texts: Which type of onion causes the least eye irritation

texts: I am willing to forgo a little taste if I don't have to take 3 breaks while dicing an onion. Should I use red, white or yellow to minimize eye irritation. I have a small fridge/freezer so freezing them isn't an option.


texts: Are there any situations where untempered chocolate is better than tempered?

texts:
Every chocolate-based recipe I've seen either requires tempered chocolate or can use either tempered or untempered chocolate. Are there any recipes or techniques that specifically require untempered chocolate?

EDIT: I think the question might be a little unclear. To clarify, I have a block of tempered chocolate; I use this to make cordials (must be tempered) and ganache (doesn't matter). Are there any uses for it where I'd have to untemper the chocolate first?


texts: How to make whole bean blonde Starbucks without machine

texts:
So I just got Starbucks' Blonde Willow Blend (Whole Bean) and I am very excited to make it, but the problem is I have never done it before and I cannot find any online tutorial for beginners. I also don't have a coffee machine.

I will condense my questions:

Do I need to roast the beans? If so, how? Will a pan on the stove do?
How can I grind the coffee beans without a coffee grinder? Can a regular grinder work and how fine does it have to be(perhaps how long in seconds)?
Is it made into cold or hot coffee? If cold then how much ice? Can I make it in a regular mixer?
Does it include milk? If so, how much milk?
Can I brew the coffee in a regular pan on fire?

I really want to do it correctly but I can't figure out how. If you can help, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks! And I apologize if my questions don't make sense because I am completely new to coffee making.


texts: Substitute for calcium oxide (lime) to keep pumpkin from falling apart

texts:
The recipe for this pumpkin dessert from Mexico says I should leave the pumpkin pieces submerged in water with calcium oxide (lime) for 3 hours, so that the pumpkin doesn't just become puree when I boil it in a later step.

I read on the internet that lime sold for construction work can contain harmful adhesives and, since I'm not currently in Mexico, I don't know where to buy lime that is safe for the kitchen.

Is there another method to keep the pumpkin from turning into goop?


texts:
I have been making kefir regularly for a couple years. Lately, however, my family's interest in it has waned and I have been using it less often and so feeding it less often.

I want to store some kefir grains so I don't lose them due to my own negligence. I've heard that grains can be frozen but I'm scared to kill some in the experiment.

What is a proven procedure for freezing (and subsequently rethawing) my kefir grains such that they stay viable?


texts: Is poaching a foie gras torchon really necessary?

texts:
Is poaching the torchon really necessary?

Can't I skip the poaching and just wrap, chill, and serve?


texts: If a large can is divided into smaller containers, is it still shelf stable?

texts: Everyone knows that buying in bulk usually saves money. My question involves buying and saving bulk canned veggies and items of that nature. Can you divide a bulk or industrial size can of say green beans or nacho cheese into mason jar, vacuum seal the jar with my Foodsaver and it still be shelf stable without traditional "canning"? I don't want my "nacho cheese" to go rancid on the shelf but I don't want it taking up valuable fridge space either.


texts:
Is it possible to make really good beef brisket, with a smoke ring and everything, on a Propane Grill?

A good charcoal grill/smoker is on our list of things to get, but it's probably not going to happen this summer. Am I doomed to have mediocre brisket, or are there tricks that will work with a propane grill to approximate the results I'd get with a "real" grill/smoker?


texts: I am currently studying commercial cookery and need to prepare a workflow plan for a practical assessment, I am wondering if anyone has a good workflow template that I could use?


texts: Why did one pecan pie end up with a dark center after baking while the other pie came out perfect, same batter same cook time?

texts: I baked two pecan pies at the same time, used the exact same batter and everything, one pie came out perfect with a clear pecan batter center, the other pie however ended up with a dark colored center and I’m wondering what went wrong? Same recipe, just doubled it and cooked at same time,same length of time, so what happened?


texts: Can I adjust soup texture right before serving?

texts: I'm terrible at getting the right texture for soups and stews. Adding boiling water to adjust the texture right before serving is my usual response. Would this work as a long-term solution, or does it affect other aspects of the taste?


texts: What are some low fat butter substitutes for cookies?

texts: What is a good butter substitute for baking cookies? I am looking for something that would contain less fat grams per serving than butter. I have difficulty breaking down fats so I need something that would be gentler on the digestive system. I would greatly appreciate any feedback or ideas.


texts: What are natural alternatives to Nong Shim noodles?

texts:
My dad can't explain why he loves just  the Nong Shim noodles below. Are there more natural alternatives?

Note these  are NOT the instant cup noodles. He doesn't use their sauce that contains MSG.

WordPress

Blog spot

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4441115931_1d832d21e9_b.jpg


texts: Mousseline sauce, use the white or the yolk of the egg?

texts:
I always used the yolk of the egg for preparing mousseline sauce, but sometimes I see recipes on the web where they use the white of the egg.

Like in the definition on this site epicurious

  mousseline
  [moos-LEEN]
  1. Any sauce to which whipped cream or beaten egg whites have been added just prior to serving to give it a light, airy consistency.

So what's the 'orthodox' way of making mousseline sauce?

And what difference would it make to use the whites instead of the yolks?

I guess, I will have to try it one of these days, but was wondering about.


texts:
All,

Recently we moved house, and took it as an excuse to ditch a bunch of old and dying roasting pans.

We kept some glass trays (suitable for cooking in) though, and have ended up using them for just about all our oven cooking. On the top I still use either the steel covered copper bottomed things or cast iron cookware, but in the over it's mainly the glass.

Everything seems to turn out just fine - am I missing something? Committing a heinous sin I've somehow forgotten? Do I need to run back to buying some proper metal roasting trays?


texts: Do chefs use customer feedback to improve dishes?

texts:
I understand that chefs can gauge the quality of a dish by monitoring its popularity. However, suppose a chef wants to improve an existing recipe, how might he/she do that?

Will the chef rely on customer feedback? Suppose a customer says he likes the steak but thinks the sauce can be improved. How can a chef use that information?

Clarification - I want to understand if and how chefs might use customer feedback to improve dishes.

Suppose a chef surveys 100 customers. 60 of them say that the steak sauce need some improvement. Will the chef investigate further to improve his recipe? If so, how would he do it?

Also, suppose that the same 60 customers say that they prefer the steak sauce in another restaurant, will the chef go to the another restaurant to investigate?

I'm not senior enough to leave comment, so thanks to everyone that tries to help!


texts:
Any ideas on what’s going on in this apple?
I cut into this apple and it had these small brown streaks. The apple itself was firm and looked good on the outside with no obvious spots or bruises. I accidentally ate a small piece and it tasted normal and sweet.
It doesn’t look like a typical maggot nor rot.


texts: The chef in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD97u0OUbBo uses a blend of tapioca starch, potato starch, and rice flour for his dredge. Any ideas what ratio would be optimal for getting a crispy wing?


texts: How does imitation cinnamon flavor differ from real?

texts:
To me, imitation cinnamon flavor (like the extract, or artificially flavored candies) tastes pretty harsh, and not all that much like cinnamon. I can only assume it's an artificially-made form of the main aromatic compound in actual cinnamon.

So why do they seem so different? Are they actually identical? And how much of the real cinnamon aroma comes from that versus other things?


texts: Using whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose and semolina

texts: I want to make pasta at some point and I am wondering if I could use all whole wheat flour instead of a blend of all-purpose and semolina flour. I know the taste will be a little different, but can I use only whole wheat flour instead of AP and semolina for pasta?


texts: Details of pre-cooking chicken before shallow-frying?

texts:
Having made mistakes earlier which resulted in undercooked or over-fried chicken, I've been looking for details of how to correctly steam or pressure-cook chicken before shallow frying it.
Recipes like this, this, this and this do not mention necessary details.
This recipe mentions first pressure cooking until the first whistle, but is the water released from the tomato and meat sufficient to generate enough steam? I guess a small pressure cooker would have to be used because of less steam, correct? Am also worried if pieces would stick to the cooker and get burnt. If cooked until the first whistle, the meat is fully cooked. Won't shallow frying overcook it? Should the water from the cooker also be added to the shallow frying pan and the meat fried until the water evaporates?
On the other hand, this recipe recommends steaming 1.5kg chicken for 20 min and uses lettuce to prevent sticking. If the steaming is done with a steamer basket or idli stand, won't the pieces sandwiched between other pieces be undercooked?
Does the pre-cooking have anything to do with the amount of oil used for shallow frying and the duration it is fried?
If you could re-write the recipe for pre-cooking the chicken, how would you write it so that even an inexperienced person would be able to cook it?
Update: recipes like this, this and this explain the procedure, but is the short cooking time really sufficient to cook the meat? When I prepare chicken curry in a pressure cooker, I have to ensure that it is cooked till the first whistle, and after switching off the flame, it's only if I leave the cooker unopened for 2 hours that the meat gets cooked fully. So these recipes with short cooking times leave me wondering if something is wrong. Or is frying naturally faster than boiling?
Update2: I tried the third youtube recipe with four pieces of chicken and proportionally less onion etc. At the blending stage, all the ingredients flew to the sides of the mixie and didn't form the masala paste as desired. The lady uses just 3tbsp oil for 2kg chicken. I used 4tbsp oil and it got absorbed by the chicken and masalas promptly. On closing the lid and allowing the chicken to cook, the masala-onion mixture got burnt within 3 minutes. There goes another unsuccessful attempt at frying chicken. Thankfully this time my losses were only the masalas and onion. This is exactly why I asked my question here. The online recipes do not explain a LOT of steps. I'm pretty sure I was supposed to add more oil and the masalas and onion can be blended only if there is a sufficient quantity to weigh it down onto the mixie blades. That being said, from the smell I could discern that if it did get cooked properly, the result would've been delicious.


texts: Is there a difference between infused oil and adding the ingredient?

texts:
For example, is there any difference (taste, use, health, etc) between using an olive oil infused with lemon and a regular olive oil and adding lemon juice?

If there are differences, do they only apply when not cooking with the oil (e.g. in a dressing or garnish) or also when heating the oil?


texts: How long does it take for sugar to get to the hard ball stage?

texts: I tried to make nougat but just could not get to the hard ball stage.


texts: How to avoid smoke during pan searing meat?

texts:
I've been cooking in my cast iron skillet on medium/medium high heat with olive oil.

No matter what I cook, (chicken, fish, etc.) the oil and fat in the pan starts smoking long before the food is done.  Eventually the meat gets there, but by then the house smells like the food.

