Description
Aluminum Foil
Aluminum foil is a useful kitchen product when it comes to heating, storing and freezing food. Potatoes can be baked in it, fish can be cooked en papillote and leftover food can be frozen in it. The main thing to avoid, of course, is using it to cover food in a microwave: the electromagnetic currents will cause the foil to spark and can cause a fire. This being said, aluminum foil is ideal for wrapping meat and/or vegetables prior to barbecuing or baking–the foil will insulate the contents’ moisture while cooking them through. It also protects the exterior of fragile ingredients from open grilling flames and prevents these ingredients from disintegrating and falling through the grill. It can be used on a home grill or even on outdoor excursions, and in conventional ovens.
The other primary use for aluminum foil is wrapping pre-made or already cooked foods, like sandwiches, burgers and burritos. It works just as well as paper or soft plastics at containing and preserving food, and when free of food residue, it can be recycled as well, making it a more environmentally-friendly alternative, especially to soft plastics. Restaurants often use aluminum foil to wrap guests’ leftovers, though this usually doesn’t look as appealing as using paper-based takeout containers.
