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Which fruits and vegetables should be kept in a fridge, and which outside? I'm a bit unsure about which fruits and veggies should be kept outside the fridge and which inside. It seems that apples, oranges, and bananas, are normally kept outside, and melons, watermelons, etc are kept inside. How do I know which ones sho...	It's not recommended to keepfin the fridge fruits, which ripens under the influence of temperature, such as apples, pears, bananas.
Why did my pound cake turn out dry? I baked a pound cake in an enamel glazed fluted pan and it turned out dry. Was it the pan or what could it be? I followed the recipe. Any help on this would be appreciated. Does it have something to do with the heat ? But how and why ? <Q> Have you tried baking it for a shorter amo...	If a recipe is off balance with its ratio of dry and wet ingredients this is a main cause of baking failures.
Is lavender used to season food? In almost every kitchen herb garden (at least around here), there is lavender growing. Is there anything that uses lavender for flavoring? <Q> For sure! <S> As you might expect, it's really good for desserts, as a light, spring-time flavor for cakes, frostings, paired with berries, etc....	Lavender is a traditional component of Herbes de Provence , and works well in breads.
Should I warm wine in the microwave? Although warming wine in the microwave might seem like a "horrible" thing to do it clearly has some practical benefits. So will the microwave change the aroma of the wine compared to the conventional way or is it fine to do this. Maybe before the guests arrive <Q> According ...	No, it won't change the aroma compared to conventional heating. You can warm milk, wine, whatever, in the microwave, without fearing a taste change.
Can you overmix a gluten-free cake? If you're making a regular cake, you add all the first ingredients (eggs, butter, sugar, ...) and mix everything well. When you add the last ingredient, the flour, you mix until it's just incorporated, since over-mixing can make the gluten form and you'll end up with a tough cake. I...	I run a gluten free bakery and yes, over mixing is a concern for many cake batters, cookie doughs, pie crusts, etc. An over-mixed cake batter will become very stringy and goopy, and will not pour smoothly when run off of a spoon, for example.
Preventing a burnt burger patty when pan frying So when I cook the burger patties on a frying pan (I lack fancier methods of cooking them), the bottom tends to get burnt pretty black. Yet when I bite into the burger, you can see that it's only a thin layer of burntness outside, but the inside was medium-rare. Is there...	With thick steaks, the trick is to flip them once every 30 seconds, but burgers might fall apart if you try this too much.
How to clean and trim parsnips? I have some parsnips, and recipe for them which said to: Wash and scrape parsnips, and cut into 2 inch strips. Place into 2 inches of boiling water, and cook for 10 minutes, covered. Drain, add butter, salt and pepper as desired. By "scrape", does the author want me to just clean o...	My grandmother scraped both her parsnips and her carrots.
Why is orange juice or apple juice added in a smoothie? I currently have strawberries, bananas and yogurt in my fridge and this got me thinking about the Strawberry-Banana Julius from Orange Julius. Previously I've made smoothies with strawberries, bananas, yogurt, milk and a light dash of sugar. I know most places ad...	Apple juice will give you very little additional taste, but it will sweeten your smoothie.
What's an efficient way of removing seeds from citrus fruits? My application is for juicing but I guess it would apply to fruit salads as well. I have an auger-style crushing juicer and roughly remove seeds I see before ramming the orange/lemon/... pieces down the juicer chute. Unfortunately a few seeds escape detecti...	With many citrus fruits, altering the way you cut them already helps - eg with many lemons, if you slice the sides off instead of cutting it into slices, you get all the seeds in the remaining centerpieces.
How can I make the crust of my chicken pot pie crunchy? I was wondering how to make the breading/crust on the top of a chicken pot pie really crunchy, not flaky, but crunchy and crispy. I know all the ingredients to make the topping in the first place. I just don't know what to add to give it that extra crunch. I don'...	Usually the addition of a bit of butter will add to the crunchiness a bit, that would be my first suggestion.
Can I make gluten free crepes? I have seen recipes for gluten free American style pancakes, and suppose that they turn out OK as long as they contain something which keeps them from falling apart. But I was wondering if I can make gluten free palatschinken or crepes. I am reluctant to just use some gluten replacement l...	I thought that crepes (and tasty pancakes) were traditionally made with buckwheat flour.
Why are parsnips sold pre-clipped? In Swedish and, I'm led to believe, British supermarkets, parsnips are often sold pre-clipped. Topped and tailed. If I have a choice, I prefer to buy my veg with a few leaves on so I can see how fresh it is. So I have rather cynically assumed that this is done to hide the age of the ...	The tops are trimmed to increase shelf life.
What are some alternative uses for bread heels? I often buy bread loaves at the store and use them for sandwiches, french toast, etc. I don't particularly like using the heels for those purposes though, because of the texture and taste - heels don't make for a good sandwich, they can't absorb the eggs for french toast,...	Bread crumbs - dry them and grate them Bread dumplings - You can add raisins and/or apples.