I've seen this post, but any other advice I may be missing to avoid all the smoke?  Lower temp?  Different oil?


texts: What makes white chili white; is it just the lack of tomatoes, substitution of broth for tomato base? I am working on a vegan mushroom based chili and am wondering if it would technically be a (chili) or more accurately a soup/stew.


texts:
I've been having some trouble cooking quinoa. I know that it needs to be cooked for long enough so that just the spirals are left, but the quinoa can often dry out quickly and stick to the pan when cooked for this length of time. Not cooking the quinoa for long enough can leave you with a slightly stodgy quinoa.
So my question is how can I cook quinoa for long enough, without it drying and sticking to the pan? Do I need to just add a bit more water than the instructions state (2 cups water to 1 cup quinoa) as it dries out? Do I add a little oil?


texts:
I just made meatloaf by mixing 90% ground beef with shredded cheddar cheese, milk, an egg, and oats. I cooked it on 350 degrees for 50 minutes. It tastes fine but the mixture is kind of mushy and losses its shape. How do I make the meatloaf bond together better?

1lb ground beef
2/3 cup cup milk
1 egg
1 cup cheese
1/2 cup oats


texts: What should one look for in the license terms of a crowdsourced recipe website?

texts:
I'm looking into uploading my recipes to "the cloud" via a crowdsourced-website.  I have been trying to understand the ramifications of the licenses and terms of service.  As I do not currently have that many truly unique recipes (yet!) my question is somewhat about principle...I just have been increasingly skeptical of lock-in like with Facebook and wanting to "take back my data".  So despite wanting to share, I'm skeptical even of something as "innocuous" as a recipe site. (Not as skeptical.  But still skeptical.  :P)

My goal is mostly to help vet the information for other people who might be in the same situation, so they can understand what they're getting into.  So what I'm mainly interested in is making sure that any sites I join have fair licensing terms. Because websites are always being bought and sold, there is always the chance that I could put a bunch of recipes online and then they might disappear if the site changes hands. Or, I might have to pay to access my own recipes someday if the policy changes.

Are there any specific things one should be on the look out for in the terms of service?  Are there certain things that should be non-negotiable from a user standpoint?  Are there things that you cannot reasonably expect any site to have?  (I am sure no free site will guarantee they will not go out of business, and compensate you if their web server and your recipes stop being available.)

Sorry if this is more of a legal/software question than a cooking question.  But I thought there might be a fair amount of cooks on here who are also interested in geekery. :)

(Sidenote: My first try was uploading a few recipes to a site called Key Ingredient: e.g. Lizzie's baked breaded oysters, Howard's kickin' salsa.  The site works well and I like to share these recipes from friends with a broader audience than typing them into Microsoft Word.  But how do I make sure I don't lose them?  What else can go wrong?)


texts:
Soup dumplings, or xiao long bao, are made by combining ground pork with chilled gelatinized pork stock inside a dough wrapper.  When steamed, the gelatin stock melts, so that the diner bites into a dumpling filled with hot soup.

I can substitute a number of fillings for the ground pork and seasonings fairly easily.  However, I'm wondering if any of the various vegetarian gelatin substitutes will behave properly to make the gelatinized stock component; that is, will they set to jello hardness when chilled, yet re-liquify when steamed?  If so, which one?

More links on veggie "gelatin":

https://www.wikihow.com/Find-Gelatin-Substitutes-for-Vegetarians
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/vegetarian-substitutes-gelatin-4169.html
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/6674-vegetarian-gelatin-substitutes?ref=HowTo_browse_2


texts:
I dry cured some chicken for three weeks: I cut chicken breasts into 1 inch slices, usee 10-20% salt and rubbed thoroughly. I left it to dry cure for 2-3 weeks. I did this however I forgot to remove all the fat that may have been on the breasts. After the 1st week a bad smell started to appear and it has got worse over the last 2 weeks.

Although I used chicken breasts there was still strings of fat on the chicken and my guess it seems the smell is coming from the fat.  The meat itself looks red, hard and cured.

If it is the fat, is the fat unsafe to eat?
Is the meat still usable even though it has been surrounded by this odour for 2 weeks?
If I just cut the fat pieces of will that make the meat safe to eat?
If I do not cut of the fat and then steam/or cook the meat in a soup with the fat, will the soup water and meat become unsafe to eat?

Just to add: I am NOT trying to make beef jerky or the like and I do NOT want to use a dehydrator.  The thing I am trying to cook is a soup where the chicken meat is very salty.  Dehydration or wet brining doesn't achieve this.  As such I am trying to dry cure the meat and then cook the soup as you would have with Virginia ham.


texts: Is there a way to make this bread recipe's crust less crunchy?

texts:
This is a challah recipe I inherited:

1 cup warm water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp yeast
Knead, let rise, braid, let rise, egg wash, and bake at 375°F for an hour.

I like the flavor of this and the consistency of the bread inside. However, I don't like how hard and thick a crust it gets. I've tried leaving off the egg wash but it's still crispy and tough. (This hasn't always been a huge deal, it's just how this loaf bakes... but my daughter recently got braces, and she's finding it very difficult to eat!)
Are there tweaks I can make to ingredients, baking time, or oven temperature to get a more pliable crust?


texts: Revive sourdough starter after 2 months in fridge

texts:
I have a sourdough starter in fridge for nearly two months and have not fed it.  Haven't even looked at it.  So two questions: if it smells ok, for a starter, that is, can I use it if I feed it and let it sit out for a few hours?
2nd question: it's made with spelt flour.  Does that make a difference?


texts: Why my Biriyani gets mushy when I cook for 30/35 mins (suggested by lot of chefs)

texts:
I am trying to make some Kachhe Biriyani (Cooked with raw meat and half cooked rice).
For that I am using following ingredients.
600 gm, Lamb
4 tbsp, Ghee
160 gm, Onion
70.00 gm, Raw Papaya
50 gm, Natural Yoghurt
300 gm, Basmati Rice

Now I cook my rice:

For 5 mins to cook it to 50%.
Then I mix it with meat marinade (above) and cook it for 35 mins on low flame (33% of high flame).

This is the way it has been described by a lot of cooks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLaLwAeAxBw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMuedBOODTs
But following this, my Biriyani rice always gets soft and mushy.
What is wrong? Am I using too much heat? Is my meat releasing too much water?
What is different compared to other chefs using this method?


texts: Custard - How much milk can one egg set?

texts:
If I had one whole egg (my understanding being that the white has more 'setting power' than the yolk), how much milk would I be able to set?

If I tried to set 2 cups of milk with 1 egg, can I expect something like a creme anglaise or something thicker?


texts: How to thicken Chili without compromising flavor

texts: I enjoy adding beer to a pot of chili for taste, but at times find the end result is too soupy. What's a good way to thicken it without overcooking or compromising the flavor?


texts: I made a slow cooker balsamic chicken recipe that has a lot of liquid from 2 cans of diced tomatoes with their juice. The recipe says the juice is needed to keep the chicken from drying out. But the sauce is so runny that it doesn't adhere to the angel hair pasta that you are supposed to serve the chicken over. It is delicious but too runny. How can I thicken the sauce so it will adhere to the pasta and give the pasta the delicious balsamic taste of the dish?


texts: How to crisp breaded foods the next day (especially panko)

texts:
I breaded some fish today, and the other day, chicken. Unfortunately, I over-estimated, and fried a whole bunch that we didn't eat. If I nuke it (microwave it) the next day, it comes out soggy and limp.

Bummer.

How can I actually reheat this and regain some of the panko crisp? Baking seems to be the right answer, except that panko breading burns really, really fast (mine is already a dark-brown from cooking it on medium).


texts: Is it ok to let vegetables cool before roasting?

texts:
Could I boil vegetables now (potato, beetroot etc.) And then roast them a few hours later?
This would be convenient, but would it effect their taste, texture etc?


texts: How far in advance can sweet potatoes be peeled?

texts: How long (hours or days)can sweet potatoes be peeled before they are used?  Do they go brown quickly like regular potatoes?  Are there methods for holding them?


texts: I've always used the Masa Harina in the bag and made masa, but I don't have an electric mixer at the moment to make them fluffy. How do you use fresh masa when making tamales? Just add it to the corn husk and wrap? Thanks.


texts: Why isn't my vinaigrette emulsifying properly?

texts: I made a vinaigrette tonight. Normally, to make one, I put vinegar and oil in a mason jar and shake to mix. This usually seems to emulsify the mixture properly and it holds for a while. Tonight, I made one with 20% red wine vinegar, 20% champagne vinegar, 10% dry sherry, 50% Greek olive oil, and nothing else. I found that after shaking, it started to separate within about 30 seconds, being completely split again after about a minute. Why did this particular mixture not stay in a stable emulsified state?


texts:
I love both barley (which I eat savory) and wheat (which I eat as sweet power snack). While the two grains look and ultimately feel and taste alike, the cooking processes are quite different. I prepare barley by simply boiling the grain straight out of bag and it takes usually around 20 min. As for wheat, I soak it overnight and the boil more than an hour before it's tender enough to chew.

Why are the cooking processes between these two similar grains so different?


texts: What makes bread mold grow; light, air or both?

texts: I'm building a breadbox that will hold multiple loaves of bread.  I was wondering if it would be a good idea to put a gasket around the lid to reduce air infiltration but I don't know what is more important.  So is the key to keep out light or air or both?


texts:
I really like Worcestershire sauce on a few things, but I never use it that often.

My question is simply, does it ever go bad, and should I try to use it up quickly?


texts:
I am interested to make Mysore Pak, the Indian sub-continent lightly-roasted Besan (Chickpea flour) based cake.

I can indeed lightly-roast one cup of Besan, add one cup of sugar directly together with one cup of water, stir all three ingredients to a fine smooth batter and and then add about one cup of coconut and/or sunflower oil and mix well a few minutes to get an extremely unified batter (with no "lumps" or "chunks").

My problem is with cooling off the batter until solidification (which is how the batter is made into a cake):
The refrigerator in the apartment I rent is a bit small for the pan in the sense that even if it is well situated it will probably touch plastic surface, walls and dishes and that I want to avoid.

