texts: freezer broke and i did not find out until all the items, meatballs in a bag, vegetables had defrosted, however, there was still ice and ice water from the ice accumulated during the months and the temperature outside and in garage was in the teens for 2 weeks. i am saying the temp in the broken freezer was just above the freezing temp, i think.  Would the vegetable and meatballs, chicken, and pork chops be safe to eat, i did refreeze them when i discovered the problem.


texts:
I recently brought a whole 2KG bag of carrots. They seemed fine the day I brought, but eventually, the skin of the carrot evolved to a black layer. However, when I peeled them off, the carrot looks perfectly fine. Is it good to continue using these carrots ? Are there any precautions that I have to take to store them ?

Please find the reference images.

This is how most of the carrots now look :

After peeling the carrots that are black :


texts: What is the advantage of a roux over a raw flour slurry, in sauce?

texts:
My standard Bechamel sauce recipe used to be:

Stir together flour and oil into a paste
Fry for a short while
Add a small amount of milk
Heat and stir until incorporated
Repeat steps 3-4 with increasing amounts of milk, until the mixture is a thick liquid
Add rest of milk and boil until thickened

But recently I've got lazy and been doing it like this:

Whisk flour with enough cold milk to make a thin paste with no lumps.
Add to pan of cold milk and stir.
Bring to boil, stirring occasionally
Boil until thickened

The roux method requires a lot of care and attention. The second method just requires half an eye on the pan.

But roux is a mainstay of classical cooking. What is its advantage?


texts: What percent of the inside lining of the Instant Pot actually stainless steel?

texts: I’ve tried 2 intant pots and both pitted with first use. The 2nd pot I never added salt to the recipe, made the squash soup recipe from the booklet and used vegan liquid buillion and washed pot immediately after cooking, and ALREADY pits have formed! I find this unacceptable. My stainless steel pots I’ve used for 20 yrs have never pitted or corroded even with salt added to recipes. How much stainless steel is used in the lining of the pot?  If no salt is used there should NOT be corroded spots. This is absolutely unacceptable for a promoted “stainless steel” product. I know it’s made in China but is the steel lining like 1% steel? Is there any quality control in the manufacturing? The lining cooks off into the food, I don’t want metal in my food even if some deem it safe.


texts: How soft does a Kohlrabi get when cooked?

texts: I'm told Kohlrabi will soften when cooked, but I cut it in medallions and it still seemed really firm after stir-frying. How soft can I expect it to get?


texts:
I have a recipe for a brine that says to include a bunch of parsley when adding the ingredients to the boil. My question is, do I add the parsley whole, with the stems, or should I still separate the leaves?

It also includes thyme so the same question for that, too.


texts:
I'm looking to make some of these DIY pot noodles or "pot ramen" or whatever folk might call them. I've got a load of ideas for what to put in them but no idea how safe it will be to eat given the minimal cooking that's available by just pouring boiled water. So, can anyone advise if any of the following ingredients pose any risk if they are simply soaked in water and not drained or heated in any sustained fashion?

Vermicelli Noodles
Water Chestnuts
Bean Sprouts
Miso Paste

The Vermicelli I can find here in the UK all suggests that it needs to be soaked and drained. Is it safe to eat them with the water they were soaked in? Are there other kinds of noodles that can be prepared using only boiling water (which would then become some sort of "miso soup" in the blend of things)?

Food safety is the ultimate factor for me, I'm emetophobic so anything which could cause food poisoning will make me paranoid as hell.


texts:
I have an onion soup recipe that calls for dry white wine.

Can I replace the dry white wine with simple white cava/lambrusco?

NOTE: I'm aware that there are a number questions regarding substitution of wine, but they seem to refer to non-alcoholic substitutes so none of them mention alcholic alternatives.


texts: How long can you store used cooking oil then re-use it? I deep fried a turkey one year ago and have had it refrigerated since.


texts: i was cooking some dessert today which contains milk as a primary ingredient. While cooking I started to notice that powder ingredients weren't dissolving in the milk. After a while under heat they dissolved, but I noticed what looked like soap bubbles. We usually use Fairy Soap for washing kitchen tools and Clorox. Now I'm concerned if we can eat what I've made or if it poisoned. The soap came out of the tool I was using to cook the dessert.


texts: what is a required temperature of water for foaming of yeast??

texts: What is the exact temperature of water for the foaming of yeast while baking because when i use cold it is does not activated similarly on hot water.


texts: Could I use beer instead of/as well as water in my sourdough?

texts: The sourdough recipe I use calls for 300ml of water to 500g of bread flour (along with the starter). Instead of this water, could I use beer - or a combination of beer and water? The reason I thought this would be possible is because the beer would add taste and air to the sourdough. Along the same lines of adding more air to the sourdough, would sparkling water be a good idea, if beer is not?


texts: Can dry roasted squash be used effectively for gnocchi?

texts:
I roasted an entire pumpkin (specifically, a triamble variety). It was cut into large pieces and roasted with oil in an oven. I ended up leaving it to cool in the oven which I guess was a mistake because the pumpkin dried out considerably. I'd say it resembles in texture roasted chestnut: dense, a little chewy, and definitely flour-y.

That said, it has great flavor and a vibrant color. It's just that it can't be used in many recipes that expect a squash with more moisture.

I was thinking of perhaps using it to make gnocchi but most recipes I've found for squash gnocchi assume that it will be providing most of the moisture for the dough.

I've already used it successfully in chunks over a salad but would like to incorporate it into gnocchi.


texts:
I used to live in Britain and I'm familiar with using Double Cream (48%+ fat) in all my recipes. However I moved to Canada a year ago and double cream doesn't seem to exist in North America. This has resulted in many of my recipes failing with the 35% heavy whipping cream as it doesn't whip quite thick enough; it won't hold up my cake tiers, and it goes oddly foamy in my pastries. Yet I've seen strongly thickened cream in stores and bakeries, so how are they thickening it?

I've tried googling this and have tried a few things, such as boiling the cream, and I've also tried adding corn starch (unless you want dry floury cream, never do this). I've also seen a couple of mentions of gelatin and stabilizers but don't know if that's the correct direction.

I'm starting to think I should buy my own cow. Any cream experts out there who can help?


texts: Why do my English muffins have such a tough crust?

texts:
I'm new to the baking of English muffins. I follow the recipe for sourdough English muffins published on YouTube by Culinary Exploration. After accounting for the 100% hydration of the starter, the recipe calls for about 62% hydration. The procedure involves pre-baking in an open skillet to form a light crust followed by oven baking to finish the center. I use Sir Galahad flour from King Arthur, which contains 11.7% protein.
My EMs taste great and the crumb is exactly what I want, but I get a paper-thin outer crust which is very tough to bite through and chew. The crust seems to be the same on both sides of the muffins; i.e., there's no distinction between the side that was exposed vs the side that was against the parchment paper during proofing. Lowering the heat of the skillet and the oven has no discernible effect, other than reducing browning. The crust does soften a bit with storage, but it's still too rugged.
I fear that changing hydration will alter the thickness to diameter proportions of the muffins. Any other suggestions?


texts: I'm making kosher dill pickles which calls for one clove of garlic.I have some fresh and wonder if fresh or dried garlic cloves is stronger in flavor


texts: How to prevent flies sticking to hood fan lightbulb guard?

texts: I hope this is not OT. I'm struggling mightily with little flies and other bugs getting stuck all around my hood fan but the worst part is the lightbulb guard. Is there anything that can be done about preventing it? My hood fan (which does vent outside, luckily) is exposed to my oil rich cooking and resulting fumes although I do clean it regularly.


texts: What pH range is suitable for cooking on teflon?

texts: We shouldn't cook acids, alkali and concentrated salts on teflon. But what are exact numbers? Can I put a sour dairy stuff for on it example, like kefir (it's good to put it in pancakes) ? Where is safe pH range?


texts: My cookie dough is falling apart. What should i do? I have tried everything! Including more flour, more milk, more everything but its exactly the same!


texts: Are electric kettles a good choice for tea?

texts:
From my experience, electric kettles stop only when the water is at a rolling boil, which is bad because:

The water loses oxygen when at a rolling boil
If you make teas other than black or herbals (like white, oolong or green) you may bruise the leaves with boiling water

So are electric kettles recommended for tea making?


texts: Is it easy to make my own Vanilla Sugar?

texts:
Some background: We had some visitors from Austria recently and they wanted to make a cake.

The cake called for a couple of ingredients not terribly easily obtainable locally and which I am not too familiar with. Quark and vanilla sugar. We understand from our friends these are pretty much staples in Austria. But we had to track them down.

We are experimenting with the left-over vanilla sugar in fruit crumbles and various other recipes where sugar is required.

Turns out vanilla sugar has a pleasant delicate sugary vanilla taste. But the product just seems to be caster sugar with a vanilla pod inserted.

When we run out can we carry on "making" more by just sticking a vanilla pod in 500g of sugar. Does it require a certain amount of time for the vanilla to infuse into the sugar? Is there anything more to it than that, or is it that simple?

P.S. The cake was called Topfengugelhupf, in case anyone is interested.


texts: How long can you keep tuna in jar with olive oil

texts:
Someone sent me tuna in olive oil from a delicatessen shop via post in a box. When I received the package the safety button of the jar was off (you could squeeze it). Due to this I was hesitant to eat it but when I opened it there was no bad smell and put it in the fridge immediately.

My question is, assuming that it was kept in room temperature during transit for about 3-4 days with the safety button in the jar released is it safe to eat it ?

Does fish stay fresh in olive oil even in room temperature ?

It is a really expensive and tasty product and I just don't feel like throwing it away.


texts: How do I make sugar-free ice cream without a machine?

texts: I want to make ice cream at home for diabetics without a machine. I'd want it to be sugar-free. What kind of base ingredients should I use? Will the any of the no machine methods here be better or worse, or require modification, since I'm not using sugar?


texts: I want to make a turkish delight syrup for topping purposes! So i can pour it over my ice cream! Any idea on how to make this?


texts: How to keep cake topper from toppling over

texts:
I have a wedding cake to do this weekend and the bride wants each cake tiers on separate tree stump.  The top tier will be a 6 inch layer with a 4 inch layer.  The tree stump for this top layer the bride wants the tree stump height to be 20 inches tall.  But the cake topper is a Burlap heart shape with the base of 2 1/2 inches wide.

The topper is 6" tall and I'm using buttercream frosting for the cake.

What can I do so that the cake topper will not topple over?  I thought about using white chocolate to adhere it to, but don't have any way to heat the chocolate when setting it up.  It's an outdoor wedding with no electricity.  I suggested to the bride that she let me glue the topper to a dowel rod but the bride doesn't want anything screwed or glued to the base.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciate.


texts: How long can a can of food be kept in fridge before opening?

texts: I put a can of unopened pork n beans in fridge to get cold for next day and they were pushed to the back and fogoten. How long will they be ok to eat,?


texts: What’s the science behind thenkuzhal (its a crispy snack, crispy hollow tubes)?

texts: How/why does the hollow form inside this crispy snack? It is made from rice flour dough. For more details please check https://kalaskalai.wordpress.com/2015/12/20/thaenkuzhal-murukku/


texts: What is the difference between jus and stock?

texts:
They seem to be made very similarly.

They both can be made from bones, veg etc. I know technically au jus refers to using the juices of the meet that you're cooking but i've seen people make a "jus" with bones and offcuts... which sounds exactly like what you do for a stock.

Is it because people add things like wine to a jus where a stock is usually just meat, bones and veg?

What's the difference?


texts: How can I prevent a thick layer of tikka marinade on my chicken?

texts: I make chicken tikka on and off and I normally marinade the meat for over 24 hours every time I do it. I notice that, after grilling the chicken it still has a cake-like coating. I have noticed this regardless of whether I use yogurt in my marinade or not. Is there anything I could do to get more of a drier, less cakey coating in the end product?


texts: My mother would dust her rising dough with flour and cover it with a dish cloth, today everyone uses oil. Which works better? What's the difference?


texts: Caulk gun-like dispenser for whipped cream

texts: What are some good solutions for dispensing whipped cream into swirls in a consistent fasion, maybe a specific shape etc.?  I was envisioning something just like a caulk gun where you fill the container with your cream and then squeeze out of it.  I tried googling buy all I got were pressurized cartridge bottles for making whipped cream.  I don't want it to make whipped cream, just squeeze out little swirls.


texts: Are there differences when working with light-colored palm sugar versus dark?

texts:
Depending where I get my palm sugar from, it's either light brown colored and quite hard (pictured left), or a very dark brown color and much softer (on the right).

Are these different types of palm sugar? I sometimes note the one on the right is called coconut palm sugar and comes from Singapore. The one on the left looks Vietnamese.

Are either suitable for recipes calling simply for palm sugar?


texts:
As someone who has been counting calories and trying to minimize caloric and fat intake for several months I have to ask this question.

Why is it that drinks but not food can have 0 calories?


texts: I have a 1kg beef brisket, still in store packaging, sitting at room temp for 24 hours. Is it safe?


texts: How long do you cook the vegetables in a pasta salad recipe?

texts: Pasta salad is pasta cooked until soft with vegetables and an Italian dressing. I assume I need to boil the vegetables separately, but am blanking on how long is appropriate. Thoughts?


texts: I am baking a canned sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving. The recipe calls for the dish to be baked at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Problem is my other sides call for an oven temperature to be 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Is it possible to put the sweet potatoes in at 350 degrees and just bake a little longer?


texts: How can I extract color from food ingredients that won't add flavor when making mocktails?

texts:
I want to extract color from anything like flowers, fruits, powders, etc, to make a colorful mocktail to drink!

It's important that the produced color doesn't change the taste of the drink. (so less flavor is better).

My goal is to get colors like green and purple.

How can I do this?


texts: I don’t know if suet is the right term but I think i think chicken has those white bits which are referred to as suet in meat.  What parts of chicken has this?  I think I like it.


texts: can anyone explain why oil separation in a curry is indicator that the food is cooked?

texts: I'm addicted to curries and recently I participated on an internet discussion about oil separation in a curry. It is conventional wisdom that oil separation in a curry indicates the food finished cooking and that everything is ready. I take this for granted, but what I am really looking forward to is a technical explanation in english for this event. How exactly does the oil separation culminate with the finishing of cooking of the curry sauce and its ingredients?


texts: About 'sharpening"; do you PUSH OR PULL the blade across the stone?

texts: Do you PUSH or PULL the blade across the stone??


texts: Can I test my oven temperature without an oven thermometer?

texts: I've got a new oven, I haven't baked in it enough to really gauge its accuracy. Is there a way to test it without an oven thermometer?


texts: Are ice tea in bottles considered as carbonated drinks like coke?

texts:
Are ice tea bottles like Lipton considered to be carbonated drinks like coke and 7up?
I have issues in my GI (Gastro Intestinal) tract and I cannot tolerate coke and other carbonated drinks, I am just wondering if ice tea is a carbonated drink  that might cause me discomfort.


texts:
So I bought some Atlantic salmon 2 days ago and put it in the freezer soon as we got it from the grocery.

Anyways last night I put it in the fridge to thaw out for today, well today's plan's got moved around and I didn't have a chance to cook it.....so I put it back in the freezer.

Is this safe? (if I decide to dethaw it again for the fridge)?


texts: How can I remove a strange smell from the refrigerator?

texts: Sometimes I feel that my refrigerator has a strange smell when I open it. How can I remove this smell?


texts: Bread-machine recipes: are liquid ingredients fungible?

texts:
I've noticed that the recipes that came with my bread machine all have about the same ratio of liquid ingredients to flour: for a 1.5-pound loaf, 3 cups of flour is accompanied by 1 cup of water +2T oil, or 0.5 cup of water plus 2 eggs (+oil), or 1 cup of milk.  Does this generalize -- could I replace (some) water with oil, for example?  An egg with water or milk?  Are water, milk, oil, and eggs largely interchangeable by volume, or are there other trade-offs with respect to the chemistry involved?  (I'm not asking for judgements about taste.)

I ask because I'd like to start moving from following the recipes that came with the machine to broader experimentation, but I'm not very experienced with bread in general, let alone bread machines.  And most immediately, I want to make bread that brings out an olive-oil flavor, which existing recipes aren't doing for me.  (I have a pretty good feel for experimenting when cooking, but baking is a world unto itself.)


texts: Burn mark inside microwave - still safe to use?

texts:
I accidentally left a microwave running empty for approximately one minute and a part of the microwave's floor started to melt. The microwave now has a burn mark, as shown in the pictures below.

For testing purposes, I placed a cup full of water inside the microwave and turned it on. I could then verify that the microwave still works and that it has successfully warmed up the water.
Is it safe to keep on using a microwave in this state?


texts: Why is a grilled lamb chop tougher than stir fried beef strips or lamb stew?

texts: Why does a grilled lamb chop feel more tough compared to say stir fried beef strips or lamb stew?


texts:
Preface:

I am cooking a private dinner for 14. Americana themed, surf and turf is what they asked for the main entree. I want to cook bison. The only cut I could find in town in time was a tri tip. $15 per lb. So $60 later, roughly 4 oz. per person.

Requirements:

I want a perfect medium rare.
Tender/melt in your mouth bites.

My questions:

How do I obtain that maximum tenderness texture.
How long do I sous vide for?
Is there a significant difference between beef and bison?

I have 24 hours to play with the protein.
And I'm open to any suggestions.


texts: How can I create a varied (or at least tasty) menu for a 12 day hike whilst using as few ingredients as possible?

texts:
I'm going on a 12 day hike with my boyfriend in a couple of months. We'll be at a mountain station that has limited supplies (e.g. meat) for sale every couple of days, but ideally I want to carry as much food as possible (buying food in the wilderness is expensive!). We'll be walking 15-20 kilometres a day. We'll be cooking food on a small gas burner (can only cook one thing at a time).

I've never hiked for more than 3 days before and I'm at a loss on how to plan to feed the both of us for that length of time. Whatever I bring needs to be low on weight/space taken up, and yet be high in energy and nutritional content. And preferably so that I can use the same ingredients for different meals. I don't want to bring something that I'm only going to use once.

I hope this is on topic here, because I would really need advice on what to eat, how to plan a menu/eating plan, how to make the food taste good with limited resources/time.


texts: Does the "German" in "German chocolate cake" refer to the chocolate or the cake?

texts: A friend insists that the "chocolate" is the German part of German chocolate cake, the evidence being that there are no palm trees in Germany (for the coconut frosting). Is this correct?


texts: Should I rinse canned beans before using them?

texts:
Certainly, if I were making a salad with canned beans, I would thoroughly rinse them first. But if I'm making soup or chili with canned black beans or kidney beans, should I drain and rinse them first? Goya brand beans have recipes on the side of the can that call for undrained beans.

On the one hand, I've heard claims that using the liquid in the can will increase gassiness, and that in some brands it can contain a lot of sodium. But I've also heard that it contains lots of soluble fiber that is lost if drained. Is there merit to either of these claims? Are there other nutrients that get lost if I drain and rinse? I always feel bad throwing out anything edible.


texts: How far in advance can a vegetable filo strudel be made and kept in fridge?

texts: I would like to make a roasted vegetable filo pastry strudel 2 days in advance of cooking, is this OK or should it be made the day before?


texts: I need a substitution for Parmesan cheese

texts: I am doing bread in a jar for a gift basket. It calls for Parmesan cheese(beer bread)  what can i use for replacement if i have no Parmesan cheese. Is it necessary to add this ingredient?


texts: Best way to measure Spaghetti/Linguini portions?

texts: What's the best way to measure how much Spaghetti/Linguini is 1-portion. I know there are tools which basically measures the diameter of the bundle of dry spaghetti. But are there simpler tricks which don't require any tools?


texts: I'd like to know what techniques people have used for aging their steaks, i.e. dry or wet aging.


texts: Why would this pastry cream have an eggy smell?

texts:
I tried making a dairy free pastry cream but it came out with a strong eggy smell at the end.  I may not want to use it depending how bad the smell is after is cools completely in the refrigerator.

My ingredients were

2 cups organic almond milk

1/2 cup sugar

vanilla bean + touch of vanilla extract

2-1/2 table spoons corn starch

4 egg yolks

I did it exactly as you're supposed to, whisk egg yolks with sugar until light cream colour (actually added the cornstarch with sugar to this and whisked everything together)

Boiled almond milk  with vanilla, add some hot milk to egg mixture and whisk, then pour back into remaining milk.  Cooking for several minutes until thicken.

