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How can I substitute or make soft brown sugar? I have just moved to Germany. I haven't yet been able to find brown sugar of the type we have in Australia ie: soft, small grained, slightly sticky in that it holds its shape well when you dig a spoonful out. The only brown sugars I have seen are granular. You can also ...	I've only done this once, and it worked out pretty well, but I used a combination of golden syrup and regular granulated brown sugar as a substitute.
Is cheesecake a cake or a pie? Is cheesecake technically a pie or a cake? I'm curious as to why. Are there solid definitions of what makes a dessert a cake or a pie? <Q> Alton Brown and an Elvis impersonator called it a custard pie. <A> In my opinion, cakes rise, pies have crusts that are filled (and do not rise). ...	While it has texture and body of cake, I would argue that cheesecake has more pie-like qualities.
Advantages of using a non-glass teapot? I currently have a borosilicate glass teapot. Glass seems to have the advantage that it will not absorb flavours and so can be used for all styles of tea. What are some of the advantages of using a clay or ceramic teapot over glass? I am not interested in the differences in ...	In my experience the Tea also stays hotter in a ceramic teapot. It depends on personal tastes (both aesthetic and flavour).
(How) can I prevent pasta water from boiling over with the lid closed? I always cook pasta with the lid of the pot open, because otherwise foam starts to build up and eventually boils over, maikng a huge mess. I would prefer to keep the lid on for energy saving purposes. Is this possible at all? What makes the foam bui...	Once the water reaches a boil and you've added the pasta you can also turn down the heat on the burner; this should reduce the creation of foam.
Firm risotto using generic rice. Is it possible? How can I make a firm risotto, without using the appropriate rice? I'm italian, and I've been cooking delicious risotto for years. But in the place where I'm living right now there is only one kind of rice, with medium-long white grain, and no matter how carefully I co...	Sorry, but for the best risotto, you really need an appropriate rice. I have seen what I'd call "poor mans risotto" or "quick risotto" made by substituting arborio with orzo.
Is it important to warm the flour before making bread? When I was taught to bake bread one of the tips I was given was to warm the flour first. It's a step I often skip as I haven't really found a quick way to warm it through evenly (but gently) and I don't usually have the time. Today, for various reasons, I had tim...	One kitchen I used to work in had a dry store that was basically a shed and in winter when the flour would be particularly cold we would always warm the flour before making bread.
What is a good way to cut potatoes into wedges? I have tried making potato wedges before but can't seem to find a good way of cutting them up. My pieces always seem to be of assorted sizes - so when they cook, the thinner ones burn and the thicker don't cook through. Does anyone have a good method of chopping potatoe...	I have used and apple slicer to get even wedges, a little difficult to hold upright if you don't trim one end.
Why should a stock be simmered and not boiled? Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles cookbook says that a stock should NEVER be boiled, why is this? Does the higher heat extract bitterness or something else undesirable? It seems a little strange because the bones used to make the stock were previously roasted in a hot oven...	What happens is that a boil will emulsify some of the fat into the stock, making it less than crystal clear, and some will say it dulls the flavor.
Vacuum-packed (or not?) bacon, safe to use? I purchased a 3-pack of bacon a week ago, basically 3 vacuum packed (is that the right word for this?) bacon, stripped together (probably made together, seems like the plastic was just sealed between three clusters of bacon.) I have discovered that one of the packages is not...	I buy my bacon from my butcher and it is just put in a plastic bag. The existence of gas in a vacuum-sealed environment could be a sign of microbial activity.
How can I make McDonald's type French Fries I have eaten french fries from most popular fast food joints. McDonald's has been the best by far. Crisp & crunchy on the outside yet moist inside, still maintaining the potato taste. Also it does not go soggy after taking it out of the deep-frier. I have tried my best to r...	Freeze the fries This opens up their internal structure and allows more crispification Before serving, fry for the last time
What are the advantages of homemade pasta over store-bought? I am thinking about getting a pasta maker. Of course it takes more time to make your own pasta but it seems like it would be fun and nutritious. What are the real advantages to making your own pasta from scratch with a pasta maker, as opposed to using store-b...	So - fresh pasta vs. dried, boxed pasta: (1) cooks waaay faster, and (2) also absorbs sauces better.
Cheap cheese is tasteless. Can I make it tastier in my mac and cheese? I used to make mac and cheese with cheddar. Like many, I'm cutting costs due to the recession and I'm buying the cheapest cheese I can find. The problem is, when I make macaroni with it, it's just tasteles. Is there anything I can do to keep usin...	You should be able to find old/extra old (AKA "sharp"/"extra sharp") cheddar cheese in the cheap section, which makes a reasonably good starting point - this cheese does have some flavour. Add Different Types Of Hot Sauce or Hot Peppers.
What is the best oil to use when cooking in a wok? I like cooking a lot of stir-fry which I generally cook in a wok at high temperature. I generally use vegetable oil but I've also heard peanut oil is better for wok cooking because of it's high smoking point. Is peanut oil the best option for wok cooking or are there ...	peanut oil is considered the "best" oil to use in the wok because of its high smoking point.
