Latest Cooking Answers

What does the rind say about a cheese?

There is a lot of variation in the rind of cheese, I dare say perhaps even more than in the cheeses themselves. Does the colour, texture, hardness etc. reveal a

Optimal shape to cut apples for apple pie

I have always enjoyed a slice of apple pie... in the morning... afternoon... and after dinner. Or anytime actually. And as such, I had to learn to bake my own a

How are mozzarella cheese sticks (string cheese) formed?

I love string cheese. I have had some success making homemade mozzarella but I am not particularly skilled yet at kneading the curd. My mozzarella balls someti

What animal parts can be included in head cheese?

I know that head cheese is traditionally made with flesh from the head of a large animal but I have read that sometimes other scrap meats are included. Are the

What determines how well cheese melts

I have had my fair share of eating cheese and experimenting with them. Sometimes they come out heavenly while other times, it turn out to be a huge flop. Usuall

Can I make tea with carbonated water?

Whilst staying with a friend who lives somewhere with very hard water, we got used to making tea with bottled, still, water as the tap water was too hard to mak

What are the (most common) different ways to thicken sauces and gravies?

I know of a few ways to thicken sauces and the like: Egg (protein) Flour (protein / starch) Starch (cornstarch etc) Reduction (reducing watery component) Are t

Why is my salted butter weeping? And is it safe to eat?

I have some butter with sea salt crystals in, which I keep in the bread bin, unrefrigerated. I have noticed that it seems to be getting wet, with small amounts

Why can't whole milk be substituted for cream in caramel sauce?

I learned to make caramel sauce pretty recently and for a while was on a serious sauce-making kick. Anyway, the day after Christmas I went to make a batch and

How far in advance can sweet potatoes be peeled?

How long (hours or days)can sweet potatoes be peeled before they are used? Do they go brown quickly like regular potatoes? Are there methods for holding them?

Why can't I use toaster oven instead of real oven?

My toaster oven has a temperature gauge just like my oven 200-450 degrees. I opened a package of fish sticks and the instructions said "Do not cook in microwave

How to determine that a particular product is Organic?

So what is enough to find on a product (label or else) that makes it truly organic (regulated by USDA). Is "organic" itself means this and it is restricted to p

What to do with mochi...this version is white, hard and puck-like in shape?

My mother-in-law gave us some mochi that she received as a gift. It's actually the size of a small hockey puck, white and pretty hard. (I've only encountered so

Is mixing coffee with milk directly unhealthy? [closed]

Scientifically speaking, is there a reason not to mix coffee with milk directly? I remember reading once, that milk is like the antidote to

What difference would using Rock Sugar make in tea?

I like my tea sweet, and generally add several cubes of white sugar. Teavana sells rock sugar, which it claims is somehow "better" while being vague on what tha

Sponge That Keeps Vegetables Fresh?

This sponge is meant to be put into refridgerator's vegetables compartment at the bottom and said to keep vegetables fresh: Sorry, the package is in hebrew,

Why does feta taste so terribly salty when grilled?

I love feta cheese, and I can't get enough of it, just like my family. But unlike them, I only eat it raw. I can't stand the grilled feta sandwiches my mother e

What role does alcoholic liquid play in cheese fondue recipes?

Pretty much every recipe I've seen for cheese fondue includes either white wine (sometimes alongside kirsch/brandy) or some kind of beer in the delicious cheesy

Substituting almond milk for evaporated

Can almond milk be substituted for evaporated milk in a custard pie recipe?

Curing bacon with a wet brine, without nitrates

When making bacon, many of the recipes call for a dry brine using curing salt with nitrates. I've read that it is possible to use a wet brine without the curing

Why skim "scum" from the surface of a simmering stock?

I've been reading various Googled recipes and techniques for stockmaking, as I made my first stock tonight using raw chicken bones. Just about every article/rec

What does the refrigerator crisper compartment actually do?

In most refrigerators you will be able to find a compartment for your vegetables and fruits. This compartment is called the crisper and it is supposedly able to

How Do I Fix Curdled Mascarpone Cheese?

I made a mascarpone mix for a Jamie Oliver cheesecake and it has curdled. The ingredients I added to the mixture include: full cream milk, vanilla essence, a

What is the proper/most common way to serve curry?

I went to a Thai restaurant this afternoon and ordered Massaman curry, which I've never had before. When I make curry at home, I usually mix it with chicken and

Pan instead of a skillet

I'm going to be cooking salmon in a white wine sauce & the directions indicate that I need to use a skillet. I don't have one of these, would I be able to u

How do you tell if a cheese rind is edible?

When I buy a cheese from a type I don't know, I usually discard the rind, just because I'm not sure it is edible. Is there a way to tell if it is edible, other

Are the white crystals on my American Cheese safe to eat?

I have some American Cheese with fine white crystals on the outside of each slice. They have a gritty texture. Is this a sign that the cheese is spoiled, or jus

How should a washed rind cheese be stored in the refrigerator?

There's a dispute about whether to use plastic wrap, wax paper, aluminum foil, zip-loc bags and so on. Also, I've heard that its a good idea to take the cheese

Can I eat cheese which has been "infected" with blue cheese mold?

Recently, I bought two pieces of cheese - St. Agur and Pyrenean cheese. They were cut from wheels, not pre-packaged. At home, I removed the foil and placed them

How to pair cheese with wine?

It is common knowledge that cheese goes well with wine. However, the choice of which sort of cheese to pair with which wine seems an arcane discipline. Are th