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What can I do to keep high hydration dough from sticking to my hands? Whenever I try to knead (by hand) or move after kneading, a high hydration dough like ciabatta, it sticks to my hands terribly and often seems ruin any shaping I try. I've tried flour on my hands, but it comes off so quick - what can I do to keep it...	At the end, put a little flour on your hands and rub them together; the little dough stuck to your hands is dried out by the extra flour and crumbles off your hands into your dough, so you don't lose any dough.
Replacing cream and butter in a carrot casserole/pie Casserole from pureed carrot (it may be a "pie" rather than a "casserole" though - my footing in Anglo cooking terms isn't very strong, feel free to edit) is a traditional Finnish recipe. Essentially, it consists of cooked and pureed carrots, cream, butter, eggs, ...	The substitute for butter is the well-known margarine.
How can I prevent dough from wrapping around a dough hook? I have a 5.5qt KitchenAid stand mixer with the burnished spiral ("pigtail") dough hook. This is not the C-hook. When I make a small amount (for example, using 250g of flour or approximately 2 cups) of standard-hydration dough, instead of kneading, the dough w...	If the dough still does not let go of the hook, I turn the speed up for a couple of seconds.
How to poach an egg without vinegar? What is the best way to poach an egg without vinegar? Is there a quick and easy alternative? <Q> Heston Blumenthal has brought his unique scientific approach to bear on this recently. <S> The main pointers for a perfect poached egg are as follows: <S> The egg must be fresh . <...	Just simmer water, and poach the egg.
Why baste bread with cornstarch? In this sourdough recipe , it suggests basting the bread with a cornstarch slurry. I would assume this is meant to promote crust development, but how does that work? I usually see such a slurry used to thicken liquids. Other recipes that use this method: Yankee Harvest sourdough "...	My understanding from a chemical point of view is that the cornstarch heats, and on a molecular level breaks into a gel like substance on the surface of the bread due to the contact with the hot steam, and that gel like substance solidifies in/on the surface of the bread, making the crust, well, crusty.
Why does my bread keep 'blowing out'? Instead of swelling as a whole loaf, my loaf will often expand in the oven off to the side or the bottom - looking 'blown out', a big tear. This results in a loaf that leans to one side, doesn't rise well, or generally doesn't look good. Why is this happening and what can I do ...	If you are folding the dough to form your boule or batard you need to ensure that the seam is pinched together and then flipped to be on the bottom of the loaf otherwise you may get a side blowout.
Why should we not store onions and potatoes together? I have heard that onions and potatoes shouldn't be stored together. Why will this make the potatoes spoil faster? <Q> As you can see at the Chapter 7: Storage of horticultural crops of the book <S> PDF: <S> Small-Scale Postharvest Handling Practices: A Manual ...	When stored together, onions release gases that will cause the potatoes to spoil faster and become mushy, if you will.
What is the name (in Chinese) of the utensil that is used to prick lots of tiny holes in pork skin to make it very crispy? I have seen people mentioning this and I've heard it's available in Chinatown in NY or in Hong Kong but I can't find it listed anywhere for sale online. I think this is because I don't know the te...	I've also seen it referred to as a "Pork Skin Pricking tool". :-)
Why does bread with filling separate and how do I prevent it? Sometimes when I make sausage kolaches or cinnamon rolls the bread layers pull away from the sausage or the filling and leave an open space inside. The separation is cosmetically unattractive, and can make the product more difficult to eat because it tends t...	Additionally, if the filling is wet, allow a slightly longer proof to hydrate the dough next to the filling. Keep the bottom as moist as you can and try spritzing with a little water as you roll.
Does tiramisu firm up in the fridge? I am making my first tiramisu, using this recipe from Gourmet (with high ratings on Epicurious). My mascarpone mixture looks terribly soft to me. As per recipe, I foamed 4 yolks with 80 ml sherry (I had no Marsala) and 95 g sugar at 55°C. The yolks were from recently bought M-si...	I doubt it is going to firm much in the fridge, hopefully it is stable enough to not further liquify.
How can I speed up banana ripening? I need to make banana bread tomorrow, and the bananas I recently purchased with this in mind to not appear to be ripening fast enough. Is there anyway to speed the ripening without spoiling the bananas altogether? (I have looked at this answer and it refers to how the fridge will ...	Expose the banana to fumes (by burning some dry biodegradable material, like dry leaf, dry stem or such things) and cover the exposed banana tightly.
What to do with crumbled muffins? I made some muffins that apparently didn't have enough liquid to stick together (perhaps substituting Greek yogurt for sour cream was not such a good idea, as that, butter, and an egg contributed the only liquid). So the muffins crumbled completely on leaving the greased tin. Are the...	I would use the crumbs to make a trifle dessert.
What to add to the batter of the cake to avoid hardening when the gluten formation can't be avoided? So, over mixing batter forms gluten, which in turn hardens the cake. Fine. The problem is that I don't want lumps in the cakes, and the above statement prevents me from fine mixing the batter. So, is there something wh...	Using a lower-protein flour will also help.
