Question: A friend told me it was dangerous to use a bay leaf for seasoning. I've always used them, as did my mother and grandmother, and I've never heard such a thing. What do you think?
Answer: Bay leaf makes a fine seasoning, but what your friend probably was referring to was the potential hazard of swallowing the whole leaf. There have been reports of individuals accidentally swallowing a sizable piece or an entire leaf, and requiring emergency treatment to remove it. On the grounds that it's better to be safe than sorry, we recommend that you take out the bay leaf before serving the dish. Or you can tie the bay leaf and any other whole spices you use in a small piece of cheesecloth, making a little bag that can be easily removed after cooking.Question: There's so much bad news about fat. I'm wondering, is there anything good about it?
Answer: Yes, but a little goes a long way. Fat provides calories to meet our energy needs. Our bodies need it to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and as a source of essential fatty acids, which are important components of cell membranes. Fatty acids are used as raw material in producing prostaglandins -hormonelike compounds that perform a wide range of tasks in the body and are involved in the metabolism of cholesterol.
Fats in our foods have positive attributes. They absorb and hold flavor, and help provide palatable texture. They slow the rate at which food leaves the stomach, helping us to feel full after we eat.
Despite all these useful qualities, it is remarkably easy to consume too much fat. The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council estimates that it takes just 25 grams a day to meet our needs. That's only 225 calories' worth; in terms of visible fat, 5 teaspoonfuls. And a lot of the fat we eat isn't visible; it's hidden in foods we might not even think of containing it. For example, a 6-ounce piece of lean fish, such as halibut, has 2 grams. A slice of bread typically has about a gram - and that's not counting the butter you might spread on it! A cup of regular cottage cheese has about 5 grams. Without trying, in the course of a day we usually get all the fat we need - and much more.
It's advised that we try to limit our fat consumption to no more than 30 percent of our total calories. Even if we follow this advice to the letter, we'll be getting a full supply of fat. For example, on a 1,200-calorie-a-day diet, 30 percent of the total calories would be 40 grams; on 2,000 calories, 67 grams; and on 2,500 calories, 83 grams.
Question: What is the miso in the miso soup served in Japanese restaurants?
Answer: Miso is made in a way similar to soy sauce; soybeans, salt and sometimes a cereal grain are fermented with a mixture of microorganisms. Unlike soy sauce, which is liquid, miso has a texture resembling that of peanut butter. It varies in color from brownish-yellow to almost black. Known in China as chaing, miso has been used as a seasoning in Asia for centuries.
Question: Is it considered safe to leave hard-boiled eggs sitting out at room temperature?
Answer: No. Unbroken, uncooked eggs are strongly resistant to bacterial invasion, but it seems that cooking destroys this protective shield. As the egg cools, its contents shrink, creating negative pressure. The resulting suction allows water to be absorbed through the shell, and if the water contains harmful organisms, they too are drawn in.
Some years ago, several hundred children on an Easter-egg hunt in California fell ill after consuming eggs left at room temperature that had apparently absorbed an unusual type of staphylococcal bacteria. The scientists who ran tests afterward found that by the time the eggs had sat at room temperature for two or three days, as they had before the egg hunt, the infecting organisms had made their way into the yolk.
It's best to refrigerate cooked eggs promptly and keep them refrigerated until they are to be used.
1992, Washington Post Writers Group