Wikipedia has a nice little List of Common Misconceptions, which should probably be required reading for everyone about to start an argument at a party.
This includes a few cooking items:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co ... ns#Cooking... including one I didn't know, about the Danish. From Turkey to Vienna to Denmark to the USA. I wonder if the US has promulgated Danishes to other countries, and if so, what they're called there?
Can you think of other "common misconceptions" in cooking? Here's a few from me:
1. Liquid and dry measuring cups do not measure different volumes. They are, however, easier to use accurately with liquid and dry ingredients, respectively.
2. Preheating the oven is not essential for all baked or broiled foods. It is only actually useful for baked goods and egg dishes which need "oven spring", and for items which are supposed to be baked crispy. Other items can be put in a cold oven which is then turned on, with only a small increase in cooking time.
3. There is no difference between "virgin" and "extra virgin" olive oil, at least that sold in the USA.
4. Virgin olive oil does not burn at a lower temperature than "pure" olive oil. Only unfiltered olive oil should not be used for frying (I had this misunderstanding for quite a while).
5. The following items and foods were never actually proven to be specifically unhealthful, even though they acquired a bad reputation through propaganda: aluminum cookware, nonstick cookware, palm & coconut oil, olestra (although it did have some, ahem, side effects), and cyclamates sweeteners.
6. The following "health food" items have no proven health benefits, and some are even mildly toxic: ginko baloba, gogi berries, ecinacea, omega-3 fatty acids, aloe vera, ginseng, and acai berry. Further, there is no proof that "ancient" grains such as spelt, emmer wheat, and millet are somehow more nutritious than other whole grains.
7. We do not get blood cholesterol by consuming cholesterol in foods. Most people's blood cholesterol is raised due to eating saturated fats in foods. Since all foods which have cholesterol also have saturated fats (although not vice-versa), the confusion is natural.
Ok, your turn.