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How do I get seasoning to stick to home-popped popcorn? I've been popping my own corn and I want to season it with salt, but when I sprinkle it over the popcorn it just ends up at the bottom of the bowl without taking to the popcorn. How could I get the seasoning to stick to the popcorn? <Q> If you want dry seasonings ...	You could try adding butter or oil to your popcorn while it is hot, then adding the salt and tossing it together.
travelling with cooked chickens I want to cook some chickens in the morning, and then travel about 2 hours in a car later in the day. Should I cool the chickens in the fridge after cooking them, or just wrap the hot chickens in tin foil and travel with them that way? <Q> This scenario is on the borderline, if the trave...	Using a pre-warmed cooler is a great idea.
How to mix ingredients in bread machine? Following the catalog instruction I simply put ingredients into bread machine. However, when I got the dough, it contained particles of yeast. Then, I decided to dissolve the yeast into water (as an ingredient) before adding to the mixture in bread machine. In this method, I fo...	If you're using active dry yeast, it may be better to add the yeast and sugar to the water first to dissolve and activate before you add all of your other ingredients.
what is the correct consistency for cream cheese frosting I'm having an issue making decent cream cheese frosting. I have a recipe that says to use: 1 pound (450g) cream cheese, at room temperature 4 oz (110g) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2-3 cups (240-360g) powdered sugar, sifted a few drops of vanill...	It may be that you just need a lot more sugar (or more sugar and butter), or it may be that the cheese being sold in your part of the world is not the "cream cheese" we know of here in the USA.
Does pizza need yeast? I have been looking into some recipe without yeast. Jamie Oliver has a recipe in his 30 minute book that does not need yeast. Will pizza have less crunch or flavour without yeast? <Q> Many kinds of pizza base are made from a yeast-raised bread dough. <S> As with other breads (and beer, and wine,...	While not a direct answer to your question, you can make a good pizza dough without commercial A good alternative
How can I reduce the sliminiess of okra? I don't particularly mind the slime in okra, but my wife hates it. Is there a proven technique for reducing the sliminess? I do wish to make an Indian simmered curry (Bhindi) with it, so frying is out. <Q> The okra itself won't be slimy. <S> This is one of the traditional wa...	Simply slice the okra and heat over medium heat in a dry (no oil or water) non-stick skillet and cook tossing or turning until the liquid has been eliminated. If you're simmering it in a decent amount of liquid for a while, like curry, the slimy stuff (mucilage) will all go out into the curry and end up just thickening...
How to store hard boiled eggs that are peeled so to avoid moisture build up? On the weekend I usually make 10 hard boiled eggs and peel them so I can eat 2 every morning during the work week. It's a big time saver in the morning, but when I store them in a plastic container in the refrigerator, a ton of moisture accumu...	Lastly, you can do what you are already doing, and store them with some towels, but they will probably express some water.
What's the technique for frying plantain? After enjoying a recent BBC Food Programme podcast about bananas I bought some green plantain. I fried them, for breakfast, and ate them with an egg. They were hard and dry and not very nice. My method: I sliced them 8mm thick along the diagonal and fried them in a little oil...	Soaking plantains allows them to absorb a little water to help steam the inside as it fries, much like one would do for American-style french fries (UK: chips). Another method is to make them into "maduros", a sweet and very tasty treat.
Sponge cake with only three ingredients - will this work at all? I have a recipe for a sponge cake only consisting of sugar, eggs and flour. To be honest, I am a bit afraid to to try it. How can this create a fluffy cake - where does the air come from? Won't it be really dry because there is no fat in it? Also, when ...	The egg whites have to be beaten well; that will give the fluffyness and lightness to the cake.
Do coffee and tea need to be agitated while brewing? Do they need to be agitated in order to let the solution come into contact with every little particle of coffee/tea, or does it work the same without agitation? If not, can you explain why with physics? <Q> Tea and Coffee contain a spectrum of flavour compounds and m...	With tea, there is no need to agitate the pot/mixture in order to improve the extraction.
How do I finely strain fresh coconut milk? I had a lovely bunch of young coconuts. I extracted the water of most of them, and I blended all the meats and enough of the water (in the right proportion) to make something like 3 gallons of coconut milk. The only issue is that the milk has tiny coconut particles that I nee...	A fool-proof method: Blend in normal blender, to make a gritty milk. Gel clarification, either with agar or with gelatin.
How can I store leftover puff pastry or make it more durable? I am going to be attempting a recipe for tarts which use shop-bought puff pastry. I am fairly new to baking and this will be the first time I am using puff pastry. I am unsure what I can do with the remainder of the puff pastry once I have cut the circles ...	No, you probably don't want to just squish leftover puff pastry dough together to save it. you can roll out the irregular pieces and cut them into strips for cheese or cinnamon sticks. or make irregular palm leaves, sprinkled liberally with sugar.
Basil Pesto Vinaigrette - what kind of vinegar? I have had this amazing pesto vinaigrette at a local restaurant recently, and I have been trying recreate it in my home quickly and easily. I know the best way to do it would be from scratch, but does anyone have suggestions on the type of vinegar to use to mix in with st...	Red wine vinegar is also common, and inexpensive, but lacks some of the sweetness it sounds like you are looking for.
