This sweet-spicy treat is a delicious holiday staple, but what is gingerbread, exactly? What’s it made from? Where did it originate? Let’s crunch into some answers. 

What is gingerbread?

Gingerbread can actually refer to a couple of closely related things. They are always baked goods, and they almost always contain cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, sugar or honey, and, of course, ginger, but where they vary is in their level of softness. Soft gingerbread is sometimes called gingerbread cake to help differentiate it from the harder, crispier gingerbread that can almost approach ginger snaps. 

What is gingerbread made of?

Gingerbread cookies are made with flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, butter, sugar, molasses, egg, and vanilla. You can make gingerbread that’s crispy (like this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction) or you can make a softer, cake-like gingerbread (such as this one here from allrecipes). The difference in texture will come down to the baking techniques used. 

Where did gingerbread originate?

It can sometimes be hard to completely verify ancient foods’ original locus point, and that is certainly the case for gingerbread. But here’s what we know: The ancient Greeks and Romans made spice cakes, which could be considered an ancestor to modern day gingerbread, and even used them for ceremonial purposes. In Medieval Europe, “gingerbread,” which was more of a paste of almonds, breadcrumbs, and ginger, was a popular item in bakeries. Wikipedia credits the Armenian monk Gregoria Makar with bringing gingerbread to Europe in 992. And in the U.S., it’s been here all along—the first credited recipe book in the U.S. contained seven different recipes for gingerbread. 

What is less ambiguous is the origin of gingerbread houses. The concept of shaping gingerbread into elaborate shapes and structures first began in Germany in the 16th century. And, interestingly, this was right around the same time that the story of Hansel and Gretel was published, featuring a witch with one of the most famous cookie-houses of all time. 

What does gingerbread taste like?

Gingerbread is a great dessert for those who find some other baked goods to be a tad unrelentingly sweet. Gingerbread has ginger as a core ingredient, so it really does have the peppery, almost spicy flavor of ginger, though it’s cut with other flavors. The flavor profile of gingerbread is a little complex, and the cinnamon tones are very pronounced, but ultimately it is a dessert and still quite sugary. 

If you find the taste of gingerbread to be a little too strong, adding some icing, or a classic glass of milk, can help tame it. 

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I heard about Turkish Delight for the first time in The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe. In the novel, the evil White Queen uses this candy to tempt Edmund, one of the children who has wandered into Narnia. In real life, I have only sampled this candy once, and let’s just say I was not nearly as taken with it as Edmund. But even after tasting it, I still didn’t quite know what it was. So, what is Turkish Delight? What are Turkish Delights like, in terms of taste and texture? How are they made? Let’s find out.

What is Turkish Delight?

Turkish Delight, also known as lokum, is a type of confection made from a gel of starch and sugar. Fruit and nuts are often added, as well as flavorings such as rosewater. Usually, Turkish Delight is cut up into little squares and dipped in sugar or cream of tartar to prevent sticking. The candy was very possibly created in Turkey, as its name would imply, but Greece also lays claim to its origin. 

Prior to being labeled Turkish Delight in the U.S., the candy was sold under the name “Lumps Of Delight.” Mmm…lumps. 

What is Turkish Delight made of?

Lokum is made primarily from starch and sugar. When combined, they make a gel-like substance. Turkish Delight is usually flavored with rosewater, and additional ingredients, such as pistachios, walnuts, and dates, may be added as well. 

What does Turkish Delight taste like?

Turkish Delight has a gummy, gelatinous consistency. Though there are a variety of different flavors, rosewater is the most common. High-end Turkish Delights often include chopped dates and pistachios. 

If you grew up in America eating candy like Starbursts and M&M’s, this combination of flavors might not live up to the sky-high expectations set by the Chronicles of Narnia. But maybe I’m wrong, maybe you’ll love Turkish Delight! Just keep in mind that rose, mastic gum, or bergamot orange are not flavors you’re likely to find in a bag of Skittles or Jolly Ranchers. 

How are Turkish Delights made? 

