Latest Cooking Answers

Why is Ice Cream used in Hot Buttered Rum?

I'm looking at recipes for Hot Buttered Rum, as I have plenty of rum and it's cold out. Several of the recipes call for vanilla ice cream. Is that traditional?

How to compare the strength of commercial natural vanilla extracts?

Vanilla extracts usually don't give details on the content of vanilla. Only the main ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration. On the Kirklan

Rendered pork fat vs lard vs bacon fat?

What is the difference between "rendered pork fat", lard, and bacon fat? I've seen lots of references to rendered pork fat in the Momofuku cookbook, references

How to keep a chocolate cream from getting hard?

I've been making a chocolate cream/spread lately. Some butter, chocolate, salt, allspice, cocoa and water. I'm not really using any recipe, but it's about twice

Which Type of Japanese Green Tea Has the Highest Amount of Caffeine?

I am trying to find the best pick-me-up Japanese green tea and was wondering which type was the best to get from the assortment of Sencha, Gyokuro, Kabusecha, B

Can I sprout grains/legumes/seeds I buy in bulk from whole foods?

I bought some lentils, groats, sunflower seeds, etc from whole foods (organic raw). Are they safe to sprout?

How to know whether the teflon coated pan's life has reached end?

I use oil for cooking in the Teflon coated pan. I put the pan on a very low fire. (Simmer) Lately I have found that the onions get stuck to the bottom of the p

How to take care of the teflon coated cookware to ensure their long life?

I know the following three rules: Don't use metal spoons. Don't put hot teflon utensils in cold water. Cook on low flame. Is there anything else important, w

Grilled Turkey and Gravy

I'd like to grill my turkey this Thanksgiving. Cook's Illustrated's method has you put the turkey on a V-Rack on the grill. If I do this I won't have any pan d

How to incorporate alcohol (rum) into a cake recipe?

How can I incorporate alcohol (rum, in this case) into an existing cake recipe (pumpkin cake, for example)? Can I simply replace the water with rum?

de-parasiting mackerel for sushi

We've bought some fresh sushi-grade mackerel, and would like to make saba sushi from it. We were told that we should treat it with vinegar to kill any parasites

Tres Leche Without Homemade Cake?

I've been wanting to make a tres leche cake and I have a few cake box mixes at home (yellow cake, spice cake and a chocolate cake). Could I use the yellow cake

How long do you let a turkey rest after cooking?

I have heard mixed advice on how long you should let a turkey rest after cooking. Last year my wife and I watched a Thanksgiving cooking show with Gordon Ram

Converting upright charcoal smoker to electric

I bought an upright charcoal grill/smoker years ago because it was cheap and I was interested in doing both grilling and smoking. However, I didn't find it to b

How to properly prepare a beef escalope (from the topside)?

I've read a number of recipes that call for different cooking times, so I'm a bit baffled. Normally, the escalopes are cuts from the topside (that's the bottom

Is it reasonable to expect "spiciness" to fry off?

I got in a "heated" discussion with my wife this evening about a fried turkey recipe that I want to try for Thanksgiving. It calls for: 1 cup of Creole seasoni

Gas grill: soaked wood chips vs. dry wood chips

I have a gas grill and want to get some good smoke flavor in a pork shoulder I am cooking. I've done some looking around for the best way to use wood chips and

How do I safely deep fry a turkey?

I've seen all the videos of deep fried turkey fireballs. but I've also heard deep fried turkey is really great. How do I safely deep fry a turkey? What causes t

How to recover jam that is too liquid?

I made redcurrant jam some months ago, with sugar/pectin-mix. I used the appropriate amount. However, the mix was very old (+5 years). I tried it anyway. The ja

Why do hamburger patties have ridges on one side?

Why do hamburgers have one streaked/furrowed and one smooth side? Which side should be cooked first in a pan? I'm talking about their shape, not their color or

Will store bought chicken eggs hatch?

I'm a bit scared to try it, because I'm not sure what would be worse--cracking open a rotten egg, or having to figure out what to do with a chick. So how about

How to make a pie with no yolk?

I had a great low fat recipe for a squash pie that had in it four eggs. I tried to take only the egg-whites with no yolk but the pie didn't come out right. It j

How does one stop sushi seaweed wrapping being too chewy?

When we make home-made sushi, we often find that the seaweed wrapping (or nori) is too chewy. The seaweed we buy is from the local supermarket, and nothing fan

Toss Pizza Dough to Shape [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate:How to throw a pizza dough? When I make my pizza dough and let it rise for about two hours, I then shape the dough

How can I impart bacon flavor into collard greens without losing crispness?

I have tried cooking collard greens several times and each time I have been somewhat disappointed in my results. Specifically, I have tried cooking the collards

Why has the meat turned out to be hard like rubber?

I was following this recipe for Chinese Stir-Fired Steak with Peppers. I think I messed it up by cooking this for too long. The meat (I used lamb's meat) turne

Can I substitute store-bought puff pastry dough for phyllo in pumpkin pastry?

I want to make a pumpkin filled pastry for a potluck thanksgiving. I found a great recipe for pumpkin & feta pastries, but it calls for filo/phyllo dough.

What happens if I brine my turkey for 2 days?

I have a logistical problem that leaves me with no fridge room for 2 days before Thanksgiving... I always brine my turkey, so I don't have any questions about

How long will eggless pasta dough last in the fridge?

I made some fresh pasta for myself, but the recipe made double the amount I need. I didn't have time to make the rest of the pasta and dry it, so I just wrapped

Mousse has Raw Eggs -- is it Really Safe? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate:Is it safe to eat raw eggs? I looked up a recipe for chocolate mousse the other day, and I noticed that pretty muc