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If I'm using milk as an ingredient in soup, how can I prevent it from curdling? There are numerous chicken stock based soups that also have milk as an ingredient and the milk always seems to curdle - how can I prevent this? <Q> Milk curdles due to acidity, so if you can raise the pH of the soup by adding something bas...	You can also "temper" the milk (as mentioned by Ocaasi): add a bit of the soup to the milk first; then add the milk-soup mixture to the soup at large.
I would like to try grilling fruit - any suggestions? I had a catered lunch the other day that had grilled fruit (apples, pineapples) it was great and I wanted to try it at home. Are there any tips as far as preparation or what to glaze them with or basic techniques? <Q> Usually I cut a peach in half, put a bit of sa...	My rule of thumb is that, if it's a harder fruit then it can be grilled, and usually it can only be grilled on the non-skin side.
Is there a non-penetrative method for checking cake doneness? Is there some way to check a cake is done without using a toothpick or other penetrative device? I like the thermometer idea, but no one seems to know how the heck to use them. <Q> If the reason you don't want to use a toothpick is that it leaves a big hole...	If it's a spongecake, you can check by pressing down on it and if it "bounces" back it's done.
Turning Left Over Broth From a Roast Into a Soup Or Stew Two nights ago, I made a roast. Not wanting to waste anything I kept most of the left over beef broth (about 3-4 cups). My current idea is to turn this beef broth into a soup or a stew. Here's what I was thinking: Skim the fat chucks off the top of the broth ...	The broth can be used for pretty much any soup...if the soups says to add in stock, use the broth instead.
Why do some foods taste better the next day? Many people think that certain foods, like lasagna, many stews and hearty soups, tomato sauce and so forth taste better the next day. My question is, is that really true, and if so, why? The conventional answer is essentially, "the flavors marry", but that doesn't mean much....	For soups, stocks, sauces, chilis, or any preparation/recipe that tends to have a lot of loose fat, refrigerating it for several hours will cause the fat to congeal at the top, at which point it is easily skimmed off.
How can I remove excess fat from stews or soups without refrigerating? I've read that adding cork (from wine bottles) absorbs the fat. I'm not sure if this works or not. Are there any other ways to remove excess fat without standing there and spooning out or refrigerating and then removing the solidified fat? <Q> If...	I just tried this: Pour cooled stock through a strainer, lined with paper towels, filled with ice cubes. Personally, I normally use the 'spooning' method, but use a laddle rather than a spoon, so it goes much faster.
Bread used for containing soup So when I was away on holiday we had a lovely lovely meal which was basically soup. But the soup was served in bread which you could then eat aswell. It was so tasty, the bread was essentially hollow with only the crust but there was a little bit of the dough stuff left which became lovel...	It's typically a round loaf of bread, with a firm crust, a hole cut in the top and hollowed out. We would drink the soup from the roll, then at the end eat the whole thing.
With what can I replace eggs? My girlfriend is vegan. How can I replace eggs in a recipe? Maybe with banana or soy? How much? The egg is the key ingredient to keep everything from falling apart. <Q> I have the giant box of Ener-G egg replacer sitting in my cabinet, but I've found that in most cases a flax egg will ...	Aquafaba is the resulting liquid from cooking beans and other legumes such as chickpeas in water, and it is quite useful as a substitute for eggs.
Do different wood types work better for grilling different meats/fishes? If I'm using my gas grill (adding charcoal and wood) and wanted to try to get different flavors out of different wood types, is there a guideline for which woods work better for fish/meat - Hickory is a strong flavor and works great with meat; Che...	Mesquite - this is a strong tasting wood.
What is the difference between grits and polenta? I've eaten both and except for the fact that sometimes polenta is a little bit more firm, they taste the same...Any southerners out there that can help? <Q> True southern grits are made with ground hominy <S> whereas polenta is simply ground cornmeal . <S> The prope...	Grits are typically a much coarser grind than polenta.
Is there a simple way to make refried beans? This is a dish that I always eat when dining at Spanish style restaurants, but never seem to be able to replicate at home using black beans and olive oil. The main problem is that the beans seem to cook down to a soup consistency to quickly - any tips? <Q> The heightened fl...	I just use Rick Steins method and fry a little garlic or other flavouring in some oil and then add a can of beans with some of the juice and then mash and heat through.
Heating meatballs in pasta sauce I made meatballs yesterday in the oven and I'm going to add them to pasta sauce tonight to heat them up and add them to spaghetti. My question is how long should I boil the meatballs for in the sauce before adding it to the pasta and serving. The recipe I was looking at didn't use th...	You want to cook them sufficiently long so that they absorb the moisture and flavour of the sauce, but not too long such that they lose their firm texture.
Why would you Parboil Some Vegetables Before Stir-Frying them? An example would be green beans - some recipes call for parboiling green beans before stir-frying while others do not? Is there a reason behind this? <Q> Really, this is just to even out cooking times for vegetables that don't have a surface area to volume...	By starting the beans in boiling water, as Rich said, it allows the centers to start to get cooked whereas with just stir frying I've had raw centers before.
How long is cooked hamburger able to sit in a crockpot? I came across a crockpot recipe for burritos. It calls for cooked hamburger (1 lb) as one of its ingredients and specifies that I should cook the mixture on low for 6-10 hours. Is this safe? Whenever I have cooked meat in the crockpot in the past I only use a hi...	The hamburger meat itself is never going to burn in a crock-pot, and as long as there is a good enough seal and enough liquid, it shouldn't dry out.
Should you, and how do you, grease a crockpot? I know that this may be a silly question but I came across a crockpot recipe that asks for the crockpot to be greased before adding the ingredients into the pot. Do you just grease the pot normally? In my case with a bit of olive oil and paper towel. Are you required to ...	Oiling/greasing the pan should never be enough to make the food greasy.
What could I use in a vegetarian b'stilla? I love the idea of b'stilla but not sure I have any great ideas for a vegetarian version. Searching the web I see people trying it with winter squash, chickpeas or seitan . Any other suggestions? <Q> I'd like such a dish with courgettes, or mushrooms. <S> Chickpeas sound li...	Chickpeas are very good nutritionally, and also fit in with the regional flavours.
Can you cook pickled onions? Can you cook hot dishes with pickled onions? I've never seen a recipe which uses them hot, is this just because they don't taste good hot? What hot dishes might be appropriate to put pickled onions in? <Q> This afternoon, I made a veggie/bean chilli. <S> When preparing, I was surprised to...	I've seen pickled onions used in baked chicken dishes in particular.
Cooking chicken in microwave? I hear that chicken breasts can be cooked in microwave and that it's the best way to get it juicy and tender. I have also seen some articles about it on the internet. I wonder if this is just a myth or if professionals also use this trick? Wouldn't you risk that parts of the chicken is...	I personally feel the best way to get a tender juicy chicken is to make beer can chicken: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/the-surreal-gourmet/beer-can-chicken-recipe/index.html .
What to look for when purchasing a blender? I currently don't have a blender after purchasing my own home and am looking to get one for making smoothies primarily, but also for pureeing for soups, etc. I had a smoothie maker that I won as a prize; it was very obviously a cheap unit. It barely handled frozen fruit and ...	Look at the number of teeth on the connection from the motor to the blade. In addition to the points of the previous answer I would like to add: Volume of the bowl Durability of the clutch The smaller the base the better contact the blades will have with the food.
Can I reuse coconut oil for cooking? I was using Coconut oil to fry up tostada shells and I was wondering if its safe to reuse the oil I used the night before to cook up more shells the next day? <Q> the flavors the oil takes on from the food cooked in it. <S> The thing to watch is the smoke point. <S> That's when th...	For most oils, you can re-use them several times, if you're OK with (or want)
Is it safe to eat a cooked steak that (briefly) touched the plate that was holding the raw meat? So I just finished preparing a perfect-looking steak, and as per usual, my apartment's hypersensitive smoke detector decided to go off. Not wanting to put the steak back into the pan, in one brilliant flash of boneheadedne...	Chances are, if the steak came hot out of the pan, and you removed it from the plate quickly, the residual heat alone would be enough to kill it.
Why does Brining help food to retain water, but adding salt will draw the moisture out? I saw a recipe that called for brining a Turkey in order to retain the moisture, but when you cook with salt it causes the foods to get less moist - Why and how does this happen? <Q> For the brine, it's because of osmosis <S> Whe...	When you add solid salt to an item, steak for example, Osmosis is no longer at work.
What is the difference between pancetta and bacon? I see pancetta next to the bacon at a local butcher and was wondering what the difference was between the two? <Q> To make bacon, pork belly sides are brined and then smoked. <S> Pancetta, the Italian version of bacon, is made by seasoning a pork belly side with salt a...	Bacon and pancetta are both made from pork bellies; the difference between them lies in how they’re prepared and cured.
What are the advantages of a lid on a barbeque? I have just bought a new half drum barbeque which can with a fold down lid. I have heard that these lids are good for creating a smokey flavour, or for keeping food moist whilst it cooks. A lot of this seems to be based on peoples personal opinion with evidence based a...	Putting the lid on will trap heat in your grill, providing convection as well as direct cooking.
How can I wrap fish for freezing if you don't have a vacuum seal? I know the ideal way to store fish in the freezer is to use a vacuum seal, but does anyone have any tips on what to do if you don't have one handy? <Q> Make sure you wrap with plastic wrap first, then aluminum foil. <S> The taste of aluminum can leec...	If you wrap the fish (or any meat you're freezing) with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil, it will keep out air out and moisture in as much as possible without vacuum sealing.
Tips for Removing Silk from Corn? Does anyone have any tips for how to easily and quickly remove silk from ears of corn? I find that it takes a long time to pick it all out. <Q> If you're cooking it on the cob, remove the silk after you've cooked it. <A> I use a soft brush (technically, it was sold as a mushroom brush)...	I typically microwave my corn in the inner husk, when you pull it out the silk just slides right off. Running it under cold water while rubbing it helps a lot.
Cooking with a pizza stone As per a recent question of mine I intend to use the underside of an old granite chopping board as a makeshift pizza stone, once I've finishing testing that it won't break due to thermal shock.. Do I need to do/know anything in particular for this to be successful? Does the stone need season...	No reason to put semolina or cornmeal or flour directly on the stone, unless you're starting with a cold pizza stone.
Types of vinegars used for salads I was told by someone that rice vinegar was not suitable to be used in a salad dressing. Can only certain types of vinegars be used for salads? <Q> Ignore someone. <S> One of my favorite dressings is made with a base of rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger. <S> There is nothing besi...	If you are an sour lover like me, the normal non-aged balsamic vinegar is a good choice.
Is it possible to make french fries out of potatoes and tomatoes? In the same way that they make tomato tortillas, is it possible to create french fries with a homemade recipe that is made from potatoes and tomatoes both? My idea is to create something that does not require catsup. <Q> I can think of two approaches. <S...	You can also batter potatoes before frying, add some tomato paste or powder to the batter.
Uses of Horse Meat What (roughly) does horse meat taste like? What kind of dishes can I make with it? <Q> Back in the late '90s, biologist Joe Staton did a comparative study of the tastes of different animals for the Annals of Improbable Research . <S> His hypothesis was that the relatedness of tastes of animals ...	The big differences are that it is leaner than beef, and has a coarser texture.
How safe is steak tartare? How safe is steak tartare? What can I do when preparing it make sure it is safe to eat? <Q> Butchered meat is generally sterile except on its exterior. <S> (That doesn't mean parasite- or botulism-free, but it's a start.) <S> Get the best quality you can from a source you trust. <S> C...	It all comes down to quality beef and best practices when handling. Keep it at as low a temperature as possible, and don't expose it to warm air for more than the few minutes it takes to prepare.
Are there any savoury dishes using matcha tea? I know that you can use matcha powder in a similar way to chocolate in sweet foods but are there any savoury dishes you can make with it? <Q> One trend I've seen recently is making tea broths/sauces for meats, fishes , etc... <S> Besides being a good use for tea, this h...	Matcha-iri Genmaicha, which is a toasted rice green tea that has additional matcha powder for flavor, is sometimes used in ochazuke, a post-drinking food that typically involves a bowl of rice with tea or soup stock poured over, topped with pickles or other flavorful ingredients (furikake, sliced nori, some other thing...
What are the fundamental sauces that every cook should know how to make? I'd like to learn to make some sauces and I'm looking for the most common, "standard" sauces that professional cooks all learn how to make in culinary school. What sauces form the basic "building blocks" of cooking and how are they prepared? <Q> ...	After the ones that Bob mentioned, other 'worth knowing how to make by memory' are basic proportions and techniques for for : pan sauces (ie, deglaze the pan, reduce, maybe add some butter) mayonaise pesto
How can I wash down spicy food? Say, for example, I eat a very spicy jalapeno and I have a burning sensation in my mouth and throat. Are there any foods or drinks to wash that away? <Q> The chemical responsible for "the burn" is Capsaicin. <S> The main reason you and everyone else has trouble with the lingering burnin...	Beer works well, but wine or a mixed drink will do you better. Dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt are very good at relieving spiciness. Also, for some reason very sour foods, such as pure lemon juice can provide some relief (Though you may prefer milk or beer). I've tried all approach and gargle warm water and sp...
Is bacon fat supposed to congeal at room temperature? My grandma told me its a good idea to save the bacon drippings in a sealable container to cook with later. I remember when I used to watch her cook with it, it was always solid. I have started saving the fat from my bacon, only the bottom of the can is the only pa...	I found that when I buy bacon from pasture raised pigs, the drippings are solid at room temp, from regular store bought bacon it remains mostly liquid at room temp.
How to know when chicken breast has cooked through? Sometimes chicken breast can be thick and I never know how to tell when it's cooked! How can I be certain it is cooked all the way through? <Q> For methods with a consistent level of heat (stove, oven), you should able to learn the average cooking time, and outwards c...	A thermometer is the only way to be sure.
Any tips for ways to cook chicken breast for recipes that call for shredded chicken? I've got several recipes that call for shredded chicken, so any help would be appreciated. <Q> I keep both shredded/chopped chicken and pork in my freezer as kind of a "staple". <S> For both, I tend to use the crock pot. <S> I tend t...	The easiest way (but certainly not the cheapest) is to toss boneless, skinless chicken breasts into the crock pot with a flavorful liquid.
Can non-dairy creamer be used to make desserts like rice pudding? I've used Soy Milk before, but never tried Non-dairy creamers - any help? What about other type of pudding? <Q> I think it will work; you aren't really using any "fancy" properties of milk when you make rice pudding, it is mainly just serving as a liqui...	You can also use canned coconut milk for a very delicious coconutty-tasting (although high-fat) rice pudding!
How can I make a silky smooth, rich mash? What are the key factors in making silky smooth (non gluey) mashed potatoes. What technique has the best results? <Q> Here is how we made pomme puree at the restaurant I used to work at, for a very well known (in Canada anyway) <S> French chef: Peel and boil as many potatoes...	I steam the potatoes rather than boil them, which results in something that tastes more like potatoes than the boiling version and avoids the waterlogged problem that mis-timing the boiling can bring.