What's the point of using sugar in savory dishes? I never get why people add a sweet substance to a savory dish. Especially in something like a a curry or noodles. People say it balances out the flavors. But which flavor is it actually balancing out? <Q> Hot Sour Salty Sweet Sugar balances both salty and sour flavors ...	Adding just a little sugar makes salty things taste less salty and sour things taste less sour, without actually reducing the amount of salt or acid in the recipe.
How do I prevent smoked brisket from being chewy? Last night I smoked my first brisket. I used a charcoal smoker which was given to me. I followed the advice given to me by the previous owner coupled with some quick reading from the manual and internet. While my brisket was full of flavor it was a bit chewy, though not...	If you are using the words "chewy" or "tough" to describe the texture of your meat, in nearly all cases it has not been cooked enough. The general rule of thumb is that you don't get much more smoke adhesion after hour 2 or so.
How to get falafel to hold together when pan-frying? I like to pan-fry my falafel (as some of the answers to this question suggest), but have had the cakes fall apart or degenerate into mush when trying to turn them over. For ingredients I use chickpeas, olive oil, spices, and tahini. Is there a trick, either in ingr...	I resolved this by using flour, it acts as a binder and thickener.
Benefits of vinaigrette vs. pouring oil and vinegar separately on salad? I was reading Essentials of classic Italian cooking by Marcella Hazan where I noticed she first pours a lot of olive oil to "protect the salad" from the vinegar as it prevents the acid from doing its "cooking". So, that is one unproven benefit I k...	So, first of all, pouring oil, then vinegar, directly onto the salad and tossing is a perfectly good way to dress a salad, especially if it's high quality oil and vinegar and
Exploding or alcoholic soda Well, I tried to follow a very simple recipe from "Cooking for Geeks" for Ginger Lemon Soda. I made a simple ginger syrup by cooking ~200g of chopped ginger together with 2 cups of sugar, then I used half of that syrup together with 1/2 a teaspoon of yeast (from the local home-brew store),...	You will also have to add a preservative of some sort to prevent fermentation.
How do I control the smoke from a chimney starter? I'm seasoning my new Weber Smoky Mountain smoker according to the excellent instructions , given for free, on Amazon, by a 20x BBQ grand champion. (What an amazing thing for this guy to do!) Anyway, I'm using a Weber RapidFire chimney starter , and both times I've u...	I've had this problem for years, but i found the perfect solution: Use a gas torche on the charcoal
Removing ramekins from a bain marie So you've just cooked your creme caramels in a water bath/bain marie/double boiler with only about a quarter of the ramekin appearing above water level. I've tried the follow methods in the past and feel there must be a more efficient, more secure or less dangerous way: tea towel/...	Some silicone oven mitts might also help; they don't get "wet" like regular oven mitts You should be able to find one suited to gripping the edge of your ramekin firmly enough to lift it out of the water-bath. You might look into Indian-style tongs, sometimes called pakkad or sharashi
How to make lactose free mashed potatoes To begin with, I use soy cream instead of dairy-based cream. It tastes alright, but not superb, and it seems to require more salt. What is missing that I should find a substitute to add back in? <Q> By "cream" do you mean "milk? <S> " If you are lactose intolerant, I suggest so...	If you have a lactose allergy, still margarine, more alternate dairy products, and some kind of spice mix, like an Italian seasoning. Use a fresh potato variety suitable for mashing (check with you local vegetable supplier), all you need is to mash them, and introduce some air by using a whipping process (a fork will d...
Can I let my bread dough rise in the mixer bowl? When I bake bread, I often let the dough rise in the metal mixer bowl. I was wondering if this is a good idea, as the metal is probably colder than a regular bowl and may inhibit rising. Would it be better to transfer the dough to a glass or plastic bowl to rise instead?...	It is just fine that you let your dough rise in your mixer bowl as long as you keep it in a dry, warm place so that it would rise faster. Personally, I always use my stainless steel mixer bowl.
What's the difference between latte, mocha, and all the other drinks on a coffee-house menu? There are many different coffee-based drinks on an average coffee-house menu. But what makes them different from each other? What are the differences / distinguishing characteristics between: latte, caffe misto, cappuccino, m...	In a mocha the chocolate syrup in stirred with the espresso to create a caffeinated hot chocolate with foam.
Create a water + baking soda solution? I was wondering if there is a way I can mix the two and put it in a spray bottle? I would like to use water + baking soda in some cases to spray a little rather than have large amounts. Is it possible? I've tried, but the nozzle always ends up clogged. <Q> Baking soda is soluble i...	A small pot of water and baking soda (over saturated is OK), and a simple brush is all you need A quick stir of the pot with the brush, and wash it on what you need works fine
What purpose does coffee serve in a chocolate cake recipe? I have a recipe for a chocolate buttermilk cake. It's not constructed like most cakes, but it's always turned out OK. I've always wondered what does the coffee in the recipe do? Is the coffee just there as an additional flavor? (The cake never tastes stro...	I guess it's there to make sure you use fresh coffee (which has a better taste than old coffee).
