Minty alcoholic beverages should all spring from the same source, right? Are mojitos and mint juleps the same thing? The Short Answer: No, they’re completely different drinks with different base ingredients The Long Answer If you live in the south during the summer there’s a chance that at some social function you’ll be offered either […]
Does Celery Root Taste Like Celery?
They’ve both got celery in their name, do these veggies taste alike? The Short Answer Yes, celery root tastes a lot like celery, despite being a different plant. The Long Answer One would ordinarily assume that celery root, by the sake of its name, is the root of a celery plant. It’s actually not. The […]
Is Blue Cheese Mold?
Blue cheese haters love to talk about how it’s nothing more than moldy cheese. But are they right? Is blue cheese actually mold? The Short Answer: Yes, blue cheese is cheese that has grown certain harmless varieties of mold. The Long Answer: Regular readers will know of my love for cheese. If I could build a shrine […]
What’s the Difference Between Diced, Stewed, and Plum Tomatoes?
They are three of the most common ways to buy tomatoes, but are these three forms of tomato interchangeable? The Short Answer While all of these are tomatoes, they are prepared and canned differently. Diced tomatoes are chopped up, stewed tomatoes are chopped and cooked, and plum tomatoes are peeled whole tomatoes. The Long Answer Tomatoes […]
Is Cabbage Lettuce?
Cabbage and lettuce are both leafy greens, but aside from their aesthetic similarities, are they actually the same thing? The Short Answer: No, cabbage and lettuce are completely different plants. The Long Answer: Most leafy greens seem to get lumped together, but the majority of them are completely different from one another. While many American […]
What Category of Food is Milk?
Milk is a common part of most people’s diet. From cereal to a warm sleep aid, We enjoy milk all through our lives. But what category of food can we classify milk under? The Short Answer Milk is the main component of the dairy food group. The Long Answer Milk is the backbone of the […]
Are Polenta and Grits the Same?
They’re both ground and boiled corn, so are grits and polenta the same thing? The Short Answer No, grits and polenta are not the same. The Long Answer Two foods, two different continents, one common ingredient. Grits and polenta, on paper, look very much alike. So much so that many mistakenly believe they are the […]
Is Vegetable Oil Made From Vegetables?
It’s called vegetable oil, but does it actually contain vegetables? And if it does, which vegetables go into creating this flavorless oil? The Short Answer No, vegetable oil contains no actual vegetables. The Long Answer What’s in a name, anyway? Clearly, not much stock can be put into what we name our foods when […]
Is Celery Root the Root of Celery?
It’s called celery root, so is it the root of a celery plant? The Short Answer No, celery root is not the root of a celery plant. The Long Answer What’s in a name? That is a question I find myself pondering a lot through my writing for this site. So often, the names of […]
Is Cilantro Coriander?
Have you ever needed cilantro for a recipe, but someone calls it coriander instead? Are cilantro and coriander the same food? Are they interchangeable? The Short Answer Yes, cilantro and coriander leaves are the same thing. The Long Answer Cilantro is one of the more divisive foods I’ve found, both in preference to taste as […]
Is Tres Leches Actually Flan?
Both of these sweet desserts tend to be compared in a lot of the same circles. So, what’s the deal? Are tres leches and flan the same thing? The Short Answer No, tres leches and flan are not the same thing. The Long Answer I get the confusion here because in doing the research for this […]
Is Celeriac Celery Root?
These words are used interchangeably when discussing root veggies. So, are they different names for the same thing? The Short Answer Yes, celeriac and celery root are the exact same thing. The Long Answer Celeriac is celery root. Celery root is celeriac. They are interchangeable names given to the same awkward looking root vegetable. So, […]
Is Yogurt Dairy?
Yogurt is found in the dairy section at the supermarket, but is it actually dairy? Is yogurt safe for lactose-intolerant people? The Short Answer Yes, yogurt is a dairy product because it contains milk. The Long Answer The dictionary defines dairy as “containing or made from milk.” By this definition, all forms of yogurt are […]