While they might not be something you encounter every day, Turkish Delights are actually fairly simple to make. They’re simple enough that you can even make them at home. A Spicy Perspective has a great step-by-step on how to make lokum in your home kitchen that they claim is even better than the store bought stuff. 

Put simply, making Turkish Delight requires boiling sugar and water to make a simple syrup and then boiling corn starch and water to make a paste, then combining the two with some added flavors and ingredients. From here, you put the mix in the fridge to cool, cut it up into little pieces, and sprinkle them with sugar. That’s it! Making this Delight can be a real delight. 

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What is saffron?

Saffron is a spice that comes from a specific type of a flower—a crocus, known scientifically as Crocus sativus, though it is commonly known as “the Saffron Crocus.” Saffron is used for its scent in perfumes and for its flavor in a number of dishes. Saffron is also notorious for being extremely expensive. 

Now, here’s something a tad confusing. Saffron the spice, which comes from the stigma and styles of the plant, is a rich red color. Meanwhile, the bloom of the flower itself is purple, and the color “saffron” is yellow (or orange, if we’re talking about deep saffron). 

Where does saffron come from?

As we’ve discussed, the spice saffron comes from the stigma and styles of the saffron crocus. But where are these saffron crocuses? It turns out, saffron is almost entirely produced in Iran. As much as 88% of all the world’s saffron is produced there. However, it is also grown in a few other areas, such as Greece, Spain, Morocco, and the UAE.

What does saffron taste like?

Saffron has a distinctive flavor that has been described as honey-like while also being slightly metallic. There are also overtones of freshly mown grass or sweet hay. Intrigued? You’ll have to catch a whiff or a nibble of the spice itself to truly understand its flavor profile. 

Why is saffron so expensive?

One of saffron’s claims to fame is its expense. It has long been the most expensive spice per weight in the world. Why is it so pricey? As with most expensive things, the reason for the cost has to do with supply and demand. Saffron is highly prized for its scent and taste, but it’s quite laborious to harvest saffron. Each plant provides only a very small amount of saffron threads—it can take over 70,000 blossoms to produce a single pound of saffron. Not only that, it must be harvested by hand. As you can see, this leads to the price of saffron being quite high. 

What is saffron used for?

Saffron has a multitude of different uses—and they’re not all culinary. Some people believe that saffron can help cure depression and forestall the effects of Alzheimer’s. However, more research is needed to back up these claims.

Saffron has also been used as a dye for clothing and as a scent for perfumes. 

In terms of cooking, saffron is a key ingredient for a number of dishes including bouillabaisse, risotto, and paella. But its uses don’t end there. You can add saffron to a wide variety of recipes to help add some flavor and color. Food & Wine has a list of some delicious looking recipes that use saffron. They have everything from a seafood stew to a saffron-flavored ice cream. 

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What is acai? 

There is an acai palm that grows acai berries and those acai berries are used to make acai bowls. What are acai berries? They are small, one-inch round berries that grow on acai palms, in the rainforests of Central and South America. The berry is dark reddish-purple on the outside with yellow flesh and looks similar to a blueberry. About 80% of the inside is taken up by its big old seed. People in the Amazon have been eating acai berries for a long time. To make them edible, they soak them in liquid then mash them into a paste. 

Is acai good for you? 

Acai is a popular “superfood” with perceived health benefits. Acai berries are loaded with antioxidants that help your immune system and it is a great source of fiber. Acai also has heart-healthy fats that have been associated with improved cholesterol and lowered risk of heart disease. 

What are the benefits of acai?

Acai is mostly prized because of its super high antioxidant content. Antioxidants have been touted as having lots of health benefits, from tightening skin to helping with metabolic health, but scientists are quick to warn that these haven’t all been proven. Nonetheless, eating foods rich in antioxidants is a healthy choice.

What is acai made of? 

Outside of Central and South America, most people consume acai that has been processed into a pulp and turned into a powder, puree, or juice. Some of these get exported as pure acai, but others have sweeteners or ingredients added to extend their shelf life. 

What does acai taste like? 