Should there be any problem cooling Mysore Pak outside a refrigerator?


texts: If Nutrition Facts states 0% Cholesterol does that imply the food is vegan?

texts: On the side of a package if it states "Cholesterol 0%" in the Nutrition Facts does that mean the food is vegan?


texts: Can I coat a very soft cake with royal icing before I cover with fondant?

texts: Im preparing a very soft tender cake for covering with fondant. I need it to be really smooth but I also don't want the icing to be too heavy on the cake. I'm not familiar with ganache can I use a coating of royal icing?


texts: Do metal skewers make a considerable different cooking time than wooden?

texts: When making kebabs I usually use the metal re-usable skewers. However do they differ at all than their wooden counterparts? Dishes are fun to do but only if the meal is good.


texts:
I picked up a package of "pork brisket" at the supermarket today. I have never seen it before but it was inexpensive and fatty, and looked like a good option to throw in the slow cooker. When my wife saw it, she protested (having raised pigs as a kid): "Anyone who knows about livestock knows that brisket is part of a cow, not part of a pig!"

So, what cut is this, really? Should I treat it like a beef brisket?


texts:
One of the core advices when cooking beef is to allow it to rest at least five minutes before cutting it. But I have seen several videos where Japanese chefs cuts the wagyu beef into small pieces while it is still cooking. Here is one example: https://youtu.be/-kzYJqKkAZ0?t=249

What am I misunderstanding here?


texts: I have bought an ash gourd to use the flesh in various dishes. During preparation I removed, washed and dried the seeds. I couldn't find any trustworthy source on whether or not they are safe or tasty to eat. Are ash gourd / winter melon seeds edible? If so, are they any good and are there any common culinary uses for them?


texts:
I’m not much of a bread maker

Found a recipe for quick flatbread:
1/2 cup AP flour
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp baking powder

I did the above but used 1/4 cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup AP.

The dough was very sticky so I kept adding 1 tbsp of AP until it would not stick to my hands much and could be rolled out.

The bread was not pillowy or soft as the pictures on the website implied. Of course next time I could use 100% AP flour but I don’t think that would solve the issue entirely. Also, in the end, I probably added at least 3 additional tbsp of AP flour so by what amount should I have increased the baking powder? I didn’t get many bubbles.  What else could help this recipe so the flatbread would be pliable and pillowy?

Thank!


texts:
How can I make burger buns that I can  keep for a long time?

I have tried making some, but fungus starts growing on them after just two days...


texts: I know that cornichons are a type of pickled gherkin.  None of the grocery stores in my area carry them.  Would the best substitute be miniature dill pickles, miniature sweet pickles, or something else?  Or would it be something akin to miniature dill pickles with a certain spice added?


texts: I constantly am having problems with the removal of baking paper used to line baking tray when making Pavlova bases. I have tried oiling the tray and then dusting the baking paper with cornflour to make it easier to remove the baking paper  from the cooked Pavlova base, but it always sticks and tends to destroy the base. Any suggestions?


texts: How do I cook food in this square stone oven?

texts:
I've recently become the owner of this outdoor stone oven.

However, I am at loss how to cook in it.

It continues up into a rather large chimney. The bottom has two furrows about a thumbs length in it. There are about 6 bricks made out of clay (I think) that I guess are supposed to be used in the bottom.

I've tried using coals - that didn't work very well.


texts: I want to make some ice cubes that are large (1" on a side or more), crystal clear, and perfectly cubical. I want them large to make my drinks dilute less slowly, and clear and cubical because I think it looks nice. When I make ice in the freezer, it's always cloudy. Any ideas?


texts: What are the transparent strands in this salad?

texts:
What are the transparent, irregularly winding strands at the bottom of the following picture? They can obviously be had cold together with salad. They are very crispy.

They are much firmer and crisper than any "pudding jelly" I have met. They do not seem to be made in a mould but have a more "natural" shape.

I had this in Thailand and when I ask what it is, people have told me wun (jelly) and buk (which I don't know what it is). I am not sure this is correct.
(The staff preparing the salad buffet called it "buk", like English "book".)

What is it and how is it made?

In China I had somewhat similar food but warm and not completely transparent. I was told that was jellyfish. The only transparent things I come to think of are jellyfish (cut in strips) and konnyaku. Could this maybe be jellyfish?

Two more pictures:
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/320xq90/r/908/B0O23n.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/320xq90/r/537/3Sc643.jpg


texts: Why would heating left-overs in a ring heat them more evenly?

texts:
I just saw this tip on Reddit to heat leftovers in a ring.

Why would this only work with left overs?
How does this ring cause the heating to be more even?


texts: Why does my oven take so long to heat up?

texts:
My modern whirlpool electric oven take forever (about 20min) to heat-up to 200C. This seems similar to  other electric ovens I have used in Ireland.

Hoever, when visiting my mother in law in the USA, I noticed that her very old(20+ years) electric oven heats up very quickly, about 5 minutes.

Is this rapid heat-up time typical of american ovens or is there something special about hers?

Why does my oven heat-up so slowly in comparison?


texts: Is there an alternative wrapping for tamales?

texts: I'd like to have a go at making tamales, but the corn husk wrappers are hard to come by here. Is there anything I can use as a substitute wrapper?


texts: Fajitas: Marinade Vegetables With Chicken

texts:
My local grocery store prepares a chicken fajita blend that has the chicken, marinade, onions, and peppers all mixed together.  It's simply for convenience.  Buy x amount of the mixture, go home, throw it into a skillet, and voila: dinner.  My question is whether or not this is safe?  and if so, does marinating the vegetables detract from the blend of flavors they normally provide?  I like biting into a fajita and tasting the individual flavors.

Thank you in advance for any advice


texts: When is it necessary to put foil over a pie's crust?

texts:
In the past, when I have made pumpkin pie, I have never put foil around the edge of the crust of the pie.  Yesterday, I baked a pie with someone else, and they insisted that the foil was necessary to prevent the pie crust from burning.  I have noticed the a lot of recipes for pies other than pumpkin (frequently covered pies like strawberry-rhubarb) explicitly call for aluminum foil on the crust.

When does a pie crust need to be covered in foil while baking?


texts: What can I substitute for flour in pancakes?

texts: I don't have flour to make pancakes. Are there ingredients I use as a substitute, or is there a way to make pancakes without flour?


texts: Why does my minestrone soup end up with so little liquid?

texts:
I have been attempting to make minestrone soup recently and I find that by the time I finish cooking it, the "liquid to bits" ratio is not particularly good and there is not enough liquid to really call the dish a soup.

Is it ok to reduce the cooking time? Or increase the amount of stock at the beginning? Or can you suggest another method of ensuring that at the end my soup has more liquid.


texts: How to clear your palate between different flavored dishes when cooking?

texts:
I found myself making a couple of disparate-tasting dishes. One was a salad dressing with blue cheeses and garlic, and another was meat flavored with thyme and rosemary.

I tried to taste both while cooking, but as I sit here and write this, all I can taste is the salad dressing.

I'm guessing this might be covered in some formal cooking education: how do you clear your palate when cooking multiple dishes, each with a strong and powerful flavor?  I am asking this from the point of view of the chef, not the diner.

I would assume that this could become problematic as the size of the kitchen gets larger, and the number of strongly-flavored dishes would become more prevalent.


texts: Why does my roast beef smell wonderful but tastes bland?

texts:
My crockpot roast beef has the best aroma ever but the flavor of the finished product is only average. I had a 4 pound tri-tip roast and seasoned it with the usual onion, garlic, worcestershire sauce, cumin, basil, beef gravy packet, and enough beef broth to just cover roast in the crockpot. We walked in the door and the delicious aroma filled the whole house. But, when eating the roast, it was just okay. Lots of delicious aroma but very little flavor in the roast beef.

Why is this?


texts: How to make the marshmallow swirl for Chocolate Marshmallow Ice cream from scratch?

texts:
My wife loves chocolate marshmallow swirl ice cream, but she doesn't like store-bought marshmallows. I would like to surprise her with homemade chocolate marshmallow swirl ice cream, but I am unsure how to make the marshmallow swirl.

Here are some of the options I have considered:

make homemade marshmallow creme (eg Fluff)
melt homemade marshmallows

both of these seem experimental.

Does anyone have a tried and true technique?


texts:
Can I chop up and freeze mirepoix raw, or do the vegetables have to be blanched first?
Thanks!


texts: I want to make a mug cake, can I use hot chocolate mix instead of cocoa?

texts: Unfortunately, I do not have any cocoa powder left. If I use Cadbury's hot chocolate mix, would it give me the same effect?


texts: What is the shelf life of herbal ghee: at room temp, fridge, or freezer?

texts: What is the shelf life of herbal ghee?  At room temperature?  In the refrigerator?  In the freezer?  (Does ghee even freeze well?)


texts: what made the juice/water of the beans turned black

texts: I have 3 new pre-seasoned cast iron pots as gifts   I cleaned as instructed before using.  But when I tried simmering a nice pot of beans in one the broth turned really black.  I had to throw away everything   now I am afraid to use them   what can I do


texts: Why are fresh eggs useful when cooking meringue

texts: I was always told to use fresh eggs when making meringues but was never told why.


texts: What are the requirements for making yogurt at home. Is there a solid recipe for making yogurt?


texts:
Are there tricks for baking thick and fluffy pita bread?

The ones I make come out fine, with an even puff and nice pockets, but they are on the thin side.  I would really love to be able to make thicker ones, like those common in the Middle East.


texts: Inulin reduction in Jerusalem Artichokes

texts:
Last year we first planted Jerusalem Artichokes (Topinambour) in our vegetable garden. The plants did very well and we had quite a huge harvest. We found however that eating the tubers causes digestive problems.

I looked into why this is and found that the effect is caused by the presence of a carbohydrate called Inulin, which our digestive system can not process, but sadly the bacteria in our colons CAN (hence the nickname Fartichoke for this otherwise quite delicious produce).

I have found literature references saying that storing the tubers cold and dark for 6+ weeks will transform the Inulin into other forms of carb that can be digested. Since the harvests are quite huge and our cold storage room is limited, I was wondering if anyone here knows of a different method of Inulin reduction.

Any tips welcome, be they of a storage, preparation or preservation nature.


texts: How to avoid excessive steam build up in oven

texts:
When cooking things like a whole chicken or chips (fries) my oven builds up a lot of steam. So much that it comes out as a huge cloud when opening the oven door. I think this leads to a lack of crispness because it's so wet inside.
Is there a way to avoid this? Or is it a design flaw of the oven?


texts: I've noticed air bubbles in several things I've purchased recently. From pasta sauce to salad dressings to salsa.  All different brands, all different flavors.  I see air bubbles inside the jars/bottles, and I wonder why this is, and if it's normal.  Are these items safe to eat?


texts:
We generally do a roast on the weekend and we end up with a load of really nice juices in the roasting tray.

