10 common culinary misconceptions

Man is an imperfect creature, and all of us tend to err. The field of culinary, like any other, has its own characteristics and hides many secrets that are not amenable to everyone, but there will always be a “well-wisher” who will gladly explain this or that phenomenon. Moreover, not always from the correct point of view. If we also recall the events of the XNUMXth century, which was difficult in all respects for our country in terms of cooking, it turns out that each of us is literally surrounded by hundreds of all kinds of misconceptions about food. I bring to your attention a small selection – catch yourself making a mistake!

Olivier salad was invented by the French chef Lucien Olivier

Indeed, Lucien Olivier in his restaurant “Hermitage” served a salad that immortalized his name, but this was not at all what we are used to seeing on the New Year’s table. Of the ingredients that the French deli put in his salad – boiled hazel grouse, black caviar, boiled crayfish meat, lettuce leaves – practically nothing has survived in the modern version.

The fresher the meat, the more tender it is

Immediately after the slaughter of livestock (that is, when the meat is still the freshest) rigor mortis sets in, and the meat is very tough. As the meat matures (i.e., as a result of the action of enzymes), it becomes more tender and aromatic. Depending on the type of meat and the ambient temperature, the meat can mature from several days to several months before being eaten.

Ukha is such a fish soup

In Dahl we read that the ear is “meat and in general any broth, stew, hot, meat and fish.” Indeed, the classic old Russian cuisine knew both meat soup and chicken, but later this name was still assigned to fish broth. Calling the fish soup “soup” is also not entirely correct, since in this case the distinction between a real fish soup and a simple fish soup will be erased.

You need to add vinegar to the marinade for meat.

Here it should be clearly understood why we use pickling. If we want to saturate the meat with aromas, we need an oily medium, which will impart the taste of spices and seasonings to the pickled piece. If we use vinegar (or any acidic medium), then we are going to soften the meat. However, is it really necessary to soften the meat, from which we will then make a kebab or grill it? Only if you have the toughest and lowest quality pieces available. A delicate pork neck, for example, such a marinade will not only not ennoble, but will simply kill.

Oysters can only be eaten during months with the letter “r” in the name

What explanations for this rule are not given – and the high temperature of the summer months, which makes storage difficult, and blooming algae, and the breeding period of oysters, when their meat becomes tasteless. In reality, most of the oysters eaten today are farmed, and all of these aspects are controlled and accounted for, so you can safely order oysters all year round.

Vinaigrette is such a salad

The word “vinaigrette”, from which the name of the beloved salad by many comes, in reality does not mean a dish at all, but a salad dressing consisting of oil and vinegar. Interestingly, the vinaigrette itself is usually seasoned with oil only.

Caesar salad is certainly prepared with chicken and anchovies

The history of the creation of the Caesar salad has already been described in detail here, but this is such a common misconception that it is not a sin to repeat it. We repeat: none of these components in the original Caesar salad, light and almost ascetic, is not, what we are talking about is just a variation on the Caesar theme, not the most unfortunate one, however.

Okroshka is made from boiled sausage

I have heard the opinion that sausage is an integral part of okroshka. Meanwhile, we read from V.V. Pokhlebkina: “Okroshka is a cold soup made with kvass, in which the main ingredient is not bread, like in a prison, but a vegetable mass. Cold boiled meat or fish can be mixed with this mass in a 1: 1 ratio. Depending on this, okroshka is called vegetable, meat or fish. The selection of vegetables, and even more meat and fish, for okroshka is far from accidental. It is very important to choose the best flavor combination of vegetables, meat and fish with kvass and with each other. Moreover, all products must be fresh and of high quality. Unfortunately, these conditions are often not met. As a result, in home and public catering in okroshka are random vegetables that are not characteristic of it and roughening it up, such as radish, as well as bad parts of meat or even sausage, alien to okroshka. “

Julien is a mushroom dish

There is one problem with these French names! In fact, the word “julienne” refers to a way of cutting food – usually vegetables – into thin strips, so in a foreign restaurant you are unlikely to order the usual mushroom or chicken julienne. Most likely, you will simply not be understood.

Fresh food is always better than frozen food

Like any categorical statement, this is only partly true. Perhaps vegetables straight from the garden are really better than frozen ones. On the other hand, with proper freezing and thawing of the product, you will never know that it was frozen, and the loss of nutrients will be minimal. So if you have the opportunity to buy a frozen product, but of a higher quality, drop your prejudices and buy it.