Kitchens have evolved over time, as have the the vocabulary & vernacular used in & about them. Back in the day, non-electric fridges used to be called “iceboxes”. Many kitchens used to have things called “dumbwaiters” to transport food between floors in multi-story buildings. And nowadays, when you’re going to cook something in a microwave…
Black pepper can be found on just about every table in both homes & restaurants…but did you know that that pepper shaker is hiding a secret? What we call “pepper” isn’t actually from a pepper, nor is it actually black (at least, not in its natural state). And that’s just black pepper. Could the same…
Whenever you need to make a soup or stew, what do you go with: broth or stock? What even is the difference between stock & broth? Well, if you’re like me & you’ve thought stock & broth were pretty much interchangeable…we’re all technically wrong. Both broth & stock are made from meat-and-veggie simmered water to…
A cake with frosting. A doughnut with icing. What’s the difference between frosting & icing? The dictionary defines icing as “a sweet flavored usually creamy mixture used to coat baked goods … called also ‘frosting’.” And the definition for frosting? “Icing.” So, is there a difference? From a culinary standpoint, frosting & icing are not…
With Thanksgiving less than a week away, I felt it would be helpful to answer a few “Mundane Mysteries” about preparing your turkey for the big day. With a little help from the good folks at Butterball, who handle tens of thousands of calls to its Thanksgiving hotline every year, here are the answers to…