Important Debate

[Maidryn]

This question is even more important than the "paper or plastic" debate. I've lived more than 40 years and I still can't seem to get a straight answer on the subject. I'm talking about the "Foil dilemma". That's right. Aluminum Foil!
Does the shiny side go against the food or not touching the food? I need to hear what you think and especially HOW you came to your conclusion. Let's put this issue to bed once and for all.
(I can see the headlines: "Stephen Lawhead Fans Solve (Foil) Problem") It would be good PR for Stephen-o.

[Tegid]

Uh ... my conclusion is that the shiny side does not touch the food, and neither does the other side. Use something else, or cook it some other way. Keep aluminum out of the kitchen. But that isn't what you're wanting to hear. So I'll turn the mike over to someone else.

[Paladin]

There's a non-shiny side? Guess I don't pay attention, but then again I really don't cook a lot so... I'm gonna go with shiny side up

[Danath]

It's important to keep the shiny side out, away from the food. There are a couple of reasons for this. First of all we must think about this from the perspective of aluminum foil as container for food leftovers. Now in order to assure ourselves that said leftovers will have the best opportunity to be seen and consumed, rather than indefinately remaining in the "fridge" and mutating into something out of Song of Albion, the shiny side needs to be out. The eye will naturally be drawn to the shine of the foil. Eye appeal is buy appeal.

Secondly, concerning use of foil during cooking. Once again the shiny side needs to remain on the outside away from the food. Who, after all, wants their food to be shiny?

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why the shiny side goes on the outside away from the food.

[luv1another]

actually I read in some magazine that it does not matter which way you put the foil. the way they manufacture the foil makes one side more shiny is all :shrug:

[Paladin]

That is exactly what I was thinking, just could never put it so eloquently

[Maidryn]

Let's say, for arguement sake, that you've put Foil on a cookie sheet and then will place some food on top of it. Now, some people say that the shiny side must be next to the food to aid in the cooking. Yet, others say that the NON-shiny side leaves little bits of aluminum on the food. Hmmmmm? I just don't know what to think.
I do realize that some people (Tegid shall remain nameless) feel that Foil has no place in a kitchen. However, while I suppose we should all be hugging trees, I for one am an Old Dog and I cannot change my ways. Foil I have used and Foil I will continue to use. Let the debate continue...
(did I just call myself an 'old dog'?)

[Tegid]

(Nameless aside: It really isn't a 'green' issue, but rather a health concern. In autopsies and other operations, there has just been too much aluminum found in too many brains of too many Alzheimer's victims for some of us to think it's just a coincidence. However, a much bigger culprit here than utensils is the aluminum they use to keep your salt free-flowing, and your baking powder ... whatever they put it in there for. Compared to that, foil and cookware are pikers.)

'Shiny' reflects. If you've got something in the oven because you want it to get hot, shiny foil can help the heat that is on the food side of the foil go into the food. Foil whose shiny side points away from the food can help reflect some of that nasty heat away, protecting the food from getting so awfully hot, or at least slow the process down. I'm not sure that in an oven that is (*tries to do a fast metric conversion for our Canadian cook*) over 160 degrees C, it really doesn't matter much, in the grand scheme of things.

On the other hand, if you're trying to keep something cool, you might want to cover the container so that the shiny side of the foil faces away from the food, for the same reason; it'll take a little longer to reach room temperature.

If you have a winter garment or blanket that has foil in it, take it apart and see; the shiny side faces toward the person.

[pink3elephant]

Isn't the 'shiny' side the non-stick side?

Well if it is then wouldn't it go on the food, so that the food doesn't stick to the foil???

Food for thought

[hamameliss]

I propose that you should conduct a scientific experiment on the above topic thusly...cook two identical foods in the same oven at the same time - whether testing the cookability idea and whether the shiny side reflects or not, or whether one side sticks less or not. Then see if you can tell any difference at all. I highly suspect that there is no difference, although my mother has insisted for years that the shiny side must go out when baking potatoes in the oven.

[pink3elephant]

Eh too much work!

[Maidryn]

You guys have given lots of advice to think about. The suggestion that I carry out an experiment is a great idea but raises another problem for me. My stove was created the same year that fire was discovered and it can't go above 250 degrees (yes, I'm Canadian but I don't know the oven temp in Celcius), but that isn't a experiment hinderance in itself. The oven also doesn't stay at an even 250 degrees. It changes it's temperature (and moods) before you can swing a dead cat. Also, the seal on the oven door is missing in some areas so the heat is not even either. Perhaps one amongst you would take it upon yourself to conduct the foil experiment for me (us) and report back your findings. Let the debate roll on...
(By the way, I don't actually swing dead cats so please don't send me messages about that statement either.)

[Paladin]

I think that you should convert your oven into a potbelly stove a la Ben Franklin's. You just need a stovepipe and firewood :-)

[Maidryn]

Ya know, Paladin, I would love to be off the grid and use a wood burning stove but you haven't used foil until you've used it at a camp out over an open fire ( which does not solve our dilema in any way).
There's a weird side effect to this discussion: every time I take out the aluminium foil to cook something I think of everyone here at the SRL site and how sweet you all are. I've never been a part of a site (even the social ones ie Facebook etc) where I've felt so welcomed. Stephen really does attract a high class group of people. Love to you all.
Maidryn

[Jenna]

Well if anything this debate is entertaining. Depends on what you are cooking I found personally that potatoes cook better shiny side out.