What are examples of spoiled food that is part of a culture's cuisine? Today my brother-in-law told me that he's going to Iceland for vacation. He also told me that one of the delicacies in Iceland is aged/rotten Greenland Shark. This then brought up a curious question for me and I think this forum is the perfect plac...	A few that come to mind that are less commonly considered and fairly interesting to me: Bonito - Fish are dried, smoked and inoculated with mold ( Aspergillus glaucus ).
How do I keep the paddle of a bread machine from damaging the bread upon removal? I love my bread machine. However when the bread is done baking, removing it from the machine breaks the bread where the paddle is. I know the paddle is embedded in the bread and it will break the bread a little. I am looking for ideas on ...	I used to remove the paddle before the second rising to avoid breaking the bread.
What is the difference between risotto rice and paella rice? My local supermarket stocks arborio and carnaroli rices for making risotto, and also stocks "paella rice". I have, in the past, used them interchangeably in both risottos and paellas. Wikipedia handily summarises the difference between carnaroli and arborio...	Paella rice holds onto its starch more, so generally is a bit more al dente - the protein core remains firm and the grains themselves remain relatively separate when compared to risotto.
What's the difference in baking bread in a loaf pan vs. in a Dutch oven? When I bake bread, I always use my loaf pan. Recently, I've seen some people who bake bread in a Dutch oven (or something similar). Why is this? What are the differences between the two? <Q> There's two important distinctions: <S> The dutch ove...	In addition to rfusca's quality points, the dutch oven is very helpful for eliminating hot spots in the oven, leading to a more even rise across the loaf.
How much "alternative" flour can I substitute for white wheat flour? Most of the bread and bagel recipes I use (such as no-knead bread ) call for only white wheat flour. I'd like to integrate other flours (such as whole wheat, flaxseed, and buckwheat) into the recipes. How much of the white flour can I replace? 50%...	Quinoa flour at 10% won't give you any trouble either. I've found in most bread recipes, you can replace up to 1/4 of the flour with another flour without problematic effects on the dough.
Can oil be replaced with yoghurt in a cake recipe? A cake recipe is asking for "one cup" oil!! I don't want to eat so much "oil", can I replace it with yoghurt or something else? <Q> Short answer - not really. <S> Fat is an essential component in any cake, and milk just isn't very fatty - about 5% for whole milk. <S> ...	A popular alternative these days is to substitute all but a couple of tablespoons of the oil with apple sauce (really), but this can be hit and miss and doesn't work with all recipes - it usually works best with things like quick breads (scones etc).
What are the hallmarks of a traditional alfredo sauce? There are many recipes for alfredo sauce, using ingredients from pesto and soy milk to low-fat milk and cream cheese . What is the gold standard for alfredo? What properties indicate a traditional Italian-style alfredo sauce? What type of pasta is it tr...	The pasta for Alfredo is egg fettuccine.
What is the best rice for sushi? I love making sushi at home - it is a satisfying and delicious experience that is very quick and easy (and I can use whatever food is leftover in the house). However, I'm limited by the type of rice I have been using, and most of the sources I've found are confusing about details and b...	According to Seductions of Rice (which also has the best written instructions for making sushi rice I've seen), any Japanese-style rice will work fine for sushi rice.
What is the benefit of using a Mezzaluna Knife over a traditional knife These seem popular in many modern knife sets, and I have seen them used (somewhat clumsily) in Europe. I have briefly tried some before, but couldn't see the benefit of it. But then again no one seemed to know how to use it correctly Does anyone ...	The most common items chopped in many cuisines, onion and garlic, would require rough chopping first with a traditional knife, making it hardly worth it.
Tips for Creating a Creamy and Smooth Sorbet Recently I purchased and ice cream maker and have been making lots of sorbets with our surplus frozen fruit. Often I will follow a recipe however sometimes not: sometimes the sorbets are icy after just a few hours (even recipes) and sometimes incredibly smooth and creamy (ev...	Check the ingredients to be sure it contains Pectin.
Preparing Salsa Verde fast and fresh I want to make batches of Salsa Verde* fast and fresh, 8 to 12 serves at a time It normally requires a large amount of knife work to get everything finely chopped and crushed. How can I speed up this process? The liquid part can be pre-measured and mixed, the egg yolk only takes a...	Use a big sharp knife, on a big cutting surface.
How is white pizza sauce made? As far as I know, the only difference between white pizza and red pizza is the sauce. I know that the white sauce is dairy-based, but what is it exactly? What are the main ingredients, is it thickened somehow? Is there something special to pay attention to when making white sauce? How t...	Make a roux of butter and flour add milk and stir to make a smooth sauce add ingredients for flavour, such as white ground pepper, herbs, and/or cheese I'm a pizzeria owner from New York, and in my experience and this area, white pizza is traditionally one that is topped with mozzarella with dollops of ricotta.
