texts: I would like to hear any techniques involved in making Turducken for Thanksgiving

texts:
A Turducken is a de-boned chicken stuffed into a de-boned duck, which then is stuffed into a de-boned turkey. I would like to try this but would first like to hear from anyone else that has made this Thanksgiving bird(s).

Where do I start?  Are they cooked separately? How do you stuff them in physically - is there a technique involved? Should I cook covered or uncovered?


texts: How to line a tart ring for a perfect tart crust

texts:
I am trying to line a tart ring to get 90 degrees corners and straight edges. My method, until now, has always been to chill the dough properly, roll it out and gently roll it on the ring, straighten the corners from within using my fingers and cutting around the edge to remove excess. Then chill it again before blind baking.

The results were good but I wanted to perfect them even more by trying a different method which I've seen French pâtisserie chefs use. In this method, they cut the base of the tart, cut strips and assemble them into the tart ring seperately. I've measured and cut everything out first and chilled, then
I assembled and chilled again before blind baking.

The issue is that no matter how well I push the dough in the corner to connect between the stripes and the base, I still get a gap after baking. And if there is no gap, still when I lift the tart shell up after it's completely cooled - the bottom falls off, as if they were not well "glued".
I've tried a full base and stripes on top and also tried to first add the stripes and a bit of a smaller base in the middle. I've made three batches to try to seal/glue it better each time - but I keep getting the same result.

I know I can just go back to the first method, but I really feel like i'm just missing a small step here, they look perfect when they go into the oven!
Does anyone know of a good way to connect the two pieces together so they won't seperate?

I'm using this almond pâte sucreé recipe: http://wp.me/p8AkNR-1h

Here are some pictures to explain what I mean:


texts:
Why is my lemon pie crust wet? I am not sure what to do. I have tried many things but nothing helped.

I cooled the whole pie, then refrigerated it. When I took it out the next day, the lemon filling was great but the crust was wet and soft. It spoiled the whole pie.


texts: How many cups is 8 whole peaches equivalent to?

texts:
I have some fresh peaches that have been peeled and sliced and mixed with some sugar and a little lemon (approx 1/2 a bushel).

All the recipes I can find only call for  "8 peaches" or similar values. But my peaches are already cut up.

Does anyone have a suggestion as to how many cups of peaches is equivalent to 8 peaches?


texts: I collected some cockles from the beach today and would like to try cooking them tomorrow. In the meantime I have soaked the cockles in tap water and I have added some salt into it. I have not put them in the fridge. Is this the correct procedure?


texts: How will reducing and freezing affect the flavor of stock?

texts:
I have been working on making beef stock for about a month now.  I am happy enough with the outcome that I would like to make larger batches and preserve it.  It is currently the consistency of jelly after bringing down its temperature and letting it cool in the fridge overnight.

I am considering reducing the stock down to about 25% of its volume, letting it cool and set.  Then I want to cut it into pieces, vacuum seal them and freeze them.  Then, when I want to use it, add water to it until it is back to its original volume.

I am wondering how much this will affect the flavor of the stock.


texts:
I was reading a recipe for Slow Cooker Rosemary Garlic Beef Stew and noticed that one of the ingredients called for a "sleeve" of celery. I've heard of a stalk of celery, but I've never heard of a sleeve. Here is the list of ingredients:

Ingredients

½ lb. (4 medium) carrots $0.55
½ sleeve celery $0.65
1 medium onion $0.36
2 lbs. red potatoes $1.00
2 Tbsp olive oil $0.32
4 cloves garlic, minced $0.32
1½ lbs. beef stew meat $9.06
Salt and pepper $0.05
¼ cup all-purpose flour $0.04
2 cups beef broth $0.30
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard $0.24
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce $0.06
1 Tbsp soy sauce $0.10
½ Tbsp brown sugar $0.02
½ Tbsp dried rosemary $0.15
½ tsp thyme $0.05

How much celery do I need to add to the recipe?


texts:
I have a question for the seasoned bakers out there. In a nutshell, I'm wondering if there are 'master' recipes for cakes, muffins, etc. Perhaps it's a little bit complicated, but here goes the explanation...

In bread baking, as I understand it, it's all about the hydration when it comes to the actual recipe.

Basic White Bread:
Flour | 100
Water | 66
Salt  | 2
Yeast | 1

Varying the amount of water in the recipe (along with some other factors, of course--in preparation, for instance) will yield different types of bread. Now, my question really stems from the idea that this 'master' formula for bread has existed for a long, long, time and yet it doesn't really exist for other things. I got to thinking, though, that perhaps there are recipes for cakes and whatnot that are 'master' recipes. Cakes have some general guidelines, for instance.

I'm not talking about necessarily with specific ingredients, because sometimes the bakers prefer shortening, real butter, oil, etc. What I really want to know is if anyone has any ideas about whether or not these recipes really exist.

Sponge cakes and pound cakes do, bread does (sort of), things like carrot cake do.

Does anyone know about anything else?


texts: Do pressure-cooked vegetables really have nothing else to give?

texts:
Yesterday, I watched an episode of Good Eats, where Alton Brown made broth by pressure-cooking mirpoix and beef for about 50 minutes.

At the end of that time, he discarded the vegetables, stated that they had "given their all," and citing (as proof) the significantly higher level of liquid post-cooking.

This seems to me like a waste. Do these vegetables have any value left (texture, nutrition, something)?

On the other hand, he also stated that the difference between soup and broth can be the addition of chunks of the ingredients.


texts: Why is there cow cheese but no pig cheese?

texts: I have always wondered what there is no cheese made from other milks other than cow, goat or sheep. Are they not suitable for humans? Do they taste bad? Is it even possible to make dairy products with them?


texts: How can I be sure I'm buying the right KitchenAid beaters?

texts:
My daughter has a KitchenAid Architect stand mixer. Through a series of moves, she's misplaced the wire whip and the dough hook and I'd like to get her replacements.

Easier said than done! Stores don't seem to carry them. The KitchenAid website is useless. Amazon sells plenty - but they have descriptions like Tilt Head, Narrow Bowl Lift, or Wide Bowl Lift. I don't know which of these the Architect is. How can I figure out this terminology and get the right replacement beaters?


texts: How should block cheese be stored for maximum shelf life?

texts: Just like it says in the title, how can I store blocks of cheese for max shelf life? I will be making a grilled cheese sandwich and shredding 3 varieties of cheese (cheddar, swiss, parm(?)) and I am afraid that I won't be able to use three whole blocks on one sandwich.


texts: How to make a jellyish sauce for plate design

texts:
I'm looking for a method to make a plate sauce with a jelly consistency. The type of suace you would typically see on a plate in a restaurant, where they place a dallop of sauce on the plate and spread it with a spoon.

I don't want to use mayonnaise as a base, but rather something with a jelly consistency, with preferably little or no flavor, this way I can add flavor to my liking.

I have tried to make a jello using beet juice and a packet of clear unflavored jello, letting it harden and then blending it up in a food processor, but the final product would not smear, it just recongealed despite the blending.

Any ideas?


texts: Why do sun-dried tomatoes taste different than fresh tomatoes?

texts: I thought that dehydrated produce only differs from fresh produce in containing less water, so why do sun-dried tomatoes taste so different from their fresh counterparts?


texts: Would a cream based sauce go well with steaks?

texts:
I've reached a point where I am very comfortable with a nice red wine/shallot reduction as a pan sauce for my strip roasts/steaks.  I think I remember have a meal once where they served sliced tenderloin with a white sauce.  I imagine it was cream based but I don't often see this combination.

I was wondering if there was hope for throwing together a cream based sauce and if so if anyone had an idea of what base (mother or otherwise) sauce would be a good jumping off point for experimentation?


texts: How to scale chicken recipe that requires cooking in a single layer?

texts:
There's one adapted recipe I like a lot, but I've been struggling with how to make it scale better so I can double the recipe to make more leftovers/feed more people. The basic technique is to cook chicken breast tenders uncovered over medium/medium-high heat in oil and balsamic vinegar (and dry spices), adding some apricot preserves about halfway through. So in the end you end up reducing the sauce into an balsamic apricot glaze/sauce, and the chicken having marinated the whole time in the sauce imparting flavor on the chicken compared to making the sauce in a saucepan and adding after the chicken is cooked.

But in order for the chicken to cook evenly and well, the chicken needs to be laid out in a single layer in the pan, which is a bit of a limiting factor in how much chicken I can fit in the largest pan we own. Short of just making it in multiple batches, are there ways I could modify the preparation technique to come up with fairly similar tasting chicken, but in a way that I could scale the quantities larger? Would baking the chicken in the marinade achieve a similar result? Cook the sauce first, and pour over the raw chicken that's not in a single layer in a pan with the lid on? Something else?


texts: I make a hot sauce with peppers,parsley,garlic,salt and olive oil. I have to freeze it in jars otherwise it ferments. Is there a way to package a raw/ uncooked product without fermentation?


texts: Is it safe for me to eat a salmon/tuna packet that's been in the car all summer?

texts:
Apparently I've had various salmon/tuna packets in the my car for months, likely being heated near 100° F, off and on.

Other info:

Still before the confusing 'BEST IF USED BY' date of August 2018.
Sealed in an aluminum lined packet.

I'm torn between it being sealed and the obvious summer month temperature changes.

Are these things safe to eat in this context?


texts: Container for keeping butter/chocolate at 74°F/66°F (23°C/19°C)?

texts:
Keeping my entire home at 74°F isn’t practical. Is there a device for storing butter and chocolate at a temperature that’s reasonable for use and consumption? Two devices, one to warm in the winter and cool in the summer?

I’m looking for something with a thermostat that maintains temperature fairly precisely for under $200.


texts: Do I need to wash the flax and sesame seeds before grinding them?

texts:
I have a bag of flax seeds and a bag of sesame seeds from Food to Live at  Amazon. I want to grind them in a coffee grinder, and eat their powder.

For food safety and health consideration and best absorption,

are the seeds ready to eat from the bag?
Do I need to wash them before or after grinding them? If yes, how?
Do I need to cook them before or after grinding them? If yes, how?