How to make boiled and partially fried vegetables palatable? I boiled carrot and beans pieces till they were soft, fried onions and green chillies in a pan, added 1kg of the carrot and beans to the pan, few pinches of salt and some powdered spices. Fried this for 20min and the taste of the veggies were still bland. No ...	After they are parboiled, I then will saute, simmer, or braise (depending on the recipe/mood/vegetable) in a highly flavored sauce or spice mix until they are cooked.
If a recipe doesn't specify the type of vinegar, is there a standard type implied? I occasionally come across recipes that call for vinegar, but don't specify which of the many varieties they mean. (A recent example is this recipe for a corn and pepper salad , which just says "2 tbsp. vinegar".) While I recognize t...	If you would see a recipe for fish 'n' chips that calls for "vinegar", my guess is that malt vinegar is meant.
What is club soda and how do I make it? After many searches on the Google, I still can't find out how to make club soda. So, I have to ask the question - what is club soda exactly? I bought a iSi Soda Siphon and have figured out how to make carbonated water (finally). Now what do I have to do to make club so...	So to answer your question directly, you can make seltzer just by carbonating regular tap water, and you can make club soda by adding potassium bicarbonate, potassium sulfate, or baking soda to water and carbonating it.
Why does my oil cake drop in the centre My cake initially rises perfectly, but after about 20 - 25 minutes, the cake starts to slightly droop with the cake also pulling away from the side of the pan. I don't mind that too much, as the initial rising seemed to be a bit exaggerated anyway. But once I remove the cake fr...	It's also possible that you aren't creaming the eggs and sugar together long enough, meaning the air bubbles are underdeveloped.
How can I prepare left over Stir Fry for the fridge? I like making Stir Fry and I've tried several times to make two meal's worth so I can refrigerate half and take it to work, but so far every attempt has been sub-bar. It's veggie stir fry and I use a variety of sauces (most of which involve soy sauce) and a little ve...	Also, if you have cooked rice that hasn't been added to the Wok during the initial cooking, you could try adding the cooked rice to the to-go dish the morning of. If you choose all vegetables that turns really soft when cooked(onion, squash, peppers) then reheated stirfry using those vegetables will be not as unpalatab...
What does cream of tartar do in baking recipes? I am making the following recipe for a birthday party: Pinata cookies! , and it calls for cream of tartar in the dough. This is the first time I've seen that in a cookie recipe and I can't figure out what the purpose of it is. Anyone know what cream of tartar does in bak...	Almost every time I see cream of tartar called for in a recipe it is when making a meringue.
How can I get a corn tortilla to be pliable enough to work with? I like the flavor and texture of corn tortillas (store-bought), but they always tear apart whenever I try to use them in a non-flat way - enchilada-style, for example. How can I make the corn tortillas soft enough to work with (to roll around some ingred...	I used to make enchiladas all the time and what I did was dip the corn tortilla in hot oil briefly, flip and do it again.
How can I rehydrate dried chillies more efficiently? When I make chilli, I use dried ancho and chipotle chillies which I rehydrate in beef stock. However, as they are light, they just float on top of the liquid and so they don't rehydrate very efficiently - one side can still be a little dry. Is there some way I can e...	When I am using dried chilis they are always pureed into a sauce. I keep them submerged in a pot using the lid of the next-smaller pot to weigh them down.
Is there an alternative wrapping for tamales? I'd like to have a go at making tamales, but the corn husk wrappers are hard to come by here. Is there anything I can use as a substitute wrapper? <Q> I've had the same problem once. <S> The first substitute is banana leaves . <S> But they're not easy to find either. <S>...	You could use banana leaves or avocado leaves, though I'm not sure those would be easier to come by. If you can't get a hold of any of those I would try wrapping them in parchment.
What can I use instead of annatto? Annatto is a common spice in Mexican cookery, especially in the Yucatan. However, like many Mexican ingredients, it's hard to find in Europe. What can I use as a substitute to give the same colour and approximate flavour? <Q> The flavor is described as being very mild and unless the ...	You can use something else to give you a red/orange color, but annatto seed is the main ingredient and main flavor in achiote paste, so if you replace it, you aren't making achiote paste - you are making a different, possibly tasty paste.
How sharp should a filleting knife be? I'm trying to learn to fillet and skin fish, and getting conflicting advice. Most sources say that the boning/filleting knife should be quite sharp. But when an instructor showed me how to skin a trout fillet, the knife wasn't particularly sharp, and the technique seemed akin to ...	A sharp knife will help you make clean cuts around the edges of the fillet.
What's the difference between masa for tortillas and for tamales? I often buy fresh prepared masa from Mexican markets in order to make tamales and pupusas. Mexican cookbook authors stress getting the correct masa for the recipe, either masa for tamales or masa for tortillas. However, the masa at the market is in an ...	Many Mexicans when referring to fresh corn masa for tamale are referring to masa that is made from fresh white corn that has been stripped from the cob and processed into masa.