Anyway, 2 of my eggs were fresh, but two were duck eggs that that were a few weeks overdue, but I
ve used them in omelette recently and they were still ok.  And on cracking them open they looked and smelled ok.  (I read duck eggs have thicker shell so last a bit longer than chicken eggs)

Do you think the two eggs that were a bit older was enough to make the pastry cream a strong egg smell?

Or was it maybe that I did not have enough fat content in the milk (due to the fact I used almond milk) that caused this effect?

I made pastry cream once before with whole milk and it did not have this smell.


texts:
Today, I tried 3 different ways to make boba/tapioca pearls from scratch, and while the third time sort of worked I never got a "dough" that was of a playdoh consistency.
In reading several articles/recipes on the internet:

Joshua Weissman Video
Scientific American Article
Instructables Article

All use moderately different techniques, the essential technique appears to be:

Mix hot water and tapioca starch together, in approximately correct proportions, and you will get a playdoh-like doh.

All three of our attempts were with boiling water with brown sugar, and varying degrees of tapioca.
The first two were horrible non-newtonian liquid pieces, that were impossible to form.  i.e. once we stopped applying pressure they oozed everywhere but had zero pliability.
Our third attempt, we let the brown sugar and water boil for a while (but not to a syrupy consistency) and that seemed to do better.  It was manipulatable, but definitely NOT "playdoh" like consistency.  Additionally, after about 10 minutes it was hard as a rock.  We found 10 seconds in the microwave helped make it moderately pliable again, but again, nothing close to the consistencies we were seeing described or observed in the videos.
I'd like suggestions on how to improve.  Various thoughts that have come to mind include:

Is there something wrong with our general approach here?
Are there "known" techniques for getting the right consistency?
Heat is pretty clearly important, is it just heat, or do proportions matter?  Are there "sweet spots" in ratios of ingredients?
Does heating a partially dissolved starch help?  Some recipes do that, some don't.  I haven't found a clear discussion of how different techniques help/hinder the process.


texts: How to make a Hungarian Túró Rudi at home?

texts:
I want to make some Túró Rudi for a Hungarian friend. Túró Rudi is a chocolate sweet available to buy in Hungary, and vast numbers are sold every year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%BAr%C3%B3_Rudi

The outside is easy, it's just chocolate. The tricky part is the inside, which has the consistency of the inside of a Bounty (coconut) bar for those that know it. the centre is white firm and sweet, but in the Túró Rudi it is made with cottage cheese (Túró) and sugar, but how can I make a firm, sugary centre out of cottage cheese? I've had them in a restaurant so they can certainly be made in a kitchen.

I've searched and searched for a recipe, but I cannot find one. I'm happy to experiment, and any help is welcome.


texts: I just got myself a new wooden board. I have been told to put some olive oil onto it and let it sink in for a few hours first. But now I'm reading from sources that I should be instead using mineral oil. Which is true? Is it ok to use Olive oil?


texts: What natural emulsifier can I use for almond milk?

texts:
I am a vegan and I make my own raw almond milk (blend soaked almonds, strain through a nut milk bag).

The trouble comes when I want to warm the milk for a warm drink or to put in my coffee - if it gets too hot the fat separates from the liquid part and it's really gross. It loses its flavour too.

Is there a natural, vegan emulsifier I can use that will stop this from happening?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Is there any way to remove stains (e.g. from curries and pasta sauces) from plastic containers?

I find that when storing curries or tomato based sauces in the freezer they stain the tupperwear and also leave a lasting smell. Is there a tupperwear that avoids this and how do I best clean tupperwear to get rid of the colour and smell?


texts: My black glutinous rice is not chewy at all?

texts:
I need some advice, I bought some Black Thai glutinous rice, but it just isn't getting the right texture.
I have:

soaked it overnight
soaked it over 2 nights
boiled it
slow cooked it
steamed it

I have tried various times from 1 hour up till 6 hours for the above.
No matter what I do, the texture isn't right. It's crunchy on the outside, like it has a shell but it's soft on the inside. It's not chewy and soft at all unfortunately.
The bag says it's glutinous rice. Could it be it's labelled wrong?
Any tips and insights would be helpful!


texts: How to mimic Giordano's Pizza CRUST at home ? (part 1)

texts:
Yesterday I indulged in a real luxury, I had Giordano's Pizza, (from Chicago) delivered to me in Oklahoma. It takes two days notice and six hours to thaw the pizza before you can 'finish' baking it; BUT OH IT IS WORTH IT...

Of course, what would be better is if I could make Giordano's style pizza at home. There are really only two things I need to accomplish this, the CRUST and the sauce (part 2). How do you make a deep dish pizza crust that will mimic Giordano's?

The crust at Giordano's is in (what I would call) the 'hand tossed' thickness, but when baked is 'substantial enough' to hold up the (considerable weight) of the pizza but is not 'too crispy'. It browns up nicely on the outside and on the top layer (is this possibly a 'different crust') it bakes thoroughly while inside the pizza. (possible 'technique' sidebar: should the pizza be partially baked before the top most layers of sauce and cheese are added?). When I have tried to make this style of pizza at home the crust has either failed to bake through, when burnt on the outside it isn't 'done' (too doughy) on the inside.

(note: this 'recipe request' falls under the "restaurant mimicry" rule for Seasoned Advice)


texts: Can chicken not completely cooked then cooled be fully cooked later?

texts:
I cooked some chicken but didn't realise it hadn't completely cooked through. It then went in the fridge and a day later I cut through it to discover the problem.

Is it now safe to put that chicken in the oven to finish cooking it or am I risking major health issues?


texts: Store bought Frozen Chicken Breast inc added water

texts:
I bought the above and the package says 'oven cook from frozen, if allowed to defrost reduce cooking time accordingly'.

If allowed to defrost safely, can I shallow fry it in a wok, or HAS it got to be oven cooked?


texts: Difference between Pancakes and "Kaiserschmarrn"?

texts: Is there a difference between pancakes and Kaiserschmarrn from Austria?


texts: Our yellow squash has some brownish discoloration inside in a ring down that extends length-wise. Is this normal variation and safe to eat, or is this an indicator that the squash has gone bad?


texts:
I've recently bought cheese extract (or essence - the seller didn't know the difference and the bottle says 'cheese flavour' and smells like a room full of cheddar).

I've never used it before but was sure there was something online for how to use it - but I can't find a thing. I just find recipes using cheese.

I imagine it's probably used to enhance the cheese flavour of dishes that can't afford to use much cheese but are their recipes that just use it as a flavour enhancer? My sister recently became dairy free (these diet fads are the bane of every family cook)and I thought it would be nice for her to have some flavours she likes.

Please help!

Best regards,

Amber


texts:
My wife's diet breakfast includes a pancake made only with:

one egg;
one spoonful of oat flour.

I also add two spoonful of water. I have tried different procedures to make it the best possible.

The best, so far, is to combine the yolk with the sifted oat flour and the water in one cup, whip the egg white with the planetary mixer for five minutes and finally mix all together. I cook the pancake on the electric crepe maker at 75% power, covered, until the top starts to dry, which takes about 10 minutes, then I turn it on the other side and cook for a couple of minutes.

It is still not satisfactory: if I cook it less, it deflates; if I keep it more, it is no longer soft. Maybe I should cook faster, but in this case the bottom burns and the top and the center remain too moist, flattening completely when I turn it. Using less water seemed to have a harder result. I still have to find the sweet spot.

I made at least 30-40 pancakes until now, but since the "search space" is so big, I need some directions: for example maybe when I used less water I made some other mistake, and dismissed an otherwise good idea.

Is the egg enough to keep the structure once the air cools down, or the missing sugar or gluten would have a role in it, so their absence is important, so I have to add some?

Maybe should I try to cook it in the oven?

I know the starting temperature of eggs has a role in whipping, but can it make the pancake deflating?

As it inflates correctly as is, would baking powder help? How much should I use?

Any advice would be appreciated.

P.S.: my wife is lactose intolerant, so I cannot add milk.

P.P.S.: excuse me for my English, it's the first time I write about cooking and I'm almost sure some words will be wrong: I would also appreciate corrections of them.


texts: How does invert sugar reduce crystallization in ice creams?

texts: I have often read that invert sugar reduces crystallization in ice creams. But why would that be? Wouldn't dextrose/glucose also offer the same benefits that invert sugar offers?


texts: Is it safe to heat a sauce pan containing a glass bowl over an electric cooktop?

texts: I screenshot 0:16. Won't the heat damage, shatter or explode the glass bowl? I'm not affiliated with that YouTube channel "missevabakes".


texts: I have a French Coconut pie recipe that calls for 1/2 cup butter. Could I replace it with condensed milk instead?

texts: I have a coconut pie recipe that uses 1/2 cup butter and 3 eggs.  Could I replace some of the butter with condensed milk?  Any other substitutes besides margarine?


texts: Domestic, fresh taste-alike for an Italian coffee

texts:
My wife is from Italy, and she got me hooked on this absolutely gorgeous coffee called Lavazza Qualita Oro. I love it, but unfortunately getting a fresh bag here in the United States is really hit or miss.

I'm told that in order to be a REAL coffee fan, I need to get beans roasted in the last week. Fair enough - so, if I like Lavazza Oro, which is a medium roast with a bold, caramely aroma and a creamy, rich body, what should I look at?


texts: Method of canning without pressure canner?

texts: I'm debating canning but I don't have a pressure canner. I was just wondering what the best method to can would be since I don't want to get botulism and I want the canned food to last for a long time.


texts: How do I lessen the effects of thickening caused by roux?

texts:
I recently made slow roasted pork shoulder in the oven. I cooked the pork at 225F for 12 hours and after it was done roasting, I took the juices at the bottom of the pan and made gravy with it.

I did this by chilling the juices for a little while, and skimming the fat off the top. I got about 1.5 tbsp of fat out of that. I combined an additional 1 tbsp of butter and 2.5 tbsp of flour into it and cooked it until it was a dark brown. Then I added the juices into the roux along with some stock.

At first I tried the gravy and it tasted magnificent. Great mouth feel and concentrated meat flavor. But I noticed that it got thicker and thicker. So I added more stock into the gravy to thin it down. Eventually I got it to the thickness I liked by adding more stock. But tasting the gravy again, it had nowhere near the glory it had before the addition of stock.

Note that I don't really want answers that focuses on the pork roast or gravy making aspect. I only added that information as background information. I'm not too interested in fixing the already diluted gravy I have. I'm more interested in knowing if I could have done something else originally to lessen the thickening caused by the roux in my gravy.


texts: What is the meaning of the term whole grain?

texts:
Often I have read that whole grains are healthy.
So, what is a whole grain and what is a non-whole grain?