What is a good online resource for purchasing high quality sea salt? I would like to purchase some very nice sea salts. There are many sources available online but it is hard to tell what their quality and reputation is. What is the most comprehensive online shop for purchasing sea salt? <Q> While their selection of sa...	MySpiceSage normally has great prices for everything, including salt.
How to work with Dried Mushrooms? I was recently given a bag of dried mushrooms and am unsure how to work with them. What's the best way to use them? <Q> However It is equally important to know that you should reserve the liquid for its essential mushroomness, and yet also that said reserved liquid should be run thro...	Soak them for a while in warm water, and you'll be able to use them, yes.
In a recipe, how much is "to taste"? A lot of recipes I've been preparing lately often list salt and black pepper as "to taste" in terms of quantity. I get that the general idea is to make the food taste good, but I'm not sure that I regularly notice salt or pepper unless there is TOO MUCH of either. When a recipe ca...	"To taste" just means to add as much as needed to make it taste good to you.
Can store bought salmon be used for sashimi? Is it safe to consume raw fish purchased at the fish counter of a typical suburban grocery store? If not, do you have any tips for finding sushi grade fish. Also, are there requirements for safe sushi/sashimi beyond the use of safe fish? <Q> Not being aware of your location,...	I'd recommend going straight to seafood wholesalers, as they have already the fish processed for sushi to sell straight to restaurants.
What are the uses for a roasting pan? Do I really need a roasting pan? We registered for a roasting pan and it has been sitting around taking up a lot of space. Do I really need this or is this a "one-tasker" as Alton Brown would say? I understand that the roasting rack allows the juices to drip down. I've had lots of...	I use my roasting pan (either with or without a rack) at least once a week to roast vegetables - either for salads, for sides, or (for instance with pumpkin for soup) to get a slightly different and more concentrated flavour before blending the veges.
Recomendations in Freezer Use I know that vegetables can be frozen. Which vegetables respond well to freezing? Which don't? Are there specific recommendations for what vegetables freeze well? <Q> Lay them out in a single layer in a pan and freeze until they are solid and then transfer to a labelled freezer bag. <S> ...	Therefore, the vegetables that are good for freezing are root type vegetable like carrot and parsnip.
Can I freeze Milk? After a bit of miscommunication, my wife and I ended up buying 6 litres of milk between us. I don't really want to waste it, so I'm wondering if it's safe to freeze some of it and defrost and use it later? <Q> Worked fine for us; we used to cottage with people who didn't want to shop very often, had ...	We would buy lots of milk and freeze it just fine.
Can you freeze waffle batter? We have made too much waffle batter. The recipe includes flour, baking powder, salt, eggs and milk (no fat), and part of the instructions are to beat the eggs until frothy - we're assuming this is to encorporate air into the mixture. Can we freeze half of the batter, and if so, will we ne...	I make classic belgian waffle batter with yeast and have tried it fresh, kept in the frig overnight and frozen then thawed.
What can I do to help prevent flatulence from beans? I love the feijoada (typical Brazilian recipe). For optimal cooking, beans should be soaked in water for 12 hours, but it seems this is the cause of flatulence. What is it in beans that causes flatulence and what can I do during cooking to help neutralize it? <Q> In...	Additionally - putting fresh lemon juice in after the beans are cooked helps tremendously as well.
Paella and seafood casserole What is the difference between "seafood casserole" and "paella"? <Q> Although sesfood is typical, it can also be made without seafood. <S> (I typically just do chicken and sausage) <S> Casseroles, however, are typically a higher sided earthware or similar dish, and baked. <S> They typ...	Paella is a specific type of rice dish, cooked in a wide, flat pan.
Should I prick sausages during cooking? Whenever I go to a BBQ and sausages are cooking, the chef will always prick the sausages while they are cooking. I have no idea what this does, I assume it's to get the fat out, however I recently read that you should never prick sausages as it results in them being dry inside? ...	Barbequed sausages really can't be pricked much because of flareups, and I usually try to eat something else if I have a choice, because I find them too greasy.
How can I make my pumpkin pie thicker? My preferred recipe for pumpkin pie uses (approximately, to avoid going into recipe details) a pound of pumpkin, sugar (I use brown), an egg, a cup and a half (total) of evaporated milk and cream, mace and cinnamon. There's quite a bit of liquid in total, and I find that the pie ...	if you're looking to strictly alter your own recipe, i would do what the other suggestions have stated and reduce the milk/cream and strain the pumpkin.
Making soy milk: best way to separate okara? When making soy milk, what is the best way to separate the okara (fibrous material) from the hot liquid? My observations: When pouring through any kind of a screen, the screen becomes clogged almost immediately, and the material removed from the screen still contains a lo...	You can then either dump out the pulp as you go (possibly into muslin or cheese cloth, let it cool, then give that part a squeeze), or use the back of a large spoon or a rubber scraper to push the pulp against the strainer to get out some extra liquid. I usually separate the okara as soon as I get the mixture out of bl...
Egg temperature for meringue All the experts insist that a meringue must be made with room-temperature eggs. Why? I ask because my experience runs completely opposite, at least when it comes to flourless/nut-based desserts where the principal (possibly only) ingredients are egg whites, sugar, and nut meal. If I fold...	I always make sure to have my eggs at room temperature, and a quick way of doing this is having them sit for five minutes in warm water.
Is there a difference between Stew and Casserole? Is there a proper distinction between a slow cooked meat dish labelled a casserole and one labelled stew? And if there is a traditional distinction would it be fair to say that the distinction is no longer observed? <Q> Is there some dialectical thing going on here? <...	A casserole is a covered oven based dish whilst a stew is commonly stove-top, covered or not, using more liquid to cook the ingredients. In today's modern culture and cooking style, the difference is likely unobserved.
Can Creme Fraiche be substituted for Heavy Cream in a Cream Sauce? I am trying to make a past dish and I need to know if I can substitute Creme Fraiche for Heavy Cream in the recipe I am using. Said recipe calls for: Cream Sauce 1 quart heavy cream 1 head garlic, roasted 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoon...	In regards to creme fraiche and curdling -- actually creme fraiche is much more stable and less likely to curdle than cream or milk.
How to fix a sauce that is too sweet? A while ago I attempted to make the Better than Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce from food.com.One of the ingredients it calls for is heavy cream and as I live in Canada where they don't sell heavy cream I decided to substitute it for equal amounts whipping cream. The other ingredients...	In the event that your cream was pre-sweetened, there's not much you could do except add salt and hope the sugar doesn't overwhelm.
How can I reheat a roux-based (alfredo) sauce in the microwave without separation? I made an alfredo sauce last night using a roux made with ghee instead of regular butter, since that's what I had on hand. The ingredients were: ghee, flour, heavy cream, garlic, pecorino romano, and salt and pepper to taste. The sauce...	If you can continue to keep your pasta separated from your sauce life is easier and you can reheat the pasta in the microwave
why do my pancakes (crêpes) take such a long time to cook? I am making crêpes and I wonder why they take such a ridiculously long amount of time to cook, about 5 or 6 minutes per pancake. I remember once upon a time I was making crêpes cooking them about 90 seconds on one side, and than 30-60 seconds on the other side,...	To make flatbread set faster, there is little you can do beyond making it very thin (and thus a bit fluid when at the batter stage).
Cranberry beans on a slow cooker (crock pot) I have only made a few stews on my slow cooker so I want to try a different recipe. I want to try cooking cranberry/cargamanto beans for a bandeja paisa (similar to a Brazilian feijoada ) on a slow cooker instead of a pressure cooker. Basically, I want to replicate the tr...	I soak my beans 24 to 30 hours then slow cook in a clay pot in the oven, that the best taste you can get out of the beans.
Has anyone successfully spatchcocked their Thanksgiving Turkey? My T-Day turkey is looking like it's going to be in excess of 20 lbs this year, and I'm nervous about how long the darn thing is actually going to be in my oven when I have pies, bread, sides, etc. to prepare. Martha Stewart has a brief article on spatchc...	I've spatchcocked our turkey the past two years and will never go back to the usual way. The spatchcocking itself isn't to hard, although you do have to be willing to inflict a little violence on the turkey.
Does olive oil and balsamic vinegar together need to be refrigerated? Do I need to store a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar in the refrigerator? <Q> I don't think so unless it's not pure mixture of oil and vinegar as I think both of them can be stored un-frigerated independently. <A> A notable exception is r...	As a general principle, any ingredients which do not require refrigeration on their own will not require refrigeration when mixed.
Can I boil eggs in the same pot I'm boiling something else? I know cooking the eggs kills the salmonella and that the risk is small even for raw eggs . However, I stopped boiling the eggs in the same pot I'm boiling something else, like potatoes, when I learnt the salmonella is in the shell. Obviously, I'm not eating...	We've made potato salad with the eggs and the potatoes boiling together for generations. As soon as one of the eggs gets cracked you might get a true mess, so it is safer to boil them separated from the rest of your meal. There is no harm in it.
What is the technique for Vacuum Flask Cooking? I read an article about Asian cooking involving a Vacuum Flask so I was looking for some techniques involved in cooking with it. <Q> It's a slow-cooking technique involving a thermal cooker, or vacuum flask, The pot/flask and contents are heated to cooking temperature, an...	The good way of using Vacuum pot/flask include the following: Make any type of Stock Cook Stew
How can I prevent scum forming in the water when I poach eggs? When I poach eggs, an off-white foam/scum forms on the surface of the water and sometimes attaches itself to the egg. Does anybody know what causes it, and how I can avoid it? EDIT: I use malt vinegar rather than white vinegar, which I think discolours th...	A few tricks I've seen used in restaurants: Add a bit of vinegar to the water (supposed to cut scum, keeps egg together better) Instead of poaching, you could try steaming.
