I’ve often thought about the articles I would have you read if I could choose. Often, these articles concern myths. Through the years, I’ve busted a lot of food myths here on CulinaryLore. Many of these myths are not unique to me. I often do my best to explain, in my own way, food myths that many others have already covered.
Sometimes, though, I have done work I consider truly unique and busted myths that have never been thoroughly busted, or at times, revealed that a major myth is not a myth at all! Some of the research journeys I’ve gone on have left me ragged while others have left me surprised and even delighted. Either way, I’m proud to have been able to contribute something unique to the food information landscape. But enough about my souped-up ego. Here are … major food myths busted by CulinaryLore.
Myth 1: Cooking Mussels Until They Open
Open any cookbook with a mussels recipe and you’ll find the same common instruction: Cook the mussels until their shells open, meaning they are done. This is a myth and it never was a reliable instruction. It turns out that the “mussels are done when they open” rule was popularized by one authoritative author and never questioned by generations of cooks and chefs alike. While I am not the only author to have tackled this instruction, my article is the most complete, both historically and scientifically, you will find on the web.
Throw Away Unopened Mussels? Who Says?
Myth 2: The Margarine Chronicles
Perhaps the longest article on CulinaryLore, this article concerns a viral social media/email post containing a number of myths about margarine. I am, of course, not the only author to have debunked these myths. I’m sure Snopes has an entry. However, my article, which contains a thorough history of margarine can and should be considered the definitive one on the web. It is not only thorough, it’s too thorough, and written according to the philosophy, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing.”
Not only is the history of margarine covered, but the science is as well. Here is a smattering of the myths covered:
- margarine was invented to feed turkeys
- margarine is one molecule away from plastic
- the first margarine was pale white
- margarine never goes bad
Margarine Was Invented To Feed Turkeys And Other Butter vs. Margarine Myths
3. Vanilla and Raspberry Flavor Comes From Beaver Butt Juice
It still amazes me that anyone believes that something that comes from the rear end of a beaver could taste like vanilla, let alone raspberry. But people do believe it. In this article, I thoroughly cover the subject of a food additive called castoreum, what it is, and how it is used.
While it is true that this food flavoring ingredient is extracted from a rear-facing gland of a beaver, most everything on the web about it is a myth. Since I’ve written this article, more people have caught on, but this is still the most comprehensive explanation you can read about this beaverlicious flavor enhancer.
The Truth About Raspberry or Strawberry Flavor from Beaver Glands
4. The Tomato is a Fruit Not a Vegetable
This is one of those myths I mentioned that is not actually a myth. Many people say that it is a myth that the tomato is a vegetable. It’s a fruit! Once you read the article, you’ll wonder why the tomato was singled out for the vegetable versus fruit discussion.
The problem with this subject is that the people who could easily clear things up, botanists, do not give a darn about it. It doesn’t concern them whether a tomato is a vegetable. They know it’s a fruit but whether it’s a vegetable is not in their bailiwick. You see, vegetable is simply not a botanical term. It’s a culinary term. Read the article and find out about all the other “vegetables” that are fruits.
Are Tomatoes Fruits or Vegetables? Find Out the Truth!
5. The Slurpee and Icee Are Different Drinks
For some reason, 7-Eleven Slurpee devotees are quite precious about the notion that their favorite drink is unique. It’s not. It’s an age-old debate and I’m not the first one to tackle it, but I guarantee you nobody has done a more thorough job: Are the Slurpee and Icee, two popular frozen drinks, completely different, or are they the same? I had to write a short history of the FCB or “Frozen Carbonated Beverage” to put this myth to bed once and for all. And, yes, the Slushee is also covered.
Is the Slurpee And ICEE the Same Drink?
6. Marco Polo Brought Pasta To Italy From China
Of course, I am not the only person to write about this very old historical myth but I presented evidence debunking it that you will not find elsewhere in a free article. It’s not even clear that most of Marco Polo’s tales about his travels were true. They are quite fantastic! In the article, you will find out how it is quite impossible that he was, however, responsible for giving pasta to the Italians!
During Marco Polo’s time and long before it, in all the lands of Eurasia between the Far East and Italy, there were no noodles. This led laypeople and historical scholars to believe their must be some connection between Chinese noodles and Italian pasta. Sometimes, when we see a “mechanistic” connection between two things, we feel compelled to invent, or fancifully adopt, evidence of this connection. The writings of Marco Polo about his travels are poor historical evidence of any sort!
Marco Polo and His Chinese Pasta: Legend or Fact?
7. The Twinkie Defense
This one led me down some unusual paths. I had to look at not only the history of the case involving the infamous Twinkie Defense, the science covered by expert witnesses but also matters of law. And, what I found is that it’s all quite fascinating!
Daniel White murdered the mayor of the mayor of San Francisco, George Moscone, and his supervisor Harvey Milk. Harvey Milk was the first openly gay city official in the U.S., and his life has become a symbol of the gay movement in San Francisco. A movie about his life, simply entitled Milk was produced in 2008 and starred Sean Penn.
During the sensational trial, a unique seeming defense was used involving the defendant’s eating habits causing diminished capacity. However, the “Twinkie Defense” was an invention of the press, not the defense counsel.
Is the Twinkie Defense a MYTH?
8. The Plural of Asparagus
The plural of asparagus is not the most important subject I could write about on the site, but it fascinates me I’m the first person to thoroughly bust this myth: The plural of asparagus is asparagi!
The confusion stems from the mistaken belief that all English words that come from Latin should follow Latin rules. The myth was so prevalent that at time of writing, a Google search for “plural of asparagus” would bring up many sources stating that the plural was indeed asparagi.
What’s fun about this for me is I got to dive into my linguistic and Latin studies, something that helped prepare me for this job, not to mention a grounding in ancient history. Most of the article, however, concerns English.
What Is The Plural Of Asparagus?
9. Picnic is Racist
This is the most controversial article on Culinary Lore. It caused more online arguments and got me more nasty emails than any other. Many people are quite invested in their belief that the word picnic has racist origins. Once again, I got to spread my linguistic wings (yuck, I know) and look into some fascinating etymology. Unfortunately, I also had to cover some dark and infuriating history. You’ll be happy to know that one of the name of this relaxing and pleasurable activity is as innocent as a stroll in the park on a warm summer day.
Is the Word Picnic Really Racist? Does it Refer to Lynchings?
10. Egg Cream Never Had Eggs
An egg cream is a beverage that got its start in New York. Just where in New York is the subject of debate. Did it originate in Brooklyn, as many claim? Or was it brought into Brooklyn? Indeed, even the kind of establishment it was originally served in differs according to source. Was it the Jewish deli or the Jewish candy store? Or, was it the soda fountain? For that matter, is it a Jewish invention at all? What many New Yorkers will agree on, however, is that despite its name, the famous New York Egg Cream never contained any eggs. In this article, I explore the history of the egg cream and find out, once and for all, if it was originally made with eggs.
This is the big daddy. It’s the best work I’ve done on food history here on CulinaryLore. New Yorkers will swear up and down that the beloved egg cream never contained any eggs. It took a lot of work, but I proved the opposite. In this article, I show, once and for all, that the egg cream did indeed once contain eggs.
