All about the scientific theories behind food. Cooking myths debunked here.
8
votes
2answers
9k views
Is it scientifically verified that bananas will ripen faster when kept in a bowl with other fruit?
I've heard you shouldn't keep bananas in a bowl with other fruit. But they all look so happy together.
What I'd like to see is hard science here. Or at least documented and repeatable observation. ...
12
votes
1answer
861 views
Why do bananas turn black in the refrigerator?
I've noticed that a banana in the refrigerator will turn pitch black in just a few hours. Why is this?
31
votes
5answers
13k views
Why does a brown paper bag speed ripening?
I often see this technique suggested as a way to speed ripening. Why does it?
Also, is there any data available on how fast it ripens comparatively?
1
vote
1answer
53 views
How can I make a mayo/ketchup-based sauce come out with a consistent color?
I'm trying to make a zesty sauce from a mayo base/ketchup base mixture. Sometimes color turns out dark orange, sometimes off white, even though I'm using the same recipe. I'm thinking that how I ...
3
votes
1answer
101 views
What is the “hot” and “cold” category that Chinese culture separate their food into?
I am unsure if this categorization of food exist only in Chinese culture or if it exists in other (Asian) cultures. In China, a lot of the food is separated into either "cold" or "hot".
Some ...
12
votes
6answers
4k views
What causes the difference between Maine and Canadian lobsters?
In a first-season episode of the US TV show Kitchen Nightmares, the well-known chef Gordon Ramsay states that there's a "big difference [in] taste and flavor" between Maine lobsters and Canadian ...
0
votes
0answers
86 views
How are commercial protein bars made so dense?
I am trying to make protein bars at home from protein powder and natural sweeteners. I have basically all the ingredients mentioned on the pack, but mine come out much softer, whether or not I cook ...
0
votes
0answers
61 views
Best book(s) to learn the art of cooking? [closed]
I've browsed through a few "best book to learn to cook" questions, but the questions weren't specific enough for me. So here are my interests:
I don't want a cookbook with any recipes; I want to ...
4
votes
1answer
218 views
what makes red tomato sauce turn orange in colour?
I have noticed that tomato sauce (having started with deep red tomatoes) can turn orange.
The colour change isn't from mixing in an ingredient of different colour such as cream. It seems to occur in ...
29
votes
7answers
11k views
Cooking away alcohol
When you cook with wine or spirits, when does the alcohol cook away? Obviously high temperatures will do it, but how low of temperatures will work? Also, does it vary by the type of alcohol?
76
votes
5answers
16k views
Why add salt to the water when cooking pasta?
What is the effect of adding salt to the water when cooking pasta?
6
votes
1answer
1k views
How could I keep one-ingredient “ice cream” soft?
According to this question, guar gum and xanthan gum can be used to keep ice cream soft by preventing ice crystals and keeping the air that's been mixed in from leaving the ice cream.
We have tried ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
Why do marshmallows poof up so huge when put in the microwave?
As anyone who's put marshmallows in the microwave knows, they expand a ton! Sometimes they puff up to literally more than twice their original size (YouTube video for those who haven't seen it).
So, ...
10
votes
1answer
272 views
Room temperature “rest” for fresh mayo?
On the mayonnaise episode of Good Eats, Alton Brown recommends letting homemade mayo sit at room temperature for 4-8 hours before refrigerating. The idea is to let the acid in the mayo kill any ...
1
vote
1answer
132 views
Why should you scrub/clean cast iron cookware with salt?
I've seen this a number of times (for example here, or here at cooking.SE), and I do it at home, but I'd like to know for what reason salt is good for cleaning (cast) iron cookware.
I know it's a ...
3
votes
2answers
296 views
Why does broccoli turn brown when steaming?
I steam my broccoli until it's 'al dente' and some buds turn brown. I've done a small search, but haven't found anything.
I'm thinking maybe the steam is too hot or I'm steaming too long. What do ...
3
votes
1answer
176 views
Why do egg dye recipes include vinegar?
I have seen recipes for easter egg dyes that call for 1/4 cup vinegar per cup of water and others that call for 2 teaspoons per cup of water. That's a pretty wide range--what practical effect does the ...
