Category "equipment"

Should a serious cook own a blowtorch? [closed]

And what does he/she principally use it for? I'm thinking of crème brûlée to start with and maybe blackening the skin of

Induction range vs gas

In the next few months I have a kitchen remodel planned. One item to be replaced is the range/oven. Currently we have a "vintage" electric stove. I am undecide

Wok and electric hob - which ring to use?

I've a flat electric hob (the gets-very-hot type, not induction) upon which I cook. When using my wok (which is flat-bottomed) I place it on the largest ring,

Blender Buying - Square vs. Round Container

After looking at this blender question, I had a follow-up question. I've seen both square and round containers/lids for blenders. Is either better? I tend to

How can I make sifting easier?

I'm at the point where I will completely avoid certain recipes simply because they require sifting and I find it incredibly tedious. Is there a better method? A

Do chillis impregnate a wooden chopping board?

After chopping away at a chilli earlier today (well, 10 minutes ago) I then went through my normal ritual of scrubbing my hands to remove what traces the chiles

What is the purpose of seasoning a skillet?

I've seen a couple questions on how to season a skillet, and this may be a dumb question, but why do you season a skillet? Does it impart flavor onto the food

What's the purpose of a parchment lid?

I'm making some saffron rice. After sautéing some onions and saffron and then toasting the rice, it calls for simmering with broth for 8 minutes with a p

Do I need a bread maker?

I'd like to try my hand at baking my own bread. Do I need a bread maker to get decent bread? Are there any advantages to using a bread maker vs. my normal ove

How to use pie weights?

Should something be placed between pie weights (whether using rice, beans, or metal/ceramic beads) and the pie dough? Should the dough still be pricked with a

How can I safely use a blender with hot liquids?

One instruction in a new barbecue sauce recipe I'm trying out is to take the pot of simmering sauce and run it through a blender or food processor. I have now

What are the best cuts of meat for grinding burgers?

I recently bought the grinder attachment for my Kitchen-Aid mixer. I tried grinding some chuck steaks but it was tedious as I constantly had to clear out string

a manual meat slicer

My household really likes things like turkey and ham sandwiches for lunch. One thing I've searched around for is a 'manual' meat slicer. I'm thinking of somet

Do all blenders have the problem of food sticking to the side away from the spinning blades?

We have a fairly cheap (50$) blender and when we puree food the food constantly sticks to the sides so we have to stop the blender 10 times to push the food bac

How to keep my stainless steel skillet clean

I have a KitchenAid skillet that I love. But I can't seem to get it cleaned easily. It has a brushed exterior and the bottom of the interior is grooved or ribbe

How can I make sorbet without a recipe?

I would like to be able to make sorbet with whatever ingredients I have on hand without always looking up a recipe. I understand that it's important to get the

Cast Iron vs Steel

1. What is the advantage of a steel skillet over a cast iron one? I currently use cast iron for most everything and am curious what I might be missing. 2. If

What types of cooking are pressure cookers most useful for?

We were just clearing out our kitchen and stared at this brand new, unused pressure cooker we got for our wedding over 10 years ago! We've never felt the need

What are some grilling tools that everyone should have?

What are some grilling tools that a beginner should have when purchasing a new grill? Additionally, are there tools that are useful for the more advanced outdo

(International / UK / US) RÖMERTOPF equivalents?

I have a RÖMERTOPF at home. It is a porous clay casserole dish. I have recipes, sure. But I'm always looking for more. I'm not asking for recipes, though: