The Most Forgiving Food in the World

My mom's favorite thing to cook is mushrooms, because "You can't burn them no matter how hard you try!" she exclaims every time she pulls out the sauté pan to cook the whole heads in butter and worcestershire sauce. But, the scientifc reason behind this is fascinating. To promote its upcoming cookbook Cook's Science (out Oct. 4), America's Test Kitchen uncovers why mushrooms never burn and never lose their tender texture despite exposure to heat for a long period of time. It goes without saying, mushrooms are the perfect ingredient to start experimenting with if you are new to the kitchen.