Food question

[cattoy]

That's what I'm thinking.

Is honey a 'food'?

They both fall in the 'condiment' category for me.

It surprises me that salt spoils, though. It is, after all, a preservative.

Bees seem to think that honey is food...

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

I've heard that peanut butter won't spoil. I've had a jar of Adams Salted Peanut Butter in my fridge for years that still smells, looks, and tastes just fine.

Peanut Butter can go rancid (as all oils can) I speak from experience.

I vote for water (technically not "organic" because it does not contain carbon).

My question is, "can Vinegar spoil?"

 

[mojo1701]

My question is, "can Vinegar spoil?"

Vinegar's an organic acid, therefore... oh ho ho, I get it. Funny!

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

I'd say there are no rules to this really. It's all a matter of taste.

A couple pointers I can offer:
Tarragon is only good on chicken
Rosemary is pretty strong (easy to get overpowering)
oregano is pretty subtle, and can go in most anything to enhance flavor in small quantities.
Garlic(fresh) can easily be overcooked and become bitter. This is especially an issue when sauteing.
Fresh ground pepper is much stronger than pre ground.
Crushed red pepper varies wildly in strength, make sure to test it.
Bay leaves are very important in many recipes. Don't skip them.

I've never had any bad spice interactions, so I don't expect you will either. Any particular advice I gave about what spices would work with what foods would be extremely subject to my taste. While most people I know consider me a good cook, that doesn't mean I'm necessarily your correct guide. I find that I can get away with the spices I like on most foods I like. For example, if I want to give something a Cajun bent, I hit it with garlic, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, oregano, thyme, and some bay leaf. This will make something taste pretty cajun, and I have used it on chicken, fish, or pork (bay leaves often have to be skipped if you aren't stewing, the rest work fairly well in the absense).

Best advice I could give in general is watch some Good Eats. I don't always agree with his recipes, the but the science is always interesting and the techniques are useful.

buzzard

A common way to learn about spices you don't know is to add some to mashed potatoes and see if you like it.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Here is something I learned while looking for more on honey and foods that don't spoil.

"Q: What makes honey such a good antibiotic?"
"A: It draws moisture out of everything it touches. Germs can't live without moisture."

This I suppose is a home remedy type thing, but interesting never the less.

However Botulinum spores are found widely in honey. Adults who swallow botulinum spores are almost never affected. When infants swallow the spores, however, the spores can germinate in their immature gastrointestinal tracts and begin producing botulinum toxin.

Botulinum toxin is the most poisonous natural substance known to man. The lethal dose is only 1/10,000,000 mg per kg of body weight -- an amount that would be invisible to the naked eye. This tiny amount in the blood stream can cause death within minutes through paralysis of the muscles used in breathing.

Infant botulism can occur any time in the first year of life, but like SIDS it is most common in the first six months. In fact it has been suggested as the cause of death in up to 10% of SIDS cases.

 

[Goblyn]

However Botulinum spores are found widely in honey. Adults who swallow botulinum spores are almost never affected. When infants swallow the spores, however, the spores can germinate in their immature gastrointestinal tracts and begin producing botulinum toxin.

Botulinum toxin is the most poisonous natural substance known to man. The lethal dose is only 1/10,000,000 mg per kg of body weight -- an amount that would be invisible to the naked eye. This tiny amount in the blood stream can cause death within minutes through paralysis of the muscles used in breathing.

Infant botulism can occur any time in the first year of life, but like SIDS it is most common in the first six months. In fact it has been suggested as the cause of death in up to 10% of SIDS cases.

so ... don't feed honey to babies?

on a side note, reading this thread has reminded me that I'm completely out of spices save for one ... food-buying time again soon, methinks.

 

[Jdvn1]

Not to hijack the food thread, especially when the topic is about spoilage(?)...

Though I cook a lot -- mainly either prepackaged or canned -- I'm a newb when it comes to using herbs and spices. So what are the DO's and DON'Ts about using them and/or mixing them? What herbs and/or spices are good with certain food or dish? What are bad for certain food or dish? Which spices should never go together in any certain dish?

It's a matter of taste, as buzzard said. Then again, I disagree, with some of his pointers.

What I like to do is get an idea of what I'm making, mix spices in a prep bowl beforehand, and smell the spices in the bowl. If you like how it smells and think it goes with what you want, then go for it. If you think something doesn't match, don't put it in.

My two cents:
Don't overcook garlic (it's fairly delicate). I prefer fresh herbs (fresh oregano, for example, I think, is a million times better than dried). Salt and pepper is used in just about everything, although sometimes to a small extent. Don't fret about skipping it entirely if you want (but a dash of it generally brings out flavors). Remember that sugar is a good spice, and so is cinnamon. They can work even in places you wouldn't expect, like beef, pork, or chicken. Try fruits an vegetables as spices (as it cooks, it'll release juices, which can mingle well with your meats).

Try different stuff, see what you like and what you don't. Experiment with recipes of other people.

 

[Ranger REG]

A common way to learn about spices you don't know is to add some to mashed potatoes and see if you like it.

I'm a filipino-american living in Hawaii. Mashed potato is not my daily staple, it's rice.

Okay, what's spices are okay in stews? pasta? beef roast? poultry rotisserie? fish?

 

[Harmon]

However Botulinum spores are found widely in honey. Adults who swallow botulinum spores are almost never affected. When infants swallow the spores, however, the spores can germinate in their immature gastrointestinal tracts and begin producing botulinum toxin.

Botulinum toxin is the most poisonous natural substance known to man. The lethal dose is only 1/10,000,000 mg per kg of body weight -- an amount that would be invisible to the naked eye. This tiny amount in the blood stream can cause death within minutes through paralysis of the muscles used in breathing.

Infant botulism can occur any time in the first year of life, but like SIDS it is most common in the first six months. In fact it has been suggested as the cause of death in up to 10% of SIDS cases.

Wow! I had no clue. Do you have a source on this?

(My wife is taking a MicroBiology class, and would love to have something like that tid bit of knowledge. Also- we are expecting and it is a good thing to know.)

SOmething she told me today was that some bacteria will grow under the honey though she did not know what types (said she would ask her teacher- Doctor Fail (ya, thats her name)).

 

[MonkeyDragon]

However Botulinum spores are found widely in honey. Adults who swallow botulinum spores are almost never affected. When infants swallow the spores, however, the spores can germinate in their immature gastrointestinal tracts and begin producing botulinum toxin.

Botulinum toxin is the most poisonous natural substance known to man. The lethal dose is only 1/10,000,000 mg per kg of body weight -- an amount that would be invisible to the naked eye. This tiny amount in the blood stream can cause death within minutes through paralysis of the muscles used in breathing.

Infant botulism can occur any time in the first year of life, but like SIDS it is most common in the first six months. In fact it has been suggested as the cause of death in up to 10% of SIDS cases.

True, true. Honey should never be fed to babies. To be safe, don't give it to them until they're two.

Another thing is yogurt. The active cultures in yogurt are very good for adults, but can be bad for babies.