According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, around ⅙ of American Jews adhere to kosher dietary laws, which equates to around 0.3% of the population of the United States. If you’re a part of this minority – or you just have a hunger for knowledge – how do you know which herbs and spices are kosher? The vast majority of herbs and spices are kosher. You can tell for certain if an herb, spice, or seasoning blend is [...]
All the Sugars and Sugar Substitutes: The Ultimate Baker’s Guide
Whether you're cooking or baking, some sort of sweetener (sugar or otherwise) will likely appear in the ingredients list of your go-to recipes. Sweeteners play a big role in not only the flavor of foods (and drinks) but the texture as well. In this extensive guide, we'll define what sugars are, review natural vs. artificial sweeteners, explain food labeling terms for sugars, and give brief introductions to 58 different [...]
Why a Coconut Is a Fruit, Not a Nut
The short answer: A coconut is a fruit and it’s a TREE nut but it’s not a TRUE nut. Oh, and it can also be considered a seed. Is a coconut a...Fruit?Yes!Vegetable?NoTrue Nut?NoTree Nut?Yes!Culinary Nut?Yes!Seed?Yes! Confused? You’re not alone! But don’t worry, we’ll explain it all in English before we get a little science-y. Read on! What makes something a fruit, anyway? The classifications for plant-based foods [...]
What Is the “Saltiest” Salt for Cooking?
Salt is one of the five main flavors we can detect, and it tends to be one of the more preferred flavors along with sweet. Salt is commonly used in cooking, but with so many types of salt, is there one that is the “saltiest” for cooking? Table salt tends to be the saltiest salt for cooking because it contains the most sodium compared to other types of salt. We’ll compare the sodium content of several popular types of [...]
What Does Umami Taste Like Exactly?
Umami is one of the five main flavors you can identify in foods, but what IS umami, and what does it taste like? Umami, also called savory, is a flavor that is described as being “brothy” or “meaty”. Umami flavor occurs naturally in foods that are high in the amino acid glutamate (glutamic acid) such as tomatoes, meat, chicken, and mushrooms. Some foods with added monosodium glutamate also taste savory/umami, like some fast [...]
Chile Powder vs Chili Powder: What’s the Difference?
Chili peppers (also called chile peppers – which one is the more typical spelling depends on where you live or where you are from!) are a staple ingredient in taco seasoning and hot sauces and are used whole in some recipes. Chile powder and chili powder both contain dried and ground peppers, but what’s the difference between them? Chile powder refers to dried and ground chile/chili peppers ONLY, while chili powder contains [...]
