemistry’
If you watched Lessons in Chemistry’s three-episode premiere on Apple TV+ on October 13, chances are you’re itching to try all the mouth-watering dishes peppered throughout the episodes. Although one may not have guessed this from the title, Lessons in Chemistry is a very food-focused series. It follows Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson), who uses a cooking show to teach women about science and feminism. However, her blending of the fields of chemistry and cooking started long before her cooking show did.
At first, I was a little worried that it would be a bad thing to come away from Lessons in Chemistry wanting to cook. After all, the show is about a woman trying to break free from restrictive gender roles. Would I be missing the point if I came away not wanting to be a chemist but wanting to cook the perfect lasagna dinner for my boyfriend and myself? Fortunately, the show reiterates that cooking is for everyone and is extra enjoyable when women do it for themselves rather than because it’s a duty that’s expected of them.
When the series starts, Zott is single and lives alone. However, every night, she makes the most amazing-looking meals to have for dinner, and to bring to work for lunch. She’ll make an entire lasagna or even an entire chicken, using her knowledge of chemistry to make them as close to perfection as possible. The wonderful thing is that she’s just cooking for herself because why shouldn’t she have the perfect lasagna or a galette for dinner or lunch?
I think a lot of us get stuck on this idea that we should only cook if we have someone to cook for. However, I love how Lessons in Chemistry emphasizes that it’s alright to cook for yourself because you deserve a delicious meal. That’s why I was very excited to learn that you can cook the actual recipes from Lessons in Chemistry.
Instacart brings Lessons in Chemistry recipes to life
To celebrate the release of Lessons in Chemistry, Instacart will provide viewers with the recipes of the meals seen on the show. In collaboration with chef and food writer Courtney McBroom, the grocery delivery service has five recipes from the show on its website and will release more alongside each new weekly episode.
Of course, the very first recipe you’ll see is The “Perfect” Lasagna. In the show, Zott was on attempt 78 for perfecting the lasagna and using her chemistry knowledge to try to produce the smoothest cheese in the dish. This is the first mouth-watering dish she makes in the show, and I have not stopped thinking about lasagna since watching it. In addition to Instacart providing the recipe, Larson also filmed a video tutorial before the SAG-AFTRA strike that you can follow along with, if you decide to try it.
Another recipe on Instacart is The Garden Galette, which Zott makes in episode 2, “Her and Him,” when her dog, Six-Thirty, shows up at her doorstep. I didn’t know what a galette was before, but it’s a type of crust that can either be filled with something savory or something sweet. In Lessons in Chemistry, Zott made a delicious-looking galette with veggies for dinner. Instacart also touches on the sweet side of Lessons in Chemistry with recipes for a pie crust, a Block Party Blackberry Pie, and Lunchbox Brownies. Obviously, you’ll need a reward for making a perfect lasagna or galette, and what better reward than brownies with a peanut butter swirl?
If Lessons in Chemistry has inspired you to treat yourself or explore your passion for cooking, Instacart now allows you to truly do so with its show-inspired recipes.
(featured image: Apple TV+)
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