Soy contains compounds called isoflavones, which mimic some effects of estrogen. Isoflavones were found to stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells in animals, hence the origins of this myth.
But there is no similar effect in humans, and in fact soy products may actually have protective effects regarding breast cancer. Plus, they are excellent sources of certain nutrients including protein and minerals. So, you can munch tofu, tempeh, miso etc. without concern.
While this may seem to make sense, it is not true. Washing under cold water will not remove all of the bacteria but it will splash whatever is on the chicken around the sink area. It takes cooking to the proper temperature to kill the nasties. And you are going to cook your chicken or turkey, right? So, forget the washing. If the bird has obvious crud on it, wipe off with a paper towel.
It is believed by many that only animal-based foods contain all nine essential amino acids–the amino acids that humans cannot synthesize and must be obtained in the diet.
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and having all of them is essential to good health. But the fact is that all nine essentials are found in plants, just not all of them together in one food. So, eating a varied diet of plants – nuts, grains, beans, and so on – will give you all you need.
For a long time, I thought that the white and yellow onions I saw in the market were essentially the same except for the skin and flesh color. But no, there are real differences. For long-cooked dishes such as stews these differences don’t matter but in other applications they might.
White onions are a bit milder and less pungent than the yellow. They are also a bit more expensive, usually. This means the white are preferred for use raw or when quickly cooked–think potato salad, sandwiches, stir fries, and so on. The yellow may provide a bit more flavor in long-cooked dishes such as stews and soups.
These are minor differences, to be sure, and with the wide availability of “sweet” onions such as Vidalia it is less important. But there you have it!
It is an article of faith among many steak lovers that a steak should be flipped only once, whether being cooked on the grill or in a pan. Turns out that this is a myth. Single flipping certainly won’t ruin anything, but multiple flips–say every 30 seconds– results in more evenly cooked meat with less overcooked meat at the edges. Try it yourself, you’ll see!
I believed this for years–that the canned pumpkin puree sold for making pies and the like actually comes from a kind of squash. But in reality, about 90% of canned pumpkin is real pumpkin. Not the bright orange jack-o-lantern kind of pumpkin, which has been bred for looks and not flavor. Rather, the Dickinson pumpkin is typically used due to its being meatier and tastier.
Squash is indeed sometimes used but there’s no need to turn your nose up. It can be just as tasty as “real” pumpkin and some people actually prefer it.
Most chefs prefer their herbs to be fresh, and the fact is you cannot go wrong this way. But for some herbs, dried can be just as good for cooking. The difference is in the nature of the flavor compounds. For some, the flavor compounds are volatile and are removed by the drying process. Basil and parsley are examples and adding dried basil or parsley to a dish provides essentially no flavor, just green flecks! Other herbs, typically those that grow in hot, dry climates (rosemary for example), have flavor compounds that survive drying and work just fine in cooked dishes (as well as being cheaper and more convenient).
| Best used fresh | OK to use dried (in cooking) |
|---|---|
| Basil Chervil Chives Cilantro Dill Mint Parsley Sorrel Tarragon | Bay leaf Marjoram Oregano Rosemary Sage Savory Thyme |
Garlic powder–or its kissing cousin granulated garlic–is sure convenient. Lasts forever in the pantry, no peeling or smelly fingers. There’s just one problem though: it does not taste like garlic! Seriously folks, the chemicals that give fresh garlic its unique flavor are destroyed or removed by the drying process.
This does not mean garlic powder is useless. It has its own flavor that I find good in BBQ rubs. And peeling can be avoided if you buy pre-peeled whole raw cloves. They must be refrigerated and do not last as long as whole dried heads, but the flavor is fine.
And avoid garlic juice, paste, and pre-minced garlic. The unique garlic flavor is created via a chemical reaction that occurs when the clove is cut or mashed, and this flavor starts dissipating immediately.
Eggs set up when their proteins denature, typically when exposed to heat. But acids–such as vinegar–also can cause egg whites to denature. Thus, some people add vinegar to the poaching liquid on the theory that it will give eggs with a nicer shape.
Nice theory, but it doesn’t work. The problem is that acid denatures egg proteins slowly, and by the time the vinegar has an effect the eggs are already set up from the heat. And the vinegar can make the eggs a bit tougher and, of course, add a vinegar taste. So, skip the vinegar!
What about salt? It has no effect on the cooking but can help the flavor.
My usual technique was to beat the eggs with salt (and maybe a touch of milk) and cook them immediately. The other day I got distracted and the salted, beaten eggs sat for about 30 minutes before they went in the pan. They were unusually good! So I did some research and turns out I was not imagining it.
When eggs beaten with salt sit for a while, the salt causes some physical changes. You can see this in their color–after sitting, the salted eggs take on a deeper, richer yellow color. It also leads to particularly moist and tender curds when cooked. Beating in the salt just before cooking gives fine results too, just not quite as fine! And adding salt near the end of cooking gives tougher curds that may be watery. So, salt early when you can!