Good Food Blog

Food myths

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.

Open quotationThese rules are based on nothing more than old-fashioned traditions that have become written in stoneClose quotation

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 ?

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Comments

  • Binder photo Cassandra Amy Rose
    15 September 2010, 9:08AM

    Cassandra Amy Rose

    Open QuoteVery 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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  • Binder photo StormyRaincloud
    16 September 2010, 9:50AM

    StormyRaincloud

    Open QuoteI 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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  • Binder photo Terri8585
    16 September 2010, 9:52PM

    Terri8585

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

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  • Binder photo Eva
    23 September 2010, 3:36AM

    Eva

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

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  • Binder photo Lingdada
    23 September 2010, 5:12AM

    Lingdada

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

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  • Binder photo foodlover
    30 September 2010, 1:52PM

    foodlover

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

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  • Binder photo Meryl
    3 October 2010, 5:36PM

    Meryl

    Open QuoteI 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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  • Binder photo minicoopergirl
    6 October 2010, 6:57PM

    minicoopergirl

    Open QuoteMaking 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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  • Binder photo Effi
    10 October 2010, 11:16PM

    Effi

    Open QuoteMy 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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  • Binder photo jackie53
    14 October 2010, 8:06AM

    jackie53

    Open QuoteGreat tips,keep us informed with more of these!

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  • Binder photo Dan Thunder
    27 October 2010, 9:48AM

    Dan Thunder

    Open QuoteSalt increases your blood pressure. Wrong. Celery has negative calories. Wrong.

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  • Binder photo 99bonk
    13 December 2010, 12:25PM

    99bonk

    Open QuoteThe 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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  • Binder photo LiesbethM
    30 December 2012, 11:05PM

    LiesbethM

    Open QuoteI 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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