"Fat = flavour" and other assorted culinary myths

[Xanadu]

Making a roux first then adding milk is far easier though. Much less whisking. Don't know where the idea that it's for amateurs comes from.

 

[Herbsman.]

I heard that a lot of people mistakenly believe that mushrooms should be wiped instead of washed, because they believe that the mushrooms lose flavour when washed. this is bollocks because 1. for it to be true, most of the flavour would have to be in the outer skin of the mushroom, which it ain't and 2. the flavour would have to be very soluble in cold water, which it ain't.

 

[story]

I heard that a lot of people mistakenly believe that mushrooms should be wiped instead of washed, because they believe that the mushrooms lose flavour when washed. this is bollocks because 1. for it to be true, most of the flavour would have to be in the outer skin of the mushroom, which it ain't and 2. the flavour would have to be very soluble in cold water, which it ain't.

It's nowt to do with the flavour being washed away (where are you getting this stuff from Herbsman? )

They should be wiped, because they tend to absorb water. If you wash them, then they can become watery.

 

[story]

Oh yeah, I remember being told when I was a kid that adding flavourings to food was wrong, even stuff like herbs and spices, because that was what foreigners did to cover up the fact they ate rotten food and if I grew up and had a dinner party and served herbed/spiced foods, my guests would think that I was serving them bad food.

This is a bit like my Beloved's aged aunt, who refuses to eat anything that is not British.... like pasta, or rice (unless it's in a rice puding cos that's traditional british food), or noodles. But she'll eat a banana cos they had them when she was a girl.

 

[Herbsman.]

It's nowt to do with the flavour being washed away (where are you getting this stuff from Herbsman? )

They should be wiped, because they tend to absorb water. If you wash them, then they can become watery.

It was on a tv cooking programme, can't remember which chef it was, but he claimed that mushrooms lose flavour if you immerse them in water.

Also, the absorbency of water thing is a bit of bollocks too. If you left them in water for a long time, then maybe it would be true. But, we did an experiment, we weighed mushrooms before and after washing them, and they didn't absorb a significant amount of water.

 

[story]

This is a bit like my Beloved's aged aunt, who refuses to eat anything that is not British.... like pasta, or rice (unless it's in a rice puding cos that's traditional british food), or noodles. But she'll eat a banana cos they had them when she was a girl.

Actually, it's nothing like, is it. But I bet they have a lot in comon.

 

[cybertect]

that was what foreigners did to cover up the fact they ate rotten food

there's an historical grain of truth in this idea going back to Roman times.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/SauceHistory.htm

I've also heard Italian chefs make similar claims that French classical cuisine's focus on the importance of sauces was used in a similar way to mask less-than-fresh ingredients.

 

[per]

Not saying that you don't need the fat, just that there is more to a gravy than animal fat, flour and water

I make gravy in the roasting tin with the leftover stuff thats in the roasting tin, flour and the water drained off the veg.

What's wrong with that?

 

[fen_boy]

I make gravy in the roasting tin with the leftover stuff thats in the roasting tin, flour and the water drained off the veg.

What's wrong with that?

Stuff left in roasting tin is not just fat though is it.

 

[Spion]

there's an historical grain of truth in this idea going back to Roman times.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/SauceHistory.htm

I've also heard Italian chefs make similar claims that French classical cuisine's focus on the importance of sauces was used in a similar way to mask less-than-fresh ingredients.

I recently came across a similar argument about foreign food in general. IE, that English food was made of such fine ingredients it didn't need the saucing and spicing of the French, Italians etc. Can't remember where I heard it but it may have been one of those history of cooking progs round Xmas

 

[Orang Utan]

I don't bother with flour when making gravy, I just use half water, half wine and it's yummy

 

[toggle]

there's an historical grain of truth in this idea going back to Roman times.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/SauceHistory.htm

I've also heard Italian chefs make similar claims that French classical cuisine's focus on the importance of sauces was used in a similar way to mask less-than-fresh ingredients.

however, this was generally used to refer to 'foreign muck' like curries. French style food was alright because it was posh.

You expect to find sense in middle class prejudices?

 

[Yetman]

You fat chomping sicko's are all wronguns I tell ya, do you know how much fat is in fat? ALL OF IT, thats right, 100% fat!

Its wobbly and unchewable and fucking rank when you swallow a big long bit of it and its gets caught on your tooth and you end up with a foot long piece of pigs innard trying to pull your tongue into your stomach. And cracking?! Its still hairy ffs! Hairy skin and fat? MMMMMMMMM *pukes*

 

[longdog]

You fat chomping sicko's are all wronguns I tell ya, do you know how much fat is in fat? ALL OF IT, thats right, 100% fat!

Its wobbly and unchewable and fucking rank when you swallow a big long bit of it and its gets caught on your tooth and you end up with a foot long piece of pigs innard trying to pull your tongue into your stomach. And cracking?! Its still hairy ffs! Hairy skin and fat? MMMMMMMMM *pukes*

<agrees with yetman>