texts: Are bones from fresh sardines safe to eat?

texts:
My question is regarding fresh sardines not canned.

I've recently been eating fresh and obviously the bones are not chewable like the canned ones.

I notice that i often swallow some of the small bones.  Besides sometimes feeling like im getting sliced in the throat, do these bones pose any risks?  Could continuing to eat them hurt me in anyway, will the bones go into the digestive system and get absorbed or might they damage the intestine?

If you say it is safe, can I keep munching on the spinal cord and then swallow it down with water and will that be safe? Please note I am asking about fresh sardines and not canned so the bones will be hard.


texts: Why are there no recipes combining both yeast and baking powder?

texts:
I've never seen anything with both yeast and baking powder. What's the reason for that? Shouldn't e.g. muffins get even more fluffy by adding some yeast? Or bread by adding baking powder?
I know there are differences in flavor, but there are cakes with yeast as also non-sweet things with baking powder. So that shouldn't be the problem...


texts: How does grill/broil mode in a convection oven work?

texts:
I'm looking to buy a new oven.

However, it does not have grill mode (broil, in US English) listed as one of the functions while other ovens may have grill mode advertised.

That being said, if I want to grill something in the oven I've linked, can it still be done?


texts: How do I make stir-fry sauces that don't get watery and thin as leftovers?

texts:
I often cook in bulk and then eat leftovers for several days. One area where I've struggled with this strategy is stir-fries. It seems that even if I get a well-thickened, flavorful sauce the day that I cook it, the sauce will go thin, watery, and weak-flavored as leftovers.
What I think is happening is that the salt and/or sugar in the sauce is putting osmotic pressure on the water in the vegetables. Since the sauce is added shortly before serving, the whole dish doesn't have time to come to equilibrium the day of. However, overnight, water leeches out of the vegetables and dilutes the sauce.
The same problem doesn't seem to happen with Chinese take-out leftovers, so I think it must be possible to avoid it. Does anyone have a suggestion?


texts: Is there a trick to turn old bread into almost-new bread?

texts: Whenever I buy bread, it's flavor and texture is amazing in the first day. The bread is humid and soft. In 2 or 3 days, it gets hard. Is there some trick to renew the bread to a nicer state?


texts: I've got some Szechuan/Sichuan peppercorns that don't make my lips numb or tingly, even when I just chew on several of them for 10 seconds or so. I would expect that they would. The jar smells good. Are they old? Low quality? (Or am I immune to the chemical?)


texts: What knives are "required" for a serious home kitchen?

texts: I consider myself a serious home cook. What knives are essential?


texts:
A staple of my Gran's kitchen when I was a child, Chicken Haddies (unbelievably I found a graphic of the product she favoured, below) was boneless haddock meat wrapped in wax paper then canned (a process unique in my experience.)

She was raised in Southern Ontario but spent decades of her life in mining camps in Ontario, Québec, and Newfoundland. My question is, is anyone aware if Chicken Haddies are still sold anywhere? An internet search finds references to several canneries in Atlantic Canada but the companies have no internet presence.

Please help, Chicken Haddies made the best chowder EVER!


texts: How to develop a butterscotch flavor in a savory sauce

texts:
There's a restaurant near my house that serves a thin sauce with their steaks that tastes almost like a spicy, savory butterscotch sauce.  The chef won't tell me anything about what's in his secret sauce.

Has anyone else had a savory dish that includes butterscotch flavors?  And does anyone know what ingredients and/or techniques can be used to develop these flavors?


texts: Soppressata, prosciutto, and other meats; how is it safe?

texts:
Call me naive, but isn't this essentially uncooked meat? Reading how prosciutto is prepared now, and I don't see any cooking involved, just salting, pressing, and letting sit, sometimes for years. Leaving food out for years at a time should make it accrue mold or etc.

Why doesn't it go bad, and why is it safe to eat? This isn't just for prosciutto, but soppressata, capicola, and more.

FWIW, these are some of my favorite things to eat in or accompanying a sandwich. I just don't grasp how they don't make you sick as raw meat would.


texts: Difference between Fleischkäse, Mortadella, and Parizer

texts:
I am a great fan of some cold meats typical to Germany, Italy, and Romania. Surprisingly, I was unable to find a definition of how they are made which is sufficiently accurate to determine any significant difference. They are clearly different visually:

Fleischkäse is usually shaped in a cake form and often has a dark crust.
Mortadella is very large in diameter and has white (presumably fatty?) inclusions.
Parizer seems to be the most heterogeneous of the three, but is usually a bit smaller in diameter than Mortadella and has willful inclusions (olives, pistachios, mushrooms, etc.).

But to me it seems the pinkish substance which makes up most of these cold meats is exactly the same. Could you explain in how far these are regional variations of essentially the same product, or whether there's a more fundamental difference?


texts: Is packaged chunky guacamole: Ingredients: avocados, tomatoes & tomato juice, salt, onions, red onions, cilantro, lime juice,sea salt, jalapeno peppers & garlic. Plastic packed and bulging, okay to eat?  It's not expired and kept refrigerated


texts: What are ways of getting only the egg white from an egg? Can it be done after the yolk is broken?


texts: How can I efficiently render 100 lbs of suet into tallow in a home kitchen?

texts:
As I mentioned in another question, I'm about to undergo a 100 lb suet-to-tallow rendering process.  The problem is, as much as I love tallow, I've never rendered suet myself before and I have a million questions (though I'll try to keep it to a few key points).  After a lot of research, here is what I've come up with:

Trim, chop, and partially freeze suet
Run it through a food processor
Render with or without water
Strain and cool

It seems there are 3 rendering options for the typical home kitchen:

Oven at 250°F
Stovetop on low/very low (I have an electric range/hobs)
Crockpot on low setting

And then there's a difference between rendering the fat by itself, or rendering it in water.  A few convincing articles imply that rendering it in water creates more "pure" tallow.

I figure since I have so much to render, I'll try all three methods above simultaneously.  I have: two crockpots; an enameled cast iron dutch oven and a few large stock pots for the stovetop; and a lot of casserole dishes for my two-rack oven.  Even doing them all at the same time like this, I imagine it's still going to take a few (many?) rounds to render it all.  I'd like to minimize that time if possible since I don't have room to store the suet for long, but producing quality tallow is equally important as I'll be giving some away.

My questions:

Are there any methods for doing this in a typical home kitchen that I'm missing?  The grill, perhaps, or is that too dangerous?  I also have an electric wok.
How can I do this as efficiently and quickly as possible?  For example, can I stack casserole dishes in the oven or do I need to keep air flow maximized and just do what fits on the two racks at a time?  How hot can I have the oven and stovetop without risking quality loss?
Should I render with water or without it?  Will it really make it more pure if I use water, and if not what will?
About how much tallow can I expect to get from 100 lbs of suet?  I have a rough estimate of 20 gallons in my head but that's based on numbers I found from a Google search.


texts: How do you reduce wine when deglazing without burning the fond?

texts:
I have found that by the time all the alcohol has evaporated, my fond turns from beautiful brown to charcoal black.

Why does it happen?


texts: What can I substitute for pineapple in punch?

texts: I want to make St. Cecilia's Punch, which calls for 1/2 small pineapple.  My friend has a pineapple allergy and I need a suggestions as to what I can replace the pineapple with in this recipe.  Any suggestions?


texts: If my recipe calls for white rum and I only have Jamaican rum can I still use the same measurements?


texts: What is the reason for the automatic fruit and nut dispenser on some bread makers?

texts: What is the difference between putting fruit or nuts into a bread maker at the beginning and adding them via the fruit and nut dispenser on some bread maker models? I thought it might be due to the the fruits/nuts sinking but with the amount of stiring/kneading done it feels like they should be pretty well mixed anyway.


texts: If the recipe says simmer beans for 3 hours, can I just turn up the heat and cook faster?

texts:
I just got home from work, and tonight is my night to cook. Unfortunately, I just realized this recipe for Mexican beans says I should simmer the beans for 3 hours. I'm too hungry for that, but I really want to eat these.

Would be okay to skip the simmering? Or is there something else I can do to produce the desired effected?


texts:
As a college student, I eat a lot of frozen pizza. Unfortunately,  the brand of frozen pizza that I eat has very little taste.

Recently, I started adding Parmesan cheese, basil and garlic powered to the pizza before putting it in the toaster oven.

Can I do better than that? What can be done with frozen pizza to make it taste better?


texts: What are the advantages and disadvantages of various sugars/substitutes?

texts:
Such as:

Splenda
Artificial Sweeteners
Sugar "In the Raw"
Honey
Stevia
Molasses

Can they be used interchangeably in recipes or do they have to be used at different proportions?Aside from nutritional differences, can I expect drastically different flavors?


texts: Are there any cons to heating orange and grape juice?

texts:
Very simply I'd like to offer guests mixed heated orange and grape juice in the winter. I'm not sure why this isn't more common since hot lemonade and hot cider exist.

Are there any nutritional cons to heating grape or orange juice?


texts: Physics/chemistry behind the observation

texts:
This is purely observation based. Any time I have cooking something on the stove, if I change intensity in any direction - reducing or increasing the heat, it seems like water vapor threads shoot out from the pot.

I can understand if I increase the heat, more energy, but don't have any explanation for reducing the heat. It seems like state change any direction causes some water vapor to release.

Don't think it matters, but it's gas based stove.

What causes the vapor or threads of mist to shootout when there is a change ?


texts:
Usually when there is alcohol in a recipe, it's wine. Why isn't there more beer? I've only ever seen it used in beer batters. Can beer be made into sauces or other uses? Do ales, lagers, or stouts have different uses?

I have a fridge full of steak and Sam Adams. Can I turn this into something amazing?


texts: Why is soaking water usually discarded when making plant milk?

texts:
Most recipes that I see for soy and nut milks ask you to soak the seeds and discard the soaking water.

The only plant milk recipe I've used that keeps the soaking water (Scratch Soy Milk by Andrea Nguyen) turns out just fine.

I've also experimented with using the soaking water in almond milk, and this too is fine.

So why should I discard the soaking water? Is it just a matter of taste, or is there more to it?


texts: When does the new home oven/stove smell go away?

texts:
Our last stove broke and our landlord had to replace it.  We got one from GE Hotpoint and it seems like an OK stove.  It's a gas model.  We have had it for a few months now but haven't been able to cook in the oven just on the top range.