What is the best method of turning this into a nice natural gravy?


texts: Our recipe called for frozen pearl onions & I only found fresh.  What do I need to do to the fresh ones?


texts:
I've been using Julia Child's béarnaise recipe---2 tbl reduction, 3 egg
yolks, 4 oz clarified butter---, which produces a very thick sauce.  Is
this just how it's supposed to be, or is there a non-heretic way of
making it thinner?


texts: Why is my white bread with poolish dough very loose?

texts:
I previously asked a question about the White Bread with Poolish from Ken Forkish's book Flour Water Salt Yeast. My first attempt with a flour that had 10% protein resulted in dough that hold its shape, but the poolish didn't expand enough so flavor wasn't as great. So, I decided to use flour from my bakery and asked for baguette flour. I don't know anything about its protein content, but I imagine its bread flour. When using this flour, my dough gets good elasticity when I am folding it and a poolish that nearly triples in size, but after the bulk fermentation it's no longer as elastic which makes it impossible to shape. I know bread flour absorbs more water so if that is the case then shouldn't it be firmer and more elastic. I measured everything by weight.  Should I go for a poolish with bread flour and try the rest with all purpose? But, it doesn't make sense why would it be less elastic. I imagine the only explanation would be that the "bread flour" has less than 10% of protein. Any thoughts? The hydration level of the bread is 75%. The bread tastes good in the end, it's just a hard crust. Anyone else done this recipe?

Update: the bread rose perfectly and the crust was thin, but I still have no idea how to shape it. It looks good for a non-shaped loaf.


texts: How can you melt chocolate without it getting wet?

texts:
I've tried a (few times) to melt chocolate but am obviously doing something wrong:

Put a pot of water onto the boil
Place a metal bowl over the pot
Put chocolate into the bowl
Wait for chocolate to go off!

(Obviously the steam is rising from the pot and going into the bowl)

What am I doing wrong?  I'm not against using the microwave, would that be a better way?


texts: I have mint growing in the garden, and I'd like to use it in cooking and in drinks (like hot chocolate).  Are you supposed to dry the mint and then crumble/ground it up?


texts: Minimum amount of oil that should be used in deep fryer

texts:
I have bought a 3 liter deep fryer. There was a 1.5 liter one available too but I wanted a larger basket. This 3 liter deep fryer requires 2.5 liters oil minimum. I had no idea about this. This quantity seems too much.

Can I use less? Has anyone any idea what would happen if I use less than the recommended? If I cannot use less than the minimum what do I have to do to make it last longer?


texts: How to avoid the blackening fruits once they are cut?

texts: Apples and bananas start to blacken and sour in taste soon after cutting, which spoils the presentation of dish, especially in fruit salads. How can I avoid this?  Also, does browning impact nutritional value?


texts: What is the best knife/sharpener setup for an active cook?

texts: There are several posts that get close to this but I am looking for a specific knife(ves)/sharpener(s) combo(s) that can be used routinely and that work(s) well.  My opinion is in this answer.


texts: Can cast iron with non-metal components be seasoned?

texts:
I have a cast iron mortar and pestle, but only the interior is raw cast iron - the outside and part of the handle are enameled, and the majority of the handle is covered in some kind of hard rubber. Is there a way to season something like this, maybe at a lower temperature for a long period of time?

If not, what's the best way to care for this and keep it from rusting? If I just wipe it with oil after using it, it gets gunky pretty quickly.

Bonus question: any idea who made this? It has no brand identifier on it, and I bought it years ago.


texts: When Swiss Meringue Buttercream is made with dried egg whites, must the meringue be heated before adding the butter?

texts:
I use dried pasteurized egg white powder for Swiss Meringue Buttercream because it's less expensive than fresh eggs and avoids the problem of how to use the egg yolks.

Would there be a difference in the buttercream using heated meringue, as one does when using fresh egg whites, versus room-temperature meringue, as one could do with dried egg white powder?

I've been whisking reconstituted dried egg whites over simmering water until the sugar dissolves and the meringue is hot; whisking the  meringue until it's completely cooled (about 10 minutes); then adding the softened butter and flavorings. I use a ratio of 1 part egg whites to 1-1/2 to 2 parts sugar (lesser amount of sugar for vanilla) to 2 parts butter to  make a buttercream that's not too rich for my family to  enjoy.

Is meringue made with heated egg whites structurally different from meringue from room temperature egg whites?


texts: Ideas for a pescetarian Turducken (aka a fish in a fish in a fish)

texts:
I've made a Turducken every year for the past several years as part of an end-of-year gathering with friends. This year, we have a pescetarian (no meat but fish is fine) coming as well, and I'd like to do something analogous for him. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with the challenges of putting a fish in a fish in a fish.

Some of the limited suggestions I've found online propose an innermost layer of some kind of "fish mousse" or crab meat or equivalent. Not bad suggestions, but there's a certain aesthetic appeal to the profile cut and appreciating the layers of meat fish that I'd like to maintain if possible.

Does anyone have any experience with this or ideas?

===============================================================

UPDATE: I stopped by the local fish market today to talk things through with the folks there. They are willing to debone the fish for me*. I am enamored with the idea of a strictly fish-in-fish-in-fish setup (e.g. no cheating with crustacean meat), but not tied too firmly to it. Their initial suggestion was an outer layer of salmon, a middle fish of something light and white (e.g. whitefish, haddock, maybe cod), and for the innermost: butterfish. The market owner wasn't there today (Sunday), but I'm going to talk this through with him tomorrow as well.

Re cooking: I unfortunately have neither experience nor the requisite equipment for sous-vide. I concur that layering largely independently-cooked fillets may be the best means of preparing this dish. If outermost fish still has head, skin, and scales I imagine the whole dish can be assembled in a manner that hides the actual preparation (and probably spends a little time under heat as a whole assembly, to allow flavors to blend). The market owner is a chef as well, so I'm hoping that talking this through with him tomorrow will be helpful.

*General Advice for others interested: After 6 years of making turduckens, I am quite capable of deboning the birds myself but have found that having a professional do it for me is $20 very well spent.


texts: Removing Salsa flavor from vegetable soup

texts: I was making homemade vegetable soup. I had used 2 pint jars of home-canned tomatoes then accidentally added a jar of home made salsa. My daughter hates salsa so what can I do to take away some of the salsa taste. I don't like how it tastes right now either and it also has too much salt. Any idea what I can do now to fix my mistake?


texts:
I'm planning on making a custom box of chocolates using a home-made silicone food/ice-cube tray.  I think I'll need to get the chocolate pretty hot and runny so that it will pick up the details in the tray with few air bubbles.  I expect this might take some experimentation but would like some idea where to start.

What is the best process to use to melt and reform the chocolate so that it keeps as many of its original properties as possible rather than turning crumbly or loosing its creamy taste?  Should I be melting slowly/quickly? should I add anything to the chocolate (milk, butter, etc.)? should I leave at room temperature to solidify or refrigerate immediately?

If it maters, I'll be using galaxy chocolate (and possibly milky way chocolate) which I think melts at a lower temperature than most?


texts: Why is my sugar in my recipe becoming gritty and dry after baking in the oven. This is something new for me

texts:
I've been making these  dessert snacks for years. The last 2 times I've baked them, the sugar has come out gritty and the butter seems all absorbed. Very dry. My recipe calls for brown sugar, butter, and (added pecans after the boiling).
After boiling on the stove for 2 minutes this is poured onto graham crackers in a greased pan. Then it's baked at 350 degrees for 10 min. When I take them out it seems all moisture has been sucked out and everything falls apart and sugar is gritty.
I'm using a Convection oven, but I have done all of this the same way for almost 40 years and don't know what's going on.


texts: Scratched coating in old ice-cream maker: is it safe?

texts:
I got an old ice-cream maker at a thrift store (Vitantonio's Gelato Modo II). The bowl has a Teflon coating. There is a chip in the bottom about half the size of a dime, below which there appears to be plastic, not metal.

What I've looked up about Teflon safety seems to say that the major risks are high heat (fumes) and exposure to the aluminum under the surface of many coated pans if the coating is damaged. Since this is an ice-cream maker and the basin appears to be plastic, those wouldn't apply. Is this thing safe to use, or are there additional risks I haven't found?


texts: How do I convert a grilling recipe to an oven/ broiling recipe?

texts: I found a recipe in a magazine that was for grilled pork butt. I live in New York City with no access to a grill. I Googled how to convert from grilling to oven/ broiling. I wound up with a very tasty burned butt.


texts: How can I warm bread making ingredients to room temperature?

texts:
My room temperature is 65°F (18°C). The recipe calls for the ingredients (milk, egg, butter, etc.) to be at room temperature, 75-90°F (24-32°C).

How should I warm them? Can I use the microwave, or put them in a water bath?

My bread right now tastes good, but is very dense.


texts:
So, I just opened up a bottle of lemon-flavored soda that had been sitting in my family's garage for a few years, and I noticed that its flavor seemed different than it normally is. I wasn't sure if it was safe to consume or not, so I tipped my glass out into the sink after a couple of sips, and then looked at the bottle and noticed that the color looked a little yellowish, rather than completely transparent like normal. One of my family members tried a small glass of it, noted that it lacked carbonation, and said it probably just tasted strange because it was flat.

The best before date on the bottle was in 2018, and we live in an area where temperatures in the summer can reach 30-40 degrees C, though I'm uncertain exactly how hot the garage gets. It wouldn't have been exposed to direct sunlight, though.

Can bottles of soda go off, either due to chemical changes in the soda, or due to the plastic in the bottle breaking down? It was sealed the entire time, so I don't think that any bacteria or wild yeast would have gotten into it, right?

It’s a regular soda, not diet. Ingredients on its label are “carbonated water, sugar, acidity regulator (330), natural flavour, preservatives (211, 202).”


texts:
I ate some East Asian dish recently and it looked something like this:

[image source: http://www.thetabletopcook.com/images/tabletop-cooking-homemade-taiwanese-hot-pot.jpg]

I had never eaten anything that looks like it. I was confused, is it a soup with some solids added to it?

I want to know about nomenclature for this type of food and how they would be classified (not according to taste, but according to how they look/are arranged/are mixed).


texts:
Can I substitute Bourbon in this recipe? Lemonade would make it too sour. Water would make it too watery.

