Latest Cooking Answers

Are there substantial benefits to grinding your own flour?

I've read that most of the nutrients of wheat are stripped for the sake of shelf life. Is this marketing propaganda or is there truth behind it? It was my imp

Frozen pizza - Understanding time and temperature equivalency

When cooking a frozen pizza in a conventional oven, I have two similar personal pizzas: one box's instructions say to cook at 425°F for 19 minutes, and the

Do specialty cheese-cutting tools have specific advantages over an ordinary knife?

I cut block cheese (mostly cheddar or muenster) into slices or cubes using an ordinary non-serrated stainless steel knife. I used to use a T-shaped slicer that

How can you tell when flour has gone off?

I was just reading another topic about grinding flour where someone suggested that their flour supply would go off within two weeks if not kept in the freezer.

When should I flavor my Bolognese?

My Bolognese sauce usually contains some combination of salt, pepper, basil, oregano and thyme. It is easier to taste if I add them towards the end, but is the

Do you use paper or cloth towel for patting a meat dry before frying?

It is advised to pat a steak dry before frying. I've used paper towels in the past for this, but sometimes parts of them stick to meat. Now and then I've used a

How can I keep my freshly baked loaf fresh until the next morning if I bake it at night?

I wwould like my bread to be fresh the next day when I bake it at night but I know you shouldn't cover your freshly baked bread as it will soften it. Can I leav

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

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, lo

Extra Firm Tofu past expiration date: safe, but for how long?

How long past the expiration date is pre-packaged extra-firm tofu safe, tasty and wholesome. Generally, expiration dates are for sissies, but something about t

How can low-carb bread rise?

As far as I know, yeast helps the dough rise by eating away some of the sugar in the flour. But if we make low-carb bread (with, say, soya flour), yeast has not

What is the conversion rate between plum tomatoes and "regular" tomatoes?

I have a recipe that calls for 12 plum tomatoes (seeded, skinned, and pureed). Can I substitute regular tomatoes, and if so, in what ratio should I substitute t

Does meat need to be washed before preparation?

I don't even remember where I have learned that, but I've always thought it common knowledge: Before a piece of meat gets seasoned, or malleted for tenderizing

No broiler - is there a way to fake it?

My range (oven) does not have a broiler (grill), but I've been coming across recipes lately (for pizza, in particular) that require one. Any suggestions on how

Which spice gives brown colour to Indian curry?

Many of the premixed curry pastes and curry dishes I have eaten have a brownish / reddish colour to them. I have a nice collection of spices that I cook with,

Why did my vinaigrette emulsify so quickly?

When I make salad dressing, I usually don't expect my vinaigrette to emulsify particularly well. I don't do any of the steps described in this question about vi

Are there carcinogens in grilled foods?

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

What impact does the order of assembly have when making cookies?

What is the impact of assembling a cookie batter in a different manner than that described in the recipe? What's the best general order for combining the cream

How do I replace sugar with golden syrup in a cookie recipe?

I made Toll House Cookies using this recipe this recipe. They turned out fine, but you could feel the sugar crunching under your teeth (I used half brown, half

How to get rid of the taste of flour in homemade bakery?

I usually get random cookie and cake recipes from the internet and try them. They are good but all of them have floury taste to me. Possible culprits are the fl

What is liquid glucose?

Two days ago, I was making ganache as a topping for cupcakes. I needed, as expected, cream and chocolate. But '1 teaspoon of liquid glucose' was also on the lis

What is the purpose of baking soda in chocolate-chip cookies?

I thought baked goods which include baking soda should be put into oven immediately, otherwise they won't rise. But some cookie recipes call for cooling the dou

How can I make coffee syrup with caramel taste?

I have seen several recipes for coffee syrup, but none of them with a simple caramel taste. Is getting the caramel taste as easy as using brown sugar instead of

Why is butter usually labeled "Sweet Cream"?

Most (or even all?) butter found at the grocery store is labeled "sweet cream". Is there a distinction between this and another type of cream, and if so, what

How can I cut lots of cherry tomatoes in half quickly and evenly?

Is there a tool to cut cherry tomatoes in half? Since they are so regular it should be possible to build such a machine. Alternately, what can I do to improve

How can I bake normally fried foods?

A lot of frozen, convenience foods are foods that are traditionally fried can be prepared by baking. I'm thinking of, fish sticks, french fries, tator tots, jal

What is this grilling utensil with two wire mesh panels?

I want to buy this cooking utensil but have no idea what it is called and where i can buy one from. I think it is mainly used on barbeques. Ive tried googling a

Ingredients: Danish local specials [closed]

I'm visiting Denmark and I'd like to bring home some local Danish ingredients so I can prepare a meal which is specific for Danish cuisine (ca

How to avoid cooked pasta soaking up sauce when stored?

I often make up a box of pasta (dried) with some sauce that I make from leftover ingredients for work the next day. The sauce is always either tomato or cream c

Reduce hotness of beef Jerky

I made some beef jerky with Maddog 375 hot sauce (generously poured into the marinade). It's ridiculously hot and basically unedible (I can eat it but just slo

How do I make chai latte at home?

I want to be able to make chai latte at home, but I don't have an espresso machine, and I don't really know if it is worth buying one just for an occasional dri