The 5-second rule of food is a cultural belief that if you drop food on the floor, as long as you pick it up within 5 seconds it is safe to eat. The reason people believe this is because bacteria need time to transfer to food so as long as the food is not on […]
Can You Get Bird Flu From Eating Eggs?
The current eggs shortage in the United States is due to a large outbreak of Avian Influenza Virus or “Bird Flu” (H5N1) among the nations laying hen population. In December 2024, the average price of eggs was already high at $4.15. The price of eggs is expected to increase greatly this year, if you can […]
What is the Difference Between Sour and Tart?
Technically, there is no difference between sour and tart. Something that is has a tart taste has a sour taste. However, in some culinary circles tart flavors are differentiated from sour flavors. Generally, sour tastes from citrus, such as associated with citric acid, are described as “tart” while other sour flavors are called sour. This […]
What Is a Sous Chef?
A sous chef in a professional restaurant or hotel kitchen is the second in command of the kitchen staff, under the Chef de Cuisine, executive chef, or head chef. The French word sous in this terms means under while chef means “chief.” The sous chef or “under-chief” is responsible for much of what happens in […]
Why Did Jesus Say Salt Would Lose Its Flavor?
A popular question is whether salt ever expires. Cartons of table salt have an expiration date, after all. But salt never expires. It just keeps on being salt, for thousands, and even millions of years. In fact, it was probably sitting in the ground for a couple million years before it was put in a […]
Is Potassium Ferrocyanide Anti-Caking Salt Additive Dangerous?
Any food additive with “cyanide” in the name makes me pause. Cyanide is one of the deadliest poisons known to man. Cyanide releasing compounds are found in some of the foods we eat and these foods must be thoroughly cooked or processed to render them safe. So, why in the world add such a compound […]
Do Fast Food Chains Cause Most of the Food Poisoning Outbreaks?
When major fast food chains like Taco Bell or McDonald’s are linked to food poisoning outbreaks, the media reacts in a more sensational way and the public tends to assign more weight to these outbreaks. This familiarity makes it seem as if fast food restaurants are responsible for more foodborne illness outbreaks than they actually […]
The Biggest Myth About Acquired Tastes For Foods
The way most of us think about the concept of an acquired taste for particular foods is completely flawed. The concept itself is grossly misrepresented and misunderstood by almost everyone who talks about it! This is not to say that how tastes are acquired is completely understood in all its aspects and that we know […]
Waiters Should Stop Saying “Would You Like a Protein With That?”
One of my biggest pet peeves is when useful shorthand or professional jargon becomes overused and overextended into general use for no purpose but to sound trendy. So, this article may seem more like a rant than a constructive piece. I’m talking about when restaurant waiters say “Would you like protein with that?” I heard […]
Why Do Chefs Say “Flavor Profile?”
The term “flavor profile” is great for describing the unique characteristics of a certain cuisine or dish. Thai food has a different flavor profile than Mexican food. The term refers to the combinations of tastes, aromas, and textures that make food unique. The kind of spices and other ingredients that are typically used determine the […]