What is the proper word/term/expression to describe a dish that appears to be something different I want to experiment with dishes that fool the senses. Dishes that look like one thing but taste completely different from what was visually expected (e.g. Heston's parsnip cereal ) I want to google for these kinds of re...	The term seems to be illusion foods .
Egg replacement for fried chicken I often make fried chicken fingers the traditional way with an egg and milk covered cutlet dredged in seasoned flour, however my girlfriend is now on not only a gluten-free diet, but also a hypo-allergenic one which excludes eggs and dairy as well. My questions is, what are some ideas...	It is not necessary to have any egg to make a breading.
Sous Vide Roast: What should I do with the excess liquid in the bag? I am new to sous vide. I am currently cooking a roast at 140 F. I can see there is a bit of liquid, and probably blood around the meat in the bag. It has been going for 8 hours now at or above 140, so all should be well as it is at it's largest, ~2 1/...	If you are planning to stew the leftovers, I would use the juices there: as a gravy base.
What knife should I take if traveling? At home, my Santoku is used most, but there's no way I'm bringing that with me on my travels. In the event I don't find cooking utensils at respective hostels sanitary, I will opt to use a knife and a cork cutting board. But what type of knife should I bring? A serrated knife? my ...	I'd get a cheap, short cooking knife from some hardware store.
How to do a beer-butt chicken? A friend of mine told me how great Beer-Butt Chicken is. Apparently you take a chicken and beer flavors it in well, the butt. How can I cook the chicken like that while keeping the beer in the chicken? <Q> If you google beer can chicken , you will find many, many recipes and descriptions...	I have cooked many "beer can style" chickens. There has been testing on the cooking for engineers site which shows that using beer doesn't actually impart any real flavor. Another trick is to try to close the neck-hole as much as possible.
How to make smooth Chumus? I found many Chumus recipes online. The general gist is to cook the chickpeas for a few hours (or let them sit in water for a day, then cook them), grind them, add water/oil/Tehina/lemon juice, and salt/pepper. The result comes out more or less chunky (not that there are pieces, but it feels...	Cooking the chickpeas in a crockpot will yield a well cooked product that will puree into smooth hummus
What is the "grain" in 45 grain brown rice vinegar? I'm completely lost as to the meaning of "grain" in 45 grain brown rice vinegar . What does the grain number mean? <Q> It is the acidity percentage multiplied by 10, so 45 grain vinegar would be 4.5% acidity. <A> Just an addition with some boring math ... <S> Grai...	Grain is a measurement of the acidity of the vinegar.
Why is my chicken all rubbery? I'm an (very) amateur chef who's just started cooking chicken. I've tried cooking chicken by boiling and frying it. I've managed to cook it right by boiling. The chicken is soft and tender. But no matter what I try I just can't seem to cook it right by frying. My fried chicken is all ...	Rubbery chicken is normally a sign that it is overcooked.
How long will whole coffee beans last in the freezer? I was gifted several bags of great coffee beans, which I won't be able to use all at once. If I store them in the freezer, how long will they last without losing flavor? I know some have noted that they can last months in the freezer, but I seem to notice a differe...	Freshly roasted coffee that is immediately frozen after roasting in a near airtight container in a very cold freezer, can be kept undisturbed in the freezer for at least 2 months and be expected to produce espressos that are not obviously inferior to those made from fresh coffee that has never been frozen. They will te...
Do lamb kidneys require their cores to be removed and what is the easiest way to remove them? I am cooking lamb kidneys by frying them on a pan. If I do not remove the cores of the kidneys , that tissue in the core remains and is hard to chew afterwards. Is there a way to cook the kidneys with the cores in place s...	You will never be able to soften them up by pan-frying.
How do I roast a whole duck so that fat drips out easily and the skin gets crispy? Duck is high in fat, so when roasting a whole duck you can end up with a lot of fat left with the duck inside the skin and soggier skin. How should the duck be prepared to avoid this? <Q> Among poultry, duck is exceptionally fatty, and a...	An effective method is to score the skin a bit and then steam the duck until most of the fat has melted, then roast at high temperature.
Why do chefs use Gold and Silver Leaf? I don't cook myself, but I watch a fair few cooking shows. Recently the theme of gold and silver leaf has been quite recurring. My first thought was "Well it can't be actual gold . Who would eat gold ?" But it looked very shiny and metallic; like it was actually made out of meta...	It's just decorative, in a bit of an extravagant way. The reason why chefs use gold leaf for any entrée is profit.
Smoking a pig at 225 F vs barbecuing one at 250F? I have seen many posts that say smoking a pork shoulder at 225F to an internal temperature of 195F will take 15 hours. I have also seen many posts that say you can barbecue a 90 pound whole hog at 250F in an above ground pit in 6-7 hours. How can this be possible? Both...	I have not cooked a 90lb pig, but the 65 lb ones I have cooked took over 7 hours cooking at temps higher than 250.
