My niece thought 'proofing' meant checking for lies in dough...

We had a good laugh when she asked if the yeast was telling the truth, and now I'm curious how other bakers handle those mix-ups with folks who don't bake.

4 comments

4 Comments

joel_clark372mo ago

My buddy Greg told his mom he was scalding milk for a recipe once. She totally panicked, thought he was about to ruin a whole pot on purpose. He had to explain it's just heating it up to a certain point, not actually burning it. The look on her face was priceless, like he'd confessed to some kitchen crime.

hill.margaret2mo ago

Was she maybe raised in a house where wasting food was a serious deal? I've met older folks who treat milk like liquid gold because they remember when it was delivered daily and spoiled faster.

victor7792mo agoTop Commenter

That milk scalding story hits home. My grandpa would lose it if we poured even a little bit down the drain. Makes you wonder how that fear shapes their whole cooking style today. Do you think people raised like that just avoid any recipe that needs a whole quart, or do they swap milk for water in stuff like mashed potatoes? Seems like a lifelong habit that's hard to break.

angela5872mo agoMost Upvoted

It's wild how those old habits get wired in. My aunt still uses powdered milk in her coffee, a holdover from when fresh was a luxury. You don't even realize you're doing it.