Category "equipment"

Timing an oven to start while I am out - but what about preheating?

Many ovens have a timer which allows you to set the start time, so you pop your item in and later in the day it will automatically start cooking it unmanned.

Fruit peeling techniques

I came across this page (How to peel a mango) while surfing and I found it very interesting. What kind of methods and knives/kitchen gadgets do you use to peel

Why buy a more expensive kitchen scale

It seems about time for me to give in to peer pressure and get a kitchen scale like everyone else. It seems like they would give my cooking more consistency if

What should I look for in a good, multi-purpose chef's knife?

If I want to buy a good multi-purpose chef's knife, which characteristics should I look for?

What are the benefits of using a dedicated rice cooker, rather than just cooking rice in a pot?

For which reasons should I use a dedicated rice cooker, instead of cooking rice in a pot?

Dutch Oven alternative for campfire?

I am going camping shortly. I have done some dutch oven cooking before, and there is one recipe that I want to make that uses one. However, I do not have a du

How do I get the best possible texture when making vegetable cream soups?

Many recipes call for straining the almost finished soup to get rid of any extra chunky bits and get the best mouthfeel. But I am really confused, because with

Good (cheaper) alternative to Vitamix Blender

I've just got back from a department store where they happened to be doing a demonstration of the Vitamix TNC Blender. Obviously, now I want one. Is anyone able

What should I look for in a good, multi-purpose chef's knife?

If I want to buy a good multi-purpose chef's knife, which characteristics should I look for?

What is a Hostess Set of flatware?

When talking about flatware, what exactly does a Hostess Set include? How many people does it serve?

Can I clean enameled cast iron with steel wool?

I've got a new enameled cast iron skillet that I've been cleaning with stainless steel wool along with a standard dish rag. It occurs to me that scratches in t

Blowtorch - hardware store vs kitchen store. Is there a difference?

When looking for a blowtorch for the kitchen, you can buy some reasonably expensive tools. When looking for a blowtorch for plumbing, you can buy some reasonabl

Is there a difference between a slow cooker and a crock pot?

What is the difference between a crock pot and slow cooker? Both terms seem to be used for the same thing. Is this correct? Are they the same? Or is there so

How do you correctly use a meat thermometer?

I have two meat thermometers. I bought a second one because I thought the first one was resulting in overcooked meat, however the new one is doing the same! The

Can I repair a cake tin which has started to leak?

I have a cake tin (the sprung false bottom type) which, although the bottom seems to fit quite well, has started to leak when I pour cake mixture into it. Is t

What is the point of a baking rack?

I notice when I bake cookies (usually chocolate chip or peanut butter) the recipe often says "place on baking rack to cool". Because I don't have one, I just pl

Is there a safe way to remove items that have fallen into a Garbage Disposal?

I've always been told to never reach into a garbage disposal, for obvious reasons, but always seem to drop items in that I don't want to risk ruining the blades

How to clean a burnt cast iron pot?

I have this cast iron pot that my friend completely burnt. I was wondering what might be done to save this pot. I realize that this question seems similar to th

Looking for a rice cooker, steamer, deep fryer, slow cooker combo that can cook rice and steam at the same time

I know this is slightly crazy, but I am a minimalist. I try to get by on as little "stuff" as possible. Basically I want a rice cooker that can steam my veget

What is a "nonreactive" pan?

I just realized the recipe I use for Chardonnay Beurre Blanc requires the use of a "small nonreactive saucepan." In the past, I have used my 1.5 quart All-Cla