What happens if I use vegetable oil in a cake? I want to bake a cake out of baking mix bought at a shop. The mix already contains flour, baking soda, vanillin, other minor components. The manual says I need to add butter. I'd like to use vegetable oil instead of butter - most likely sunflower seed oil. Is that a good ...	Many posts here are saying cakes with oil lack the buttery flavour.
what is the purpose of adding oil to balsamic vinaigrette slowly? I've been making a lot of vinaigrette dressing lately. Julia Child and Emeril both say that you need to mix up everything but the olive oil, then add the olive oil in slowly (ideally drop by drop) while whisking. First, this is a pain because you need ...	In the presence of an emulsifier adding the oil slowly will create an emulsion.
Is there any way to avoid grease splatter? I often cook fries in a skillet. I put about 1/4 cup vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat on high, then I toss in some frozen fries. As soon as I toss them in there is an explosion of grease that makes a huge mess. After it simmers down though, I can cook the fries wi...	You can buy a splatter shield - it's a very fine wire mesh on a long handle. Frozen fries often have a lot of water at the surface too, which is why restaurants that serve fries from frozen often let them sit out for 10-20 minutes before dropping them in the fryer.
How can I make my icecream soft as it is too hard to carve straight from the fridge? I have made my recipe with many changes and the most successful effort was the addition of a Instant Pudding mix. All others were much too hard to carve and serious effort was needed to just get the spoon or scoop into the frozen delig...	Lastly, if the scooping instrument is hot (for example, dipping the ice cream scoop in hot water), it will melt a bit as it cuts through. We have tried using Coconut Cream (Not milk) instead of the soy milk. Sharper scoops are also more effective.
Is there a product available that is pre-gelatinized starch and what product name is it sold with? I am trying to make packets of instant pudding that do not need heating, in order to thicken the mix to form a cold dessert. Some sanity has to be found in my kitchen, as most foods are home cooked because of my allergies...	Yeah, what you want is UltraTex-3 (or possibly the 8 or UltraSperse variants), from National Starch.
Can I make my own bread-machine flour? The flour that we used to use in our bread making machine is called Strong White Flour - and has recently doubled in price. I'm not happy paying double what I used to for it, but don't want to completely give up on making our own bread (and other things - e.g. pizza dough) in the ...	You can also buy other types of high gluten flour, either with that label or listed as bread flour.
Add gelatin to soup as a replacement for stock? My wife made some chicken soup last night, but we didn't have any stock to start it with, so we used water. Flavor-wise, the soup was fine - it was just lacking the mouth-feel associated with good soup. There was plenty of oil floating on top of the soup, so it wasn't la...	I'm looking for the online reference, but I remember reading in Cook's Illustrated that they were able to substitute a bit of gelatin to mimic the mouth-feel of homemade stock.
What's the difference between a burrito and a tortilla? I was in a Mexican restaurant with some co-workers recently and noticed that many of them ordered a "burrito." What's the difference between this and a tortilla? I thought that's what they were called. <Q> Depending on where you are, the word tortilla can mean a...	A burrito is usually wrapped in a (flour) tortilla.
Can Fresh unboiled egg pasta be used for lasagna? I want to make a lasagna quickly, and I don't want to be bothered with boiling the noodles OR going to the store. Would strips of freshly made pasta cook properly layered with the other ingredients? Could I use one large sheet of pasta per layer instead of several strip...	If you really want to make fresh pasta, I don't see any reason you couldn't use it for lasagna without boiling it - the reason one boils dry noodles is because it's hard to get them to soften in the time it takes to bake the lasagna.
Do leeks need to be softened? I'm making a potato leek soup and I'd like to just throw all the ingredients into a slow cooker and go about my business, pureeing the whole batch and adding cream later. Does this sound reasonable or do I need to first "sweat" the leeks in butter as I would onions? <Q> When cooking in a ...	I suggest if you're using mammoth end of season leeks like you're likely to get now, you should soften them, or be prepared for a loooong time in the slow cooker.
How can I roast chicken bones (without meat)? I plan to make a sizable quantity of chicken stock this weekend. Since I can't actually eat that much chicken, I just bought several pounds of bones, figuring I'd save the effort and expense of cleaning and butchering entire chickens. But now I'm wondering: Can I roast th...	To roast the bones, just stick them in an oven on high heat, around 450 for about 45 minutes, or until they are a nice golden caramelized color.
How to quickly soften hard, dried out brown sugar I had some brown sugar that didn't get properly sealed and so now it's too dry and solid as a rock. What's the quickest way to soften it up and get rid of the clumps? Folks have suggested leaving an apple with it in a bag overnight; any suggestions of a shortcut for re...	The one that worked best for me personally, when I had to do this in a hurry, was to chip off a large chunk of the hardened sugar, put it in a (microwave-safe) Ziploc bag with a damp paper towel, and microwave it for 5-10 seconds at a time until it was soft enough to use.
How can I stop roast beef drying out? I've bought a beef joint for roasting but it doesn't have much fat around it. How can I stop it drying out? <Q> Depending on your cooking method you shouldn't have any problem with the joint drying out. <S> By <S> it's very nature, a joint contains a lot of connective tissue. ...	You could also slow cook it, as in a crock pot, but only if you don't want slices.