Is there a food that is halfway between a cheesecake and regular cake? While living in Korea, there was one special bakery I found that had a cake that I can only describe as being halfway between cheesecake and regular cake. It was creamy like a cheesecake, but had a density somewhere between an actual cheesecake and ...	Japanese cheesecake is a good option since it's airier than regular but with the traditional flavors of cheesecake (minus the graham cracker crust).
Soak clams with cornmeal: yes or no? Many cook books advise that fresh clams should be soaked in salt water with a bit of corn meal added. The purpose is that the clams will consume the corn meal, thereby cleansing their gut of sand. However, I've seen it said elsewhere that this is unnecessary for farm raised clams ...	Farm raised or commercial clams, do not need to be purged, because they have basically gone through a purging process, when they were stored.
Low fat marinades that still work I´m a huge fan of good meat marinades. However, marinades usually include a lot of oil and adding it to a high fat meat, e.g. lamb or pork is adding more calories in my food than I care for. Do you know of a good replacement for oil in marinades? I was thinking of using a mixture of...	Personally, I often use a ginger-garlic-soy sauce marinade with some alcohol added to give pork an amazing taste.
Black tea water: Does boiling water first make a difference? When I make black tea, I usually put the leaves (or tea bags) into cold or room-temperature water before I start boiling it. I've noticed that certain cultures always insist on first boiling the water, and only putting in tea leaves once it reaches a full, ro...	From my brief experience, I put my tea bag in the pot, pour a cup of tap water (room temperature) and heat until the boiling point - this gets me a better tasting tea from cheap tea bags (English Breakfast, Earl Grey - or
Is it possible to make a beverage that evaporates on contact with the consumer's tongue? In one episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation Guinan makes a Tzartak Aperitif , which is described as: When made properly, the evaporation point of the drink's main ingredient was one-half degree lower than the body tempera...	The other option would be to lower the ambient air pressure to something where alcohol boils at around body temperature. The science behind it is wrong anyway
Gritty texture in cookies I made this recipe last weekend and while it came out very tasty, there was the occasional gritty texture/crunch similar to sand at the beach getting in your mouth. This was more of an issue since the recipe produces a more cake-like cookie, so the grit stands out more. The batter was prett...	If there were clumps in the granulated sugar for any reason, they might not dissolve completely during the mixing or baking, leaving a gritty texture.
What is the easiest way to grind poppy seeds? When I prepare a poppy seeds filling (e.g. for a pie), I currently use an old-style coffee grinder. It takes small amounts (like 2 tbsp at a time) of poppy seeds and grinds them into powder in 2-3 minutes. The resulting quality is OK for me, but the process is not very easy...	Poppy seed grinders are also burr grinders, but with a general burr grinder you'll be able to adjust the size of your grind, so you'll still be able to use it for coffee, or other spices where you may not want a poppy-seed sized grind. A large mortar and pestle would likely give you a good result, and you could do much...
Coolest part of the fridge If I need to cool something quickly or keep something at a lower temperature, do I put it in the top or bottom shelf of the fridge? Which part of the fridge is the coolest? <Q> Most refrigerators have the cold air outlet on the top, that way the cold air sinks down naturally to the bottom. <S...	Often the back of the fridge is the coldest, and the bottom is colder than the top if the fridge isn't too full.
How important is fresh ground coffee vs a good coffee grinder? Given a choice between using a good coffee grinder a few days in advance, or one of those whirly-chopper grinders immediately before brewing, which would you choose? <Q> A blade grinder doesn't produce evenly-sized particles; big particles will under-extrac...	Both have downsides: Coffee that is ground more than a few hours before brewing loses aroma, which is obviously an important part of flavour. So, from my point of view, it's not important at all.
What's an effective method to strain liquids? When I make horchata or aqua frescas, I often have a large volume (quarts) of liquid that could benefit from straining. Usually only the small fine mesh strainer can get out the fine particles that remain after running the juices through the blender. I haven't really se...	Cheese cloth is easy to find and does a great job when we make horchata. At restaurant supply stores, you can get much larger fine strainers than consumer stores normally have.
How to get a sourdough like effect without the hassle of a real sourdough starter? I enjoy making bread, but the bread I make using standard yeast of course lacks that sourdough taste. But the process of making and maintaining a sourdough starter frankly requires a bit too much work and consistent attention from me. ...	The juice from fermented pickles, sauerkraut, kimchee, yogurt, etc... should all contain some lactic acid and may give you a bit of the flavor you're looking for. You might also try a slow, 2 or 3 day prove in the fridge for any bread dough.
Coooking the Turkey the night before If I cook the turkey the night before then cut it up, put in refrigerator wrapped or covered in container is it safe to reheat the next day and if fluid added in pan will it moisten it? <Q> Even if you handle it perfectly the turkey is going to lose a great deal of moisture in the f...	It is perfectly safe, however you don't want to as it won't be anywhere near as good the next day. You can't put moisture back into cooked meat once it's gone, so adding liquid when you reheat isn't going to help anything at all.
