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Cooking juicy beef in a pan I recently cooked beef in a pan, and it came out pretty leathery. I came to cooking.SE to find some advice, and found this: "The cut is important for both techniques. For sauteing, you need a lean cut - fillet, sirloin, or good rump steak. These should be cooked quickly over a high heat" fr...	My experience with beef is that if you want good results with cheap parts you should cut in very thin slices and cook quickly keeping pan very hot.
What is a Chutney? Chutney is foreign to my culture and the food i grew up with. Thus, the lack of sophistication and familiarity with chutney. So please forgive my misunderstanding. I often hear the buzzword on food cooking shows. I'm curious as to what are the technical requirements of a chutney. What is and what is...	chutney is an indian cuisine where it consists of spices and other condiments such as vegetables or fruits.
When making risotto, why fry the rice? When making risotto one of the first steps is to saute the rice in some oil for a few minutes (or until the rice is translucent). What is happening when the rice is fried? What effect does this have, and what would happen if this step was omitted? <Q> However, it does also break...	As I understand it, it's down to the flavour you get from frying the rice.
Why did my Turkish Delight come out flavorless? Yesterday I made Turkish Delight, and today I cut it into squares and tasted it. This was the recipe: 330 ml liquid (apple juice, from freshly cold-pressed apples, strong flavor) A small amount of ascorbic acid, to prevent apple juice from browning 330 grams of sugar ...	What you are making here is jell-o (if you use small amounts of gelatin) or gummi bears (if you use lots of gelatin). From my exeperiance with trying to make orange/lemon souflle a dozen times, heat destroys the sour (citric acid/tartaic acid) flavour of the original mix.
How do Chinese restaurants tenderize their meat? I eat at a lot of Chinese restaurants now and also while growing up. I often wondered how is it that the chicken, pork, and beef in dishes are always so tender. I can never replicate it when I cook.What do the Chinese chefs use to tenderize their meat? <Q> One technique,...	Marinate the meat with pureed fresh ginger in your marinade. If you find the meat has a spongy texture aside from being very tender, then very likely the restaurant put baking soda (Sodium bicarbonate) in the marinade.
How can I keep saffron fresh for longer? We don't use saffron that often. The last batch we got went stale. Is there anything I can do to preserve it for longer? (For example, our spice rack gets a lot of direct sunlight, is that bad?) How long can I expect it to last? <Q> There are special glass jars made to protect h...	Spices in general can be stored in the fridge or freezer for a longer shelf life - just like most other foods.
Can I mince garlic in advance? I really hate mincing garlic in tiny batches for each dish. Is there any way to mince many bulbs in advance and store them for a week or more? <Q> Mince fine a large quantity of garlic in the food processor and freeze it in ice cube trays. <S> When solid move the cubes to a freezer bag. ...	Best thing to do is just peel your cloves and store them in an air tight container so they don't dry out too much.
How would I add heat to a brine? I am interested in making roast chicken with a bit of a kick. I'm thinking about adding heat to the brine, but I'm not sure what the best way of doing that would be. How would brine work with hot peppers? <Q> You would need an oil-based marinade to pass the 'heat'. <A> I would suggest ...	Hot peppers won't work with brine, as brine is water-based and capsaicin (the pepper hotness) is not soluble in water.
Do I need hard or soft brown sugar for brownies? I found a recipe for brownies I want to try. It calls for 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar How can I recognize if they mean hard or soft brown sugar? And how much of a difference does it make for the completed brownies if I use the wrong type? Should I just adj...	As Jefromi suggested, brownie recipes call for the sugar found on the bottom of the picture you have added.
Carrot soup and avoiding the use of a blender? Most recipes for carrot soup I encounter require a final stage of blending/whizzing to get the creamy texture. Eg: recipe1 recipe2 recipe3 Can the blender/whizzer be avoided? How must the recipes be modified in that case? <Q> One way to modify the recipes (but you won'...	I have no experience with carrot soup, but if possible, try to mash it with a potato masher, before you add the liquid. I don't think you need to blend anything.
What cut of beef is "fillet of beef"? I usually cook vegetarian dishes because it's easier for me although I'm a huge carnivore. I'm taking a stab at this steak sandwich recipe which calls for "fillet of beef". What does that mean? Which cut (chuck roast, london broil, etc...) can I get? Surely Ina Garten does not me...	Typically, however, when someone says "filet", they're referring to the "filet mignon" (literally "small boneless cut of meat"), which is a cut from the front end of a beef tenderloin, a sub-primal cut that crosses the sirloin and short loin.
What is the difference between grape and cherry tomatoes? What is the flavor difference between grape and cherry tomatoes? The store had both and they looked rather similar. <Q> The difference in their name is - not surprisingly - because of their form. <S> Cherry tomatoes are round, while grape tomatoes are more oblon...	Whilst grape tomatoes generally have a sweeter flavor over their cherry counterparts.