What is the best way to catch wild yeast for sourdough? What is the best way to catch yeast? I just heard you can do this and I had no idea that you can do this. Do you grow and catch or just catch? This is to make sour dough bread. <Q> There are two schools of thought as to where wild yeast comes from for a sourdough ...	You can maximise your chances of having plenty of yeast in your flour by buying organic, as there will have been no chemical treatments which might destroy the yeasts, but any decent flour should have more than enough yeast naturally present to make a starter with.
Where can I source Mexican chilies in the UK? I've traveled to Mexico and the US and seen different chilies available there, but at home in the UK (or even worse, in my fiancée's home of Finland) I find it very hard to find Ancho, Poblano and Chipotle chilies. Oaxaca Restaurants lists a lot of interesting-sounding ch...	If you want traditional Mexican chillies then I recommend getting them from mexika.co.uk
What dishes don't stain with heavy spices? In most Indian cooking, there is a relatively high chance of staining the dinnerware (plates, serving bowls) due to the high turmeric content. Dinnerware made of metal don't stain, but the heavy spices do most other materials in after a few uses. What kind of dinnerware could...	If you can't find enamelware that's attractive enough for your taste, tempered glass dishes, as Wayfaring Stranger suggests, are certainly a fairly durable option, another would be heavy plain white porcelain dishes, which I've found to be significantly more durable than typical stoneware dishes.
Why does my butter icing melt so quickly? I've been making cupcakes for a while now and I use butter icing. They come out pretty and taste nice, but they melt so quickly. Sometimes it's impossible to pipe, because the icing goes so sloppy. When I go to parties and see other cupcakes, they stay on the table all day and ...	I usually add vegetable shortening to my frosting recipe so that it doesn't melt easily.
What type of yogurt is most similar to the yogurt used in authentic Middle-Eastern cuisine? While looking at different recipes to make "yogurt sauce" commonly found in Middle Eastern cuisine, I noticed a descrepancy between the type of yogurt the recipe calls for. Some recipe calls for plain low fat yogurt, others call...	Greek yogurt is simply strained yogurt.
How do I ensure that pita forms a nice big, even pocket when baking? I have the opposite problem as Amir's question about thick, fluffy pitas . Whenever I make pita, it's nice and thick and fluffy, but the pocket is small or nonexistent. I would like to use my pita for sandwiches, so the pocket part is important. Nor...	Ideally make your doughs for this kind of bread slightly wetter than you think and then check it after its been mixed for 30 minutes or so. You need an oven that produces higher temperature than regular ovens such as the portable ones they use in the Arab world. It will also depend on how much it dries after its been r...
Difference between parsley and coriander(cilantro)? A lot of falafel recipe calls for both chopped coriander/cilantro and parsley. Online images look the same to me. Is there a difference between the two? Would omission of one drastically change the flavor? <Q> Coriander leaf/cilantro looks VERY similar to flat leaf pa...	Cilantro has flatter leaves and stronger flavor and aroma while Parsley don't. Coriander is deep, earthy, and almost soapy - good with hot and oily food.
How is the lamb meat made in lamb gyros? I've been to several Middle Eastern inspired restaurants around where I live and in most of these restaurants, the customers are able to see into the kitchen as they prep our food. In the middle of the kitchen I normally see something like this: I asked the waitress what they...	Typically the meat is very finely ground and pressed, usually comprising of very little lamb.
Is there a way to make falafel without deep frying? I see in this video how the falafel balls are fully submerged in oil. Are there other ways (e.g. baking) to prepare the falafel balls after the balls are formed? Note: I do not ask for recipes. <Q> They do turn out a bit drier than if you deep-fried them, but not ...	Alternately, you can pan-fry them, as other answers have suggested. Growing up, my mother always used to bake them.
How can I sharpen my peeler? Is it possible to sharpen a peeler? And if it is, how should I do it? Are there any things to look out for? (Such as ending up with concave blades.) This is the sort of peeler I'm talking about: <Q> Sort of. <S> There's a trick to fix up peeler edges: rub the back side of a paring knif...	Sypderco ceramic sharpening rods; that is the easiest for me.
How can I thicken tea? I tried thickening mint tea with cornstarch. I was hoping for something with a more thick mouth-feel. I got the consistency I was looking for, but the cornstarch imparted a slightly mineral/dirty flavor. It certainly didn't ruin the tea, but it wasn't what I was hoping for. My specific steps ...	I think you are after, you should try a complex sugar, like maltodextrin . Substitute 2 tbsps of arrowroot for 1 tbsp cornstarch, and make a slurry with cool water as you would cornstarch.
Why is salt sprinkled on top of soft pretzels? For the sake of this question, I am referring to all lye bread. I want to make this clarification since outside of the US the term "pretzel" is usually referring to the shape one would typically attribute to the American concept of pretzels rather than the style. As far ...	I think the salt is there mainly because people like salt, because it adds a pleasing crunch, and because it's traditional -- it's part of what people (or at least Americans) expect from the pretzel experience.
Why did my French onion soup with 'red' onions come out tasteless and bland? I usually make the French onion soup with white onions. The prodecure I normally use is as followed: I slowly caramelize them on a low heat for around 40min. Then I add some sugar, salt and oil before finally adding broth. I let this com...	A classic French onion soup must also use a good stock in its prep.
What effect does orange juice have when used in dough? I was following a recipe to make some Middle Eastern inspired Olive bread, and the recipe called for a cup of orange juice in the dough. I was intrigued by this as I had not seen it before. What effect would the orange juice have when use in the dough? Are there ...	A little lemon- or orange juice in the dough affects the gluten well and gives a better rising.
What are the different applications for differently shaped wooden spoons? A while back I got a set of wooden spoons that contained 5 differently shaped wooden spoons. Take a look at the following photo to see the different shapes. I have mainly been using wooden spoon #1 because that is typically the shape I am most ...	I use my wood spoon shaped like your #5 when I am cooking and stirring liquids such as for sauces or puddings.
does bread have alcohol in it? According to wikipedia , the byproducts of yeast fermenting (like done in baking it says) are carbon dioxide and alcohol (not necessarily ethanol -- the kind you can get drunk on). If that's the case, then technically speaking does every form of raised bread have alcohol in it? <Q> The ...	If you are concerned about total absence of alcohol, you need to look at bread-making by different methods, for example using baking powder or just direct heat.
What can I use instead of a tea towel? I have a recipe for steaming seitan that involves wrapping the vital wheat gluten loaf in a tea towel, tying off the ends, and placing in the steaming basket. I am good to go but for the tea towel. Unfortunately, I don't have any tea towels, nor do I have any that aren't either ...	A linen napkin although less delicate will most likely still be a very good substitute for the purpose of wrapping the vital wheat gluten loaf.
How should I store beansprouts? Bean sprouts are a common ingredient in stir-fry recipes, but they don't seem to last very long in my fridge. How can I keep bean sprouts fresh for the maximum amount of time? <Q> Looks like ehow has the best reference guide thus far to storing bean sprouts After purchasing Bean Spro...	Put the sprouts into plastic containers and seal.
Are meatballs different from Hamburgers other than in terms of size? The recipes in for meatballs and hamburgers have their variations, but a lot of overlap. Many look almost the same. Other than the cooking method and size, is there a fundamental difference that sets them apart? <Q> In the US, hamburgers are usually f...	Meatballs are usually served in a sauce of some kind; burgers (beef or otherwise) are served on a bun or bread with mayo, ketchup, mustard, melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, and so on.
How can one determine if a potato is suitable for French fries? I often make French fries by cutting potatoes into long strips, adding a bit of oil and spices, then baking them in the oven. Sometimes, this tastes very good. Unfortunately, most of the time, it tastes terrible. After baking the potatoes, I often discover...	One good practice in my country is to check the potato's shell, if it was very thin they won't be good for fries, it has to be a little thick.
Why does cold coffee taste sweeter with the same amount of sugar? I have observed that the same amount of sugar tastes differently in hot and in cold coffee. If I drink hot coffee, I feel I can add more and more sugar, without it tasting too sweet. However, cold coffee tastes overly sweet with only small amounts of sug...	This, to me, suggests it's either due to larger "sips" of cold coffee and more of an opportunity to taste the sweetness or because sugars dissolve less readily in the cold coffee
How can I make my no carb sausages more succulent? I'm trying to find a way to make my home made English sausages more like shop bought English sausages (I'm saying English here as I'm pretty sure sausages around the world are very different - ideally I'm looking to make something like Black Farmer sausages) The only ...	Also, pork butt may have a better fat content to keep your sausages moist.
Do the cup cakes bake faster in a 24 hole cup cake tray rather than a 12 hole cup cake tray? The cupcakes cook faster than the big one piece cakes, so does it make sense to assume that the cup cakes bake faster in a 24 hole cup cake tray rather than a 12 hole cup cake tray? My oven has a convection fan. <Q> I imme...	If they are the same size per cake simply more of them, then no they won't bake faster and will probably take a little longer to cook.
How can I substitute English Toffee in cookies? I found a cookie recipe which requires "English Toffee bars". I have never seen them around here, and don't know what they are. What are these bars? Is there any substitution I can use? How close are Toffifee candies? If it just said "toffee", I would cook it at hom...	Modern "English Toffee" recipes call for toffee with a chocolate coating dusted with chopped nuts.
What are double-cut chops? I was in a restaurant recently and the menu included "double-cut pork chop". The person I was with ordered this, but it looked like an ordinary pork chop to me. (I don't eat pork so I don't have a lot of experience with this -- just what I've seen others eat.) Google led me to speculation,...	double chop differs from a regular loin chop by including both the top loin and tenderloin, but not the flank.