Thanks.


texts: Prevent sticky residue from oiling seasoned pan before storage

texts:
I have a variety of carbon steel pans and after I use them I dry them using a paper towel and then warm them up to make sure they are completely dry. Once I'm sure the pan is dry I spread a little bit of sun flower oil over the pan to make sure it does not rust. Sometimes the pan is hot, warm and sometimes cooled back down when I put the oil.
When I go to use the pan again (about 1 week later) sometimes the oil has become this gummy, rubbery residue.
Getting rid of it through cleaning is very difficult without damaging the seasoning. My best experience is by either heating it to the point where the residue melts and can be wiped off, or put it in the oven to bake at 250°C and basically create a layer of seasoning with it.
Why is this happening and how can I prevent this?


texts:
A few days ago I was cooking some liver in a pan. My idea was to make some fried onions and fried apple halves to go with it. I wanted all of the flavors to combine, but alas the end result was that each ingredient did not inherit the flavors of the other.

What I did was start cooking the onions first, and then I took them off the stove and began the liver separately. I did this because I had a small pan and I didn't want the liver to over cook if I started cooking it with the onions since onions can take a while to become nice and brown. When the liver was almost cooked nicely, I put in the onions that were already mostly cooked and I put the apple in to add some flavor (in retrospect the apples should have been given more time since they did not soften up like I wanted).

My chef friend saw me doing this and after we tried my liver and onions he said that I should have used a non-stick pan because it keeps the flavor from going away. Also he said that I should have cooked the two items together from the start--instead of what I did, which was combining them for the last few minutes.

I had since done some experimenting and I have found that a non-stick pan definitely helps with keeping the flavor. Though, I also noticed that using cooking oil helps to transfer the flavor between ingredients and it seems to do this better than water.

That being said, I'd really like to know how flavor transfers. How can I ensure that when I'm cooking the flavors will mix instead of my first liver dish? Tidbits, tricks, and advice :).


texts: How does double-bagging sous vide food affect cook time?

texts: Does double vacuum bagging food for sous vide cooking measurably increase the cook times? Or is the extra bag not thick enough to make an impact?


texts:
The bananas do not need to stay whole. Halves and quarters are fine

Surely kitchen professionals have come up with a way

(Note: apparently, banana peels are edible. I found an example of someone cutting the ends off and blending it into their smoothie, which is my use case. I'll try it, but still want a fast way of peeling)


texts:
What's the theory on using water vs oil for chicken marinades?  I ask because of this recipe:

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1731460

After multiplying the recipe by a lot, it makes a good marinade, but almost all of the other marinades I've seen online involve oil.  Why does this one use water?

(In case the link goes bad, the recipe is:

1 Tbsp Honey
1 Tsp Yellow Mustard
1 Tsp Sriracha
1 Tbsp Water)


texts: Does preferment add sourness to taste of bread?

texts:
I have made bread using both sponge and preferments. The sponge bread does not taste as sour as preferment bread.

Does preferment add sourness to taste? What other flavors can we expect? What can I do to obtain other flavors excluding sourness?

Preferment (this is what I do): I raise a part of the total dough over night (12 -16 hours). The dough contains only yeast (nothing more). There is no special process. Just letting it sit in a pot overnight or during day for 12 - 16 hours.

I thought sponge is kept for a smaller amount of time as compared with pre-ferment. Other than that I don't know any difference.


texts: Can I pastuerize eggs for eggnog without sous vide?

texts:
I would like to safely make eggnog with raw egg. The options I have read about are buying pasteurized eggs (can't find any locally) and sous vide (I don't have specialised equipment).

Is there any other way to pasteurize the eggs without special equipment, and without compromising the texture of the eggnog? I do have a blender :)


texts: Baking granbarksost (spruce bark cheese) (Brie) with little mould

texts: We have this amazing cheese from Sweden just like Brie cheese but surrounded by tree bark and meant for baking.  Should I remove the little bits of green mould from the outside of the cheese before baking for 10 mins - or will the heat kill any nasties in the mold? Temperature recommended is 150 degrees C for 10 mins.


texts: Which dried pulses, when stored long term, become hard to soften?

texts:
I'm trying to figure out which dried pulses store the best, as some are reputed to reach a state where they never fully soften.

In an old answer by Joe, the US Dry Bean Council says:

  Dry beans keep up to a year in an airtight container in a cool, dry environment, away from direct sunlight. During storage, beans may either absorb or lose moisture, which will affect the soaking and cooking time. If stored longer than 12 months, or exposed to unfavorable storage conditions, beans may never soften sufficiently, no matter how long they’re soaked or cooked. On the other hand, some beans can cook up tender after years of storage. [all emphasis mine]

Which beans/pulses (assuming this varies by species/variety) are worse at displaying this characteristic?  How can I know if it's worth cooking a Very Old (10 Years) Chili Bean Mixture Containing Red Kidney Beans? is relevant, but asks something quite different.

I'm fairly new to cooking with dried beans, and have several bags on the go (black-eyed bean, black, red kidney bean, urad dal/black gram, and chickpea) as well as the common red lentil which I'm more used to. I know from experience that red lentils will always soften with enough cooking, but I may want to choose which order to use the others.

Pressure cooking isn't an option for me, but anyway this question isn't about my options, it's which beans will keep best?

NB: common names are as sold in an Indian supermarket in the UK; I've linked to the appropriate Wikipedia articles to give other names.


texts: Why boil and cool jam before using it in a cake?

texts:
When putting marzipan on a fruit cake recipes sometimes state that we should first boil and cool the apricot jam used to coat the cake and make the marzipan stick. I have now found the same advice for the strawberry or raspberry jam used in the centre of a Victoria Sandwich.

Why?

Jam is boiled and cooled when it is made, why do it again?


texts: How to change a vanilla cake recipe to make a chocolate cake?

texts:
I've seen this question about how to alter a chocolate cake recipe to make a plain cake, my question is the other way around, how to alter a vanilla cake recipe to make a chocolate cake? I read in a website that replacing 1/2 cup of flour with cocoa powder would do, is that right? I'd like to know a formula to use for every recipe but in case that is not possible and depends on the recipe one is using, here is the recipe for my vanilla cake:

  4 eggs
  1 and 1/2 cups sugar
  1 cup oil
  1 cup buttermilk
  2 and 1/2 cups flour
  2 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
  1 tsp baking soda
  1 tsp vanilla powder


texts: How to make curry always come out dry\easily remove extra water?

texts:
When I cook a curry I add water to help it cook and stop burning if it goes to low etc.  However I prefer my currys to be dry i.e where most water has evaporated.

I know you can just cook with less water to begin and cook slow or always watch the curry adding a little water but i'm wondering if the result can be achieved with less effort.

Are there any tools I could use which will allow me too cook and dry out a curry(leaving oil) in the same way a rice cooker dries out water?
In case where to much water has been added and the curry is complete, the best I can think of is to remove the liquid to another pot(saves accidentaly burning meat) and boil it down and then add remaining liquid back to pot(since i need oil\fat and other nutrients minus water)?  Can you think of an easier method to accomplish what i'm trying?


texts: Which type of pan can you recommend for pan-frying tofu?

texts: Which type of pan can you recommend for pan-frying tofu, stainless, aluminum, or carbon steel?


texts: Will brownies remain fresh if sent by post?

texts:
My friend makes baked goods, and I would like her to send me some of her brownies by post. Is this feasible?
Would the brownies remain delicious, and how would we keep them delicious? I live about two hours away from her by car, in the same province in Canada.


texts:
I used the apple crisp recipe from Joy of Baking and I'm quite sure I followed it to the dot (didn't add blackberries, though, only apples). But for some reason, after I took it out, let it cool a little and cut into it, I saw that the apple had turned a strange purple/black color! These were perfectly good (not rotten or bruised) apples that I bought a few days ago. Any reason that this could have happened?

EDIT:
Here's a picture. I managed to salvage this one piece of cooked apple, since I had thrown out the rest of it - sorry for the crappy quality and excuse my face in the background! As you can see, half of it is tinged a strange purple/black!


texts:
When cooks use butter in cooking for whatever recipe, what is its function? For example, if I add butter to a chocolate sauce which is made from heavy cream and milk chocolate, what do people expect the butter to do?

It's not used to sweeten the product. It's not used to make it thick because with the heavy cream and chocolate its already thick. It's not used for flavor, or is it? What does it do?

Is there a general rule as to what function butter is supposed to do in cooking?

And please don't tell me it's just for the obvious point of being salty or buttery in flavor, surely there is more to it, some chemical process and purpose?


texts: Are European white truffles significantly superior in flavour to those from North America?

texts:
There is a rumour that white truffles harvested in Europe by pigs or dogs are much better in terms of flavour than those from North America, hence the reason for the higher price of European white truffles, the main reason given for the aroma difference is that it has something to do with the way the Americans harvest their truffles.

Are European white truffles much more aromatic and flavourful than the North American ones? I would like to try truffles but I do not want to spend too much money on the European ones if the American ones are just as good or nearly as good.


texts: Can I thaw frozen spinach that´s meant to be boiled frozen?

texts:
The frozen spinach package says to boil while frozen, but I never seem to manage to get it cooked the way I like it. Either the center stays frozen (the package says 3-5min with boiling water and I need to keep it over 10min), or a big percentage of the spinach is way too bland.

I thought maybe thawing before, and then boiling, or even cooking in the pan would solve this. I don´t use fresh spinach primarily because of the money and convenience.

Can anyone tell me if this is a good idea?


texts: Toaster Oven pan Without The Toaster Oven

texts:
Growing up, my parents had a couple of little, 2 layer pans that came with Toast-R-Ovens (The appliance themselves had been lost or broke, but the pans remained.). They were great for cooking drippy things, and fit in the dishwasher beautifully.

I would like a couple or 3 of those pans, but I don't really need a toaster oven, and I certainly don't need 3. It there a place I can get those pans or ones like them?


texts: Handles on pots loosen over time - can I loctite them?

texts:
The handles on my pots loosen over time and I have to occasionally tighten the screw that attaches them.

Is there any reason why I can't or shouldn't use Loctite (screw locking compound) on them to secure them?

And if that's the case, why not send them from the factor pre-Loctited?


texts:
The drip pans under the coil hobs on my standard GE Oven don't look as bas as others I've seen in other apartments but I'd like to keep them functioning well. They are the solid black kind, not the metallic looking ones. I am certain these have a use beyond just catching drips and that it's one of those things people just don't know about.

Can someone tell me...
 1. Should liners be used at all? (I've read several times that tin foil should never be used.
 2. I know there are also the metallic shiny ones, are they any better than these shiny black ones?