3
votes
1answer
9k views
What causes curdling and how can you prevent it?
Some sauces are more at risk to curdle than others. What exactly (ingredients, techniques, temperature...) causes this curdling? What can you do to have the curdling risk at minimum?
I'm not asking ...
12
votes
1answer
4k views
What does beating eggs actually do (chemically speaking)?
When I look at a lot of recipes, any eggs usually have to be beaten before they're added. If it's all going to be mixed anyway (and well, in dough for example) is it really necessary?
8
votes
2answers
216 views
If salt dehydrates the meat, then why would brining make it more juicy as a whole?
As the title says, why does brining work?
If salting, by osmosis, pulls the water out of the meat, then why is meat considered more juicy after it's cooked?
3
votes
4answers
295 views
Why do Duck eggs have longer expiry than Chicken Eggs?
Duck eggs seem to get about a 6-week extension on their expiry date over Chicken eggs. (the latest pack I bought yesterday expire May 25th, where as the Chicken Eggs at best were Mid-April).
Why is ...
9
votes
1answer
2k views
Why is there cornstarch in powdered sugar?
I was looking up how to make my own powdered/confectioner/icing sugar. Some 'recipes' say that you should add a bit of cornstarch while others just leave this out.
So what is the role of cornstarch? ...
29
votes
8answers
4k views
Why should I soak beans before cooking?
Every recipe says I should soak beans in water overnight before cooking. Why?
I did some experiments. I have tried soaked and unsoaked beans from the same batch. There was no difference in cooking ...
13
votes
2answers
575 views
Why does tomato sauce spatter more than other sauces?
Of all the (thick) sauces and creams I prepare in a hot pot, tomato sauce is the most jumpy.
When it's hot, it's impossible to cook properly without having it jump everywhere and repaint the walls, ...
22
votes
5answers
9k views
Is “until juices run clear” a valid test for poultry doneness? Why or why not?
I've come across this particular recommendation many times in various recipes and cookbooks and probably even given it out myself once or twice. Poultry is sufficiently cooked when the juices run ...
11
votes
4answers
1k views
Why do chocolate chips stay softer after being baked?
I could be wrong, but I have the feeling that after baking chocolate chip cookies, the chocolate chips are still melted; or at least a lot softer than before you bake the cookies.
It's logical that ...
16
votes
5answers
10k views
Does microwaving destroy nutrients in food?
After answering this article, I did some research on microwaving killing vitamins and nutrients in food.
I very quickly learned that this is a touchy subject, even among nutritionists, and nobody (at ...
4
votes
4answers
558 views
roasted garlic vs. raw
Without giving it much thought, I've always roasted garlic for use in cooked preparations (hummus, spaghetti sauce, garlic bread, etc.), and used it raw for uncooked preparations (salad dressings, ...
15
votes
1answer
304 views
What's the science behind making German potato dumplings (Knödel) fluffy but not fall apart?
First off, I'm German, so you would think I know, but it seems traditional cuisine has not been passed down my family tree.
This question really consists of two parts:
What makes potatos dough (or ...
8
votes
5answers
877 views
What are the optimal conditions in making wild yeast starter?
I recently learned that I don't need to buy packets of yeast to make bread. I can create a sour dough starter by utilizing the wild yeast floating around in the air. Take a look at this article for ...
38
votes
3answers
18k views
Why can applesauce be used in place of oil?
In many recipes, mostly desserts, it is suggested that you can substitute oil with applesauce to reduce the fat content. But why applesauce?
Is there something special about applesauce or are there ...
6
votes
3answers
313 views
How do I cook with bay leaves?
I am an amateur hobbyist cook. So a lot of the time I will toss in a dash of something, taste the dish, and add a bit more. Experimenting sometimes with disastrous results... but I learn :)
One spice ...
34
votes
3answers
3k views
Why do tomatoes get so hot?
Ever noticed how certain foods seem to get a lot hotter than others? I almost never burn my tongue or mouth... except on tomatoes; Pizza sauce, tomatoes in panini sandwiches or spaghetti sauce.
...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
Pork shoulder low slow cook time
I am planning to cook a 10lb (4.5kg) bone-in pork shoulder at 250°F (121°C) for about 8 hours.
Is there any danger in overcooking if I cook for a few hours longer? I know it needs the time ...
3
votes
1answer
115 views
Why would pumpkin pie form a clear custard layer?
My PA Dutch grandma's pumpkin pie always had a thin layer of custard on the bottom. We have her recipe but none of us has been able to get the filling to separate... Anyone have any idea what might ...
7
votes
2answers
9k views
How to make puffed/popped rice?
Is it possible to make puffed rice at home like the rice used in breakfast cereals? I have a hot air popcorn maker and have experimented with that with little success.
I imagine the problem is to do ...
5
votes
4answers
527 views
how do I get the salt out of my chinese take out
I bought some overly salted Chinese food ( I did not know it at time) and took most of it home.
Now I would like to get the salt out so i can it eat. Do you have any suggestions?
7
votes
2answers
303 views
Does using flaked salt make a difference when using it in cooking?
I have a few recipes that call for flaked salt, I can only seem to buy it in bulk 1kg bags here. I want to know that if you use "salt" in a recipe does it really matter to the final taste what kind of ...
1
vote
2answers
313 views
Why is my pumpkin pie filling separating from my cake mix?
I decided to mix pumpkin pie filling into a mixture of spice cake mix. I mixed the filling in well and in every try, the filling stays in the middle, with the cake moving to the outside.
I am ...
-1
votes
1answer
237 views
Alcohol evaporation
It's fairly well known that alcohol in liquids used for cooking evaporates pretty well, at a lower temperature than the water it's in, so the end result doesn't contain much alcohol. It doesn't all ...
0
votes
3answers
382 views
How can two pies made and baked identically have differing flavor qualities?
Two pies were baked at the same time, in the same oven, on the same cookie sheet. They seemed to be equally close to the center of the oven. There was a third pie on the rack beneath them. That pie ...
3
votes
1answer
386 views
Differences between gel and gelatine
Are they physically different? If so, what is the difference, between a gel and gelatine, or it's proccesses gelation and gelling (gelatinization. gelatinisation)?
3
votes
2answers
129 views
Where to buy food chemicals
So I want to experiment with making a food product, and I'm wondering where I acquire the chemical ingredients? Things like vitamin chemicals and caffeine. Thanks.
3
votes
2answers
1k views
Minimum temperature for slow roasting almonds
I've read that almonds roasted slowly at lower temperatures are healthier, which seems to make sense to me.
I found a couple of recipes suggesting 8hrs at 75 deg C or 4hrs at 95 deg C.
With that ...
5
votes
3answers
566 views
What effect does orange juice have when used in dough?
I was following a recipe to make some Middle Eastern inspired Olive bread, and the recipe called for a cup of orange juice in the dough.
I was intrigued by this as I had not seen it before.
What ...
10
votes
3answers
1k views
Is MSG necessary or what to replace it with?
I have always heard that you should stay away MSG. For example when buying bouillon crystals we should always make sure that it doesn't contain MSG. Yet I came across this recipe for spinach soup that ...
13
votes
2answers
8k views
Why do red onions turn blue or green when cooking sometimes?
I cooked a pot of beans with some red onions last night. Today for lunch when I got them out of the fridge, all of the onions had turned a blue/green colour!
They still taste ok, but sure looks ...
16
votes
6answers
1k views
Can food be boiled “extra fast/hard” in water?
Once water is boiling you can either leave the heat on quite high, or turn it down a bit so that it just keeps boiling. Apart from extra water vaporating, does this have any effect on the taste of ...
10
votes
2answers
801 views
Why blanche vegetables before freezing?
I have a bumper crop of french beans, runners, and (earlier in the summer) peas. I know that we're supposed to blanche vegetables prior to freezing and my general purpose cookbooks tell me how long to ...
4
votes
2answers
574 views
What can I add to boiled lollies to stop them from melting in humid weather?
I've made a gingerbread house this year and popped in stained glass windows. The windows are made of crushed up boiled lollies.
I baked the gingerbread, then added the windows, then baked the bread ...
