I have been baking potatoes for a long time and have never seen an explosion of potatoes in a conventional oven. But I have read about horrible experiences from posters on various sites, with what seems to be more anecdotal than well reasoned consideration. I believe what they are reporting is real but there seems to be a lot of information missing. So, I would like to provide some further thoughts and possible explanation for the “exploding potato” phenomenon. The cover photo is a quick experiment that I did when I recently cooked a meatloaf. I punctured the skin of one, and not the other. As the photo shows, there was no explosion.

In the majority of comments that I have seen, the consensus appears to be that the steam has to escape so the skin has to be pierced. This includes using a fork, skewers, and even nails! But, there are some “holes” in that consensus. First, the skin is a semi-permeable membrane. We can prove this by placing a potato in a solution of a weak salt solution and the water in the potato will travel to the salt solution dehydrating the potato. Second, the internal temperature does not reach the boiling point. There may be some steam but not enough to cause an explosion. Third, there are normally bruises and openings in the potato due to the manner in which the potatoes are taken by the picking equipment.

So what may be happening for the explosions that are being observed? My sense based on what seems reasonable is that the problem is related to the temperature at which the cooking occurs. Baked potatoes can be cooked at a fairly low temperature, say 300 F (148 C ) all the way up to 475 F (246 C). I typically bake potatoes at about 350 F for an hour to an hour and a half. But, at the higher temperatures the rate of moisture generation may overwhelm the ability for the pores to allow the pressure to escape. And, if olive oil is used to coat the skin to soften, that would simply increase the potential for problems. With respect to microwave cooking, I have no experience as I like the skin to be dry and tasty! If you have any alternative thoughts I would be interested in them so please use the comments sections. One potato, two potato…

 

 

 

Video Below:

Whiteboard, also called dry-erase boards, are in most schools, businesses, and many homes. They are a versatile tool to write and change information easily, but they do have some short-comings. The surface on many whiteboards can be damaged permanently if a marker other than a dry-erase marker is used. For example, the use of a Sharpie will ruin many whiteboards. There are also some size considerations and custom sizes are not readily available. So, the following video will show some possibilities for DIY whiteboards. From a small portable memo board to a wall mounted board, it is easy to do! Enjoy:

We have all heard the phrase “stop and smell the flowers”, and, of course that simply is a metaphor to slow down and enjoy life as opposed to rushing around and missing the not so obvious things around us. Well, it may also be useful to smell the weeds as well. And although there are fragrant weeds, the more interesting aspect about weeds is how they became weeds at all! Weeds are considered invasive and need to be removed from the earth according to purists who fail to see the incredible odds they have against them for survival. For example, the dandelion has migrated across our planet in many forms and is a very successful weed. In part, the dandelion has evolved an interesting way to propagate and distribute its progeny. It uses the wind to send hundreds of seeds to distant places to try and grow. The cover photo is one that I took today and shows perhaps a hundred seeds attached to small white parachutes. When the air become strong enough as a breeze, the seeds fly off and can travel miles and land in someone’s lawn or a field. And statistically, these weeds will survive with continued success. But, the seed are a beautiful view of the complex world of survival.
While many people think of the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) as an unwanted weed, it is full of vitamins A, B, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc. Dandelion leaves are used to add flavor to salads, sandwiches, and teas. The roots are used in some coffee substitutes, and the flowers are used to make wines. I have made dandelion wine and it was a labor intensive task but it is a common wine made at home. In the past, dandelion roots and leaves were used to treat liver problems. Native Americans also boiled dandelion in water and took it to treat kidney disease, swelling, skin problems, heartburn, and upset stomach. In traditional Chinese medicine, dandelion has been used to treat stomach problems, appendicitis, and breast problems, such as inflammation or lack of milk flow. In Europe, it was used in remedies for fever, boils, eye problems, diabetes, and diarrhea.
So far, there have not been any good quality scientific studies on dandelions. Today, the roots are mainly used to stimulate the appetite, and for liver and gallbladder problems. Dandelion leaves are used as a diuretic to help the body get rid of too much fluid. So, the next time you see a dandelion, take a look at a very tenacious and determined weed with beauty and attitude.

