I want to pan-fry a burger tonight, but I don't want the smoke or smell in the house (we don't have a range hood, just an anemic exhaust fan that dates from the
I sometimes make sauces that use tomato paste. The problem is that usually I need only one or two tablespoons and I don't know what to do with the rest of the c
I've always heard that you should wait for water to boil before adding pasta/perogies/vegetables/etc. What is the reason for this? Is it because it reaches boi
I've always heard adding salt to water makes it boil faster. Is this true? If so, why? If not, why do people do it?
This question had a response mentioning the 'Steam-Chill-Bake' method. What is that? Why would someone cook wings this way?
This question mentions one factor in crema production to be the choice of beans. I have tried many types (brands), all approximately equal in darkness of roast
I grow bush and pole bean of various varieties, mostly to make pickled green beans. I want to find a variety to grow that is string - free, long and straight, b
I'm going to attempt this hot and sour chinese eggplant recipe which calls for chinese eggplant. However, I only have a "regular" eggplant that you find in the
In this question of mine I didn't know what to call the specific type/species of eggplant that is commonly found in American grocery stores. What is this called
I am cooking for a large group and am trying to do as much as I can in advance. One thing I would love to do in advance is chop several onions. I have done th
I have never been successful in making pan-fried potatoes àla the American diner. It seems like such a simple concept, but they never turn out right! Usu
I need to make a large batch (to serve 30) of mac 'n' cheese, and rather than bothering with my standard roux - cheese sauce, I thought maybe I could cheat with
What were the most popular cookbooks in the 1950s in the US? I have seen lists that cite the many Betty Crocker cookbooks, but what about other authors (or com
What's the difference between sautéing, frying, and caramelizing? When I cook chopped onions in a pan with oil until they are brown and have a slightly
I'm a decent cook but I know that there are huge gaps in my knowledge of the fundamentals of cooking. I assume that aspiring chefs learn a great deal of this i
I've heard that arrowroot can be used just like cornstarch as a thickening agent. If I have both ingredients on hand, under what circumstances would I choose o
They always get wilted in the crisper pretty quickly. Is there a better way to store them?
I'm reading "Born to Run" and learned that the Tarahumara peoples of Mexico eat Chia seeds to give them energy. In the book they mix the seeds with water, some
My wife and I are about to do some tomato canning tomorrow. We have a bunch of mason jars that we didn't have time to sterilize. She thinks that just washing t
I made a Genoise following James Peterson's recipe in Baking, but without the optional butter. I used an electric hand mixer. The cake came out fine, as in the
I made a burnt sugar caramel sauce tonight that turned out beautiful. It is just what it sounds like; you make a normal caramel sauce but cook the sugar until i
I bought some tofu at the store about a month ago (or was it two months?). Anyway, I haven't eaten it all and it's sitting in my fridge in tupperware. How long
I bought some pork sausage and baked them in my oven. The taste was good but the sausage casing were a bit hard to chew. Should I remove casings before I bake
I bought some blueberry hot sauce while on vacation in Maine. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I have no clue what to pair it with. Any suggestio
I've tried scrapping with a knife (scissors), but it's hard work and slow. Any other idea?
When talking about flatware, what exactly does a Hostess Set include? How many people does it serve?
I've probably only made tempura 10 times in my life, with fairly inconsistent results. often it has been heavier than the best restaurant versions I've had. The
I have a tomato sauce recipe that calls for 1 can (28oz) of diced tomatoes (including the liquid). How can I replace the can with fresh tomatoes? I'm not sure i
When making dried beans, generally I wash the beans, then soak them, then drain&rinse, then cook. I realized today that I started my soak without the prior
I've just purchased some locally reared organic duck breasts from a local farmers market and have decided to cook them according to the Five-spiced duck breasts