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Does putting knives in a wooden block blade down wear out the blade? I'd always wondered. The blocks usually seemed designed to have the knives go in blade down, so that the blade touched wood coming in and out. But I know that when I whittle, cutting the wood wears the blade of a knife down very, very quickly. I'd...	Wooden blocks are ideal for knife storage because they keep the blades dry (the wood absorbs some of the humidity in the air), preventing rusting. The motion of inserting and withdrawing blades over wood will not noticeably dull them, because you're not actually cutting the wood or indeed even applying any pressure as...
How do I properly freeze and reheat a cooked, marinated steak? I just grilled up a steak marinated in vinegar, rosemary, and olive oil. Problem is I made too much. What's the proper way to freeze, store, and subsequently reheat this steak to get it as close to as delicious and tender as it now?	I'd recommend letting it cool to near room-temperature, then place it in an airtight sealed plastic freezer bag before it dries out too much. You can spoon some of the juices from cooking into the bag with the steak so that when it defrosts again the juices will be in there working to keep it moist. When you defrost i...
When is the right time to pick blueberries? My neighbor brought over a fresh batch of blueberries. Some are sweet and some are sour. He told us to come over and pick some whenever we wanted, but I don't know the right time to pick them so that they taste the best. Any advice?	When it's plump, and happily jumps off when lightly tickled. :-) Seriously, you can put a container under the berries and whichever ones easily fall off (with gentle encouragement) are the right ones to get. If you had to really pull them off, then they're not ready yet.
Why not put knives in the dishwasher? What is it about the dishwasher that harms knives? The only reasons I've found are: You could get cut... I personally have a greater change of getting cut by trying to wash them by hand. The blades can damage the plastic-coated metal shelves... so I put them in the silverware-hol...	Well even for knives with no wood, a dishwasher is a very hostile environment. The reason is primarily for the blades. If you have quality knives that you care for, and plan to keep for many years, then it's just not worth it. It's just too easy for a knife to be jostled around and bang into other knives or silverware ...
Adjusting cookie recipes for high altitude When baking cakes, I often find that there are instructions for high altitude, which usually is just a matter of adding some extra flour. I understand the concept of high altitudes having less atmospheric pressure, which then allows baked goods to rise more easily (too much),...	There is a fairly detailed answer to this available here. It appears that the answer depends a little on the type of cookie. If you have a cookie that has a great deal of air in it you'll have the same problem as cakes do. If you are working with a very dense cookie that can't really fall (since there isn't anywhere ...
What is braising? I have a habit of buying braising steak, when intending to stew some beef (be it to eat as a stew, or to later use as a pie filling), but I've always wondered what braising actually is?	Braising uses minimal liquid to achieve a moist, slow, cook. Stew is soup with attitude: it's much more liquid, with chunks of the star of the show floating in it.
Is canned or jarred minced garlic substantially different from fresh garlic? I am always in favor of fresh ingredients when possible. I recently discovered that minced (and crushed and chopped) garlic is available in very inexpensive jars in the produce section of the grocery store. I've always bought garlic and chopp...	Yes, it is different. Does it matter? It depends. If you're going to use garlic in a stew or anything else that would 'dissolve' the regular garlic anyway, it doesn't really matter all that much in my opinion. If you want to preserve the texture and/or create a more 'urgent' garlic flavour in short-cooked food, I'd go ...
Do I need clarified butter to make mac-n-cheese? Ok, someone mentioned Mac-n-Cheese. Which led me to a mornay sauce. Which requires a bechamel. Leading to roux. Dropping me on the doorstep of clarified butter. I haven't ever used or made it. Is there a reasonable way to make it? Can I make a huge batch and keep it ...	Clarified butter is rather simple to make. It's simply butter that has had the milk solids and water removed. It does last longer than regular butter, and can be stored for several weeks in the refrigerator. It also has a higher smoke point than regular butter, so you can use it when higher temperatures are called for ...
How much sugar should I put with the fruit in a pie or crumble? I just made a plum and apple crumble, which was delicious but I was worried it was going to be too sweet because when I was pouring the sugar in straight from the bag, it slipped and I ended up with about 50% more sugar than the recipe called for :-) In ...	All the fruit that's currently in-season is bursting with sugars already, which means I usually go a bit easier when adding sugar. When it's mid-winter though, and you get the out-of-season/glasshouse variety fruit, adding a bit more sugar usually works well.
How to halve a cake recipe? An entire cake is too much food (and temptation!) for me and my husband. Generally speaking, how do I halve a cake recipe? I have heard you can't just cut everything in half due to the way baking powder & soda react. A particular recipe I would like to cut in half is Red Velvet Cake. (I w...	I have halved cake recipes before without issue. The most complicated thing to worry about is halving an odd number of eggs, but this question addresses that. The finished product was indistinguishable from the full recipe. Edit One thing to note. In your specific case, because it's a two-layer cake, halving is simple ...
What methods are there of getting fresh local meat & produce? I often go to Whole Foods, but I feel like I'm getting ripped off there. I can walk out having spent $120 on a single bag of groceries. I try to get to a Farmer's Market occasionally, but not often enough I guess. Are there other ways to buy as close to the...	You can look for a CSA in your area, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community-supported_agriculture: CSAs consist of a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of vegetables and fruit in a vegetable box scheme, sometimes including dairy products and meat. You can use http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ to try to find on...
How do you sharpen a serrated knife? I have some quality serrated knives but over time they get dull. How do I sharpen them?	Take them to a professional. Nothing you can affordably buy in your home will work well. Personally, I don't buy quality serrated knives. I buy cheap and replace when dull. Only my normal blades are quality, and these I have sharpened yearly.
