Test Your Cooking IQ ~ Spot the myths!

Which of these common cooking 'facts' are actually true?

1. Covering a pot will make the water boil faster.

2. Slamming the oven door while a cake is baking will make it fall.

3. You can safely eat oysters only in months whose names contain the letter 'R.'

4. You should never wash mushrooms.

5. The thin white lines on the skin of a chili indicate how spicy the pepper will be.

6. Adding oil to pasta water will keep the pasta from sticking.

7. Cocktails taste better the longer they are stirred.

8. Searing meat over high heat is the best way to seal in juices.

9. You can regrow scallions and celery by putting the roots into a glass of water, even if you use all the green parts.

10. When you cook with wine, liquor, or beer, all the alcohol evaporates and burns off.

Share The Intentional Table

1. T - It's not as much about speed; it's about loss of fluid. 1 quart of water will lose 2 Tbl of water in the time it takes. It could make your rice really gummy. Cover it from the start.

2. F - Nope

3. F - Maybe in the past. Modern farming, transport, and chilling make them fine if they are market.

4. F - A quick rinse under cold water is fine, but use them within a few minutes, or the texture will suffer.

5. F - 'Corking' is the term for this, and it has no bearing on the heat. The seeds and pith or white ribs inside the chili are where all the heat lives.

Provisions for Your Intentional Table from Musette!

1. F - Save the oil for the table. You can oil a little after if you wish.

2. T - Chilling is Thrilling. Many volatile oils need a minute in the shaker.

3. F - But… it's it's a great technique. The juiciness of a protein is about time. When the meat comes off the heat, let it rest. The water (juices) in the meat are going fast because they are hot. When it cools down, it slows down and re-enters the cells, versus cutting too early, and it all 'leaks' out.

4. T. - I do it all the time.

5. F - Most, but not all.

Thanks for reading your Wednesday Quick Tips!

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