I've always thought white pepper has a funky smell, but figured it was just me. So when lauren wrote in to ask about white pepper's unpleasant odor, it was a revelation. I had no idea anyone else felt the same way!
Unlike its black counterpart, white pepper can possess a medicinal or barnyard-like smell. Although white pepper and black pepper originate from the same berries, black peppercorns are harvested before the berries have fully ripened. White peppercorns, on the other hand, have been fully ripened, soaked, fermented for up to two weeks, and then hulled.
According to food science expert Harold McGee, these off-flavors will develop during the fermentation process if the peppercorns have not been properly maintained in constantly flowing water. Before seasoning a dish with white pepper, taste it to make sure it doesn't exhibit any unpleasantness.
Got a burning question? Then post it in the Burning Question group in the YumSugar Community! It's your place to ask the most pressing questions about the culinary world.
Many recipes — from French toast to bread pudding — call for leftover bread. But why would anyone want to cook with old bread that's hard and dry?
Eaten out of hand, day-old bread may taste inferior to its fresh counterpart. But stale bread actually has virtuous characteristics that can make it preferable to cook with. According to food science authority Harold McGee, when freshly baked bread cools, its starches reorganize to form bonds that are even firmer and stronger than they were before. This means that if the bread is soaked in a wet substance — such as eggs for French toast or milk for bread pudding — it will still retain its sponge-like structure rather than falling apart. Bread crumbs are an ideal binding agent in cooking for the same reason: even when wet, they will maintain structure.
Got a burning question? Contact us.
When I told YumJimmy that we were spotlighting a new book every day in August, he told me to make sure that I mentioned Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. When it was first published over 20 years ago, it instantly became a success. Many people even consider it to be like an encyclopedia. The classic publication was recently revised and updated - in fact almost every page was rewritten - and the result is a fascinating read. It's another book that will help you learn how to cook, as opposed to just being able to regurgitate recipes. If you're looking for lovely prose and a effortless read, this isn't the tome for you, but if you're looking for something that will really help you take your cooking to the next level then I highly recommend it. It's a must for any culinary student, but I think anyone interested in the why and how will find it fascinating as well.