What are the preferred veal cuts for sausage making? I am going to be trying my hand at bockwurst tomorrow evening, and will be going to the butcher shortly to have meat cut for the process. For the pork, I'm going with shoulder/butt. I can't seem to find any recommendation on what veal cuts are best for sausage making...	Remember that veal is merely very young beef; the chuck (which is the beef equivalent to the pork shoulder) is probably your best choices.
Is cast iron skillet suitable for vegans? I have a cast iron skillet and one of the guests coming for dinner is vegan. Since cast iron is seasoned by all kinds of grease over time I wonder if this is suitable for vegans. I don't want to offend anyone or witness some drama. <Q> A vegan is not going to eat your pan, just...	Your kitchen is not vegan, and if a vegan has a problem with that they should not come over for a meal.
Why do baking recipes call for instant coffee instead of fresh ground coffee? I have seen many recipes for cakes, cupcakes, coffee buttercream, etc. that call for instant coffee than the freshly ground/brewed coffee because the instant coffee produces much better flavour. Why is that when fresh coffee is considered muc...	While fresh coffee has a much better flavor for the purposes of drinking, in most baking applications there are enough other ingredients adding richness, sweetness, etc, that only the base flavor of the coffee will come through.
Is baking powder the same thing as baking flour? Are the two the same? I have no clue. A brief google search didn't provide much help. Update: Here's an example of baking flour <Q> If you're talking about "cake flour" or generally flour used in baking, no. <S> In fact, I don't know of any product that is called a flo...	Baking flour is ground wheat and covers all flours used for baking, including cake flour, pastry flour, all-purpose flour, and self-rising flour.
Where does the Asian dish "sang choi bow" come from? I'm currently travelling in Laos where my favourite local dish is called "larb" or "laap" (ລາບ in Lao, ลาบ in Thai). When I described it to my Australian friend he said it sounded like a dish that was one of his favourites called "San Choi Bow" and described it as "...	But it is clear it came to the English speaking world by way of Hong Kong. It is a common option for entrée (appetizer) in Thai, Veitnamese or Chinese restaurants.
What's the difference between a cupcake and a muffin? I was debating with someone today whether what we were eating was a cupcake or a muffin, but realized we didn't really know the difference. So what's the difference between a cupcake and a muffin in American English? In case you're wondering, what we were eating...	Cupcakes tend to be sweeter than muffins; there are savory muffins such as cornbread Cupcakes are often iced or frosted, whereas muffins tend to have no topping, or a simple crumb topping Cupcakes usually have a head or top no larger than the body of the cupcake; muffins are often encouraged to overflow their baking cu...
secret ingredient in a restaurant bolognese I have dabbled with almost every ingredient I can think of in varying amount to get my Bolognese to taste similar to a restaurant made Bolognese in the italian alps. Including:PepperSugarSaltTomatos and tomato puree, tinned and chopped tomatosgarliclea & perrins / Worcester...	Sweet cherry, smoked bacon, heaps of basil and a glass or 2 while cooking helps for a great spaghetti bolognese. The chicken livers mentioned above could be the key too, I just can't do it. You can use celery salt too, but fresh celery is best. My guess is a good, highly reduced, veal stock;
Is the "gamey" taste of venison just a polite name for "rotten"? I have had a theory for a long time that it is the blood in the deer which causes the gamey flavor. Hunters gut the deer soon after a kill, but they don't bleed it or chill it for hours or days. It takes time to haul it from the woods, then drive home a...	It is actually the blood of the animal if not soaked properly that gives venison the gamey taste.
How to achieve tender or crunchy toasted lentil sprouts? A few days ago, I started sprouting a batch of lentils. This morning, I took some of the beans, now with 0.5-1 mm shoots growing out of them, tossed them in salt, pepper, and paprika, and spread them in a single layer on a pie tim, which I baked in a preheated 25...	I made banana chocolate lentil balls yesterday, added the lentil sprouts, mashed banana and flour and egg and made balls with them and deep-fried in oil.
Steel Cut Oats: cooking in milk vs. water Most of the recipes I've seen (including Good Eats ) recommend simmering the oats in 4 cups of liquid for 1 cup of oats. Alton Brown recommends 3 cups of water for ~25 mins and then (1/2 cup of milk + 1/2 cup of buttermilk) for ~10 mins. However, I would like to do away with ...	I'm not quite sure what your goal is, but the standard recipe for porridge which I grew up with is 1 cup of oats to 2 cups of milk, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
When should I add spinach to homemade pizza? When making pizza, do you put the spinach on raw or cooked? I would prefer to put it on raw, but I am concerned that the high water content in the spinach will release in the oven and make the crust wet. I have used well drained cooked spinach in the past but I find no matte...	Spinich is added fresh to the pizza after it's cooked.
How can I thicken margaritas? I've been making margaritas and I've found that, unlike fancy bar/restaraunt bought margaritas, my margaritas come out more like a liquid drink with shaved ice sitting in it than a mixture. I have a Margarittaville mixer for proper shaved ice, but the final drink lacks the same thickness I...	It could also be that the high powered blenders frequently used in bars will be better at creating a smoother and thicker texture, or a more 'emulsified' slush.