A lot of people eat acai as part of a bowl. Many of these acai bowls or smoothies have had sweeteners added, so, if you’re eating that kind of acai, you’ll probably describe the flavor as tropical and sweet. Acai berries (not bowls) are rather bitter, with hints of dark chocolate. The berries are high in omega fats which causes them to turn rancid rather quickly, so any berries not eaten within 24 hours after harvest are freeze-dried, frozen, or turned into a powder. That’s where the popular acai bowls and juices come in.

What’s the difference between an acai bowl and an acai smoothie?

You may hear some people try to sell you on the difference between an acai bowl and a smoothie, but after some research, it seems pretty clear that they are almost identical. An acai bowl will absolutely have acai as a base, whereas an acai smoothie may have more of other ingredients, but I wouldn’t even say that’s consistent. 

Thus for all intents and purposes, an acai bowl is basically a smoothie with a lot of acai in it.

What is in an acai bowl? 

Acai bowls typically start with a base of frozen acai puree. From there, it really depends on the individual bowl and what you add to it. You can make it a pretty decadent treat with nut butter and fresh fruit and cacao nibs and matcha powder and chia seed pudding and chocolate rocks and whatever else until you reach your topping limit. Or you can keep it simple with some sliced banana and almonds. 

How do you pronounce acai?

Probably most importantly, when you get to the front of the line to order, here’s how to pronounce acai: aa – sigh – eeee. Say it right, get a nice little bowl, then add your purple pic to Instagram.

Why can’t I find actual acai berry?

If you’ve ever been on the hunt for fresh acai berries, you’ll quickly discover that they’re nowhere to be found—not in the supermarket, not in health food stores, not even specialty shops. It’s easy enough to find acai juice, acai powders, even frozen acai berries here and there, but never the real, fresh thing. Why is that?

It turns out there’s a very obvious reason. Acai berries are extremely high in omega fats, which are good for health, but that means that the fruit turns bad very quickly. It has a minimal shelf life. If it’s not frozen or processed in some way shortly after leaving the vine, it will be ruined. Thus, we’ll have to make do with processed acai ingredients unless we find ourselves in the Amazon.

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What is processed cheese?

Let us first consider, how is cheese made? Essentially, milk is fermented. Admittedly the process is slightly more complex than that, and if you want a full explanation of the steps that give us cheese, you can read all about it on the US Dairy website.

That’s basically the end for the line for most cheese, but not so for processed cheese. Processed cheese goes through additional processing—specifically, the addition of an emulsifying agent which helps give the resulting product a smooth, consistent texture. From here, even more ingredients, such as salts, dyes, and unfermented dairy products, can also be added. 

Classic examples of processed cheese include things like Velveeta, Cheese Whiz, Kraft Singles, and a lot of cheese dips. 

What is cheese product?

“Cheese product” is just another way to refer to processed cheese. Because “cheese” has a specific legal definition, food items that are highly processed cannot technically be called by that name. But…you know, they’re basically cheese, right? Thus we have the unregulated term “cheese product.” 

Incidentally, it’s always good to be on the lookout for sly marketing terms like this. Another one I like is “smoke-flavored,” which connotes that something tastes like smoke, but has not actually undergone any smoking process. 

What is emulsifying agent?

At the risk of getting to the reaches of my scientific understanding, I will attempt to define an emulsifying agent. Basically, an emulsion is a mixture of two liquids that would not normally be able to combine without the help of a specific chemical trigger, which is known as an emulsifying agent. 

This emulsifying agent, often sodium citrate, helps keep the fats, proteins, and moisture content of the cheese together, leading to a smooth, very meltable consistency. 

Processed cheese vs natural cheese

I’m not sure I’ve ever typed the phrase “natural cheese” before. Isn’t cheese inherently unnatural? It does not really occur in nature as far as I know. But I guess there has to be something to compare processed cheese to. 

When it comes to processed vs unprocessed cheese, there are a few crucial differences. We have discussed the terminology—processed cheese usually has to be called a “cheese product” because it contains additives that you won’t find in unprocessed cheese. 

However, those additives have some advantages: Processed cheese is typically cheaper to produce, more shelf stable, more melty, and more consistent than its natural counterpart. 