Should I press the chicken breast against the pan when I grill it? When I'm about to grill a chicken breast, I usually cut the breast in very thin pieces. I put some oil in a square grill pan (exactly like this one ) and turn on the stove (in a very high temperature). After a few minutes, I spread the oil, turn the te...	The only method I have personally found to be reliable for grilling/pan-frying chicken breasts to a relatively uniform doneness is to pound them very, very thin with a mallet or rolling pin.
Will meat cook inside of a rice cooker? I would like to use my rice cooker to cook one of those pre-packaged jambalaya mixes, and I've had good success with using prepackaged rice packets in my rice cooker. Sometimes there is a bit of sticking on the bottom but it comes right up and is never that bad. My question is ...	I've cooked lots of meat in my President's Choice rice maker, which comes equipped with a steaming tray.
What styles of barbeque exist in American cuisine? I'm originally from the Michigan thus i don't know much about barbeque due to the lack of barbeque establishments. From my understanding (correct me if i'm wrong), there are several regional variations or styles of BBQ in the US. Each of type is defined by a BBQ techn...	Down in Texas, where the long-horn steer roam free, They love to smoke their brisket—that's a big ol' slab of beef.
In this recipe, what is a possible substitute for serrano pepper? In this recipe , I enjoy the mix of spices: serrano, cilantro, mint, cinnamon... Next time we'll cook it, we won't have serrano available. What could be a substitute for it? Ideally this substitute is not hard to get in Europe... Note the serrano's ...	The closest thing that's at all common in grocery stores in my experience is just a jalapeño.
Adding lemon to cookie recipe What is the best way to add lemon flavor to a cookie recipe? I know lemon juice is highly acidic, I don't want to throw off the PH of the dough. Is lemon extract the same way? Lemon zest? Is there a way to compensate for that? <Q> The easiest way is just use a recipe for lemon cookies. <S>...	If you really want to use a recipe for normal cookies (because you really like it), you could certainly add lemon extract to a regular batch.
What can I substitute for onions? I love onions; however, someone that I cook for does not. Absolutely hates them and can tell whenever they are in the dish. That said, so many recipes call for onion to be added. What can I use instead that would have a similar but less intense/noticeable effect? <Q> Leeks can provi...	I can't stand onions due to texture issues unless very finely chopped, but I find that shallots have similar effects on the flavor of many foods.
How to cook squid to get rid of the 'urine' flavor? What causes that flavor? My brother-in-law and his buddy caught a big squid on a fishing trip awhile ago. They fired up a camp fire and proceeded to cook the squid. Once it was done, the took a bite and to their surprise it tasted horrible. They said it had a flavor l...	When you catch the humboldt squid, cut its head off, clean and ice it immediately (on the boat).
What is the origin of spam musubi, a Hawaiian dish? I love spam musubi...basically spam sushi. It is made with some rice(some people use sushi rice)' a 1/4" slice of spam, and some teriyaki sauce...it is wrapped with a sheet of nori. This is the basic recipe. How was this first conceived? I know that the Hawaiians ar...	The garden island news paper Kauai has a story about a lady named Barbara Funimura that first made them over 30 years ago for her restaurant Joni-Hana.
Dehydrating fruit without a microwave I have a recipe that calls for dehydrating raspberries and lemon rind with the following technique: Scatter raspberries and pieces of lemon rind over a sheet of baking paper on a plate. Place in the microwave on the lowest possible setting for 40-45 minutes until dehydrated. T...	If your in the SW then sun drying might be an option.
Cooking Cheap Cuts of Beef I've been trying to find a relatively quick way to prepare eye of round "steaks" (really just slices of a roast), so that they are tender and juicy, but not falling apart. The goal is to avoid having to cook an entire roast, which takes a lot of time and results in a lot of leftovers. At fi...	First is to cook it as a steak, but do not take it past Medium Rare.
Can I use flour to make a carrot soup more thick? I made a carrot soup without the use of a blender as described in previous question link . Which was to chop the carrots and onions really small. The problem is that the result is quite watery. In the recipe for goulash, I use flour to thicken the soup, in the frying...	You should cook your veggies until they are done and then add your flour and cook just until it starts to smell nutty.
Quinoa in a Rice Cooker? I’ve recently discovered the loveliness of Quinoa, and the joy of buying it in bulk at Costco, so I’ll be making a lot of it in the near future. I’m wondering if I can use my rice cooker to make the Quinoa. Has anybody done this? Does the ‘fuzzy’ logic in the machine prevent it from doing anyt...	It's certainly possible that your rice cooker could make passable Quinoa.
How to check whether the Olive oil is fit for consumption or not? How to check whether the Olive oil is fit for consumption or not?The oil is in a bottle and doesn't have any froth. EDIT 1: The oil is about 1 and a half years old. I kept it in a capped bottle. I didn't do anything to the oil. Haven't eaten it for qui...	This is dependant on the temperature of where you are at and where you stored the olive oil(how much sunlight it's gotten).