Thanks!!


texts: Want to make cream of mushroom soup for Boxing Day (26th Dec). How long can I prepare in advance? Planning to cook the mushrooms in white wine and garlic. Boil than cool and blend so I can just add the cream before serving.  Will it be OK to cook  now (23rd) ?


texts:
When my grandmother would cook dry beans, she always soaked them overnight, and they came out "perfect" in the sense I liked, which was that the beans were soft, and in particular, the skins were unbroken in the process.  The beans remained whole until eaten.  I've tried to reproduce this but have not achieved it.  Whether soaked overnight or not, the bean skins would always crack open during the cooking.

Researching this, I read a lot of concerns about whether the skins are hard or soft, and solutions to deal with that issue.  But none of them ever associated whether hard or soft skins would prevent breaking or cracking.  This has also uncovered some suggestions like quick pre-cooking, soaking cold, soaking luke warm, adding salt, etc.  Yet nothing has mentioned which of these methods avoids breaking up the bean skins.

Anyone know how I can avoid the skins breaking up?  I'm guess I need to make sure they can expand as much as the bulk of the bean does.  I'd like to apply this to a wide range of bean types (kidney, pinto, white northern, black beans, and even unsplit lentils).  What should I do to get the unbroken bean (without getting an undercooked bean, or sloppy mush)?


texts: What is the best way to build a kitchen knife collection?

texts:
I am in the process of upgrading my kitchen hardware. First thing's first: I need a better set of knives than what I currently have.

Rather than breaking the bank by buying a whole set without knowing what any individual knife does, I would like to build it one knife at a time.

Would anyone be able to recommend the first type of knife I should get? I will also appreciate any brand recommendations!


texts: What is the shelf life for candy with fresh butter?

texts: I am making a chocolate covered candy with a center that includes fresh butter, sugar and cookie crumbs.  There are no eggs in the recipe.  It is not cooked.  What is the shelf life before it needs to be refrigerated?


texts:
One of my favorite dishes in Seattle area Chinese restaurants is a dish they call BBQ Pork on their appetizer menu. In all the places in San Francisco I have been this same item is on the menu but it's served warm with just more BBQ sauce instead of cold with Chinese Mustard, Sesame Seeds and Ketchup.

Can someone please explain the difference between these two dishes or do I just need to ask for it cold?


texts:
How long will this apple compote keep in the fridge?
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/savory-apple-compote


texts: Can you use a basic chocolate mousse as frosting for a cake?  Would it be stable enough or is my layered cake going to fall apart?


texts: Is it possible to turn old tomatoes into flour?

texts: I saw a recipe that employed Tomato Flour - how do you turn tomatoes into flour?


texts: Was cutting up broccoli crowns and this bug appeared (I'm pretty sure it was from the crown). Is the broccoli still safe to eat? I checked every single piece I chopped up to make sure.


texts:
Someone gave me a couple pounds of fudge (chocolate and peanut butter) in approximately 1/2" slices. I let it sit in a paper bag for a couple weeks and now it's all dried out and hard.
Is there a way to revive this and make it like new again without ruining it even more?


texts: How can I adjust oven temperature correctly

texts: I recently bought an oven but it was just yesterday that I saw that the knob for the temperature does not indicate any temperature. Only hi and lo. How can I adjust the temperature correctly?


texts:
I think I'm having a problem making a sourdough starter.
I'm using the technique from King Arther Flour
I started with 113g of whole wheat flour and 113g of water.
Every day, I retained 113g of the starter and added 113g of AP flour and 113g of water.
On the third day I started doing that twice a day.
After a week, I went back to once a day.
It seems to be fermenting. It gets bubbly, has a fruity, sour, floury smell.
The trouble is, it is extremely thin. Like crepe batter thin.
It bubbles, but doesn't "double in size" because it's really really thin. It doesn't look like any of the pictures.
What am I doing wrong?
Edit to answer questions in comments:
I'm in Manhattan and it's been very warm lately. With air conditioning, I would guess room temperature is mid to upper 70s. Maybe warmer.
I guess the flour is coarse. I no longer have the packaging, but it's just whole wheat flour from the supermarket. Probably Gold Medal.
The starter doesn't rise at all. It's too thin to hold any kind of structure. It does bubble and what not, and develops a layer of hooch. There is clearly fermentation happening. There's activity within an hour of feeding.
The water is just cool water from the tap. It's NYC water with absolutely no chemical smell.


texts: I bought my daughter a "commercial" small deep fryer with a basket and she has been trying to perfect her making of these; however, no matter what type of recipe she uses, the funnel cake batter falls to the bottom of the fryer and sticks to the basket, any suggestions?


texts: How long can I store cooked rice in the refrigerator?

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

I've heard people claim that you could keep cooked rice as long as 10 days or as short as 48hours.

I'm interested in knowing both when the rice starts loosing it's good taste, and when it starts being dangerous to eat it.

Also, does it change according to the rice type?


texts: how to take away the dead animal taste/smell from meat?

texts:
I went vegetarian for a while and now back on meat. but there is a lot of time the smell is repulsive like rotting flesh and death.

My family member say its all in my head, but i am sure a real chef can help.

I am looking for a way to take away that smell, what can I do/add to the meat?


texts: Northern Indian Cuisine - Garam Masala Without Cumin

texts: I love Northern Indian cuisine, but am allergic to cumin. Can anyone suggest a substitute for cumin to use in making garam masala from Northern India?


texts: How do I prevent salmon sticking to the BBQ grill?

texts:
I love a good BBQ and cooking steaks & sausages etc are no problem.

However, whenever I put the salmon fillets on the BBQ (skin side down), no amount of oil seems to prevent them from sticking to the grill.

When I try to remove the fish from the BBQ, it just falls apart and the skin stays stuck to the grill.

What can I do to prevent this?


texts:
For a while now, I have been dealing with nasty tasting avocados. Some tasting so bitter, I start to gag and cannot continue eating them. I do not remember them tasting this way before September. Is this a seasonal problem? Are there any methods of masking the taste?

PS: My mother suggested stevia herbs, my avacados come from Mexico


texts:
I'm thinking about slow roasting a couple of baby lamb legs (by baby lamb legs I mean of a size where one leg feeds one person, with the bone still in). My plan was to brown them on the top of the stove, then roast them at 120C (that's about 250F) for 90 minutes or so. I want them to come out meltingly tender, and am vaguely trying to recreate something I had in Seville.

The other option would be to roast at 180C (that's about 350F) for 30 minutes or so I guess (if that helps you judge size).

Will this work? Should I wrap them in foil to keep the moisture in? They have very little fat looking at them.

Google seems to know very little about baby lamb recipes, and even less about about slow cooking baby lamb.


texts:
I'm an (very) amateur chef who's just started cooking chicken. I've tried cooking chicken by boiling and frying it.

I've managed to cook it right by boiling. The chicken is soft and tender.

But no matter what I try I just can't seem to cook it right by frying.

My fried chicken is all rubbery. I thought I'd increase cooking time to cook it more from inside. But that burnt it from the outside.

Does rubbery mean it is under cooked? Is it possible to make this rubbery-ness go away by frying it more?

(I am currently deep frying my chicken. Would frying it with less oil make a difference?)


texts: Is a little oven less hot than a bigger oven?

texts:
Some months ago, I found a recipe for cookies and made them in a big oven; they were delicious and cooked very well (soft cookies) at 180 °C (356 °F) for 7 minutes.

I recently tried the recipe again, but I have no longer a big oven, so I used my little one (with heat source at the top and bottom).
The cookies were still almost liquid after 15 minutes, and I though that was my oven that was too old and not keeping a good temperature; I tested on another oven that is new, and I got the same result.

Does the little oven heat less than the big one? If yes, what do I need to do to adjust the temperature and/or the time? If not, what am I doing wrong?

The recipe is:

  125 grams of soft butter
  125 grams of brown sugar
  175 grams of white flour
  one egg
  1 cc of baking powder
  100 grams of chocolate chip

  Mix all except chocolate chip. When you have a homogeneous substance, add the chocolate chip.
  Bake them 7 minutes at 180 °C. they're still very soft after that delay but they will harden.


texts: How long does it take to cook frozen peas in a slow cooker?

texts: I mostly use frozen peas for cooking. But sometimes they remain hard even if I cook them for a bit longer, but peas remain pretty hard and fibrous, not soft. What can be done to avoid their hardness. I also do not put them directly to cooker. I soak them for sometime but this trick is also not working. What can be the reasons?


texts: Why aren't my macarons as soft as professional ones?

texts:
I recently bought some macarons made by professional bakeries. When I got home, I threw them into the freezer and, days later, I checked on them. When I took a bite, it was still nice and soft. The cold temperature seemed to have had no effect whatsoever on the product. It was as tasty and supple as if it had been left out at room temperature.

The macarons that I make don't do this though. When they come out of the freezer, they're just crunchy. If I leave them out to thaw at room temperature, then they do soften up, but the store-bought ones don't need to thaw at all. I'd like for mine to do this as well. How can I keep my macarons soft while they're also being frozen?


texts:
During the last week I ordered many different espresso shots at coffee shops around the place where I work - some cheap, some expensive, some chains, some independent stores.

As I heard that it is difficult to make a good espresso, I wasn't surprised that there were major differences in the outcome: While some where really watery and thin, others were pretty oily and thick. Of course, I also enjoyed some more than others.

That takes me to the question: How do I identify a good espresso? Are there any general "guidelines" on how an espresso should taste/smell? How should it be consistency wise?


texts: How to know what temperature cling film is safe to heat to

texts:
I've been looking up how to make donner kebab at home, and the instructions I found suggests to wrap the meat in cling film and boil it - I guess similar to a home made bain-marie.

I didn't realise you could boil/cook with cling film and so have researched more about it and found out that if the cling film is designed for food (and therefore not the shrink wrap they put over cardboard boxes) it is likely to be "safe".

The cling film I have states the following:

  ...is a professional grade film that is ideal for use on all foods, for wrapping or use in the microwave or freezer.

Naturally I'm concerned about putting cling film into hot water/an oven.

If it matters, the product I'm asking about is Kirkland Signature All Purpose Cling Film

My question is, is there any guidance on what is the maximum temperature the film can withstand? For them to claim it's microwave safe, is there a minimum temperature/length of time it must withstand to claim it's microwave safe? Or is it very much up to the manufacturer to provide this information and there is no guideline/specification.

The suggested duplciate only covers boiling water... cling film (I think) is likely to react differently to different types of heat (water, oven, microwave etc)


texts: What is the definition of a cup of coffee

texts:
My wife and I had a discussion in regards of my consumption of coffee during office hours. Health gurus always talk about a maximum amount of coffee during a day - measured in cups!