How do I pour from a dutch oven without making a mess? This is a seemingly simple question, but I can't seem to find good helpful techniques or suggestions for this. After frying in a dutch oven (or any other pot with little or no lip) and letting the oil cool down a bit, I like to store the oil in the container it ca...	Some dutch ovens are easier to pour from than others; it depends on the how the edge or lip of the pot is curved.
Advice on use and care of Le Creuset cast iron skillet Below is a picture of my current cast iron skillet from Le Creuset. As a relative cooking novice, could someone let me know if I have possibly damaged my pan, or if this is normal? I have a Le Creuset dutch oven, and have always cleaned with soap/water and it is ...	The brownish looking area on the surface of the pan is from caramelization, which occurs during the cooking process.
Who knows what this fruit is called? It has a slightly thick skin like an apple, semi-dry and grainy texture, with a slight apple flavor, about the size of a large grape, with one pit, reminiscent of that of a date. <Q> Those look like jujubes (not to be confused with the candy). <S> They're also known as Chinese dates...	English dictionary calls it: " oleaster (kitchen)" " eleagnus (botanical)". It's a lotus, or to be specific: Diospyros lotus
How much turkey should I plan per person? For the holidays, I plan to do a turkey, but I need to order in advance since the place I'm buying from is popular and usually sells out in pre-orders. Estimates of how much turkey to plan per person vary widely across the internet; does anyone have authoritative data on how mu...	I think if you have a 3 to 4 adults, a 3-pound boneless turkey, plus 1 or 2 drumsticks alongside the breast is a VERY ample amount of meat....and some leftover too! So you really do want to figure 1 1/2 to 2 pounds per person, especially if you want leftovers.
Kimchi in Mason Jars -- Too Sealed? I recently mixed 8 quarts of kimchi. I stuffed my cabbage into 8, 1-quart Mason Jars. I left the typical buffer space (about 1-inch) below the lid. I told someone else that I had jarred the kimchi in glass and they seemed concerned that the jars would explode. I read that you can rel...	It's not a terrible idea to put something like a sheet pan under the jars just in case one overflows. i've never heard of a kimchi jar explosion at room temp - at least not the kind where you see pieces of glass and kimchi all over.
How to pack items that may leak liquids for lunch? Today my husband packed me some shrimp burritos for lunch. They were very tasty, but unfortunately, a lot of liquid drained from them between morning and lunchtime, so the bottom burrito in the pile was too soggy to eat without a knife and fork. Is there a better way t...	To do this you can use separate containers, bags, or however you normally package a burrito.
Milk instead of water for sourdough? I have a nice, healthy Type 110 wheat-based sourdough starter that I use to make bread and pancakes. I've recently discovered that it may be possible to feed the starter with milk instead of water. Is this true? I'm a bit paranoid that rotting milk will introduce unwanted bugs that...	I agree, milk makes a better starter - much more sour.
How to freeze your own produce & meals, without cell wall break down? I've just spend 30 minutes reading online, and got a bit frustrated. I want to be able to freeze my own grown vegetables & even meals to a very high standard. I can't quite be bothered with liquid nitrogen, but I'd like to get great quality and I'm u...	I can tell you that certain foods keep for shorter times in a freezer than others, and sometimes that varies with how it's prepared, and certainly on whether you purchased it frozen in the first place, or froze it yourself.
Ma Po Doufu without Pork In China there is a famous dish called Ma Po Doufu 麻婆豆腐 and most of the recipes I find online have pork. I was wondering if anyone knew if pork was an essential part of the dish (in terms of flavoring) or if there was something you could do to make it a vegetarian option? Would the dish work wi...	Pork is not absolutely essential to the identity of the dish, but it's certainly the most likely version to be served.
Why is milk powder used in bread machine recipes? In a bread machine bread recipe, why is milk powder included? And is milk powder needed? I have baked several loaves without milk powder. When the bread is baking sometimes the loaf collapses with a 'crater' depression of about 3 cm. <Q> Milk or milk powder ar...	Milk (or milk powder) is a way of enhancing the dough to: Make a softer loaf (due to the milkfat acting as a tenderizer by interfering with gluten production)
What is the purpose of adding oil when cooking scrambled eggs on non-stick pan? Today I had… hard conversation with my girlfriend whether to use or not oil (semi refined sunflower) when cooking scrambled eggs on a non-stick pan. My point is that there is no reason for oil, because coating of the pan will prevent eggs ...	The oil ensures good heat transfer, especially after the egg is no longer liquid, has an uneven surface and may not contact the pan evenly when you have flipped it.
I ate undercooked steak, what can happen to me? What are the risks of eating undercooked steak? I tried to cooked medium rare steak for the first time and I did not know about the palm trick to see it the meat is ready. I ate a bite and it was very soft. After I googled and found the hand/palm firmness trick,I reali...	For normal healthy adults, the risks of eating a single bit of under cooked steak in any of the industrialized nations are fairly small.
