{"id":4444,"date":"2021-06-07T14:21:59","date_gmt":"2021-06-07T19:21:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cooking2thrive.com\/blog\/?p=4444"},"modified":"2021-06-07T14:22:00","modified_gmt":"2021-06-07T19:22:00","slug":"when-its-sticky-does-it-taste-icky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cooking2thrive.com\/blog\/when-its-sticky-does-it-taste-icky\/","title":{"rendered":"When It\u2019s Sticky, Does It Taste Icky?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When it\u2019s sticky, does it taste icky? Your first response is\nprobably, NO! Who doesn\u2019t love a sticky bun or maple syrup or a toasted\nmarshmallow? But I don\u2019t really mean the food itself. I mean the weather. Due to\nhigh humidity and hot temperatures, we have lots of sticky days here in the\nsummer. And humidity, whether low or high, affects both the making and\nperception of food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve always lived in a humid region, there\u2019s no reason\nto notice this. The same is true if you\u2019ve always lived in a dry climate. But\nthose of you who have moved around may have seen the results of your baking change.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You can use the very same ingredients and technique but find it impossible to exactly duplicate the results you got in your previous home. When the humidity<\/a> is high, you may notice that it\u2019s easier to prepare soft breads than crusty breads or that baking takes longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humidity level also affects our perception of taste. The\nideal humidity in a house is around 50%. In my house, it ranges from 50 \u2013 60\npercent in warm weather. It can even climb higher if I don\u2019t use the\ndehumidifying feature on my air conditioner. At this level, food tastes good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you fly in an airplane, the humidity drops under 30%.\nAt that level, your perception of taste will not be as acute. Airline food\nvendors may attempt to compensate for blandness, but few of us have every had a\nsatisfying meal on board. Fighting both low humidity and high altitude makes it\ndifficult to create the ideal culinary experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commercial bakeries<\/a> often employ humidity control devices to improve the consistency of their product. At home, there are a few things you can do to prevent icky food:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. When it\u2019s too humid, turn the air conditioner to\na lower temperature before you begin to bake. You can also use a fan to dry the\nair. <\/li>
  2. Make sure to use your exhaust fans.<\/li>
  3. Store ingredients in moisture proof containers\nwith a good seal. For more extreme conditions, place the containers in the\nrefrigerator or freezer.<\/li>
  4. Reduce the moisture in your recipe slightly.<\/li>
  5. Use the convection feature if your oven has one.<\/li>
  6. Make sure there\u2019s a vapor barrier over dirt\nbasement floors.<\/li>
  7. If conditions are often extreme, purchase and\nuse a dehumidifier or humidifier or explore alternate heating and cooling\nsystems.<\/li>
  8. Don\u2019t use the drying feature on your dishwasher.\nIf you need more humidity, open the dryer door while it\u2019s hot and the dishes\nare wet.<\/li>
  9. You can also increase humidity by simmering pots\nof water on the stove or making soup.<\/li>
  10. An indoor dryer vent will pump moisture (and\nheat) into your home.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    If conditions are not extreme, go with the flow. Experience\nwill help guide you to add baking time or increase liquid in the batter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Enjoy the slightly altered density or moisture in a muffin or cake. Savor the differences in your experience of each food. As long as it\u2019s not icky when it\u2019s sticky, it\u2019s all good!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
    Navigating a Loss of Taste and Smell<\/a><\/blockquote>