Category: Culinary arts

While most people consider puff pastry a delectable treat, its food group classification is a bit complex due to its ingredients. Unlike a simple loaf of bread, puff pastry is a specialty baked good, primarily composed of a flour-based dough laminated with high amounts of fat, such as butter.

A study from 23andMe found that a genetic variation in the OR6A2 gene is linked to the dislike of cilantro. So why do some people taste soap when eating coriander, while others enjoy its fresh, citrusy flavor?

Bombay mix, a globally popular Indian snack known as 'chivda' or 'namkeen' in its home country, is far more than just a tasty treat to be enjoyed at parties. Its intricate blend of fried noodles, legumes, nuts, and vibrant spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric offers a rich tapestry of textures and flavors that can serve many purposes in the kitchen and beyond. This crunchy, versatile mixture can be a satisfying standalone snack, a creative ingredient, and a source of both flavor and moderate nutritional value.

For centuries, black nightshade (*Solanum nigrum*) has been used in traditional medicine across Asia and Africa. This versatile herb offers various uses of black nightshade leaves, both culinary and medicinal, once prepared correctly to mitigate potential toxicity. It is not to be confused with the highly poisonous deadly nightshade.

Dating back thousands of years in East Asia, the Chinese plum, known as 'Wu Mei' in traditional Chinese medicine, has been used as a medicinal food for digestive health and more. This versatile fruit, which can be eaten fresh or dried, is packed with nutrients and bioactive compounds that contribute to a wide array of health benefits.

With India producing over a third of the world's supply in 2022, papaya is a globally popular tropical fruit that is the most likely answer to the question: 'What is a pap fruit?'. The phrase typically refers to this nutrient-rich food, although it can cause confusion with other regional names.

Over 70% of a person's oral bacterial count is in plaque, which can harden into dental tartar, a substance that is absolutely not edible. This fact immediately clarifies the common and very important confusion surrounding the query, "Why is tartar ok to eat?" The answer is that dental tartar is not, but a different kind of 'tartar,' steak tartare, can be, given strict culinary precautions.

According to scientific studies, genetic factors can account for 18% to 58% of the variation in spicy food enjoyment, proving that what is a normal Spice level is highly personal. This means the searing heat one person loves might be completely overwhelming to another, making the concept of a 'normal' standard largely a myth.

According to culinary experts, the bone structure within a pork hock contains flavorful bone marrow, confirming that yes, pork hocks have marrow. This often-overlooked cut is packed with a secret weapon for home cooks—the marrow and collagen that release during slow cooking to create deeply rich and gelatinous soups, stews, and braises.

According to the Food Standards Agency, shellfish are a broad category of aquatic invertebrates that possess an exoskeleton or shell. This includes calamari, which is both a type of seafood and, more specifically, a mollusk, placing it under the shellfish umbrella. This means that while all calamari is seafood, it is also a specific type of shellfish.