Why do my hamburgers smoke? Whenever I fry hamburgers I can't help but notice that they create a lot of smoke. I have brand new non-stick pans, and an electric stove. I cook them on setting 6, where the stoves max is 8. I don't add any oil because if I do it pops and goes everywhere. I have a thermometer that I use wh...	For a burger I get the pan quite hot before putting the meat in--far too hot for an empty non-stick pan. What you're doing is creating holes for the juices to flow out of and get vaporized on the pan.
What is the ingredient that makes a Spanish paella so particular? I have eaten paella in Spain; I then ate it in Italy, but it didn't taste like the one in Spain. What is the ingredient that makes the Spanish paella so particular?I remember they used a particular sauce for the meat (I have eaten both the Valencian pae...	The secret ingredients in paella are the socarrat and cooking with wood .
How should I cook skate wings I was in the fish section at the local supermarket this morning. There was a pile of fish that looked really delicious. So I asked the attendant what it was. He told me it's skate wings. Having never had it before I asked him for a piece. It was really cheap. Cheaper even than the ha...	Another way is to poach it gently in some court bullion for around 8-10 minutes and make the brown butter sauce separately. skate benefits from very, very fast cooking and perhaps a very light breading--flour or cornmeal only, not breadcrumbs.
What temperatures should I keep my refrigerator and freezer set at? For a refrigerator, if it's cooler, items like milk and meat last a bit longer. However if I set it close to freezing then some items start showing frost on them. What temperature should I set my refrigerator to for best overall results? Since the per...	I've always been told to keep freezer at 0 F, with fridge no higher than 40 F. Alton Brown recommended buying a pair of those hanging temperature gauges (one for each compartment).
How can I improve an asian sauté / stir fry? When I make a sauté, I use bell peppers, green onions, beef slices, carrots, ginger and mushrooms. I fry all the ingredients together, add some lime juice, soy sauce, salt, pepper and oregano. Then, I serve the fried ingredients over white sticky rice. The results are good, ...	Marinate the meat first (after chopping, before stir-frying); Mix the sauce first - don't just dump the ingredients separately into the wok; Add corn starch or tapioca flour to the sauce to thicken it. I only ever use salt OR soy, not both Oregano is not a particularly Asian ingredient; try Thai basil instead use sesam...
What foods/preparations demonstrate the flavor difference between sea salt and table salt? Related to What is the difference between sea salt and regular table salt? What can I prepare that will work really well for a side-by-side comparison to demonstrate the difference between sea salt and regular table salt? Obvio...	I enjoy the flavored salts---like smoked or Merlot salt.
What are other techniques are used to tenderize steaks apart from using a meat mallet? I'm familiar with using a meat mallet to tenderize steaks, but I'm curious what other techniques or methods there may be to achieve the same or similar results. <Q> Many marinades will act as tenderizing agents; particularly those th...	Certain cooking methods (braising, or cooking for a longer time with some liquid in a covered dish) will make meat more tender. Soda niter injections are very effective.
When a recipe calls for a cup of chopped nuts, should they be measured before chopping or after chopping? It seems like it would throw off recipe since you can fit more in once they are chopped? <Q> "1 cup of chopped nuts" is measured after chopping. <A> I'd say it depends on the recipe. <S> "1 cup chopped pecans" I...	"1 cup of nuts, chopped" is measured before chopping. In most cases, I would assume it means after chopping.
What does it mean to "fold in" an ingredient into a mix? I see this in baking recipes, but I've never been quite clear on the difference between mixing and "folding." <Q> "Folding" is a more gentle mixing technique than "stirring" and "mixing". <S> Stirring and mixing both denote a more vigorous action. <S> Folding...	Folding is a technique to gently incorporate one ingredient into another.
Whats the simplest possible spicy thai curry? I love massaman, green curry, red curry, yellow curry, etc. Can any of these be made quickly at home with only 4-5 ingredients? <Q> Yes, you will need to buy a pre-made curry paste if you want to get anywhere near 5 ingredients. <S> Mae Ploy is a reputable brand. <A> I ...	Olan, some types of Thoran, simple versions of keralan vegetable ishtoo (stew ;) ), some other south indian curries, some basic indonesian ones (they use a herb called Daun Salam, similar or even identical to it), various implementations of the great mangalorean pineapple curry - all using curry leaves and all getting ...
What vegetarian substitute for prosciutto could I use in Carbonara? Instead of prosciutto, I used capers to try and maintain the salty aspect. It worked ok, but something about the capers and cheese didn't seem right. Any other suggestions? Also, to round out the dish with a bit more substance, I also added some dic...	There are also a lot of vegetarian ham substitutes including Lightlife Smart Deli, Yve's Deli Slices and meatless Canadian Bacon, and others you can find at some Asian markets. I'd recommend thinly sliced and seared shiitake mushrooms for an umami boost and appropriate texture. I've not tried it, but to my mind sun-dri...