The downside to these additives is, of course, that they are unnatural. The artificial flavor and texture may be off-putting to some. There may also be ingredients such as added salts, dyes, or even sugars in processed cheese that some people may wish to avoid.

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But generally speaking, chili is great! But what is chili, exactly? Is it the same thing as chili con carne? Is it a soup? Does it have beans? Let’s find out. 

What is chili?

Chili is a dish seasoned with chili peppers. It’s typically made with meat, beans, and tomato, usually with onion and garlic as well. It’s a delicious, easily made and easily portable dish. It can be made spicy, medium, or mild. 

What is chili con carne?

Chili con carne is the same thing as what we typically think of as chili. Chili con carne is just the longer, more formal version of the name. It’s the “Matthew,” if you will, while Chili is a nickname, like “Matt.”

“Con carne” means “with meat” in Spanish, and that is indeed typically how chili is made. Of course, there are also vegetarian versions of chili widely available, but vegetarian chili con carne is inherently an oxymoron. 

Is chili a soup?

Chili shares many of the same characteristics of soup, certainly. They’re both savory, gloppy foodstuffs that frequently come in a can and are eaten out of a bowl. However, it’s probably more accurate to call chili a stew rather than a soup. Of course, that raises the question: How is a stew different from a soup? Basically, a stew is thicker and less liquidy than its soupy counterpart. And, personally, I believe that if you can eat something with a fork—as you can with chili—it has no right to call itself a soup. 

Does chili have beans all the time?

For most people, chili includes beans. But if you’re in Texas, that’s heresy. In the Lone Star State, chili is made with meat, peppers, and spices, and sometimes tomatoes. And that’s it. When they say don’t mess with Texas, they really mean don’t put beans in your chili. 

What beans go in chili?

One of the great things about chili is that it has a bunch of varieties. That’s the fun of a chili cook-off, you get to taste all the different strange and unique recipes that the world’s chili enthusiasts have to offer. So far be it for me to tell you what beans you should or should not use in your chili.

However, if you’re asking what sort of beans are traditionally found in chili, the answer is typically kidney beans or pinto beans. 

Where did chili originate?

Chili con carne originated in Mexico, where people were using chili peppers to season stews as early as 1529. The more modernized version, complete with beans, onions, garlic, and tomato, became popular in the U.S. before World War II due in part to the many chili parlors that sprung up throughout Texas, and soon, the whole country. 

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Today, we’re looking at a particular salt subset: Celtic Sea Salt. But what is Celtic Sea Salt? What minerals are in it? How do you use it? Let’s shake out some answers. 

What is Celtic Sea Salt?

As you might expect, Celtic Sea Salt is salt that comes from the Celtic Sea. It is also a specific brand name for a kind of sea salt. They bill themselves as “the original and most trusted sea salt brand since 1976.”

Is Celtic Sea Salt the same as sea salt?

Celtic Sea Salt is indeed a form of sea salt, and can be used just as you would use other brands of sea salt. What makes Celtic Sea Salt different is in the trace amounts of other minerals it contains. Other sea salts can also contain additional minerals, but the mineral blend in Celtic Sea Salt is specific to the sea from which it was taken.

What minerals are in Celtic Sea Salt?

Celtic Sea Salt has a distinctive gray hue, and the reason for that is the minerals it contains. Specifically, these minerals are magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc, and iron. 

Also note that there is slightly less sodium in Celtic Sea Salt than in table salt per spoonful, due to the abundance of other minerals. 

Does Celtic Sea Salt have iodine?

Technically, Celtic Sea Salt contains a teensy weensy amount of iodine. It’s about .68 parts per million, to be precise. As you can imagine, that is not a significant amount of iodine, so for all intents and purposes, we can say that Celtic Sea Salt is iodine-free. If you’re looking for a solid source of iodine, you’d best look elsewhere.

Where does Celtic Sea Salt come from?

Celtic Sea Salt is named after its location of origin, the Celtic Sea. This particular sea is part of the Atlantic Ocean and is located off the southern coast of Ireland. However, Celtic Sea Salt, the company, produces many other products in different places. There’s the original salts, of course, but also Light Grey Celtic and Find Ground Celtic from France. There’s Flower of the Ocean from Portugal, Gourmet Kosher from Guatemala, Makai Pure from Hawaii, and Celtic Sea Salt Potassium Pink and River Salts from Spain.  