Are chillies hotter when they're ripe? This answer might vary between types of chillies, but I'm curious to know when they're hottest. <Q> McGee writes: "Capsaicin appears to accumulate in the fruit concurrently with the pigment during ripening". <S> (On Food and Cooking, p.212) <S> Many chili varieties are picked an...	So yes, chilis get hotter as they ripen (that is, as they turn from green to red).
Why are poblanos sometimes called pasillas? Background information: poblano peppers are one of the most common peppers in Mexican food. Pasilla peppers are something entirely different - the dried form of the chilaca. I'm originally from Texas, where poblanos are commonly found in grocery stores. I moved to Califo...	Pasilla chiles are a bit narrower at the shoulders, a bit longer than an ancho and depending on the growing environment, are about the same in heat index.
Can dried peppers get hotter with aging? I have some dried hot peppers which are over a year old. These are hybrids, part chile de arbol, but less hot so that I can use them for mixed company. A friend grew them for me specifically because of their medium hotness. After around 16 months in doubled ziplock bags, I us...	Dried chiles (especially if not pre-soaked) will take longer to disperse their flavor than fresh, which would result in less overall warmth and more hot spots than fresh chilies in the same dish.
Ready to eat food not suitable for microwave I bought a pre-made cornish pasty fromt the supermarket. The packaging says it can be eaten hot or cold, which presumably means it is already cooked. But the packaging also says it "is not suitable for microwave" and recommends 22 minutes in an oven at 200Cif it is to be h...	The only exceptions for dough in the microwave is pasta (which is supposed to be boiled in water anyway) and some kinds of very soft batter, which can be eaten immediately as a "microwave cupcake" (I think they get unappetizing if left to stay for a while).
Any tips on crushing garlic for alioli? I tried making alioli at home, but in the first step (turning the garlic into a fine paste), I didn't make much progress. I chopped the garlic fairly finely first, but when I tried crushing them with a wooden spoon in a wide low mug, the little pieces just ping off. What's the t...	I use the back of the knife blade to 'slice' the garlic very thinly.
Is curry ketchup just ketchup with curry powder? We use both tomato ketchup and curry ketchup as condiments in Belgium. On the curry ketchup label, amongst other ingredients is "curry (1%)". So I tried adding curry powder to regular ketchup to see whether I could end up with curry ketchup, but I think the taste was of...	The brownisher colour of curry ketchup is mostly because of the turmeric in the curry powder, so just adding the powder to regular ketchup will get you a colour match even without the additional spices or ingredients.
How much does a cup of Nutella weigh? I want to make Nutella cookies. I've found a recipe for it, but it's in volume measurements. It asks for a cup of Nutella and I don't own a cup. I tried searching my regular converters, but the only one with a hit was Wolfram-Alpha and I've noticed this result can be quite wrong. ...	The density of Nutella is 1.2g/ml.
Is there a difference between coca, focaccia and pizza? I've made a number of pizza's and coca's lately and I thought about making a focaccia... When reading about coca, focaccia was mentioned, and when reading about focaccia, pizza was mentioned. I have an excellent book on Italian cooking , it explains that focacci...	Except for the thickness, the difference between foccacia and pizza is much more in the topping.
How to thicken a raw fruit relish? I have a raw fruit relish that I'd like to like to thicken into more of a jam consistency. I'm thinking about heating in a saucepan with some cornstarch or syrup, but I don't have any idea how much cornstarch to use, and I don't want to mess this up. What approach should I take to t...	I would recommend a flax or chia egg ; it is a common substitute for egg in many recipes as it is a gelling agent that requires no cooking.
When I'm separating egg whites, how much does it matter if a little yolk gets in? I was separating egg whites today and one of the yolks broke and contaminated my bowl of whites. I started from scratch, but I'm wondering if I really needed to; would a tiny bit of yolk (say, 1/8 tspn in 4 egg whites) mixed in with the w...	You still want to work as precisely as possible, as yolk-only recipes will often have somewhat worse texture if eggwhite is included, but small contaminating amounts are usually not noticeable in the finished product, even in foams (zabaglione, mayonnaise).
What is the best method/product for cleaning pasta's starch residue from colander and cooking pot? After cooking pasta, I typically drain it in a colander. I have found the starch residue in both the cooking pot and particularly the colander is difficult to clean without hand scrubbing it. I am curious if anyone know...	I put vinegar in a bowl, got the colander wet with the vinegar, poured baking soda into the colander and scrubbed it a bit.
What is the standard amount (if there is one) for a "glass" of wine? I have seen wine poured to various amounts in a wine glass; what amount is generally considered standard...4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz? <Q> It comes from two different measurements, typical wine bottle size, and government alcohol regulations <S> Typical wine ...	In most western countries the standard drink range is from 8 to 12 g of alcohol, except in the USA where it is super-sized to 14 g Update; references from ICAP I would tend to believe 175ml in restaurants and 125ml for medical advice.