What's wrong with my technique in this Belgian Liège Waffle recipe? I've been using this awesome recipe to make Belgian Liège waffles, but my results are never consistent. Could you guys help me reverse engineer the recipe a bit? During the butter-adding phase in step 5, my dough typically balls up on the paddle very...	the amount of flour is likely the culprit. Flour is very sensitive to moisture and can change volume a surprising amount so that the two cups may not be two cups. Also make sure you are not scooping the flour out with your measuring cup, but filling it with another implement before leveling off the top with a straig...
Substituting table salt or sea salt for kosher salt? The roasted chicken recipe I'm following of course calls for kosher salt, but I don't have any, and getting some is out of the question. I have sea salt and table salt on hand. Can I substitute one of those instead, and if so, what is the proper ratio of the kosher ...	I don't know how well a substitution will work in this case, because I don't know how the salt is being used in the recipe. If you're mixing the salt into something where it will dissolve, then go ahead and substitute, using the chart that @ManiacZX linked to. If you're mixing it into cold things, and it doesn't sit f...
What to do with seized / split chocolate? My kids love making brownies, but every now and then the water gets into the bowl while they are melting the chocolate. The chocolate then seizes or splits, and you have a sodden mess. Can this chocolate be used for anything? At the moment, it just goes in the bin.	If you're not talking about very much water getting into the bowl, then these techniques should help. Remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat source. For every ounce of chocolate, add one tablespoon of one of these: warm water, melted butter, vegetable oil, hot milk/cream. Stir or whisk until smooth. Add a bit m...
Caffeine content of cold-brewed coffee: higher or lower than hot-brewed? I recently rediscovered the joys of cold-brewing coffee. (One level cup of rough-ground beans, 4-1/2 cups of cold water, steeped overnight and strained, produces a rich coffee concentrate. A shot or three of concentrate in a mug topped with hot w...	There's an article from MSNBC which quotes the Toddy company. The Toddy company makes a device for easy brewing cold brewed coffee. Apparently, in a side by side test of Toddy cold brewed with Star Buck's hot brewed, the caffeine content was ~30% less in cold brewed than in hot... I'll go with that. http://today.ms...
How does Korean chili powder differ from "US" chili powder? I've been looking at a number of kim chi recipes and they all call for 'Korean chili powder'. My visit to the local Asian grocer only yielded 'Asian' chili powder and other nondescript chili powders. Is there a particular chili powder that is Korean? Can I ...	Korean chilli is a little different as it has a slight smoky flavour, in addition to being slightly sweet and also quite hot. The actual name of the chilli use in kimchi and for that matter, most Korean dishes is gochugaru (고추가루). It comes in a variety of preparations, typically, finely ground, flakes and a paste. Yo...
Expiration Date on Milk What does the expiration date on milk cartons mean? I have different experiences with the date: There is still about a week before the expiration date but the milk has gone bad It is 1-2 days after the expiration date but the milk doesn't smell or taste bad In both case, the milk was kept ...	There is a lot of variability in how fast milk will go bad. How long the milk has been opened Pasteurized vs ultra-pasteurized Temperature the milk is kept at Thermal cycling: how long and how often is it kept above 40º Where in the fridge it is kept. The door will have more thermal cycling than a shelf, higher shelve...
How to make your own glazed cherries? Glazed/candied cherries, the sort that sits nicely on top of a sundae. I don't like the look of the packaged ones in my local supermarket, is there an easy way to create my own? Also, how to best pit these cherries without compromising their structural integrity?	Making maraschino cherries is a bit involved... basically, you brine them and then flavor them. To keep them for a long time, you'll also need to can them. Here's a great recipe for making the cherries, and here's instructions for canning. The canning instructions are specifically for cherry topping, but you would us...
How to get sprinkles to stick to the side of a cake? I need to prepare a cake, but in my previous attempts, I can't seem to get the chocolate sprinkles to stick to the sides of my cake. The cake will have a layer of icing as a base for the sprinkles, but I keep getting the cake squished or the sides lacking in toppin...	This is a little hard to do without making an epic mess. First, lay out a big piece of parchment or wax paper to catch the sprinkles that you are about to throw everywhere. Place your cake on it's platter over the parchment paper and tilt it so that you can apply sprinkles to the uppermost side. Don't tilt it so far th...
How does commercial whole grain bread stay fresh for so long? Every recipe for whole grain bread I have tried has the end result that the bread turns very hard within an hour of baking. I'd like something I could eat over the course of a couple days (breakfast toast and such). The 100% whole wheat bread from the store...	Industrial breads use 'dough conditioners' that soften the dough and make working with it easier. You can buy such mixes online, here for instance, and I've seen them for sale in natural food stores and the like. Other things that might work are adding a starch or a fat, or heat treating some of your flour in the micr...
Shredded Coconut as a Substitute for...? I had a recipe that called for unsweetened shredded coconut and the only package I could find brought a TON of it. I ended up not caring for the recipe so now I have all this extra shredded coconut. Since it is unsweetened, it isn't what most dessert recipes call for. What, if ...	My wife loves it toasted. Toast shredded coconut in a dry pan or oven and put on ice cream and other deserts. It's really tasty. Like toasting other nuts be careful as if you blink it may burn.
How to prepare shallot greens? I have a bunch of shallots with the greens (stems) on them, and I was wondering if anyone has experience with them. How are they used? Throw them in with the shallot bulbs? Use them like green onions or chives? What dishes are good with them (or require them)?	I would personally use them exactly like chives, though their flavour may be more intense.
Is there any way to remove stains (e.g. from curries and pasta sauces) from plastic containers? I like using microwaveable plastic containers to bring my lunch in as they are my lighter than the Pyrex/glass versions. However, reheating my food up creates unsightly stains.	After washing them, fill them with a mild bleach solution (one tablespoon for each cup of water) and let them out in the sun exposing the stain for a whole day. Make sure children and animals cannot reach the containers with bleach. There used to be a product called Cascade Plastic Booster that you could add to your ...
How can I remove the peel and pit of an avocado without the whole thing turning into mush? Making solid pieces out of a ripe avocado is a difficult business (for me, anyway). What is the best way to remove the peel and pit without ending up with a pile of green mush? I can sometimes remove the peel without too much di...	The California Avocado Commission recommends this (safe but wimpy - see below for a better way) three-step process: Start with a ripe avocado and cut it lengthwise around the seed. Rotate the halves to separate. Remove the seed by sliding the tip of a spoon gently underneath and lifting out. The other common seed-extr...
How do you remove garlic smells from your fingers? I've heard touching stainless steel after chopping and handling garlic helps but I haven't found it to work all that well.	The smell of garlic is due to sulfur compounds. When you rub your hands against stainless steel, the iron of the stainless steel will react with some small volume of those compounds, but much more will remain in your hands. Rubbing your hands against an iron object does not work. The sulfur smell compounds are water ...
How can you measure the caffeine content of a liquid at home? I saw a question on here about cold brew vs hot brew caffeine content and was wondering what is the easiest (or best) way to measure this at home (if possible)	If you can find Ethyl Acetate (some nail polish removers), you can probably do this.
Reusing coffee grounds Besides using it as a fertilizer, how else can I reuse my coffee grounds?	An actual culinary application for used grounds: http://www.instructables.com/id/Gourmet-mushrooms-in-an-old-coffee-cup/ Grow mushrooms in them.
How to cook/serve Confit de Canard? I was in France some time ago and bought some Confit de Canard with me back home. But how do I cook it for best result? And what do I serve with it? Also, what would be a good desert? I'm thinking of Foie Gras as entrée.	Usually it is removed from the fat, and warmed in an oven. The exact instructions will probably be on the tin, but from memory I think it was about 15 mins @ 180c, as you only really need to warm them through and remove the excess fat. We have always served it with potatoes roast in some of the fat from the tin. Usua...
Can I freeze roux? Is it possible to prepare a (large) batch of roux and then freeze it, or will the texture and flavour be destroyed in the process?	You can freeze roux and store it up to 6 months without any problems. I put them in plastic ice-tray forms until they are frozen, then move them to a refrigerator bag. Just keep following things in mind: Leave a bit of room in the container before putting it in the freezer - roux expands when freezing. Bring it to roo...
Grilled Fish Kebabs The barbecue season is in full swing, and to take a break from the red-meat heavy traditionals, I decided to try and explore the world for grilled fish. My first attempt was to briefly marinate some pangasius in olive oil, garlic and lemon juice and then stick it on a bamboo stick with thin slices ...	Try marinading chunks (about 4cm square) of haddock in a chermoula for a few hours. Make up skewers with the fish interspersed with pieces of pepper and cherry tomatoes. There are many recipes for chermoula marinade, but I think one with a fair amount of fresh coriander and smoky paprika works well.
Fondue without Gruyere cheese Can you give me some good tips how to prepare Fondue without Gruyere/Raclete cheese? What are possible substitutes, and what should I pay attention to when substituting?	It's not a true Fondue but I've done something very similar by taking a white sauce base made with 50 / 50 wine and milk. You then melt in lots and lots of cheese and you get something very nice and similar to a fondue. You can pretty much use any reasonably melting cheese you like although a strong cheddar is very nic...
Why does honey stored with the comb last longer? I recently discovered that honey stored in containers with the comb does not seem to crystallize (or certainly not as fast as when stored without). What is the mechanism that causes this? Is there a real downside to storing with the comb?	Bees add enzymes to honey that prevent crystallization. These enzymes are destroyed by many of the processing techniques, like heating, but such techniques also physically destroy the comb, so they're not used on the honey that is in the comb. This type of honey is also called raw honey sometimes. As a side note, crys...
How to do frozen yogurt I would like to do at home frozen yogurt. Do I have to use an ice cream machine, or is there a technique to prepare it without a machine? PS: I don't really like ice cream without the machine as the ice crystals are too big. I wonder if the highest density of yogurt helps.	You can do it sans machine, but you are limited to small batches, and it tends to form crystals. You have two choices, bags or freezer container. Bags tends to make less crystallized product, and is a bit faster. Bags Get a large 1 gallon ziploc bag, lots of ice, a ~2 cups salt, a small, 1 quart bag and the mix to be t...
Advice for low temperature cooking I want to try out low temperature cooking of some meat, e.g. beef I don't have a reliable oven and am looking for advice before starting. Or alternatives to ovens. I heard some people use meat in vacuum sealed plastic bags that they cook in a pot of water, (easier to measure temperat...	Buy a slow cooker. They're cheap, and it will cook your food slowly in around 6 hours. Don't overcomplicate things: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_cooker
How can I more effectively remove bones, when fileting a sardine? Sardines ("kilu") are very common out here in Tallinn, and are very commonly eaten raw (e.g. kiluvõileib). It's particularly easy (and cheap) to find whole sardines that you can filet yourself. I have tried this at home in the following steps: Cut off ...	Perhaps a little bit late, but ... There is a "correct way" to do it: Of course there is a video :)
Does fresh garlic have any specialized uses? I have some fresh garlic that I have just harvested from the allotment, and am drying out. I notice that the fresh garlic has a different texture from the shop bought stuff, and I was wondering if there are things that are more suitable for fresh garlic? Does it slow roas...	I love fresh (also called green) garlic. Some uses: For a quick, simple and delicious pasta sauce, chop a whole bulb of garlic (with peel and all) and sautee in some olive oil, rosmary and chili peppers. Add some white wine and reduce. Make a soup Clean whole bulbs from dirt, remove the external peel, wrap in tinfoil,...
