Latest Cooking Answers

Are there a better ways to crush biscuits/cookies than a rolling pin?

Can the old trick of putting biscuits (cookies or crackers to Americans) in a plastic bag and hitting them with a rolling pin be improved upon?

Why do chefs traditionally wear a high white hat? [closed]

The stereotypical chef beloved of TV, cartoons, and elsewhere is always pictured wearing a high white hat. A hat I can understand. But why s

How do you cook a steak like those found in fine steakhouses?

I went to a 5* restaurant once, the steak was unbelievable. You could cut it with a butter knife, it was fat and juicy, pink in the middle, great stuff. When

Making a sauce with mascarpone cheese

I have some mascarpone cheese left. May I use it to make a sauce?

How can I tell if a mushroom is poisonous?

Assume I have found and want to eat a to me unknown kind of mushroom. Is there some way to find out if that mushroom is poisonous by looking/smelling/soaking it

I would like to make my own Chicken Stock, any suggestions?

I am tired of using canned broth/stock and would like to make my own - any suggestions as to the proper technique and parts to use?

What distinguishes pork sausage from ground pork?

Let me preface this by saying that I am basically a complete novice when it comes to cooking. So I apologize if this is a silly question. I sometimes like to c

Is there a way to keep chilled cookie dough from flattening while cutting it?

Whether using a serrated or straight knife, this seems to be a problem. I end up reshaping them by hand on the cookie sheet so they are round instead of oval.

Uses for fondue broth?

I had meat fondue last night: beef, chicken, and shrimp cooked in a simple vegetable broth at the table. When we were finished eating, the broth was thrown away

What are the differences in bleached/unbleached flour for baking?

I've heard various rumors suggesting that using unbleached [wheat] flour is better than bleached [wheat] flour when baking (cakes, squares, cookies...). Is thi

How to make mint sauce

I seem to have the basic ingredients. Mint (from the garden), sugar, vinegar. However I seem to end up with vinegary mint, or minty vinegar depending on the rel

How does the USDA grading system work?

I understand it has to do with the marbling of the meat. Does the grading system apply to the entire cow, as in any cut from this cow is considered prime/choic

Culinary uses for lavender

I have some lavender bushes in the garden. They last well and smell wonderful. I have always considered lavender a herb, but can't think how it is used in cooki

Why isn't my American-style baked cheesecake very sweet or rising significantly?

I am trying to make a good American-style baked cheesecake. I tried one recipe and it did not rise as much as I would have expected and it was not as sweet as

strawberry and fig vincotto

I have one strawberry and one fig vincotto (bottle). What can I do with it ? Am having trouble finding recipes to use it in, other than fruit/icecream/salad rel

Ways to learn to season food correctly?

What is a good way of learning how to season food correctly? Are there some foods which are particularly bland until seasoned correctly that can be used to 'ed

What's the difference between bacon and gammon?

What is the difference between Gammon and Bacon? Would it be generally reasonable to substitute the two as required?

What are the differences between different types of onions, and when do you use them?

I used a recipe for a mean black-eyed-pea salad this past weekend which called for a red onion. Since I wanted extra onion flavor in the salad anyway, I decide

Jiaozi potstickers sticking to fry pan

I've been having a problem lately with my potstickers sticking to my pan too much. This didn't start happening until recently. I'm using my stainless fry pan

What are the uses of tzatziki sauce? [closed]

I normally add tzatziki sauce when I eat roast left-overs. I cut the roast in slices (without warming it), and I add some tzatziki sauce. Are

What do you use to make tzatziki? Onions, garlic, or both?

I found tzatziki sauce in a supermarket. If I recall correctly, the ingredients listed on the package included onions. I then read on Internet that tzatziki sau

Sour pork, causes?

I've been testing brines (something I didn't know about until I read it here :). So I brined (sugar, salt, and some herbs) a handful of pork loins (chops withou

Cooking with chronic fatigue

Anyone know of any good resources for cooking recipes/methods/tools for people with a medical condition that causes chronic fatigue? I'm relying too much on con

What kind of steak to use for fajitas?

Following Steven Raichlen's recipe, we used skirt steak to make fajitas on Sunday. I found the meat particularly chewy/tough and rather unpleasant overall. What

Cooking pasta in the microwave

I have a microwave "pot" that I use for steaming vegetables. The instructions say it can also be used for cooking pasta, which seems sacrilege to me. Does anybo

How long should tilapia filets of normal thickness be broiled?

I have a packet of fresh tilapia filets from the grocer, and I'm planning to broil them with BBQ sauce. How long should they stay under the heat and how far sho

Pan reutilization techniques

How to achieve a constant browning and even cooking when you have a bunch of steaks that do not fit on the pan? What happens to me is that usually the first ba

What can I use polenta leftovers for?

When we make polenta, we use polenta leftovers for lunch, grilling them. Are there any other uses for polenta leftovers?

Can tilapia replace sole?

I discovered tilapia, and started to like it. Could I use tilapia for recipes that require sole?

High altitude pizza crust - how to adjust yeast?

I'm trying several pizza crust recipes at an altitude of 4,500' (about 1500 meters). All of the recipes I have are presumably for sea level, and the results ar