The Pasta I have says "Durum wheat" as the ingredient. What should I understand by that?


texts: How long can I keep a chicken carcass and still make stock from it?

texts:
I bought a whole chicken for dinner two days ago.  Immediately after quartering it, I put it back into a zip-top bag and put it in the bottom of the fridge.  So, roughly around 40 hours ago.

I'd like to make stock with it today.  And insight on whether or not I should move forward?


texts: The rennet tablets I have are for large quantities of milk, 50 litres, much larger batches than I would ever make at home. However, separating out a tenth of a tablet is finicky and inaccurate, so I thought it might be better to dissolve half of or a quarter of a tablet in water, and doing the math to add the correct equivalent quantity of rennet solution each time. Can this reconstituted rennet be stored, if so, how and for how long?


texts: Why does boiling water make dough taste sweet?

texts:
I was experimenting on dough for chapathi, which is basically wheat tortilla. This is how I normally prepare it,
Mix whole wheat flour and salt with room tap water, often 20 to 30 degree Celsius .
Knead with oil until I get a consistent dough.
Immediately press with a rolling pin and cook in a pan
In this method, the product is often crisp, never fluffy and no particular taste.
But today I experimented with hot boiling water as I read recently it denatures protein in food, which prompted me to experiment.
When I cooked my chapathi, those were extra tender but more importantly, it was very sweet, even though I added salt .
I hope to find a scientific explanation to this phenomenon.


texts: I was bought a paella pan for my birthday. It had a small label on it with only the brand name on, which I've since washed off. It is steel (I think), with rubberised handles and dozens of concentric dimples on the surface. I was wondering what these impressions were for and by extension, what makes a really good pan for making paella in?


texts: At what temperature does simple syrup freeze?

texts: I would like to freeze mint flavored simple syrup into ice cubes, and store them for a while. I tried this with a 2 to 1 simple syrup and it did not freeze at all.  Would this work for 1 to 1 simple syrup?


texts: Does cooking reset the expiry date of ingredients?

texts:
Assume I have the following ingredient all expiring tomorrow:

Mushrooms
Paneer (Cottage cheese)
Basmati rice

If I make a dish with these 3 ingredients (basically put rice, chopped mushroom,chopped paneer, water and some spices in a pressure cooker and wait for 2 whistles), is the expiry of these items somehow extended? Can I now keep this cooked dish in my fridge for another 1-2 days without going bad?


texts: How to peel, cut and prepare prickly pears without getting the thorns in your skin?

texts:
Peeling the cactus pear fruit, or better in known in some grocery stores as the prickly pear (or Tuna, Indian fig) can be painful, because of thorns on it. The skin of the fruit is covered in tiny needles (called glochids). They’re so thin that you don’t even feel them when they enter your skin. The problem is that they sting like crazy when you touch that area of the skin and are nearly impossible to find and pick out. They are also invisible if they fall onto the floor, counter or dish towel, so you can uknowingly get stuck even if you’re nowhere near a prickly pear.

So what methods do you use to peel prickly pears without pain? And how do you prepare it, to make sure that prickly pear thorns won't be lodged in the throat?


texts: How hot is the bottom of a pot of boiling water?

texts:
I need to put a plastic bag in a pot of boiling water.
The bag is rated to handle up to 200C (400F).
I will be using a stainless steel (or aluminum) pot on a gas stove.

I am worried that the temperature of the metal touching the plastic bag will go higher or near the limit of what the plastic can handle, and it may affect the plastic bag integrity or the safety of the food.

I suppose, water inside the pot should be bringing down the temperature to near boiling temperature.

I do not have any temperature measuring equipment.

Anyone before has measured the temperature of the metal inside the pot, preferably near the middle (at the hottest possible point) ?


texts:
After making my moussaka from a recipe online I couldn't help but notice that the bechamel didn't bubble when it was in the oven and when it was done the bechamel became chewy. What could be the reason for this?

Recipe for bechamel:
335ml milk (although I used this initially I found the bechamel to be VERY thick when making roux so I added a tea cup of milk while making the roux)

1 small onion

salt and pepper, to taste

35g butter

35g flour

50g mozzarella cheese, for topping


texts: How can I substitute Tender Quick® for pink salt + kosher salt?

texts: I have a recipe for pastrami that calls for 1 T of pink salt + 3/4 cup of kosher salt. I don't have access to pink salt or saltpeter, but I do have Morton® Tender Quick®. I imagine that I can use the Tender Quick® in place of the pink salt and reduce the kosher salt, but I don't know how much to use or how much to reduce the salt. Is there a standard conversion?


texts:
I made two small packets, boiled 2 cups of water, then put in 8 oz of frozen pineapple filled with cold water the rest of the way to the 2 cups mark.

The Jello sat in the fridge overnight and today it wasn't set. I put in a big packet of mix and a cup of boiling water. 4 hours later it is still not set.

What can I do?


texts:
Starbucks' frappuccino has a fairly smooth consistency and mouth-feel.  When I attempt to make something similar with my stick blender, I tend to end up with a layer of ice crystals floating on the top of the drink, which spoils the texture.

I've found that adding a banana seems to prevent this from happening.  Is there some chemical reason for this?  Does the Starbucks frappuccino mix have some additive for this purpose?


texts: Does a liquid need to cool under pressure in a whipped cream charger prior to serving or just be cold?

texts:
I have an iSi whipped cream charger. The directions for recipes almost universally call for you to put your liquid in the charger, charge with nitrous, and then let chill for 1 - 12 hours (depending on the recipe). I am interested in using the charger for a large amount of plates, and it won't be big enough for the full service.

Is the charge and then cool order important? Can I cool the liquid for the necessary time, put it in the cannister, charge, and then serve immediately? Does this change based on the type of foam you're making (i.e. whipped cream vs savory foam vs gelatin based foam)?


texts:
I'm planning to make the cake batter from scratch on Sunday, refrigerate it (not freezing!) for about 3 days, and bake it up on Wednesday. But I'm cramped for time on that day.

I've researched that the cake wouldn't rise as high, and one of bizcocho dominicano's known qualities is to be light. This probably isn't relevant, but I'm turning the cake recipe into a cupcake recipe.

What if I make the batter and leave out the baking powder until Wednesday? Then I can put the powder in and mix the batter so it can become fluffy again. Do you think this'll work? Will it still rise?


texts:
I want to have cooked rice in the morning when I wake up.

My plan is to prepare the uncooked rice before going to bed, add the water, set a timer and go sleep.

Is it possible to leave the rice and water in my rice cooker until a timer starts uo the cooking? Will soaking the rice overnight make it mushy?


texts:
Thanksgiving is getting closer and I want to cook a turkey. However, I want to cook a test turkey first.

Problem is, the turkeys in the grocery stores will be massive, and I just want to practice on a small turkey.

I was wondering if I can just use a chicken for practice? What do you do when you want to practice something before serving it to guests?


texts: 85% hydration tangzhong sourdough bread - what went wrong?

texts:
I tried Foodgeek's 85% hydration tangzhong sourdough bread recipe (video here, text here). I only made 2 changes to the recipe:

I used 100% bread flour (no whole wheat).
I don't have a banneton, so I put the shaped loaf in a small rectangular storage container to proof overnight. When I pulled it out of my fridge in the morning it looked like a puddle of dough with no structure. It also didn't seem to grow much if at all.

As you can see, I wound up with a flat, dense hockey puck that is practically raw inside. I don't think the picture even quite conveys how inedible this is. Any idea what went wrong?


texts: Stainless steel vs ceramic Enamel microwave ovens

texts:
I want to buy a convection microwave oven. I plan to buy either from LG or from samsung .Almost all LG products have stainless steel cavity and Samsung comes with ceramic enamel cavity. What is the difference between stainless steel vs ceramic enamel in terms of:

Durability
Ease of cleaning


texts:
So I was making a little holiday drink. Little nutmeg, cinnamon, a shot of brandy, and eggnog.

The eggnog was brand new, but when I poured it, I noticed it was chunky =/

I did not shake it before first pouring. Was this the cause of the chunky eggnog? Is the eggnog bad? What causes eggnog to be chunky?

End result for those curious: I threw it out and bought more without trying any. Why bother, right? Not worth getting sick. Am now happily enjoying non chunky eggnog.


texts: What can be used instead of cheese to help a grilled sandwich stay together?

texts:
Grilled sandwiches like paninis almost always have cheese in them, which is important both for taste and structure. The cheese works like glue to hold the bread together and keep the ingredients in place. You can make one without cheese, but it's logistically difficult (the insides fall out while cooking) and I find it a little empty without the texture filling all the gaps.

Are there some substitutes that will provide the same material benefit without being cheese? I've used roasted sweet potato to great success in quesadillas, but it's a very strong flavor that won't play well with a lot of sandwich types.


texts: Could you use a bread tin as a pate mould?

texts: I have bread tins and was wondering if they would work as pate molds? I'm just a little bit worried that they will rust. Also I have seen videos where youtubers line the mold with plastic to get the pate out of the mold easier, is there not a way to use something like "Cook and Spray" to stop the pate from sticking. I'm a little bit scared of the plastic melting.


texts: How do I iron-fortify homemade baby cereal?

texts:
I have been making baby cereal powder by grinding rolled oats, flax seed, and hemp seed into a powder. I prepare this cereal by adding water and heat.

Many commercial powdered baby cereals (and general breakfast cereals) are iron-fortified.

What can I add to my homemade dry powder to fortify it with iron?

Note: Please hold off posting any opinions. I'm looking for factual answers with links to reference data.


texts: What should I look for when I'm buying corn on the cob? We have a lot of roadside corn stands where we live, and I'm never sure how to pick the best ears.


texts: What do you look for to make sure that Conch is fresh?

texts: I recently saw a stew recipe for Conch and wanted to try it - I've never purchased it before from an actual fish market (only in cans).  What should I look for and any tips on cleaning would be great!!


texts: Why are we frying in the oil, but not in any other liquid? (besides the temperature)

texts: Yes, water is boiling at ~100°C (212 F), but boiling point also depends from the pressure. If we could achieve 180°C (350 F) for water, at very high pressure, could we fry something in that water? Or oil has any other characteristics, that are important for frying?


texts: Can an Angel Food Cake recipe be converted to cupcakes?

texts: I know "standard" cake recipes can be converted to cupcakes by adjusting bake time... is the same true for angel food cakes as well? Or do other things need to be changed as well? Thanks!


texts: Using a Dutch Oven as a Heavy Skillet replacement

texts: I don't own a large heavy skillet - the one I do own is small and can't hold much. Is using my Dutch Oven on the stove a reasonable replacement, if I leave the lid off?


texts: Is this batch of sauerkraut salvageable?

texts: In researching sauerkraut recipes, I saw one could make it in a crock pot or jar covered with cheesecloth. Not having a suitable jar & not wanting to use my crock pot, I'm using a bowl & cheese cloth, checking for mold every day. I got on this site to find out why it doesn't like any fermentation is happening & if I can rinse it because is very salty. It's been 11 days, the cabbage is still crunchy & there is no foam. After reading various posts (thank you, all!) I'm wondering if it's an experimental batch I should throw out.


texts: I bake these cookies every day but with varying results. It's a simple recipe where flour sugar and oats are combined and hot butter with baking soda are added. I sometimes add a little shortening to the dough. Today the butter solids got too hot and burnt the bottom of my saucepan while I heated the butter so I'm assuming the quantity of butter was reduced a little. I'm not too experienced a baker but I bake these for my restaurant very frequently.


texts:
While cooking a kielbasa in a toaster oven today, I noticed that periodically there would be flashes near the heating element. At one point there was a very large, bright flash of light and pop as though a flammable gas was being detonated. Some of the ignitions I was able to see in detail. Next to the heating element a small round flame would illuminate and waver then go out. It was obvious that some lighter than air gas was rising up and upon reaching a high enough concentration, igniting.

What gas would the kielbasa be emitting? My first guess would be methane, but why would a cooked kielbasa be giving off methane?


texts: How to set yogurt so that it doesn't get watery?

texts: The yogurt which I purchase from the market looks too perfect and intact. Is there some special trick which prevents the home made yogurt from getting watery?


texts:
My local Chinese restaurant (Happy Chef on King St, Sydney for anyone who's interested) does a very simple dish of a half crispy skin chicken, served with rice and a sauce that they call 'Santon sauce'. It's the most ludicrously tasty sauce I've come across, but I have no idea what the magic ingredients are. Here's what I know:

It's about the consistency of, say, fish sauce or wine.
It's a clear, pinkish red, about the colour and transparency you'd expect from a red wine vinegar.
It's quite sweet, a bit sour, moderately salty.
The non liquid ingredients are shredded chillies (which have probably soaking in the sauce for a while as far as I can see), shredded coriander (cillantro) and sliced spring onion (scallions).
It has a strong, almost pungent taste which I think comes from something other than the chillies (although they undoubtedly contribute).
I have a reasonably decent knowledge of oriental flavours, but there is at least one flavour component which I'm completely unable to identify, or even say what it's similar to (not helpful I know!). I think it's some sort of herb or spice, which does something similar to fenugreek in terms of its flavour curve (lots of presence in the aroma, initial taste, slow fade).

Santon sauce appears to be just a name used by this particular restaurant; I can't find reference to anything similar online. Does anyone recognise it or have any suspicions?

Ingredients it might contain:

Sweet rice wine
Rice wine vinegar
Fish sauce?

Ingredients it probably doesn't contain:

Soy


texts: What is the difference between making a cheesecake with confectioner's sugar vs. normal sugar?

texts: I would like to make a cheesecake with confectioner's sugar and though it's been awhile since I've made cheesecake, I believe I used normal sugar before. However, I only have confectioner's sugar on hand at the moment.


texts: What's the least messy way to prepare grapefruit?

texts: I usually cut it in half (through the equator) and eat it with a spoon but the juices tend to spray everywhere.  Is there a better way?


texts: I want to substitute liquid oil with a dry product

texts:
I would like to know if there is a dry food product available that is a good substitute for vegetable oil or butter.

I want to package dry mixes that I can take camping with me where hopefully all I would need is to add water to cook it.


texts: Mixing starches with sugar to make chewy candies

texts:
This is a bit of a Moby Dick for me. There is this candy, Gingerbon, that that has a very tough (for lack of a better word) chew to them. The texture is like a very chewy taffy that sticks to the nooks in your molars. However, it's resilient enough to not deform under moderate pressure.

The ingredients, listed in order, are simply sugar, tapioca starch, ginger, and vegetable oil.

I suspect the vegetable oil is used as a releasing agent for whatever mold is being used. This is simply based on the idea that the ingredients are listed in order of prominence but, since this is a candy made overseas, the order might not indicate anything.

The candy is mfg'd in Indonesia. I looked it up and found Permen Jahe but the recipes online seem to make something more akin to a gritty tootsie roll.

The only other potential candy that might resemble this in the States is Gin Gins (formerly known as Ginger Chews) by Ginger People. They only list 3 ingredients (no oil).

I'm not 100% sure on this but I believe starch gelatinization breaks down well before the soft-ball stage of sugar so boiling them together at the same time doesn't seem like the best option. Adding it towards the ends seems like a it would just make something akin to twizzlers since, again, it wouldn't have enough water to gelatinize. Adding a slurry of gelatinized tapioca to hot sugar seems like a recipe for disaster...

I would love to experiment but I don't really have the resources for it. Is there another way to get chewy candy with just starch and sugar?

Thanks.


texts: When you use a thermometer and poke a large hole in the meat, can you use the same hole to accurately gauge temperature later on?


texts: Why does my soufflé collapse in the oven?

texts:
I have now tried to make Bobby Flay's blackberry souffle twice, and both times, after initially rising beautifully, it collapsed completely while still in the oven. The results were inedible.

Does anyone have any idea how to prevent this disaster should I be brave enough to try this recipe a third time?


texts: What causes a cake to sink in the center?

texts:
I just pulled an Italian specialty cake out of the oven and was disappointed to see that it has sunk badly in the middle. It's not to be frosted or layered, so it might still be quite good, but what could have caused the sinking? Here's the recipe, but I deviated considerably in the making of the puree. Orange Olive Oil Cake

EDIT: It wasn't pretty, but it was awesomely good! Maybe the best tasting cake I've ever made. My guest loved it too. It was very orangey, but not too sweet. Moist and dense, but not heavy. It was sublime.

EDIT #2: Here's a picture of a slice that shows just how badly the cake sank. I can't complain too much since the flavor and texture was so spot-on great, but I'd still like the final evolution to be pretty and tasty.


texts: Is this extremely soft "French raclette" cheese actually meant for raclette?

texts:
I bought some cheese labeled "French raclette" that's quite soft even when refrigerated. (In the store it seemed almost gooey, losing it shape, and in my home fridge it's still soft but a bit springy - maybe like a very very soft havarti, maybe way on the soft side of semi-soft.) It seems like you'd just make a giant mess by melting it, and it looks impossible to slice cleanly, so it seems like it'd be impossible to use as raclette cheese in typical ways (slicing and melting over things, or melting a layer and scraping).

Is this cheese really intended to be used as raclette cheese, or is the label a misnomer, or is there perhaps something besides melting meant by raclette here?

(In case it's relevant, I have the tabletop variety of raclette grill, where you put the cheese, or things with cheese on top in trays underneath, not the original kind where you melt half a wheel of cheese and scrape it.)


texts: What is the benefit of using a Mezzaluna Knife over a traditional knife

texts:
These seem popular in many modern knife sets, and I have seen them used (somewhat clumsily) in Europe.

I have briefly tried some before, but couldn't see the benefit of it. But then again no one seemed to know how to use it correctly

Does anyone actually use these to good effect? If so, what is actually gained over a normal knife?

Which type (single or double blade) and size does this apply to?

Examples:


texts: Spritz cookies not sticking to pan when pressed from cookie press

texts: We're having a good deal of trouble getting our spritz cookies from our cookie press to separate from the cookie press and stick to the cookie sheet. Is there something we can add to the cookie batter to make them separate from the cookie press and attach to the pan more easily?


texts:
I have bought a bottle of egg whites as I do not enjoy the yolks at all.

For normal eggs I'd either fry them on the pan (pour it on non-stick, flip it over sometime later or a few times and done) or boil till hard.

Is there any chance to get the whites into something hardened? The recipes on the internet mostly make scrambled eggs but I want it all in a single piece of white with a structure similar to boiled egg.

I tried pouring the egg whites on the pan but they burned to the pan and became unflippable. It ended up something similar to scrambled eggs (I tried higher and lower heats).

Then I tried to fry them using oil. It worked but it all tasted oily which was bad once again.

Then I tried pouring egg whites into the water similarly to how poached egg is made. It just dispersed throughout the water and became a fluffy, wattery mess of boiled egg scraps.


texts: How long should I keep something in the freezer to chill it?

texts:
I once placed a can of beer in the freezer for an hour. It did not freeze, and it was great.

However, now I need to cool some whipped cream (un-whipped), and the packet says I need to keep it in the fridge for 24h. But I don't have that long; and I'm worried that keeping it for 1h might be too long.

Is there a rule of thumb (perhaps in relation to weight), or do you have experience with how long I should keep this in the freezer?


texts: What is the closest substitute for the cheese in urnebes?

texts:
Urnebes is a Serbian salad that contains cheese. Searching for recipes for said salad, I noticed that there are a lot of difference in the chosen cheese. Some say feta, some say cottage cheese, some say sour cream, some say a mixture of those, etc.

While I think the authentic cheese would be a Serbian one, I discovered that the Serbian cuisine has a version of each of those kind of cheeses.

Which Serbian cheese is the used cheese for making urnebes and (assuming I won't get my hands on that kind of cheese) what is its best substitute?


texts: I have a recipe that calls for 5 leaves of tarragon, how much dried should I use?

texts: I have a recipe that calls for 5 leaves of tarragon, how much dried tarragon should I use?


texts: Substitutes for beer... in beer cheese soup

texts:
Sounds odd I know, but some preservatives in beer can be an allergen... I found a beer cheese soup that I really really enjoyed. My question is, are there non-beer substitutes for "dark" beer that might do well in a spicy beer cheese soup like the one linked below. I'm curious if anyone has found a sub that still gives off the same dark beer flavor in the end result?
Simply Altered Eats: Beer Cheese and Chicken Soup


texts: When creating a recipe, what determines whether 2 ingredients will go well together?

texts:
Over the weekends when I have more time to play in the kitchen, I often experiment by putting things together just to see how they taste/interact with each other.  I've been doing this pretty randomly and have had a variety of results. Here are some "recipes" that I have tried recently:

marshmallow chicken (surprisingly good, like peanut chicken)
coffee and sour cream (ok I didn't want to do this, but I was out of half & half, awful)
chocolate chip stuffing (excellent, just make sure to spread out the chocolate pieces)
peanut butter salami sandwich (highly recommended)
jalapeño ice cream (do not try this at home)

These are just a small selection of my samplings, but are there any guidelines on how to pair ingredients when cooking, or is it like the Large Hadron Collider and just hope they hit the right way to find something that tastes good?


texts: What's the name of this slow cooking technique?

texts:
I just discovered the joy of slow cooking meat, separating the juice, then boiling it to a reduction, then simmering the meat in its own concentrated juices (with some other tasty ingredients added).

So is there a name for simmering slow cooked meat in its concentrated juices?


texts: How do you minimize the heat loss from adding meat to a hot pan?

texts:
Yesterday as soon as I added 2 chicken breast fillets to a 350°F (175°C) pan (the oil) it dropped all the way to 250°F (120°C). And it took forever for the heat to climb back up.

Is there a way to minimize the heat you lose when you add ingredients?


texts: I'm curious whether the store-labeled "sushi grade" fish, like some salmon and scallops, can be made by cooking the fish sousvide and chilling it in the refrigerator afterwards.


texts: What is this one-handed tool with five dull steel "blades" called?

texts: I've been using it to break down clumpy powders, it's the best thing I have for the job by far, and I need to buy more for people helping me.


texts: Not sure of slow cooker setting in my multi pot

texts: I have a Cook's Essentials K22739 multi use pot.  It has 2 pressure cooker settings,  and one setting each for steam, brown, warm and slow cook.  If I have a small pork roast whose packaging says to slow cook with one inch of water on high for 4 hours or with one inch of water for 4 hours in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, how long should I slow cook it in my pot which has only one setting for slow cook???


texts:
so the question is pretty much straight forward..

I ate all kinds of cookies, some of them are soft and fluffy, other chewy (like granola bars or choc chip cookies) and others really crispy and hard (like some gingerbread).

I tried to compare the ingredients on some of the products, but didn't find any significant difference.

So what is it really, that determines the texture of the baked goods?


texts: I've noticed when I've bought Italian eggs from delis here in Europe that the yolks are very yellow - almost orange. Why is this? Assume it's the hen's diet. What are they feeding chickens there?


texts:
What are the basic differences between scones, biscuits, tea-biscuits, muffins ? I know that cookie is the american word for the british biscuit..

Or is there any other difference?


texts: Can I make hard / crunchy food without sugar or fat?

texts:
I don't feel "optimal" after eating sweet or fatty foods, but I miss the crunch of a granola bar or a potato chip. I realize that binding with hard candy and deep frying are for different uses, so I guess I'm asking the more general question of what makes things hard? My food science brother mentions "cross-linking".

Thinking about it, there are other crunchy things like nuts, pretzels, "baked" chips, or "popped" rice chips... What makes these work?

Links to further reading are quite welcome too!


texts: In baking chocolate marshmallo logs, the recipe calls for 3 sq of semisweet chocolate.  In the  new packaging box, how many  squares do I now use?


texts:
I got out some wild sockeye salmon that had been in the freezer for quite a while (several months at least, not more than a year). It was vacuum-packed, no freezer burn, sealed properly, etc. I cooked it very well but while it smells and looks okay it tastes earthy and a bit undercooked (even though it's flaky and opaque). The texture is fine. I stopped eating it but wondering what this is about.

I cut it in half while it was still raw and washed the knife and then used it for salad ingredients. If the knife wasn't washed well enough could the raw salmon cause me a problem? Thanks!

Edit: Does anyone know what the taste might mean? Or if it might mean it's not really edible? I did eat a bit and am fine but I guess we have taste buds for a reason so I should probably avoid it. I am curious as to what might have gone wrong.


texts: By bean flour, I mean dry beans that have been made into a flour-like consistency such as through using a high-powered blender. From a digestion standpoint, it seems at this stage to be equivalent to raw beans, but would roasting the flour in the oven or on the stovetop allow it to be digested without problem?


texts: What temperature should a crock pot slow cooker cook at?

texts: I have a crock pot that will generate a low boil on the "Low" setting and dries out anything that is cooked for a long period. I'm wondering if the temperature regulator is too high, but I can't know that unless I know what the temperature is supposed to be.


texts:
At the supermarket, I found many different brands and varieties of honey. Each came from a different place, but most were marketed based on flower-type. I bought a few different brands, but could not identify a difference.

Does the taste of honey vary depending on which flowers the bees lived around? Or are there other factors that create variety in the taste?


texts: How to make pizza not stick on ceramic stone?

texts:
I have a ceramic pizza stone that I believe is 16 inches in diameter.

It cooks pizza very well and I try and follow all of the instructions included with the stone, but I have yet to make one pizza that does not stick in a few places, usually about 2-3 inches from the edge.

Before anyone says "Put cornmeal on the stone," I already have, a lot. I put what I believe is enough down without creating a giant dusting of cornmeal on my pizza when it's done. If I add more I will just be getting a giant taste of cornmeal from the bottom of my pizza.

Here is a list of that come to mind:

Use flour, but heard it will burn
Use vegetable oil, but it can crack the stone (instructions)
Use tin foil, but does that not void the purpose of the stone and its seasoning applied overtime?

I always preheat the stone in the manner the instructions say and such, but it still sticks to the point I have to get a fork and scrape 3-4 pieces off in certain spots.

Does anybody have any unknown secrets to getting it not to stick without religiously applying cornmeal?


texts: Sheet pan/baking tray convention outside the US?

texts:
In this video, a Frenchman visits New York and buys a half sheet pan, which he appears unfamiliar with (both the term and the device itself) despite being an experienced cook. So I'm wondering: is there not a sheet pan convention outside the US? I'd just assumed that the full/half/quarter sheet system was universal. Ditto for the sheet pan itself, since it's cheap and indestructible. Are those only used in the US?

(I did find this history of the standard sheet pan, which discusses patent filings and brand names in the US in the early 20th century, but that thread doesn't discuss whether it's unique to the US.)


texts: I poured simple syrup over cooked apples. Why did it turn watery?

texts: I boiled apples in water until tender. I took apples out, then added lemon and sugar to water in pot and boiled it. When I poured it over the apples it made a nice thickened gel. By morning it's all watery. Why?


texts: What Old World Europe countries (apart from Germany and Italy) have their own unique pasta traditions?

texts:
I was doing some research on websites and came upon a site where a German pasta company had been trying to sell their products into the US (the site is down, looks like the enterprise was not successful).

There is a list of their pasta types given:
Fadennudeln, Schnittnudeln, Bandnudeln, Walznudeln, Nudelnester, Drelli, Spiralen, Makkaroni, Knoepfle, Bauern Spaetzle.

Apart from learning the meaning of the name "Knopfler", I was very surprised to find such a range of pasta with specialized names coming from Germany. I have eaten pasta in Germany, but never before realized that they have their own "pasta tradition".

Being English, with a pasta tradition imported from Italy, I am wondering if other countries apart from Germany and Italy have their own "pasta traditions"? I am thinking Old World Europe; of course the USA has its local variations, but they are not what I am looking for.  My focus is on a unique noodle version.


texts: I love palm sugar, when can I bake with it

texts:
I am a huge fan of Palm sugar and have taken to substituting a bit of it into some of my baking recipes. However I have been hesitant to involve it too much in certain steps of the baking process like when yeast is proofing, or when making dough, or in frostings.

Is palm sugar a viable substitute for granulated sugar or brown sugar? What kinds of baking steps can I experiment substituting it in without changing texture and quality too much?


texts: How to serve oranges so it is easy for guests to enjoy them?

texts:
Usually I just cut them into 6 pieces (see image), but it's kind of messy to eat them this way.
Is there a better way?


texts: Stuffed peppers that don't burn on to the pot

texts:
My wife and I enjoy peppers stuffed with a meat/rice mix (with spices).  We start with raw peppers and uncooked meat, and put the peppers in a small pot (or tagine) with tomato puree or tomato paste-based sauce around them, and cook for ~40 minutes.  The result is usually to our liking (tasty, meat is cooked through, peppers are an appropriate firmness, etc.), with one exception: the peppers always burn on to the bottom of the pot.  This puzzles me, since the tomato-based sauce around them boils gently or simmers, which I would have thought meant that there was enough liquid to keep the peppers from burning on.  Apparently not!

Does anyone have methods for cooking this or a similar dish that avoids burning?  (Again, the dish tastes great--the burnt-on pepper just complicates clean-up.)


texts: Meat and Poultry Changing Color in Marinade?

texts:
I am working on a marinade for my chicken breast and filet mignon for a fondue we are planning on having tonight. I took the meat out of the fridge and noticed they both seemed to change color. The chicken turned white and the meat turned brown. I over-marinated -- it called for 8 hours and I marinated close to 24. I didn't think it would harm them. Both meats were bought that day as well.

Some ingredients I think would affect this would be red onion, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and salt.

Is this okay? Am I worrying too much? I really don't want to get sick!


texts:
When I buy coffee (either decaf or regular) at the convenience store and add 1/2 & 1/2, it lasts for several days and several re-heatings without curdling.

BUT when I make Keurig-type coffee using ANY of several different brands I buy at the supermarket, my coffee won't last until the next day and reheating.  It will curdle overnight.

So, does the coffee in the Keurig-type cups just end up having a lot more acid in it from their manufacturing process?

Might it help with my Keurig-type coffee at home if I used the little 1/2 & 1/2 containers that a typical convenience store carries?  I know the chemistry in those little containers is different so that they don't curdle as easily when left out.  (Hence the difference in taste vs regular chilled 1/2 & 1/2).  Maybe they are made with an intentional alkali Ph?


texts:
I googled this, and I couldn't find an answer on the first page of results.

What is English Afternoon tea, and how is it different to English Breakfast?


texts: Is marinade safe if it has had incidental contact with meat?

texts:
I just made a batch of soy based marinade, I then used a spoon to pour said marinade over some chicken, swirled it about, and mistakenly double dipped (put it back in the marinade). The marinade was going to be kept in the fridge.

Can I feasibly keep the marinade for future use or is this unsafe?


texts:
My household really likes things like turkey and ham sandwiches for lunch.

