Latest Cooking Answers

How to properly freeze calzones

In an attempt to streamline my weeknights I plan on baking several mini calzones and freezing them for later. How would I go about this without ruining the crus

Where can I get local grains in bulk?

Farmers markets and CSA's are great, but there doesn't seem to be a local market for grains. Where could a person go to purchase grains (for human consumptio

How can I make orange caramel sauce?

I'm planning to make a chocolate orange cake and fancied making an orange caramel sauce to go with it. My plan is to make a caramel sauce by heating up butter

Should you wrap chicken in foil when you steam it?

If so, should you wrap the chicken completely in foil, or leave the bottom open so the steam can get in?

Camping with tofu

I'm about to take an extended camping trip, and I'd love to be able to make some decent tofu. (I'm mostly vegetarian, and I'm definitely going to be craving pro

Sesame Oil vs Toasted Sesame Oil

I normally purchase sesame oil from an Asian market, but this time I bought it from the grocery store. I primarily use sesame oil for making stir-fried cashew c

salmon + microwave = BLAM, any suggestions?

Salmon fillets tend to go 'pop' and spatter bits of themselves around the container in the microwave. Anyone got a procedure that discourages this?

Are vegetables poisonous if they have roots, are sprouting or are many weeks old?

Can I use sprouting vegetables? Are they poisonous? When cooked, does the sprouting have an effect to foods taste? Can I use my potatoes or carrots if they al

How to thicken Thai curry

I made some Thai red curry a few days ago. It turned out pretty well. The only problem is that it was fairly runny. I thickened it up with a slurry which helped

Why doesn't chocolate go bad?

After all, chocolate has oil and sugar in it. Why don't bacteria love it? Thanks!

Does honey have a bitter component?

I've heard Jeffrey Steingarten, on Iron Chef America, mention that he finds honey quite bitter. I've never noticed that myself. Maybe if I really try I can noti

What does "crowding mushrooms" mean?

I heard on a film the other day that you shouldn't crowd mushrooms when cooking them? What does this mean and how do you avoid doing it?

Can I make Crème Brûlée using a flambé?

I've made Crème Caramel/Crème Brûlée several times and don't have too much trouble with it. I'll be making them for company this wee

How can I train myself to identify flavors better?

I'd love to be able to cook well and I think a part of that is identifying flavors. We all have different palates, but there are probably some basic techniques

Basque cod with sous-vide

I recently cooked bacalao al pil pil, a Basque recipe. The trick is to render the gelatin from the fish at a low temperature, reserve the fish meat and then mou

How long will shredded carrots keep?

How long will carrots that I've shredded in the food processor stay good in the fridge? Also what's the best way to store them?

What cut of goat is appropriate for stews?

What cut of goat is appropriate for stews? My options are: leg, rack, shank, short loin and shoulder. Please rank them if you can. In the past, I've used neck

What is the purpose of vermouth in potato leek soup?

I have taken elements of a number of different recipes and have developed my own recipe for potato leek soup. The ingredients are: Potatos Leeks Vegetable and

Can I reuse cedar grilling planks?

Since wooden cutting boards are safe for use with meat, I was wondering if I can reuse the cedar grilling planks. Yossarian's answer to this question about ho

What are the most effective wheat flour substitutes?

While not something I'm overly dogmatic about I try to keep my carbohydrate intake relatively low, especially during the day so as to not become tired. I've fo

How to store bagels?

I've seen conflicting advice on how to store bagels. I make 6 at a time, for use over the course of a week (or less). Should I store the ones I'm planning o

Why does rice flour or cornstarch produce crispier crusts than wheat flour?

If you add a percentage of rice flour or cornstarch to any sort of breading or pancake, you get a much crispier crust than one made with 100% wheat flour. The V

How to prepare a vegetable base using roasted squash for savory tomato-chunk soup

I am looking to prepare a roasted squash soup base/stock. I plan on pairing the meal with a stout beer tasting. How do i go from roasted squash and asparagus to

What determines total heat when using chilis? Quantity × intensity?

I recently tried a bite of a Bhut/Naga Jolokia pepper, which is rated to be 3-10 times hotter than a "standard" habanero. It was hot, but the total experience

Is it better to store chocolate in the fridge or at room temperature?

What is the best way to store dark chocolate to preserve chocolate and flavour?

How does the power setting on a microwave work?

In general, how does the microwave power setting work? Is it a straight percentage of the maximum wattage or is it something less precise? For example, would t

Why would cooked spinach contain more iron than raw?

I've been researching the nutrient content of various foods and I've found that cooked spinach appears to have more iron than raw spinach (3.57 mg / 100g vs 2.7

How do I stop homemade Ravioli from going soggy? (storage issue)

Last week I made some Pumpkin Ravioli. The filling was a bit moist, but nothing excessive. The problem is, that obviously, I don't want to be stuffing ravioli

Milk or water for fluffier scrambled eggs?

I used to add milk to eggs when whipping them, but someone told me that water was better since it evaporated and made the eggs fluffier. I've tried it, and I'm

How do I get my chocolate chip cookies to turn out thick and soft?

How can I get my chocolate chip cookies to come out thick and soft? I always use real butter; is this a problem?