But what is the definition of 1 cup of coffee, and how much coffee is one cup?

We have several types of cups etc. at the office and at home, so its hard to know how many "cups" I drank over the day!


texts: We've been buying tomato juice in smaller containers and now decided to buy bigger ones.  But, when we went to the store the tomato juice says that it only lasts two weeks in the fridge.  Expiration dates always err on the side of caution.  How long can we expect to keep it after we have opened it?


texts: A lot of my favorite bread recipes call for powdered milk (cow's milk). Particularly in some of the tangier breads, it would seem that goat's milk might be really tasty. Is there anything I should know before buying powdered goat's milk and using it in bread? It's spendy stuff, so an answer of "it's not worth the money" could be useful, particularly from someone who has actually tried it.


texts:
My pan is scratching the coils on my electric stove.
What is the best pan to use so the coils do not get scratched?


texts: How do I maintain the crunchy crust of home baked bread?

texts: When I bake artisan bread, the crust does not retain its hard consistency, and by morning of the next day is already soft. I use a Dutch oven and spray water. The taste is great but the crust loses its crunch.


texts: Question about soft cures and curing salts

texts: I was advised that your curing salts should be added 0.2% of the salt by weight, so if you have 125kg worth of koshering salt, that is 250grams of curing salt. Can the same be done when you have 100kg kosher salts and 25kg brown sugar, how does the softness of the cure affect the amount of curing salts that you should add?


texts: Why is safe to eat some raw or undercooked meats like beef and fish (assuming you're careful), but not chicken? I know that there are bacteria in chicken, but are they in all chicken, or just so many that the only safe thing to do is assume they're all bad? If not, is there any way to get non-dangerous chicken (for say -- chicken sushi)?


texts: Reducing sweetness of packaged cookie mix

texts:
I have a Betty Crocker cookie mix and I find it too sweet. Is there a way to adapt it and make it less sweet?

I'm not an experienced baker so I don't know if simply adding more flour will work.


texts: Reverse-Engineering Trader Joe's Garden Vegetable Soup

texts:
I'm trying to reverse-engineer Trader Joe's garden vegetable soup. I have the full ingredients list and the nutrition facts. However, I don't know what ratios to use (the recipe itself is very simple) for a 12-cup batch.
I'm guessing that reverse-engineering this soup formula is going to take some trial and error, but I'd like to make this as efficient as possible. Any suggestions?
Here is the ingredients list:
VEGETABLE BROTH (WATER, VEGETABLE BROTH CONCENTRATE [MIREPOIX {CARROT, CELERY, ONION}, SALT, ONION POWDER]), DICED TOMATOES IN JUICE (TOMATO, TOMATO JUICE, CITRIC ACID [ACIDIFIER], CALCIUM CHLORIDE), SWEET POTATO, CARROT, ONION, CELERY, TOMATO CONCENTRATE, MIXED GREENS (KALE, SWISS CHARD, SPINACH), POTATO, TOMATO PASTE, ZUCCHINI, RED BELL PEPPERS (RED BELL PEPPERS, WATER, SALT, CITRIC ACID [ACIDIFIER], CALCIUM CHLORIDE), LEEKS, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, SEA SALT, GARLIC, SPICES (BLACK PEPPER, THYME, RED PEPPER), CITRIC ACID (ACIDIFIER).
The ingredients are supposed to be listed from (largest amount used) to (least amount used)
The nutrition facts per cup are linked here
I know that based on the amount of fat per cup (2g), 4 tsp oil would be used per 12-cup batch.


texts:
I recently made pasta sauce, and every couple of minutes decided to add something more... More tomatoes, more pepper, more garlic...
After that I let it sit on a small flame for a bit more.
As a result, the sauce set in the pot for a fairly long time (45 min at least).

I asked my roommate if it's ok to leave it this long, and he said that the longer I leave it, the better it will come out.

Is this true? Is patience a key ingredient to a perfect sauce?
(P.S, it really did come out great...)


texts: How to get a open crumb bread without a starter

texts: Is it possible to get an open crumb bread without an starter, and by just using active dry yeast? According to my research, to get an open crumb bread one needs a good gluten development, high hydration, strong wheat flour, and a good yeast. However, most of recipes that I have found are using sourdough starter, which I don't want to use. Is possible to get the same open crumb like sourdough bread, by using just active dry yeast?  Can you provide some tips on technique?


texts:
I cooked this receipe Korean Grilled Chicken

which was delicious. I replaced the Korean malt syrup with corn syrup, but I am not sure about this switch. What is a good substitute for it? I couldn't find it at the store.


texts:
I may be partial having lived there most of my life, but now that I live far away, I miss Montreal Pizza.  I can't seem to find a restaurant near me that has a similar flavor or any combination of ingredients that matches the flavor.

Do you have a recipe for the pizza sauce they use in Montreal pizzerias?

Thanks in advance for any input.


texts: How to get "burned" effect on cheesecake?

texts:
I've eaten hot cheesecake in restaurant. It looked like the cheesecake was properly baked and then only a slice of it, which was going to the plate, was fried or baked or I don't know what so it was all warm and crispy and looked like it was slightly burned on the sides.

Any idea how to get this effect? I mean consider I have cheesecake done and I want have just a slice which looks like that. How can I do that?


texts: Why would cooked spinach contain more iron than raw?

texts:
I've been researching the nutrient content of various foods and I've found that cooked spinach appears to have more iron than raw spinach (3.57 mg / 100g vs 2.71 mg /100g).  Intuitively, I would have expected the opposite.

Is the data I'm looking at wrong?

Maybe, it is just that it is easier to aborb the iron from cooked spinach rather than raw.

Can anyone explain the difference?


texts: How to combine chocolate and garlic in the same dish?

texts:
I hosted a potluck dinner some years ago, and I set the theme as "chocolate or garlic" -- guests were to bring one or the other. One person was a wiseacre and bought chocolate covered garlic. (It was hideously unpalatable.)

I've since wondered if there's any way to combine chocolate and garlic in the same dish where you taste both, or if the two flavors are simply incompatible.


texts: With what can you maximise energy from an induction stove?

texts:
This question concerns only an induction stove, which I abbreviate to IS (and not an electric oven with coiled elements).
I already know that the energy from a Chinese Wok Range exceeds, and so is impossible to reproduce, with an IS  at home, but can anything be done to maximise the energy of an IS? Please correct me if I erred in my terminology; I know no physics.
This states the impropriety of woks for IS, but does it imply that certain cookware can convey and realise more energy from IS? If so, which cookware?  This comment mentions 'cast iron skillet':

Throw out the wok. They are worthless with electric ranges. Even home gas ranges don't do a whole lot better. The gas burners in Chinese places are crazy!!! Get a big cast iron skillet and use that instead. Lots of heat, preheat for a while. Cook in batches.
If you velvet and cook at a higher heat you will get much closer.


texts: How do I impart the flavor of mint to a tomato sauce?

texts:
I have dumped 2 tbsp of dried mint and 2 handfuls of crushed mint leaves into a reduced 28 oz tomato sauce but it only made a dent of mint taste in the sauce. I don't get it - a little dry or fresh basil or oregano is enough to give marinara a strong herb flavor. I dumped a LOT of both dry and fresh (it had strong smell) mint leaves into my marinara and it only gave a very weak mint flavor.

What am I missing here?


texts:
I notice most recipes use a vegetable oil for marinades.

If you use saturated fat, obviously it will become solid at room temperature or lower.  Not sure if this affects its ability to marinade.

So, can you marinade with saturated fat?


texts: Mortar used to process paste containing candlenuts - risk of contaminating raw foods?

texts: If I use a mortar and pestle for working with candlenuts (who are considered mildly toxic when raw), to make a paste that is later cooked, how thoroughly and how does that mortar (not dishwasher proof, using soap is also best avoided) need to be cleaned before you can safely use it for raw preparations like pesto?


texts: How much do dry beans expand when soaked?

texts: I've got four cups of dry pinto beans. What will be their volume after I let them soak overnight?


texts: Something dark gray coming off of sheet pan after scouring

texts:
I've been using a stainless steel sheet pan and an aluminum sheet pan for baking/roasting for the last year (new to cooking). I used the steel one regularly, so it accumulated a lot of brown stains. Eventually I started lining it with aluminum foil until I found a way to clean it. On a friend's advice, I got steel wool, and with some vigor, dish soap, and time, I scrubbed all that grime off. Also scrubbed off the little bit of grime on my aluminum pan.
Felt pretty proud of myself until I noticed that the fingers of my dishwashing gloves were stained DARK GRAY. I used wet paper towels and wiped the steel wool, the steel pan, and the aluminum pan, and it appears the gray color is mostly coming off the steel pan. A little bit of gray is also coming off the aluminum pan.
What on earth is this stuff? Is it no longer safe to use either of these sheet pans for cooking? If not, can I make it safe or do I have to toss them?


texts: Should I cover food while reheating it in a microwave?

texts:
For reasons of time, I like to cook more than one portion of a meal and then reheat a portion in the microwave whenever it's needed.

Aiming for maximum energy efficiency, I wonder if it's a good idea to cover the food with a big ceramic or glass bowl?

Just in case this is somehow relevant, here are my two main thoughts which led me to ask this question:

Covering might be good because the developing steam is concentrated in a small volume and gives off more of its heat to the food.
Covering might be bad because the bowl partly reflects the microwaves, and therefore a part of the energy never reaches the food.


texts: how much powdered gelatin to one gelatin leaf?

texts: Some recipes call for a number of gelatin leaves, but since I use powdered gelatin I'd like to know the conversion rate/scaling.


texts: Is Casu Marzu illegal in the United States?

texts:
I am having difficulty determining whether Casu Marzu is illegal in the United States. There are reports of it being available, albeit briefly, in New York last year. Also, I have heard that it is illegal because it is unpasteurized.

Wikipedia's description:

  Casu Marzu....is a traditional Sardinian sheep milk cheese, notable for containing
  live insect larvae (maggots). Although found mostly in the island of
  Sardinia, the cheese is also found in the nearby Corsica, where it
  goes by the name of casgiu merzu.

