Latest Cooking Answers

How do you cut/process a whole pineapple?

I wanted to cut up a whole, fresh pineapple, but wasn't sure exactly where to start without butchering it up badly - I wanted to cut it up into nice pieces!! A

Pizza baking order

First few times I thought it was coincidence but now I'm puzzled. I'm baking two pizzas, one after another, made from the same dough and with the same ingredien

How should eggplant be stored?

I don't know if I should put it in the refrigerator or the pantry. Does it go in the crisper?

Can you use a convection oven to make a Soufflé?

I separated this question from the original as there were no answers.

What is the name of this eggplant dish that is similar to lasagna?

When I was at school I made an dish that was like a lasagna but replaced the pastry with Eggplant. It also had sliced bocconcini (I think) and was tomato based.

What is the cranberries/sugar ratio used in the American cranberry sauce?

I once tried to make a cranberry sauce like the one I tasted on Long Island, but the one I made tasted differently (it was more sour). I guess I used less sugar

What are the main styles of pizza that are popular in America?

Background: I found a pizza in Italy that was sold as "American pizza", and that used bell peppers, corn, and hot salami as toppings. In the USA, is there a piz

Can I preserve fresh potato gnocchi by drying it?

I have a lot of potatoes to use, and I am making a large batch of Gnocchi. I plan to freeze much of it, but I was wondering if it's also possible to dry the fre

When adding vital wheat gluten to a bread recipe, should one reduce the amount of flour equal to it?

I've always thought that the rule of thumb for adding vital wheat gluten to a bread recipe was to add one tablespoon of it per cup of flour called for. A friend

What factors do I need to consider to figure out if a particular set of toppings will work well on risotto?

Sometimes, I like to experiment with the ingredients to use as toppings for risotto. In order to avoid bad results, what should I consider when I choose the in

What makes carrot bits turn green in carrot pineapple bread? (And are they safe?)

Sometimes, a couple of days after its cooked, the carrot bits inside a carrot pineapple bread turn green. Normally, I'd assume that a food that doesn't start g

How long should dry beans be soaked before cooking?

I'm guessing there are different answers depending on the type of dried bean (pinto, kidney, navy, white, etc.) and I am interested in all of them. So: how lo

Honeycomb in honey - how long does it last?

I've got some nice honeycomb (submersed in honey) in a big jar, but the "best before" date was over 4 months ago! I was saving it for a year or two. Just realis

How do I pick the best potatoes at the supermarket?

I was picking potatoes randomly from the supermarket without much thinking, and some potatoes take more time to bake properly. So on what basis should I pick p

How can huge bubbles in pizza crust be prevented?

When making pizza, often the dough bubbles up hugely, displacing toppings and generally making a mess of the pie. Are there any secrets to preventing this? Doe

Deep frying - taste difference in saturated vs. unsaturated oil

In one of my questions I received answers that indicated using more saturated (Animal) fats would extend the life of my deep frying oil. However - given proper

Deep frying - caloric-intake difference in saturated vs. unsaturated oil

In one of my previous questions, it was indicated that animal oils (saturated) would have a longer lifetime than unsaturated oils. However, given good hygiene

What can I substitute for Mayonnaise in a traditional potato salad?

I wanted to make a Potato Salad that was going to be exposed to fairly extreme heat during an upcoming picnic and wanted to make sure it wouldn't spoil as quick

Is it safe to eat Raw Corn?

I saw a recipe for a Summer Salad that said to sprinkle raw corn on top for a "crunch" effect - I've never eaten raw corn and was wondering if it was safe. I'm

Sous vide meat without seasoning - strong flavor

I tried the beer cooler sous vide hack just now. On both a veal entrecote and a piece of lean beef braising meat. Both turned out OK, but as the sous vide techn

Can you freeze Spring Roll Wraps?

I have some extra bags of spring roll wraps. Am I able to freeze them and if so how? Also would I be able to freeze them once I make spring rolls. The spring ro

Simple things to do with very tart plums? [closed]

We got a bag of purple plums from our CSA that have a great flavor and seem ripe, but that are very tart. I'm the only person in the family wh

What to do with tofu? [closed]

Last night I made a delicious vegetarian stromboli and was left with a lot of excess crumbled extra-firm tofu. It was the first time I have e

Should I sear meat which is cooked sous vide before it goes in the bag, or after?

After reading the beer cooler sous vide hack, I'm tempted to try it probably with duck, but maybe with steak. Should I sear my duck/steak first before I put

What can I do with apple peel?

I made an apple pie the other day and peeled 6 or so apples. I ended up composting the peelings, and it got me wondering, what else could I have done with them

What oils are "required" for a decent home kitchen?

What different varieties of oil are really needed in a decent home kitchen? I ask because I've only two right now (olive & sunflower) that I try to use "co

What are safe, effective practices for smoking salmon in a commercial smoker?

We have been smoking salmon in an electric smoker (a Master Built) for about 6 months now, using a dry rub brine recipe containing salt, brown sugar, garlic and

Are there any vegetarian applications for transglutaminase ("meat glue")?

Transglutaminase is an enzyme that is popular among modernist chefs for two main purposes - to glue different meats together for special effects (like a modern

How can you reduce the heat of a chili pepper?

There are many chilis that have amazing flavors but are so hot that it is hard for most of us to appreciate them. Beyond the standard suggestion to discard the

Trouble with Baked Chicken Wings

I do not have a deep fryer (and do not plan to purchase one), but I have made chicken wings successfully in the oven. (My mom, --from Buffalo, NY-- even approve