Does honey ever go bad?
If it’s a tad too moist, honey might ferment and turn into mead, but barring that, honey kept tightly covered in a dark place can last indefinitely. Crystallization, which occurs more rapidly at lower temperatures, can be reversed by placing the container in hot water for fifteen minutes.
Fun facts: Honey can be used as an antibacterial solution, and reportedly edible honey was discovered in King Tut’s tomb. Children under the age of one should not consume honey, as it carries spores that can cause infant botulism.
Why do some potato chips have a green splotch?
Potatoes spend the majority of their life cycle underground, but every once in a while some part of the tuber catches a bit of excess light. This targeted photosynthesis results in a spot of bright green chlorophyll. Quality control in most plants tends to weed out the greenies, but every once in a while, things just get all spudded up.
What is that stringy thing in an egg white?
That white, slightly tough thing is the chalaza, which anchors the yolk in place.
Fun fact: Brown shells are thicker than white shells, and thus more crack-resistant, making them ideal for hard boiling. There’s no other differences between white and brown eggs — they just come from different breeds of hen.
Why can’t fresh pineapple be used in Jelly?
Fresh pineapple seems like it’d be ideal in a molded Jelly salad, but it contains a natural enzyme called bromelain, which degrades the protein in gelatin and keeps it from setting. There’s always room for canned pineapple, though, since it’s been heated to a temperature that denatures the enzyme. Other non-gelatin-friendly fruits include fresh ginger root, kiwi, papaya, guava and figs.
Fun fact: The same properties that nix bromelain as a gelatin add-in make it an excellent meat tenderizer. Pork and pineapple, anyone?
Why does the slam of an oven door cause a souffle to fall?
It’s not, as old cartoons might have you believe, the loud bang or vibration, but rather that the sudden drop in temperature causes the eggs’ still-forming air bubbles to collapse. Once the proteins have coagulated, they won’t re-inflate, and the top will stay a flop. Keep it closed for a high-flying souffle.
Where does cream of tartar come from and what does it do?
This baking staple starts life as a white sediment that lines the inside of wine casks after fermentation. This tartaric acid is scraped off, purified and ground down to the miraculous powder that lofts our pie toppings and allows our favorite cakes to let their frosting peaks soar. In a pinch, just sub in three times the amount of vinegar or lemon juice.
Where does cream of tartar come from and what does it do?
This baking staple starts life as a white sediment that lines the inside of wine casks after fermentation. This tartaric acid is scraped off, purified and ground down to the miraculous powder that lofts our pie toppings and allows our favorite cakes to let their frosting peaks soar. In a pinch, just sub in three times the amount of vinegar or lemon juice.
Why do some people say that cilantro tastes like soap?
Folks who detest the leafy herb are in pretty sophisticated company, as celebrated chef Julia Child professed to detest the stuff. While scientists have yet to arrive at a consensus, some studies point to the “soapy” taste interpretation of cilantro as being the result of a mild allergy. Others cite the possibly genetic presence or absence of an enzyme that affects how a person processes the flavor of cilantro.
Fun fact: The seeds of the cilantro plant are called coriander, and are a staple in cuisines from around the globe. The leaf’s lovers and loathers alike can find much to squabble about at ihatecilantro.com.
Why doesn’t water tame the burn of a too-hot chilli pepper?
A pepper’s blaze is brought about by capsaicinoids, which are odor and flavor-free, but act directly on pain receptors. The primary one, capsaicin, is an oil, so the frantic chugging of water following a too-hot bite just serves to slosh the pain to other parts of the mouth. Milk, on the other hand, contains casein, which surrounds and absorbs the fatty capsacin and washes it away.
Fun fact: Most of a pepper’s heat is found in its ribs and seeds. Strip this away (carefully, with gloves) to take the flame down a notch.
What’s the difference between baking powder and baking soda?
Both of them make baked goods rise, but they’re not interchangeable. Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, which when combined with an acidic component will cause carbon dioxide bubbles to rise, and food to expand in the oven. Baking powder, on the other hand, is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate, an acid and a drying agent. The most common format is a double-acting baking powder which, mixed with a liquid, sets off an initial reaction at room temperate, and a second one at baking temperatures.
Fun fact: Baking power cannot be subbed in for baking soda as it’ll introduce excess acidity, but baking soda, an equal amount of cornstarch, and double that quantity of cream of tartar can combine into a baking powder stand-in.
Do recipes really have to be readjusted for higher altitudes?
Indeed they do. Water actually boils at a lower temperature than it does at sea level, but boiled food takes longer to cook thoroughly. Baking can prove especially tricky above 3500 feet, as the air is thinner, and for the most part drier, so leavening agents, ingredient ratios and cooking times have to be calibrated accordingly. Consult your local county extension office to find the best adjustments for your area.
What is a nonreactive pan?
Let’s start on the reactive side. Copper and aluminum conduct heat incredibly well, but they react chemically with foods. Acidic food can pick up a metallic taste, and light-colored soups and sauces can be slightly discolored. Many copper pans are covered with tin to prevent reaction, but since it’s thin and scratches easily, the copper can easily be exposed. Cast iron pans are also considered reactive, but if they’re well-seasoned, the effects are not especially evident.
Popular non-reactive cookware materials include stainless steel, glass, enamel, clay and plastic. These don’t tend to conduct or retain heat as efficiently, but some stainless steel pans have aluminum or copper bonded to the bottom between layers of steel.
Who or what is a vinegar mother?
There’s a fungus among us, and it’s here to make vinegar. Micoderma aceti, a single-cell fungus related to yeast, comes to roost in solutions of limited acidity, a concentration of alcohol, and certain nutritive proteins — wine, for example — and form a grayish mass, which can be either whisper-thin or more solid. This “mother” draws oxygen from the air and converts alcohol into acetic acid. In a solution with water, this constitutes vinegar. The mother can be added to cider, wine, or other alcohols to facilitate the vinegar making process.