Can anyone identify this chocolate? A recent date left this for me to find...a surprise gift, how sweet! I'd love to know just how sweet :) It's 1 3/8 inches, 3.5 cm thick. The larger piece weighs 143 grams or 5 ounces. It tastes pretty good (but I am definitely no connoisseur) and it's certainly in the semi-sweet/bi...	It was an old American chocolate manufacturer that was recently purchased by Callebaut. The thickness of the shards makes me think it's from a Trader
Looking to bake side dishes, having problems with dryness When I cook my meat, I usually bake or broil it, I basically use the oven. I like using the oven to make the side dish while baking the meat. Usually the side dish consists of a combination of sweet potatoes / yams, broccoli and onions. I slice the potatoes a...	For roasting potatoes or brussel sprouts or a lot of other things I recommend getting a heavy cast iron skillet or a stoneware pan or pizza stone.
How to substitute butter with combination of butter and shortening in cookie/biscuit making? Sometimes when I bake cookies, they either come out too soft or they become rock hard. I have read somewhere that baking cookies with butter makes is spreadable in the oven and gives it crispy texture, while using shortening ma...	I commonly replace up to half or all of the butter in a cookie recipe with shortening.
How to make a sandwich bread with a very soft crust? And what is the ideal temperature to bake sandwich bread? I have to ask this question as I really tried hard to achieve a soft crust for sandwich bread but couldn't succeed. I have tried lots of techniques and different recipes but I really couldn't make a bread havi...	I've had the best success getting a soft crust by setting the bread on a cooling rack, spreading a little margarine (I just use the end of a stick rubbed into the bread), and then draping a damp cheesecloth over the bread while it cools.
Are cooked shrimp shells edible? Some Chinese shrimp dishes like the spicy garlic shrimp is served with the shell still on but head removed. Since the shell was on during cooking, the seasoning is all over it. Are you supposed to eat the whole shrimp with the shell, or remove the shell and only eat the meat? I usual...	If the shrimp is deep fried the shell can turn crispy and is super fun to eat.
Replacement for pasta that is natural and fairly low carb I'm looking for something with the physical properties of pasta (spaghetti or similar, not lasagne). Something that I can toss with a sauce or oil and serve in a large bowl for a weekday supper. Something grain-free and natural. I've tried a large onion cut int...	Miracle Noodles Look around at the reviews, that will give you some kind of idea what they are (besides expensive).
Is unwrapped refrigerated cheese safe? Is unwrapped, refrigerated cheese safe? I usually have Australian or New Zealand cheddar cheese or similar cheese in my refrigerator. Recently I've been discarding the original wrapping which usually is not resealable and also not bothering with "cling wrap". I simply put it on...	My own personal preferred method is to put my cheese chunks in a zip lock type bag, which substantially cuts down on the drying, especially for moister cheeses like mozzarella or semi-firm cheddar.
Is it possible to make transparent / translucent pastry? I'm looking for something that works like pastry (malleable before baking, rigid after baking, mild unobtrusive flavour) that is transparent or translucent. The idea is to use for topping savoury pies, where the base and sides are regular shortcrust pastry and ...	Less traditionally, at least for savory pies: Use a lattice crust, so the filling is visible, but you still have some pastry on top With great skill, a true artist could do what you describe with Thai/Vietnamese rice paper, the dinner plate sized, extra thin ones, like for Fresh Spring Rolls.
Can soft-boiled eggs be reboiled and turned into hard-boiled eggs? I recently boiled some eggs, then put them in the fridge. When I went to use them, they were not boiled all the way through. Can I reboil them or should I throw them away? <Q> In terms of food safety, as long as the egg would have been safe to eat as ...	I just brought a pan of water to a boil and dropped the cracked eggs in, boiled them for 14 more minutes, drained and cooled them, they came out perfect.
How to keep pumpkin fresh for a long time? I want to store some (about 10 kg.s) fresh pumpkin for a long time (3-6 months) to use in pumpkin pies mostly. What's the most useful way of doing it? Can I put them in freezer? Raw or cooked? And if I do does it losequality/taste after defrosting? Another option I hav...	Nothing better than using homemade pumpkin purée with fresh spices!
Keeping scrambled eggs with tomatoes from being too watery When cooking scrambled eggs with tomatoes, I find that the longer the tomatoes cook with the eggs, the a. more they decompose, b. the more water the put into the pan. My ideal would be scrambled eggs / omlette that have well formed tomato dice, and are not wat...	You might find that using the right variety of tomato helps, though I imagine even 'Intense' will produce moisture when cooked.
Safe to leave oven on at 180F while at work to cook ribs? I'm currently at work and I'm having a little panic attack. I followed a recipe that require the ribs to be wrapped in foil and cooked at 180F for 9hours. I left about 30 minutes ago and for who knows why I didn't think it could be a bad idea before, but now I...	It is not clear that the ribs will get that hot in such a low oven, or if they do so, if they will do it in a reasonable period of time (less than say, an hour) so you may have a potential food safety issue. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food.