I know this isn't exactly cooking per se, but the reason behind this is that I have a BUNCH of left over mint that's probably a day from going bad and I'm scrambling to


texts:
My mate brought some sweets from UAE, it's something like Turkish delight, I think. It says it contains tamur, among other things. I believe tamur is the main thing it's made of, but I couldn't google out what it actually is. Does it contain gluten or milk (allergy)?

Also, is Tahina Tahini?


texts:
Mild cheddar is 3-4 months old.

Sharp cheddar is 1 year old.

What do they call the cheese that is between 3-4 months and 1 year?


texts:
I've been unwell for quite awhile now and corn pasta has been a lifer saver because it's fairly easy to digest (for me.)

Anyway, i'm curious as to how exactly they are made. For instance look at this product:

http://www.leveneziane.it/en/gluten-free-pasta/tubetti-corn-pasta

The ingredients are simply corn flour and an emulsifier, but if you take a look online for any homemade corn pasta recipes you will surely find mostly complex recipes with many ingredients. An ingredient list of size two that creates pasta with such a good texture is hard to believe! I'd LOVE to know their full process ^_^.

Does anyone have any experience in this field? I'd love to make my own and learn the process - but I don't want a complex homemade recipe with 10+ ingredients as those are sometimes harder to digest for me :(

Thanks for your time!


texts: Turn leftover icing into buttercream icing?

texts:
I made up some basic icing for biscuits: icing sugar + water.

I have a lot leftover and was wondering whether there was a way to turn it into a buttercream icing? I wondered whether by adding more icing sugar to thicken it, and then adding butter that would work?

I'm hoping someone else has tried it and knows!

Thanks!


texts: Can a meat that is vacuum sealed for sousvide cooking be cooked instead in a pressure cooker and appropriate results be achieved?


texts: When do you hear the Ping sound of the lid sealing?

texts: I am new to canning. I made applesauce this morning and I pulled them out of the water bath and put them on a towel on my counter to seal, but I never heard the "ping" sound of them sealing shut. When does that usually occur? In the water bath? After the water bath? And if so, how long after you pull it out does that usually take? 5 min or 2 hours?


texts: Sous Vide time for 1.5 lb 1 inch thick bone-in chuck roast at 140F

texts: Would this require a 24+ hour bath at 140F, or would the limited thickness and size allow it be 12 hours?


texts:
I've noticed that commercial gummies do not melt, even when they are left in the sun, while home made gummies melt even at room temperatures sometimes.

What is the secret ingredient? Sugar?


texts: Exact difference between demi glace and bordelaise?

texts:
This feels like a stupid question, but I've spend a fair bit of time reading about this without finding an answer...
I'm trying to understand the French mother sauces and their derived sauces. I am confused about the differences between demi glace and bordelaise, their place in the 'system', and whether roux is used in either.

Reading about espagnole here, I learn that espagnole

Starts with a brown roux, and
Can be used to make demi glace AND bordelaise.

This confuses me, because I've encountered recipes for either, which have not mentioned roux. For example, this demi glace recipe by ChefSteps makes no mention of flour or roux - only reduced wine and stock.

Similarly, this bordelaise recipe, for instance, is virtually identical (except for adding butter towards the end).

Hence, I'd be grateful if anyone could help me understand

Precisely what is the difference between demi glace and bordelaise?
Is roux used in either? If not, how can they be derived from sauce espagnole?


texts: Why do different brands of butter taste different?

texts:
This has been playing on my mind for a while and I thought it was time to ask!

In any supermakert, there is usually at least 5+ regular brands, then 3-4 supermarket brands. In addition to some supermarkets stocking expensive/specialised brands.

Forgetting margarine or low fat/special butter where chemicals are added, traditional butter is just milk with salt sometimes added.

Now, it doesn't matter where I buy milk from, it always tastes the same. Considering this and that traditional butter is just churned milk... Why do different brands of butter taste different!?


texts: How can I make caramel that will hold its shape, without using refined sugar?

texts:
I am making my own ice cream pops. One flavor I'm developing is Peach Cobbler. I've been trying to include some caramel in the bars, yet I can't seem to make a type caramel using coconut sugar, that will harden enough to stay in "pop form."

My results are delicious so far, but the caramel in the pops doesn't harden enough and the pops fall apart where it is.

How can I make a "freezable caramel" that doesn't involve refined (white) sugars?


texts: How do you recover if you lose track of what you're measuring?

texts:
I was making a lemon meringue pie, which called for 1/3 cup of corn starch and 1 1/3 cup of sugar, added to some quantity of water. Silly me, I put the water in the pot first, then the corn starch, and then — since I already had the 1/3 cup measuring cup out — I decided to measure the sugar as 4/3 cups. Problem is, I got distracted in the middle of measuring out the sugar, and I got to a point where I had no clue whether I had added 1 cup, or 1 1/3 cups, or possibly even 1 2/3 cups. Ooops.

Is there any way to recover from something like this? Preferably without throwing out everything and starting over?

(Obviously, the best way is to prevent yourself getting into such a situation in the first place: measure each ingredient into a separate vessel before you start combining, go ahead and dirty two measuring cups, don't get distracted, etc. But I'm sure we've all been there...)

For the record, for the pie in question I decided to quit while I'm ahead and proceeded with whatever mystery quantity of sugar was in the pot. I haven't actually tried the pie yet, it's still cooling, but it looked OK.


texts:
I’m having a horrible time trying to get beans cooked to be tender and not bitter.  Overnight soaking and rapid soak methods aren’t making any difference.  If I add anything to the cooking process, it’s a piece of onion and/or a hot green chili.  These beans soak for at least 10 hours and cook for over 4!

Ok, so maybe at my store, the beans are old.  The packages are never past the pull date. How do you tell just by looking whether they’re “too old”?


texts: What are the most effective wheat flour substitutes?

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

I've found that in some recipes, particularly for pancakes or breading (for frying) I can substitute almond meal or a combination of almond meal and fine parmesan and usually come out okay. In fact almond meal pancakes turn out great.

I'm interested to hear of any other flour substitutes others have used, even if they aren't low carb as it might serve for inspiration to find further subs.

Cheers.


texts: How do "frozen fresh" herbs compare to fresh?

texts: I noticed my grocery store has "frozen fresh" chopped herbs (basil, cilantro, oregano I think, among others) in the freezer section. How would these compare to fresh herbs?


texts:
My mom likes bacon crispy (and dry enough to choke on). I like bacon to be chewy.

I have noticed some techniques that will make bacon chewy or crispy but it sometimes seems like luck. Making it crispy is easy. I just cook it in a well drained pan for too long. Chewy is more elusive and it seems like a fine line between raw and floppy to dry and the chewiness is lost.

Is it just the temperature it is cooked to or is there some other magic that can ensure chewy bacon?


texts: How can I prevent the cocoa in my hot chocolate from solidifying over time?

texts:
I make my own hot chocolate by making a slurry of cocoa powder and warm milk being sure that the chocolate is nicely melted and smooth.  Then I add the rest of the milk and heat it the rest of the way.  I just use the microwave for single-servings.  No chocolate clumps -- everything's GREAT.

However, by the time I start to get to the bottom of my cup, the chocolate has started to "fall out" of the milk clumping on the bottom.  I can re-heat and re-incorporate it, but I'd rather avoid the problem altogether.  Any ideas?

Related questions -- These address the initial creation of a smooth mixture and not the longevity.

Dissolving cocoa powder in milk

How can I make milk cocoa powder so it does not stick to the top and bottom?


texts: I have a lovely recipe (for stir-fried tofu) that uses arrowroot as its thickener. This is easy to use, and adds a nice subtle flavour of its own to the dish. However, I am now living somewhere where I can't find any - what would you recommend as an alternative? The flavours of the dish are quite delicate, and it is fried at a quite high heat.


texts: I want to make little hand pies with apple and ricotta, bake them, and then freeze them to thaw for afternoon snacks. Any advice? Will that work?


texts: Can I separate cream from powdered whole milk? I spend much of my time in the Philippines and milk is very expensive and cheeses are almost impossible to get. I am making pizzas and I want to make my own mozzarella cheese.I want to buy powdered whole milk in bulk for making cheese, butter, and ice cream. I want to remove some of the cream from the reconstituted dry milk to make butter and ice cream with and to use the milk with the cream removed to make cheese and buttermilk.


texts: How does the metal of a baking sheet get burned?

texts:
My kid wanted to boil a kettle of water on the back burner.
An empty baking sheet was sitting on the front (we had baked some cookies earlier).
They accidentally turned on the front burner instead of the back, and walked away for a minute.
How does a baking sheet itself get burnt? Are stove tops a lot hotter than 500 degrees?


texts: Cake flour or all-purpose for shortbread?

texts:
The recipe calls for either, and I have both.

What difference am I likely to see in the final product using one or the other?

Would there be an advantage to going halvsies?


texts: Feeding my starter so that it will be ready when I need it

texts: I have mature starter that I've been using for awhile.  I'm planning on baking tomorrow, so I started to prepare the starter by leaving it at room temperature and feeding it every 12 hours yesterday morning. Last night it expanded quickly, and this morning (12 hours later) it had collapsed. I fed it again, and within one hour I can see it expanding already.  I need the starter to be ready tomorrow morning.  I'm concerned that if this happens again, (expanding quickly and then shrinking sooner than 12 hours) the starter won't be ready when I need to bake.  Can I alter the schedule to every 8 hours or so to insure that the starter is at its peak when I need it?


texts:
I'm visiting Denmark and I'd like to bring home some local Danish ingredients so I can prepare a meal which is specific for Danish cuisine (can be scandinavian if Danish is too narrow).

It doesn't necessarily have to be full-blown meal, it can be snack or something equally simple.

Additional requirement it should survive flight so I tumult more about either something dry or canned or similar.

Any recommendations?


texts:
I'm making a variety of jams. And I've never made jams before.

I found some really fun flavours online, such as blueberry-lavender, spiced-fall-fruit, tomato-rosemary, and pear-vanilla.

Some of the recipes call for pectin. A quick google search reveals that pectin is something that's released from fruit. Is this correct? If so, why do I need to add pectin while making fruit jam (by heating fruit for a long time)? Won't the fruit release pectin of its own? So do I need to  buy pectin?

EDIT - I followed the advice given here and got pectin (sureJell brand) from QFC, followed the recipes online, and the jams came out amazing. I think I'm going to make jam every month! No need to wait for Christmas :)


texts: Some fishermen tell me I caught a Trout Salmon. Does this fish differ much from ordinary salmon?

texts:
Like the title says, got a couple questions about the fish I just caught...