One thing I've searched around for is a 'manual' meat slicer. I'm thinking of something like a miter box like one might find for woodworking. Basically it would be a device that holds a serrated knife in a frame, and allows the meat to slide along in increments in order to achieve consistent slices. Does anyone know if there is something similar for slicing meat? (I know that electric meat slicers are available; but do I need yet another electric appliance?)

Personally, I don't have any problems with just using a knife. But others in the household lack slicing proficiency.

Addendum
For those who have suggested that I get knives...I have great knives and have no problems in using them; and like I said above, it's for others in the household who are not proficient.

Anyway, it looks like there is nothing like what I visualized even on google searches. I added a picture of a woodworking miterbox in case people don't know what that is. Of course a knife would replace the saw and you probably wouldn't have the angle cuts; and it would be tailored so that you could slide the food item along incrementally for even slices.


texts: Worried about dangers of rotten food (including smell)

texts:
Today I found out I had rotten food (bread and meat) inside a closed (I think) container inside a bag. The bag had been smelly but I couldn't find the source until today. I immediately threw it away, but it had a nasty look: putrid smell, black-green-colored (hard to tell). I had felt the smell for quite a few days, maybe two weeks (though I suspect it had been hidden on the bag for longer). Today, when throwing it away, I obviously smelled it once again.

I did wash my hands thoroughly, but I'm still worried this might be dangerous. I'm not feeling any symptoms, but should I be worried about the potential consequences? I was close to the source, and smelled it, many times. Presumably either fungi or anaerobic (even aerobic?) bacteria were involved, and these can give some nasty infections, I think.


texts: Must a lid for a pot used for steaming be vented?

texts:
This is a follow-up to my earlier question about steaming using the Instant Pot. The answer there said that the "steam" function of the Instant Pot was only for pressure steaming; for ordinary steaming, one needed the optional lid that has a small hole for a steaming vent.

I have a lid that fits the Instant Pot exactly, but it lacks the steam release vent. How much does this matter? This question suggests that the venting holes in lids are generally too small to make much of a difference; but that was in the context of slow cooking, which generates far less steam. For steaming, would the absence of a vent cause too much steam to remain in the pot? Would this in turn affect the food being prepared?

As an experiment, I tried steaming idlis in the Instant Pot using the lid I have. I used store-bought batter that simply needed to be poured into the idli molds and then steamed for 7–8 minutes. I steamed the idlis for 8 minutes. During the steaming, the lid "danced" a little on the pot rim and steam was noticeably escaping. The idlis came out okay, but were a little sticky on the bottom. I'm wondering whether the lack of a vent hole on the lid could have caused this, or whether I should look elsewhere.


texts: Can I accelerate the prep time for small tapioca pearls?

texts: I've got a package of Reese small pearl tapioca in front of me, ready to make tapioca pudding, but I forgot to factor in the recommended overnight soak. Is it possible to accelerate the process by soaking in warm or boiling water or by substituting a longer cooking time?


texts: How to make cauliflower pizza crust without using parmesan cheese?

texts:
I want to make cauliflower pizza crust for keto diet, but all the recipes I have seen on internet require a lot of parmesan cheese, which is too expensive for me.

So I want to look for a cheaper alternative of parmesan cheese to use in cauliflower pizza crust. Can someone suggest something?

Following edit is mostly copied from edit suggested by @NSGod, his/her edit was already rejected by someone senior on forum, so I couldn't mark it as approved. So I am posting this little note to give credit where it is due. Thank you.

An example recipe from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/katie-lee/cauliflower-pizza-crust-2651381 is:

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, stalk removed
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

In a food processor, chop cauliflower to a fine consistency. Steam cauliflower and then drain thoroughly. In a bowl, combine the cauliflower with the mozzarella, Parmesan, oregano, salt, garlic powder and eggs. Transfer to the center of the baking sheet and spread into a circle, resembling a pizza crust. Par-bake for 20 minutes @ 400 degrees F, then add toppings and bake for another 10 minutes.


texts: What are the tiny white self-moving objects on pasta?

texts:
So, a lot of pasta I've bought lately came with some white substance. At first it looked like uncooked starch or something. But when looking closely I noticed it was MOVING ON ITS OWN.

After a while this incident repeated a couple times. Even when buying pasta from other factories, they have that self-moving white substance.

So... what is it?

On penne for example, in the "channels" that the pasta have, the white stuff collects there. It is quite tiny and long, and clearly alive.


texts: Why did my tenderloin end up undercooked inside?

texts:
So last Thanksgiving, I tried (for the first time in a while actually) to cook a tenderloin and every single time I tried (I split the entire loin I bought into 5 4 oz-ish pieces) I kept charring or burning the outsides while the insides stayed rare/raw.

What I did before cooking it was I marinated the pieces in Ponzu a full day before taking it and putting on the pan. I used olive oil on a non-stick pan (?). I think I kept the heat at around medium-high and generally let it cook without moving the steak around too much.

I let it cook on each side for about a minute and a half just to be safe. Then when I finally cut steaks into slices, it was still mostly undercooked on the inside while being thoroughly cooked and charred on the outside.

I still served the steaks after cooking it again on the pan and giving it a squeeze of lemon over it...


texts: Is there any way to remove stains (e.g. from curries and pasta sauces) from plastic containers?

texts: I like using microwaveable plastic containers to bring my lunch in as they are my lighter than the Pyrex/glass versions. However, reheating my food up creates unsightly stains.


texts: I'm making beer bread and only have blue moon or leineys lemon shandy. Would these work without a fruity flavor overpowering the bread?


texts: What is the shelf life of Pylsusinnep (Icelandic mustard)? Does it need to be kept refrigerated before opening?

texts: I'd like to purchase a case of Pylsusinnep mustard to save on expensive shipping costs versus buying a small number of bottles, but I'm unable to find any information about its shelf life.


texts: Every Vietnamese restaurant I've eaten in (in the US) uses jalapeno peppers in their pho.  I assume that's an American adaptation to the dish.  Is that correct?  If so, what kind of peppers are used in Vietnam?


texts: Can I add mint flavoring to ready made royal icing?

texts:
I have a 250g block of black Regalice from Redshaws. I want to flavor the icing with a concentrated peppermint flavoring. Only a very small amount to achieve a subtle hint of mint, the icing is just to lay over the cake.. Will the icing become to moist/tacky if I add any kind of liquid? I plan to use edible silver paint to add some details when it is finished.

If it does become too moist, what can I do to help it become dry?

I do not want to mess up and I am on a deadline so please help me :)

Thank you!


texts: How can I make this curry given my list of ingredients?

texts:
I'm trying to recreate a dish I had at Alinea a while ago. Their forum actually had a good start for this dish:

  The garnishes on the surface are
  Hawaiian volcanic salt, cucumber,
  garlic chips, fresh banana, young
  coconut, red onion, lime segments with
  zest, toasted cashews, and red chili
  pudding. The glass circle contains a
  basil seed-lime vinaigrette.

  We press the herbs in between two
  pieces of rice paper to form the
  centerpiece. Once the frame is
  assembled the server drapes the flag
  over the frame. We cure the pork belly
  with salt, sugar and aromatics. It is
  cooked sous vide until tender, seared
  and shredded. We make a curry sauce
  from coconut, ginger, mint,
  lemongrass, thai chilis, kaffir lime,
  cardamom, coriander, and lime juice.
  We mix the curry with the shredded
  pork belly to make the ragu spooned
  over tableside by the service staff.

My question is, given the list of ingredients for the coconut curry but no sense of how to make it, how should I go about preparing this curry? Should I just toss everything in a pot an simmer for a while? Should I toast the spices? Sautee the lemongrass?


texts: How can I get a thicker coating when enrobing something in chocolate?

texts:
I'm trying to make dark-chocolate-covered marzipan balls, using Valrhona Guanaja 70%.
My problem is that the chocolate coating is too thin; the end result has a) too low a ratio of chocolate to marzipan, so the flavors aren't balanced, and b) a hole in the bottom, where I place the balls on a silicone mat after coating them. I'd really like a thicker (1-2mm) coating, including on the bottom.
My first thought was to let the chocolate cool and thicken further before dipping; below 26C/80F. That did help to get a thicker coating, but reheating it from that point, after the temperature dropped too low, seemed to cause issues with the tempering of the chocolate.
Googling this, I found endless questions about how to achieve a thinner coating, but nothing about how to get a thicker one.
It seems possible to get an arbitrarily thick coating using a spherical mold, but marzipan can't really be piped into the sphere.
Is there a trick to getting a thicker layer when enrobing? Do I just need to be more patient with my approach of letting the chocolate cool, or do a better job of tempering it in the first place?


texts: How can I substitute dutch chocolate cocoa for flour and maintain proper recipe PH in this cookie recipe?

texts:
I have an old family recipe for Chocolate chip cookies

2 ¼ cups flour
1 cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
Chocolate Chips as desired.
Add dry ingredients then wet ingredients to a large bowl, mix until well incorporated, seperate into golf ball sized dough balls, bake at 375°F for 8m15s

I want to make it into a chocolate chocolate chip cookie. I've followed advice from several online sources and just replaced about 1/4 of the flour with cocoa (so it's 1.5 cups flour , .75 cups cocoa). I've tried with both regular cocoa and dutch process and I really like the darker look of cookies that come out with the dutch process, however their texture isn't right. I have used this recipe and the flavors seem good, but I also want to get the texture right; the original recipe is very chewy, soft and moist, but the chocolate modification wound up much drier than I wanted.
After some research I found that the basic issue is that I've screwed up the PH of the recipe. I believe the fix involves substituting some or all baking soda for baking powder, but can't find a clear rule for how much. My guess would be since I'm effectively removing 1/4 of the acidic ingredients (flour, ph 6-6.8) and swapping them for ph neutral ingredients (dutch process cocoa), I should replace 1/4 of the baking soda with baking powder as well, but can't really find any information on how to go about replacing baking soda with baking powder or what ratio.
Edit: Upon more research I've also found that instead of modifying the baking soda I could just add some volume of cream of tartar, but I'm still not sure how to calculate this cost.


texts: How can I make failed fudge (hard and crumbly)?

texts:
Growing up my mother would make my brother and I fudge that was hard and crumbly and we loved it. It wasn't until I was much older that I realized that was failed fudge. I was always disappointed when I got fudge elsewhere that was soft. I'd like to make fudge the way my mother did, but can't figure out how to ensure the fudge comes out hard and crumbly.

Does anyone have any suggestions?


texts: How do you keep ebelskivers from sticking?

texts:
My sister bought me a cast iron ebelskiver pan, and I've not had much luck with each of the batches I've tried.  They always burn or stick.

I'm hopeful someone might have a tried-and-true technique for making them, and possibly a family recipe :)


texts: What is the proper method to store green onions? Additionally, how long can it be stored in the chill chest?


texts: How can I easily get water to a desired temperature?

texts:
I have a number of teas, some of which require a lower temperature for steeping than others (for instance, I have a particular Green Tea which asks for steeping at 70°C, 158°F).

I was wondering how to get the water to this temperature, and I can think of 4 different methods:

Heat the water gently until it reaches that temperature
Boil the water, then add cooler water until it reaches that temperature
Boil the water, leave it standing for a couple of minutes until it reaches the temperature
Boil the water, transfer it from vessel to vessel until the temperature drops sufficiently.

Is there any difference in the result of those methods, as to the quality of the tea it'll end up producing? Will it make a difference if the water (or some of it) never reached the boiling point?


texts: Does adding turmeric to meat marinade negate the bacterial buildup at room temperature?

texts:
I've learnt from this site that after applying marinade to meat, it has to be kept in the fridge for marination because meat at room temperature for more than two hours can have bacterial buildup, resulting in food poisoning.
In local meat shops in India, it's common for beef, chicken and fish vendors to leave raw meat at room temperature for most of the working day and yet do terriffic business. I havent had trouble with beef from such vendors but chicken and fish have caused food poisoning multiple times. Yet, no customer complains. These practices are too common.

The question:
An elderly acquaintence (he is a building contractor; not a chef) was explaining how to marinate beef. Grind all the spices, mix salt, turmeric powder, corriander powder, mix well with the beef and leave it at room temperature for at least two hours.
When I interrupted to say I keep it in the fridge for marination, he said I should never do that since the flavours would not seep into the meat. Then I told him of the bacterial buildup and he promptly said: well, that's why we add turmeric powder for marination. Apparently the turmeric kills the bacteria.

It sounded like hogwash to me, but I still wanted to ask here, since even I have felt that marination would work better if the meat is not too cold.


texts: I don't have a good cookie sheet available. Can I use a nice piece of tempered glass as a cookie sheet?


texts: Can I add "stars" pasta or very small soup shells pasta to boxed chicken broth & make in the microwave?

texts:
I have boxed chicken broth I want to quickly make in the microwave and I want to add either tiny stars pasta, or "small soup shells" pasta. Both pastas are tiny, about 1/4 inch width & height. I don't have a stovetop available. How can I make everything in the microwave, preferably together/all at once? I would like a way to make about a quart at a time, including pasta, about 2-3 servings, maybe a quarter cup of pasta... I never made either of these pasta forms so don't know how big they will expand so I'm thinking a couple Tablespoons to a quarter cup dried pasta.

Thanks for any help!


texts: In making a pudding, can you replace yolks with whole eggs?

texts:
Can I use six whole eggs instead of six yolks.

The recipe calls for:

6 yolks
1.5 c sugar
4 heaping T cornstarch
1 can evaporated milk
1 can regular milk (fill the above can)
1 T vanilla


texts: How should I substitute jalapeño peppers for fresh green cayenne peppers?

texts:
I'm making tomato relish and my recipe requires 10 fresh green cayenne peppers, which aren't available at this time. I can buy Jalapeño peppers and would like to substitute those, but I don't know if I should use 1 to 1.

I use a bushel of tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded; lots of work involved. Add peppers, onions, sugar, vinegar, a little canning salt and cook til real thick. Recipe calls for 8 cups of coarsely chopped tomatoes; I double or triple the recipe most of the time in order to can enough to use til next summer. It's canning season in the southeast USA!


texts: Why microwaves do not kill harmful bacteria as well as boiling?

texts:
Medical Biochemistry point of view

My biochemistry teacher said today that the problem with micros is that they do not kill all harmful bacteria. He proposed boiling food instead.

I think there are two reasons.
Water can emit heat to bacteria from many more different directions than microwaves can. The heat frequency is changing all the time to the bacteria, since water is moving.
Radio waves can be applied only from discrete directions. To make microwaves better, I think reflection and different materials on the walls should be considered

I am not sure which one is the stronger reason why micros cannot make good food:

sequentially different waves - probably not
or heating bacteria from different angles by mirror/reflection - I think this is the main reason why boiling and oven is better

There at least two types of micros - wide ones and more vertical ones. I have had an intuition that the vertical ones can be more effective. They can send signals more broadly from the bottom, while the wide micros can send them only from one direction - left or right. Also, the reflection technique is easier to apply to those vertical micros, since the roof can be circular, while in the other boxes it is not possible.

Medical Microbiology point of view

Murray's book, Medical Biochemistry, says for different diseases, like Listeria's epidemiology that "Disease can occur if the food is uncooked or inadequately cooked (e.g. microwaved beef and turkey franks) before consumption.

This suggests me that there is some point of view why microwaved food is called "soft-food".
I will add pieces of evidence here when I explore more.


texts:
The only common way I can think of tea being sold is in teabags.  However, there are several ways coffee is sold:

Instant
Ground
Beans

I'd say instant is the most common, at least in the UK. Why would I struggle to find tea grains not in a bag, similarly to finding coffee in a bag?

It just seems odd that we wouldn't make them in the same way. Any reason why?


texts: Whipped egg white snack texture and preservation

texts:
I am trying to make whipped marshmallow egg white snacks. I would like the end texture to be between heavy whipped topping and a marshmallow and preserve flavors and texture for 5-7 days.

I have been following the following recipe.

However I ended up with an outcome which was more like a heavy whipped cream as opposed to a gooey like marshmallow cream snack, which is what is desired. Also, dipping it in the chocolate made it fall apart.

Note, the sugar syrup color and thickness was slightly lighter than what was in the video.

Would adding gelatin be a good idea for the desired outcome, if so at what point should it be added and at what ratio?

Adding cocoa powder for a chocolate flavored whipping caused the density of the cream to undesirably reduce.

What is the best way to preserve this to ensure it lasts 5-7 days?


texts:
I would like to know
Whilst cooking and serving in a fish and chip shop can i
Serve food, All dipped in same batter and rice cone containers, using
beef and chicken made sausages
Fish
Chips
Cod roe
Burgers
Or do i need to use separate batter and rice cone containers?
Thanks.


texts: How to make my chicken noodle soup thicker?

texts:
Online chicken noodle soup recipes contain mostly the same things - chicken, noodles, stock, vegetables - and for the most part taste the same.  However, they taste completely different from the soup in many restaurants (such as Old Country Buffet or my favorite, Perkins').  I can't figure out how to make my soup taste like that.

It seems like the main difference is how thick the soup is... but simply adding less water doesn't do the trick.  How do restaurants make their broth so thick? (should I be making my own broth?)


texts: Can you and how do you melt quark cheese into bechamel?

texts: I would like to try to make quark cheese sauce for pasta, but I'm not confident I can make the cheese melt properly as I've never done it before. What I would like to use specifically is the Polish version, twaróg, ~8% fat. Is it doable? What proportions should I use? How should I add the cheese in order for it to melt properly into the bechamel?


texts: Why is mixing good whiskey with cola/ginger ale frowned upon?

texts:
I ordered a Jameson and ginger ale at a pub the other night and my brother asked me why I wasn't ordering it neat or on the rocks, since it was "pretty good" whiskey. Right now I'm having some good Kentucky bourbon (Willet) with Reed's ginger ale. Is this "wrong"? Does it matter if the ginger ale is good?

I know that this could be considered an opinion question by some but I'm asking if serious whiskey buffs would scoff at this or if they have done so in any specific literature. You know...collectors, bartenders, distillers, etc. What is the reasoning behind the common practice of discouraging mixing good or better whiskeys?


texts: Tips on cooking for people with different allergies

texts:
Most people have friends with allergies, and I wish to make a list with tips on how to make such a meal when there is different allergies at the same time. For example, it's a big problem making a cake without gluten, laktose and eggs, but this issue might come at hand. Often one don't wish to make three different cakes, so tips one how to assert this problem is that I wan't from this thread. Will also try to summarize the tips in this post.

Tips for intollerance, religion and personal choices are also welcome. Actually tips for cooking for everyone of us who tend to be a pain in the ass (I have celiaki myself, so not offence intended).

Make a list of can have ingredients for the possible courses.
Use substitute products (Not easy since they might behave a bit differently).
Make buffet where one have several gluten/laktose/egg/... free dishes (Can be a lot of work).

For tips on specific allergies, see: Fruit/nuts, Gluten

EDIT: I have specified the question quite a lot from the original by request from Ocaasi, since it started quite broad. The original question is removed.

Also, is there some food that everyone can eat, or food where it is easy to use other ingredients to avoid allergic reactions? Making buffets are always a possibility, but I'm thinking more in the lines of three course meals without making to much differences on the dish.


texts: How do get the "caramelized juices" from yams

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This is hard to ask, but you know how when you bake a yam for long enough it will ooze the caramelized sugars? It's like... it's leaking sap.

BUT The most delicious sap ever. So wondering, is there a way to cook the yam so that it entirely becomes the caramelized sugars, and then how would you store this?

Seriously so amazingly good.


texts: Will storing blue cheese with other cheeses make them mold faster?

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Possible Duplicate:
  Can I eat cheese which has been “infected” with blue cheese mold?

A while ago I got a chunk of blue cheese and stored it in the fridge.  A little later, we bought some cheddar cheese and I stored it in teh same compartment of the fridge as the blue cheese. Now the cheddar cheese has mold on it. I've never seen mold on cheddar cheese appear this quickly, so I'm wondering if having the blue cheese in my fridge actually makes mold appear on my other cheeses more quickly?


texts: Why did my mango vodka infusion have a gelatin residue?

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Can Mangoes in vodka create their own gelatin?

I used overripe mangoes in premium vodka and sealed them in a clean glass jar for 6 weeks. The infusion is delicious but the clear gelatin seemed a bit odd. i just dont want to make anyone ill if there was some bacterial invasion instead of a naturally occurring gelatin from the mangoes.


texts: Does steeping the same amount of tea in different volumes of water lead to the same or more caffeine?

texts: If I were to steep the same amount of tea in two vessels of hot water: one 12oz cup and one 24oz carafe, would the 24oz carafe have more caffeine or the same amount? Assume steeping is the same amount of time.