How can I prevent bacon mayonnaise from splitting when above fridge temp? I know how to fix a split mayonnaise made with olive or vegetable oil - that's not a problem. I have made Kenji Lopez-Alt's recipe for animal fat mayonnaise (bacon fat, for putting on a burger). It emulsified beautifully, chilled wonderfully.. a...	When you throw it in the fridge, the micro-droplets of bacon fat will turn to solids and clump together. I've found that the thawing trick works fairly well for home hollandaise (which most people say shouldn't refrigerate), and which does the same thing if heated fast. I'd shear it in with the yolk/mustard/vinegar, le...
Tips on cooking for people with different allergies Most people have friends with allergies, and I wish to make a list with tips on how to make such a meal when there is different allergies at the same time. For example, it's a big problem making a cake without gluten, laktose and eggs, but this issue might come at han...	You could complicate the matter here and have recipes and food lists in sections for the different dietary requirements for when you want more choice A few basics which haven't been mentioned: Find out what people's allergies are before they come (they should tell you, but better to ask) Create different types of rice ...
Should whole coffee beans be stored at room temperature, the fridge or freezer? My coffee is normally used up within 1 week and is of unknown age on purchase, do I need to do anything extra to make it last a week? <Q> If you use your whole beans within a week it's probably not worth storing it in the refrigerator or fr...	Coffee beans should be stored in a cool, dry place. Ideally you should store them in an airtight opaque container. I have typically seen most rules of thumb for this being along the lines of buy only the coffee you will use within 1 week (kept at room-temp).
How can you make "All Purpose Flour" using home ground wheat? We grind our wheat at home. Many recipes call for "All Purpose Flour" and we have been trying to find how to make our own "All Purpose Flour". <Q> Typical all purpose flour does not include the germ of the wheat, so if you would like to mimic the stuff from ...	By using hard white wheat and a very fine grind, I have for years made a flour that operates very like whole wheat pastry flour, which can often be substituted for all purpose flour in recipes.
Difference between natural and organic For products such as bread, state they are either natural or organic, what is the difference? <Q> (I'm assuming you are in the USA, I can't speak for other countries). <S> Since the term isn't regulated (with the apparent exception of meat), any manufacturer can put it on any (non...	Organic food refers to food items that are produced, manufactured and handled using organic means defined by certifying bodies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under its Organic Food Products Act. Natural is purely a marketing term, and it is essentially meaningless since it isn't regulated by...
What spices are used to make a mexican fajita seasoning? I'm trying to make my own homemade fajitas, for both vegetarian and non vegetarian tasters. I know they have grocery store pre-mixed fajita seasoning, but I'd like to know how to make my own. <Q> Penzeys (a spice co.) makes theirs from: salt, black pepper, pa...	I would guess: salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin, sugar, onion and garlic powder
Suggestions for Brie + Bread + Preserves I've now tried two different types of Brie cheese from my grocery store. The first was a triple cream version which was very mild and nice. The second was a "Rich and Buttery" (whatever that is supposed to really mean) version which was just a little bit stronger. I tended to...	The rich buttery flavor of brie works well with crisp acidic fruit like apples, or pears.
Is there a difference between 'Saucisson Sec' and 'Salami'? Is there difference between Saucisson Sec and Salami? <Q> There's a difference between the title (is a sausiccon a type of salami), and the body (is there a difference). <S> The first is a question of classification, and no, a saucisson is type of cured saus...	Salami is a dried sausage so it might be a saucisson sec. The difference can come from the size of the grounded meat, the seasoning or even the casing. Saucisson sec has no incubation period.
How do you poach chicken? How do you poach chicken? <Q> By hunting chicken in a game preserve? <S> ;-) <S> http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--324/poaching-chicken.asp <S> I really like poaching chunks of chicken in a thin sweet-and-sour sauce, then thickening the sauce, adding pineapple chunks, and serving o...	The essence of poaching chicken is a gentle boil in water, stock or other flavorful liquid.
Are there any differences in cooking techniques for Farm raised Salmon versus Wild Salmon? In the last couple of months my grocery store has started to sell Farm Raised Salmon and separating it from "Wild" Salmon. Any difference in cooking these two that I should be aware of? <Q> You want to minimize the amount of fat...	I find the wild salmon to be less fatty and easier to overcook.
How deep do you need to insert the probe in a piece of meat to guarantee accuracy? I have a wired thermometer that I mainly use for roasts, which can support the entire probe inside the meat. However, I used it last night to cook some country style ribs (pork) and was only able to insert the probe about half-way into ...	I think @Joe is right that a thermometer is not going to work well for pork ribs - But this is not because the bones will interfere with the thermometer. For something with bone it, I would aim for a point somewhere between halfway and 2/3 the distance from the skin to the bone in the place where that distance is the l...
Are Asian Pears Bitter? Mine Was I bought an Asian pear the other day and let it ripen for about a week since it was still very firm when I bought it. When I ate it, I found it to be very bitter and almost inedible because of its rotten taste. However, it looked fine, came from a good grocery store and was stored pro...	You should be able to smell the sweetness of a ripe asian pear.