How do I remove kiwifruit skin without losing a lot of the fruit's flesh? Is there a way to loosen the skin from the flesh before peeling a kiwifruit with a paring knife or peeler? I'm not a deft hand with a paring knife, and I suspect that it's time to buy a peeler with a sharper blade, but any tips on peeling techni...	I normally cut the fruit in half then use a grapefruit spoon (serrated tip) to scoop the fruit out of the flesh.
Which foods are high in umami? Which foods are high in umami ("savoriness") and how can I cook them to maximize the umami taste?	Umami comes from a very specific source: Glutamates and glutamic acid. MSG is a glutamate, so it is one of the best ways to add a bit of umami. Meat, Kombu seaweed (used to make Dashi, and hence Dashi), mushrooms, onions, cheeses, soy and other beans, most high-protein foods. Here is a quick list. Most are prepared foo...
Does kimchi go bad? I bought some kimchi a few weeks ago, ate half the jar, and then forgot about it. I found it in my fridge yesterday and tried it. It tastes the same, but there isn't a date stamped on the jar. Does it go bad or should it be fine since it's fermented/pickled?	A great resource for how long foods can be kept is Stilltasty.com. According to them, commercially bottled pickles (and kimchee would fall into this category) can be kept after opening for one year in the refrigerator.
Cheeses for pastas, off the beaten path I'm looking for some cheese recommendations to serve grated or shredded over pasta. However I'd like to get away from the obvious ones that everybody knows, such as parmesan, mozarella, ricotta, or even feta. What other delicious cheeses are there that go well with pastas?	try gruyere or gouda
Alternatives to halloumi? Are there other cheeses which have similar properties to halloumi, like the fact that it doesn't melt easily and can be grilled, fried or barbequed?	Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) doesn't really melt and is often fried. Other cottage cheeses, and I suspect cheeses made with low-fat dairy, will have high melting points. Yogurt-based cheeses (feta) don't melt much, but don't have a lot of structural integrity either. Edit: The Wikipedia article above linked to farme...
How long does cooked pasta last in the fridge? I sometimes cook more pasta than I intend to eat or use at once and store the rest in a container in the fridge (just plain, cooked pasta). How long would it store safely for?	http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/17887 is as good advice as any I'd give. In my experience, it gets some slimy mold stuff on it. If it feels slimy, its probably not good to eat, although the mold might taste delicious, you never know...
Smoking in Kettle Grill I recently smoked a pork shoulder in a weber charcoal kettle grill and I had a lot of trouble maintaining the temperature. Are there any tricks to using a mix of charcoal briquettes and wood chunks for smoking like this?	A couple of suggestions to help maintain constant heat. Time it such that you are only adding a little fuel at any one time. Adding half new fuel will cool down considerably as it has to catch, burn, etc. Adding 10% fresh at one time is much better, for example. Conversely, if you're lookin' you ain't cookin'. Open...
How to Make the perfect French Custard? I've tried numerous recipes, watched different videos, and adopted different techniques, but to this day I can't make good plain custard. Some of the issues with previous custards: Egg taste ( I realize this is probably due to me pouring hot over eggs, but I assure you it's not...	Custard should taste eggy. This is a feature, not a bug. However, from your mention of flour, I think what you're talking about is a souffle, not something like a creme brulee or along those lines. Would that be correct? Edited based on subsequent clarifications: Ah. Your method is sorely lacking, and your ingredients ...
BBQ Beef Brisket on a Propane Grill? Is it possible to make really good beef brisket, with a smoke ring and everything, on a Propane Grill? A good charcoal grill/smoker is on our list of things to get, but it's probably not going to happen this summer. Am I doomed to have mediocre brisket, or are there tricks that wil...	You can get extremely edible results, which is good enough for me. The smoke-ring may be lacking from a competition grade result, but the flavour will be fine. Presume you have a big-enough BBQ to have at least two burners. Only use the burner the meat is not on. If you have any prevailing wind and are not completel...
Can you freeze mirepoix? Can I chop up and freeze mirepoix raw, or do the vegetables have to be blanched first? Thanks!	Yes, you can freeze mirepoix, but it'll be pretty soft once defrosted, as Peter V noted. Onions and celery do not freeze well, though carrots do okay. All three vegetables, when whole, should be blanched for a few minutes before freezing. For vegetable-specific freezing instructions see the National Center for Home Foo...
What's the best method for making iced coffee? How should we make iced coffee at home? We only have a French press.	Do you like it cold-brewed? The absolute best thing to do from my perspective is to stir half a cup of grounds into a quart of water and let sit overnight; you can then filter it using your french press or a regular plastic filter the next day to get a low-acid coffee concentrate. Mix one part of this with 1-2 parts of...
How long does tahini last past expiration date? I have a jar of organic tahini which expired one year ago. It smells good and tastes ok. I don't know how it was stored, it was however always sealed (but already opened). Is it safe to eat in large ammount ?	For what it's worth, you can safely store opened sesame oil in a refrigerator for one year (stilltasty.com). Peanut butter can be kept for 3 months in the cupboard, then another 3-4 months in the refrigerator. To be safe, I'd say keep it refrigerated once it's been opened, and use it within 6 months. I've had some for ...
How to avoid ridiculously salty results when brining? Last time I brined, the ribs came out ridiculously salty. Can someone provide me with a good brining method?	Did you rinse the ribs well enough before cooking? Brined food should be rinsed several times to remove brining solids from the surface of the food before cooking.
Cutting Sushi Rolls I am new to making sushi and have gotten the hang of rolling it with the nori on the outside. The problem is when I am trying to cut it into individual pieces, I often end up mangling it to the point where it looks like it would be unpleasant to eat it. Is there a trick to getting a nice smooth c...	ok get a very sharp knife (straight blade) put the blade under water tap the blade on the counter to rid of excess water cut roll in half repeat the process on the two portions make sure that you're using a long knife, and when you're cutting, don't seesaw, rather it should be one fluid motion EDIT or do it as the co...
Why does my bread collapse in my bread machine? I have a bread machine and when I follow the recipes in the included booklet that came with the machine, the bread rises for about an hour, but the collapses back on itself and comes out rock hard and, usually, undercooked (doughy). I've tried adding flour, which helped ...	It may be because of the type of yeast being used. Quick-cooking bread machines (1 hour cycle) typically requires "instant" yeast which rises much faster. Standard-cooking bread machines (2-3 hour cycle) need regular yeast, which is active longer. It sounds like you're using instant yeast in a standard recipe; thus ...
mysterious green middle eastern plums I was on a trip to the middle east a year or so ago around mid spring. I was offered what looked like a green plum. The taste was very sour and hard (not soft like a plum). The locals called it "janarek" and for the life of me I can't find it here in North America. The closest I...	Maybe you had the Greengage plum.
I love "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". Can someone recommend similar books for other cuisines? Mastering the Art of French Cooking does a fantastic job of teaching what you need to do to cook all of the classic French recipes and why you need to do it the way that is recommended. Can anyone recommend similar bo...	French Cuisine (other than JC): Patricia Wells - Bistro Cooking, At Home in Provence Paula Wolfert - The Cooking of Southwest France (if you love ducks, that's the book for you) Elizabeth David - French Provincial Cooking I've also heard great things about Dorie Greenspan's recent Around My French Table, although revi...
How would I go about home smoking a ham joint? I love the flavour of smoked meats, such as ham, and have wondered if it would be achievable to to do some smoking in a domestic environment? Would I need to hot-smoke, or cold-smoke? what would the smallest practical amount to attempt?	Always hot smoke pork. Unless you know what you're doing. In which case you'd know that. Look at this for ideas on how to make a cheap home smoker that will work for you. In general, you need: a heat source (hot plate works well) container for wood chips/sawdust (skillet works and helps modulate and spread heat) housi...
How do you cook quinoa? How do you cook quinoa? I mean what equipment do you use (electric cooker, pressure cooker, stove top)? Do you add spices or vegetables to it while cooking it?	Quinoa naturally contains a bitter compound on the outside of the seed. Usually you have to rinse the quinoa to remove the bitterness but most commercial quinoa seems to have already been rinsed. So, I no longer rinse my quinoa. If you have time, it's nice to heat a pan and add the quinoa and toast it a little (for ...
Culinarily Flexible Pepper I'm planning next years garden, and want to know what the most culinary flexible pepper to plant would be. I plan on using peppers for canning & chili.	Growing peppers of the proper heat level I think will be the most important. If you like a lot of spice and grow Jalapeno peppers, then everything is going to taste like Jalapeno because you have to use a lot to get your desired heat level. If you have the appropriate heat level pepper, then a little goes a long way in...
How do I make soft chapattis? I have been trying to make chapattis (an Indian flat unleavened bread, somewhat like a wheat tortilla), using the following recipe for the dough: 300ml water, 250g whole wheat flour, 250g white wheat flour, pinch of salt. The dough rolls out fine, but the cooked chapattis turn out rather ...	Yogurt and milk might work, but those ingredients are not in authentic chapati. When I hear the words "hard" and "rubbery" in reference to pan-fried bread, I'm almost certain that the problem is that they are cooking for too long on too low of heat. Increase the heat on your pan (it should be very hot) and cook the ch...
Does brining a chicken/turkey before roasting really make a difference? I've tried brining a chicken (brine = 1 cup salt to 16 cups water, over 10 hours) and couldn't taste a difference.	Assuming you don't normally buy pre-brined / injected birds, you should notice a difference... As roux notes, it should be noticeably moist and tender, especially the white meat. A couple of things to try: Increase the time in the brine. 10 hours is plenty for breasts or quarters, but a whole chicken may take longer. ...
What is the purpose of basting a roast? Is the purpose to add flavor, moisture, or both? Do you really think it makes a difference?	The only thing I have ever found basting a roast does is increase the time it takes my food to cook because I keep opening the oven door. I don't buy that it helps with flavor or moisture.
Is it safe to eat an apple cooked inside poultry? My guess is that yes, you can; however, my mother always set them aside, not to be eaten. Any ideas?	They are not safe. An apple used in this manner is an aromatic, not to be eaten. I often use a combination of apple, cinnamon, rosemary and onion inside my bird. This stuff does not reach the necessary temperature to kill the little beasties that will hurt you. If it does, then you'll have one dry bird.
How do I keep meringue from "weeping"? Am I asking too much of meringue to be able to keep a key lime pie in the refrigerator for 24 hours? The meringue ends up very wet at the end of that period. I keep it covered in the fridge.	The easiest way to prevent meringue from weeping is by adding a teaspoon of cornstarch to the recipe, which will absorb the excess moisture that causes it. If you're a bit adventurous, you can also opt to sprinkle some cookie crumbs over your filling so when it weeps, the crumbs will absorb the moisture.
How do you properly clean a cutting board and knife to prevent cross contamination? I have one very nice cutting board that I like to use with my chef's knife. Because I only use this single cutting board and chef's knife, if I have a recipe that calls for cutting raw meat as well as vegetables, I have to take turns ...	Your primary defenses against cross-contamination include proper planning in the order of what you're cutting and proper cleaning between uses. In the case of your stew, simply cut the vegetables first and then cut your meat. Doing so in this order you won't need to wash the board between the vegetables and meat. If...
What is ground beef? I keep hearing about Ground Beef, but I'm from Australia and I've never actually seen it before. Is it the same thing as Minced Beef? Or different? Is Minced beef an acceptible substitute if they're not the same thing?	Here's a picture of some raw ground beef from the Wikipedia ground beef article so that you can see for yourself. Basically it is beef that has been run through a meat grinder, great for making taco meat, hamburgers, and the like.
Does searing meat lock in moisture? I just saw a claim to this end in another thread, and it is perpetuated about the internet and in many cookbooks. So: Is it true? Does making a nice crust (maillard reaction) on a roast seal in juice and yield a juicer end product?	No. As you noted, searing beef performs what's called the Maillard Process (or Reaction) which is a specific form of caramelization. Nothing is "sealed" into the meat because the meat isn't sealed by the process. It's still porous and will therefore leech moisture during cooking. You can retain moisture in cooked beef ...
Thick, moist, fluffy, flavorful pitas Are there tricks for baking thick and fluffy pita bread? The ones I make come out fine, with an even puff and nice pockets, but they are on the thin side. I would really love to be able to make thicker ones, like those common in the Middle East.	I accidentally made a thick pita by simply rolling my pitas thicker. In my experience, technique is king with pita. The temperature of the oven (I bake at 450 degrees) and making sure to roll smoothly without any punctures in the dough, then place directly on the rack make perfectly puffy pitas every time. The thick...
Convert grill recipe to broiler and/or oven I have a recipe that requires a grill. Its for pizza and specifically I am supposed to: Set the pizza on the grill and close the lid. Turn grill to medium high and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until cooked through. Turn to medium for a thicker crust pizza and cook lon...	I don't know that it's going to work with a broiler, as you'll likely brown the top too much. You might be able to get away with your oven as hot as it'll go and a pre-heated pizza stone. As for broiler temperature -- I don't think I've ever set mine to anything less than all the way up when using it. (but then again...
Proper proportion of cream of tartar to baking soda for snickerdoodles When I make snickerdoodles, they taste too "tangy" to me which I believe is due to the acidity of the tartaric acid. The recipe I have calls for a 2:1 ratio of cream of tartar to baking soda which is consistent with the proportions in How do I make...	If they're tangier than you'd like that would be due to the acidity of the cream of tartar. While most recipes for Snickerdoodles do in fact us cream of tartar and baking soda for a homemade form of baking powder (most likely due to the fact that snickerdoodles are fairly "old"-style cookie), a few I looked at are usi...
Is there any reason to scald milk? I recently found an old family cream pie recipe that called for scalding the milk. Is there any reason to do this other than to kill bacteria? If not, isn't this an unnecessary step if using pasteurized milk?	If you've found a very old recipe that calls for scalding for food safety reasons, then yes, it is probably unnecessary. However, there are places where it is called for. In particular, when making Béchamel (which is made by combining milk and roux), it is important to scald or at least warm the milk, otherwise you ca...
Why do some recipes recommend Kosher salt? Is it healthy or more tasty?	As Kosher salt goes there is also a difference in the types. Many chefs (myself included) recommend and prefer Diamond Crystal brand Kosher salt. Diamond Crystal (owned by Cargill) uses a patented process of producing salt known as the Alberger Process. In in the interest of keeping the explanation simple, essential...
What is the difference between Yoghurt and Curd They taste almost same. Are they different?	A curd is a transitional element obtained, once milk starts to coagulate, the other being a water substance called whey. These are separated and cheese can later be made from the curd, via the addition of other ingredients, such as rennet. Or in the case of cottage cheese and paneer, an acid. Yoghurt is a finished prod...
Where can I find or make Irish cream soda? I had this when I was going to college and now I miss it a lot. It is a non alcoholic drink.	In the old days of soda fountains, soda was made with two ingredients: syrup and soda water. Soda water is just carbonated water, and the syrup can now be purchased for flavoring coffee and making sno cones. You need to experiment with the proportions to get the flavor you want, but the recipe is simple.
How to prepare pie dough in bulk at home? Common knowledge dictates keeping the fats cool and the tools chilled. But when you are preparing more than 8X quantity, this poses some difficulties, or at least some stress. The ambient air, the size of home blenders and food processors--it’s all a mess. I worked out an answ...	Keep the fats as cold as possible before you start. Done right, it will more than compensate for the warmth of hands, blender/processor parts, and ambient temperature. Having somewhat chilled your choice of fats, separate them into small, 1 inch sized pieces, working with copious flour to keep them from sticking to one...
Where can you buy real liver (pref. calf's liver) in the western US? I have been looking for 14 years for calf's liver. I know that most processing plants render the organs inedible but the rise of the organic meat movement should make it possible to find. Anyone?	Have you asked the meat departments of the stores you shop in? They may not carry it simply due to lack of demand but could order it for you. Calve's liver is often sold frozen in small quart size containers due to the fact it's not a high demand item. Check your freezer section as well as the fresh meat section. Als...
How briny should the water be when soaking broccoli to remove bugs? I've seen advice to drop homegrown broccoli in a pot of salted water for a while so the bugs come out. What's the right salt:water ratio and how long should I soak?	Ah... I remember doing this growing up. Usually used a small handful of table salt in a sink full of water, and the worms would be floating on the top after about 5-10 minutes. Most of the worms. Sorry I can't give you a more precise ratio; I actually suspect soaking in water does more good than the salt - the worms d...