Gummy residue from baking spray/oil I'm sure everyone's seen this - that brownish stuff left behind when you grease an area of a baking dish that gets left exposed to the heat. Soap doesn't bother it too much, and it likes to gum up my scrubber. What's going on there, and are there any easy ways to get it off? <Q> When...	I bought a wooden handle metal bristol small brush generally used to scrub battery acid off and use on my stainless steel pots and pans. I don't know of any method for the burnt-on oil in particular, but for difficult to clean pans in general, I usually resort to razor blades (not cartridge ones though).
Juice recipe recommendation engine to give me recipes based on the ingredients I already have? Does anyone know of a website where I could enter a bunch of ingredients that I have and it would return a list of possible juice recipes for my juicer? Like a WolframAlpha for recipes? I've seen a bunch of juice recipe sit...	http://juicerecipes.com/ Is a great website.
When cooking pasta in salted water how much of the salt is absorbed? Most chefs recommend that you should add quite a bit of salt to boiling water which you cook pasta in (sometimes 1 teaspoon). For those watching their sodium intake, how much of this salt will actually end up being absorbed by the pasta, and how much...	I can't really give you medical advice if you're on a low-sodium diet, but pasta cooked in salted water definitely absorbs some of the salt along with the water.
Some fishermen tell me I caught a Trout Salmon. Does this fish differ much from ordinary salmon? Like the title says, got a couple questions about the fish I just caught... Firstly, is there anyway to confirm what type of fish this is? 'Ordinary salmon' or 'trout salmon'? Lastly, does it differ much in taste from 'or...	Culinarily speaking, "trout" is a smaller fish with white flesh, and "salmon" is larger, with pink flesh.
Any way to soften gummy candy? Sometimes when I buy (cheap) gummy candy, it's a little too hard to enjoy. Is there a way to soften them? Preferably something that lasts, as opposed to perhaps heating them and eating them while they're warm. <Q> Gummy candy is essentially just water, sugar, gelatin, and a few other addi...	Toss them in a bowl of hot or warm water (don't use cold water - gelatin is only soluble in warmer water) until they reach the desired consistency - usually around 20 minutes or so. Put the gummies in a microwave for 5 to 10 seconds, but since microwave ovens vary by manufacturer keep an eye on them.
Which torch to buy for finishing sous vide meat? Butane or propane? I have started cooking sous vide and am thinking of buying a torch to finish off the meat. I have seen stores selling little butane torches for creme brulees, but some have claimed they are not hot enough and I should use propane. On the other hand, s...	Most people go with a torch adapter that can be screwed on to butane canisters such as this http://amzn.com/B0027HO3XO
What is the best way to clean a roasting tray/baking tray that has sauce burned on to it? I made this recipe last week - chicken wings roasted in a marinade of soy sauce, brown sugar and white wine vinegar. It was delicious but lots of the marinade has burned onto my baking tray, and I'm struggling to get it clean. ...	I put it under the grill for 10-15mins at 220degC, then took it out and placed it in my steel sink then (carefully and with one hand in an oven glove!) Baking Soda and vinegar made to a paste, use paste to buff pot or pan with a soft cloth.
What's the best way to clean a salad spinner? We had taco salads last night for dinner. Cleaning the little bits of shredded lettuce out of the salad spinner seemed to take forever . Despite scrubbing and lots of rinsing, little bits of lettuce were still clinging to the inner bowl (in between the slits in the bowl)...	Most plastic cookware (including salad spinners) will survive a dishwasher fine - and the spray and modern detergents (which tend to use enzymatic components that actively dissolve and not just loosen small food scraps) in a dishwasher will usually dislodge these bits out easily.
How to stop oatmeal from sticking to the sides of my slow cooker? When I cook oatmeal, I usually do steel-cut oats in the slow-cooker overnight. They are tasty, etc., but invariably there is a layer of oats stuck/burned on to the side walls of the ceramic slow-cooker pot. Given that each experiment is an overnight jo...	Two ideas: 1) From my own experience, not having the water/steel cut oats ratio correct results in it sticking more readily to the ceramic pot. A hardware-store drill-speed-controller, or heater thermostat/controllers, can be used on slow cookers to reduce their heat.
How to Prevent Apples from turning Brown I love to use Apples in my Desserts. They look really delicious when I just make them, but by the time they are consumed as dessert, the apples have all turned brown. and suddenly the dessert doesn't look all that nice anymore. How do I prevent this? UPDATE: I remember reading...	Alternative, you can simply lower the amount of oxygen available by either coating with syrup or placing the apples in a sealed (i.e. tupperware) container, or both.