Are all unpasteurized cheeses & dairy products illegal in the United States? Is Casu Marzu illegal because it is unpasteurized? Or might it have something to do with those maggots...


texts: Will I be able to cook my mac & cheese until it's brown if my cheese sauce is thick

texts: I found this recipe that requires thick cheese sauce the reviews was good but her mac & cheese was light and I was wondering will I be able to cook my mac & cheese until it browns or if I'm able to brown thick cheese sauce


texts: Altering cake batter amount- how to adjust oven temp/baking time?

texts:
I'm planning to bake this cake.

http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/03/23/my-favorite-carrot-cake-recipe/

BUT...Instead of making a two layer cake, I would like to make a one layer cake in a 9-inch round cake tin. I was thinking that I could make 3/4 of the recipe, which would give me one layer that is a little bit thicker than in the recipe.

Other than baking for a longer amount of time, do I have to make any adjustments to the oven temperature? Am I risking having a dense cake that doesn't bake through?


texts: Is it safe to store dry, uncooked rice with cleaning products?

texts:
So, I opened up a 30-lb bag of dry, uncooked jasmine rice last week in our outside shed / storage (apartment storage - it is dry, like an indoor closet but has an outdoor entrance).

I was in a hurry - screaming 2 year old competing for my attention - so after I took the amount of rice I needed, I rolled up the top of the bag and put it in a large plastic storage bin that happened to have some other cleaning products inside...

I'll admit not my finest moment, but my first concern was to stash it somewhere that 1. mice and 2. insects couldn't get to it. I think it was in there with Clorox wipes and windex.

Now DH thinks we should throw out all the rice because the bag was stored in an airtight container with chemicals. His concerns are 1. poisons in our food, and 2. will the rice taste weird if it absorbed odors.

I tend to agree but cringe to think we're throwing away $40 of rice... Advice?


texts: Frying then finishing breaded pork chops in the oven

texts:
I want to pan fry first then finish in the oven. For 1" pork chops how long to I bake & at what temperature.
Thanks


texts: What species of red round watermelon is this?

texts:
Screenshot's from YouTube.

Is this merely an ordinary Mini Red Watermelon?
My other guess is Japanese luxury fruit, but Ambrosio lives in Santa Monica CA.
Is 'species' the correct term?


texts: How can I be more frugal with salt when cooking (dried) pasta?

texts:
When cooking pasta (from dried), I currently need to add a significant amount of salt to the water to add flavour.

As the pasta itself is extremely cheap, and the water is completely free - it can at times feel like throwing money down the drain as the majority of the salty water is discarded.

Are there any effective ways to reduce the amount of salt wasted during cooking, without simply undersalting the pasta? (e.g. adding salt after the pasta has been mostly drained)

Additional notes:

I'm open to making fresh pasta by hand, if salt can be added at this stage rather than in the water
The cost of salt should be considered a constant, that is - suggesting a cheaper salt is not valid.
Taste/texture quality should be maintained as best as possible.
Reusing the salted water is not acceptable, due to space constraints.


texts: Harissa and Ras El Hanout (North African staple spice blends)

texts:
I am counting the days until my first batch of preserved lemons will be ready. I've read several tagine and couscous recipes, I'm excited, this is uncharted territory for me.

In addition to my preserved lemons, a couple of exotic (for me) ingredients seem to be in order and I have found possible choices on Amazon.

Looking at the reviews, harissa is a product for which there is no clear frontrunner brand. The recipes I've looked at don't even specify harissa paste or powder, yet they are both about equally available. Are there quantifiable pros and cons to one type or the other? Is one type more traditionally seen in Moroccan and/or and other North African cuisines? Is there a difference in shelf life? (mine can live in the pantry or fridge, it makes no difference) I realize quality is subjective, but is any one particular brand more popular or more commonly seen in the region(s)?  For what it is worth, I like heat, so I won't be easily scared off by mouth burn.

Another issue is Ras El Hanout and saffron. I have found saffron to be a lovely addition to otherwise bland dishes, but in these applications, is it really worth the expense? How likely am I to even perceive it against olives, capers, dried fruit, preserved lemons, Ras El Hanout and harissa all playing a part in the same meal? Is there something amazingly indescrible/not to be missed about the combination? Or can I wait for the saffron until my next batch of preserved lemons?

Of course I'd apprecite any comments on any subject I've touched upon.


texts: Scotch oats to substitute Fine Oats in Rum Balls

texts: I have a recipe for Rum Balls that calls for "Fine Oats." I couldn't find anything at bulk barn so I ended up with "Scotch Oats" after talking to a rep. I've never eaten oats before so I'm not sure if I can eat these particular oats raw and if I should blend it to make it more powder-like (if that's what fine oats are).


texts: Can you use baking powder in a breading?

texts: I'm trying to make chicken wings. As I want it to be extra crispy, I'm looking to use baking powder in my flour/starch breading. However, every recipe I see that uses baking powder has it in a batter. Does baking powder need to be in a liquid in order to form the air bubbles? Or will that occur in the fryer anyway if I just use a breading (flour, starch, baking powder)?


texts: Can I substitute baking soda for kansui powder?

texts:
Related: What does kansui do to dough in noodle making?

I'm looking to make my own 拉面-style noodles. I've read up a lot about kansui and making your own kansui with a powder mix of sodium and potassium carbonates. I've also seen some recipes that substitute kansui powder with baking soda.

Can I use baking soda to substitute for kansui? If so, in what proportions? If not, what other common ingredients can I use to substitute?


texts: What is the functional difference between imitation vanilla and true vanilla extract?

texts:
When baking or using vanilla, most recipes call for vanilla extract. In the supermarket you can find imitation vanilla flavoring for less money. Obviously the imitation is meant to be as close to the real thing as possible, but:

Is there a detectable difference between imitation vanilla and vanilla extract?
Do any issues arise in baking/cooking resulting from using one or the other?


texts: I want to make normal sandwich bread. What's the yeast called in an Italian supermarket?

texts: I'm going crazy because Lievito Madre won't raise (half whole grain / half white wheat 00) my dough. Which yeast should I buy in Italy to finish with normal sandwich bread?


texts: How do you sterilize a non-metal canning funnel?

texts:
Non-metal canning funnels exist, but how can you use them safely? (For example, Ball makes one)
Specifically, is it possible to sterilize them safely, without damaging the product?


texts:
In India curry leaves are added almost all curries.

I personally hate them. You don't eat them, but just keep them on the side of the plate and throw them away.

1) What is the purpose of adding curry leaves?

2) Does the taste of the curry change when you add curry leaves? Does it make it worse or make it better?

3) Do any other country's recipes use curry leaves? If yes, which ones?

4) Are there any health benefits of adding curry leaves?

5) Is it better not to add curry leaves?

6) Are curry leaves added to any other non-curry recipes?


texts: How to make frosting very white, fluffy, and shiny?

texts:
Given a typical recipe for frosting (preferably cream cheese), what can be done to make it fluffy and shiny -- even in a chilled state?

I've noticed that my cream cheese frosting tends to do this if I put it in the refrigerator. I'm wondering if there is a technique (e.g. beat in a lot of air in it) or ingredient (e.g. corn syrup/glucose???) that would help.

Also, how can I make mine super white? The frosting I make is a bit yellowish -- probably due to the cream cheese already having some color. The vanilla also probably adds to the color.


texts: What are the small yellow things on my cooked bacon

texts:
I cooked some bacon medallions yesterday, it was in date, didn't smell, and I had some of it, putting the rest in the fridge - by all accounts it was fine.  This morning however, when I opened the container, at the very bottom on the last piece was a cluster of little, narrow yellow things.

As best as I can tell, they weren't moving.  Weren't particularly furry, and neither changed shape when I mashed them between my fingers, nor melted when I put them in the microwave, so I'm reluctant to believe it's just oddly shaped fat.

Has anybody got any idea what they are? I don't want to throw away perfectly good bacon but I also don't want food poisoning.


texts:
I took 4 medium beets, chopped them up in a medium dice, put the beets in a 1-gallon Pickl-It jar. I added 1 ½ tablespoon unrefined sea salt, added filtered water to ½ inch below lid, and closed with an airlock.

I allowed this to ferment for 1 ½ weeks in darkness. I then tasted it, and the taste was bad, like an acidic fizzy vinegar. I have tried this many times, and I keep getting this same result.

Any ideas on what Im doing wrong?

PS I found the recipe here http://bit.ly/1hdbx7S


texts:
Is there a wine traditionally served with beef carpaccio?

Like, they would typically serve flammkuchen with federweisser.


texts: Is there a term for this distinction of sweet categories?

texts:
In a mildly synesthetic sense, I have been describing two categories of sweet flavors as "bright/clear" and "dark" all my life. These categories aren't exhaustive, but I think it will be easy to correlate what I mean if I list the two:
Dark

Coffee
Chocolate
Pancake syrup
Nut-based sweets like peanut brittle
Marzipan
Caramel
Honey
Pure sugar itself
Most ice creams

Clear

Cherry
Watermelon
Apple
Lemon
Grapefruit
Grapes
Almost all sorbets

Unsure

Banana
Fruitcake

Are these categories that exist and are useful in cooking?
Edit one year out: I just saw a video that showed a popsicle stand that had that exact distinction made between such flavors. The words it used were simply Fruity and Creamy.


texts: I put ground beef in the fridge 3 days ago and it's still frozen! Why isn't it thawing like normal?


texts: Is safe to reuse plastic bags used for sous vide

texts:
Is it safe to reuse plastic bags used for sous vide?
And if it's safe, any special measures apart from the obvious need of cleaning them.

PD: I mean plastic bags specially designated for sous vide that work with a manual vacuum pump like that


texts: Is there a difference between paneer butter masala, matar paneer, malai kofta gravy?

texts:
It seems to me that although you can find different recipes for each of the dishes described above, the gravy is basically the same, with the only difference for example between paneer butter masala and matar paneer is that matar paneer has peas in it.

(The gravy I'm taking about - frying cumin seeds, onions, ginger garlic paste, tomato, adding ground cumin, ground coriander, chilly powder, blending with cahshew paste and then adding cream and kasuri methi)

Am I correct in assuming this?

In addition - It seems to me that the same thing could be said about aloo gobi, channa masala, baingan bharta, and many other dishes - Basically the same frying of onions, ginger garlic paste and tomatoes, but with a different ingredient added at the end (for example eggplant for baingtan bharta).

If the recipes are actually the same, then it would mean a lot of the Indian dishes have a similar taste... I'm interested in the dishes as they are cooked in authentic Indian restaurants.


texts: Can I use southeast asian fish sauce as a marinade?

texts: I have been using Southeast Asian fish sauce ( its Vietnamese variant called "nước mắm" to be precise ) to marinade meat which I would then fry. From the narrow observation I made though the Vietnamese seem to use it solely to dip the food in it. Is my usage really that unusual?


texts:
I'm planning to do a lobster broth for New-Years.