Bubble Tea - Instant or Traditional Pearls Is there any evidence that instant or traditional tapioca pearls - for bubble tea - are a better choice if I'm looking for a pearl that is very soft with just a little bit of chew? I've tried traditional pearls and always have okay results - but I've had better from some (n...	Anyway, the difference between traditional and instant pearls is merely the amount of processing they receive before they hit your hands, much like the difference between oats and quick oats.
Am I missing something with Beer Can chicken? I've tried beer can chicken a few times, BBQ and in the oven, but it doesn't seem overly special to me. I am not sure if I should also be covering the chicken with some kind of sauce, but the chicken never seems to absorb much flavour, so I am wondering if I am using the w...	In my experience beer can chicken usually allows you to cook the chicken until the skin is much crispier than you would normally be able to without drying out the entire chicken.
What is sour cream? What exactly is sour cream and How is it made? also Is there a relationship between 'sour-cream' and 'creme fraiche'? <Q> The bacterial culture, introduced either deliberately or naturally, sours and thickens the cream. <S> Although sour cream is only mildly sour in taste, its name stems from the p...	From wikipedia: Sour cream or soured cream is a dairy product rich in fats obtained by fermenting a regular cream by certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria.
How can I get breaded chicken to stop from sticking to the frying pan? Whenever I fry breaded chicken cutlets, the first side browns beautifully, but when I turn them over, the next side always sticks to the pan. Consequently, one side is beautifully breaded, and the other side is bare of coating. This happens to any k...	In addition to adding a bit more oil and using a higher smoking point oil, you could also try different breadings.
Why do I need more time and liquid than my risotto recipe calls for? Whenever I make a risotto, I always find that I need about 50% more liquid and 50% more cooking time than my recipe suggests. I recently made a Jamie Oliver risotto that called for 1 cup arborio, 2 cups chicken stock, and 20 minutes. I used more like ...	I've found risotto to be one of those recipes that can vary up to 50% (usually less) from what the author calls for and still turn out great. It could also have to do with the age of your rice -- older rice will take more liquid and more time to cook.
Preparation Techniques for Tilapia Filets In my freezer, I have two thin tilapia filets that need to be eaten. I realize that I can: wrap them in foil with seasoning and cook bake or broil them with butter, wine, lemon juice, and/or other seasonings bread and fry them grill them What I'd love to know is what I...	I've found two good things to do with this fish (I dislike it broiled/baked): fish curry or soup, and fish tacos.
Impact of using egg yolks vs whites in a spaghetti dish? I'm making a dish that calls for several egg yolks and 1 full egg (all scrambled together) to be poured over hot spaghetti and cooked salt pork (to cook the egg), and I'm wondering how much of a difference using yolks vs using whites makes. If I could use the en...	A little bit of white won’t matter if you don’t separate them completely.
How do you develop the knife skills to properly use a Chinese cleaver? So I have recently been moving into the world of Asian cuisine, and I recently learned that the Chinese use a cleaver as though it is a chef's knife. Apparently, it is a great multitasker but requires a completely different technique set to use pro...	I would say that the difference and how it's used is dependent on knife shape.
What's the numbering system for spaghetti and does it matter? When I lived in Italy some years ago I remember an Italian friend explaining the numbering system for spaghetti (perhaps also other long pasta). How spaghetti was sold in Italy with a number indicating its fineness. She told me that different kinds of reci...	Yes, it does refer to the size (in terms of thickness) of the pasta.
What kind of frosting doesn't need to be refrigerated? I'm looking for a frosting that I can leave on the counter (under a cover of some kind) for a few days. What kind of frosting (for a cake or cupcakes) would stand up to this? Update: Ideally, I would like this to be something that I could make from scratch. <Q...	A buttercream frosting made with water instead of milk will last for a couple of days.
Are there benefits to using a lemon squeezer? There are lots of products on the market to ease lemon squeezing. I've never used any of them. Are there any benefits to using one? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the different types? <Q> I'm a recent convert to the type where you load the fruit b...	That is tongue-in-cheek, but unless your have a need, there is no 'should use'. A possibly disadvantage may be that it mangles your lemon skin (depending on type), which you might still want to use.
Can you freeze fruit pies after baking - Will this ruin them? I was thinking about apple, but would apply to any fruit. <Q> You have to bake them longer (20 min to 1/2 hour) and will need to use foil to be sure the crust doesn't come out too dark. <S> No soggy crust this way. <A> You can certainly freeze them. <S> ...	I've done this both ways and prefer to freeze my fruit pies before I bake them.
Can I add unsweetened cocoa to a store-bought white cake mix to make chocolate cake mix? I know that buying a chocolate cake mix would be the easiest, but there is a white cake mix whose flavor I like... <Q> A small amount will be fine, but if you try to add enough to make it significantly chocolate flavored, you'll th...	In a scratch white cake recipe, you could replace part of the flour with an equal amount of unsweetened cocoa.