How to use Celtic Sea Salt?

You can use Celtic Sea Salt basically anywhere you would use table salt, with a few caveats. First off, keep in mind that the grains of salt are larger than in table salt, and there are other minerals present, so it won’t entirely dissolve away like traditional salt. There’s also no anti-caking agent present, so keep in mind that it could lead to more clumping. Generally, it’s recommended that you use Celtic Sea Salt as a finishing salt more than as a baking or cooking salt. But if it’s all you have, it will make a totally solid alternative. 

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What is Nitro Pepsi?

What exactly makes Nitro Pepsi so different from Pepsi classic? An original description of the product from Pepsi read:

“The easy texture. The mesmerizing cascade of tiny bubbles. The silky, frothy foam head. The unapologetically Pepsi taste. It sparks connection and conversation, all made possible by a unique widget technology placed at the bottom of every can that creates a distinctly smooth and creamy texture straight from the first delicious sip.”

If that’s all a little too adspeak-y for you, Nitro Pepsi is basically just Pepsi that’s infused with nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide. If you’ve ever had a Guinness beer, it’s a similar texture. The bubbles are smaller and the texture is smoother. Because carbon dioxide is also slightly bitter, Nitro Pepsi is even sweeter than regular Pepsi, which may sound delicious or slightly off-putting, depending on your sugar tolerance.

Is Pepsi Nitro an energy drink?

The answer to that is a resounding no. The bubbles may be different, but this is still a bona fide soda.

Is Nitro Pepsi alcoholic?

Again, the answer is no. As noted, if you’re a Guinness drinker, the nitrogen element may be familiar, but this cola does not contain any alcohol. 

Does Nitro Pepsi have caffeine?

According to the thrilling and exciting PepsiCoProductFacts website, a can of Pepsi Nitro contains 77 mg of caffeine. That’s relatively high—a regular can of Pepsi has 37.5 mg of caffeine by comparison. So you can expect a kick from caffeine as well as sugar when you drink a Nitro. 

How do you drink Nitro Pepsi?

If you’re curious about how to drink Nitro Pepsi, the company recommends you chill the can and “pour hard into a glass.” Then, presumably, you drink it from the glass with your mouth.

Can you drink Nitro Pepsi from the can?

Sure, Nitro Pepsi seems fancy and fun, but is it worth sacrificing the convenience of a soda right from the can? Luckily, you don’t have to choose: Nitro Pepsi can be sipped directly from the can. However, for the optimal experience with optimal froth, you may prefer some glassware. Here’s what the Food Network has to say: “Suitable for drinking directly from the can, Nitro Pepsi is best served cold, without ice; should be ‘hard poured,’ meaning you tip the can upside-down into a tall glass; and is optimal when sipped straight from the glass.” 

Is Pepsi Nitro discontinued?

There have been some rumors floating around that Pepsi Nitro no longer exists. Fortunately for fans, that is not the case. Pepsi Nitro is alive and well, though it may be a little harder to find than the popular Pepsi products that have proven they deserve their spot on the shelf.

Where to buy Nitro Pepsi?

While I can’t speak to the exact delivery machinations of your specific region, I can tell you that it appears Pepsi Nitro is widely available to purchase online. For example, the Walmart website lists it in stock, as does Amazon.com. It’s likely that big retailers near you will have the Pepsi that you’re looking for—if not, you can always ask them to stock it.

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What are red pepper flakes?

Red pepper flakes, also known as crushed red pepper, are exactly that: tiny little pieces of red chili pepper. Notably, they are not ground, but are instead crushed. It’s common to find a shaker of them at Mediterranean restaurants—pizzerias in particular. They are also frequently used for pickling blends.

What is the flavor of red pepper flakes?

Red pepper flakes can provide a little heat to a wide variety of dishes. They have a peppery, slightly earthy flavor that goes best with other strong flavors, like the tomato sauce and melted cheese on a pizza or in a savory soup. And if you want to get technical, the pepper mixture is generally around 40,000 Scoville units (that’s around five times hotter than a jalapeno). 