Can I use a rice cooker with flavored rice boxes? Can I use a rice cooker to prepare something like Rice-A-Roni's Four Cheese rice ? Or what about the Uncle Ben rice boxes? If not, is there a way to get something that tastes similar without using the boxes? <Q> It is possible to use a rice cooker to prepare rice fro...	It is very possible to flavor white rice with seasoning.
Using whey from yogurt to make ricotta My girlfriend and I make a large batch of yogurt every week, and have done so for more than a year now - we just eat a ton of the stuff. THis leaves a lot of leftover whey which we used to just throw out. This past week I took my first swing at making mozzarella, and noticed that ...	The Home Cheesemaking book has a recipe for whey ricotta.
How can I tone down the heat in hot oriental mustard, without making it sweet/significantly altering flavor? I recently attempted to mix up my own hot oriental mustard using a powder, bought in the local supermarket. (S & B Oriental Hot Mustard) Following the directions on the can. I mixed with water only. I found that...	In addition, it recommends adding some flour to tone down its heat.
What can I do with a large amount of glacé cherries? I accidentally bought 1 kg of glacé cherries instead of the dried cherries which I meant to buy. Aside from fruitcake, which I hate, is there anything I can do to use these up? <Q> If you search for glacé cherries <S> you're going to get nowhere; these are much m...	If you like confectionary you could soak them in a citric acid syrup to get rid of their cloying sweetness, then soak them in some booze and finally dip them in some dark chocolate.
Some tahini tastes very salty, other tahini does not. Why? I have bought several jars of tahini from different companies lately. All labels say, that they contain 100% hulled sesame seeds with no preservatives or artifical flavours added. Some of the jars contained very salty tahini. At first, I even thought, the salt...	salty.some processers use a caustic process & most processers roast their hulled tahini.you can tell if it is roasted by a darker colour & by taste.
How do you make guava juice? I have three very productive guava trees in my yard and end up throwing away 25-50 guavas each day, as I can't go through them all fast enough. I'd like to make juice from some of this excess, but I'm not sure how to go about this. Do I do my best to peel them and then put them in the blen...	It says to chop up the guavas, put them in the blender with some extra water (the amount needed will depend on how juicy your guavas are, so don't put too much with them in the beginning), blend, put everything in a clean towel or a cheese cloth and try to press out the juice, so the pulp and the seeds stay behind.
How can I make a stable olive oil and vanilla ganache? I've just made some vanilla macaron shells that I plan to fill with an olive oil and vanilla ganache. How should I go about doing this? Should I just make it like a regular ganache or will it just split and not form an emulsion? <Q> Disclaimer: I've never tried to...	You might also need to add something that'll act as an emulsifier, like lecithin.
What is a substitute for corn syrup in boiled icing? What can I use as a substitute for corn syrup in a recipe for boiled icing? <Q> When heating sugar up in boiled icing or in making candy, the problem is sugar crystallization. <S> This happens because the solution becomes supersaturated and any movement can cause i...	Any other sugary thing that's high in fructose or glucose should work.
What are preaseasoned cast iron pans preseasoned with? I'm shopping for new pans right now and keep seeing cast iron advertized as " preseasoned ". What does this mean? What are they preseasoning it with? <Q> They're pre-seasoning with some sort of fat. <S> It varies by manufacturer, though soy is probably fairly com...	Seasoning cast iron provides a protective layer that will protect it from rusting and give the cast iron a nonstick surface.
What are common techniques for adding eggs to soup? I have seen different techniques for adding eggs to soups. They seem to be a polarizing topic - I have known people to find the sight of "raggy" soup disgusting, and I have family members who won't eat a clear soup. These are the methods I know of, but if you can ad...	I've added egg yolks to soup as an enrichment/thickening technique.
Is leaving eggs out of the fridge, prior to cooking them a direct cause as to how shell break? I have friend who went to culinary school who claims that cold eggs crack cleaner than eggs at room temperature. Do egg shells crack cleaner coming cold out of the fridge? Does warming up to room temperature for a few min...	For myself, I can only say the warmer eggs didn't give me any problem - they were a bit less brittle, which meant a tapping out a cleaner break rather than the shell shattering or chipping under the force, and a bit easier to crack (less force to get the cracking started).
What's the difference between gazpacho and normal soups? Gazpacho is (afaik) a tomato-based soup, eaten very cold. I was wondering if there is a difference between gazpacho and other soups, apart from the temperature eaten at. Could you heat gazpacho and eat it like a normal soup?Could you chill a normal tomato-based ...	The big difference is that gazpacho is not just eaten cold, it's never heated in the first place: it's basically just a puree of raw vegetables.