What is boudin made from, and how is it made? What is boudin made from, and how is it made?	I'll attempt to expand upon daniel's answer above. Boudin describes a sausage that is generally created from a blend of beef, rice, and/or pork ("What is Boudin", Cajun French Blog 2009). Sometimes other types of proteins are added to create variations: Gator, Shrimp, crawfish, etc. Boudin is widely known to be used i...
What is tasso made from and how is it made? What is tasso made from and how is it made?	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasso_ham
How do you raise your dough in cold seasons? It is winter down here in Australia and I find it challenging to find a warm spot to raise my bread dough. What I have been doing is placing the dough in the oven (not switched on) with a pot of hot water, replacing it once or twice. The oven becomes a warm and moist enviro...	A non-exhaustive list of ways to get your bread to rise when it's cold includes: Just let it rise slowly over a long period of time, which does give you good flavour but requires serious patience Put it in the airing cupboard, assuming Australian houses have such things, but in the winter the hot water tank will keep ...
Is Teflon dangerous? I've read that non-stick saucepans using Teflon are dangerous. Why do so many people still use them including all the professional chefs, and how do you personally feel about using them after reading this? We are in the predicament at the moment where we have an induction stove and a titanium Woll...	I had a quick look around pubmed, an aggregator of biological and medical literature, and found very little in the way of actual scientific evidence for teflon toxicity under 500C. In fact, teflon is still widely in use in surgery and can be left inside the body for tens of years. This does not mean that improper opera...
Tips for cooking a whole lamb in a fire pit? A while ago we tried to cook a whole lamb in a fire pit. Basically we dug a pit about 2-2.5 feet deep, lined it with rocks to try and retain the heat, made a large fire in it, and started to drink. Then when the fire had died down a bit we lined the fire with some damp st...	In the past when I've cooked in the ground I put rocks into the fire. Don't really know what sort of rocks, but I've been involved in sessions that use bricks. Point is that you needs some way to "envelope" the heat around the thing you are cooking so what we did was put the rocks into the fire to heat them up. Carefu...
How do you efficiently clean a leek? I've often found dirt deep within a leek, under several layers. Going through it all can be a very tiresome process. Is there any trick you can use to clean a leek, without cutting it up and ruining it's natural shape?	Trim the tops and discard the out leaves. Then cut from 2 or 3 inches above the root to the top, turn 180 degrees and cut again (they should look like the picture). You can then get the water down inside and get all the dirt out.
Can I use the same board for meat and vegetables? I've heard that it's not good to use the same board for vegetables and meat, not only when you are making a salad but in general. Something about the bacteria in dirt and the bacteria in the meat is a bad mix. But I'm wondering if you are making a stew of some sort, wh...	I understand the intent of the advice to always keep meat and vegetable preparation tools and areas separate is to establish a habit, to avoid the possibility of cross contamination in cases where you are not going to be cooking the vegetables as much or at all; and similarly in a catering environment to be able to vis...
How do I prepare prawns such that they are straight after boiling/steaming? I'd like to make a sushi roll or a vietnamese prawn roll but can't seem to get the prawns to straighten, which would make them much easier to roll up. They were still curled up after I cleaned them before the boil.	Wash the shrimp and remove only the head. Insert a bamboo skewer along the shrimp from head to tail, running along the legs without touching flesh Drop into boiling, salted water for 3-5 minutes (do not put a lid on); after this period, they'll change color and rise to the top. If they feel firm, they are cooked. Qui...
Reheating Spinach I have heard that one shouldn't reheat a meal with spinach in it. Is there any truth in this and what is the reason?	As others have said, reheated spinach may contain small amounts of nitrites. These are harmless to adults and children over 6 months, but dangerous for young infants. The upshot is: if you're not serving it to young infants, it should be fine.
Is there a difference between green and spring onions? I've seen some recipes call for green onions but always use spring onions? Is there a difference between them? Is there a better substitute?	It's a regional preference on what they're called. When you're buying seeds, they're also called "bunching onions", and I grew up calling them "scallions", although I think that scallion specifically don't have a bulb yet formed, while green/spring onions might. update : A little research suggests that "spring onion" i...
Is it safe to eat mouldy bread? Is it safe to eat mouldy bread, even after cutting away the moulded parts? And how can you tell if the mould is harmless or toxic?	In short, the answer is no, it is NOT safe. http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/11/food.safety/index.html It's tempting to lop off the fuzzy patch, but the mold could have spread already. "Once you're able to see mold on bread, it means there's quite a lot of mold," said Nelken, a food consultant in Woodland H...
Cup measurements: shake or scrape? When you are measuring out your flour, sugar, etc with the measuring cups, is it better to scoop and then shake the cup to get a leveled cup, or scoop and then use a knife to scrape off the excess. I have been using the first method but will it make a difference?	I suggest to measure by weight as you'll never go wrong. Otherwise, I use your second method which is to scoop then use a knifed to rid of excess flour. Flour is so fluffy and needs to be compacted (somewhat) to get a true cup, therefore measuring by weight always guarantees the same amount of flour.
Substituting butter for oil: Does it matter for baked goods? When a recipe (like for muffins) calls for vegetable oil, does it matter if I substitute the oil for butter because I want that buttery taste in the muffins? Do I need to compensate for the difference by adding/subtracting the amount of butter added?	Butter is at most 82% oil and the rest is water. So, you're going to need to add more butter for the same amount of oil. Besides, you need to adjust the liquid content accordingly since you are going to have more water than you planned. If you are going to use the same amount of oil, then it will not make any differenc...