How to tell if it is real sourdough? I have a very simple question, but difficult for me.. How to tell if a sourdough is a real / traditional Sourdough? A lot of times I wonder if the sourdough I have in cafes or those ones I buy from shops are real sourdough. I know sourdough takes a long time to make and have heard ...	Proper sourdough doesn't need a ton of starter, but you do need long slow rising times to "infect" the whole dough.
what does it mean to incorporate in recipes I am reading a recipe and I noticed that in it it says "mix to incorporate" I am baffled. What does that mean? <Q> It means mix until the 2 things are evenly mixed, so that they are 1 thing now. <S> You want to just mix enough so they are evenly mixed and no more as sometim...	"Mix to incorporate" is probably read like "mix it (so that you'll) incorporate it" where incorporate means to "add in".
Tempering chocolate without a thermometer Is it possible to successfully temper the chocolate without a thermometer? I'm sure it's quite important but since it's so difficult to find one in my country and since I don't make chocolate so often I would know if there's a way to temper without it. <Q> °F (if you ever do en...	Your best bet is to start with a good quality tempered chocolate and melt it just to the point of melting, which is to say keep it 88° - 91 You can find inexpensive thermometers online, just have to make sure to get one that handles the lower range of temperatures.
Roasting a turkey in a roaster oven Can I brown my turkey in my conventional oven first? That way, my turkey would have a nice brown skin, and I could continue the roasting in the roaster oven to leave my regular oven free to bake other dishes. <Q> Since the roaster oven is so much smaller and has a fairly tight fitti...	Roasting it in the oven first might give you the color, but the slow moist cooking of a roaster oven will soften the skin to a less than pleasant texture.
Should I make my own Hoisin Sauce? My local Asian Food Warehouse sells a few varieties of Hoison sauce that vary wildly in price. That got me thinking why? Are there different qualities in prepared Hoisin sauces? If so, would I be better served by making my own? If I make my own, how long will it keep for? Thank...	I think that the answer to whether to bother making your own hoisin sauce is to look at the nutrition labeling on the various brands available.
Does the use of kosher salt vs. table salt lead to a higher overall sodium intake? When using kosher salt one has to use more kosher salt than table salt to achieve the same level of saltiness. Does it mean that using kosher salt causes one to consume more salt (or sodium)? <Q> Kosher salt is the same thing (though I'm...	Kosher salt and table salt are equally "salty", however, kosher salt is less compact, which means that the same volume of salt will not be equally salty.
What are some different ways of preparing flax seeds? I recently got to know the nutritious value of flax seeds. What characteristics of these seeds should I know about and how can I incorporate them into my cooking? <Q> The tricky thing with flax seeds is to grind them fine enough. <S> I've found that my coffee grinde...	Flax has various culinary uses: as a substitute for fats in recipes as a stand alone beverage; soaked in liquid overnight as a 'digestive'; again soak seeds overnight in liquid as a substitute for any other seed in recipes enjoy!
why is my bread too tough? trying to get the hang of making good artisan bread, and my last loaf tasted great. But it stayed flatter than previous efforts, and was very tough. I am doing my best to understand the science as clearly as possible, so I want to know what part of my process I should look at tweaking to get...	If your dough was raised properly: The temperature of your oven was too low and it required more cooking time and therefore it allowed the dough to dehydrate.
Why does my minestrone soup end up with so little liquid? I have been attempting to make minestrone soup recently and I find that by the time I finish cooking it, the "liquid to bits" ratio is not particularly good and there is not enough liquid to really call the dish a soup. Is it ok to reduce the cooking time? Or i...	The commonest and most obvious reason is to hold the stuff that's floating around in there at around 100 degrees centigrade, causing them to cook.
Preheat or do not preheat an enameled cast-iron dutch oven? I am ready to make a pot roast in an enameled cast-iron dutch oven. I know I should brown the meat on the stove before putting it in the oven. I have heard conflicting advice as to whether or not to preheat the dutch oven before putting the oil in it to brown ...	I always preheat my cast-iron dutch oven, then before adding the meat I heat the oil.
How does dried cilantro relate to fresh? Is coriander dried cilantro seed? Has anyone used dried cilantro, and if so how does it compare to fresh cilantro. I assume fresh is better but please describe the difference (less pungent, etc...) <Q> Coriander, the plant, is the one whose leaves are called cilantro in many r...	I made home made salsa and used dried cilantro in a tin that I bought from the store.
Proper cow bones to prepare holodets Holodets blues Holodets is a typical Eastern Europe recipe. It is is basically a meat aspic, the gelatin being obtained from long boiling the bones and melting the connective tissue-collagen. I tried to do holodets using cow bones (no pig feet, that one is easier). My prob...	The Russian lady that taught me how to make Kholodets used a chunk of femur.
Can I use a regular pan instead of a cast iron skillet? I am cooking chicken tonight and the recipe says to cook the chicken in a cast iron skillet, well I don't have one, will just a ordinary pan work? I am just learning how to cook, so I don't know to much! <Q> The answer is that it depends. <S> Is the recipe for t...	While your recipe will likely work fine with a normal pan, it won't develop the same kind of crispy exterior that it might with cast iron.
Similar flavors to caffeine? My wife and I enjoy drip coffee, french pressed coffee, espresso, black tea, green tea, and just about anything caffeinated. However, my wife wants to avoid caffeine due to its physiological effects. Unfortunately, in her words, decaf espresso "tastes horrible," and I agree. I have simila...	You can get roasted chicory by itself at some supermarkets so you can add it to your decaf coffee, but it may be hard to come by in your area.