Never ending soup; is it actually safe? In the poor student or youth worker days it was popular to have never ending soup; a large pot on the stove that was topped up with new and leftover ingredients when available. Normally the pot was stored in the fridge overnight. Food items added were sometimes plate leftovers ...	If you're heating and re-chilling the same soup daily, it's going to spend a lot of time in the danger zone. Although, you can keep it going indefinitely because 180°F is like freezing it, I usually keep it going only about 5 days.
Why heat soup in a blender? Several times lately I have seen people recommend a particular brand of (very expensive) high powered blender. Each time one of the main selling points for them is that the blender is so powerful that you can heat pureed soup in it. Why would a person want to do this? It seems less efficie...	In terms of cleaning, you already need to clean the blender because you pureed the soup.
How long should I cook apples in the oven? How long do I need to cook fresh apples (sliced) in the oven (at 350 degrees) to get a good apple pie consistency? <Q> Various factors influence the consistency of an apple when it bakes. <S> Acidity. <S> The more acidic the apple is, the better will the apple preserve its ...	The answer is: between 15 and 45 minutes, depending on the thickness of your apples.
What actual effect does a Parmesean rind added to soup have? The answers to this question state that adding a Parmesan rind to a cooking soup will add a cheesy flavor to the soup. How much flavor does a rind really add? Does it flavor the soup to a degree that it will replace freshly grated Parmesan? Does it thi...	From what I recall, it does add some melty strands of Parmesan into the soup that can make it more cloudy.
How can I substitute for unsweetened chocolate in a frosting? I've found a recipe for cupcakes that I want to try. The ingredient list of the frosting is this: 3 ounces (90 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup (120 grams) confectioners (powdered...	Alternately, you could try using half as much dark chocolate, and using a combination of powdered sugar and cocoa powder for the other half of what the recipe calls for.
Easiest way to strain fry oil? What is the easiest way to strain fry oil? I strain fry oil so it can be reused. I've been using cheesecloth put inside a funnel. It works but it's a bit messy and a hassle. Is there a better way? Can you use a coffee filter or something like that? <Q> You can buy really large filt...	Places that do alot of frying have a machine that will filter the oil while still really hot and pump it back into the fryer. They are called "Filter Savers" They are strong, reusable, and can be purchased in most swimming pool equipment stores or online. For home use I use coffee filters, the biggest I can find, and h...
Can I include carrots in Tortilla de Patatas and can I use a casserole dish to make it taller? I want to make Tortilla de Patatas but I have extra carrots that I would like to use somewhere. Can I include them in the frying phase? And can the dish be cooked in a casserole dish in the oven to make a very tall 'omelet'? ...	If you add carrots, make sure carrots are at least a bit cooked before adding to any phase of the tortilla. In case your concern is about making a taller tortilla, you can do that in a frying pan too (no need for an oven to do that).
How to create a gummy candy cake? I want to give my gf a present for Valentine's day that consists on a board with glued gummy candy, marshmallows... all that lovely sweet stuff. When put all together it will be like a romantic painting but with glued gummy candy instead. However, I don't know what to use as a frame t...	I think you could even melt some candy and use it as glue. Maybe you should simply research gingerbread houses.
Does the choice of peppers affect the 'flavor of the heat'? Working with a variation of this chili recipe I meticulously cleaned my peppers of seeds and veins to produce a 'milder' chili. Unfortunately this batch was almost 'too mild' (heat wise, the flavor was very good). I am thinking that next time around I will l...	Use the peppers that have the flavor you want, and make it as hot as you want, and you'll be set.
How can I keep my split pea soup from becoming too thick during storage? Every time I have made split pea soup, I have to try to estimate the amounts to be finished in one meal. If I store the leftover soup (in the refrigerator or the freezer), the soup thickens to the point that it's barely liquid anymore. In Ham a...	I'm afraid there isn't a lot you can do. One tip that could help is to cover the soup as soon as possible, so that you don't loose a lot of steam (=water, which would also cause more thickening).
Handling raw poultry turns my cuticles black! Whenever I handle raw poultry (chicken, turkey, duck, etc.) my nails, cuticles, and the skin under and around my nails turns black. This happens even after I thoroughly wash my hands, and when working with thoroughly cleaned utensils. This has been happening to me for over...	Maybe you have some kind of weird bacteria growing on your skin.
Why condiments expiry date is rounded? Many condiments such as katchup, mayonnaise and mustard (where I live at least) seem to love rounding all of their expiry dates to "60 days after opened". Thing is, I never see any difference after the date, at least with mustard. It's easy to consume katchup or mayo under a coup...	If by "round" you mean 60 days as opposed to say 58 for some things, and 63 for others, it has to do with the perceived accuracy of numbers.
Why are stone ware and dutch oven items exempt from bacteria? As I am doing the dishes, I come upon my wife's stoneware "pans". These pans, I am told, do not need soap. "Just like a dutch oven". In fact, soap will ruin them. Now I did this with dutch ovens when I would go camping as a kid. I loved it because clean...	If it's unglazed, and it's really stoneware, it should be safe to wash it with soap; since stoneware is watertight, the soap will stay on the surface, and you'll be able to rinse it off, so using soap is fine.
How can you cook multiple omelets without burning them? Over the weekend, I was making omelets for 5 people in a single frying pan. The first few came out fine, but by the time I got to the fifth one...well, I'm glad that one was mine. The pan had gotten so hot that the eggs burned almost immediately, and while it was ...	If it seems really hot when you add the egg, you can cook it for a second with just the radiant heat of the pan before returning to the burner. It's a very simple solution: lower the heat.
What is the best way to melt chocolate? Sometimes when I melt chocolate in a double boiler it will turn grainy, and melting in a microwave often burns it. What is the best way to melt chocolate to get good, smooth results? <Q> It depends on what you're doing with the chocolate. <S> If temperature isn't that critical ...	Melting chocolate in the microwave oven is faster and requires less dishes, but you have the risk of burning.
How to make homemade ice cream with a chocolate swirl My favorite ice cream flavor has swirls of gooey chocolate running through vanilla ice cream. What do I have to do to reproduce this effect with homemade ice cream? I tried adding chocolate sauce near the end of churning but it was too thoroughly churned in. I hav...	I'm thinking about loading up the injector with something like a hot fudge sauce and randomly putting swirls into the semi-soft ice cream, right after it has finished churning.
Does the type of sugar make a difference when making chocolate? I was checking some sites on how to make chocolate myself.I should start with mixing cocoa butter, cocoa powder and sugar (and milk powder if I would make milk chocolate). Most sites mention "sugar". I'm assuming those are talking about granulated sugar. I...	You can't add more sugar than the chocolate/butter mixture will absorb.
What is the difference between white and pink ginger? Some sushi places serve white ginger flakes with their food, while others serve pink colored ginger. There doesn't seem to be any detectable taste difference that I've found. So, what is the difference between the two other than just color, and, why serve one over t...	The color in white sushi ginger comes from the pickling process and the red/pink color in ink sushi ginger comes from an artificial dye (usually E124 -cochineal red- or in other brands beet extract).
How to prevent "sweating" chocolate covered strawberries? Last year for Valentines day, I decided I was going to be romantic and make some chocolate covered strawberries for someone special. I melted and tempered some milk chocolate. Then dipped the washed and thoroughly dried strawberries into the chocolate and put th...	Common Belgian wisdom: if you want to prevent chocolate from "sweating", you need to store it at around 15-19 °C, and certainly never ever store it in a fridge...
Why put a stone in the soup? I was surprised by the added stone in the soup of this question : "Also, for irony, a large (cleaned) stone is always left in the pot" What would be the reason for this? For the minerals in the stone? As far as I know, minerals do not infuse water directly out of a stone. <Q> There's an...	The version of the story that many Americans know comes from the book Stone Soup , in which three weary soldiers enter a village and convince the suspicious villagers to share their supplies by showing them how to make soup from stones.
Why do chocolate chips stay softer after being baked? I could be wrong, but I have the feeling that after baking chocolate chip cookies, the chocolate chips are still melted; or at least a lot softer than before you bake the cookies. It's logical that the chips melt, when they are in the oven, and even half an hour la...	Chocolate chips are not usually normal chocolate, they have low level of cocoa butter, and have other fats and additives to ensure they hold their shape while being baked.
Is there a way to keep chocolate chips from melting in chocolate-chip waffles? My memory might be playing tricks on me, but I swear I've had chocolate chip waffles (or maybe pancakes) where the chocolate chips were still somewhat hard - in other words, not completely melted. Every time I try, even if waiting for the ...	Although I can't fathom why you would want unmelted chocolate chips in your waffle or pancakes, some things you can try is: Using darker chocolate.
What savory flavors would pair well with chocolate pasta? I want to experiment with making savory homemade pasta with cocoa powder. I think the earthy flavor and dark color will be striking. I have been thinking about what kinds of flavors could be used for the sauce. I considered how to get chili powder in there as ...	I've made a chocolate freeform lasagna with roasted butternut squash, ricotta cheese and a sage & brown butter sauce that was to die for.
Why do you need to refrigerate bread dough overnight? I'm making a no-knead bread (actually my very first time making bread!) and right after mixing the dry ingredients with water, it's supposed to sit for a couple hours to rise and then be placed in the refrigerator for some long period of time. Well wouldn't you know...	I think being in the fridge slows the yeast action down and the gluten continues to develop and that is what makes your bread soft and chewy and not crumbly.
Can I freeze soup in a pot? Can I freeze soup in a pot (I believe it's made of stainless steel)? Are there any health risks? Is there any risk of damage to the pot? <Q> Also other products in freezer bags may even freeze to it <S> In general it's easier not to use metal containers in the freezer, unless enamelled or ...	The pot should be fine, but there is always a risk with metal in a freezer in that bare skin contact may freeze to it. There are no health safety risks with storing food in a stainless steel, or most other cooking pot metals for that mater
What cattle do we get our "beef" from in the US? What type of cattle (i.e. cow) do we usually get our "beef" from? There are different variations of cows - e.g. longhorn, bull, buffalo and more - but when I buy "beef" in the market I am never told what kind of cattle the meat is originated from - just say it's beef. T...	Most countries offer beef from all their cow varieties.
Can I ferment black garlic intermittently? Following this black garlic tutorial and in reference to this SA question , I would like to try making myself black garlic, and to try fermenting the garlic to different time to test out difference in flavor The tutorial suggest that garlic has to be fermented for 40 days...	The "fermentation" of black garlic is a misnomer, as the process has nothing to do with bacteria or yeast.
Will microwaving lemons make them easier or more efficient to juice? I've heard many people say that microwaving lemons before juicing them causes them to release more juice. I'm skeptical, although not enough so to ask this on Skeptics. I cannot think of any physical reason why this should be so, and I don't believe ...	Based on this evidence, I personally would say that microwaving a lemon actually could help with juicing, the effect will be most noticeable when you're juicing a lot of lemons without a juicer.
Cocoa nibs used for cooking or baking? From my understanding, a cocoa nib is unprocessed cocoa (correct me if i'm wrong please). Are cocoa nibs ever used for cooking or baking? My assumption is that they need to be processed in order to be utilized. <Q> Cocoa nibs are the result of fermenting the seeds from the cocoa...	Yes, cocoa nibs are simply cocoa beans that have been roasted and hulled to the point where they would be made into actual chocolate, (adding cocoa butter and sugar).
Difference in caffeine levels between light and bold coffee? Over the last few years I had come to believe that the roasting process for bold coffees removed caffeine from the beans resulting in a lower caffeine content than compared to a light roasted coffee. I got this idea from Good Eats with Alton brown. Here's th...	If you buy a cup and the restaurant measures by volume (common when coffee is fresh ground and measured on the fly) then light roast will be slightly higher in caffeine simply because you will have more coffee grounds.
Can I use a tagine on a glass cooktop, and do I need a heat diffuser? I somehow ended up acquiring not one but two tagines recently. Unfortunately, I have neither a gas nor charcoal stove (the ideal cooking surfaces for tagines, AIUI), only a smooth glass cooktop. I've already tried using the W-S tagine, with a h...	The need for a diffuser when used in conjunction with any electric cook top seems pretty universal across all tangine material types while browsing other manufacturers sites.
Does natural {peanut, cashew, almond} butter require refrigeration? I have purchased a few different types of natural peanut butter and all have stated that refrigeration is required after opening. However, I recently purchased Archer's Farms Almond, Peanut & Cashew Butter from Target which doesn't say anything about r...	I don't think I've ever seen peanut butter grow mold, natural or commercial, refrigerated or not.
What are those cakes called which don't have an icing on them? I have eaten some home made cakes which never had any icings, they still tasted brilliant. What are those cakes called which don't need an icing on them? I heard they are called "Sponge cakes". Is that correct? <Q> Sponge cake is a name for a cake made fro...	In English, all cakes are called just cake , no matter if iced or not.
Meat and fruit dessert I'm having an event where one of the rules is that every dish has to contain both fruit and meat. I've spent the last half hour pondering as to what should I prepare as dessert. Question: What makes us consider a food "appropriate" as a dessert? ( Subquestions: Has anyone studied it methodi...	Make the meat sweet and the fruit savory.
Why doesn't my conventional-oven Naan bread taste authentic? I recently tried this recipe for Naan bread in an oven, and followed it diligently, but the product that came out did not have that characteristic flavor of Naan. It was more like a pizza bread without topping. Also, it was a bit puffier than the Naan they ...	The flavor you want is from the high heat of the clay oven (around 900F, much like a wood-fired pizza oven).
Make microwave popcorn in the oven Have anyone tried making microwave popcorn in a oven? What temperature is preferred? For about how long does it have to be in? I know I could just rip the bag and pop it a pot but if it's possible to do it in a oven I would try. <Q> I'll come out and say "no, you can't make microwave...	I put the microwave popcorn bag in the oven, baked on about 400 degrees, long enough for the oil to melt.
What is the thickening power of different types of roux? I often take the easy way out and work with white roux, usually mixing it 1:10 for a sauce, and using the warm liquid into hot roux method. Tonight I needed a more toasted taste. I was afraid to try dark roux outright, and went for brown roux. "The professional c...	A dark brown roux has very little thickening power, mostly they are used for flavor more than actual work-a-day thickening.
