Latest Cooking Answers

Has anyone had experience canning with "Quattro Stagioni" Jars?

I am in the midst of canning a variety of items that require either boiling water bath processing or pressure canning. I usually use a two part lid and screw b

Why does adding sugar to sour things cause them not to be sour?

This is one of those things which I've always thought to be obvious and never really noticed as strange. "Obviously", if you add sugar to something sour, it ma

Caffettiera (Moka Pot) is not making coffee properly

I have fairly large Italian Caffettiera used for making coffee. I think it makes about 8 cups. The thing is it sits on my lit gas stove for at least 15 minutes

Baking two loaves at one time (from Artisan Breads book)- need to change amt of water added?

I'm following a recipe from the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book and want to bake two loaves at the same time. For one loaf, you are supposed to add on

What are the 'natural flavors' in a fruit drink that contains no juice?

When a fruit (flavored) beverage says it contains all natural flavors but no juice, where is the flavor coming from? Is it possible there are man-made additives

Why does my cheese sauce solidify

I am using this recipie to make cheese sauce for my maize crackers. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/nacho-cheese-sauce/detail.aspx However, my sauce starts solidi

What is the world's hottest pepper?

I'm growing some bhut jolokia peppers, and they are almost ready for harvesting. However, I've since seen that the naga viper pepper has beaten the bhut joloki

Why do you put celery in a bloody mary?

Why do you put celery in a bloody mary? Is there a chemical reason for this or is it done just for garnish?

How to extract the most flavor out of vanilla beans?

Today I made creme brulee, which I'm not very familiar with but have done once or twice. The consistancy was fine, aswell as the caramelized sugar, but it had

Is my food spoiled after a power outage?

My power went out for about 20 hours today, from 1am to 9pm. I'm wondering if the food in my refrigerator and freezer are spoiled. Here's some info: High temp

Cheaper alternative to parmesan cheese?

The parmesan cheese in pasta recipe is quite expensive.....do we have cheaper alternative?? Are there are cheddar cheese which can replace parmesan cheese?

Left my cast iron on the hot burner, now what?

So the other day, while baking off excess water after washing, I spaced out and forgot it was there and headed upstairs for say, an hour. When I got back down

What are some good gluten-free food alternatives? [closed]

A friend of mine has recently discovered that she has a gluten intolerance, and thus she now has to avoid foods. It is somewhat challenging to

Did tomato paste come in only one size of can in the 1950s?

I found an old cookery book while on holiday at the german coast, it was published by Peter Pauper press, Mt. Vernon, New York in 1959. All recipes that use to

How can I make my own vinegar?

How can I turn excess wine into delicious wine vinegar at home? For those who have done it, are there any useful tips to get the best results? I do not have

What should I look for in an electric steamer for use to make tamales

I don't know a whole lot about what makes an electric steamer a good steamer. I'm looking for recommendations for one where I'm hoping to make tamales with. The

Making your own drink powders?

I love the flavor of crystal light, but it is expensive, and I don't like the artificial sweeteners. I don't think I would mind the drink without the sweeteners

Any way to make mashed sweet potatoes less stringy?

Is there a way or technique to make mashed sweet potatoes less stringy? Does it just come down to potato selection or can it be improved by a technique?

Why do chefs finish with olive oil?

I watch cooking shows often. I see chefs finish a dish with olive oil. Why do chef's finish their dish with olive oil? What is the reasoning for this? Is it

How should I manage my fridge?

I try to be careful, I really do, but I found a week old cod smelling 'fishy' in my fridge. Normally, I put the date on the package, so at least I know how long

Sourdough starter from regular yeast?

I live near San Francisco and I am in love with the local sourdough bread. It is very expensive and I'd like to bake my own bread. I am wondering though, is it

How to make puffed/popped rice?

Is it possible to make puffed rice at home like the rice used in breakfast cereals? I have a hot air popcorn maker and have experimented with that with little s

Creating differing temperature fluid gels that stay separate

At the Fat Duck they serve a mug of hot and iced tea. The drink is served in a single cup yet the two different temperature drinks stay separate side by side wi

Speeding up soaking of cashews for a recipe

I am trying to follow a Sri Lankan recipe that asks me to soak cashews overnight. Since I can't really wait that long, is there a way to speed up this process?

Is it safe to prepare Chicken Tartare?

I know that raw chicken generally has a lot of safety concerns. Is there anyway that I can source the chicken to minimize these worries? What are the general co

High Elevation Souffle

I am making a Blue Cheese Souffle today and because I live in the Mile-Hi city, I am a little concerned about it not working. Are there any special tips - spec

Why does white vinegar taste better when at restaurants?

Just got back from dinner, where I had some decent fish and chips with white vinegar, and a thought came to me: At restaurants, I've found the white vinegar the

How to store parts of whole chicken for long time?

I bought cooked whole chicken. According to stilltasty.com and with my experience, for more than 1-2 days, I have to place it in the freezer. But then if I want

Why does cheese have an expiry date?

I am wondering why there are expiry dates on cheese. Sorry if I am not very clear about how cheese is made, but isn't cheese made from rotten milk? Some cheeses

Sourcing Veal bacon [closed]

I'm a chef in Scotland and I've been trying to source 'veal bacon' to no avail. If anyone could point me in the right direction, that would b