What is the danger of salmonella in 'home laid eggs' and how should I clean them? I have a question additional to this question How does salmonella get into eggs . This tells me that salmonella is mostly found on the shell of an egg. However, eggs are treated (typically washed) such that most egg shells do not contain...	The danger of bacterial contamination is much lower in home laid eggs than in commercially produced eggs exactly because of the washing process that eggs go though in the US.
Is it okay to put baking powder in Yorkshire Pudding batter? It's just that, the first time I tried, they didn't rise as much as I thought they would. would baking powder help? <Q> Yorkshire puddings rise because of the eggs in them. <S> This means that the mixture for you Yorkshire puddings needs heat to rise So <S>...	Don't use baking powder in your mixture.
Is it true that honey never spoils? Why? I've heard that "honey never spoils", but I'm incredulous. Is this true, and if so, how? Isn't there some indicator that I should throw the honey in my cupboard away? <Q> Honey is very stable for a number of reasons. <S> The main ones though are the low amount of water (most h...	Over a long period of time (and if left unsealed) the honey could absorb moisture and then ferment (the sugar would turn to alcohol) but if sealed then your honey should be fine for a long time.
How can I stop my pie from burning? My oven heats up by putting on the grill. Yesterday I was making pie and the top burned a little bit. This happens almost every time. It happens at the moment the grill goes on for a short moment because the oven has cooled down a bit. So the top of my pie burns, but the middle is no...	Another option would be to set a piece of foil on top of the pie after it has partially baked.
Jalapeno Poppers and getting a thick crust? How can I make my batter stick to the outside of the jalapeno so it is thick? It seems every time I try a thicker batter it wont stick as well. <Q> I have found that the problem with thicker batters not adhering to peppers generally is to do with the outer membrane protectin...	You can minimize the effect of the membrane by: roasting the pepper, then steam in a brown paper bag and remove it scoring the membrane with a fork
What's the fastest way to hull a strawberry? I often need to hull and slice large batches of strawberries. But hulling by cutting a cone out of the top of the berry with a paring knife can be slow work. How can I quickly remove the core (the hard white part near the stem) from the strawberry? What do professional ch...	All you really need to remove is the stem and leaves, so just a quick down and up cut (or a V, one cut from each side) will get it done, just wasting a little of the top of the berry on either side of the stem.
Basil - to wash or not to wash? Best practices? I know that washing basil weakens it's flavor significantly. I often buy it from local supermarkets where everyone can touch it, that's why I just have to wash it. But even when I buy organic basil, I still feel the urge to wash it.How do you deal with that? Is there any ...	Washing basil (or indeed, anything) in lukewarm water is going to do very little to remove germs; in fact, you're probably just giving them an excuse to party.
Extracting colour out of strawberries Are there any techniques which I can use to get the colour of strawberries condensed in a way that doesn't contain the flavour? I am looking to colour cakes in particular with a more natural alternative to bottled colouring agents without affecting the flavour and thought strawber...	Could get some color into the cake by macerating strawberries in a cake recipe's entire sugar quantity.
Are strawberries really dyed? I stopped by a farm stand last weekend, and found the strawberries were rather pale looking. I commented on this, and the farmer assured me that this was no worry, and that furthermore I should be wary of bright red strawberries. His claim was that bright red strawberries at the supermarke...	I think it's safe to say that most strawberries sold commercially in the US are not dyed, and that this would be an uncommon practice.
What should I look for in strawberries at the market? When I'm selecting strawberries at the market or farmer's stand, what should I look for to indicate the most flavorful berries? I don't need the strawberries to keep; I'll be using them immediately. <Q> I mostly agree with Rumtscho, except that I think "red through...	I think one can never be sure of anything with strawberries, but, if the seeds are farther apart, that usually means they are sweeter.
Vermouth for use in Drinks - can I freeze it? I have a well stocked bar at home so from time to time I mix some drinks.Many popular drinks list Vermouth (e.g. Noilly Prat) as an ingredient. Basically, Vermouth can be compared to a special kind of wine as it also produced from wine.This is where the trouble starts: As s...	That said, I would not really recommend leaving an ice cube tray full of vermouth hanging out in your freezer.
What is the secret to baking bread with a very fine crumb? I've noticed bread purchased from the local baker always has a very fine crumb. How is this achieved?? <Q> A couple of things will help give you smaller holes: <S> Keep the hydration reasonably low (say, 60% with American-style bread flour). <S> Use some o...	My experience is that the drier your bread dough is, the finer the crumb and smaller the holes.
How to get chocolate of chocolate covered strawberries shiny? Yesterday, I made strawberries covered with chocolate. Both my strawberries and milk chocolate were at room temperature. I heated the chocolate in the microwave together with a drop of peanut oil, stirred and dipped the berries in it. I let it all cool down...	You can use the technique of tempering chocolate to get great shiny chocolate.
extracting banana flavour for an iced coffee Now that the sun has started to shine in the frozen north I can start thinking on using my espresso machine for some cold drinks. I was thinking of a banana iced coffee. But I would like a more natural flavour than most of the syrups I can buy in my local coffee shop. Do I ...	I would try steeping the banana peels in alcohol.
