Helpful Hints from joe-eeze: How to stir

Material pretty hard to come by, eh joe?

I mean, you're reduced to stupidity like this?

Why can't you give us the usual stupidity?

We don't need no education.

Tough.

Deal.

Robert L. Wolke, the Washington Post's nonpareil "Food 101" columnist, today featured the following Q & A:

Q. ...One should always stir with the spoon's rounded side down, rather than sideways. I wonder why that is?

A. If the spoon is large and held vertically, vigorous stirring might slop some liquid over the rim and out of the pot. But if the spoon is held horizontally with the curve down, it will sail smoothly through the liquid, creating a sort of whirlpool that accomplishes efficient mixing.

[photo via Julie Appleton]