“My grandmother insisted and would get angry for people not following her sacred advice…you must always stir clockwise. Tried it counterclockwise and I get the same result Her spirit did reach through the void and smack me though.”
"Everyone’s heard the usual kitchen folklore — like throwing pasta against the wall to see if it sticks. Cute, but mostly cr#p.
The culinary world is full of these half-baked ‘tips’ passed down like gospel. But there are some folks — cooks who’ve seen some things — who’ll tell you flat-out: don’t believe the hype. Let’s dig into the myths they say you should leave behind."
“YOU DON’T NEED TO WASH YOUR CHICKEN. I will literally fight anyone who says you do. I’ve been cooking for 18 years, cook raw chicken weekly and have NEVER gotten sick. If anything washing chicken creates possible contamination.”
“Using large amounts of water to cook pasta. You can use a much smaller amount AND it’s actually better for having more concentrated starchy water for dishes like cacio e pepe.”
“Throwing oil in pasta cooking water. Those two don’t mix. All you’re doing is wasting the oil. It will achieve absolutely nothing. If you’re concerned about them sticking and need to use it, use it *after* they’re cooking. Stop it.”
“Garlic presses are perfectly acceptable alternatives to mincing garlic with a knife in many applications. Jarred garlic is perfectly acceptable in many applications.”
"Salt before the water is boiling or after. It changes f**k all, do whatever you want.”
“Using a screaming hot pan for searing. You can’t cook higher than the smoke point of your oil. All you’re doing is tripping your home’s smoke detectors, creating acrid oxidized fats that’s terrible for you and tastes bad.
Maillard reaction only needs around 300-330F. Plenty of room below the smoke point to get a nice sear without breaking down your oil to acrid flavors.”
“I’m going to continue breaking my spaghetti noodles into pieces that are more convenient to boil AND eat and nobody can convince me this is not a superior way of going about things!”
“Boiling eggs in water with a splash of vinegar does *not* make it easier to peel them when they’re cooked.”
“I don’t heat milk up before adding it to roux.”
“Active dry versus instant yeast.
Most bakers and recipe writers say to just chuck the yeast in with the dries. The whole step of putting active dry yeast and warm water to bloom it is just checking the yeast is alive.
If you know you bought it relatively recently don’t bother with that step.”
“You don’t have to thaw veggies before cooking them (I also dont thaw seafood).”
“Personally, bay leaves in most stews that feature a lot of other herbs and spices. It definitely has a flavor, but if you’ve got a ton of basil and oregano in your Bolognese, I cannot taste the difference that a few bay leaves make.”
“Frozen prawns (for Americans shrimp) will be soft and squishy when cooked.
No they won’t, prawns and most fish are snap frozen at sea when they are straight out of the water, this process does not result in mushy prawns.”
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Bastardi!
#9 HERESY.