What kind of containers for homemade ice cream? In the past, I've usually stored homemade ice creams and sorbets in reusable/disposable plastic containers (e.g. Gladware), but I've busted more than a couple of these when trying to scoop hard-frozen ice cream. The cold plastic is somewhat brittle, and the scoop can easi...	The upside is that, when you take out the container to scoop and serve the ice cream, the glass will keep cold for a longer time than a thin plastic container, or also than a metal one (because metal conducts heat better).
How do I avoid hot fudge turning my ice cream into a soupy mess? My pregnant wife's cravings have recently turned towards sweets, and this week it is banana splits, with a very specific formula: chocolate ice cream, banana, whipped cream, and hot fudge. It's not such an extraordinary recipe, I suppose, but the hot fu...	So they found very small bowls and now serve the ice cream in normal sized dishes (with any additional non-melting toppings) and provide a small side dish of fudge.
Can I freeze Parmesan? I am thinking about buying a larger amount of Parmesan and freeze it for later use. Is this possible? How long can I keep it for? How is the taste/texture affected? <Q> Yes, you can freeze parmesan cheese. <S> Even without freezing, Parmesan is very durable since the low water and high salt conte...	The younger varieties may be more prone to mould growth (having a higher water content), but I've kept ripe Parmesan (30-36 months) for at least a year in the fridge without problems (and it would probably have stayed good much longer).
How to bake Frozen French Fries I bought a couple of packets of frozen fries and I absolutely can't fry them. My only option is to bake them. I have access to oil if necessary. How do I bake the fries to make them resemble (as far as possible) the McDonald type fries ? What I have tried: Preheating oven to 250C, th...	Well, I'm sorry to say that Baked french fries rarely have the same texture of freshly deep-fried ones.
Is it safe to roast marshmallows over a sterno flame? It's become common practice around my apartment to use a sterno to roast marshmallows because it's easy, cheap and (primarily) because we can't have a campfire in my living room. Is this dangerous? <Q> Those marked “methanol” are not meant for direct food heating. ...	After contacting Sterno with the same question, they indicated that the only safe gel product for direct food heating is marked “ethanol” on the canister.
Can salted butter be used for yellow cake recipe? I need help D:I'm making 300 yellow cupcakes for prom in 2 days and I've purchase salted butter instead of unsalted . - Can I use the salted butter instead of using unsalted and just not add in salt ? <Q> Might be worth making one batch and seeing how it turns out. <A> ...	Yes, you should be able to get away with it, but it does depend on how salty the butter is.
Pizza in Oven : Bottom/Mid/Top I make pizza in a baking tray in my oven. My question is where do I place my baking tray in the oven, the bottom top or middle? The resources I have seen so far on the internet are far too ambiguous. For instance, Yahoo Answers have given many different answers to the same question. <Q...	In short: Highest heat, start at top and work your way down till your pizza comes out to your liking.
What makes bacon chewy? My mom likes bacon crispy (and dry enough to choke on). I like bacon to be chewy. I have noticed some techniques that will make bacon chewy or crispy but it sometimes seems like luck. Making it crispy is easy. I just cook it in a well drained pan for too long. Chewy is more elusive and it seems...	According to this America's Test Kitchen video , you can get plump crisp and tender bacon by barely covering your bacon with water in a skillet over high heat, turning the heat down to medium when the water starts boiling and down again to medium-low once it has all evaporated and cook until ready.
How can I get my bacon flatter? When frying bacon, it tends to curl up. I don't like it because my bacon doesn't cook equally and it's hard to get it crisp that way. Is there a technique or a tip so I can have flat bacon? <Q> This is how I cook bacon, and also produce almost perfectly flat bacon. <S> No special tools ...	I've found that baking the bacon on a cooling rack (so the fat drips away) also results in flatter bacon. (might have been Good Eats), use a waffle Iron!
How can I get my bacon less salty? I was reading this question , and there's a solution to the OP's answer. I'm not fond of salt and this is a drawback for bacon (to me, that is). I do want to end up with pieces of cooked bacon (so mixing in milk or less bacon won't work), but less salty. Where I live, we also don't h...	The saltiness can be reduced by blanching. completely immerse the side of bacon for a few hours in clean, cold ice-water, drain, rinse, and repeat.
Turkey bacon a good stand-in for bacon? On a kosher diet, I can't eat bacon. Someone who knows this recommended turkey bacon as a close substitute. Is it really? That is, does turkey bacon truly have the taste and texture of bacon? Is there any particular kind of turkey bacon I should get for this purpose? (I see t...	Turkey can be a substitute for pork in, for example, turkey sausage, but I've never had turkey bacon that tasted anything like pork bacon.