When we first got the unit it let off smoke and a very odd smell.  I read the manual and called GE and they said it was normal and it should stop after a few hours of usage. The cause was the binding agent used in the fiberglass insulation that surrounds the stove.  IT burns off or something.  The woman recommended we run the stove on 500F or so for a while to just get it over with. We tried this and at first the smell was really bad and it's getting better.  But it's been months.  We have turned it on for about 6-10 5+ hour runs at around 450-500F.  We had to limit ourselves due to wind direction and that somebody is home only 2 times during the week when we can stay with it.

Anyway it's been some months now we still have it.  We just had the over on 400, 450 and now 500F for about 5 hours.  There's no smoke any more but I can still smell it.  I'm afriad to use it to cook with.

Is this really normal and how long does it take to go away for those of you who have had new stoves.


texts: Are countertop blenders with plastic jars dangerous?

texts: At my local shopping center, I notice that all models of countertop blenders, even the most expensive ($500 USD), have plastic jars. I am concerned that if the blade inside comes loose or breaks while the power is on, that the blade will break through the glass. Are plastic blenders dangerous to use? Which material (e.g. glass, plexiglass) should I look for when choosing a model that will be used to blend fruits, meat, and vegetables?


texts: Using proofed (?) yeast in a recipe (confused about amounts)

texts:
I'm following a recipe that begins with "process 3.25 cups flour and 1/8 tsp instant or rapid-rise yeast in food processor until combined, then slowly add 1.25 cup ice water"
On the instant yeast packaging, it says to mix 2.25 tsp yeast with 1/4 cup warm water and 1 tsp sugar, let stand for 10 min, then follow recipe.
I'm not sure if I'm supposed to

Ignore the packaging directions and stick 1/8 tsp dry instant yeast pellets into the recipe

Use the ratio of water:yeast from the packaging with 1/8 tsp yeast, i.e. mix 0.125/2.25 (tsp yeast) = x/.25 (water) = mix .125 tsp yeast with 1/72 cups of water
2a. If so do I use 1 cup ice water in the recipe, or 1.25cup minus .0138 ice water?

Mix the yeast/water/sugar together, let stand for 10 min, then use 1/8tsp of the resultant mixture for the recipe

Also how to reconcile the warm vs ice cold water directions?
Edit: Full recipe and context as requested
It's from a recipe for lahmajun, Turkish pizza (although the author contends that pizza should be called Italian lahmajun :)). It's Cooks Illustrated, so helpfully the author describes what they want to achieve and some of the science behind it (I highly recommend the magazine!): https://www.cooksillustrated.com/articles/2457-my-best-lahmajun "On a Roll" section  I think this explanation (which I reread after getting my answers--thanks guys!) probably makes it clear to most readers to ignore the yeast packaging instructions, but I'd never made dough before and wasn't sure.
Ingredients

3.25 cups (16.25 oz) King Arthur All-Purpose flour
1/8 tsp instant or rapid-rise yeast
1.25 cups (10oz) ice water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1.5 tsp table salt
vegetable oil spray

Directions

Process flour and yeast in food processor until combined, about 2 seconds. With processor running, slowly add ice water, process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough rest for 10 min.
Add oil and salt and process until dough forms shaggy ball, 30-60 sec. Transfer dough to lightly oiled counter and knead until uniform, 1 min (texture will remain slightly rough). Divide dough into 4 equal pieces, about 6.66 oz each. Shape dough pieces into tight balls and transfer, seam side down, to rimmed backing sheet coated with oil spray. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 16 hours or up to 2 days.
Make topping (combine lamb, spices, and veggies in food processor)
One hour before baking lahmajun, remove dough from fridge and let stand at room temperature until slightly puffy and no longer cool to touch. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (rack should be 4-5" from broiler element), set baking stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees.
Place 1 dough ball on unfloured counter and dust top lightly with flour. Using heel of your hand, press dough ball into 5" disk. Using rolling pin, gently roll into 12" round of even thickness. (Use tackiness of dough on counter to aid with rolling; if dough becomes misshapen, periodically peel round from counter, reposition, and continue to roll.) Dust top of round lightly but evenly with flour and, starting at 1 edge, peel dough off counter and flip, floured side down, onto floured baking peel (dough will spring back to about 11" in diameter). Please 1/4 of topping (about 1/2 cup) in center of dough. Cover dough with 12 by 12" sheet of plastic and, using your fingertips and knuckles, gently spread filling evenly across dough, leaving 1/8" border. Starting at 1 edge, peel away plastic, leaving topping in place.
Carefully slide lahmajun onto stove and bake until bottom crust is browned, edges are lightly browned, and topping is steaming, 4-6min. While lahmajun bakes, begin rolling next dough ball.
Transfer baked lahmajun to wire rack. Repeat rolling, topping, and baking remaining 3 dough balls.

PS If you've read this far, would you be kind enough to tell me what a baking peel is (step 5)?


texts: Is there a way to make pink peppercorns properly grindable in a pepper mill?

texts: Dried pink peppercorns are softer than their black and white cousins and have skins that come off easily. Consequently they clog up the grinding mechanism in my mill. If the setting is coarse enough for them to come out at all they come out whole or in very big pieces. Is there something I can do to them to prevent this from happening? If not, what is the best way to dispense them?


texts: Unrefrigerated Mashed Bananas: Are they safe to bake with?

texts: If mashed bananas are accidentally left on the counter overnight can they still be used for baking?


texts: Should flax seeds be crushed to be a good egg substitute?

texts:
When I'm looking up egg substitutes, one of the easiest (for me) is making a slurry of flax seeds and water. However, I noticed there is a difference between using the flax seeds whole and breaking them up. The slurry is thicker if the seeds aren't whole. Or at least, that's what I think I observe.

So, should you only used broken or whole flax seeds, when using them as an egg substitute? Are there (dis)advantages of using flax seeds whole vs. broken up?

I've seen this question, that mentions to break them up, but it isn't specifically about substituting eggs.

Note: I can imagine it also depends if I mind pieces in whatever I'm making, and I don't mind about those.


texts: I just bought some grape must - it's a must on spinach salad! I am thinking of turning some of my own homemade concord grape juice into the same. Any advice, other than to reduce by slow boiling? Can I can the results in a hot water bath? Will the acid level change by reducing the liquid?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  How not to mess up bechamel scauce

So you melt the butter and mix the flour in = easy
Adding the first bit of milk and making a paste = easy

Now getting from that to a sauce without lumps = tricky.

Other than cheating and just using a power whisk or putting the resulting mess through a sieve are there any other tips?


texts: What is the purpose of a pressure cooker in a rice cooker?

texts:
Some of the more expensive rice cookers advertise that they use pressure in combination with induction to cook rice.  On one Japanese website that sells rice cookers, they showed some diagrams that I couldn't follow since they were in Japanese, however, the images seemed to indicate that the water is changed in some way (maybe taste) because of the pressure cooker.

The rice cookers that include a pressure cooker cooking method are also more expensive.  So, what exactly is the purpose of this pressure cooker method?

Thanks!


texts: Peanut butter - store bought texture at home

texts: I know peanut butter and other nut butters can easily be made at home, but they all seem to have very small bits in them.  Creamy is never the true creamy smooth of big brand store bought.  Is it possible to replicate the ultra smooth creamy texture of store bought at home?  I don't like nuts in my food and even the tiniest bit of texture will put me off.


texts: Can expired orange juice be used in baking

texts: Wanted to use up expired orange juice in muffins or cake.


texts: Is it safe to eat sauteed onions left at room temperature?

texts:
I made a big pot of sauteed onions and garlic (~9 onions and a head and a half of garlic), and forgot to put it away overnight. It was probably off the fire for around 8-10 hours... Is it safe to keep?

(Edit: Does it help that the onions and garlic will all be reheated, as they are going to be frozen in small portions and used to start off soups?)


texts: What causes scrambled egg patties to turn greyish green on the inside?

texts:
I ordered an egg and cheese bagel from a restaurant. The egg patty was unusually thick, uniformly bright yellow on the outside, and grey on the inside (although the computer photo shows a greenish tint).

What could have caused this? Does it tell us anything about the cooking practices of the restaurant? For example, could the patties have been premade in batches from liquid egg yolk, put in the refrigerator, and then microwaved on demand which caused too much heat on the inside, like overcooked hard-boiled eggs? Is something like this safe to eat?


texts: Is there anything wrong with rubbing a stick of butter on the pan?

texts:
I find it easier to just rub the stick of butter onto a hot pan to grease the pan instead of cutting off a piece and putting it in.

However this would heat up some of the butter on the stick. Would this have any adverse effects?


texts: A recipe I’m following asks for a green meat radish. Where would be a good place to get one (I’m from the UK) or what could I substitute it with?


texts: How to get rids of flies and ants after you put cooked meals on the table?

texts:
From my understanding, I tried using vinegar and draw a loop around my meals to prevent attracting the ants. As to prevent the flies, I use another plate to cover my meals. This can be a hard time for cleaning because of the need to clean the plates (that is used to cover the meals) and also the table with the vinegar.

Are there better ways?


texts: Guidelines for marinating vs seasoning steak based on grade and/or cut?

texts: Are there general rules of thumb for when to marinade a steak vs seasoning with a little salt before cooking? Should marinades be reserved for grades select and choice or can they be used on prime grade too (eg. a ribeye or NY strip rated USDA prime)? Is it ever recommended to marinade a tender cut like prime rib? Does cooking method (grilling vs broiling) influence whether a marinade should be used?


texts:
I have seen a discussion regarding a replacement for sugar in brownies to give moisture.

Does sugar give moisture when baking?


texts: Is this okay or moldy? Sourdough starter question

texts:
This was modestly active starter that I put in the fridge last week since I slowed my baking routine. Took it out today, a week later, to feed and saw this. Is it mold or normal variant? It’s ap flour fed 1x per week in the fridge. Stored in a dedicated starter crock I got from KAF.

Update:
Looks like this died but in any case I re-fed and looks great. So I baked a loaf which turned out perfect. Now...should I eat it? Anyway thanks guys.


texts:
got the following recipe from a UK newspaper.  Tried it and it did not set.  At all!  My gelatine was fresh and 200-225 bloom and the grapefruit juice was freshly pressed.  It tasted delicious but we had to drink it!  Contacted the food and drink department of the newspaper but just got waffle as a reply.  Tried it again with double the gelatine but it still didn't set fully and had a slightly different taste.  Has anyone got any ideas please?