Lobster shells, browned in oven
Shallots, parsley root, carrots and other suitable veg
Seasoning, tomato paste, I think I have a reasonable slurp of Cognac avaliable.

Boil for about 15 minutes.

When I strain this, it will be cloudy.  I was thinking whisking in egg-whites and straining it again to make it clear. Is this possible?  Will the procedure change the taste?

I have about 4 hours to make it on saturday. Any suggestions are welcome. I want it as consommé-like(clear) as possible.


texts:
I have a gas vertical water smoker that I got from Cabela's earlier this year. I've had some success smoking a few different things: whole chickens, baby-back ribs, salmon, pork shoulder and a pork tenderloin. It's been a lot of fun!

I have noticed that my cook times are significantly longer than the recommended cook times. I have read that water smokers will take longer because of the extra humidity. This makes planning a meal hard. I know that there are a lot of variables when it comes to cooking time, but I would like to be able to look at the recommended cook time in the recipe and then say "well on my smoker that's going to take 1.2 times whatever they recommend." Is there a general rule of thumb for cooking times when using a vertical water smoker?


texts: Is the oily liquid from roasting a turkey worth keeping?

texts:
I placed a 14 lb young Round Hill Frozen Basted Turkey in a pan, and roasted it inside an oven.

After it was roasted, there was quite an amount of oily liquid left in the pan. Is this liquid worth keeping, and for what purpose?


texts:
I have never made injeolmi before but am keen to try - I have a few questions though before I try:

steaming vs microwaving the rice dough? I imagine it gets uber sticky in the steamer, a recipe suggested a cotton towel, but wouldn't that ruin the towel?
I don't have toasted soybean flour - any substitution recommendations? I was thinking matcha and icing sugar/ cocoa powder and icing sugar. But I do have canned beans I could drain and oven dry or dehydrate and then powder?
when 'pounding' the dough, what is the best method? What consistency and texture am I looking for?
I'd like to stuff it with sweet red bean paste, any advice for best method/recipe for this?

Thanks all!


texts:
Target has a tool called can opener.

Can it be used for opening vegetable cans, tuna cans, ..., which don't have pulls on their tops?

How can it be used?

I asked because I only used a can opener that looks different to the one above, and looks like this one.


texts: What international cooking terms sound similar but have different meanings?

texts:
I am not the only international user here, and I bet that others are just as confused as I am when we read something on an American-centric resource and the corresponding translation in our language turns out to mean something entirely different.

There are also examples in the other direction, with English speakers reacting with amusement to terms like quark (a cheese) and dickmilch (a fermented milk product).

Some of these items are already present in the question: Translating cooking terms between US / UK / AU / CA / NZ - which are more properly discussed here, because they occur between languages and not within English only.

What are the false friends that we need to be aware of when reading or contributing to international cooking content?

Please add to the existing answer, following the current format. Do not add entirely new answers or change the format for new items.


texts:
I've bought two mandolines recently and I've returned the first and will return the second. The first was a stainless steel contraption that:

Broke my food instead of slicing it.
Was ever so hard to clean. At first I thought this was because the blade was perpendicular to the food and so wouldn't slice it correctly. But on closer examination, it was because the food would bump against the plastic casing of the knife.

The second mandoline has a V-shaped knife. The blades are not adjustable. My issues with this apparatus are:

The smallest blade will not cut straw potatoes.
The next blade will cut French fries but won't cut through so I have to waste time loosening the cuts.
On cleaning, the V-shaped knife will cut a slice of the sponge and it will stick there, and I don't want to find sponge in my next batch of cuts.

So, for my next mandoline, I'll be looking for a mandoline that's:

Easy to clean.
Has adjustable blades.
Made of dishwasher-proof plastic (as opposed to stainless steel?).
Safe.
Durable.
Economical in a sense that you don't end up with leftover cuts.
Extractable blades so they can be sharpened.
Size, I just got the Benriner and I should have bought the super. Three sizes, small = too small, medium (super) is good I hope.
...

What else should I be looking for?

Edit: Economical. The current mandoline doesn't cut the last slice so I end up throwing pieces of food away (recycle for other dishes, really).

Edit (update): Thanks for all the input. As only one answer can be accepted, I've accepted the Benriner, I bought it. Too small for me. I'll have to buy another one. :)


texts: I forgot to add the brown sugar to a cookie mix. I have added all the ingredients including the flour. Can I still add the sugar to the mix?


texts: Is there a technique to making Caramel in a Microwave oven?

texts: I've made it on the stove top: sugar, corn syrup ect..but wanted to try it in the microwave - any tips on cooking times, techniques?


texts: Difference in cookie texture if we use melted vs softened butter

texts:
I would like to know the difference in the final result if we use softened butter or melted butter in an ordinary cookie recipe.

A few days ago i baked chocolate chips cookies i waited for the butter to get the room temperature and then i smoothed the butter with the mixer (...) and at the end i put the cookie dough in the frighe. I just wondered what if i melt the butter so i will not have to wait for the butter to get soft, anyway i will put the cookie dough in the frighe later. But what will change? Some recipes demand for butter in room temperature softened and to turn sugar and butter mixture into a fluffy outcome. Some other recipes demand to melt the butter and sugar in low heat.

What is the logic behind what each recipe demands? And why?


texts: Does the thickness of a cake affect the baking time?

texts:
I am very new to baking, so this may be a bit of an obvious question, but:
My daughter wants an airplane shaped chocolate cake for her birthday. I have seen various ideas where you bake a cake, then cut it into pieces and assemble them.
But I was thinking, could I make an airplane-shaped mold, put the mixture in, and bake it whole?
Would I have a problem with the thin parts like the tail & wings being overdone while the middle of the fuselage is still uncooked?
Would there be any other issues I need to be aware of?
Cheers!


texts: Bunn coffee maker parts cannot be identified

texts:
My Bunn Thermofresh coffee maker is five years old, has been thoroughly cleaned and is still overflowing. I have done every procedure to de-lime it, and I replaced the sprayer with the one in the lower right corner of this photo, but to no avail.

However, I cannot determine what these other parts are for: specifically the beige thing and the one hole black button thing.


texts: What can i use as a corn syrup substitute in icing?

texts: I am making an icing for eclairs and normally use icing sugar, melted chocolate, and corn syrup and refrigerate it overnight. I don't want to buy corn syrup for a couple of Tablespoons. What can I use instead ?


texts: I made a crab pudding/souffle (lots of egg whites) last night and it didn't rise at all.  I've made it before successfully, but this time I didn't put any salt in because I felt the result had been too salty before.  Could the lack of salt be the culprit?  Or do I just need to perfect my whipping & folding techniques???  Thanks!


texts: How long takes store-bought fried tofu to go bad?

texts: According to expiration date in the package it only takes a week. Maybe it can keep for longer?


texts: I have a Hot point  RLA36 149 litre fridge with numbers on the temperature gage. I moved it by accident and my dad will be mad.  is 3 the standard setting? Will this be cool enough? If Thanks


texts: Is it safe to reheat old water in an electric kettle?

texts: I usually throw away the remaining water in the electric kettle before refilling it if the water is more than about a day old. In theory wouldn't boiling kill any impurities the old water might have? How long would the water stay drinkable in the kettle (assuming you boil it again before drinking)?


texts: How do you cook more successfully in a different kitchen?

texts:
We rarely host holidays at my house and therefore end up traveling to visit with family. Since I cook frequently (and enjoy doing so!) I am generally asked/expected to help in the kitchen with the main dish, sides, and/or desserts.
My question is how do you generally deal with cooking in a kitchen other than at home? At home:

I have my "favorite" knives, cutting boards, pots/pans, mixing bowls,
etc
I am used to my stove and oven, and have tuned my recipes to those
times/temperatures
I know where all the seasonings/spices and other ingredients are

and to complicate things there are generally multiple other people helping in the kitchen and/or socializing, which is a great time to hang out with family but obviously makes moving around the kitchen more cumbersome.
None of the above are showstoppers as I am still able to cook okay, I just find that nothing comes out quite as ideally as I know I could've executed if I were cooking at home.
What are some specific things I can do or bring to make cooking in other kitchens more successful?


texts: It had nothing added to it.  I always boil the roast to tenderize.  The broth is a milky white and I have never seen this happen before.  Is it safe to eat?


texts: How do I get rid of excess flour on my dried pasta shapes?

texts: I dried some cavatelli I made with egg dough (I know it's usually made with AP, semolina and water but I was improvising), however, I had to add some excess flour around the shapes to prevent them from sticking during the drying process. I'm reluctant to cook them with the flour stuck to them so as to prevent the dreaded gummy layer from forming on the outside of the pasta. Should I wash the shapes when they're dried? What's the best course of action? Thanks.


texts: My (leftover) food in the fridge dries out quickly, and comes out in a pretty bad shape by the next mealtime. The weather here is pretty cold, hovering between 0-5 centigrade. Is it better to just leave my food on the windowsill (covered ofcourse), in terms of avoiding dehydration?


texts:
I live in a country where there is no chemical engineering done on the plants, so everything is completly organic. But i noticed the biggest difference in the potatoes here vs. in America is that the ones here will never crisp. They become rubbery and very wiggly. That's very difficult to deal with when you're from America and you love french fries and hashbrowns.

I fry them the same way as i usually do, i deep fry them in a pan. The potatoes are different, the ones i used to use were dark brown idaho potatoes, the ones here are  light colered with a very thin peel.

What's the reason behind this? I've heard theories of the potatoes being too starchy; is this true? And if so, is there a way to get them to crisp?


texts: Quick-cooking vs. regular oats for bread

texts: I've got a bread-machine recipe for oatmeal bread that calls for either quick-cooking oats or regular oats.  Is there a reason to prefer one over the other?


texts:
I’m aware that something as rigid as a minestrone recipe is already a contradiction, since the ingredients and exact steps vary widely according to season, household, and simply taste. Nevertheless, I do have a loose recipe that can be adapted to use different ingredients, and attempts to encapsulate what most classic minestrone recipes have in common. Given the lack of explicit guidance, however, it’s important for me to understand how and why each step is taken. Here’s a sample recipe outline that I might use in the summer:

Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and leek in olive oil until translucent / softened. (Aka: Sofrito + leek)
Briefly cook some tomato paste and a couple cloves of minced garlic.
Add dry herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme), a bay leaf, chili flakes, canned tomatoes, vegetable stock, and seasoning. Let it simmer for a few minutes.
Add zucchini first (longer cooking vegetables), then some baby spinach leaves (shorter cooking vegetables). Simmer for anywhere between 45 min to 2 hrs. Refrigerate, if needed.
A few minutes before serving, warm up an appropriate amount of soup on the stovetop and add pasta, cooked cannellini beans, fresh herbs (I use basil), and seasoning. Simmer until pasta is ready.
Top with parmesan.

