Fun Food Facts

[City Guy]

In America the service of food in a restaurant (one course at a time) is mistakenly called "French" service. It is what was common in the royal palaces of Russia and is correctly called "Russian" service. Real French service is what we Americans call "family style" except that 17th century Frenchmen didn't have the good table manners we exercise today. They just reached for whatever they wanted and if they couldn't reach it they might just leave their seat and walk around the table to get it! That practice eventually led to "Buffet Service".

 

[greybeard]

Peanuts were popularized by George Washington Carver

George Washington also promoted the sweet potato as a crop for the south. Also created several varieties of sweet potatoes. George was also castrated as a young child so he could live in the big house to keep him from having anything to do with the masters daughter.

Its only speculation he was castrated. No definitive proof That I have seen and no credible documentation

Absence of evidence does not equal evidence of absence. The only reason the Bryant family's claim that George Washington fathered a son named West Ford via a slave named Venus have not been proven one way or another, is because the Mt Vernon Ladies Association, caretakers of the Washington estate, refused to allow DNA testing of the only known hair samples believed to be those of George Washington.

It would be (excuse the pun) the mother of all oxymorons to think the father of our nation was balless from a very young age. I would think it would have taken a good amount of testosterone to lead an army across the frozen Delaware River to engage the British force.

 

[NolanCountyAG]

Greybeard- They are talking about George washington carver. Not first president George Washington.

 

[greybeard]

Agh!! I was responding to hurleyj's post--shulda realized it when he mentioned 'the south'.
(I knew that George Washington, the president, fathered no children either--his 'kids' were his step children from Martha Washington's 1st marriage--her original husband died before he was 50)

 

[City Guy]

Why is mace the only spice not sold whole, only ground?

Guess first. Answer in a day or two.

 

[greybeard]

Because there is no such thing as a 'whole mace'. Mace is a separate part of a fruit which is given a different spice's name--I won't give away the actual name of that fruit or the tree from which it is gathered.

 

[Jogeephus]

Why does it take over an hour to bake a potato in a 350F oven when you can cook the same potato in a fraction of the time in water that is only 212F?

 

[TexasBred]

Peanuts were popularized by George Washington Carver

George Washington also promoted the sweet potato as a crop for the south. Also created several varieties of sweet potatoes. George was also castrated as a young child so he could live in the big house to keep him from having anything to do with the masters daughter.

That was George Washington Carver. The sweet potato had been a staple food in South America for 8000 years. Sometimes lovingly referred to as "music roots" due to their propensity to produce flatulence.

 

[City Guy]

Jogeephus: I'm, no scientist but I can offer a couple of explanations.

1. The potatoes in water are usually cut into smaller pieces so more surface is exposed to the hot water.
2. The boiling water is actually hotter that 212 degrees, if it is steaming.

 

[City Guy]

The same number answers both these questions.

1. How many spices in "Allspice"?

2. How many pianos in a "Piano Quintet?

 

[Jogeephus]

Jogeephus: I'm, no scientist but I can offer a couple of explanations.

1. The potatoes in water are usually cut into smaller pieces so more surface is exposed to the hot water.
2. The boiling water is actually hotter that 212 degrees, if it is steaming.

Wrong on both accounts. Whole potato will still cook faster in water at 212F faster than one in oven at 350F even if the water temp is only 190F.

I don't know if I can explain this well but I'll try because if you follow what I'm saying it will open a lot insight into different methods of cooking.

When cooking we think we are using temperature to cook food and this isn't exactly true. What cooks food is energy. Just stick your hand in a 250F oven without touching anything. Most people can keep their hand in the oven for about 30 seconds before it becomes uncomfortable. Do the same with a pot of boiling and you'll have a bad burn even though the water is 138F cooler.

The reason is the specific heat capacity. Air is less dense than water and cannot hold the same amount of energy as water. Its this energy that is transferred to the food as it seeks equilibrium that does the cooking and water is holding a much greater amount than air.

Temperature is just what we use as a guide because its easy to grasp but this sells you short and limits your options. By understanding this it will open a lot of doors in your thoughts on cooking and what materials you need to use when cooking and this can make a huge difference in the end product. Its influence can even be seen in cookware. For instance, cast iron. Cast iron is a poor conductor of heat. Far poorer than aluminum but it has one of the highest specific heat capacities of any cookware and its use can make a huge difference when cooking.

If you spend some time pondering the SHC it can open up some pretty creative doors and you can do some things you'd never thought possible.

 

[City Guy]

Er, yeah I er knew that, sure I ah, just couldn't, you know, put it into, ah, you know the right ,ya know, words. Sure!

I read that cast iron cookware was once the major source of iron in the American diet.

 

[Jogeephus]

I think I've heard that as well. Cast iron is good stuff. Not many people use it anymore because it takes a little TLC.

 

[HDRider]

My favorites are cast iron.

Do you like the enameled cast iron? I have a couple of them. I don't use the skillets that much, but I do like the big enameled covered pots.

 

[Jogeephus]

I do like the enameled ones. I picked up my first one after Paula Deen got sandbagged for being a racist. They pulled her label and the price of the one's on the shelves dropped to nothing. I wish I'd bought more than one. Since then I've picked up two more. I also have a collection of the old cast iron cookware that was passed down. Most of it is seasoned so well its pretty well nonstick.

Do you like the enamel?

 

[hillbilly beef man]

"Lettuce is the only food that is never served any way but fresh.



Y'all must not eat killed lettuce.

 

[HDRider]

I do like the enameled ones. I picked up my first one after Paula Deen got sandbagged for being a racist. They pulled her label and the price of the one's on the shelves dropped to nothing. I wish I'd bought more than one. Since then I've picked up two more. I also have a collection of the old cast iron cookware that was passed down. Most of it is seasoned so well its pretty well nonstick.

Do you like the enamel?

I use the enameled pot a lot. I still go for one of two (big & bigger) cast iron skillets when I fry. The enameled skillets don't see a lot of use.

Glad to hear you got a deal. Enameled can be high.

 

[City Guy]

Answer to Mace question:
Mace and Nutmeg are from the same berry. The mace forms a weblike shell around the nutmeg kernel and can only be harvested by breaking it.

 

[Jogeephus]

I do like the enameled ones. I picked up my first one after Paula Deen got sandbagged for being a racist. They pulled her label and the price of the one's on the shelves dropped to nothing. I wish I'd bought more than one. Since then I've picked up two more. I also have a collection of the old cast iron cookware that was passed down. Most of it is seasoned so well its pretty well nonstick.

Do you like the enamel?

I use the enameled pot a lot. I still go for one of two (big & bigger) cast iron skillets when I fry. The enameled skillets don't see a lot of use.

Glad to hear you got a deal. Enameled can be high.

If I remember right they marked it down from $80 to $20 when they were crucifying Paula Deen. I wish I'd bought more.

 

[TexasBred]

I do like the enameled ones. I picked up my first one after Paula Deen got sandbagged for being a racist. They pulled her label and the price of the one's on the shelves dropped to nothing. I wish I'd bought more than one. Since then I've picked up two more. I also have a collection of the old cast iron cookware that was passed down. Most of it is seasoned so well its pretty well nonstick.

Do you like the enamel?

I use the enameled pot a lot. I still go for one of two (big & bigger) cast iron skillets when I fry. The enameled skillets don't see a lot of use.

Glad to hear you got a deal. Enameled can be high.

If I remember right they marked it down from $80 to $20 when they were crucifying Paula Deen. I wish I'd bought more.

And that was only for the next 25 callers or next 6 months...which ever sells the most pots and pans.