Q: What is epazote?
A: Epazote is a leafy Mexican herb with a strong aroma, somewhere between lemon and fennel. It has historically been thought of as a digestive aid, so you often see it with beans or rich stews. If you have a Spanish grocery near you, you might be able to find it fresh; if not, dried works, too — use a little more than the recipe calls for and crumble it between your fingers to maximize the flavor. If you can't find it anywhere, you could also use a combination of lemon zest and tarragon, or just leave it out — it's a subtle flavor, and its absence won't ruin your dish.
Q: I saw a recipe that said to heat the oil until it was almost smoking. What does that mean? How do I know if my oil is almost smoking if it's not smoking?
A: That's a completely logical question. And you really don't want your oil to smoke — when it does, that means that certain compounds within the oil are burning, which can often make your food taste acrid and bitter. Depending on the kind of oil, it might smoke at a higher or lower temperature than other oils do. That's why certain oils, like peanut oil, are better for high-heat frying than others, like olive oil. But so while you don't want smoking oil, you do want hot oil. As oil starts to get hot, it begins to shimmer gently, and starts looking thinner than it did when you poured it into the pan. Once this happens, it's "almost smoking."
— Scripps Howard
