What is the difference between sauteed, fried, pan-fried, stir-fried, and deep-fried? How can wine have legs? What is dim sum? For those of us who aren't gourmet chefs but still want the know-how to decipher a menu in an upscale restaurant, talk food at a cocktail party, or simply impress family and friends, here is a culinary handbook that takes the mystery out of food. From beverages to breads, fruits to fish, pasta to potatoes, Everything You Pretend to Know About Food and Are Afraid Someone Will Ask offers a pantry-full of savory facts, including common cooking phrases and terminology, often misused food terms, and fascinating food lore. Ideal for browsing, for quick reference or deep study, this delightful book will enlighten and entertain both the genuine foodie and the culinary novice on the most universal of subjects: food. What makes popcorn pop? When a dried kernel is heated, the moisture trapped inside turns to steam and the kernel explodes. Native Americans discovered dried corn's popping qualities over 500 years ago, often tossing whole cobs directly onto a fire. The popped kernels were then gathered up as they jumped from the flames. It seems popcorn derived its name from the old English word poppe, meaning "exploding sound."