Are red pepper flakes the same as chili flakes?

If you happen to be in the UK, “red pepper flakes” usually refers to a mixture with a sweeter and more earthy flavor profile than chili flakes, which are spicier. However, outside of the UK, red pepper flakes and chili flakes are basically the same thing. Yes, there’s a little difference: Chili flakes may be a touch hotter because they’re primarily made with spicy chilis as opposed to a mixture that could include milder peppers. My advice is to find a brand whose heat and flavor profile you like, and stick with that. 

What pepper is red pepper flakes?

Red pepper flakes can be made from a variety of different chili peppers, and there’s a fair amount of difference depending on the brand you use. Most commonly, however, cayenne is the pepper used. Others that may be in the mix include Anaheim peppers, serranos, and jalapenos.

By the way, it’s worth keeping in mind that all these peppers are in the same genus, they’re just bred for different traits. In the same way that a pug and a wolf are quite different but are still both canines, different peppers can have different sizes, shapes, and flavor profiles but still all be closely related. It’s beautiful, really.

How to use red pepper flakes: 

If you’re looking for a way to literally spice up your cooking, you can’t go wrong with red pepper flakes. You can shake them on pizza, as I’ve mentioned multiple times. But you can also add some to pasta sauce for instant heat, shake them into a marinade, or use them to spice up an omelet. The Spice Train has a selection of recipes that use this peppery ingredient. One that appeals to me in particular is this brown sugar salmon rub, which also mixes in black pepper, garlic powder, salt, dried oregano, and brown sugar to provide a delicious mix of sweet and savory.

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What is freezer burn?

There’s nothing like a good oxymoron, is there? Along with jumbo shrimp, virtual reality, and black lights, freezer burn falls into the category of something that sounds impossible. How can something be both frozen and burned? 

In reality, there’s no actual “burning” that’s going on here. Freezer burn is simply what happens when super cold foodstuffs are exposed to cold air and begin to dehydrate. 

What does freezer burn look like?

The easiest way to identify freezer burned foods is to look for the formation of ice crystals on the surface. This gives the food item the appearance of being frostbitten, and you’ll likely have to scrape off some ice before you’ll be able to chow down. 

Also, be on the lookout for a change in color. Freezer burned foods are often duller and less vivid in appearance.

Can you eat freezer burned food?

There’s no ill health effects that will come from eating freezer burned foods. Though it might look a little weird, freezer burn itself will not harm your ice cream, frozen wings, or whatever else has been sitting in the back next to the ice packs. But because freezer burn is really caused by dehydration, your food will be missing some moisture, which can give it a different flavor or texture. You might find freezer burned food less appealing, but it should still be edible.

Do keep in mind that if food is freezer burned it might be an indication that it has been in the freezer for a long time. And that means that it could be past its expiration date. Be sure to use good judgment before enjoying old food. 

How to avoid freezer burn 

Freezer burn often ruins perfectly good food, or at least makes it much less appetizing, so it’s best to avoid it if possible. Luckily, there are some steps you can take to protect your groceries from this fate. 

One of the most important ways to keep your food protected is to ensure that the container it’s in is air tight. With less access to the cold air, the nourishment inside won’t have its moisture leached away. 

Another tip is not to leave your food in the freezer for too long. The shorter the stay, the less opportunity for moisture to disappear, so be sure not to leave stuff sitting in there forever.

Finally, try to limit the time you keep your freezer door open. A door ajar can lead to temperature fluctuations that will cause slight thawing and make it easier for ice crystals to form on your food.

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What is white pepper?

While black pepper is ubiquitous on dining tables, in pantries, and even in those little fork, knife, and napkin packets, you would be much more hard-pressed to find its cousin, white pepper. White pepper is a type of peppercorn as well, it’s just processed differently from black pepper. This gives it a different flavor profile, slightly different chemical composition, and a different color.

Are white pepper and black pepper from the same plant?