Is “ghee” clarified butter or beurre noisette? Reading the Wikipedia pages on “ Ghee ,” “ Clarified butter ” and “ Beurre noisette ” has left me somewhat confused as to what ghee is. Some statements on the pages seem to suggest that it's always clarified butter, some that it's always beurre noisette, others that it can...	Ghee is clarified & browned ( fait noisette ) butter ( beurre ).
What are those black fibers in my mango? I was cutting up a mango, when I noticed some black threads inside. What are those? They are quite tough, brown-black, about an inch long (2.5 cm): <Q> When dark spots start appearing on the side of a mango, it's starting to rot. <S> A mango can rot from the pit, the skin, or...	It's an indication that the fruit has started to rot: Just to keep this thread accurate and current, the black fibers/veins in the picture are known as Resin Canal Disease, or RCD.
Can you really keep feta for 3 months in a milk bath? I just came across some instructions on how to store feta cheese, mentioning you can keep it for about 3 months in the fridge in a brine or milk bath: Store the cheese in a brine or milk bath if you do not intend to use it for a long period of time. A milk bath...	If you will not be consuming it immediately, store feta cheese in a brine or milk bath in the refrigerator.
What happens to an acorn squash when its skin turns orange? I purchased an acorn squash at the farmer's market quite a while ago and its skin was initially dark green with a small patch of orange. I have been keeping it in my pantry. Over time the skin has turned completely orange like a ripe pumpkin. I am assuming ...	These are apparently over ripe.
How do I calculate the nutritional values of a recipe? I love to cook and experiment with recipes. While I'm aware that calories are not a perfect measure of what makes you gain weight and what doesn't, I would still love to have a rough idea of the energy values of the dishes I'm preparing, and ideally be able to fidd...	Lose It! , a free weight-loss site, has this feature.
What type of tea should I use to make Thai Iced Tea? I love the sweet iced tea you get at Thai restaurants, and want to make my own at home. I used to buy a concentrated solution online (added water and half and half), but they discontinued it. I'm not sure what type of tea is used, but it is reddish in color and has...	I bought some bottled jasmine tea from a local store, added some sugar and heavy cream over ice, and it tasted just like the tea you'd get from a Thai place.
how to ensure carrot pieces stay longer in the refrigerator? I blanched a big carrot and cut them into pieces and stored them in a airtight container in the refrigerator. I ate them for about 5 days - one piece out of the container for each meal. But after that, they've gone stale - some sour liquid leaking out of the ...	Try to add to the container cold water, and change this water periodically, this way, they can last for about a week (I do this method), or try adding some citric acid to the water.
electric smoking 2 pork loins, increase time and or temp? We're using our electric smoker to do 2 pork loins close to equal size. We did only one loin before and it was great! Do we need to adjust the time and or temp to do it right again? We want to do them together. We are using the "Masterbuilt" brand smoker. <Q>...	When smoking pork loins (or anything else) it is best to focus on the internal temperature of the meat as the measure of 'doneness' with time and temp as a loose guideline.
How can I make carrot cake more fruity and fresh? I am planning to create a carrot cake that should be a bit different from what people usually think of when they think of carrot cake. Please note: This is not a recipe request!My carrot cake recipe consists of the usual stuff cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts...and of cours...	Orange and ginger are already a classic combination in a carrot cake so that would work well.
Can any KitchenAid stand mixer attachments be used to make peanut butter? Can I use any of the various attachments for my Kitchenaid stand mixer to make peanut butter? I was thinking one of the different grinding attachments might work, insofar as the machine at my local merchant looks like a hopper full of peanuts and...	The KitchenAid mixer with the meat grinder attachment is a very simple and fast way to make peanut butter with no additives (just peanuts).
How can I improve the texture of my home-made sausages? I am experimenting with home made sausages. Grinding chuck to make the sausage.Typically I pass it through the grinder 2-3 times (kitchenaid grinder, small die). I've gotten the flavor nice, but when cooked the sausages are mealy and soft. When I reduce the num...	Salt has a massive effect on meat proteins, and when you grind meat and get salt involved it makes the meat cohere much more than it would without.
What is the shelf life of a garlic bulb, with the "skin" still on, left in the fridge? I purchased a head of garlic and I have 2/3's of it left over, I am storing it in the fridge in a ceramic covered dish (made specifically for garlic :) a gift from my mother) and I would like to know how long I can continue to expect...	Peeled and chopped garlic will last for a few days in the fridge. I don't know how long it will last in the fridge, but I understand that it lasts longer if you leave it in a cool, dark, dry storage.
Too much water in box cake mix batter. Can it be fixed? I added too much water in my box cake mix and I already mixed the 2 together. What can I do to save the cake? Could I add another box of cake mix to the batter? <Q> If batter just looks a bit too loose then switching to a sheet pan should take care of it. <S> Sp...	I just used 1/2 box of a new cake mix box to save mine.