Which wines have a strong, bitter flavor? I experimented with adding wine and dark chocolate to a sauce. The result was generally OK, but the wine was not strong enough in comparison to the chocolate, I would have liked more of its taste to come through. I knew that I will need a strong, assertive flavor for this com...	This 'SaSyr' presents an excellent complement to chocolate as a pairing or a blend. A very good choice would be the Amarone
How can I repair a pasta maker that was washed with water and has started to rust? My girlfriend has a pasta maker, pictured. Alas, it was accidentally cleaned with water, which is explictly forbidden (!!!) by the directions, which state: After using, clean with dry cloth or brush. Occasionally apply a few drops of...	If you can disassemble it it would be better, in any case you have penty of methods to remove rust. I'd start by making up a batch of sacrificial pasta that you can run through the roller and the cutters. If you can locate the manufacturer, that's your best bet for getting proper parts. You might even be able to send t...
What is the correct temperature when extracting saffron flavour? I have several recipes that call for saffron. Obviously, they all say to put the saffron in some water to extract the flavour so it spreads more evenly in the dish. However, there is no mention of the temperature of the water. Should this be boiling wate...	If the water is hot enough to make a cup of tea or coffee, it's fine.
How to make mayonnaise with a cooked yolk? I have heard of mayonnaise made with cooked yolks before, but was suspicious of it. Now a user posted another question with a link to a recipe which shows the making steps. It shows the making a mayonnaise with a hard boiled yolk, emulsifying 150 ml of oil with a single yo...	I've heard of making mayo with cooked egg yolks.
What role does a stoneware bowl play in the baking of Artisan bread? I'm looking into baking sourdough bread; I've read that I must have a stoneware or earthenware baking bowl in order to make it come out with a nice crust. Is this strictly true? Or can I substitute something else, say, baking it directly on my pizza...	It is correct though that steam is key to great crust!
What is silken tofu compared to regular tofu and how do you use it? Because of the contest, I read up about tofu. It's something I'm not familiar with at all, I've only eaten it twice. I came across the term 'silken tofu'. I only know this by name. I've found that silken tofu is in short tofu that's not well pressed. ...	Silken tofu is the not so secret ingredient that makes vegan chocolate cream pie possible - just melt chocolate chips (don't overmelt them) and mix in silken tofu
Remediation Methods for Rice Contaminated with Broken Glass A picture is worth a thousand words... I dropped a glass jar filled with rice. I've picked up the macro-sized pieces of glass, but am wondering if there is any way on earth to make the rice safe to eat, given that I am sure it contains small fragments and sh...	Purely academic (because I wouldn't even use the rice for blind baking) but just dissolve salt into the water until the rice starts to float.
How to make a cake less dense So I've just recently started baking and I've tried a bunch of cakes using the basic combination of the following ingredients: 225g unsalted butter , softened 225g caster sugar 4 eggs 225g self-raising flour They're coming out ok but are not really "light and airy", a bit too "den...	Consider using cake flour (which may make for a softer crumb, too) and adding your own baking powder. For a real "pro" taste, also throw in some lecithine, it makes the mouthfeel softer and smoother - but if you don't feel like hunting around for lecithine, don't bother
How to decide the baking temperature when recipe doesn't mention it? On what factors does the temperature setting depend? Of course if I have to bake a stone, I would need to set the temperature at 900C perhaps :rolleyes: ;), but in normal cakes where you have a banana or an orange as an extra ingredient, how do you d...	Any baking recipe should specify the temperature and cooking time, unless perhaps it's from a book that specifies those things for a number of recipes at once.
Why did butternut squash make my fingers dry and yellow? Last weekend I made butternut squash soup. In an experiment to get more of the squash browned I peeled two medium squash and cut them into 2 inch chunks, rather than just halving it, before roasting in the oven. (Result of the experiment was OK, but the extra exp...	I'm not sure exactly what component of the squash it is that causes it, but I don't think it's carotene or potassium.
When making french press coffee, what is the purpose of blooming the grounds? When making french press coffee, you are often instructed to "bloom" the grounds by adding a small quantity of boiling water, stirring the grounds into a slurry, and then adding the rest of the water. What I don't understand is... Why? For ...	If not stirred into the coffee this 'bloom' will cause the grounds to be partially extracted.
How to fry meat without spattering oil? Possible Duplicate: Is there any way to avoid grease splatter? Tonight I cooked dinner, which involved sausages for me, and chicken drumsticks for my partner. The sausages went great, then I proceeded to add some more oil and start the chicken. This is where my pain started...	Another way of preventing spattering is by coating the chicken in batter or flour.
Blow torching meat after sous vide - add fat or not? After I pull the meat out of the sous vide and then use a blow torch to sear it, should I use a fat on it or not? Will that get a better crust on it? <Q> I have not noticed any real difference from using a fat, so I skip it. <S> What does make a difference is thorou...	I haven't noticed any real difference with or without oil or fat to be honest.