Salt 'n pizza (how much salt should be in the dough) I've made a pizza today and thought the dough could use a little more salt. I've looked at this answer and have a question about the salt ratio. How is it calculated? The percentage of flour, or the percentage of dough? My pizza recipe calls for 300 g flour, 150 m...	When you have a (good) bread recipe, the weight ratio is always given as percentage of the flour.
How to get the flavors to meld when I add fruit and sugar to plain yogurt? I've recently taken a liking to greek yogurt. So far, I've been buying the Chobani low-fat and non-fat yogurts, which all have flavoring added. I've recently bought a container of plain greek yogurt, and I was surprised at how bitter and fla...	For other additives, I would simply mash up your preferred fresh fruit with a fork and stir it in.
Best way to cleanly cut brownies? So, I'm on a brownie kick, and am currently playing around with baking batches of brownies in 9"x13" pans. I want each batch to yield 15 brownies (so I'm aiming for brownies that are around 3"x2.5") and I'd like them to look as presentable as possible (e.g. like these guys ). So far...	But I have used the plastic knife method with good results. Serrated knives are much better for any cakes or pastries that you do not wish to crush. Another thing I've tried in the past is to let the brownies cool in the pan
How do I make the beef in my beef stroganoff more tender? Tonight I prepared some beef stroganoff with a recipe from allrecipes.com as a rough guide. It came out really well, except that the meat was very tough. I bought the meat pre-cut as "stew meat," as recommended by the guy at the meat counter at the supermark...	What I like to do is buy shortribs (on the bone) and braise them for my beef stroganoff.
What natural ingredients can be used to color food blue or green? I've been experimenting more and more with "natural" food colorings - meaning spices and other ingredients that naturally impart color as opposed to a commercial food dye made specifically for this purpose. For example, I've let scallops (among other th...	If you want a red color (which you can also add to blue for purple) I find hibiscus usually works, it gives a more vibrant red color, while beets usually end up coloring something more pink or itself appearing a duller red, almost maroon, to my eye. Spinach or matcha (green tea powder) could work for green dye.
How can I make shredded beef? In Australia, shredded beef is not something you can buy easily. I haven't seen it anywhere except in restaurants. I would like to know how I can make my own restaurant quality shredded beef; the same kind that appears in "Mexican" restaurants. Please also provide information on which cut...	You can use Chuck to make your shredded beef.
How can I spice up ground beef without using pepper? I cooked up some good-quality minced beef yesterday with salt, onion, and breadcrumbs. (I wrapped it around hardboiled eggs and baked it.) I didn't use any pepper because I have allergies, and I didn't like the way it came out - it was bland and had a faint meaty "o...	Of course, if you want heat, chili peppers will work for that too (and add flavor besides heat).
Why and when do you need to dock dough? When making a pie, you almost always have to make holes in the dough with a fork. This is called docking. What is the exact reason for doing this? Are there kinds of pastry (puff, short crust, flaky) where this isn't necessary? Do you only need to do it when blind-baking? When y...	Doughs are docked to keep them from blowing up with steam while they bake. Depending on when the dough was made, to the temperature of the dough itself, you can use anything to dock a pizza including your fingertips as if you are clawing at it.
How can i keep ice cream without a freezer I would like to keep ice cream overnight, but I only have a refrigerator. When I've tried to store it in the refrigerator it looks like soup the next morning. Is there a way to store ice cream using only a refrigerator. Possibly with ice? <Q> Obviously the fridge is too warm...	This may seem obvious but you have to keep the ice cream below freezing.
How to convert a muffin/cupcake recipe to a large muffin recipe I'm looking at the side of my "breakfast - O - meal" box at a recipe for 12 muffins. The kind you would use with a standard muffin tin. What kind of variation should can I use to make the recipe work in a larger 6 large muffin tin? I tried this once befor...	Muffins are a quick bread, and quick breads can generally be scaled from mini muffins up to loaves by adjusting the cooking time only.
How to find out if an egg has a cracked shell before boiling it? The cracks are practically invisible to naked eye but while boiling, they spew out all the yolk into the water creating a lot of mess. I'm wondering if I could test an egg before boiling it, so I could use the cracked ones for making omelettes, for exampl...	If I think an egg is cracked before I boil it, I make sure to add it to boiling water rather than letting it warm up with the water as it's heating.
How to preserve the green colour of mint when doing spherification? I was recently making some mint spheres using reverse spherification, as a bit of background here was my process: I blended around 15g of mint leaves with 250ml of boiling water and left to steep for an hour. I strained the infusion through a 50 micron...	You can try to add some baking soda when you put the mint leaves in the hot water.
How to create fruity or grassy shortbread cookies? I saw a recipe for green tea shortbread cookies with white ganache filling and fell in love with it. But here, it is quite hard to get any matcha, the few Amazon marketplace sellers have very high prices. Now I want to use this as an inspiration to create a new rec...	For more fruity flavors, you might look into rosehip or hibiscus (sold as teas), or add lemon or orange zest.