Wine sediment clinging to top of bottle? I recently bought a fairly old bottle of wine (bottled in 2008) and I noticed that there was a bunch of schmutz clinging to the top third of the inside of the bottle after I poured a glass. What is this and what does it mean about my wine? Is it a bad thing? <Q> Sediment is ...	If the particles don't settle to the bottom (form a sediment), it could be bacterial fermentation which is undesirable and it "spoils" the wine, producing off-flavors.
What's the skinny on fat asparagus? I had always heard that pencil thin asparagus is the best, and that has always been what I look for. But now I've heard from a few (what I would consider reliable) sources that skinny isn't better when choosing asparagus. My local grocery tends to get really fat (stems easily an inch...	thicker spears have a slightly better, more tender texture.
Any suggestions on caps for Bakers and Chefs plastic squeeze bottles? I purchased some Bakers and Chefs clear plastic squeeze bottles , which do not come with caps; however, there is a ridge about 1/3" down on the bottle, suggesting that they're intended to work with a cap. Some of the reviewers on Amazon mentioned u...	Occasionally a restaurant supply store will let you switch out bottle tops when buying the bottles, but other than that, I think you may be out of luck.
How long to steam eggs for? (Instead of hard boiling) I'm steaming eggs, rather than hard-boiling (I want the same effect), because it's convenient as I'm using the steam from some boiling chickpeas underneath. But I can't seem to find a definitive estimate for how long to keep them steaming. One source says 20 minut...	I like to follow Alton Brown's approach: steam for 12 minutes, drop into ice bath.
What is the definition of a cup of coffee My wife and I had a discussion in regards of my consumption of coffee during office hours. Health gurus always talk about a maximum amount of coffee during a day - measured in cups! But what is the definition of 1 cup of coffee, and how much coffee is one cup? We have several...	In the US, generally a "cup" of coffee is six ounces.
Why stuff a roast chicken with lemon, onion, and thyme? I just made a classic roast chicken and the recipe called for stuffing a lemon, thyme, and onion inside the cavity of the chicken. Why even bother stuffing the cavity with anything? What does it accomplish? <Q> Lemon, herbs, onions, and garlic too are all aromatic...	Stuffing the chicken helps these flavors to infuse better into the meat than spreading them around.
Is a black coating dangerous when cooking on cast iron? A lot of times when I use my cast iron pan, I'll sometimes get some "black stuff" which I assume is gristle on my food. It doesn't taste bad, it's not a "TON" - I'm assuming it's a combo of burnt+black stuff from the cast iron pan. Is this in any way dangerous? <...	The "black stuff" is either bits of charred food from your last meal or flakes of the polymerized oil that is the "seasoning" coating.
Italian Sausage still a little pink? So im a little scared, I was cooking some italian sausage links on my cast iron skillet. I cooked them 8-10 min a side on medium , then turned to low and cooked 7-8 minutes a side. I checked the temp on the very middle and they all registered about 170 degrees (This was after the...	The fact that you used a trusted thermometer, and that the sausages were well in the safe zone (even conservatively 165 F is more than enough) indicates that the sausage was perfectly safe.
Can you develop an immunity to chopping onions causing tears? I just chopped a particularly strong onion, I noticed some slight irritation but no tears. I realized then that onions haven't made me cry for years, decades even. I use all kinds of onions and take no special precaution to prevent tears. I don't refrigera...	What is likely, especially for an experienced cook are: Improved knife skills and speed, lowering the amount of time in close contact with the irritating gasses produced by chopping onions Increased tolerance for the specific sensation Apart from biologial changes (as discussed by the other posters) I strongly suspect ...
What ingredient, besides beans, creates a complete protein together with rice? I want a cheap option for complete proteins, which includes rice. But I do not like beans. Which other ingredients can I combine with rice in order to get a complete protein? I do eat meat, but I am looking for cheaper solutions. <Q> So wa...	Rice tends to be high in the sulfur-containing amino acids, cysteine and methionine, but low in lysine.
Which part of the coffee brew is best? At work we have a coffee machine that makes 10 cups of coffee in about 3 minutes. Sometimes, 3 minutes is too long to wait for coffee :P So I will poach it as it comes out of the dispenser and then quickly replace the coffee pot so the rest is caught. However, I am not sure if I a...	I've noticed that the first cup is usually the best (strongest) and if you swipe it the rest of the pot is weaker by comparison.
How to avoid avocado in sushi rolls from darkening? We are making some avocado rolls and want to put them in the fridge for eating tomorrow. We will of course wrap them very well but how to avoid the avocado turning black or darkening? <Q> You can try dipping it into acidulated water <S> (water with acid added, eith...	You might want to consider omitting the avocado.
Rehydrating Dried Rosemary for Bread? I love the flavor of rosemary but I don't like its prickliness. It's worse dried, but I don't even like that particular quality in fresh rosemary. I'm experimenting with a yeast bread that will include both water and fat (in this case, bacon fat). I want distinct pieces of rosemary...	I have a bottle of rosemary, sage, and garlic oil which I use in breads and it works extremely well.
What can I do with badly cooked honeycomb? I've made a batch of honeycomb but I didn't quite get the temperature of the sugar right. Now it seems to have the consistency of toffee. What can I do with this honeycomb? It would seem a bit of a waste to just through it away... <Q> The thing is, the candy has already got...	It might be possible to dissolve the candy, and then boil it down again, foaming it with fresh baking soda when it hits the proper stage.
Fresh tomatoes for home-made pizzas, is it worth it? I figured fresh tomatoes would be the best choice for making a tasty pizza sauce, so I bought like 8 kg of fresh Roma tomatoes as I found a good price opportunity, to make jars. I already made a try a few months ago and it was a disaster, way too watery, but this ti...	It's worth to bother! I like using fresh tomatoes, and I just put them in the oven (with basil and thyme, and blend them with garlic) to dry them out a little while making the dough.
Reduce the watering from tomatoes in a dish or sauce There are many questions asking on how to reduce the watering from (fresh) tomatoes in a dish or a sauce (most likely baked): How do I prevent tomato making quiche soggy (mentioned in comments by SAJ14SAJ) How to avoid getting the pizza all watery? Can I turn my...	Draining Drain (without seeding) tomatoes before to bake them - I like salting in any application where you want to keep that "fresh" flavor and texture but want less water.
Differences between canned and fresh tomatoes I read on the web (including here) that canned tomatoes are usually more suitable for tomato sauces (in particular pizza sauce) than fresh tomatoes. It is unquestionable that both are really different, but What makes them so different ? Canned tomatoes aren't supposed to ...	The tomatoes to be canned are often vine ripened to a more ideal ripeness than retail tomatoes, and then immediately harvested, processed and canned.
What to do with browned butter after frying a steak I have cooked a steak Gordon Ramsay style (oil, butter, thyme and garlic). Now after I have prepared and seared the steak, what can I do with the remainders in the pan? Its brown butter with the seasoning in it, do I just dispose of it, use for some other meat (alth...	Often, assuming they are not too burned, you would make a simple pan sauce from the fond and fat left after pan-cooking a steak.
How do I make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that are thick? I'm looking for a way to make "heavy" oatmeal choco chip cookies. When baked, the cookie keeps the shape of the scoop instead of spreading out. Does using eggs or baking soda make cookies spread out? <Q> Some keys to keeping cookies thick, beyond the chilled ...	@Jolenealaska is right, if you want a thicker cookie then chill the dough it will help keep them from spreading too much before they crystallize.
What can I use as a replacement for Curry Powder? I do not like the taste of curry powder. I have a recipe that calls for the use of this spice. What do you suggest that I can use in place of the curry powder? <Q> Curry powder is a blend of spices to some recipe or merchant's taste, as a convenience. <S> More tradi...	Chili powder used with a light hand, has worked well for me, I would suggest adapting the flavor profile from Asian to more of a Mexican one, if one does this.
How can I make my cheese sauce creamier? I made my cheese sauce with pre-shredded cheese (first problem I know), milk and butter. I tried to make a roux but without the flour I think I made it fail. To make the cheese sauce, I put milk and butter in a pot and brought it to a boil. When it frothed, I mixed in the chees...	A sort of cheaty way to make a smooth cheese sauce is to melt cheese into evaporated milk.
Why are some foods preferentially eaten at certain times of day? At least in North America, eggs are most often eaten (or at least stereotypically eaten) for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and a big hearty meal for dinner, accompanied with a sweet dessert. I understand that this isn't always the custom around the w...	In hot climates, fire was made in the evening for cooking, and people fried their eggs then. Sometimes, for recent food trends, there is a documented historical event—such as an advertising campaign—that leads to a chance in food habits. Some dieticians argue that we eat the wrong way round - we should have our largest...
The importance of timing to adding spices From beer making, we learn that the earlier in the brewing process we add an ingredient, the more it contributes to taste, while the later we add the ingredient, the more it contributes to aroma. Does this translate to other cooking, too? <Q> Not directly. <S> Many spices ga...	You must know given spice and when to add it.
Does simple syrup require refrigeration? I'm curious about plain simple syrup and simple syrup with other ingredients. For instance, cardamon simply syrup. Do other ingredients make a difference? <Q> The key factor in syrup's shelf life is the water activity in the syrup, rather than the ingredients used to make it. <S...	A highly concentrated simple syrup produced in a sterile environment and stored in sterile containers (with sterile caps) has a shelf life of at least a month as long as the containers remain unopened.
Metal vs paper filter for Chemex? What is the significant difference between using a paper filter over a reusable metal mesh filter for Chemex? <Q> A paper filter is a true "filter" in that it basically only allows liquid to pass through. <S> This means that you will have no sediment in your coffee, if that is a concer...	Paper filters are absorbent though, so some of the flavor compounds of the coffee will be absorbed into the paper, and some other compounds as well (a chemical in coffee that causes a rise in cholesterol is absorbed by the paper).
Milk temperature for white sauce Should I introduce the milk hot or cold when making white (béchamel) sauce? Searching around I found multiple opposite opnions, like on this answer (see the comments). Also different advice from famous chefs: "heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil" - Mario Bat...	In my experience the secret to great roux sauce is to add the milk very slowly at the beginning .

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