Firstly, is there anyway to confirm what type of fish this is? 'Ordinary salmon' or 'trout salmon'?

Lastly, does it differ much in taste from 'ordinary' salmon? I want to search for some good Salmon recipes but I want to be sure I'm looking at the right recipes for the right fish.

Cheers.


texts:
I'm aiming to make a simple bread from as few ingredients as possible; ideally only stone ground whole wheat flour, water, and yeast. I'm having a hard time finding a recipe like that specifically for stone ground flour.

So far this recipe seems closest to what I'm looking for. However, I would prefer to avoid using honey (and sugar) if possible.

How would I go about modifying this recipe to account for the lack of honey? I'm not even quite sure what the honey is providing in this recipe.

If it's flavor, I'm fine with the bread having no sweetness.

If it's for the yeast to eat, I don't quite know how much flour I would want to substitute to make up for the loss of the honey.

If it improves the texture of the dough or finished bread, I have no idea how to make modifications to the recipe. I've read that with this kind of flour, people have better luck with texture by allowing the flour to soak for longer.

How can I remove the honey from this recipe and end up with a decent bread?

Edit: oops, I just noticed the comments on the page suggest removing the honey. Could I get a second opinion on that, I guess?


texts: Can I season a cast iron pan on a charcoal grill?

texts:
Every time I attempt to season my cast iron pan in my oven, it sets off the fire alarm in my house! My battalion of fans just isn't working.

Can I season my pan on a charcoal grill? Is it better to put it in right-side up or upside-down?


texts: Is cooking a raw steak in the microwave safe?

texts: I only have a microwave in my room and I'm moving away in a month, so I don't want to buy an oven or any kitchen appliances, but I still want a steak, is it safe to cook it in the microwave?


texts:
I've seen many recipes for scrambled eggs with and without milk / cream / half and half

So what does the milk do?  The only difference I can see is color - without the milk the eggs are a brighter yellow.

What am I missing?


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

texts: We have a fairly cheap (50$) blender and when we puree food the food constantly sticks to the sides so we have to stop the blender 10 times to push the food back down so that the blades hit it. Is this common, or would a nicer/more expensive blender solve this problem?


texts:
When making popcorn what is the best practice?

Cover the pan lid completely?
Leave a small vent to let the heat out?

I have always got mixed responses to my query, where some say cover it completely and some say you should leave it a bit open so that the heat/steam lets out.

Can someone share their personal experiences with both the methods and which one is more appropriate?


texts: Why do some foods taste better the next day?

texts: Many people think that certain foods, like lasagna, many stews and hearty soups, tomato sauce and so forth taste better the next day. My question is, is that really true, and if so, why? The conventional answer is essentially, "the flavors marry", but that doesn't mean much. I asked this question on Dave Arnold's Cooking Issues podcast and he had some interesting answers but I'm curious to see what else this community will come up with.


texts:
A local bread shop cooks a loaf of bread that is packed with seeds, much more than a couple tablespoons. The seeds are mixed within the matrix of the bread, plus sprinkled on top and in the baking pan.

I wanted to make a wholemeal loaf at home and add in the large amount of seeds.

Are there any modifications to the standard bread recipe I should make, or changes to cooking times?


texts: Is it possible to make eggless naan without an oven?


texts: Mold or dry sourdough starter? (pic included)

texts: I fed my starter and left it out for two days.  See attached pic.  It smells like beer (which as I understand it is good), the top is dried out a bit with a rubbery surface, underneath it seems nice and active with no signs of mold.  I can't tell if the white spots are surface mold or if its just the dried out flour.


texts: How do I pour from a dutch oven without making a mess?

texts:
This is a seemingly simple question, but I can't seem to find good helpful techniques or suggestions for this.

After frying in a dutch oven (or any other pot with little or no lip) and letting the oil cool down a bit, I like to store the oil in the container it came in.  Whenever I do so, even with a funnel, I end up spilling almost as much as I save.  Typically it runs down the side of the pot instead of pouring out.

Now this is a problem with trying to save any liquid (e.g. soup, sauce).  Is there a trick that doesn't involve making a mess?


texts: What is the "hot" and "cold" category that Chinese culture separate their food into?

texts:
I am unsure if this categorization of food exist only in Chinese culture or if it exists in other (Asian) cultures. In China, a lot of the food is separated into either "cold" or "hot".

Some examples of "cold" food types are:

most fruits (apples, pears, etc)
tea
some herbal remedies(gingseng, ram horn water, etc)

Some examples of "hot" food types are:

some fruits (mangoes, pineapple, etc)
deep fried foods
pan-seared/ pan fried foods
coffee

Generally since I was young, I've been brought up to eat a balance of the "hot" and "cold" food. I was curious if this "hot" and "cold" categorization can be quantified into anything concrete? Can this categorization be backed by any sort of food science that finds a similarity between all the "hot" foods and all the "cold" foods.


texts:
Avocados are in my opinion one the most loved fruit in the world. I live in South Africa, for a ready ripe avocado you would easily pay between R25 (1.61 usd) and R40 (2.58 usd). For a South African this is ridiculously expensive. We are experiencing one of the worst droughts in our county’s history. But even before the drought they we in the price range they are in now.

We probably import most of our avocados seeing that the drought did not shoot up the price with that much.  Which led me thinking what does affect the price of an avocado? Why are they so expensive?


texts: How do I prevent my tempura chicken from getting soggy with time?

texts:
Why does by bite-sized tempura chicken turn soggy after some time? They are really light and crispy when I initially deep fry them, but they gradually becomes soggy after 15 to 20 minutes.

My chicken pieces are cut bite-sized and marinated for about 30 minutes with fresh minced garlic, chilli flakes, salt and lemon juice in the refrigerator.

I am using icy-cold batter with 1:1 ratio of flour and cornstarch mixed with refrigerated club soda and ice cubes with minimal mixing.

Once I am ready to fry, I take out the marinated chicken pieces, prepare a small quantity of icy-cold batter, dip chicken  pieces in batter and drop them in hot oil. They come out wonderfully light and crisp but eventually turn out soggy if served after 15 minutes. I have also noticed that last few pieces of the chicken I fry don’t even come out light and crispy as the first ones.

What am I doing wrong?


texts: How do you make the green beans served at Din Tai Fung?

texts: Does anyone know how to make these?  I'm pretty sure they are just blanched and fried (w/garlic), but I can't seem to get it right.


texts: Does 100% rye sourdough bread always have a sticky crumb? How do I make it stick to the knife less?

texts:
Every time I make a 100% rye sourdough, it sticks to the knife when I cut it even after letting it sit for a day before cutting. Is this normal? I have tried to vary the hydration ratio a bit, but it still behaves the same way. Is there some "additive" to make it less sticky? Is it a must to add wheat for that?

The sourdough starter I maintain is simple: 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of water.

I dissolve malt syrup, molasses, salt, and spices in a warm .5-1 cup of water. Then I add starter, 4 cups of flour, mix it and transfer right away into loaf pan. AFAIK there is no need to fold 100% rye bread and it raises fast. I bake it at 350˚F for slightly over an hour. I sometimes use Nu Wave infrared oven (40 min), but the very bottom is not quite crispy.

The final bread looks and tastes good. But that stickiness on the knife and rolled "crumbs" are driving me crazy. Is there something I can do to minimize it?

I heard that an over-proofed starter can help lower pH; helping pentosans keep bread structure and making them absorb less water. I tried making the bread with a well proofed starter, but it made no difference. Do I have not enough starter for that amount of flour? Shall I move some flour there to prevent pH from raising much?

Here is the pic to get an idea. It is not the best one to show the issue. The bread is almost a week old and the issue is not as acute. For 1 day old bread, it sticks incredibly.


texts:
I'd like to can some homemade tomato paste with my pressure canner. I prefer to can under pressure because of the reduced time required & increased safety due to higher processing temps. However I have only been able to find recipes and research for water bath canning of tomato paste. I've found pressure canning recipes for tomato puree and whole tomatoes, but not paste.
Does anyone know of a recipe or research for pressure canning tomato paste? What are some of the factors to consider?  Does the reduced water content of paste affect necessary processing time or temperature?


texts:
I'm doing something really simple right now, sprinkling pepper over one side of a half-inch thick steak and throwing it in a pan of butter.

But by the time it's cooked through (I want medium rare), the outside is just a sickly grey.

How can I get the steak to look good?

Edit:

They're actually even thinner, maybe less than half an inch. And they keep cooking through to well done and grey on the inside almost immediately!


texts: How can I minimize crumbliness in agar based candies?

texts:
3.5% agar agar makes a sturdy gel, which can be used to make candy.
However, instead of dissolving smoothly in the mouth, the agar tends to break down into small chunks.
Would adding a percent or two of gelatin add meltiness, or is there some other additive that is commonly used to improve mouth feel in candies of this type?

April 12 Update: Tried various combinations of Agar with gelatin, glycerol, xanthan gum, tapioca flour.
3% agar with 2.5% tapioca was least crumbly, but still not great.
Tapioca alone is pretty sticky stuff, and not suitable for pressing into molds, but with the addition of glycerol to keep it from hardening it can be made into blobs of vaguely palatable candy that don't crumble in your mouth.


texts:
I know that adding acid to milk being cooked, will yield curdles that one can strain and store as cheese.

Is it possible to use the whey from my homemade yogurt (now greek-style yogurt), but instead of cooking everything in a pot, I let it sit in proofing temp for a few hours? Will I get the same result, while preserving the cultures?

The milk used for the yogurt was not cooked. The yogurt was subsequently strained over coffee filters. So I have as much whey as possible.


texts:
What biological factors affect a meat's taste?

Does the relatedness of species affect their meat's taste? For example would the meat from two different placental mammals taste more similar to each other than meat from poultry?

Does domestication affect a meat's taste? I've heard kangaroo meat is described as "gamey", ie tasting like wild game (presumably non-domesticated northern hemisphere placental mammals such as deer).


texts:
At our cafe we will begin offering a Saturday brunch buffet. I would like to do scrambled eggs and am thinking that they would be best cooked in a hotel pan in the oven. Any advice for this method of cooking?

Thanks!!


texts: Cooking a large pork roast in a slow cooker

texts: I need to cook a 9 pound pork roast in a crock pot/slow cooker. How long do I need to cook it? I have a recipe for a 3-4 pound roast; is there any way to adjust it for a larger roast?


texts:
I have to serve a 'carpaccio' of roasted duck breast tomorrow, but I'd like to prepare it today. I want to serve the duck breast on room temperature, after cooking it medium rare or medium.

Can I cook the duck breast today, store it in the fridge overnight and let it come to room temperature tomorrow?

(I know that technically this isn't carpaccio, as it isn't raw.)

UPDATE

It all worked out really well. Thanks for the advice. ;)


texts: Are there dangers to using solid fuel on a propane grill?

texts:
In another question, a user proposed burning briquettes on a propane grill in order to get charcoal flavor on the meat.

I don't grill myself, so I don't know enough to judge whether this is a great or a terrible idea. But my mom always told me that playing with fire is dangerous :)

So, are there safety problems with this approach, anything one should look out for?


texts: Substituting birds eye chilli with carolina reaper

texts:
I like to cook asian dishes. I recently found some carolina reapers on the supermarket and bought it on impulse.

What can I do with them and can I substitute them in place of Birds eye chilli in asian dishes(e.g. Pad Thai)? I am well aware that reapers are much much spicier, but apart from that how similar do they taste?


texts:
Eating a nectarine this afternoon, I found the pit was cracked open. Curious, I broke it apart and found an almond-like seed (or nut?) inside.

I remember hearing that some almonds, or perhaps their relatives (stone fruit?), may be poisonous in their natural form. Do nectarines fall into that category? If so, is there some treatment I can give it to destroy the poison (and yet keep it good for food, and a delight to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise)? Will I surely die?


texts: Marinating Chicken before stewing it. Will there be a significant difference in the flavour?

texts: I plan to cook some curry chicken and some Jamaican style brown stewed chicken. The chicken is cut up into small pieces. Normally I would season the chicken have it sit for a couple of hours in the fridge and proceed. I've recently become interested in marinating meats - both for flavour and for tenderizing. I've noticed that some people cook stews without even seasoning the meat. So I'm wondering if marinating really makes sense. Or will the stewing process pull all the flavour out anyway?


texts: Wrap food in cylinder shape and put in the fridge

texts:
What the technique call?, if you would wrap food in a cylinder shape and put in the fridge to let it set. I see Chef flat the meat and added flat shrimp on top, then roll it in cling wrap, put it in the fridge and it come out like sausage. Not only protein item but also I see Chef do it with eggplant and its puree.
I am wondering what the technique is call and how it work exactly.


texts: What's the best way to tell that pasta is done (when boiling)?

texts:
I've tried a number of different ways to tell when spaghetti, capellini and other pasta types are done, but I'm curious if there are more specific rules of thumb.  With regular spaghetti, I've tried biting-in-half to see if it's still white in the middle, throwing it against the fridge (which seems more amusing than useful), etc., but are there better and more reliable ways?

Also, how much does pasta 'cook' once you take it out of the water?  So if you want an al dente pasta, do you take it off slightly before done?  If so, how much?


texts:
When I broil breast of duck, I get a significant amount of fat that pools below the duck breast.

What can I add to the dish that will soak up that duck fat and benefit from it?

The only thing I have thought of so far would be to make a pastry. So the idea is that I would make a flat of pastry dough and place it beneath the duck while it is cooking. Then, when both are cooked and the pastry has absorbed the fat, I take the duck out, peel off the skin and discard it, then I put the duck breast back in the pastry, slice it, and serve it.


texts: I want to toast some peanuts in a microwave (just a microwave - it does not have a grill (broiler) or convection mode). Can I put multiple layers of peanut in a container and toast it? I am not sure as many places I read, they say to toast single layer. But why should that matter?


texts: Can boiling a soup too low result in less flavor?

texts:
I recently tried a new recipe which involved cooking vegetables at a lower temperature than I normally see. I had problems with the instructions from the start. The low setting on my stovetop didn't seem to do the trick to sweat the onions or simmer the soup until I turned it up to medium first.

As a result, I spent a lot of time waiting, and the soup spent less time at any kind of boil. The resulting soup doesn't have much flavor despite the ingredients all being fresh.

Could it be that the vegetables didn't get hot enough for long enough to do the job? How do I fix it?


texts: What is the shelf-life for Homemade Jams?

texts: If I'm making Homemade Jams/Preserves, how long will they last?


texts:
My wife is making a cake for some kid, and she asked me to come up with something brilliant to project an image of the Paw Patrol dog (like this guy) she needs to draw on the cake, but we don't have a projector - apparently that's what they use to draw on cakes, to project the outline of the drawing and "follow the lines" with icing.

Short of an actual projector, what technique can she use to do this?


texts:
On a whim I bought some tamarind at the grocery store this week. I'm most familiar with it from the dish Pad Thai. My idea at the time was that I would "do something" with it and a pork chop. Pork chops being my canvas of choice for much experimentation.

However I'm now stumped as to what I actually do with this thing. I cracked the flimsy shell/skin to expose the sticky fruit inside. I licked it; it tastes good. I'm not sure what to do next though.

I've looked at some recipes online, but they all work with tamarind paste. I'm assuming I need to process the meat somehow to turn it into a paste.

Questions

Do I have to turn this into paste?
How do I clean/prepare it? (besides obviously throwing the skin away)
Do I need to add oil, water, or other ingredients to make it a paste?
Are there seeds? Do they need to be removed?


texts:
I'm planning next years garden, and want to know what the most culinary flexible pepper to plant would be.

I plan on using peppers for canning & chili.


texts: After I have let store bought frozen roll dough rise can I refrigerate to cook later! Thanks


texts: I do a lot of grilling (various vegetables and meats), but was recently told this will have similar effects to smoking. Is there much merit to the concerns over grilled foods containing carcinogens?


texts: Can the amount of salt in the recipe be right?

texts:
I made sushi for the first time at the weekend.  the seasoning for the rice had this recipe:

125 ml rice vinegar
30 ml mirin
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons salt

This was for 460g rice (dry weight).

This seemed like a lot of salt to me.  Today I made some more rice, but only single quantity and I realised that last time I forgot to double the quantities of sugar and salt when making double the amount.  It was quite salty last time, but I should have put 4 tablespoons of salt in.

That can't be right can it?  What was it more likely to be?  2 Teaspoons?


texts: Is it safe to put hot food in the fridge?

texts: I heard that putting really warm food in the fridge right after cooking it is not the right thing to do. It might cause bacterial growth? Is this true?


texts: What exactly do all the extra modes on my oven do?

texts:
My KitchenAid dual fuel/dual oven has, in addition to bake and broil a few advanced modes.

Some are self explanatory, bread proof and keep warm, however a few others aren't and the manual says "best for cooking type X" rather than saying "oven acts like this"

So can anyone help with this?

What does

slow cook
roast
easy convect

Actually do?


texts:
I enjoy homemade granola, but my recipe makes quite a bit. Sometimes I use it all quickly, but sometimes not.

What is a reliable storage method? Should it be frozen? Can it just be refrigerated?


texts:
Has anyone tried it before and how was the result?

What are the steps and what ingredients and kitchen tools do I need?


texts: Why does the roux break down in my chicken velouté sauce?

texts:
I am trying to make a veloute sauce which involves adding roux to boiling hot water mixed with chicken base (such as Tones or McCormick).  This sauce is then mixed with heavy cream at a later stage to create a sauce for potatoes au gratin.

After you have made the roux and cooked it to a blonde stage (3-5 minutes), the chef that taught me this instructed me to cool the roux to room temperature and then add the room temperature roux to the boiling liquid stock.  I let the stock boil for a few minutes after the addition of the roux and then reduce it to a softer boil (simmer).

The problem that I have encountered is that when simmering the sauce, the roux eventually breaks down releasing the fat (butter) into the sauce and thickening the "center" portion of the sauce.  The fat essentially separates from the flour due to extreme heat (simmering).  What causes this, and is there any way around it?  Most veloute/supreme sauces call for a 30-50 minute simmering of the sauce to reduce any starchy taste and grainy texture.. but if the roux breaks down in the sauce before this how is this even possible?

If I don't leave the sauce at a boil initially for at least 3 minutes and then don't simmer for at least another 2-3 minutes, whatever remains from the lump of roux that was added settles to the bottom of the pan or forms lumps which eventually settle out.  The sauce also has a "grainy" texture and seems to have too much of a starchy or floury taste.

Any advice on this would be appreciated.  Thanks.


texts: What order should I add ingredients when making soup?

texts:
I am a student with no cooking experience and a very low budget. The former forces me to cook as cheap as possible and I think soups in general are the most cost efficient meals out there, since they can be cooked in large amounts and stored for a long time. But the problem is, I have very little idea of how to make a soup.

So far I know how to make a basic meat and vegetable soup/stew:

1) Stew some kind of meat

2) Chop some veggies, saute some of them in a pan with oil or butter.

3) Add the bouillon from the 1st step and some other veggies. Add the meat from the 1st step too.

4) Add some spices and cook for 1-2 hours.

As you've probably noticed this is a very very rough recipe and I'd like to clear a lot of steps. My main question is, what's the best order to do all this in? Specifically:

1) In what order should I saute the first veggies (for example, garlic onion and carrots) ? How long do I need to cook them for?

2) When I add the bouillon and the rest of the vegetables, should I add the longer cooking ones first, or cut them into smaller pieces? Suppose I'm using potatoes, beans, celery, and parsley. Obviously the potatoes require more time then parsley. So how should I do this? (Should I cook harder vegetables longer, or cut them into finer pieces?)

3) When should I add the meat?

4) If I want to thicken it with starch, when should I add it?


texts: Most recipes for bread machines have 2 tablespoons of softened butter in them. Will omitting this modify the recipes, and are there substitutes for butter?


texts: I have been looking for a website that offers recipes for sausage making at home, at an encyclopaedic level if it exists.. thespicysausage.com has some popular ones, but is there anything out there that is more diverse? I mean Chinese, Thai, Indian, Italian, etc etc? It seems that typing 'sausage recipe' into the web engines only offers recipes to make with already made sausages! :s


texts: I have a sealed pkg of gorgonzola cheesw dated March 2018. It is June. Does it go bad?

texts: Gorgonzola dated March 2018 vacuumed packed and never opened. It is June and blue. Is it good?


texts: Honey-glazed gammon (ham) - What to serve with it?

texts:
I've got down a pretty good honey/whiskey glazed gammon but previously I've always used it cold in sandwhiches or on meat platters.

This evening, however, I am planning on serving the joint hot as part of a main meal.