Yes! Despite their difference in coloring, both black and white peppercorns are berries from the same plant, called Piper nigrum. As it turns out, the lesser known green and red peppercorns are also from this plant as well (pink peppercorns are the odd pep out; despite their similar taste and look, they come from a different plant species). 

What is the difference between white pepper and black pepper?

White pepper and black pepper start out life the same way, as berries of the Piper nigrum plant. But when they’re harvested, things begin to change. Black pepper is picked and then immediately dried. This causes the skin of the peppercorn to wither and blacken. White pepper, by contrast, is soaked before it is dried. This allows the outer layer to come off, leaving the smooth, white surface beneath.

Because the process of extracting white pepper is slightly more laborious, this pepper variety is usually more expensive than its black counterpart. 

Is white pepper spicy?

Spice is subjective, so I would never say there’s no spice whatsoever to white pepper. But white pepper is definitively less spicy than black pepper. It has a milder flavor with an immediate, slight heat. 

What does white pepper taste like?

White pepper is milder than black pepper and less spicy. It has some bright, earthy pops, which may make it taste more herb-like than its darker cousin. It also has some hints of musk or ginger.

What is white pepper used for?

White pepper is more widely used in East Asian and European cooking than American cuisine, and there are myriad options. One of the most common is Hollandaise sauce, but there are many other choices as well. It’s often used in seafood dishes instead of black pepper. 

Allrecipes has a long list of white pepper recipes. One dish that looks particularly appealing to me is this roasted garlic soup. It calls for garlic, butter, olive oil, leeks, onion, flour, chicken broth, sherry, whipping cream, chives, and, of course, the white pepper. The subtle notes of the white pepper should mix wonderfully with the strong garlic flavor. Enjoy!

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Twix, the iconic chocolate from Mars Inc., is a perennial favorite and, dare I say, a slightly more sophisticated choice than your average bar. The cookie crunch makes Twix slightly less sweet and more filling than the sugariest, teeth-hurting treats on the market. The chocolate was introduced in 1967 in the town of Slough, England, and famously comes with two pieces, which can make you feel like you’re getting a little extra bang for your buck. However, ever since its inception there’s always been a cloud of mystery to this product. To wit, are left and right Twix different from each other? The truth is out there—let’s find it. 

Why does Twix have left and right?

The reason Twix has left and right is because there are two Twix bars in every package, so there is inherently a left option and a right option. I suppose we could actually think about them as a “front” Twix and a “back” Twix, but let’s not get more confusing than we need to here.

What are right and left Twix?

Twix’s clever marketing department came up with the idea of pitting the two candy bars within a Twix package against each other. This is pretty smart because humans inherently love rooting for a specific “team.” You know this if you’ve ever seen a coffee place or ice cream shop with two tip jars—say, one for “socks” and one for “bare feet.” These jars are much more likely to be overflowing than if there was simply a jar for “I love socks.” Go Team Socks! 

What does left and right mean on Twix? 

Despite some marketing to the contrary, don’t worry about eating the wrong Twix. The left side and the right side are identical except for their placement. It’s just a fun marketing gimmick to create a division between the two. Besides, if you flip the packaging around, the left Twix becomes right and the right Twix becomes left. Did I just blow your mind?

So, what is the difference between right and left Twix?

Or, to put it another way, what is the difference between left and right Twix? According to Twix themselves, the right side is “smooth caramel flowed onto crispy cookie and bathed in chocolate” while the left Twix is “crunchy cookies cascaded with soft caramel and cloaked in milk chocolate.” So, there you go. Pretty different. Actually, if you look closely at these descriptions you may notice that they’re basically saying the same thing. The right is like the left, which is like the right, which is like the left. Got it?

Are left and right Twix different or not?

The simple answer is no. That said, there are some Reddit threads that contend, “The left Twix starts as a cookie, then it’s covered in caramel and dipped in chocolate. The right Twix starts as chocolate and someone carefully pushes the cookie inside, using caramel to prevent the cookie from crumbling.” Make of this what you will. 

Whether left and right Twix are different (they’re not) or completely identical (they are), we may never know for sure. But wherever you land on this question, it’s clear that both sides are equally delicious (because they’re the same).

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