Kitchen Mysteries

Kitchen Mysteries Revealed

by Kat Kinsman
We're still working out that whole chicken/egg quandary, but in the meantime, we're cracking open a few of our favorite culinary conundrums. Why can't fresh pineapple be used in Jell-O molds, and why shouldn't infants eat honey? What might soothe a chile burn, and why do some folks cook octopus with a cork? Read on.

Kitchen Mysteries Revealed

Does honey ever go bad?

If it's a tad too moist, honey might ferment and turn into mead, but barring that, honey kept tightly covered in a dark place can last indefinitely. Crystallization, which occurs more rapidly at lower temperatures, can be reversed by placing the container in hot water for fifteen minutes.
Fun facts: Honey can be used as an antibacterial solution, and reportedly edible honey was discovered in King Tut's tomb. Children under the age of one should not consume honey, as it carries spores that can cause infant botulism.

Explore our honey recipes

Kitchen Mysteries Revealed

Why do some potato chips have a green splotch?

Potatoes spend the majority of their life cycle underground, but every once in a while some part of the tuber catches a bit of excess light. This targeted photosynthesis results in a spot of bright green chlorophyll. Quality control in most plants tends to weed out the greenies, but every once in a while, things just get all spudded up.

Find the best potato chips on the market.

Kitchen Mysteries Revealed

What is that stringy thing in an egg white?

That white, slightly tough thing is the chalaza, which anchors the yolk in place.
Fun fact: Brown shells are thicker than white shells, and thus more crack-resistant, making them ideal for hard boiling. There's no other differences between white and brown eggs -- they just come from different breeds of hen.

Explore our egg cooking tips.

Kitchen Mysteries Revealed

Why can't fresh pineapple be used in Jell-O?

Fresh pineapple seems like it'd be ideal in a molded Jell-O salad, but it contains a natural enzyme called bromelain, which degrades the protein in gelatin and keeps it from setting. There's always room for canned pineapple, though, since it's been heated to a temperature that denatures the enzyme. Other non-gelatin-friendly fruits include fresh ginger root, kiwi, papaya, guava and figs.
Fun fact: The same properties that nix bromelain as a gelatin add-in make it an excellent meat tenderizer. Pork and pineapple, anyone?

Browse our retro gelatin recipes

Kitchen Mysteries Revealed

Why does the slam of an oven door cause a souffle to fall?

It's not, as old cartoons might have you believe, the loud bang or vibration, but rather that the sudden drop in temperature causes the eggs' still-forming air bubbles to collapse. Once the proteins have coagulated, they won't re-inflate, and the top will stay a flop. Keep it closed for a high-flying souffle.

Watch Curtis Stone make an easy souffle

Kitchen Mysteries Revealed

Where does cream of tartar come from and what does it do?

This baking staple starts life as a white sediment that lines the inside of wine casks after fermentation. This tartaric acid is scraped off, purified and ground down to the miraculous powder that lofts our pie toppings and allows our favorite cakes to let their frosting peaks soar. In a pinch, just sub in three times the amount of vinegar or lemon juice.

Explore our meringue recipes.

Kitchen Mysteries Revealed

Why do some chefs use a cork when they're cooking octopus?

"Molto" Mario Batali swears by the cork as an octopus softener, but food scientist Harold McGee is dubious about its usefulness. Cooking lore of several lands has it that a cork's natural tannin acts as a tenderizer, but McGee notes that in his experiments, the cork bobs at the top of the pot, with very little surface-to-liquid content, and thus could have no measurable effect. We split the difference and toss a cork in the pot for the sake of tradition, but take McGee's suggestion and brine the octopus for a few hours beforehand.

Explore our seafood tips.

Kitchen Mysteries Revealed

Why do some people say that cilantro tastes like soap?

Folks who detest the leafy herb are in pretty sophisticated company, as celebrated chef Julia Child professed to detest the stuff. While scientists have yet to arrive at a consensus, some studies point to the "soapy" taste interpretation of cilantro as being the result of a mild allergy. Others cite the possibly genetic presence or absence of an enzyme that affects how a person processes the flavor of cilantro.
Fun fact: The seeds of the cilantro plant are called coriander, and are a staple in cuisines from around the globe. The leaf's lovers and loathers alike can find much to squabble about at ihatecilantro.com.

Learn all about herbs.

Kitchen Mysteries Revealed

Why doesn't water tame the burn of a too-hot chile pepper?

A pepper's blaze is brought about by capsaicinoids, which are odor and flavor-free, but act directly on pain receptors. The primary one, capsaicin, is an oil, so the frantic chugging of water following a too-hot bite just serves to slosh the pain to other parts of the mouth. Milk, on the other hand, contains casein, which surrounds and absorbs the fatty capsacin and washes it away.
Fun fact: Most of a pepper's heat is found in its ribs and seeds. Strip this away (carefully, with gloves) to take the flame down a notch.

Browse our chile recipes.

Kitchen Mysteries Revealed