What is an easy way to turn a heavy-ish cake? I don't have a metal cake pan. I bake my normal cakes and cake layers in a pan with a glass bottom and silicone walls, and cakes which can be expected to leak in a porcelain quiche pan. Sadly, my oven has a hot corner. If I don't turn my cake around during the baking, one...	Alternatively, especially if you don't have a spatula that will slide under easily, you can use the handle of a wooden spoon, or even a butter knife, to lift the edge. Plain aluminum foil may work too.
How to keep the fruit on an upside-down cake? I made an upside-down pineapple cake. It consisted of a layer of buttered caramel, a layer of pineapple pieces, and a layer of batter, baked together. I pressed the batter between the pineapple pieces before baking, hoping that it will "flow in" and keep them in place, but ...	Instead of worrying about how well the pineapple is sticking to the cake, I'd try different pan preparations to make sure the pineapple doesn't fix itself to the pan.
How do I ripen a Mango? I've bought a fresh mango for a recipe, I've not used mango fresh before and it's currently pretty green (there didn't seem to be any that were more ripe at the shop) and came with a sticker on informatively saying just " Ripen at home ". So, what's the best environment to help it ripen? Should...	Industrial agriculture companies often pick fruit under-ripe, ship it, then hit it with ethylene gas to ripen near the point of sale. Ripening for most fruit is best at or slightly above room temperature, (68 - 70F).
Is it safe to freeze soup that uses previously frozen stock? I have a lot of frozen stock. I would like to use that stock to make a tomato, leek and basil soup which will be eaten one or two days later. Is it safe to re-freeze the soup that contains the previously frozen stock? Am I better off not freezing the so...	It's generally safe to refreeze food that was never above 40 degrees.
What method for advance prep of seitan prevents deterioration of texture and preserves flavor while protecting from spoilage? Tonight, I am hoping to cook up three to four loaves of seitan for final prep three days from now. My intent is to form the dough, simmer in stock or steam, and then refrigerate. In three days I...	4) have you tried making "dry" seitan in a water bath (bain marie) in the oven: this is how it is done in the rfd
What's the secret to making good turkish bread? (pide) I mean the flat but thick bread you get at turkish restaurants. I've tried it twice now, with two difference recipes, and each time it's come out hard and crunchy, more like a thick pizza crust. Seriously, two separate recipes? Obviously I'm doing something wron...	When rolling or stretching the dough be gentle.
What to place beneath the vegetables before placing them on the baking tray? In order to prevent their surface from burning, what can be placed beneath vegetables to be roasted before placing them on the baking tray? I am thinking of applying oil to the tray, but I'm not sure if that's enough. <Q> I usually put tinfoi...	You can avoid oil altogether if you cover your baking trays in parchment paper .
How important is RPM in a blender? I'm looking at getting a new blender, basically the main things I want to be able to do with it are make curry pastes, ultra smooth restaurant quality purees and soups and grind small amounts of spices (I'm talking 1-2 teaspoons). This leaves me with two choices (possibly three of whi...	RPM is an important factor when selecting a blender , but it's not necessarily the most critical.
Substituting for Candlenuts in Indonesian Food Indonesian cuisine relies heavily on candlenuts as a base and thickener for spice pastes which are the foundation of the cuisine. This includes many of the various rendangs and sambals, such as Sambal Kemiri . Candlenuts are also used in Malaysian cuisine. Thing is, i...	Brazil nuts work fine, also chopped and sprinkled onto the Laksa give texture and crunch
Do different fat contents (skim, 2%, whole, etc) affect rate or intensity of milk spoilage? Does milk with different fat contents (skim, 2%, whole, etc.) spoil at different rates? And when spoilage does occur, are milks with higher fat content more sour than those with less? Are there smell differences? <Q> No, the...	As far as sourness goes, fat goes rancid over time which leads to a sour taste, but that process happens much more slowly in milk than bacterial spoilage, so I would not expect full-fat milk to taste any sourer than skim milk at the same stage of spoilage.
Will hard boiled eggs absorb salt through the shell? In this America's Test Kitchen video they add salt to the cold water when hard boiling eggs. Would the salt actually permeate the shell and flavor the egg? That seems unlikely to me and is just a waste of good salt. (Apart from the salt, that method is not new to...	The salty water is absorbed through the shell of the egg and flavours the egg to make these amazing salted duck eggs.
Can coconut cream be transformed into coconut milk, or vice versa? Can coconut cream be transformed into coconut milk, or the other way around? For example, will adding water or cow milk to coconut cream make a usable coconut milk? Or by reducing coconut milk, can I get coconut cream? <Q> Diluting the cream just produc...	Short answer: you can let coconut milk separate and skim it to get a little coconut cream, but can't convert coconut cream back to coconut milk.
