PENMART01 wrote:

As usual, Cookie Katz garbles the facts.

> Nope, so long as the knife is relatively clean (ie. not been used to schmear
> tuna salad) most baked goods need no refrigeration, cut or uncut... simply
> cover loosely (not air-tite) to retard staling and mold.

Mold will grow more quickly at room temperature than if refrigerated.
Staling will proceed more slowly at room temperature than if
refrigerated. Covering or not won't have any effect on either.

Some baked goods should be refrigerated if not used within a few hours
of being baked. Anything containing cheese, for example. Anything
containing custards. Real mincemeat pies. Breads with meats baked into
them (brioche with sausage baked into it, for example).

Refrigerating fruit pies will firm them up so they cut and present
better. 3-day old pie that's been warmed is warmed-over 3-day old pie.

Pastorio

> In fact baked goods,
> especially fruit pies, should NEVER be refrigerated, makes em just plain taste
> lousy, and refrigerated they'd require air-tite wrap to prevent absorbing odors
> but then they'd go all soggy, blech! Btw, 2-3 day old slab of pie can easily
> be refreshed to near just baked by reheating in an oven for a few minutes... in
> fact couple day old fruit pie is often mo-better reheated then fresh baked,
> just like reheated stew.