Julia Child - Mastering the Art of French Cooking - OK for Kosher? My fiancee and I love to cook. We love cookbooks, but often find that they are useless in today's internet world where all the recipe sites exist. Mastering the Art of French Cooking is a classic, which is not just a list of recipes (as I have found m...	One of the things I like about Mastering the Art of French Cooking is that the recipes go into great detail about how to do things. French cuisine , as a whole, is obviously not kosher in any means, even by the most limited definitions of "Kosher" and "French Cuisine".
Are there any techniques to "cheat" at cooking a risotto? Cooking a risotto takes a fair amount of attention and work, adding stock a ladle at a time with almost constant stirring. The chemical process behind this makes sense to me. Are there any ways to short cut this process though? I'd like to be able to make a ri...	There is one recipe for risotto that doesn't require that much attention: "Risotto alla pilota". If you have a pressure cooker, you can also coopt it to do some of the work for you, as seen in this recipe .
What additions can I make to my basic white bread recipe to increase its fiber content? These are my ingredients for a one-loaf white bread recipe: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup milk 4 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp sugar 1 1/4 tsp salt 1 packet active dry yeast I'd like to add an ingredient that will increase the loaf's fiber ...	King Arthur (and perhaps others) make a white wheat flour, made from an albino wheat with husk that is ground very finely, and can generally be subbed in for white flour yielding higher fiber product. You can add a handful of pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
I wanted to make homemade pickles, does it matter what type of salt I use? I've got the spices, jars, etc. I was wondering if there is a special salt, or can I just use table salt? <Q> "Pickling salt" is sold, the main difference being the absence of iodine and anti-caking agents. <S> The anti-caking agents can cloud t...	It is important to have an even salt solution when pickling.
How To Tell When Corn is Done With Boiling When boiling corn, how can I tell when it's done? I usually remove the husk and silk. Would there be any advantage to leaving them on when boiling? <Q> It does depend on the corn. <S> Eat some raw <S> ... Notice the starchy taste (Still yummy, just starchy) <S> What you ...	I shuck the corn and put the husks (not silk) in a large pot and add cold water just to the top of the husks. Usually you can detect a color shift when it's nearly done. You can tell when it's done by how quickly it dries when you lift a cob (with tongs) out of the water.
Why does the grate of my charcoal grill keep rusting? By the end of every summer it seems like the grate of my charcoal grill is rusty. Does anyone know how I can keep it from rusting and whether or not the rust is unhealthy? <Q> Rust isn't bad for you, with the possible exception of men who have hemochromatosis. <S> E...	Applying a layer of oil to the grate before/after cooking on it will help to keep the rust off.
How to make saffron really color my risotto? So I've recently bought some saffron (stems, not ground), then tried to make some Risotto with it. I got my water boiling and added about 5 stems to it. I didn't really measure the water because I can just eyeball it, I was making about a cup and a half of rice. The saffro...	I have had good results by filling a ladle with stock, adding the saffron stems (whole or ground up) and then mashing the stems well with a spoon until the stock in the ladle becomes a beautiful red color.
Dutch oven instead of oven? I'm moving into a small apartment with no oven. Before, I had a 16" oven stone to bake my bread and I'm looking for something to keep baking. Would a duch oven over a gas kitchen work? I can't use coal (I have no terrace or backyard). Do you have any suggestions to survive without an oven?...	A counter top/toaster oven can probably cover many of your needs.
Why do we peel carrots? So I was sitting there, looking down at my counter, realizing that I probably had a good carrot or two of shavings just going to waste. (well, I'll compost it, but it's non-food at that point). Is there any reason we peel carrots and don't just give them a good scrubbing? I mean, the scrubbin...	Even raw, in some carrots the peel will have slightly bitter or soapy taste. Peeling seems the easiest way to clean them.
What's the Effect of Browning Butter From a taste perspective, I love the nutty flavor of browned butter. From a culinary perspective, I'm curious what the process does to the butter. I used browned and cooled butter in cookies yesterday. The cookbook I was working with had another recipe for cookies with melted b...	As for brown butter, what happens is that as moisture evaporates from the butter, the boiling point increases (similar to what happens when making caramel or candy).
Can you freeze cheese and still keep the flavor when you defrost it? I was thinking in particular about Brie because of its soft texture... <Q> Apparently the thing to be concerned about is the texture, not the flavor, and harder cheeses tend to retain their texture better ( <S> though using them for cooking/baking is ...	Brie will probably freeze well since it doesn't have a curd structure and is fairly high in fat. We've successfully frozen shredded mozzarella and then baked with it without losing flavor.
Can raw eggs be frozen? If raw eggs are nearing their expiry date, can they be preserved in the freezer? Would there be any issues with them after taking them out of the freezer? <Q> You have two options for freezing egg whites: Use an ice tray and place one egg white in each of the wells <S> Gently mix the whites...	You can freeze egg yolks but you need to add something to the mix, otherwise the yolks become gelatinous and unusable.
Should one always use the whole garlic clove? When using garlic cloves for pretty much anything, is it ever necessary to cut the slightly brown end off (that which connects to the head), or the middle out? Often times when I peel a garlic clove and cut into it I'll notice that the middle portion is slightly to moderate...	The green in the center can have a bitter taste, and many chefs prefer to remove them.