Ingredients or techniques to a more solid lasagna What are the crucial ingredients or cooking techniques to a more solid, or "brick" like lasagna? Most lasagna I've seen tends to get a bit sloppy in the pan as it's being dished out but I have seen lasagna that comes out very firm and solid. Is this due to a certain com...	If you're doing a lasagna that starts with cooked noodles, you can try cooking the pasta less.
How can I create a sweet pizza that looks like pizza? Looking for a bit of inspiration for an idea I have. I want to serve 3 courses of pizza: starter, main and dessert. It's a gimmick, I know, but a fun one I think. Got the starter and main nailed, but as neither of these will look much like a standard pizza, I want...	If you make the base neutral - a typical Neopolitan dough would do - you could use white chocolate shavings to give an appearance of cheese as well.
How can I take apart almonds? I buy and freeze whole almonds when they go on sale. I use them whole, chop them coarsely for things like bread and chop fine or food process them for things like pastries. When I chop them by hand there are some large and small pieces. I assumed this was because of poor knife work so I p...	It's really not something you can do by hand, either; they will split like crazy on you and you may lose a finger in the process. If you're looking for smallish pieces, you can get a nut grinder -- they'll give you fairly uniform pieces without too much effort.
tinfoil at the bottom of the oven (to catch crumbs) is ruining my pizzas I put a sheet of tinfoil at the bottom of my oven to catch crumbs because I cook pizzas on the rack all the time. This is ruining my pizzas though, because when the top is done the dough is still gooey. Should I raise the pizza higher? Use a dif...	I would probably go ahead and get a pizza stone.
domestic bread steaming -> will my stone be okay? Trying to maximise the oven rise of my loaf, and think I will try the steaming method, but what is the best way to do this in a domestic electric oven, and will could it damage my bread stone? <Q> I would not go ahead and just toss water on the oven floor as this can bo...	I have used both baking stones and terra cotta planter bottoms and it did not affect or harm either.
Can you make pan gravy if the turkey was brined? I've read every question here that mentions brining a turkey, and I've seen conflicting remarks about whether the pan drippings are suitable for making gravy. (None of the existing questions actually address this point directly.) So: if I brine the turkey, will my mom s...	It is definitely possible to make an excellent pan gravy with the drippings from a brined turkey.
Toast bread slices in a convection microwave? Does a convection microwave make decent toast, as a toaster oven would or a bone fide oven set to broil? I have read far and wide on the internet and in operating manuals for Sharp, Bosch, etc. convection microwaves and have come up empty handed. I know you can't make t...	But I just made toast in my microwave/convection combo and its' good..
How does boiling impact the texture of tofu? For years, we've been making pasta sauce that incorporates extra firm tofu. To prepare the tofu for crumbling we follow this procedure: cut tofu into pieces cover with water bring to boil drain mash with potato masher squeeze out water by wrapping in towel and twistin...	Because of the structural change, boiled tofu can stand up better to more vigorous cooking methods like long simmering and frying.
What is the proper way to use corn starch to thicken sauces? How do you mix corn starch slurry and how do you use it? Do you add the corn starch to the water, or do you add water to the corn starch? Generally what proportions do you need, what is the ratio of water to cornstarch? Do you need to use more slurry to t...	When making a slurry, I find it easier to avoid lumps by adding the liquid to the starch a little at a time.
Amount of food to prepare for bagel & lox brunch I'm putting on a bagel & lunch brunch this weekend for 40 people. I figure 2 bagels per person. How much lox should I need? How much cream cheese? <Q> @bikeboy389 was the closest! <S> I ended up ordering way too much food. <S> When all was said and done, for 40 people...	You can reduce the amount of lox you're ordering by providing other options, such as tuna salad, whitefish salad, egg salad, cheese, butter, and even PB&J.
Gas or charcoal grille which one to buy I need a grille for doing mainly chicken, there is an inkling to buy a gas grille but I heard charcoal grilles are better for flavour, I like the convenience of gas, but flavour is compelling, is this true? <Q> This is very subjective <S> but I think charcoal grilled food is bett...	My main grill is a gas grill, which is very large, convenient and easy to use.
How to make softer biscotti? I made this biscotti recipe yesterday - Fruity Christmas Biscotti . It contains plain flour, baking powder, mixed spice, golden caster sugar and eggs. The recipe also calls for raisins, dried cherries and nuts which I substituted dried cranberries and white chocolate chips for. I love the...	Less cooking time is important for a soft Biscotti...
What do I do with all this cheese? Last week, a friend helped us out with a trip to Costco (long story, we didn't have time to cook, or grocery shop for a couple of days), and while she got us some really good stuff, one of the things I'm questioning is the purchase of a package of american cheese. Can anyone suggest ...	Buy the packaged crescent rolls and roll a slice of cheese in each roll before you bake it...just in time for Thanksgiving!