How to prevent pureed blueberries from gelling? I have a sparkling new ice cream machine. The first batch, Philadelphia-style plain vanilla ice cream, worked perfectly. I decided to try a sorbet, and made Lebovitz's Blueberry-banana sorbet, but used less blueberries than in the recipe, because I didn't have enough. I c...	Blueberries, and especially underripe blueberries, have a lot of pectin.
How do I prevent tomatoes from falling in a green salad? When making a green salad, I have taken to grating carrots instead of dicing them so they will mix better with the leaves. I can't grate tomatoes. No matter how small I dice them (short of pureeing) they always precipitate out and fall to the bottom of the bowl....	I work around this by serving tomatoes on the top of the individual salads after they've been portioned out.
What can be used as an alternative for Applesauce? This banana bread recipe calls for applesauce and it's not something that's available at the stores here. Will it be okay if I just leave it out or can I use any other common ingredient to replicate the effect? <Q> Applesauce has little flavor and almost no nutritio...	Some jars of baby-food contain just some kind of apple puree.
How to make a chocolate fudge/syrup sauce that does not freeze? I'm looking for a good recipe to make a chocolate fudge/syrup style sauce that will not freeze solid when placed in the freezer, but rather retain its "liquid" consistency. It does not need to be runny when frozen, but I just do not want it to freeze. I ...	Hazelnut oil is really delicious in chocolate sauce and will probably have the right effect.
Waffle iron with changeable plates for butter galettes I'm looking for a recommendation for a waffle iron with interchangeable plates for butter galettes . I have one but it's over 30 years old, falling apart and runs off 220V to boot.Are there any replacements? I cannot find any, anywhere. <Q> You should be able to ...	Try Verkinderen belgian cookie iron, they are available, to the best of my knowledge, at DeRonne Hardware store.
Why is mixing good whiskey with cola/ginger ale frowned upon? I ordered a Jameson and ginger ale at a pub the other night and my brother asked me why I wasn't ordering it neat or on the rocks, since it was "pretty good" whiskey. Right now I'm having some good Kentucky bourbon (Willet) with Reed's ginger ale. Is this "w...	Well, yes, mixing good whiskey with your average soft drink is going to be a waste of good whiskey, since it's likely to destroy any subtlety in the flavor.
How can I make the tops of my macarons smooth? After a recent trip to France, I have become mildly obsessed with making macarons (using this recipe ). I have made a couple of batches so far - the first didn't turn out well, more like cookies than macarons , due to under-whipped egg whites and too-coarse almonds. T...	I guess you just undermix your batter. according to Adriano Zumbo the trick to thinning the mixture comes after you have folded all your sieved ingredients into your stiff peaked egg white: using an electric beater give the mixture a pulse to loosen it.
Why must potato salad be placed in the refrigerator before serving? Many recipes for potato salad state that one should place the salad in the refrigerator after preparing. Some recipes state that one hour is enough. Others ask for several hours. Some recipes even require it to be stored overnight before being served. ...	Refrigerating accomplishes several things: It is the right temperature to get the intended flavor.
How can I infuse alcohol with 'fragile' herbs? I would like to infuse alcohol (gin specifically) with basil, but basil is quite a fragile plant and doesn't seem to react well to sitting in booze for a few days. I tried muddling basil and putting it in an air tight container with my gin. I stored it at room temperature ...	Refrain from muddling, use more (fresh) basil, (try agitating,) and infuse for a longer duration; I quickly found one recipe for basil-infused vodka requiring a four day sit and two "fists" of basil.
Is "angostura" (as in bitters) a flavor? I'm confused by drink recipes calling for "Angosutra bitters". Is "angostura" (as in bitters) a specific flavor combination? Or is "Angosutra" a specific brand or manufacturer (like "Tylenol" is to aspirin)? If so, what's the closest possible replacement for it? <Q> The Ang...	Angostura Bitters is a specific brand of bitters.
How should I use lime leaves when making Thai green curry? When making Thai green curry should the fresh lime leaves be torn in to big pieces and then taken out when ready or shredded so that they can be eaten ? I have found that when I shred them they never quite break down enough to be enjoyable so I am wondering i...	In dry curries they use a leaf chiffonade (i.e. sliced finely lengthwise into long, very thin strips) and added to the dish as a finishing garnish so they retain their pungency giving the dish a large contrast in flavour and texture.
Is ginger a good substitute for galangal in Thai green curry? Is fresh ginger a good substitute for galangal in a Thai Green curry? (I cannot get fresh galangal here anywhere) Would I use less or more ginger than galangal quantity? <Q> Scottish, Use equal amounts of ginger to substitute for galangal. <S> And yes, ...	The combination of fresh ginger and powdered galangal will be very close to fresh galangal in flavor.
Does placing a metal spoon in an open bottle of sparkling wine (etc.. .) help keep its fizz? Does placing a metal spoon in an open bottles of bubbles, sparkling wine & Champagne help keep its fizz ? If so why is this ? <Q> As a beer brewer, I'm pretty concerned with fizz ;) <S> Since the below may be a little tl;dr,...	If you hang a spoon inside an open bottle, the fizz goes out.

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