Great-great-grandma may have used lye as a food preservative. And then just so it’s more fun it would react with the fat in foods to form soap. That’s why I never eat at great-great-grandma’s house. (also because I have no idea where it is and she’s been dead for over a century).
Are you Norwegian? Because lutefisk.
Yum, I guess. I wasn’t impressed when I had it, but I guess if you grew up with it.
I think it was bagels and soft pretzels that were dipped in lye at some point in their process. Not sure if they still are. [Alum! I knew there was something else non-organic used in food-making, but the word wouldn’t come so I went with “a few other things”. I feel better, now.]
Lye is also used in traditional chinese dumplings Annielicious Food: Lye Water Rice Dumplings / 鹼水粽 (aka Kee Zhang)
Starfruits are also naturally poisonous, and even just one fruit can be deadly if you have bad kidneys. Star Fruit Warning | Snopes.com
Not Norwegian but I have tasted Lutefisk. “Lutefisk” is a Scandanavian word that means “old disgusting fishy blob that tastes like soap”. It’s supposed to be a symbol of the sacrifice of Scandanavian immigrants in America who had to eat the preserved fish they brought with them, but some people actually like the stuff.
They are but rarely. They’re dipped in a weak lye solution that causes the crust to thicken, stiffen and brown properly. It’s part of the water rising process which isn’t commonly used for commercial preparation. Baking soda has a similar effect. I use the baking soda when I make soft pretzels.