Fact or fiction?
The boiling point of water is 100°C at sea level under standard atmospheric pressure. But what happens higher up?
In the mountains, lower air pressure means water boils at reduced temperatures—for example, around 90°C in the Alps, and even lower at greater elevations. This makes water reach a boil more quickly.
However, that doesn't speed up cooking. Lower boiling temperatures mean eggs and other foods take longer to cook through. For reliable results at high altitudes, a pressure cooker is ideal, as it raises internal pressure to increase the boiling point.
