Many viral food myths have oversized influence because of one thing: Exact numbers. This psychological sleight-of-hand is what Charles Seife calls proofiness. It is the art of using bogus mathematical arguments to prove what you know in your heart is true, even if it’s not. Exact figures, or Potemkin numbers, are very proofy. They make … 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
When I saw Guy Fieri sharing a recipe for a Kobe beef burger, I knew the marketing had officially outrun the reality. Grinding up a $600 steak into a patty is like using a 1945 Chateau Mouton Rothschild to make a wine cooler. To understand why that’s so ridiculous, you first have to understand what … Read more