Tara Bench, the food blogger behind Tara Teaspoon and contributor to All Recipes, breaks down 8 culinary old-wives tales an tells us if they are fact or fiction.
1. Chicken
Myth: Rinsing chicken washes away harmful germs.
Fact: Rinsing chicken does NOT wash away harmful germs. It actually spreads them around to your sink and other surfaces of your kitchen.
2. Cutting boards
Myth: Your beautiful wooden cutting board harbors bacteria.
Fact: Your beautiful wooden cutting board is NOT a petri dish. Washing your cutting boards thoroughly with soap and water after each use and letting them air dry completely will keep them clean.
RELATED: 5 germiest places in your kitchen and how to clean them
3. Chiles
Myth: The hottest part of a chile is the seeds.
Fact: The hottest part of a chile is NOT the seeds. It is the fleshy, white ribs.
4. Alcohol
Myth: Alcohol evaporates completely when you cook it.
Fact: Alcohol only sort of evaporates when you cook with it. You cannot remove all traces of alcohol through cooking.
5. Bread
Myth: Bread stays fresh longer in the fridge.
Fact: Bread WON'T stay fresher longer in the fridge; it actually goes stale faster. It is best stored at room temperature.
6. Cast-iron pans
Myth: It's NOT okay to use soap on cast-iron pans.
Fact: It's okay to use a little soap on cast-iron pans. A quick wash with slightly soapy water can help remove excess grease deposits and build-up.
RELATED: 6 myths about cast iron pans busted
7. Canned foods
Myth: It's okay to eat food from a dented can.
Fact: It's NOT okay to eat food from a dented can. A dent can break the airtight seal on a can exposing the contents to bacteria.
8. Tomatoes
Myth: A sunny windowsill is the best place to ripen your tomatoes
Fact: A sunny windowsill is NOT the best place to ripen your tomatoes. After a tomato has been picked, sunlight can actually damage the skin of the tomato and make it go bad more quickly. A warm, dark area (like in a brown paper bag on the counter) is best to promote ripening.