Global food fraud is a $40 billion industry. It is a staggering figure—one designed to make you feel like every trip to the grocery store is a walk through a minefield. But in the world of forensic data, $40 billion is what we call a PROOFY number: a gargantuan figure that sounds terrifying in isolation … Read more
Many viral food myths have an oversized influence because of one specific tactic: the use of exact, undeniable digits. This psychological sleight-of-hand is what Charles Seife calls proofiness, the art of using bogus mathematical arguments to prove what you already believe is true. When a story is attached to a specific numerical figure, it gains … Read more
Basting (French arroser) is the practice of brushing or drizzling pan juices over meat or poultry as it cooks. Many roasted chicken or turkey recipes call for basting, as it’s a good way to add some more flavor to the surface of the skin. Many home cooks believe that basting makes for a crispier skin. … Read more
When food costs rise, many people start thinking about producing their own food, like growing vegetables. Egg costs have been skyrocketing, so it’s natural that people ask whether it is cheaper to own chickens or buy eggs. Someone with a brood of hens who enjoys a daily batch of freshly laid eggs may have told … Read more
How often do you use half of an onion and store the other half in a plastic bag inside the refrigerator? You may have heard the claim that leftover cut onions are a particular hazard and cause of food poisoning. This claim states that cut onions are somehow a magnet for bacteria and that you … Read more
If you believe the picture-perfect postcards, every meal in Italy begins with a nonna hand-rolling egg pasta on a floured wooden board. We’ve been sold a romanticized vision where ‘authentic’ Italian food must be made from scratch every single day. But if you step out of the tourist traps and into a local Italian supermercato, … Read more