Cooking is an art. It's also a science, and there are many myths out there that people believe to be true because of the way they're told them by their parents or grandparents. Whether you want to become a professional chef in a fancy chef coat and hat or just a home cook, you need to know the reality of these misconceptions about cooking.
Here are some common cooking myths.
Myth #1: You need to use tongs when cooking with oil. If you don't, the hot oil will splash out of the pan and burn your skin.
The truth is that if you keep your hand away from the hot oil, it won't ever splatter on you. When using an electric stovetop or a gas burner, turn down the heat so there isn't as much pressure inside of whatever pot or pan you're using. This way no matter how violently something bubbles over, nothing is going to come shooting up at your face because there was little-to-no pressure in the first place. Cooking doesn't have to be dangerous; just make sure everything stays calm while adding ingredients.
Myth #2: Adding salt to water will make it boil faster.
Adding salt to water will increase the boiling point. The added salt won't speed up how quickly it boils, so you'll need to wait a few more minutes before your food is cooked thoroughly. In general, adding salt or sugar increases the temperature at which water boils because these substances dissolve into particles that interfere with crystal formation as heat energy turns liquid water into steam bubbles during cooking.
Myth #3: You shouldn’t use metal utensils in non-stick pans because they might scratch off the coating and make people sick from ingesting bits of Teflon or other chemicals used in making them.
The reality is that metal utensils are fine to use, but you should avoid using abrasive cleaners on non-stick pans.
Myth #4: After boiling pasta noodles for 20 minutes, all of the nutrients have leached out into the water and escaped down the drain with it.
The reality is that most of these nutrients will still be in your cooked noodles because nearly 90% of vitamins B & C could survive this long cooking time even if boiled at 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 C). Pasta dishes can be healthy! Just don't overcook them so they turn mushy or sickly soft after being drained. You want al dente pasta which means not too raw nor overdone before adding it to any sauce or dish you're making.
Myth #5: You should use more oil when frying food.
Oil is considered by most people to be the best cooking medium. However, it is important that you use as little oil as possible to fry food because too much oil will make your dish oily and greasy. Oil can definitely flavor up your fried foods but if there's too much of it in the pan or wok, then all those good flavors will never seep through to develop a rich taste. Instead, what you should do when frying vegetables for example is just sprinkle some salt on them before placing them inside hot oil so they will absorb more seasoning than using excess amounts of cooking spray would provide. If this isn't enough flavoring for your liking though, then adding spices such as garlic powder could also work well with most veggies like onions and sweet peppers, enhancing their flavors.
Myth #6: Chocolate burns easily and must be watched carefully.
Chocolate is a great ingredient for many desserts and a favorite among most people, regardless of age. The reality is that chocolate doesn't really need much attention as long as you're using a good cooking pan and not neglecting its presence in the fire too much regardless of what type of stove top method you use to cook it over. What should be done instead? Just make sure there is always enough liquid inside whatever pot or pan being used so everything cooks evenly without burning anything stuck onto the bottom part which could result from excessive heating above direct sources of heat such as gas stoves.
Myth #7: It's impossible to over-boil pasta, so you can just leave it in the pot for a while.
Pasta is a very easy thing to cook, but you should always keep in mind that it also has a very short cooking time. What happens if you leave the pasta boiling for too long? If overcooked, pasta will become mushy and sticky and completely lose its texture and taste in general. Using a timer when cooking pasta is a good idea to avoid overcooking it.
Myth #8: You can't wash mushrooms or they will get slimy and rot faster, so you have to wipe them off with a damp paper towel instead.
Mushrooms are very sensitive vegetables that need special care during the cooking process because their structure is easily affected by even minimal changes in temperature or humidity. To thoroughly remove dirt from mushrooms without taking away too much of its moisture, simply rinse out all excess soil under cold running water while gently rubbing each mushroom cap with your fingers.
Myth #9: Cooking with wine is only appropriate for dishes that have red sauce or cheese.
Wine is a favorite among many professional chefs because it adds flavor to many dishes. It's not just for Italian food or dishes with cheese. A drop of wine can be used for cooking fish, poultry and even vegetables to add some more flavor into the dish. Make sure that the right wine is used with the right dish though, for instance, rose wine will go perfectly with a seafood dish or chicken whereas red wine is best for dishes that contain beef and dark sauces.
Myth #10: Cooked food doesn't automatically lose all of its nutrients when it's heated up to high temperatures.
In order to retain as many vitamins and minerals in your cooked vegetables you should slightly undercook them then immediately place them into ice cold water which stops the enzymes from breaking down the produce even more after they've been exposed to heat. Even though some heat can be damaging on these ingredients lightly steamed veggies are still nutritious.
Myth #11: A person who cooks well can cook anything by following a recipe exactly.
This is certainly a debatable topic! If you are a "good cook" why would you ever follow directions? This is definitely not how cooking works. Recipes are meant to be used as guides that will give you some idea of what ingredients and measurements work best together but they aren't the end-all answer for every meal.
Myth #12: Recipes are for people who can't cook and want to look like they know what they are doing when making a meal.
If someone wants to believe this then go ahead, but it's not true at all. There are so many reasons why one may need or just want to follow a recipe carefully. It could be that ingredients aren't available, there isn't time enough to find out what goes together best, kids won't eat it if you don't follow up with cooking carrots instead of tomatoes, etc. Even seasoned chefs usually feel more comfortable when they follow a recipe, but this does not mean that they can't be creative when it comes to their cooking.
Before you start cooking and debunking these myths however, make sure that you follow one well-recognized and proven statement; be safe in the kitchen. For this it is best to get yourself a good uniform. You can find different types of women’s and men’s chef aprons and chef hats for sale at many stores and suppliers of uniforms, so it is not difficult to keep yourself protected as well as prevent contamination of the food you are preparing.
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