Tips for grilling duck legs? I recently attempted to grill duck legs on my propane Webber. I was afraid of flare-ups due to the high fat content in the duck meat so I grilled with somewhat low and indirect heat. It took a long time, but I got them looking lovely and brown and not burned. The only problem was this: the...	I think grilling is probably a bad plan for duck legs; the fat content is a real danger like you said, and duck legs are tough enough you probably want to confit them or braise them. If you absolutely have to grill them, I would suggest confiting them at 200 degrees for three or four hours first (you could use veggie o...
Roti Canai cooking tips? I am in love with Roti Canai, but I recently moved to a small island. My local buddy at the farmers market sells Malaysian food, but she has been unable to make Roti Canai, so, what's the secret? Can anyone post a recipe or tips for getting it thin, nearly see-through, and crispy and soft whe...	A step by step guide from the wikipedia page: http://chefinyou.com/2009/11/roti-canai-recipe/ reproduced here in case wikipedia changes.
Are the Jacques Pépin videos worth it for a novice? I have Pépin's "Complete Techniques" book and find it interesting but a little hard to follow at times. I wonder if the DVD "The Complete Pépin" is a worthwhile addition. The reviews on Amazon are mixed, but also from the general public and not from a group of self-s...	being a chef, i would have to answer that ANY VIDEO is always a help. Technique you learn over time with repition. But all the shows (maybe Pepin, and Childs are favored a bit more)are going to show you 'their' techique. learn from it. expand from it. then make it your own.
Can I learn to cook from a book? I want to improve my cooking skills and have considered following a number of books that call themselves cookery courses (e.g. Delia's complete cookery course, Ballymaloe cookery course). Can I really learn to cook from a book or should I consider taking a cookery course?	Learning through repertoire is a good way to build standard skills in nearly every discipline. If what you want is to be able to create a variety of good meals then cooking out of books will serve you well. That isn't to say that the book you choose doesn't matter, of course it does! A book full of accurate facts and p...
Why do things smell good while cooking but have little flavour when finished While cooking, particularly things that cook slowly on the hob, it smells really good while cooking but when finished it never seems to have as much flavour as I hoped. Am I doing something wrong or does this happen to everyone?	There are two components to flavor: aroma and taste. The wonderful smells you get are the volatiles of the ingredients you have been cooking, and while they add a lot to dishes, aromas are just part of what makes food enjoyable. One also needs to worry about taste, and that may be the missing part. When I decided to ...
Making a natural gravy? We generally do a roast on the weekend and we end up with a load of really nice juices in the roasting tray. What is the best method of turning this into a nice natural gravy?	My technique: 1 tbsp Fat (from pan, or use butter) 1 tbsp Flour Pan Juice Stock (total liquid about 2 cups - omit if you have enough pan juice) Step 1: Make Roux Melt fat in medium high saute pan Whisk in flour, getting out all the lumps. (This is called a roux) Continue to heat until smooth, and the roux is j...
Is there a secret to flavouring with herbs I am a strictly amateur cook. Most of my output is OK, certainly edible, but I seem to lack the ability to impart flavour through herbs. I can throw in an inordinate amount, but still no flavour (not even an overpowering one). Yet, I have a simple recipe for a vegetable stew...	If you're adding inordinate amounts of herbs with no effect, then that sounds to me like a problem with the herbs themselves. If you're using dried herbs, they could just be too old. To me, dried basil and oregano and marjoram just never taste like much. Fresh, however, they're quite strong. Tarragon, chervil, and dil...
How to caramelise onions? Often recipes ask for caramelised onions. What are some good techniques for cooking them this way, as it seems to take a while, and often even if they are on a low heat they can brown a bit too much if they are not stirred continually.	Low and slow is the only way to go, I'm afraid. You can add some broth and simmer them down (as opposed to just cooking them in oil) but make sure you add little enough that it will all evaporate...Don't want to be pouring off flavor.
Can I freeze caramelised onions? Caramelised onions seem easier to make in large batches, so could I make a big batch then freeze them in say, ice cube trays, for later use? Or would this have a detrimental effect on them?	I would say it depends. I find once you freeze an item the flavor/texture/propeties of the item is changed (for better or for worse) the next time you goto use it. If your using caramelized onions in a soup, or stew, something where flavors blend together for a longer period of time, then yes go ahead. however if your ...
How to prepare gnocchi dough for mixed ingredients? After reading a recent post on incorporating vegetables into gnocchi (and presumably of potato/flour based pastas), I tried my own mixture of veggies and it came out great. Here is where the consternation fits in - balancing the potato/vegetable:flour ratio to comp...	You're on the right track! Start adding your flour in the bowl as you did and when you can remove it without it being too tacky then start working it on a cutting board or countertop as you continue adding more flour. Sounds like maybe you pulled it out of the bowl too soon. As for a specific ratio of flour to potato...
Should I roast meat/bones before making stock out of it? Usually when making a chicken stock I just boil up some chicken wings/legs with some veggies. The other day when cooking with my brother he added roasted lamb bones to the strained chicken stock when making a lamb jus. This got me thinking why I don't roast th...	Roasting the bones first will add a deeper flavor. The roast flavor may or may not be desired, it depends on your preferences. This is from the article I've posted below: "Roasting caramelizes them, heightening sweetness and deepening flavor. But any blackening will make meat stock bitter. 'You don't want that burned ...
How should I store a cut bell pepper? Recently I'm finding that I'm ending up using only part of a bell pepper for a meal, and so wish to store the rest for later. So how should I best store half-used bell peppers so that they stay as fresh as possible?	Put in a ziplock bag with a piece of paper towel to absorb moisture, and stick in the fridge. Also applies to lettuce.

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