About eight or ten years ago I decided that I wanted to make a gourd birdhouse. Although I could have bought one online, I wanted the fun and satisfaction of making some from scratch. So, I planted the seeds and nursed the growth over the summer. In the fall I had several that were shaped all wrong, some were bug infested, and some were too small. But, I did have five that were perfect. So, on to the next step and that involves drying the inner pulp and seeds. They sat in the basement all winter as I turned them and protected them from freezing and any vermin. Not that I have vermin, but just to be sure they survived. In the spring, three had rotted, one had walls that were too thin, but one was perfect. This was now becoming a lot of effort to make a birdhouse!
So, after consulting several sources on the web as to what size hole to drill, I compromised to accommodate several types of nesting birds. The inside was cleaned and the proud day came to hang it up outside and watch as the new residents moved in. The entire summer went by without any birds even looking at the new digs. And the same result went on for the last several years. Until today! That gourd has hung in the same place for years through snow, rain, heat, and brutal cold. But today, much to my surprise, I saw a house sparrow sitting on the gourd. And then, she went inside! I thought that she/he was just looking but it returned several times. Was I finally going to become a landlord?  Over the next two hours the sparrow returned and had nesting material in its beak. It looks like I have a tenant after all of this time. Apparently, this bird was looking for a fixer-upper! And yes, I know that it is a simple common sparrow, but it was great to see my effort finally pay off.
Today was one of the first really warm days as New Hampshire is at least two weeks behind in what we euphemistically call spring. I wanted to take a photo of this new friend, but suspected that the paparazzi would scare her off. But, I will try to after the family has settled in. Be it ever so humble…

Like many of us, I have a spice rack with several different herbs and spices. Some cooks experiment with the contents and try all of the different flavor enhancers. But, not me! I have spices and herbs in the rack that have never been opened. (For the explanation of spices and herbs see the bottom of the sidebar for an earlier post and details). I tend to cook without recipes and generally use the same spices or herbs. But, I enjoy experimenting and decided to go beyond the usual and try some changes in my cooking. And then came to question that seems inevitable. Are all of my spices and herbs safe to use after a long storage period? So, it was time for more research and this is what I discovered: Spices do not spoil in their chemistry or biology, but they do lose their strength. Stored in airtight containers in cool dry places, spices retain their potency longer than you might realize. Whole peppercorns, nutmegs and cinnamon sticks tend to hold on to their flavor for a long time. One to three years is not unrealistic. And potent whole spices, such as cloves, cumin, and cardamom will also last for a long time.
The smartest way to get the best taste and value out of your herbs and spices is to store them effectively. Store them in tightly sealed containers in a cool dark place. Keeping containers tightly closed will protect them from moisture and oxidation, and they will retain more of their essential oil content when stored in glass jars. Keeping them away from direct light will also keep the color from fading. Never store them above your stove or near other heat sources as heat will degrade the quality. Also keep them away from the heat of the stove and the humidity of the dishwasher. It is also inadvisable to freeze herbs or spices. Condensation will be a problem each time the bottle comes out of the freezer and is likely to introduce moisture to the spices. And don't shake herbs or spices out of the bottle directly into something you are cooking as moisture may be introduced. So, FDA guidelines suggest the following general recommendations: Whole spices and herb leaves and flowers will keep for 1 to 2 years. Seeds will keep for 2 to 3 years and roots for 3 years. Ground spices and herb leaves and seeds will last for 1 year. Ground roots will keep for 2 years.
The best way I have found to test spices and herbs is to look at the color and take a smell test. I guess that it is time to discard my 5 year old spices and herbs. Sad...

  There is an age old question about which is better economically; is it better to buy a large size product that may be cheaper by unit amount than a smaller size, or buy the smaller size so that there is less of a storage problem, waste, and transportation issue? Well, of course it depends on personal choice and preferences, and each product will be different. But here is one food item that will always be a better buy when it is larger. Pizza is almost always a better buy when large than when small! Why? It really is simple math.
If you are at a local pizza place and dining for one you have the choice of an 8 inch personal pizza or a family size 16 inch pie. Based on price, the smaller pizza is cheaper, and the large one is perhaps 50 % more expensive but only twice the size so you decide on the small one. But when the math of a circle is considered, the larger is twice as large in diameter, but it is four times larger in area! That is because the area of a circle increases with the square of the radius. Recall that the diameter of a circle is the distance across, and the radius connects the center of the circle with any point on the circumference, which is half of the diameter. When you check the second image above, you might expect the area to be twice as large, but it is actually four times greater!
When you consider the fact that pizza can be reheated, frozen, and is the breakfast of champions, larger is better. But what if the pizza is a square or a rectangle? This does not count as it is no longer a Pi...