10 food better kept at room temperature

Quick raise of hands — how many of you never, ever keep tomatoes in the refrigerator? It's because refrigeration kills the flavor and texture. We know this, don't we — from experience. Well, today is a good day for validation, because a new scientific study is backing up what we already know.

The thing is, as careful as we are about food safety, there are just some things that not only don't need to be refrigerated, but actually taste better if they're kept out of the cold. Here are the top 10 we say you can leave out. See if you agree.

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1. Tomatoes

A recent scientific study led by horticulturalist Bo Zhang of the University of Florida actually proved that chilling the fruit at low temperatures keeps the tomato from developing that deep, rich, tangy tomatoey flavor we love. This is why tomatoes from far away don't taste as good as locally grown tomatoes, and nothing tastes as good as your own homegrown tomatoes, which you already know. We're just saying, there's scientific proof backing us up now.

2. Eggs

It turns out eggs don't necessarily need to be kept in the fridge. In other countries, people leave them on the counter, no problemo. The difference is that in the U.S., eggs are washed after being collected, which removes a natural antibacterial barrier from the egg and makes the eggshells more likely to carry traces of salmonella. But if you can get your eggs from a neighbor with chickens or a local farmer before they go through the washing process, then you can leave them out.

3. Honey

Honey is kind of amazing. If you keep it in a sealed container in a dry place, it can last forever. Literally! And you shouldn't refrigerate it. Studies have shown that the temperature of refrigerators actually encourages honey to crystallize, which leads to a texture many find unpalatable, though again, the honey is still safe to eat. As long as it isn't contaminated with too much moisture, a jar of honey you have today could be eaten in 1,000 years with no ill consequence

4. Ketchup

If your family goes through a ton of ketchup, then you can probably keep it in the pantry instead of the fridge. The high acid and sugar content of ketchup means it can be safely consumed for up to a month when stored at room temperature .

5. Potatoes

The starches in potatoes actually begin to convert into sugar when they are refrigerated, making them sweet. Leave your potatoes in a cool, dark place instead.

Your guide to alternative sugars: What to love, what to avoid and why

6. Basil

I took me years to realize basil doesn't go bad within a matter of days — I was just storing it wrong. Basil hates cold weather, so storing it in the fridge is a big no-no. Instead, keep it in a cup of water (like you would a bouquet of flowers), and cover loosely with a plastic bag to keep it moist. Your basil can last more than a week with this method. Just be sure to change the water every two days.

7. Bread

A lot of people throw bread into the fridge, fearing it will get stale and moldy if left on the counter. But the refrigerator dries out and stales bread much faster than normal, basically ruining it. If you don't think you'll eat your bread before mold starts to settle in, then you should freeze it.

8. Apples

Apples can last up to two weeks at room temperature. Try leaving them in a pretty bowl on the counter instead of taking up a ton of space in the fridge.

9. Cucumbers

Cucumbers are sensitive li'l veggies, and refrigeration can actually cause them to go bad more quickly than leaving them on the counter. Keeping them in the fridge for more than three days can lead to "cold injury," like excessive wateriness, pitting and decay. Cukes should also be kept away from foods that produce a lot of ethylene, like melons, bananas and tomatoes.

10. Hot sauce

Hot sauce is basically made of spicy peppers, vinegar and salt. Because vinegar and salt are preservatives, hot sauce doesn't need to be refrigerated. Just keep it tightly sealed and in a dry place. If any water gets into it, then that could increase the chance of spoilage.

 

Jon Favreau wasn’t a fan of “Trumped-up trickle-down.”

Barack Obama’s unlikely rise to the presidency can be traced back to a single speech — the one he gave in 2004 at the Democratic National Convention, which announced him as a contender to a national audience.

It’s hard to pin down a similarly memorable speech that shaped the campaign of the Democrat who hopes to succeed him, Hillary Clinton. Just ask former Obama wunderkind-speechwriter Jon Favreau.

“Having seen her now for a year and watched her very closely, there are times when I think she’s very effective, and those times are when she’s telling stories,” Favreau said on the latest episode of Recode Media with Peter Kafka. “When she doesn’t put a lot of spin on the ball and try to use the snappy lines — speaks directly to people — she’s much better.”

“I think [her campaign] would love it if she did that all the time,” Favreau added. “But once you get going on a campaign, and it’s every single day and all you’re doing is just, ‘What’s the topper on the stump for tomorrow?’ — there’s a million other things you have to think about on a campaign.”

Favreau first came to work for Obama when both were young up-and-comers: They first teamed up 2005, when Obama was Illinois’ newly-minted junior senator,; later Favreau served as his chief speechwriter from 2009 to 2013. Since leaving the White House, he has continued to advise White House staffers on Obama speeches for events like this year’s Democratic National Convention, and he has offered his support to the Clinton campaign.

He said the president was an unusual candidate, who broke long-established rules about political speechwriting.

“The running theory is that speeches are a collection of applause lines and quotable lines for the press,” Favreau said. “Get your soundbite, get your applause line at a rally. A lot of the language he wanted to use was just very different; it sounded more conversational.”

By contrast, Clinton’s big line from the first presidential debate — “Trumped-up trickle-down” — fell flat because her campaign didn’t have a gatekeeper policing her political tone, Favreau said.

“If I had been there, I’d say, ‘Let’s not go with that one, guys,’” he said.