What am I doing wrong with my pressure cooker? Every time I try to cook beef in my pressure cooker it gets dry and inedible. Today I tried with 2 x 450 g (2 x 1 lb) beef, with .5 l (2 cups) water and 25 minutes. The result was very dry and there were .7 l (3 cups) liquid. What I was hoping for was the meat would be ...	Corned beef (whole piece cured with salt and nitrate) works in a pressure cooker. If your want moist and fall apart texture you need a slow cooker, or covered in a slow (low temperature)
Why does meat in the crockpot always end up dry? Just cooked some chicken breasts today. All day in the crockpot and when done the meat was horribly dry. I put chopped onions, carrots, spices, and coconut milk and 1/2 cup water and 4 chicken breasts. There was plenty of fluid there when it was done, but the cooked ch...	The meat must be fatty, tough, to do better in a crockpot.
Fixing a Brownie Brick I have a fudge brownie recipe that I followed pretty much to the letter. I think when I baked it, it was too thin; it came out hard, like a brick, and it's pretty much inedible. I'm also afraid someone left it outside / in the fridge exposed, and it dried up more. Is there anything I can do to s...	Perhaps putting some syrup on top could help too.
flexible food grade plastics that won't melt at 105 C I'm in need of a food-safe gasketing material for a maple sap-boiling setup. It needs to be squishy like vinyl tubing but I want to make sure it won't melt or decompose or react with steam. Any suggestions? <Q> Most food-grade gaskets for boiling+ temps and steam a...	There are official "food grade" gaskets, but unless you are making product for commercial sale then you don't need products that have been FDA approved - just wash the gasket before installing to remove the packing lubricant.
Where can I buy Glico Curry online in the United States? My wife and I brought back a box of Glico Medium Curry that we purchased on our trip to Canada this past year. I think we bought it at the Daiso store in Vancouver. After trying it for the first time just recently, we both fell in love with it and now can't ima...	I know I've seen it in some asian grocery stores, but none of the online groceries that I could find seem to list it, even the venerable H-Mart .
Can cheese be sculpted? Could anyone offer some tips on how to sculpt or mold a large piece of cheddar into a knight of the realm. I have tried on a smaller piece but the cheese tends to crumple and doesn't seem sculpt in the way I expect. <Q> Firm cheeses like cheddar can make excellent material for sculpting , which...	In my experience it's possible to carve cheddar, but you need a sharp knife and you need to keep the cheese cold.
Is it possible to make low-alcohol Limoncello? Lemons are currently in season and dirt cheap. I'd like to make a homemade Limoncello. The recipe I'm using calls for odorless, high-ABV (150+ proof) spirit, like Everclear. Unfortunately, my state doesn't allow the sale of high ABV spirits. Can I use a lower ABV, like v...	Yes, you can use a lower-proof alcohol to make limoncello.
What kind of flour keeps bread dough from sticking in a proofing basket? When proofing down in a bread basket (not just a smooth bowl), what kind of flour keeps the dough from actually sticking? Is there a technique that works? Normal wheat flour seems to be to readily absorbed and then its a nightmare to get unstuck...	It seems using enough of the flour used to prepare the dough will do.
How to get uniform slices from bread? We make bread for sandwiches a few times a week, but slicing them is always a pain. The pieces just don't come out uniform. I end up with angled pieces as the knife doesn't end up going straight down. Is there a trick to getting uniform pieces from a loaf? <Q> Try using a bow s...	A variety of bread slicers are available - it's just a box that you put the bread in, where the sides have pre-cut slots that guide your knife
What should I cover bread dough with while it's rising? If you let (bread) dough rise, the recipe always asks to cover it. Years ago, I read to cover it with a wet towel. Nowadays, I see more and more recipes that ask for plastic wrap (aka saran or cling wrap). The towel lets air through, the wrap does not. What is th...	A good alternative to either a towel (which you have to wash and is prone to sticking) or plastic wrap (which ain't cheap or good for the environment) is a clear plastic shower cap. I've been letting my pizza dough rise in reusable plastic containers with plastic lids (I coat the bottom and sides of the containers with...
Why didn't my 100% whole wheat bread proof? After enjoying many of the recipes out of The Bread Baker's Apprentice I moved on to Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads to learn about how to make hearth-style 100% whole grain bread. Unfortunately my first loaf reminded me of the total flops I used to make before readi...	2- The gluten that is there tends to get cut up by sharp wheat fragments.
How should I incorporate oil into focaccia? Last weekend, I tried making focaccia for the first time. I tried two recipes at once, the one from The Bread Baker's Apprentice and a traditional Genovese focaccia recipe modified for quick-rise (I got this one from a FOAF). For both, I tried to massage the olive oil (in...	In the real "focaccia genovese" oil is mixed in the dough and added on top of the focaccia.
What is the practical way to peel off zest of an orange? Peeling the zest doesn't seem like peeling a full peel of an Orange. Any special kind of knieves to be used? Any special method? What precautions need to be taken care off? What is the practical way to peel off zest of an orange? <Q> The ideal tool depends on w...	If you want something nice and fine, which will release as much flavor as possible, avoid getting any of the pith, and not add distracting texture to a dish, use a fine rasp grater (sometimes known by the brand name microplane):

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