Kitchen Science

Is it okay to use extra virgin olive oil to season a pan?- Mary I wouldn't recommend using extra virgin olive oil, simply because you are paying a premium for the extra virgin part. That said, pretty much any cooking oil can be used to season frying pans. I use regular olive oil to season my cast iron pans, but you have to be careful... Read more →


Why I Won't Ever Be a Mainstream Food Writer


Not that I have ever actually aspired to be a food writer for a mainstream newspaper or periodical, but occasionally I see an article that really brings home the truth that I could never cut it in that job. The most recent was an article just before Christmas in a national paper. It was a question from a reader who 'loves to bake for... Read more →


I'll Drink to That (Not!)


I read recently in a magazine that you can lose weight just by drinking cold beverages, since your body has to burn calories in order to warm the liquid up to body temperature. Is that true? - April The short answer is 'yes, perhaps', the longer answer is 'not very effectively'. To start, we need to understand that the word 'calorie'... Read more →