Questions:

Can the beans be added in the beginning along with the stock? Aren’t they supposed to thicken the soup that way? What would happen over time as a result?
Cannellini beans can sometimes be hard to find. They’re more expensive too. Can I substitute them with white beans? What effect would such a substitution have?
I’ve heard of people using parsley as a fresh herb, but I don’t know if it would compete with or complement the basil.
I used to add cabbage, but for some reason, I didn’t like how it tasted. Now, the recipe seems sparse. Is there any other summer vegetable that would go well with this (namely, leeks, zucchini and spinach)?
Is there any point in sautéing the longer cooking vegetables (leeks and zucchini) along with the sofrito?
What else could be done to improve the recipe?

Thanks for the help!


texts: What is the difference bewteen stewing and boiling?

texts:
I've read different definitions for what stewing is.  I've read that it means to cook at a simmer(i.e. below a boil) but I've also read it means to cook in water in a pot with a lid.

If the latter that could still mean it is boiling since the water has been added to the pot of food, it s cooking on high heat and so still being boiled.

Technically speaking, its not clear to me what the difference between stewing and boiling is.  I've read that stewing means less mineral loss so it helps to understand in that context also.


texts: What is the ideal fake turkey substitute for a vegan Thanksgiving?

texts:
While recently experimenting with a seitan based fake turkey, I was curious if I was even pursuing the right media for making a fake vegan turkey.

With respect to the following characteristics, what vegan meat substitute media (as in, can approximate turkey not necessarily in nutrition but rather taste) fits best? What preparation of the media is most suited to creating this profile? Why?

Has the defined texture of turkey meat
Has the defined texture of turkey skin, whether deep-fried or baked
Has the moisture level of either light or dark meat
Has the flavor compatibility to suit either a mushroom or vegan sausage stuffing
Has the flavor compatibility to suit either a rosemary or vegan sausage gravy
When made from scratch, does not exceed the cost of a relatively sized bird

Please note, I am not asking about pre-packaged or brands of media, but rather media and preparations themselves (i.e. not Field Roast or Tofurkey, but rather Seitan/Vital Wheat Gluten)


texts: I am looking to purchase a microscope to better understand the changes to the food items at a microscopic level. Does anybody have any recommendations as to the type/brand of microscope I should purchase (ideally it would be able to capture digital images)?


texts: Do different fat contents (skim, 2%, whole, etc) affect rate or intensity of milk spoilage?

texts:
Does milk with different fat contents (skim, 2%, whole, etc.) spoil at different rates?

And when spoilage does occur, are milks with higher fat content more sour than those with less?

Are there smell differences?


texts: When should I put salmon in my rice cooker?

texts:
I have found what sounds like a delicious recipe for salmon and brown rice .  This is to be cooked in a rice cooker .  The brown rice is to be cooked as usual   .  Once it has been cooking for 30 - 35 min   you are to remove the lid and place the steamer basked with the salmon inside and continue cooking for 10 min .
The rice cooker I have recommends letting the rice sit in the warmer for 15 min after cooking and before serving.

My question is,       should I put the salmon in after cooking the rice for 30 min  OR should it really be put in after the rice has cooked its full 45 min  and let the fish steam during the 15 min  warming phase ...  I don't want over-cooked salmon


texts: My big home made batch of Worcestershire sauce is too vinegary

texts: I've made this several times before, tweaking a bit as needed. The recipe asks for 2 qts. Apple cider vinegar, and three cups of Orange juice, along with a BUNCH of other ingredients. The vinegar dominates! Sweetness is good, spice and saltiness, good. I've thought of adding another tin of Anchovies, or using an old Spaghetti sauce trick of adding a pinch of baker's chocolate. Any suggestions appreciated.


texts: In this recipe, what is a possible substitute for serrano pepper?

texts:
In this recipe, I enjoy the mix of spices: serrano, cilantro, mint, cinnamon...

Next time we'll cook it, we won't have serrano available. What could be a substitute for it?

Ideally this substitute is not hard to get in Europe...

Note the serrano's contribution to the dish. They're not opened. They're not eaten. They simmer with the rest of the ingredients perhaps adding some taste.

EDIT: Thanks for the suggestions. I now realize that substitute may not have been the best wording. Given the constraints, a simple s/serrano/xxxx/ replacement may not do ☺


texts: I have a recipe that calls for 1 lb of glutinous rice flour (mochiko), but I don't have a kitchen scale. Approximately how many cups would this be equivalent to?


texts: How can I keep a cheesecake from cracking?

texts: I've been making cheesecakes for a while and they always end up cracking on the top.  I was told to try putting a pan of water in the oven with it to keep the humidity up, which might help a little, but then it tends to crack when it's cooling.  Am I overcooking?  Or baking at the wrong temperature?  Whipped cream can only cover up so much.


texts: I have one of these - http://www.victoriasbasement.com.au/Product/Details/75766 - which I bought recently. Its an enamelled cast iron pan. I've been seasoning it by rubbing it down in oil and putting it in the oven. The seasoning doesn't seem to last very long though. Should I not be seasoning it because its enamelled? If so, should I try and get a non-enamelled cast iron pan if I want something with better non stick properties?


texts: Do all new cast iron pans and skillets have a protective coating on them, which must be removed?

texts:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/CastIronPans.htm

  All new (not old cast iron cookware) cast iron pans and skillets have a protective coating on them, which must be removed.

Is this information correct? What is the point in buying a seasoned cast iron cokware if we have to remove the seasoning then?


texts: Minced beef or lamb clumping - how to stop it

texts:
I've noticed that sometimes, I'll cook mince and providing I stir and chop the meat, it doesn't clump, but sometimes it does clump and I can't seem to work out any kind of pattern for when it does doesn't... except to maybe say that it tends to clump less the wetter it is.  What causes mince to clump, and how can it be prevented?

(the really annoying thing is that when I make burgers or something and WANT it to clump - it won't)


texts: Which type of UK supermarket rice is closest to Philippine rice?

texts:
I have visted the Philippines twice and had many delicious dishes served with the most amazing slightly-sticky rice.

Which type/variety of rice, which is readily available in UK supermarkets, is closest is terms of grain size, texture and fragrance? I have tried authentic Thai Jasmine rice which is delicious but much more fragrant. Long grain rice is nothing like it.

I've looked online and haven't been able to find any varieties that I recognise. I accept that I probably won't be able to find exactly the same variety so I'm looking for the closest match. There aren't any asian food markets/stores near me but it could be an option if nothing else is similar.

Any ideas? Thanks!


texts:
For the first time I have seen hen eggs with two yolks.

Do they indicate a special kind of hen?
OR A special kind of grain fed to the hen?
OR Some scientific procedure which makes hens produce such eggs?

Are these kind of eggs safe to eat?


texts: Is the induction cooktop sinking my eggs? Why are they sticking to the bottom

texts:
I have this tried and true fried egg recipe I have done multitudes of time. It is as simple as putting in a pool of some oil and cracking the eggs into it. I can then cover it and leave it to cook for awhile for some great results.

I just started at a new place that has an induction cooktop and I have been having the hardest time doing this recipe! Essentially now every time I try the eggs tend to somehow start sticking to the bottom. This has never happened to me before.

This is probably a ridiculous question but is there anything about induction cookware that might encourage eggs to stick to the bottom or otherwise not float too well?


texts: Making a crock pot style stew in an instant pot

texts:
Can I make a crockpot style stew in an instant pot? What I mean is a stew made in the instant pot, but not on the slow cooker option. If so, how do I do that?
(I am not looking for a recipe, just a technique)


texts:
TL:DR; My third attempt at making dutch oven bread from scratch still tastes like flour, although a little less so than previous attempts. Why?

My first attempt I tried this recipe by Tasty. I followed it fairly diligently but found that my dough was way too wet. I probably ended up adding about a half cup more flour total trying to get the texture to seem right. The bread looked fantastic, had a great crunch and gluten development, and tasted disgustingly of flour. It was okay toasted and smothered in garlic so we struggled through it, but it really didn't taste good. I figured the issue was the flour to wet ingredient ratio so I tried a different recipe.

Pic of attempt one:

Round two was this guy. I again followed the measurements precisely, although learning from the tasty recipe I preheated my dutch oven with the oven itself, and put the dough straight in once it had come up to temperature. Although the dough was a better texture while working with it, the flavor was even worse this time - we threw it straight in the trash.

Round three I went with the same recipe from #2, but this time I tried bread flour instead of all-purpose. I also kneaded a bit more than last time. The outcome was, once again, a good looking loaf, but although it's less flour-tasting it's still not good by any standards. It's also lost a bit of the nice crunchy shell from the first try - it just feels hard now, rather than crisp. I think I cut it open too early which is why the inside is a bit sticky looking, that's my bad.

Pic of attempt three:

I will say my method of proofing is a bit unorthodox - I basically cocoon the bowl with the dough in it inside a nest of blankets with a heading pad. It's winter here in New England USA and getting the dough to rise is nearly impossible in ambient temperatures. I haven't seen any weird cooked textures developing at the bottom of the bowl so I don't think it's an issue of proofing temp, but I can't be sure. The rising seems to loosely match the suggested sizes/timing as in the recipes so to my untrained eye all seems good there.

My other outstanding theory is maybe the taste is due to kneading - I've tended to knead less than the recipe calls for because I get a nice, smooth, elastic ball in only about 2 minutes of kneading instead of 5. Could under-kneading cause problems?

Am I missing anything? It's getting expensive to throw all these loaves in the trash - I need to see improvements soon or my mom's going to stop letting me try!


texts: Frozen Kefir Grains Seem Dead...Any Suggestions?

texts:
My kefir grains were frozen by accident when the temp in my fridge was turned way down.  I turned the temp back up, and after a couple of days took my grains out to culture a fresh batch of milk.  After two days, however, I still have milk with kefir grains at the bottom.  They don't seem to be doing their job anymore.  Should I throw them out or wash them off and try again with new milk?

