#culinary-trivia

#culinary-trivia

"I'm certain some wonderful store-bought brands of duck confit may exist, but, in my experience, the homemade product is always more tender and moist."

The word 'allium' is the name of a group of vegetables including garlic, onions, chives, leeks and others that are botanically related. Because of the myriad ways they influence flavor, in states ranging from raw to cooked (even burnt), they're culinarily related too.

Contrast is at the center of many popular culinary trends. There's also a strong emphasis on contrasting textures within a single baked good. For example, soft milk breads and laminated doughs that have been hard-baked create exciting combinations.

In 2023, Heinz addressed the scourge of the restaurant table known as 'ketchup fraud', in which restaurants replace the ketchup in spent Heinz squeezy bottles with cheaper brands.

At Mirra, chefs Zubair Mohajir and Rishi Kumar fuse Indian and Mexican flavors, telling a story of immigration and the Indian diaspora through culture-melding dishes like chaas aguachile, where translucent slices of hamachi are served in a pool of cumin-scented buttermilk and lime juice.

Marisa Christensen, Holland America's associate vice president of food and beverage operations, directs guests to the line's Dive-In burger. 'It's made fresh to order, incredibly satisfying, and so easy to enjoy right after embarkation when you're settling in.'

Cutting a pizza fairly involves more than just making a straight slice; it requires consideration of how toppings are distributed across the pizza. If one side has significantly more toppings, the division is inherently unfair.

Le Creuset is a favorite for many home chefs due to its beautiful colorways, timeless design, and durability, despite its high prices.

Cooking during late March can be particularly challenging due to the cold weather and lack of fresh produce. The desire for spring recipes clashes with the reality of winter ingredients still dominating the market.

Of the five mother sauces, velouté is extremely under-appreciated and not talked about enough. It's what we as Americans call gravy, which we know has so many various uses. Velouté, which means velvety in French, is made with a light roux (or a mixture of flour and fat, like butter), stock or broth, and some seasoning like salt and pepper, and a bay leaf.