4 sheets gelatine,
400ml pink grapefruit juice,
150ml Campari,
2 tablespoons sugar.
Normal method of soaking gelatine and adding to slightly warmed juice.


texts:
For most recipes the instructions for cooking a steak on a stove say "pat the steak dry" then cook on the stove.

The drying instructions I have also seen for chicken and fish.

Why dry steak/meat/chicken/fish before cooking on a stove?

(I saw another question that was asking about how to dry the meat but not why.)


texts:
Even after finding many people with my same problem and some nice answers, nothing really works. I have watched many youtube tutorials on how to handle and shape sticky dough but believe me, I have never seen something as sticky as what I'm dealing with right here.

My dough will stick to absolutely everything, even the brand new dough scraper that I bought is useless against this. I have tried everything: oil, flour, cold water, a spatula, a scraper... NOTHING works.

I'm doing just as many youtube videos and tutorials suggest and they never end up with such an sticky monster as I do. It's driving me crazy.

I really appreciate your help,

This is a short clip of me tryng to fold my dough: https://www.dropbox.com/s/h12qkh14uyrd0ev/video-1468336333.mp4?dl=0

Thanks!


texts: Help wanted to identify this food item (oriental)

texts:
I found this item at a Chinese supermarket.

Hints:

It was in a fridge
It was humid (almost wet) and fresh
The "slices" were 2-3 mmm thick

I googled for "Chopin", "Chopin food", "Chopin Chinese", etc. to no avail. Too many music related hits returned!


texts: What makes small tea leaves better than big tea leaves?

texts:
According to wikipedia, the smaller the leaf (especially the buds) the more valuable it is.

  Tea leaves of different sizes just after plucking. Small leaves are
  more valuable than big ones.

From what I gather, the biggest quality pickings are the buds. Also, tea quality grading takes into account how many leaves were plucked alongside the young leaves.

  Pekoe tea grades are classified into various qualities, each
  determined by how many of the adjacent young leaves (two, one, or
  none) were picked along with the leaf buds. Top-quality pekoe grades
  consist of only the leaf buds, which are picked using the balls of the
  fingertips.

Why does the number of leaves that were picked alongside the bud matter?

Also, it seems like the lower the leaves, the lower the quality. Maybe it's about sun exposure, or is it simply age?


texts: Is iodized salt unsuitable for baking bread?

texts: I've heard it said that iodized salt produces an acrid flavor when heated to high temperatures, such as for baking. Is there any truth to this?


texts: Why is there sugar in a seven-layer salad?

texts:
I just discovered the existence of the seven-layer salad. It looks nice to me, but when I was looking for recipes, one thing caught my eye: all recipes that I came across added 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar.

It contains pretty common ingredients, that aren't sour. Why does it call for sugar? Is it just tradition? Or does it really makes the flavour better? Is there one layer that gains most by this?


texts: Opening wine bottle with rounded top using a waiter's friend

texts: For opening non-screw-cap wine bottles I tend to use a "waiter's friend" style corkscrew (i.e. one with a lever that you push against the top of the bottle in order to extract the cork).  I recently tried using this on a bottle that has a more rounded than usual top, with the result that every time I tried it, the lever slipped off the side of the bottle.  Eventually I opened the cork by clamping the bottle and pulling on the body of the corkscrew, but for future reference is there either a technique for using such a corkscrew on this kind of bottle, or an alternative design of corkscrew that does not suffer from this problem?  Do the variants of the waiter's friend that have a hinge in the middle of the lever help prevent this, for example?


texts:
I make a simple alfredo sauce that is absolutely delicious.

It´s as easy as melting butter in a pan (about 2 or 3 tablespoons), adding a glass of 18% cream, and then shredding parmesan into it.

The problem is that after 10 minutes, while the food is on the plate and being consumed, the cheese hardens and sticks to the pasta I poured it on. How do I make it maintain that smooth, silky consistency? Is it possible? Could it just be a matter or adding more cream and /or butter?

I hope some of you with more scientific cooking knowledge can help me with this.


texts: Is a sprouting carrot lower in sugar and does it lose nutritional value?

texts: If carrots use their sugar reserves to start the sprouting process, does that mean that the sugar content is lower? Does the sprouted carrot lose any of its nutritional value? If a carrot is a root and it begins to sprout I wouldn't think it would.


texts: How long do you let a turkey rest after cooking?

texts:
I have heard mixed advice on how long you should let a turkey rest after cooking.

Last year my wife and I watched a Thanksgiving cooking show with Gordon Ramsey and he said you should let the turkey rest for as long as you cooked it.  If you cook it 3 hours, it should rest for 3 hours.  That seems like an awful long time to me.

Everything else I've read looks like 30 minutes to an hour is fine.  Any suggestions?


texts: Does English Breakfast Tea equal Assam Tea?

texts:
I read from wiki that:

  Assam (Assamese: অসম, Hindi: आसाम, and also Hindi: असम) is a black tea
  named after the region of its production, Assam, in India. Assam tea
  (Assamese: অসমীয়া চাহ, Hindi: असमिया चाय) is manufactured
  specifically from the plant Camellia sinensis var. assamica
  (Masters).1 This tea, most of which is grown at or near sea
  level, is known for its body, briskness, malty flavor, and strong,
  bright color. Assam teas, or blends containing Assam, are often sold
  as "breakfast" teas. English Breakfast tea, Irish Breakfast tea, and
  Scottish Breakfast Tea are common generic names. [3]

Is it true? I need Assam tea for brewing a good cup of Chai Tea. If they are the same stuff, then I don't need go down to Chungking Mansions' indian store for it. ( I live in Hong Kong ) I can just grap one English Breakfast Tea in supermarket.

However, in this wiki about English Breakfast Tea, the tea leaves could also come from Ceylon and Kenya:

  English Breakfast tea is a traditional blend of teas originating from
  Assam, Ceylon and Kenya. It is one of the most popular blended teas
  and the most common form of British tea culture. It was initially
  known simply as Breakfast Tea, and was popularised by Queen Victoria.


texts: Why has my cold smoking stopped working?

texts:
I bought a cold smoke generator for a small meat smoker last year and the first go with 3 dry brined mackerel worked GREAT!  But the next 4 attempts have FAILED.  The meat has come out translucent and oily like lox, and tough.  Not opaque and whiteish like the cold smoked mackerel I buy from my Polish baker.  (I think he gets his from Canada) I thought perhaps the first batch I did succeeded because they were smaller but my last batch I fileted and got the same result.  I dry brine OVER 24 hours in 1 part brown sugar and 3 parts kosher salt.  Completely covered.  I even tried brining TWICE on the last 2 batches.
The fish have been very fresh in all cases and my temperatures have been below 60 F in all attempts but the 2nd.
Please help.  I wouldn't be so distraught if it hadn't worked PERFECTLY once, before I knew what details to pay attention to.


texts: Is ormer another name for abalone, or is it a related animal?

texts: I've seen a recipe for ormer that requires it to be beaten a lot before stewing for a long time, and I've seen abalone recipes that are quick and easy.


texts:
I live in an apartment that was furnished with a fridge, but I find that it tends to be rather humid, causing condensation on my veg and consequently spoiling my veg more quickly. There isn't a humidity control, nor are there humidity-controlled drawers for use. Any suggestions on maintaining a lower level of humidity in the fridge?

I'm considering playing with quantities of desiccant to see if that helps.


texts: How many cups of flour are there in a pound?

texts: I have a recipe that calls for 5 pounds of flour, but I live in a country that sells their flour in 1-kg bags. So I put in 2 kg = 4.4 pounds... How many cups should I put in for the remaining .6 pound that I'm missing?


texts: How long can I store a food in the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer?

texts:
How do I know if a given food or ingredient I have is still good, or if I should discard it?

How can I best preserve a food or ingredient?

  This broad question is intended as a "general reference" question to quickly answer many how long will food keep for? questions. Please feel free to edit this question to expand and clarify as needed.


texts: Can a fish living in fresh water be called seafood?

texts:
Pangasius (Wikipedia) says:

  Pangasius is a genus of medium-large to very large shark catfishes
  native to fresh water in South and Southeast Asia.

  ...

  In 2011, Pangasius was sixth in the National Fisheries Institute’s
  "Top 10" list of the most consumed seafood in the United States.

If I understand correctly, fresh water is not sea water, and has little salt.

So why can a fish living in fresh water be called seafood?

Thanks.


texts:
I have tried to make coffee jelly with agar, but that was disappointing. Even high-quality beans did not get me any good result, compared with gelatin-based recipes: The texture is different, but it is mainly the taste that disturbed me. I expect, perhaps, to have a neutral base for the jelly, so that the coffee flavour remains plain and strong. I also like the smoothness of gelatin compared with, say, agar.

Is there a good combination of beans and ingredients to make a vegetarian coffee jelly?

Som extra details:

Tried with agar only.
Hot coffee added to the mix.
Temperature-room cooling, then fridge cooling.


texts: Is it safe to eat butter after it has crossed its expiration date? Does butter ever spoil in fridge?

texts:
I just came back from a long trip and I was cleaning out my fridge, and I noticed that there is an expiration date on the butter. It expired about two months from when I bought it. The butter doesn't look any different than normal butter.

How strictly should I follow the date on the box? Is there a way to test to see if the butter has actually gone bad?


texts:
Lupini beans are an ancient and delicious snack food widely consumed around the Mediterranean and elsewhere.  But they naturally contain high levels of toxic alkaloids, so they require special preparation.  Allegedly people used to suspend them in a cloth bag in a stream.  More usual these days is to soak them in water or brine for at least a week, frequently changing the liquid.  Some recipes recommend boiling them first.

What's the most efficient (nonetheless safe) way to remove the toxins from lupini beans?


texts: i have no oil and only have butter is it ok to use it

texts: So basically I have butter but not oil and need 100 ml of oil .Is it okay if use 100 g of butter?If not whats the best thing to do?


texts: Have I over oiled the wok when seasoning

texts:
I've recently purchased my first wok and attempted to season it following guides on Youtube.

It has turned a nice dark colour however it is slightly sticky to the touch and has some raised surfaces that are likely excess oil.

