Episode 89: Peeling & Seasoning

On this weeks episode of Cooking Issues, Dave Arnold and Nastassia Lopez are tackling a bunch of different food-related topics; from peeling potatoes, to heat energy- your hosts have all the answers. Tune in to hear about Dave and Nastassias respective potato peeling tools of choice, as well as the effectiveness of anesthetizing shellfish in heightening flavor. Dave fields some caller questions about whipping cream at home, and why it differs in consistency from store-bought whipped cream. Other topics include sugar content in purees, and the best way to modify an oven at home to cook pizzas and breads. How important is it to season a pan, particularly when cooking Chinese food? Dave shares his opinions on seasoning skillets and woks, and the chemical and physical reactions that take place during this process. This program has been brought to you by The International Culinary Center. Seasoning is actually important. There is a slight debate in the community about what is exactly is going on when you are seasoning a pan. For me, the accepted reason for seasoning a pan is that you are putting on a thin layer of oil or fat, and when you heat it, the fat is breaking down and polymerizing...and it is that surface that is non-stick. -- Dave Arnold on Cooking Issues