I'm out of inspiration regarding what sides to serve with it.  I was going to go with a selection of steamed vegetables but would these also need a sauce/gravy?

So, in short, what would work well with hot gammon with a sweet glaze?

I know we don't like questions that solicit opinion so I'll add that I need some proven pairings with reasons why the different flavours, sweetness, acidity etc of the ingredients work.


texts: Can I re-process homemade applesauce canned in a boiling water canner that is too thick and pasty?

texts: The lids sealed well, but I think the apples were not juicy enough (maybe too tart) and the color of the applesauce after canning is slightly green. It's been less than 24 hrs. Maybe I didn't heat it hot enough before canning, since it was so thick.  I am thinking of starting over, adding some apple juice, and re-canning.  Will that work?


texts: What can I substitute for radish when making kimchi?

texts: I want to try the recipe but could not get radish.


texts: Doubts about forming a crust on a souffle to make it rise further

texts:
I've read on some cook books about souffle and found a trick that might make the souffle rise further: put the souffle for 1-2 min under the broiler before baking, so a crust will be formed and more of the steam that rises will be trapped before it escapes completely from the souffle.

I know that if a crust forms on top of a souffle or cake, it will lose its ability to rise (not flexible anymore). So why would the souffle, after the broiling, expand and rise even further during baking?

To be more precise: I don't understand how it's possible for the souffle to rise after creating a crust on top (via broiling). The crust created is supposed to prevent the rise of the souffle during baking, so how does it instead make it rise even more?

Could you also explain what causes the crust to form during baking?


texts: My grandmother's recipe for cheese filling for kolacky calls for dry cottage cheese.  What is that and where might I get some?


texts: What am I doing wrong regarding flipping omlettes or pancakes?

texts:
It seems that whenever I need to flip an omelette, either the top is way too liquid (thus, I can't flip it effectively, as it just runs off the top); or by the time the top solidifies, the bottom is over-cooked if not charred.

I suspect I'm doing something wrong but not sure what (aside from using way less so the omelette is much thinner and cooks through faster - mine are ~1.5cm thick).

(the question is primarily about omelettes but I had similar issues with large pancakes with more liquidy batter).


texts: Optimum Bone To Water Ratio For Pork and Beef Stocks

texts:
I am tinkering with my stock recipes.

For pork stock I have been using 8 cups of water over a roasted trotter, a roasted backbone section with about 4 inches of rib attached, and a 1/4 inch slab of roasted pork belly.

For the beef stock I have been using 8 cups of water over an equivalent amount of roasted beef bones (knuckles and backbone/rib).

This gives a very flavorful stock and, for cost reasons, I want to determine how much I can reduce the concentration (by adding more water) without reaching too watery a taste.

Does anybody have any guidance on this topic?


texts: I was recently given a bag of dried mushrooms and am unsure how to work with them.  What's the best way to use them?


texts: What ingredients can be added to pasta to give a different color?

texts:
I've experimented with fresh pasta, using the following ingredients to color it:

Beetroot puree
Carrot puree
Cocoa powder

The first two were successful, the cocoa poweder resulted in a very visually appealing but rather disgusting pasta.

Any other suggestions for stuff you can put in the dough, other than the banal versions using spinach or dried tomatoes, to make for interesting colors?


texts: Why does my vanilla cream filling soften my copycat Oreo sandwich biscuits?

texts:
My filling is low sugar and I use oil, not butter or shortening.

Edit: Filling ingredients
      500 grams cashew nuts
      333 grams milk powder
      175 grams confectioner's sugar
about 120 grams water

I might have added some oil because it was too thick. Water was added was for the same reason.

Edit: Too thick to spread. But never mind. I finally found a commercial recipe.


texts: Dishwasher with side brackets for on top shelf: what are they for?

texts: I have a new dishwasher and the top shelf has several movable brackets on the side. I just don't know what they are designed to do or hold. I'm guessing they are somehow supposed to hold something in place. I just don't see how. Can anyone help. My dishwasher is a Zanussi ZDT21001FA The brackets are on booth left and right sides.


texts: I picked up a pork sirloin roast yesterday, it's a little over three pounds.  I've never cooked one of these before and I am not sure what to do.  My seasoning plan is salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary, and I might poke a couple holes for cloves of garlic as well.  My cooking plan is 8+ hours in the crock pot on low, with about an inch of water in there.  Will this turn out OK?  I'd like a tender and moist result, obviously.  Any tips would be greatly appreciated.


texts: Learning how to cook again, burned cooking oil making pancakes but not sure what it produces?

texts:
I've tried to research my problem but for whatever reason either I'm not using the correct terms or getting results that don't match what I think I'm experiencing.

I moved into my apartment half a year ago and finally got around to learning how to cook again.  I've cooked maybe 20 years ago as part of the Boy Scouts but there are things, namely pancakes, that I do remember how to do.  The problem is that I have always cooked with natural gas stoves and not electric I don't know the term but it uses those coils and heats things up quickly.

I put the setting at little below medium, heated up the pan and put in my unrefined coconut oil.  I wasn't aware how hot the pan was and it began to smoke to which I put it under the already running at high speed hood that I have.  I lowered the temp but quickly cooked my pancakes and turned it off.

The problem I'm asking is that I ran my projector in the other room and it got hazy.  The image was perfect but the amount of particles in the air was enough to show the beams of light in midair.  Same with a traditional flashlight but only for a distance of about three inches.  You can't see it otherwise with the naked eye (weather was cloudy).  I thought it was smoke but neither of my ionizing fire alarms went off.  I know it went to all corners of my apartment but it has no odor and after a few hours I checked but I can't tell it ever existed.  It has no residue and no smell so everything seems to be fine.

I'm just really confused as to what it is.  I decided to pop open my front door to let it air out and the living room cleared out in about fifteen or so minutes and I think because of how my apartment is circulated it took a little bit longer for the bedroom and bathroom to clear out.  I'm also afraid of it damaging some keepsakes I have so not sure the best way to clean it, if it needs it.

I've cooked with it recently on low and not had the problem reoccur.


texts: "Shelf"-life of frozen Kaffir lime leaves

texts:
A scale infection ruined my vision of a constant supply of fresh Kaffir lime leaves. I salvaged the unaffected leaves and now have a baggie full of frozen leaves in my freezer - My local asian food store sells them frozen and I figured I'd take a leaf out of their book.

But how long will they stay fresh?

Of course I could buy a large bag of rice and a crate of coconut milk and put Thai/Vietnamese/... on the menu five days a week, but to prevent domestic mutiny I'd like to stretch that bag of leaves way longer.

I checked our canonical post and the links given there, but couldn't find a conclusive answer. And of course I'm wondering about quality, not food safety.


texts: How to make salt in burger permeate throughout the entire meat?

texts:
I have been eating beef burgers from various different shops however having asked them they ALL use the exact same brand and product.  Here in east london uk they also all use a standard flat top grill(basically a rectangle pan).  I have noticed that when I eat at one shop in particular it always comes out very salty wheares it isn't like this for other shops.  I even bought some raw burgers from the salty shop and cooked them at home and it didn't taste salty.  They recently closed for a few days and having now reopened there burgers no longer taste salty but just like all the other shops selling the same burger.  My gues is that they reset or changed something which was allowing the burger to be salty once cooked.  It cooked be that there is an optimal grill temperature to make the salt permeate.  it could be that there fridge temperature was low and this allows the burgers to brine.  It could have been something else.

Do you know why, what makes the burger taste so salty.  It cannot be a bacth issue as the shop has produced the same results for several months until they closed. Also they all sell the same burgers and the burgers have 2grams.  Do you know what factor might cause the salt to permeate into the meats tissues so well which shows in the final burger?

Is there anything I can do to get this result when cooking beef burgers at home?

Thanks


texts:
The label says all 7g sugar are added but there is no sugar in the ingredients.
I know oats do have naturally occurring sugars.
The brand is oat from Costco:

I've noticed the Califia Barista Oat milk brand has only 3g sugar / 240 ml.

So is there added sugar ?

Edit

Seems like this is a thing in the Oat Milk world, these guys went even further:


texts: First time egg pickler, does pressure in jar mean they're spoiled?

texts:
I hard boiled several fresh eggs, and pickled them with a chilli and garlic flavoured pickling vinegar which had been simmered for ~15 mins, storing them in jars that had been sterilised in the oven for half an hour or so and cooled. (I didn't follow a recipe as such, more a combination of different ones.) Everything had cooled when it was jarred.

They've since been stored in a dark cupboard at UK room temperature.

A couple of weeks later and the pop-up button on the lids is up under pressure.

Am I right to conclude that this effort has been a failure and the eggs are spoiled?

If so, where did I likely go wrong?

Updated to add:
This is one of the recipies I followed (since I used their pickling vinegar):
https://www.sarsons.co.uk/recipes/pickled-eggs

But having also looked at this one:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/pickled-eggs

.. amongst others, I additionally boiled the vinegar and flavourings for about 15 minutes and sterilised the jars in the oven at 180C for about half an hour. (I underestimated the volume of vinegar needed so topped up with fresh unboiled pickling vinegar.)


texts:
I want to marinade some meat to infuse with some flavors.
(Ribs as it happens, with liquid smoke, whiskey, orange liqueur, spices)

I was about to put in some brown sugar as well; but I was wondering if that would work against me.

Reasoning: The sugar will draw out moisture from meat. So the general flow will be out rather than into  the meat.

(I am planning on adding some sugar, hoisin sauce, etc; tomorrow when I bake them (before grilling them))

However most marinades I have seen have sugar in them.

Is there some reason for that; or is it just easier to put all the flavors in, in one go?


texts: What is the shelf-life of home-made tomato sauce?

texts: My husband made home-made tomato sauce two years ago that we still have on the shelf.  It's stored in air tight mason jars and smells fine.  Can we still eat this?


texts:
Hi it seems the recipes for quick breads like banana bread, pumpkin bread etc are all very similar.  Is there a good guide for a general quick bread recipe where you just fold in the unique characteristic?

Ie: a recipe where you can just fold in 1 cup of bananas to make banana bread, or 1 cup of pumpkin to make pumpkin bread, etc.


texts: What can I do to dry out my marshmallows?

texts:
The recipe that I used did not call for cornstarch or corn syrup. The result is that they are slightly wet. Can I do anything to dry them up, such as dusting them with corn flour?

I did dredge them in a mixture of confectioners sugar and corn flour; it helped a little, but I think I will find a recipe that has corn starch in it for next time!