How to make Pumpkin Fries Sweet potato fries are one of my favorite sides. I also love the taste of pumpkin, and thought it would be good to replace the sweet potato in sweet potato fries with pumpkin. I am looking to make something very similar to sweet potato fries, but I am curious on a few things. I would love f...	For maximum crispiness, you will want to fry, not bake.
How to clean my unanodized aluminium pot? I got some acidic food in the pot and its starting to look ugly. Can this pot be saved, or do I need to throw it out? <Q> If it's a small spot you can rub half a lemon on it till it's gone. <S> You can also buy aluminum cleaner, but <S> the do <S> it yourself is typically chea...	If the entire inside has darkened you can fill it with water, add several tablespoons of cream of tartar (2 per quart) and boil it for 10 minutes.
What are some suggestions for cooking tools/techniques for people that have arthritis? I've recently been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and my grip is VERY poor. I can't even make a fist anymore. A few days ago I found that cutting up a left-over, cooked chicken breast was VERY difficult. Not only the knife grip...	Electric can opener Really sharp knives The other thing I got was an electronic potato peeler, as they found peeling vegetables to be problematic with limited hand strength.
What's the purpose of a bread box? For some reason I always thought bread boxes were supposed to be wood, and that some property of wood helped keep bread fresh. Like a cigar box, perhaps. But after looking for a bread box, I see that many are plastic and metal. Before I buy a bread box, I should probably understand...	A bread box keeps bread fresh by trapping moisture to prevent the bread from drying out.
What mammals' milks are drunk by humans? I'd like to make an exhaustive list of the various animals whose milk humans drink. Here's the ones I can think of: human cow goat sheep camel yak buffalo donkey/ass Any others? If so, where? <Q> Add to this answer... <S> Who and where, what it tastes like, how it d...	All dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.)
How is mass egg-frying performed? I'm currently at a hotel in Spain. We are having a buffet breakfast and one of the meals are sunny-side-up fried eggs. I estimate they probably fry several hundred eggs per breakfast. I wondered how they pull it off in the kitchen, especially the "breaking eggs" part. I can imagine tw...	Large volume commercial kitchens will either do scrambled eggs in the oven (pour the egg mix into a greased hotel pan and stir periodically to break up and mix as the curds form) or in a bain marie where they also need very little attention and will cook to a creamy curd without getting crusty.
How to suppress bad breath after eating garlic or onion How can I suppress bad breath after eating garlic or onion? <Q> Brush and floss your teeth Scrape your tongue <S> Chew gum or mints <A> Raw veggies are your friend, the more chlorophyll (the green stuff) <S> the better. <S> I say raw because the fibers clean...	If you put the fresh garlic on a very hot flame for a minute or two, and then put the fire down, you keep all the good attributes of the garlic, but dramatically reduce the smell it creates from your mouth. Getting advice from a dentist can help there. Chew mint, parsley, basil, fennel, licorice, anise, cardamom, clove...
Should a serious cook own a blowtorch? And what does he/she principally use it for? I'm thinking of crème brûlée to start with and maybe blackening the skin of a pepper . Apart from that mine sits on the worktop pretty much unused. Oh ... one other use (possibly unwise) .. occasionally using it under supervision ...	I admit, I have a hardware-grade torch, that I also use for plumbing, but it does have some culinary-related uses besides what's been mentioned: Starting the grill.
Where can I buy kosher salt in London? I make a point of taking a few minutes to look around for the stuff whenever I go to a new supermarket / farmers market / ete etc and I haven't been able to find a source here. At the same time, I'm not wanting to import anything from the States, because it defeats the purpose of ...	The short answer is I have not found a local source in the UK for the two kosher salts in general kitchen (both home and restaurant) use in the US, specifically, Morton's and Diamond Crystal. Golder's Green is a very Jewish neighborhood, and you can go to kosher markets there.
Baking in Glass Loaf Pan Do you have to adjust oven temperature and cooking time when cooking in glass loaf pans? My Ricotta Pound cake never seemed to get done in the middle (took another 10 minutes beyond recommended cooking time) and got overly brown on the outside. Then it broke in half when trying to get it out of...	Depending on your oven, there could be a radiant heat factor that affects baking results when using a glass pan.
Can I weigh without a set of scales? So I'm at my sister's house, and it turns out she doesn't have any scales. I need to weigh 120g of castor sugar. What can I do? <Q> This site will convert weights to volumes, and says that you should use .53 of a US cup. <A> So it turns out she doesn't have any volume measur...	You can also use Wolfram Alpha for this, for example 120 gram/density of sugar/cups . When accuracy is imperative you should use the highly-accurate ingredient based calculator.
How far in advance of serving can you fry fried eggs? A recent question asks how to fry eggs on a large scale . That prompts me to ask, can fried eggs be fried in advance and either cooled for later reheating, or alternatively kept warm for a prolonged period? If the latter case is an option, what is the ideal tempera...	You can keep poached eggs for quite a while as long as you stop the cooking after they get to the desired temp.

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