Does this mean I have seasoned it wrong or will it be okay to use as it is?  If I've done something wrong how can I fix it?

Thanks


texts: Can i cook a hash brown differently than the instruction?

texts: So in the package the instruction is only on an oven, but i know you can fry a hash brown.


texts: Is there a typical ratio for Herbes de Provence?

texts: I know that Herbes de Provence generally contains savory, fennel, basil and thyme. Unfortunately, pre-packaged mixtures in the US usually also contain lavender. I hate lavender, it smells like my grandmother's underwear drawer. I need Herbes de Provence for a recipe I'm making soon, so I'll just make my own sans lavender. So, simple question: Typically is the mixture equal amounts of the other herbs, or should I use more or less of some of the herbs?


texts: Whats the cooking method called where you bury the raw food in hot charcoal ashes?

texts: Whats this cooking method called where you bury the raw food (potato, sugarbeet, guava, corn cobs)in hot charcoal ashes?


texts: Does beetroot and chorizo work together in a dish

texts:
I'm currently going through a phase of cooking a lot of beetroot.  I also love Chorizo. I was thinking of doing a Beetroot and chorizo risotto.  But I'm unsure if the flavour profile would complement each other.

I'm thinking of trying to balance it with balsamic vinegar and/or using red wine instead of white.  In general can you cook these 2 ingredients together and make it taste nice?  Normally I'm quite good with food pairings (though I generally tend to stick fairly tried and tested combos) but don't know if this would work without cooking it.


texts: What is the ratio of tomatos/onions to egg when making omlette?

texts:
I don't know exactly what I'm doing wrong but my omlettes don't have the rigidity as seen in restaurant omelettes and ultimately I get this mixture consisting of chunks of tomato's , egg and onions.
So, I think this has to do with the ratio of vegetable to egg I use which is 1:1:1. What should be the correct ratio of vegetables when cooking omelettes?


texts: Homemade Beet Pasta loses color when cooked

texts:
I love making homemade pasta, and I've been making the beet pasta for a while (I use this recipe here http://natalieparamore.com/homemade-beet-pasta/).
When I make the pasta, it gets a beautiful dark red color, like the pictures from the recipe; however, when I cook it, it loses most of it's color, and turns into a pink pasta, instead of the dark red.
Is there a way to avoid this, or reduce the loss of color? Something I can add to the recipe, a different way to make it, or something I can do before cooking the pasta?
Thanks


texts: I have a 4 lb pork loin to roast, approx 2 hours. I also need to travel 1 hour distance. The pork is the main entree. Dinner is set for 6 pm. What is the best method to cook the roast so that it remains moist? I cannot arrive much before 5:45 and we can eat a little later. Cook for 1 hr, travel for 1 hr and complete 1 hr cooking at destination? Any combo of these?


texts: Which products are recommended to clean and polish a cooking pot?

texts:
I have a metal (probably stainless steel based on its weight) cooking pot that seems to be getting old. I am not worried about the outside, but on the inside, I can see:

Shallow scratches
Small oxide dots
Overall a darker (yellowish/brownish) color that looks as if it is always uncleaned

The usual tools I use (soap and a sponge) do not seem to work well against that... No matters how hard I try.

I saw a video of someone cleaning and polishing a saucepan and I wondered which products he was using.

At first (1:40) he uses a white cream cleanser and he says "calcium carbonate". It looks to me like ceramic glass cleaner, but it may be completely different, and he only uses that for the outside, so maybe it is not safe for the inside?
Then (2:23) he uses stainless steel polisher to make it shiny

I have a couple of questions:

Is that the recommended way to go?
Can I use any stainless steel polisher or any cleanser considering this is a cooking pot? (I plan to cook food on it... :-D)
What are the generic names of those products? Or would you recommend only specific products/brands? I live in Spain and I may be unable to find certain brands if they are local to your country.


texts: How do you know how large or small your cut pieces should be?

texts:
I was making a curry and I'm having a hard time deciding how large or small I should cut my ingredients. Advice?

Particularly I'm looking for how the taste is effected depending on how large or small your cut pieces are


texts:
My wife and I were eating some rotisserie chicken the other night and she commented something to the effect of "I think they brined this because I can taste the seasoning pretty deep in the meat."

I she probably right?  Is there a surefire way to tell if what you're eating has been brined? Perhaps by telltale marks or coloring?


texts: What fuel (burning material) gives the best flavor to meat when barbequing?

texts:
I normally barbecue with charcoal, but I've seen wood chips in shops, so I started wondering...
I assume the material you use gives a different flavor to the meat. What is your experience on this regard? When is coal preferable, wood, or gas (the latter IMHO ruins the point)? If wood is better, which kind of wood gives a better taste to the meat?


texts: How can I make cheap, smooth homemade Alfredo sauce?

texts:
I've tried making Alfredo sauce several times based on a few online recipes.

It generally comes out pretty tasty, but also with one flaw: the sauce is grainy or gritty because the grated Parmesan cheese doesn't fully melt.  Doing searches online, most people seem to recommend starting with block Parmesan cheese and grating or shredding it at home.  However, at least at the stores around here, block Parmesan is much more expensive than the usual dried/grated stuff.

Does anyone have a technique for getting the cheaper stuff to melt smoothly into the sauce, or alternatively a cheaper source for the more suitable types of Parmesan?


texts:
Is non-stick aluminum foil safe to use on the grill? My personal grill is propane.
I'm concerned that using this for a foil packet style of cooking will heat the non-stick so hot that it degrades. Not sure if the non-stick coating would be problematic from a flavor or health concern in this case?


texts: What is the difference between liquid and powdered pectin?

texts:
We have powdered pectin and have a recipe that calls for liquid. What are the differences between the two? How are they made? How do their uses differ? How do you substitute one for the other? what changes to a recipe will it require?

This seems like it should be fairly straight forward, but the Internet is being no help.


texts:
Is it safe to eat the skin of a baked or boiled potato, or are there any health or sanitary reasons not to eat it?

Contrarily, are there any reasons to eat it, e.g. does the skin contain vitamins or minerals which you would cut off by peeling?

EDIT: There is a related question Do I have to peel red potatoes before baking them? that asks specifically for red potatoes. This question covers yellow potatoes as well.


texts: Are Chives and Green Onions the same thing?

texts: Is it OK to substitute one for the other?


texts:
Every so often, I make Irish Cream. The problem I have with it is that the cocoa and some of the cream split a bit in the bottle. It's still drinkable, and shaking the bottle fixes it, but I'd rather this not happen. The usual stabiliser for Irish Cream is eggs, but that shortens the shelf-life far too much for my tastes. I figured I could use Xanthan Gum as a stabiliser to stop it from splitting. The problem is, no matter what, I can't stop it clumping together in anything I add it to. I even bought a tea strainer to use as a sieve, but the fine powder on the top of whatever I add it to still managed to clump together, as though I'd added dead skin. I tried mixing it with sugar before adding, but it still clumped up.

How do I stop it from clumping? Reading about it online, it doesn't seem like that uncommon of an ingredient, so obviously, other people aren't having as much bother with it as I am.


texts: Do I need to grind Ceylon Cinnamon sticks for coffee/tea, or can I add them whole?

texts:
I got some Ceylon Cinnamon  sticks, but I haven't purchased the coffee grinder yet. I was wondering if I could add the sticks whole when I brew coffee or tea.
If so, how much per cup?
Do I need to boil the stick for prolonged period of time, or can I just put it with the coffee grindings and pour boiling water over it?
Also, would it be wasteful compared to grinding the stick into powder before brewing first? I.e., will a stick release its compounds fully, or will a lot of them remain inside the stick?


texts:
With a boiling pot of water with lid on, can I get different steam temperature? This is without the use of a pressure cooker.
I understand the phase change process of water to steam and that steam contains higher energy than boiling water. But is the steam maxed at 100 deg C by boiling a household-pot of water and a lid? Or can I increase the steam's temperature further by applying more heat on the pot? Or will that just increase the production rate of steam?


texts: How long does pancake batter last in the fridge?

texts: I'm making a packet mix of pancake batter that doesn't lend itself to partial mixes - it's hard to split "1 egg" as an ingredient.  How long would pancake batter last in the fridge?  Even if it's a worst case of a day or two, I'd still like to know.


texts: I'm a little bit confused since I can't find this model on the internet.


texts:
I have had my fair share of eating cheese and experimenting with them. Sometimes they come out heavenly while other times, it turn out to be a huge flop. Usually when it flops, it's because I am expecting the cheese to melt and it doesn't.

So my question is, what properties of cheese determines how well the cheese melts? This way I can determine in the future whether a cheese I am about to experiment with is meltable. Are there physical indicators that I can see and feel that can help me determine a cheese's meltability?

Is there a special way to increase how well cheese melts? I have noticed that some cheese melt slightly on the outside but the inside turn rubbery and doesn't melt.


texts: Is it safe to transport meat in a coolbox with ice?

texts: If you buy say sausage rolls and pork pies on a Thursday and keep in the fridge overnight, then travel Friday for 5-6 hours with them in a cool box with ice blocks, then put them back in the fridge Friday overnight, then serve up for buffet on the Saturday, is this too many temperature changes over 2 days?


texts:
I do not have much experience or knowledge of cooking, but I've slowly been learning.

Today I followed this recipe: Beef Stir-Fry. Besides some vegetable substitutions, I had a bit more meat and doubled the sauce ingredients. For the acid, I used lime juice for the first half (2 tablespoons), but ran out, so I used rice vinegar for the other two tablespoons.

After the meat had been cooked, I removed it and reduced the sauce. Around that time I noticed that the patina in the direct middle of the wok had been stripped.

The seasoning on this wok was pretty good (as you can see around the edges of the center), and just this week I had made another stir-fry in it that had rice vinegar in the sauce. Since I had no issues with that, I figured it'd be OK to use lime juice and rice vinegar in this recipe.

The two main differences between what I did earlier and just now was A) earlier I used canola oil instead of olive oil and B) earlier I added the sauce last instead of first.

My gut is telling me that when I reduced the sauce, the acid stripped away the seasoning, which didn't happen before because of either temperature or length of time. However, I just am not certain.

I'm mostly interested in how I can avoid this in the future, and what to do now with the wok. Should I scrape off the rest of the patina and start over? Or just continue to cook with it normally (and more carefully) to rebuild it?


texts: What are the benefits of making butter at home?

texts:
I've recently realized how easy it is to make your own butter at home (thanks, SA!). Are there any significant benefits to this as opposed to buying butter in the grocery store?

I do not have access to dairy cows, so I would have to purchase cream. That seems like it would mitigate any potential cost savings.

How about culinary benefits? Does homemade butter taste better?

Related: How to make home-made butter?


texts: What is this kitchen tool - a handle, and coil of metal around a metal plate?

texts: I'm at a loss for what these things are for - they came in a bag with some other things I bought at a thrift store.


texts:
Sometimes I feel weird after eating food that by all appearances looked normal, including the interior.
For meat and produce I can understand there might have been bacteria that of course wouldn’t be observable or that the food was undercooked. But how about bread, frozen foods, and well cooked foods?


texts: What do I do if my turkey is done way too early?

texts:
From a user who posted as an answer elsewhere:

  I cooked the 22 pound turkey way to early. It's done at 10:30 and we aren't eating till 4:00. Right now I have it sitting in the roaster covered with towels and aluminum foil. What should I do? Should I keep it there for the three hours? Then it's still another 2 hours till serving.

Whatever the exact specifics, what can someone do if they end up in this situation? Similarly, what if someone wants to cook the turkey early like this - is there anything they can plan ahead for?


texts: How do I make my roux taste less like flour?

texts: When I make a roux for soups and sauces it always ends up tasting like the flour. What is the correct way to make roux? How long does the flour need to cook out of it?


texts: Achieving 'glossy', ultra smooth pudding texture

texts:
I recently made New Best Recipe's chocolate pudding recipe. It's very good, but I was expecting that sort of 'glossy' texture you get with store bought pudding cups (at least in the U.S.) whereas this isn't quite as smooth. It's definitely not grainy or anything - as far as I can tell, I made the recipe correctly and it came out properly - it's just not that extra little bit of smooth, I suppose (kind of hard to describe the texture I'm looking for).

Is the texture in a store bought pudding cup something that is achieved because of whatever impossible-to-pronounce stuff they throw in there, or is it something I can modify the recipe to achieve? (I can provide the original recipe if necessary.)


texts:
Although I love ceviche I'm worried about possible health issues caused by eating raw fish.

I know that freezing it at -20° C for at least 24 hours would be effective against Anisakiasis and reduce (but not eliminate) Salmonella. I'm also aware that the whole thing of "ceviche's cooked by the juice" is just a myth. Raw fish remains a risk.

Since ceviche's fish get de-naturated anyway by the lime (or other citrus), would the fish change considerably if I cook it at 60° C for some time?

What's the minimum amount of cooking time that would make the dish safe? Could this produce acceptable results? What fish would be the most appropriate here (that is, for being safe and tasty)?


texts: What is that tool called for scraping vegetables?

texts: There is a specific kind of tool I want that is used to scrape the surface of vegetables in order to turn them into thin strands for spaghettifying or hash browns, but I don't know what it's called.


texts:
Thanksgiving and Christmas of last year I tried my hand at frying a turkey.

Everything was fine but I could never seem to get the peanut oil up to 350℉ (175℃).

I followed Alton Brown's Recipe but just couldn't reach 350℉. The best i did was 275℉ to 300℉ (135℃ to 150℃) which meant I left the turkey in a little longer and burned it a little too much.

Any advice?


texts: I boil my navy beans first and I put in a Crock-Pot with ham that I had Frozen it's already been cooked they have been cooking for about 4 hours on low my question is can I shut the crockpot off for about 5 hours I meant by get back for my appointments can turn it back on low I just don't want to overcook the beans I would appreciate any help you could offer thank you very much


texts: Confused about cayenne pepper, chili powder and paprika

texts: What is the difference between cayenne pepper, chilli powder, and paprika powder? They seem pretty similar. Are they interchangeable in recipes? Will it be a big difference if I substitute one for another?


texts:
Now, I think we have all heard of this method of telling that poultry is done: "When the meat pulls away from the bone easily." How true is this? Might the meat be overcooked in some cases.

Now my specific situation regards duck (both ~5 pounds). We deep fried some ducks for Christmas dinner. The first we checked at 20 minutes, it wasn't done, so we put it in for another 20 minutes. The other just cooked for 35 minutes. They both measured in at ~175 F - 180 F and were allowed to rest. But I was just eating left overs and one of them was  sort of rubbery/chewy near the bones and the thigh and leg didn't seperate easily. The other was the opposite but a little dry. I am curious about risk of foodborne illness and whether I should chuck it.


texts: What are multi-stage pastry molds called?

texts:
Like many amateur pastry chefs I love watching Amaury Guichon.
There is a tool that he and other pastry chefs use very frequently that I'm completely unable to find. One clear example is his famous coconut: https://fb.watch/2IjsP0vpox/
You can see as he makes the core of the coconut he uses a series of spherical molds with different materials to form the center. I don't care particularly much about the spherical piece, but my mind is entranced with the idea of multi-stage molds.
Unfortunately it appears that these devices are impossible to google for or find. What are these progressive molds called? Are these publicly available or something special that Amaury made for himself?


texts: Is it more effective to add yeast before or after kneading?

texts:
Let's say I want to make bread.  In this case, kneading is what develops more gluten.

So would it make any difference if I fully developed the gluten first (until it passes the "windowpane" test) by kneading the dough and then adding the yeast vs just kneading with the yeast already mixed into the dough?


texts: Making Dough: Preferment + Cold Rise - Necessary?

texts:
I'm making a brioche. Currently, I do a sponge & dough process + an overnight cold rise. I'm wondering if the sponge and dough is necessary if already doing a cold rise?

From my understanding, the sponge & dough gives the gluten a chance to develop without having to knead the dough as much. Wouldn't a cold rise with occasional folding do the same? If so, is it overkill to do both steps?

My current process for sponge is: I take part of my flour (33%), liquid (33% milk), 1% sugar, and 1% of 33% yeast - and give it 2 hours.


texts: Chicken didn't retain flavour from marinade

texts:
Last night I made some lovely chicken. However the flavour from the marinade was lacking and spotty. Some parts of the chicken (drumsticks) were quite flavourful, while in others the flavour was more in the background almost like an after thought.

Now, a quick note - I normally cook using dry rubs as opposed to marinades, but like most of my other questions I am trying to broaden my horizons and add tools to my "culinary tool kit".

Below is my procedure and then my question.

Procedure

Rinsed chicken
Made marinade (500ml mango juice, 6 fresno peppers with seeds, salt and pepper, 3 green onions, a dash of soy sauce)
Placed chicken in container and poured the marinade over the chicken so that it was all submerged and shook briefly to make sure it was well mixed
Placed in the fridge for (what was supposed to be 4 hours, but ended up being 24 -- long story)
Place on BBQ, lightly salted, and cooked at a temperature (approx. 375F - it varied occasionally to turn but was generally around 375F for 90% of the time on the grill).

Question

Despite sitting in the marinade for so long the flavour didn't "uptake" well, and did so unevenly across the meat. My questions below - I feel all have the same underlying cause.

How can I better ensure that the flavour seeps into the meat more uniformly?
How do I prevent "spotty" flavouring in the future?
Would poking the chicken, just to break the skin, have helped?


texts: Making (or substitute for) ricotta cheese?

texts:
Some of my favorite dishes call for ricotta cheese, be it anything from a lasagna to cannoli. Arguably, this is a very easy thing to find in the States (and presumably elsewhere), so I'd never thought about it. But, living in Japan, I have yet to find it anywhere - supermarkets, import shops, or cheese shops. (Mind you, cheese is a pretty rare thing here, and a delicacy at that.)

So, being unable to buy it anywhere, what are my options? Is there a substitution I can try, or is it something I can make at home?


texts: What is the science or chemistry of the creaming method in baking?

texts: Please help me understand the chemistry of fat in baking as it applies to the creaming method.


texts: What are some good homemade foods that are the easiest to prepare?

texts:
I live in a country where street-food is hazardous, 99% restaurants are unhygienic and the rest of 1% restaurants are either extremely expensive(as compared to my level of income) for everyday-meal or unavailable in the neighborhood, and, packed foods(like cereal, cornflakes, etc.) are also unavailable. I am also not a food-enthusiast and very lazy to cook.

I have gas stove. I don't have oven.

Readily eatable vegetables are not available. For example, tomatoes, lettuces, broccoli and cucumbers are not available. Fruits are totally imported and consequently very expensive. Even if they were available, raw vegetables or fruits do not stay in the stomach for long and eating only raw fruits gives acidity.

Cheap available foods are rice,  broiler-meat, lentils, wheat-flour. Mutton and beef are expensive. Liquid milk is unavailable. Powdered milk is expensive. Fish is very messy to buy and cook. Eggs are not healthy to eat thrice a day. All types of spices are available but packed spices are little expensive. Vegetables are available but takes time to sanitize, but, I fear peeling.

Can anyone please tell me what kind of foods can I adapt for my everyday life that are cheap, need least effort to prepare, healthy, keep me working for a long time and do not need freezing to preserve?

Please suggest me some single-pot meals that are easy to cook. Unattended cooking must be the priority.


texts: I want to substitute some natural cane sugar for white sugar, because I don't have enough of the white to make pickle recipe. The recipe calls for 7 cups of sugar, and I have 4 1/2 of refined white sugar so I want to use the rest in natural cane sugar. Will this work?


texts:
I was just in my kitchen making pasta and a wild thought appeared when I mounted my sauce:

Can I do a vegan monte? What alternatives could provide the same bind and richness?

Been looking for a little while, but can't seem to find anything. Has anyone figured this one out?

(everyone note that I'm not vegan myself, but i have friends who are and I would love to extend this method to vegan dishes)


texts: What is the purpose of papillote on lamb bones?

texts: Is it just for decoration, or does it serve a purpose?


texts: Will egg whites still whip after being in the fridge overnight?

texts: I'm making ice cream tonight and chiffon cake tomorrow. I need egg yolks for the ice cream and whites for the chiffon cake, will my egg whites still whip if they are kept overnight in the fridge?


texts: Tips for cooking something "bacon wrapped"?

texts: Whenever I cook something "bacon wrapped" the bacon comes out a little undercooked for my taste.  Should I be half-cooking my bacon before I wrap it onto something that I'm going to bake?


texts: Nuke TV Dinner and then renuke it 3 hours later?

texts: I need to feed 10 people a Hungry Man TV Dinner each (please don't ask why--it's too long a story) and I have only 1 microwave oven. I need everyone to eat pretty much at the same time, but this is not possible since it will take 8 minutes for each TV Dinner to heat up. So, my solution is to to spend 80 minutes heating all the frozen meals, and leaving it for three to four hours until mealtime comes. My question is: Would reheating an already heated TV dinner alter the taste and texture (like get dry and hard)?


texts:
My girlfriend and I are thinking of preparing some flavored oils for Christmas presents this year (don't tell anyone!). We've read online that fresh garlic presents a health hazard when stored at room temperature, because the low-acidity, oxygen-free environment is perfect for the botulism-causing spore to develop.

In order to avoid this, we've used dried, minced garlic (bought at the store). However, I haven't found any substantial evidence that this mixture is safe for storage at room-temperature. One site mentioned that the lack of water in the garlic removes the "food" for the spore, and therefore the risk.

Do you know if dried garlic (or any other easily available garlic type) can be stored for longer periods at room temperature?


texts: Why is some frozen breaded chicken pre-fried?

texts: At the supermarket, I found some frozen breaded chicken. The package said it was already fried before frozen. Why would they fry the chicken before freezing it?


texts: Does the use of kosher salt vs. table salt lead to a higher overall sodium intake?

texts: When using kosher salt one has to use more kosher salt than table salt to achieve the same level of saltiness. Does it mean that using kosher salt causes one to consume more salt (or sodium)?


texts: How do I get pepper to stick to my beef jerky?

texts:
I have been making beef jerky for a few years now and have settled on a recipe I like a lot and use the majority of the time. It includes cracked black peppercorns which add a pepper flavor to the marinade, which gets absorbed by the meat, but also (ideally) sticks to the sides of the meat.

What I find is that by the time the jerky is done, at least half of the peppercorn pieces are in the bottom of the dehydrator or in the colander I use for draining the marinade.

I am careful not to dump much marinade on the beef already in the colander. I start by dumping it off to the side until most of it is gone, then the beef slides out into the colander with only a tiny bit of marinade left. I do not appear to be losing many peppercorns to the rinsing effect of dumping the liquid marinade over the peppered beef.

One or twice during dehydration I flip the beef pieces for more even drying. I try to avoid brushing off any peppercorns, but invariably I lose quite a few.

How can I get more cracked peppercorns to stick to the finished product of my homemade beef jerky?

Can my technique be improved?
Is there an ingredient I can add to the marinade to encourage the peppercorns and beef to stick together without altering the flavor?
Something else?

The recipe is very basic but very good: for each cut of flank steak (approximately 1.5 lbs) I add one bottle of Worcestershire, fill the bottle with water and add that, two tablespoons of salt, and two tablespoons of cracked peppercorns. This all goes in a one gallon Ziplok bag, and the bags all go in a plastic container to prevent spills/leakage in the fridge overnight. I sometimes add other spices, but I find the core ingredients are often very strong and flavorful enough.


texts: I’ve used my machine twice.  I went to try to put a different attachment on it and the pin won’t move.


texts: Alternative to salt when using Mortar and Pestle

texts:
For numerous reasons, I need to prepare the vast majority of food salt-free. Been doing this since the 80's, and now we are very sensitive to any added salt in our food. This extends to, for instance, salting the water for boiling pasta or vegetables.

When I read about using a Mortar and Pestle, recipes often suggest adding a little salt to act as an abrasive. Clearly, from my family's point of view, that salt would not be desirable in the prepared dish.

What can I use as an alternative, without changing the flavors too much. For example, sugar might work from the abrasive point of view, but would add sweetness where it wasn't expected.

(Irrelevant, but someone will probably ask. 1/2tsp of salt in a meal is enough to cause my partner to be very ill. Hence the salt-free regime.)


texts: How do I convert volume to weight for soft cheeses like ricotta and mascarpone?

texts: Ricotta and mascarpone are messy to measure in measuring cups, so I'd rather use a scale. How much does one cup of each weigh?


texts: What are these white and thick things in my egg?

texts:
I bought a carton of eggs 6 days ago, and all the eggs have these white and thick spots in them. Not sure how to describe it. Does it mean the eggs went bad?

Did they go bad? The eggs are suppose to be good till April 12th.


texts: Must bread dough clear the side of the mixer using the hook?

texts: I can get it to clear just fine with the paddle, but I can't reliably do so with the hook attachment, even after ten minutes at the fastest setting. My flour is fairly strong, autolysed, and the hydration is ~70%. I find myself adding way too much flour to have it clear the bowl.


texts: Can I freeze all cookie dough? How far in advance can I make it?

texts:
I want to make about 15 varieties of cookies for an upcoming gift exchange. I have a number of recipes together. I already made a few that were listed as freeze, slice and bake dough.

Can I freeze all cookie dough?
What ingredients will be a tell tale sign that I can't freeze it?
Whipped egg whites maybe? A lot of butter?
If I can't freeze the dough, how far in advance can I make it and store it in the refrigerator?

Here is the list of recipes I've collected FYI. http://pinterest.com/superjac/holiday-cookies/


texts:
Would it be helpful, harmful or neutral to fold dough during the autolyse?

Let's say we're doing a long cold autolyse. At first I assumed it would be helpful to start the dough development early on, but then I had to wonder if starting the gluten development prematurely during autolyse would hasten the degradation of gluten later on, especially with a retard?

What does baking theory say about this question?


texts: Can I add cocoa to chocolate to approximate a higher % of cacao?

texts:
I have a recipe that I'd like to make that calls for 3oz of 72% cacao chocolate. I have plenty of 60% cacao chocolate, and I have Hershey's cocoa powder. The recipe is just for brownies, so absolute precision and supreme quality isn't required, but I would like to get the right level of "chocolatyness". 3oz = 85g. Going from 72% cocao to 60% cacao would leave me with a deficit of just over 10g of cacao. If cocoa is basically 100% cacao (is it?), then it would seem that just adding 10g of cocoa would be close enough to "right".

Since I'm dealing with chocolate, not anthrax, I'm disinclined to worry about the 10g (or whatever) surplus total chocolate weight. Would the semi-substitution work?


texts: Is washing hands before handling meat/poultry necessary?

texts: I was wondering if meat and chicken get cooked well, do we need to wash our hands before handling it?


texts: We have 3 nice heads of red cabbage to pick soon. We are most likely going to can it all as sweet and sour cabbage but before we do that I was wondering if there are other ways to preserve it using the canning method.


texts: Adjusting the baking time for large cakes?

texts:
How long should I bake a 13" (330 mm) sponge cake?

Which gas mark should I use?


texts: How long should I let my tea cool before adding unpasteurized honey to it?

texts:
I like having my tea with honey.

I always buy unpasteurized honey rather than pasteurized honey, to benefit from the healthful enzymes it contains that are destroyed by the pasteurization process.

I have heard that unpasteurized honey should not be heated to a very high temperature, because that will (just like pasteurization) destroy the enzymes.

So, my questions are:

What is the temperature to which it is safe to  heat unpasteurized honey without destroying the enzymes in it?
Is there a rule of thumb for how long I should let my tea cool to reach this temperature? I do not add anything else (like milk) to the tea that would accelerate the cooling.


texts: Do I need to seal the food with food wrap before put them in the fridge?

texts: I've always seen friends putting leftover, cooked food in the fridge with food wrap. I asked them why they are doing it and they don't even know why they are doing it. It is necessary to put just cooked food in the fridge with food wrap?


texts: I will be cooking in my dorm this coming year, and I only have an electric kettle at the moment. Is there a way for me to cook rice with only this (i.e. without a stove), or should I just get one of those plastic microwave rice cookers to use in the floor lounge?


texts: How to stuff and/or spice the chicken BELOW the skin?

texts:
Recently watch a cooking show, and in one of the recipes (before cooking the chicken) the instruction was to put the spice below the skin of the chicken.

How to do it? Does it have some special methods to preserve the quality?


texts: How can I calculate the nutritional value of something homemade?

texts:
Does the baking/cooking process change the nutritional value of food? I don't know the science behind that.

I want to calculate more than just calories -fat, carbs, sugars, protein, etc... Is it just as simple (albeit, time consuming) as adding up those values on the ingredients? Or is there more to it than that?


texts:
When I made chicken pot pie, the filling was fine but the puff pastry on top didn't puff up though it did cook through.
How can I remedy this?

The pastry was the store-bought frozen variety. The temperature was 375 °F and I used and egg wash for the glaze.


texts:
I have cooked meat that is fully prepared, I like its taste but not its texture. I want to mince it, add it to some raw minced meat and prepare something from the entire mass.
What is the correct way to do it?

Safety concerns, the meat will be cooked thoroughly, but still are there any concerns regarding mixing the meats pre cooking.

Texture and taste, what is the best way to cook the entire mass without overcooking the already cooked meat?

Should the raw meat be pre cooked separately and only combined when cooked? What is the best way to do it?


texts: Is there any way to kill bacteria in food without using heat?

texts: The title says it all. Context: food preservation


texts: Is there a significant difference between French press coffee and Moka pot coffee?

texts: Assuming they are from the same bean, is there a significant difference between the two? How would it be best described?


texts: How to prepare an easy and fast snack rich in protein?

texts:
I'm going to the gym, usually, everyday. I'm looking for a simple and easy snack, something that I can carry with me to work, to the office, and would help me to recover from my workout. :)

I know some recipes rich in carbohydrates but none rich in proteins :(
(Besides whey protein, of course)

Any tips or recommendation ?
Thanks in advance!


texts:
I am going for a smoky and tender beef brisket cooked to ~200 degrees.

Sous Vide roughly calls for 5-6 hours of time for the brisket to come to temperature, however, I also want it to sit on the smoker (most recipes seem to call for liquid smoke).

My question is, should I put it on the smoker first and THEN Sous Vide it?   My assumption is yes since the smoke will have an easier time penetrating the meat.


texts: I've been trying to make macarons using almond meal, and they turn out very lumpy and grainy. Should I be using almond flour instead? Or doing something else to make the powder finer?


texts: Can you reheat cooked calamari without thawing?

texts: Can you reheat cooked calamari without thawing first? If I take it from the freezer and boil it, how long will it take to reheat the calamari?


texts: How do the ingredients in baking powder work?

texts:
Baking powder is baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), corn starch and creme of tartar mixed together. Can anyone tell me what the effect of these different ingredients have (and have on each other) and how they work together to leaven baked goods?
Like- why cornstarch? I understand it being used as a thickener and to coat things to keep them from clumping, but how does it help leavening? Or is it just to keep the creme of tartar and baking soda from reacting to each other or mixing unevenly?


texts: Is there a secret to flavouring with herbs

texts:
I am a strictly amateur cook.  Most of my output is OK, certainly edible, but I seem to lack the ability to impart flavour through herbs.

I can throw in an inordinate amount, but still no flavour (not even an overpowering one).

Yet, I have a simple recipe for a vegetable stew in which the listed seasoning mix works beautifully.

Do you have a guide for the best way to deal with herbs ?


texts: All the cheese wax I've seen on cheese is always red. Is there a specific reason as to why this is? Can the wax be some color other than red, like maybe magenta?


texts:
I've made a red-wine vinaigrette dressing using olive oil (which makes up the majority of the dressing), red wine, garlic, and basil.

My problem is that whenever I take it out of the refrigerator, especially when it gets low, the olive-oil leaves it practically solid. I understand that this is normal for olive oil, but it is rather annoying having to get it out 30 minutes before I make a salad or a sandwich (as I don't normally have that kind of time).

My question is, since everything in there but the garlic doesn't need to be refrigerated, is it safe to leave it out of the fridge and let it stand at room temperature? Or is it like all other (store-bought) dressing where after opening (mixing) it requires refrigeration?


texts: Is there a preferred tequila age for Strawberries Por Mi Amante?

texts: I'd like to soak strawberries in tequila for a Por Mi Amante.  I'm not concerned about the brand, but I'm curious if there is a flavor difference as a result of soaking in blanco vs reposado vs añejo.


texts: What is a consistent method to froth milk if I do not have a steam wand?  I have tried things like a whisk and an Aerolatte with mixed success.


texts: Sponge cake with only three ingredients - will this work at all?

texts:
I have a recipe for a sponge cake only consisting of sugar, eggs and flour. To be honest, I am a bit afraid to to try it.

How can this create a fluffy cake - where does the air come from? Won't it be really dry because there is no fat in it?

Also, when doing a cake like this, do I need to pay special attention to something? I am really skeptical that this will work.

How long can I store the undecorated cake? Where and how to store it?

Edit:

Ingredients

6 large organic eggs
180g caster sugar
180g plain organic flour (sieved)

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Break 6 eggs into a very clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk the eggs gently to break them up, then add the caster sugar and whisk on medium high speed until the ‘thick ribbon’ stage is reached. This means the mixture will be light, have increased substantially in volume and be of a moussy consistency. When you lift the whisk the mixture should fall slowly in thick ribbons.

While the eggs are whisking, grease three (22cm diameter) cake tins and line the bottom with a disk of parchment paper.

When the thick ribbon stage is reached, add the sieved flour and fold in very gently to fully incorporate without knocking the air out of the mixture. Very carefully apportion the mixture between the three cake tins and pop in the oven for 15-20 minutes, turning two thirds of the way through the cooking time. You will know when they are ready as they should be golden brown and coming away slightly from the edges of the tins.
 Remove from the oven and cool in their tins for 10 minutes before carefully turning out and leaving to cool completely on a wire rack.

source


texts: In a recipe, yogurt toughens potatoes but whipping cream does not

texts:
I have a favorite tried & true recipe that I simply call ‘foil potatoes’.  recipe link: http://www.evernote.com/shard/s1/sh/048c56cc-1481-48b2-89e6-88e897da651a/b0c036a6448b07e0a486f77acf2111cb
This has been made multiple times with consistently good results.
A few weeks ago I decided to try substituting the same quantity of home-made  greek-style yogurt in place of the whipping cream.
They did not tenderize at all and although being fully cooked, were ‘crunchy’ and not desireable.

As an experiment yesterday, I did another batch with part of it done with the original recipe using whipping cream,, & the rest with yogurt.
All packets were done on the same grill side-by side with exactly the same time & temp.
The packets with whipping cream were done perfectly & again the ones with yogurt were tough.
My internet searches have not found any answers as to why this happened.
In addition to wanting to understand the science of this difference, can anyone suggest changes I can make to have this substitution work?


texts: Would it be feasible to make a chocolate-flavored cheese?  The idea that originally occurred to me was the use of chocolate milk for this purpose, but I'm not sure that's the best solution.  Does this food already exist?  What kinds of cheese are doable in this situation?


texts: How can I safely store or dry wet sugar?

texts:
I recently transferred a batch of home-made vanilla extract to a smaller bottle. I shook out the vanilla beans left in the original bottle into a container with white granulated sugar as there was a lot of extract and seeds left on them. The extract is vodka-based and contains about 35% ABV.

The end result is that this container of sugar is completely soggy and wet now, and I'm wondering how I can safely store it. From what I've read, dry sugar has an indefinite shelf-life because it is hygroscopic, creating a dry environment where nothing bad can grow. This is obviously no longer the case here. High sugar content seems to play a role in the shelf life of fruit preserves but the bigger factor there is probably sterilisation before canning.

How can I safely dry out this wet sugar mixture?

Should I toss it if it's been sitting at room temperature (with a fine mesh top) for 24 hours?

Is storing sugar when wet a Really Bad Thing?

Will the alcohol inhibit the growth of anything that might survive the high sugar content?


texts: How to calculate the pH of a lye solution?

texts: I'm trying to figure out if I can substitute the catholyte from a salt water electrolysis system for a lye solution in pretzel making. In order to figure this out, I need to know the pH of my lye solution, which seems like a pretty involved calculation. Can anyone explain how to calculate the pH of a 4% lye solution? (example: 40g lye in 1 liter water)


texts: Convection microwave oven in office setting?

texts: Our office recently moved and we have no break room, i am trying (unsuccessfully) to convince them to get a convection microwave oven.  Is there something i need to know about putting one in a space not designed for cooking?  They want a microwave and i want more, but is it safe?


texts: Use any part of an animal for making stock/broth?

texts: I got a whole leg of lamb, removed all the big parts of meat for another dish, then scraped down the remaining pieces around the bones and the fat. Should I use all of it for stock or does the pure fat parts for instance make the stock too greasy?


texts: Leaving buttermilk out overnight, recipe for food poisoning?

texts:
In the recipe for corn bread in The Bread Baker's Apprentice, the first instruction reads:

  "The night before baking the corn bread, soak the cornmeal (1 cup) in the buttermilk (2 cups). Cover and leave at room temperature overnight."

Similarly (just found this randomly), a recipe I found online for "Overnight waffles" instructs:

  "Before going to bed, combined the dry ingredients, then stir in the
  milk, butter and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting
  lid and let stand overnight at room temperature."

Wouldn't the buttermilk spoil overnight and give you food poisoning, even with baking the bread in the oven at 350F?


texts:
My electric oven died about six weeks ago and, in the meantime, I've been using a 1500 W single burner hot plate.  I have proper pans for induction but I can't get certain things to fry properly.   For example shrimps or scallops in olive oil. I like them to become crusted golden on the outside but all I seem to get are droopy wet shrimps.  The juices that normally cling to the seafood stick to the pans (I've tried many) instead of to the fried food.

It's hard for me to believe that I haven't the right tools or the right temperature.  I'm suspecting that induction somehow works differently than electric in terms of how the heated pan acts on the food.  (I have a basic understanding of how induction burners work.)

Any information about this would be appreciated.

BTW, in all other respects, I find induction cooking faster and more convenient (no need to remove the pot from the stove when cooking ends; simply turn off the unit).


texts: Meatballs in tomato sauce using a rice cooker

texts: I have a package of frozen precooked Italian meatballs. I got a can of tomato sauce. I would like to cook the meatballs in a tomato sauce. I don't have a pot right now. I only have a 4-cup rice cooker with tow modes: 'cook' and 'warm'. How can I use it? For how long?


texts: Is it ok to refrigerate almond milk after I add honey to it?

texts: I bought a pretty big container of vanilla almond milk. I would like to add some honey to it, and shake the container. After I use it, I'll store it back in the refrigerator. Will this be ok, or is it bad to mix honey and almond milk and refrigerate them?


texts: What is distilled or freeze-concentrated mead called?

texts:
I brewed a 10 gallon batch of mead for my wedding/honeymoon last year. It's a sack mead, so it tends to be more on the sweet side, like a cordial. I've decided to freeze concentrate (as opposed to destill; one is legal, the other isn't) it to both fortify and up the flavor and alcohol levels.

However, for life of me I can't seem to find out what this type of beverage would be called. Freeze concentrated apfelwein/cider is called applejack. Destilled or freeze concentrated grape wine is brandy. Distilled or freeze concentrated beer makes whiskey or an eisbock depending on your technique. But I can't find what the proper term is for a mead. Any thoughts?


texts: Baking Turkey Meatloaf with/out glass cover

texts:
I am baking 2.5lbs of turkey meatloaf with a mixture of sauteed onions and red bell-peppers. There are no set recipes for cooking a meatloaf of this size so I basically doubled some of the ingredients.

The regular recipe says to Bake at 350 for 50 mins for 1.5lbs. I'm using a ceramic casserole dish and was wondering if the glass cover would help cook the inside of this dense loaf more than with it uncovered? Another thing I heard is to place a cookie sheet under the casserole dish for radiant heat.


texts: Best Practices for Cooking with Psyllium Husk?

texts:
A couple months ago, I went on a diet primarily consisting of Nutraloaf (with Tabasco or other flavor-adding sauces) for meals, and sunflower seeds for occasional snacking. Three weeks in, I started experiencing some digestive problems and a general malaise, and my doctor referred me to a nutritionist. Long story short, my diet was seriously lacking in fiber.

I've found psyllium husk fiber to be far superior to traditional options, and have since been consuming it as a daily supplement. What I'd like to do, however, is integrate it into my cooking. There is a serious dearth of psyllium husk-based recipes on the Internet, which leads me to query the experts here.

How should I go about modifying my recipes to use psyllium husk? Also, should I worry about heating psyllium husk, and possibly changes its digestive qualities?


texts:
I was reading about frying in On Food And Cooking this weekend and it mentions that frying works so much better than oven cooking because oil has a far higher specific heat than air so it is able to transfer that heat to the food being cooked much faster than an oven. It then went on to mention that oil has significantly less heat storage capacity than water - according to this specific heat table, it looks like water has around 2.5 times the heat capacity as most oils. This got me thinking about whether there’d be any way to “deep fry” something in water. What I mean by “deep fry” in water is - get the water up around the temperature you’d get in a deep fryer, and then drop some food in. This way you’d get the same temperature as the oil, and therefore hopefully you’d have the same Maillard reactions, but none of the oilyness from frying. I’d like to give this a try. but there are a few important hurdles I’d have to get over first and I’m wondering if anyone here has any guidance. around a few questions this raises:

I did some calculations and it looks like I’d have to get the pressure up to around 70 psi above atmospheric pressure in order to get the water up around 155C - Probably I’d want to go a bit higher than this in practice. It doesn’t seem to be out of the realm of possibility that a pressure cooker could exist that could handle this kind of pressure (bicycle tires go a lot higher than this), but I only see pressure cookers that go up to around 15psi. Do pressure cookers that handle this high of pressure exist? Otherwise, might there be other kitchen-sized industrial equipment that could achieve this high of pressure and temperature?
Can I expect a maillard reaction to occur at high pressure, or will the pressure make the reaction require relatively higher temperature and therefore preclude it from occuring?
Can I expect a maillard reaction to occur under water? Everythíng I read about the maillard reaction mentions that it will only happen after the water on the surface of the food evaporates specifically because water keeps the temperature too low. This makes sense at standard pressures, but will the water in and of itself make the maillard reaction difficult or impossible (since one of the outputs of maillard is more water), or is the water mentioned ONLY because it keeps the temperature so low.  All of the references I've found that say water deters the reaction specifically state that this is because of the temperature factor.
Is there any chance that I’d get any crisping through this process? I’m thinking that if I depressurize the food while the surface is superheated (obviously I’d have to figure out a way to get it out of the water bath first), I’d get some amount of the water in the surface boiled away as the pressure dropped, and thus some crisping.  Might this work?

Obviously I’d have to set up a pretty crazy rig inside the pressure cooker to get the water and food pressurized without significantly cooking the food in the process, then have a setup inside the pressure cooker that drops the food into the water at a given temperature, and then pulls it back out after a set time. I’m thinking that my first step would be to get a super-high-pressure pressure cooker and drop some chicken into it, get it up to 160C or so, cool it and see what I get. It’d be way way overcooked I’m sure, but I think I’d be able to tell if I could get any reasonable browning in water, and proceed from there if the results were favorable.

I'd really appreciate any insight, either from experience with pressure cooking of non-traditionally-pressure-cooked foods, or other experience, or possibly from understanding more about how maillard works and what I would expect at high pressure and submerged.


texts: Dough loses flexibility and strength once mixed with starter and starts raising

texts:
I've watched many videos on making sourdough bread and in most of the cases it looks like the elasticity and strength of the dough is not affected by the starter.
In my case, it doesn't work like that.
I first mix flour with water and leave it for at least an hour, sometimes a couple of hours, then add the starter and leave it raise.
Once I add the starter, I leave it for about 1h before pulling the edges to the centre to make it stronger. The thing is that from that moment on, it's not that flexible like before I added the starter. What's more, if I leave it for a few hours to raise, then it's like a thick juice, so I can't create a consistent loaf. As a result, I just put it in a pyrex and once raised put it as is in the oven.
Recipe is ~600g mixed flour, 400ml water, 200gr starter.
Last but not least, it doesn't raise much once put in the oven, so no need for that cut before putting it in the oven, as it's shown in various videos.
Any ideas what's wrong?


texts: What is the proper way to dispose of a kitchen knife?

texts: How do you throw away a kitchen knife (or for that matter, any knife)? It seems extremely dangerous to just throw it in the dumpster, even if it's wrapped up real well.


texts:
I have to prepare a meal for a group of 60 people. I already have a recipe (Japanese curry with rice) but I have no clue how many of all the ingredients I need, because when I cook it for myself I just put things in the pan without measuring anything.

So that brings me to my question:
How many ingredients do I need (in total or pp)?

The things I use in the recipe are:
- Japanese rice (separate)
- potatoes
- sweet potatoes
- big carrots
- onions

I was thinking about 100 grams of (uncooked) rice per person, so 6 kilos in total, but I have no clue how many of the other ingredients I need in the curry itself, or what amount is normal for veggies in a meal.

I will serve sausages with the meal, but separate because of the vegetarians who are attending.


texts: When cooking pasta in salted water how much of the salt is absorbed?

texts:
Most chefs recommend that you should add quite a bit of salt to boiling water which you cook pasta in (sometimes 1 teaspoon).

For those watching their sodium intake, how much of this salt will actually end up being absorbed by the pasta, and how much will be thrown out with the water?


texts: What is the purpose of making Iskiate from Chia seeds?

texts:
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 lime juice and a bit of sugar... to make Iskiate.

What would be the purpose of this particular preparation?  Is it simply for taste, or does the addition of these ingredients (water, lime juice, and sugar) have some impact on either the short-term physical or long-term health effects?


texts: Can I use "spent" lemons (juiced) to preserve?

texts: I'm about to juice 5 or 6 lemons, I'll zest maybe 2 of them. (I'm making a lemon cheesecake). Lemon isn't something I care to use very often, but I'm intrigued by 'preserved lemons', something I've never done (always a plus). It was cheaper to buy a five pound bag of lemons (11 total) than to buy 6 lemons individually, so I'll have 5 or 6 left over. Obviously the juiced and zested lemons are trash, but what about the intact rinds of the juiced lemons? Can I shove those in the jar with the salt too, along with my 5 or 6 remaining lemons? Or will that throw off some kind of magic ratio?


texts: What makes pineapples cause a burning / itchy feeling in the mouth?

texts:
Years ago the pineapple pieces I used to cut had something that caused an itchy / burning feeling in the mouth. After I heard that maybe some substances in the rind cause this irritation and I should clean the knife after every cut, the itchy / burning feeling never occurred again ... until today. Today I had a quite ripe pineapple.

What substances cause this feeling? How do I avoid them? If the substance really come from the rind: Is rinsing the pineapple pieces a good way to get rid of this nasty stuff?


texts: Can I save peanut oil from turkey fryer after rain?

texts:
I just fried my first turkey and left the oil outside to cool. While we were inside enjoying the turkey we realized it had been raining for a while. I didn't have a lid on the pot. I was planning on filtering the oil and storing for later use. How bad will it be to reheat the oil with a bit of water in it?

UPDATE: I should have given more information about how much water may have entered the pot. It was probably raining anywhere from 2-4 minutes by the time I went out and covered the pot. The oil was still over 200 F at this point. I wouldn't think that much water really made its way in. Also, wouldn't any rain water that hit the oil have immediately evaporated?


texts: Is it possible to prevent a japanese cheesecake from deflating or sinking?

texts:
A japanese cheesecake is basically like a cheesecake fused with a spongecake.

When i beat the egg whites they peak perfectly then i am required to get 1/3 of the egg white mixture and fold it into the cake mixture then fold in the rest of the egg whites. Then i pour it into a pan and place it into a baine-marie and bake it for about 1 hour and 10mins at 180 degrees celcius.

In the oven it raises perfectly and looks beautiful, then when i take it out of the oven to rest it slowly starts to shrink and is no longer tall but rather about 1-2cm shorter (20cm cake pan).

Can anyone please help me? Anyone have any suggestions or any techniques on how to prevent this from happening?


texts:
I have marinaded steaks in the past with acidic juices, usually including orange juice.  The acidity seems to help with the tenderization of the meet and the slight sweetness in addition with salt and spices makes for a great flavor combination.

Is it possible to use lemonade as a base for a marinade? If possible what is an ideal recipe for a decent cut of beef?


texts:
I tried to make https://myjerusalemkitchen.com/2011/05/22/dark-chocolate-almond-orange-lace-cookies-florentines/ (I used bee honey not date honey) and they taste GREAT, but they did not come out right. They basically came out as a sheet of caramel, VERY thin.
I tried letting the "dough" cool longer before scooping out of pan and on to cookie sheet. I also tried decreasing the time in the oven. Using an actual teaspoon measure, 8 of these (3 rows: 3, 2, 3) with at least 3 inches between each blob, covered virtually the whole pan.
Anyone have a better recipe or suggestions?
Recipe
Ingredients

1/2 c brown sugar
2 tblsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tblsp milk
1/4 c date honey (or regular honey)
1/3 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c almonds; coarsely ground
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 heaping tsp orange, zested
1/2 c dark chocolate (for dipping)

Tips:

You must follow the order here. I have accidentally added the almond mixture at the wrong stage and the cookies will not spread.
Cool your tray with water each time you remove it from the oven (it will not warp your tray) or get three trays handy because if you drop your batter onto a heated tray the cookies will start to spread instantly and will be oddly-shaped.
If you end up with any oddly shaped ones, just take some scissors and cut the edges before the cookies have completely cooled down.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 F
line two baking trays with parchment paper; set aside.
Bring the butter, sugar, milk, vanilla, and honey to a boil, stirring continuously.
Once it reaches a rolling boil, wait one minute and then remove from the heat.
Now, grab a bowl and mix the flour, almonds, cinnamon and orange zest together, slowly adding them to the wet mixture and making sure everything is incorporated well.
Let sit for about 20 minutes or until the mixture is cool enough to be handled, even though you won’t be handling it.
If the mixture is stiff when you return to it, warm it up over a low flame for a minute or two.
Drop teaspoon-sized balls onto your parchment paper, leaving about three inches space between each of the cookies because they will spread a lot.
Create a double-boiler to melt the chocolate or melt it in the microwave.
Leave them to cook for 6-8 minutes.

If you want them more like toffee brittle leave them in on the longer end.
I like mine slightly chewy in the center and crispy on the outside.

Once the centers are bubbling and they are a goldeny-brown color, remove them from the oven.
Immediately remove the parchment paper from the tray and let them cool on the counter.
After about three-five more minutes, you’ll be able to remove them from the parchment paper without a problem. Any sooner and they’ll still be soft and likely tear.


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