Food myths

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Posted at 11:30AM, 14 September 2010 by Carol Wilson - Food writer

We're all familiar with enduring food lore. For years I unfailingly salted aubergines, pricked sausages and cut a cross in the base of Brussels sprouts before cooking - then I read Harold McGee's excellent books and realised that these rules were based on nothing more than old-fashioned traditions that had become written in stone.

These rules are based on nothing more than old-fashioned traditions that have become written in stone

So the next time I prepared aubergines I didn't bother to salt them (to draw out the bitter juices) so didn't need to rinse and drain them. After cooking they tasted just fine - not a trace of bitterness. In fact today's commercially cultivated aubergines are not as bitter as they used to be years ago.

A few decades ago when cheap sausages were plentiful, it was necessary to prick them to avoid them bursting in the pan. With today's quality sausages made with natural skins, you should never prick them, as it causes all the flavoursome juices to ooze out.

Likewise with Brussels sprouts. I cooked them as usual, but without cutting a cross in the base and they turned out the same - without the faff of incising a cross in each one. It seems the practice was based on thinking that it would cause the inside of the sprouts to cook faster, before the outer leaves fell apart.

Another myth that's hung around for years is that leaving the avocado stone in a bowl of guacamole will prevent the guacamole from turning brown. I've tried this a few times and it's never worked for me. The guacamole still became an unappetising brown. The best way to keep the bright green colour is to add a little lemon juice and cover the surface of the guacamole directly with clingfilm, as it's the reaction with air that makes it brown.

Another old chestnut is that pasta should be rinsed after cooking. Not only is there no need to do this, but also rinsing pasta washes away the starch - and this is needed if the sauce is to cling to the pasta. The only time I rinse pasta is if I'm going to serve it cold in a pasta salad.

Any more time-honoured culinary myths out there ?

Comments

Cassandra Amy Rose

15 September 2010, 9:08AM
Cassandra Amy Rose

Very interesting, most recipes (even Delia's!) say to do those things so I've always thought it must be important. I'm not sure if my Gran would agree though........

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StormyRaincloud

16 September 2010, 9:50AM
StormyRaincloud

I usually salt aubergines too, but come to think of it, we have had a glut from the allotment and I've always forgotten to salt them and they were very tasty. Hmm. I can't be bothered with faffing around with sprouts, we eat so many that it would take days to do them all. I just buy frozen, so shoot me :)

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Terri8585

16 September 2010, 9:52PM
Terri8585

I thought these things were supposed to enhance the flavour of food. what a load of rubbish hey how funny!

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Eva

23 September 2010, 3:36AM
Eva

Wot?? not cut a cross in sprouts?? My OH would be horrified, if I cooked sprouts that is!

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Lingdada

23 September 2010, 5:12AM
Lingdada

I always cook sprouts exactly as they are and they taste great! Any rough leaves fall off during cooking anyway!

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foodlover

30 September 2010, 1:52PM
foodlover

What wonderful tips, just shows me I'm not to old to learn. Back come aubergines into our diet!

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Meryl

3 October 2010, 5:36PM
Meryl

I always use to salt aubergines, but will not bother next time, and I will not cross my sprouts either, it will be a lot less hassle. Sausages however I think need pricking to release any excess fat. I have found even some 'good quality' sausages can give off quite a bit.

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minicoopergirl

6 October 2010, 6:57PM
minicoopergirl

Making crosses in the brussel sprouts I will always do. My mum told me to do this, so everytime I do the brussel sprouts I have memories of mum and special christmasses.

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Effi

10 October 2010, 11:16PM
Effi

My mum always reminded me when I was little and first developed an interest in cooking 'saute the onions on their own first, until they are soft, before adding the garlic, otherwise it'll go bitter'. Every time I cooked after that (until I met my husband and he told me it was a load of fiddle faddle!) I had mum's words echoing in my ears and did as she said. Funny how old traditions seem to stick like that.

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jackie53

14 October 2010, 8:06AM
jackie53

Great tips,keep us informed with more of these!

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Dan Thunder

27 October 2010, 9:48AM
Dan Thunder

Salt increases your blood pressure. Wrong. Celery has negative calories. Wrong.

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99bonk

13 December 2010, 12:25PM
99bonk

The reason for sauteing the onions before adding the garlic is that garlic burns very easily and needs much less time to soften than the onions.

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LiesbethM

30 December 2012, 11:05PM
LiesbethM

I always rinse my pasta, because my timing is terrible. When I cook pasta, it's always cooked before my sauce is ready. Therefore I rinse my pasta so that it doesn't stick when I finally mix in the sauce.

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