Can Escallion be replaced by onion? Green onions are said to be milder than onions, which would suggest that if one do not mind the more powerful onion flavour in a particular dish then onions could be used in place of green onions. My assumption could be wrong here; I am not a chef but a poor father trying to cook. I...	You can replace escallion with green onion, but the flavor won't be identical.
what is the difference between butter spread and pure butter? first of all, basically what is the difference? what are their uses and is there a big difference? for example is there a case where I should use pure butter for some things but never a spread or vice versa? When the recipe says butter which one should I us...	In general if you have a recipe where melted butter joins the wet ingredients and those wet ingredients get mixed into the dry ingredients, you should be able to get by using butter spreads (at least the oil-based kinds).
How can I handle black pepper without sneezing? Every time I am using black pepper, no matter how little, no matter how I turn my head to avoid sneezing, it still triggers it. I have to run from the work area, release myself and then go back. Are there any quick fit kitchen masks (I am serious) for this purpose, or a...	Perhaps a surgical mask, or a painter's dust mask would help. If you're not already doing so, consider trying to use a tiny measuring spoon or even the wrong end of a regular spoon to scoop a little pepper out of the container directly and add it to your food--less sprinkling/shaking, less irritant in the air.
Why did mold develop on the top of my sourdough? I made some sourdough starter from scratch, using garden grapes, flour and water. It was wonderful for the first few batches. Today, I was going to get another bread batch going, and when I looked at the refrigerated starter, there was a good layer of fuzzy mold on top...	My understanding is that while sourdough starter is somewhat mold resistant thanks to the yeast and the bacteria that make it acidic, it's still vulnerable to mold.
Pot for cooking long grained white rice on gas range I do not want to buy a dedicated rice cooker and I have been told by some people that a rounded bottom thick Dutch pot is best for rice cooking on a gas stove I have also heard that a tall aluminium pot is best, what do you think? <Q> It depends on how much rice you'...	If you're cooking a lot of rice at a time, a thick/heavy pot (enameled cast iron, or just a heavy clad steel pot) will help hold a low temperature without scorching the bottom of the rice.
Is there any way to store hollandaise sauce? I've just made hollandaise sauce following Alton Brown method. I used only about 4 tablespoons and I have about 1 cup left. Using google I found that I shouldn't put it on the fridge, doesn't freeze well and shouldn't be more than 4 hours without use. That leaves little mar...	If my memory serves correctly, Alton used a vaccuum flask, and pre-heated it by putting in hot water, dumping it out, then adding the hollandaise to hold.
Differences between coffee made with french press or espresso machine? I've liked coffee for years and I'm thinking on buying a espresso machine. Before that, I want to know why the coffee seems more tasty when it is done that way than with a french press or a drip coffee maker and what are the pros and cons of a espre...	The thing that makes espresso espresso is that the high pressure in the machine extracts much of the aromatic oils from the coffee grounds, which form the "crema" on the top of the espresso. Cons: - Taste!
What can I make with the broken corn chips at the bottom of the bag? Once I've eaten all the biggish chips with salsa, there are a bunch of small-to-crumb sized corn chips left. I always think I'll eat them plain later, but I happen to want more salsa now...and they sit until they get stale. But they're so delicious (s...	I sometimes add the crumbs (or more, if there's not enough) to chili (chili con carne) as a thickener. If you're afraid they're too salty, you could always put dump them in a sieve and shake some of the really small bits out, leaving the more sizable bits of chip.
Pouring cold water on pasta after cooking it Some of my friends pour cold water on pasta after boiling it other don't. What do the professionals do? If they pour cold water on the pasta after the boil, what do they want to accomplish with doing it? <Q> To counteract the negative consequences of overcooking due to remai...	I would strongly suggest not pouring cold or any other kind of water on pasta; it will rinse the delicious starches off its surface, which would otherwise help your sauce cling to it.
Should sweet potatoes be peeled when preparing them? I want to make a sweet potato dish -- maybe candied yams. Should I peel the sweet potatoes before cooking or are these recipes intending for me to keep the skin on? None say to peel the potato first. <Q> Candied Yams, I would peel first. <S> However, for mashes and...	If you are of the mind that mashed sweet potatoes have to be smooth and fluffy, then you are going to have to peel.
How to make frozen pizza taste good? As a college student, I eat a lot of frozen pizza. Unfortunately, the brand of frozen pizza that I eat has very little taste. Recently, I started adding Parmesan cheese, basil and garlic powered to the pizza before putting it in the toaster oven. Can I do better than that? What ...	We have a pizza stone that makes the finished pizza taste so much better. I've usually used various spices to kick up the flavor (garlic powder, crushed red peppers, etc). Don't over spice it, rather drizzle olive oil.
Is there a device that can be used to grate coconut and sweet potatoes electrically? Does anyone know of a tabletop device that can grate coconut electrically? I love coconut products but most recipes call for grating the kernel which I do not like to do, it is a hard job, sometimes bits of my skin end end up in the gr...	Or if you REALLY use a lot of coconut and want the ultimate unitasker, you can buy an electric coconut grater.

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