I don't have any more grains, so I'd hate to lose this batch!  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!


texts: Carbonized oil when seasoning carbon steel

texts:
I've been trying to season my 11 7/8" Matfer Bourgeat Carbon Steel pan, with mixed success. The first time I did it, I had this weird patch of my pan that wasn't very nonstick, so I scrubbed off the bad part and tried again.

The last time I did it, I added about 1/3 cup of soy oil (smoke point around 320F) to the pan and put it over medium heat on a gas burner for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, I noticed that the sides of the pan were pretty amber colored, but the middle was still kind of metallic looking. At that point, I dumped some oil out and let it sit at medium heat for about three minutes. I looked away for not more than 30 seconds and my pan had developed this black, carbonized, sticky film of oil on the middle and some of the sides of the pan. (Picture included)

I'm not sure how to proceed from here. I'm thinking I will have to clean it off the film. To do this, I'm thinking of heating the pan with water, and a bit of vinegar, before taking the heat off and adding some baking soda. Then I would hit it with scotch bright and steel wool (fingers crossed that should work). But from there, I don't know what I should do differently to get a even, amber seasoning to my pan.

Any suggestions for how to clean this off, and what to do differently in the seasoning proccess would be much appreciated.

Thanks :)

Update: I have looked around a bit, and I see that I should have:

Used thinner coats of oil, let them cool, and repeat several times.
Expect the actual color change to happen as the pan is cooling.

However, I wonder how much oil I actually should use for a pan this size. 1/3 cup is definitely too much.


texts: I need to keep blacks beans and rice warm.

texts: In about an hour I need to leave with a pot of black beans and rice. I don't have a crock pot, but I do have a cast iron pot with lid. To keep it all warm can I put it in an iron pot, and put it in the oven at 375F. Am I going to burn it if I leave it there for an hour? Should I lower the temperature?


texts: Pemmican -- how was it prepared without metal tools?

texts:
The wikipedia article states that "The meat was cut in thin slices and dried, ...".

Well so, but how would the people who chased a heard of grazers down a cliff some 10k years ago cut the meat into thin slices to dry?

I have difficulties cutting meat into thin slices even with modern high performance steel knives.

What am I missing?


texts:
I am new to the process of making tortillas from corn, I understand that the nixtamalization process and using heirloom corn are important to make traditional tortillas. I do not want to use pre-nixtamalized and ground corn, and am attempting to do it from scratch. Living in Canada makes this process difficult as most companies will ship within the US but not to Canada. I have found a local producer of Native corn that would be appropriate for this product, but the corn is fresh.
So, can fresh corn be nixtamalized for tortillas, or must it be dried and then processed accordingly?


texts: What are the primary differences between Ethiopian and Eritrean food?

texts: As far as I can tell based on restaurants in the US, the cuisines of Ethiopia and Eritrea are quite similar. Are there any characteristic differences between the two, or dishes that belong strongly to one and not the other?


texts: When you wet or dry cure fish does all of the fat come out with the water?

texts: When you dry cure fish a lot of water comes out.  Does the water include all the fat from the fish or does that remain inside?


texts: How do I adapt to grilling without a lid?

texts:
If a recipe explicitly asks to grill with the lid on (for example this jerk chicken), but I'll be grilling on a grill without a lid on one of those ubiquitous rectangular park grills, how should I adapt?

I know I'll need more turning to get more even heat, but is there anything else I should do?


texts: Which wines have a strong, bitter flavor?

texts:
I experimented with adding wine and dark chocolate to a sauce. The result was generally OK, but the wine was not strong enough in comparison to the chocolate, I would have liked more of its taste to come through.

I knew that I will need a strong, assertive flavor for this combination, so I got a bottle of dry Cabernet Sauvignon, the label called it "spicy" and recommended it for dark sauces and beef dishes. But when I tried the wine, it turned out to be OK in taste, but too light for this application. I would have liked more bitterness and earthy notes, less fresh/sour taste.

What could have helped me find such a wine? Which grape variety (or region, for wines sold by region) would have been a better choice? Are there other signs which would have indicated such a taste? For example, I know that a Gran Reserva wine is supposed to have a better, smoother taste due to better production, but would it also have predicted a wine with a heavier taste? Would barrel-aged wine have had that taste?

If possible, I would like to hear about European wines, because I pay less for an European wine than for the same quality imported wine. But if you have continent-independent advice or can only name wines from other continents, that's still OK, there are lots of imports here.


texts: I notice that the popular Bormioli Rocco stoppered glass bottles have numbers on the bottom. Some higher quality ones I have are numbered "18" and some more recently bought ones have the number "14". Does anyone know what these numbers mean?


texts: Problems with my technique in making a Belgian Liege Waffle

texts:
I have been following a very nice recipe to the dot. However, I encounter some problems. My final texture is more similar to a bread than a waffle.

Is this because I use trimoline instead of honey? Some recipe use baking powder / diet sprite, what is this for?

Also, could I freeze the dough after I mix it with the pearl sugar? How long could the mix dough stay in the freezer?


texts: By what method, other than heat, can I cause the alcohol in a liquid to evaporate?

texts: If boiling and other heat methods cause a deterioration of flavor, What is the fastest way of accelerating the evaporation rate of alcohol in a liquid like beer?


texts:
Thanks for the view. I wanted to make this (recipie):

Got this far (not quite as in the picture but OK for a test, didn't have the right size piping nozzle ):

And then when I put them in the oven they completely melted going down to a depth of about 10mm, here is a picture of a remnant:

In terms of supporting information my skill level is home cook, quite happy making a huge mess in the kitchen to get a delicious meal for four together in about 2 hrs that gets compliments such as that was better than I expected.
As far as the recipe goes I boiled the potatoes until they were easily pierced by a knife, returned to the stove to evaporate moisture, used a potato rinser, added the butter (recipe called for one cup for a kilo of potatoes), seasoned and stirred it together. I went a bit off the recipe by simmering fresh cream and sliced truffle instead of using heavy cream as it was what I had to hand. The mashed potato tasted great and was properly cooked, nothing seemed wrong at this point.
I then produced the examples seen above in the second photo and placed these in the fridge overnight before expecting to put them in the oven (220 Celsius / 428 Fahrenheit, 20 mins) the next day and have them come out the same shape but cooked, this did not happen.
I've no idea what sort of potatoes I used but I did specifically say to the lady in the shop that these would be used for mashed potatoes (located in Spain if this has any bearing) and she told me which ones were best. As such I'm pretty sure I didn't use the wrong potatoes and didn't miss any ingredients that would naturally explain why the potatoes melted down to a thin layer (baking soda [probably not], yeast [never heard of yeast in mashed potato]) I'm pretty sure I've made an error so rookie it just doesn't occur to me.
I would like to know why the potatoes became completely flat and how to prevent this in the future please.

Here is the recipe I followed as suggested in the comments:
1 Boil the potatoes: Place potatoes in a medium to large pot (3 qt) and cover with a couple inches of cold water. Add a couple teaspoons of salt to the water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender (the tines of a fork easily pierce), about 20-25 minutes.
Did this
2 Melt butter, preheat oven: While the potatoes are boiling, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and set aside. You will use this butter to coat the potatoes right before they go in the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°.
Didn't do this, I brushed with olive oil, cold the next morning
3 Drain potatoes and let them release steam: When the potatoes are cooked, drain in a colander and put the potatoes back in the pot set over low heat. Allow them to release steam for a minute or so.
Did this but right after the potatoes were boiled
4 Mash with butter, then with spices and cream, then with salt and egg yolks: Add 2 tablespoons of butter and mash the potatoes until the butter has been incorporated. Add the nutmeg, black pepper, heavy cream and continue mashing the potatoes.
Didn't do this at all, instead I simmered sliced truffle and fresh cream for about 20 mins and stirred it in to the mash
5 Pipe onto a baking sheet, brush with melted butter: Using a piping bag with a large star point, pipe the potatoes onto a cookie sheet. Alternatively, you can just fill a casserole dish with the mashed potatoes, and use a fork to create lots of peaks on the surface.
Did this but used olive oil, not melted butter, piping nozzle was very small (8mm, star shape)
6 Bake: Bake in the 425°F oven until nicely browned, about 20 minutes.
Did this after leaving the finished piped potatoes in an oven dish in the fridge wrapped in cling film overnight


texts: Creaming butter seperately on its own, then adding the sugar and beating them together vs simply creaming butter and sugar together (the regular way)?

texts: Would there be any difference in the end result?  Usually you beat both the sugar and butter together but what if you instead, were to start by creaming  the butter on its own at first, then adding the sugar to the whipped butter and beating them  both together?  Thanks!


texts: Is a blowtorch suitable for browning/caramelising steamed food?

texts:
I have started using a microwave steamer to quickly cook the bulk of meals, including mushrooms, gem squash, sausages, steak. These specific examples are extra tasty when browned or caramelised (that is, when fried or baked instead of steamed) but of course that doesn't happen in the microwave.

I considered purchasing a blowtorch, but everything I read about blowtorches including here on Seasoned Advice limits them to specialised tasks such as creme brulee.

Can a culinary blowtorch be used as a general-purpose browning and caramelising tool for steamed food?


texts: Can I heat frozen waffles in the oven without a baking sheet?

texts:
Where I live I currently don't have a toaster, baking sheet, pan, or really anything that I could use as a container in the oven.

I'm starving and I'd like to heat up some frozen waffles and was thinking about just laying them down between the edges like in this picture:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Oven.agr.jpg

Is this safe/okay to do? I don't really know anything about cooking.


texts: Why does holding ice cream mix improve flavor?

texts:
Why does holding ice cream mix overnight prior to churning improve the flavor of ice cream when it is finally made?

This is true, empirically in my experience, even for simple Philadelphia style ice creams with very simple flavorings such as vanilla and coffee.


texts: Chinese Chilli Oil for high heat cooking

texts:
I recently made Chinese Chilli Oil (with sunflower oil) and loved the flavour it brings into other dishes. I'm thinking of high heat stir frying with this oil.
Will high heat burn the chilli flavours in the oil? Should I just stick with adding some at the end of cooking to impart the flavour?


texts:
I moved to a new apartment and under the far left burner is a hole into the oven:

That is my pizza stone you are seeing through the hole.

I understand that the oven needs some ventilation, but this seems like it would cause a lot of heat loss. Indeed the burner and any pan sitting there get quite warm while the oven is in use, I can boil water with the excess heat if a kettle is left there long enough (and the oven is very hot, like when I bake bread).


texts: What is a substitute for mascarpone cheese?

texts: I've found mascarpone cheese can be pricey. What would be a good (in taste and price) substitute?