Why is freshly-chopped garlic sticky? When chopping garlic the blade of my knife, and any fingers used to handle the garlic, become sticky. What causes this reaction? Is there any way to counteract it? EDIT: After trying both suggestions out on my own, olive oil worked best for me . This feels very much like a resu...	Dipping your fingers in olive oil and carefully rubbing them on the flat of the knife blade should prevent the garlic sticking.
Should I use my microwave's 'popcorn' button? My microwave oven has a "POPCORN" button. Its manual reads: Touch this pad when popping popcorn in your microwave oven. The oven's sensor will tell the oven how long to cook depending on the amount of humidity it detects from the popcorn. See page 31 for more information....	There's no problem with the power setting of the popcorn button, only with the timing.
Why can't I scale up jam/jelly recipes? Pectin packages always explicitly state that jelly/jam recipes cannot be scaled up. My own empirical evidence is limited but I did have a doubled batch not set so I no longer double the batches. What is it about ((pectin + acid + sugar + water) * boiling) = jelly that mak...	Scaling is difficult, as the ratio of ingredients changes with the batch size.
Is there such thing as "almond tofu," and if so, is it a misnomer? I just read a restaurant review in the New York Times that mentions "almond tofu." Made from almonds, it has the luxurious texture of a custard rather than the rubbery bounce of bean-curd tofu. Wikipedia refers "Almond tofu" to the "Almond jelly"...	Technically your almond tofu would be almond milk curd or some such.
Why is there cornstarch in powdered sugar? I was looking up how to make my own powdered/confectioner/icing sugar. Some 'recipes' say that you should add a bit of cornstarch while others just leave this out. So what is the role of cornstarch? Does it act like a filler (since it's cheaper than sugar)? Is it to prevent l...	The cornstarch does indeed prevent the extremely fine grained sugar from caking, but it also serves a purpose beyond that.
Fastest way for cloning Milk Kefir Grains It's about two weeks that I make Kefir at home. I started with three mid-size Kefir grains, and now I have six ones (three of them are really big) Now my friends get interested in making Kefir too. But I don't have enough Kefir grains to share with them. Is there any quick me...	I would go with a shallow wide container, and since kefir feeds on lactose, you can add powder milk to natural whole milk to increase the lactose in the mix.
Getting flavor powders to stick to nuts I've just checked for some recipes online on how to make flavored (in particular, hot and spicy) peanuts. It seems that in every one of these recipes, there has to be some kind of roasting procedure (coating with oil, powdering and then oven-roast), or cooking them, in order to g...	At home, oil popcorn poppers with agitators are available that can beautifully make kettle roasted nuts.
How to cook a thin crispy pizza on a pizza stone Hello I am attempting to make my own thin and crispy pizza and am cooking it on a pizza stone however it keeps coming out a little bit soggy (its not too bad, its still nice its just not as crispy as I would like) and I was wondering if anyone had any tips as to how to m...	I agree with baka that the stone must be really hot--as hot as your oven can go (and completely preheated).
Is there a plastic bowl/dish that can withstand high temperature in the oven? I am looking for a plastic bowl or dish that can withstand high temperature in the oven? A bowl or dish that won't melt nor emit odour. Is there such a thing? <Q> Just like other materials it has some advantages and disadvantages. <S> Adva...	Silicone bakeware is available which is oven safe up to 500°F/260°C.
What should I do if power goes out while I am baking cake/cookies? If I am baking cake or cookies in the oven and I lose power, what should I do? Does it make to sense to leave the cake/cookies in the oven until the power comes back on, or should I take them out? When/why would I need to leave them in the oven vs. ta...	If it's barely started - just beginning to get warm, not bubbling/rising much - probably best to take it out and wait to bake later, especially if it's something that can survive waiting at room temperature.
Why do my onions keep burning? Twice now, I have burned my onions while heating them in a pan. I was just trying to caramelize them, and they burned every time. They were on medium heat, and I put olive oil at the bottom of the pan (which may or may not have been a mistake), and they just burned, sticking to the botto...	In general, when something is browning too much (or outright burning) before the center is cooked, you need to turn down the heat or if only the pan-contact parts are browning then stir more frequently.
Can alcohol bottles (especially liquor) be stored on their side? I have a fairly well-stocked mini-bar, but not a lot of space. I've considered storing the bottles in a drawer, but I've heard that you should store certain alcohol upright. Is this true? If so, why? If it's only true for certain types of alcohol, whic...	Liquor bottles lids are less reliable after they have been opened, upright storage prevents leakage.
How long do you have to cook wild morel mushrooms for them to be safe? I have recently been given some wild black morel mushrooms . I know that you aren't supposed to eat them raw, as they contain toxins which must be cooked out (at least now I know that... good thing I only ate a tiny piece raw!). However, how lo...	I've looked through a number of recipes, and the vast majority of them indicate that you should cook the morels thoroughly (preferably in butter) first, before using them as a pizza topping or in an omelet. If you want to eat them you have to blanch them several times, cooking them for 5-10 minutes per "round" of blanc...
