Magazine

Rice: A Surprising Food Poisoning Risk Rice: A Surprising Food Poisoning Risk (image credits: flickr) Rice might seem like the ideal leftover—just pop it in the microwave and you’re good to go, right? Surprisingly, rice can become a hidden danger in your kitchen if it’s not handled correctly. When cooked rice is left out at room temperature, it creates the perfect playground for Bacillus cereus, a bacteria known for causing some nasty stomach upsets. This bacteria can survive even after reheating, lurking quietly and waiting for an unsuspecting bite. Families often reheat rice without a second thought, but if it … Read more

Your Honey Jar is a Sweet Golden Trap Your Honey Jar is a Sweet Golden Trap (image credits: pixabay) That innocent honey jar sitting on your counter might as well have a neon sign flashing “All You Can Eat Buffet” for ants. Ants are attracted to honey because of its sugar content, with more diluted honey being particularly attractive to ants. But here’s what most people don’t realize – it’s not just the honey inside that’s the problem. Even if honey residue exists on the outside of your jar, ants will still get attracted, and they should be lucky to … Read more

Bananas and Apples: The Ultimate Ripening Trap Bananas and Apples: The Ultimate Ripening Trap (image credits: unsplash) Many ripening fruit produce the hydrocarbon gas ethylene as they ripen, which itself triggers more ripening. Bananas are especially productive sources of the gas, and putting one that’s in the process of going brown next to apples, pears or hard avocados will greatly speed up their ripening. Your innocent fruit bowl might actually be sabotaging your weekly grocery haul without you even realizing it. Fruits such as apples, bananas, and pears emit a greater amount of ethylene gas, which as a result affects … Read more

Tomatoes Transform from Firm to Mushy Tomatoes Transform from Firm to Mushy (image credits: unsplash) Tomatoes are the perfect example of why water content matters when freezing. When the water freezes, it expands and the ice crystals cause the cell walls to rupture. So the texture of thawed produce is much softer than when it was raw. For example, when a frozen tomato is thawed, it becomes mushy and watery. The good news is that you can still use these transformed tomatoes effectively. If you use it in something cooked (e.g. tomato sauce), that might not even be a problem, … Read more

Curry: The Spice Symphony That Deepens Curry: The Spice Symphony That Deepens (image credits: flickr) Picture this: you’ve just finished making an elaborate curry, the kitchen still filled with aromatic steam, and you take that first eager bite. It’s good, but something feels missing. Chef Vikram Sunderam of Rasika in Washington points to curries as an example. “When you taste it that very day, even though you cook it well, it still feels a bit harsh on the palate,” he said. The magical transformation happens overnight when strong spices like star anise and cloves might be too overwhelming on the … Read more

Bread Becomes Your Worst Enemy When Refrigerated Bread Becomes Your Worst Enemy When Refrigerated (image credits: pixabay) Here’s something that might shock you: refrigerated bread becomes stale faster than bread stored at room temperature. Storage temperature does have an effect on bread staling, with lower temperatures contributing to faster rates of starch crystallization. Think of it like this – when you put bread in the fridge, you’re basically hitting the fast-forward button on staleness. The science behind this involves refrigeration speeding up the starches’ return to a more organized crystalline structure, which means it hardens far faster. Refrigerated bread will … Read more

The Nutritional Powerhouses Everyone Knows The Nutritional Powerhouses Everyone Knows (image credits: unsplash) Soybeans reign supreme in the legume kingdom, dominating global markets alongside their close companions chickpeas and lentils. Despite the dominance of a few legumes in commercial markets like soybean, groundnut, chickpea, and lentil, numerous indigenous varieties such as adzuki bean, horse gram, and moth bean remain underexplored. These popular varieties have earned their spot through impressive nutritional profiles and versatility in cuisines worldwide. One serving of legumes, which is one-half cup, provides about 115 calories, 20 g of carbohydrate, 7–9 g of fiber, 8 g of protein, … Read more

Ground Spices – The Surprising Speed of Flavor Fade Ground Spices – The Surprising Speed of Flavor Fade (image credits: pixabay) Think your ground cinnamon will stay flavorful for years? Think again. Ground spices generally have a shorter shelf life compared to whole spices. When stored properly, spices usually last about 4-8 months. This shorter lifespan is because ground spices have more surface area exposed, causing them to lose flavor and aroma faster. Ground spices, such as paprika, chili powder, and cumin, tend to lose their potency more quickly, typically within 1-2 years. This is because the grinding process increases … Read more

The Rise of Whole Grain Bread The Rise of Whole Grain Bread (image credits: unsplash) Whole grain bread has been the darling of the health food world for years, capturing attention with promises of more fiber, vitamins, and minerals. But here’s the twist: a 2024 American Bakers Association survey found that 42% of people actually prefer white bread, despite all the hype about whole grains. The main reasons? Taste and texture. Many people admit that whole grain bread is just too dense or earthy for their liking, making meals less enjoyable. In response, white bread brands have started to innovate, … Read more

Honey – The Eternal Sweetener Honey – The Eternal Sweetener (image credits: unsplash) Here’s a mind-blowing fact that might change how you see your kitchen storage forever: honey doesn’t spoil! That jar sitting in your pantry could theoretically last thousands of years without refrigeration. Honey is best stored at room temperature (somewhere between 64 to 75 F), keeping your container of honey on a shelf or in your pantry is recommended. Honey has a very low water content (normally less than 18%), and a fairly high acidic level: this makes for very unfavorable conditions for bacteria to grow. If bacteria … Read more