Is kimchi a suitable addition to a noodle soup? I have just returned from having purchased a can of kimchi. I have no idea what the contents are, since they are written in Korean, but thought that mixing it into the broth at the last minute might increase the soup's flavour. Is there a flaw in my reasoning? <Q> Kimchi...	Adding Kimchi directly to soup/broth and boil is more a Northern Chinese way of cooking (where Kimchi is not called kimchi but literally called "Spicy Pickled Cabbage").
Does microwaving eggs kill salmonella? If eggs are thoroughly washed and of course beaten before microwaving, and after the process I can find no liquid, is there a possibility that salmonella is still there, or does it die from high temperatures? <Q> Microwaves do not kill bacteria, heat kills bacteria. <S> "Instan...	The higher the temperature, the faster those bacteria will die off. Very few eggs are contaminated in the whites or yolks, so the risk is very low.
How can I make my homemade potato wedges crispy? How do I make my wedges go nice and crispy in the oven? I usually season them with a cajun mix, add a tiny bit of oil, and cook them in the oven on fan-bake at about 200 degrees (celcius). They come out okay, but not amazing. What can I do to make them come out a lot...	You could put them in a pan of boiling water for 3 or 4 minutes (not so to they're cooked through) before putting them in the oven.
Will tomatoes keep for longer if you keep the stalk in? I know that avocados are supposed to keep longer with the stalks; I would like to know if it is also true for tomatoes? <Q> Removing the stem from a tomato opens up a hole where air, moisture, and bacteria can pass through. <S> (Published in Cook's Illustrated - r...	Keeping the stem in, or somehow sealing the "scar" from the stem, will prolong shelf life.
How do you make sure aubergine doesn't go bitter when cooking? Sometimes aubergine and courgette tastes fine when cooked as is, but other times they are so bitter that they're almost inedible. I've tried dry salting and leaving the slices in salt water beforehand for various lengths of time, but this is a mission and c...	If you have an old aubergine, you could try peeling it, as the bitter compounds are concentrated just under the skin.
Does the Philips Air-fryer work as well as a standard deep-fryer? I've seen commercial ads about the Philips Air-fryer: I'd like to hear answers from someone who actually tried it.. Does the outcome taste the same as if it was fried in a normal deep fryer? Does the outcome have the same crispness? (or better or wo...	I am not really a connoisseur of French fries, but here is what I felt: They taste very similar to deep-fried French fries
What oils are suitable for Indian cooking (i.e. extended frying duration)? Indian cooking basically uses oil from the beginning of the process, typically starting with sautéing ginger and garlic, then adding shallots, chillies and onions. So the oil is on the fire for quite some time. I would like to know whether an...	Consider using refined butter (ghee) or coconut oil for Indian cooking.
Are there any negative effects to kneading bread dough longer? Is there such a thing as over-kneading bread dough. From what I understand, kneading the bread dough is what allows the gluten strands to align and form the beautiful gluten networks that create bread with all the little air bubbles. If that is the case, i...	Overheating - if the dough gets too warm, it will ferment too quickly (or over ferment) and will therefore lack flavour.
How can you achieve the glazed top in a mille-feuille? A mille-feuille (or tompouce) is a pastry, consisting of layers of puff pastry with pastry cream in-between (see this if you don't know it). If you buy it in a pastry store, I find that the glazed top is unique for this pastry. Recipes online tell me that it's ...	The Mille Feuille or Puff Pastry is topped with an icing called "Fondant".
What is the standard ratio of sugar to cream in Crème Chantilly? How many grams of sugar should I use for 250 mL of heavy cream to sweeten it? Some recipes omit sugar entirely, so the lower bound appears to be zero at least for some uses, but what is the upper bound before it becomes overly sweet? Does this depend on ...	You can be quite free with your sugar amount, depending on what you want to achieve. So, if you start with a cream which has 35% fat, you shouldn't add more than 16.7 g sugar per 100 g cream (40 g sugar per 250 ml).
Can I roast in glass? All, Recently we moved house, and took it as an excuse to ditch a bunch of old and dying roasting pans. We kept some glass trays (suitable for cooking in) though, and have ended up using them for just about all our oven cooking. On the top I still use either the steel covered copper bottomed thi...	The only problem I've found with roasting in glass is that it's hard to get roasting pans completely clean, and glass shows everything. But for most roasting a simple cast iron skillet works well and is indestructible.
Why does flatbread have to be microwaved / cooked / toasted? I was eating at a Subway restaurant the other day and they asked if I would like my flatbread toasted... I responded with a "No thanks." They said, "Well technically the flatbread still HAS to be toasted, so would you like the meat toasted ?" In confusio...	The reason subway has to "heat" the flatbread is to make it soft.

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