Latest Cooking Answers

Is it okay to use a microwave in convection mode without the turntable?

I just bought a muffin tin which is too large and certainly won't rotate on the turntable. My microwave doesn't have a "stop turntable" button. So is it okay if

How can I approximate a Starbucks latte at home?

I'd like to save a little money by making my morning latte at home instead of buying it. But it seems like the barista does something beyond just mixing coffee

Why is it called coffee cake?

There is no coffee in any of the recipes I've seen for coffee cake, so why is it called that?

How can I make coffee with a minimum of equipment and maintenance?

My household doesn't regularly drink coffee, but we occasionally want to provide coffee for our guests, or need to use coffee as an ingredient in other dishes.

What's the difference between latte, mocha, and all the other drinks on a coffee-house menu?

There are many different coffee-based drinks on an average coffee-house menu. But what makes them different from each other? What are the differences / distin

Create a water + baking soda solution?

I was wondering if there is a way I can mix the two and put it in a spray bottle? I would like to use water + baking soda in some cases to spray a little rather

What makes bread mold grow; light, air or both?

I'm building a breadbox that will hold multiple loaves of bread. I was wondering if it would be a good idea to put a gasket around the lid to reduce air infilt

Pre-mixing liquor -- any downsides?

I love Long Islands. In fact, all I make are Long Islands. Yet every time I make one, I have to independently mix the four liquors I use: Vodka, Tequila, Gin

What purpose does coffee serve in a chocolate cake recipe?

I have a recipe for a chocolate buttermilk cake. It's not constructed like most cakes, but it's always turned out OK. I've always wondered what does the coffe

How to make boiled and partially fried vegetables palatable?

I boiled carrot and beans pieces till they were soft, fried onions and green chillies in a pan, added 1kg of the carrot and beans to the pan, few pinches of sal

How do I steep mint for mint ice cream?

My garden is brimming over with chocolate mint, and I want to make mint chocolate ice cream with it. The general plan is to use cocoa, as opposed to melting ch

What flavor (besides chocolate) goes well with hazelnut? [closed]

I have a family recipe for a to-die-for hazelnut torte with chocolate frosting. I want to bake it for an occasion coming up, but there will be

Why is salt sometimes added to straight coffee?

Sometimes a pinch of salt is added to a cup of coffee - but why? Is this only done for low-quality or mediocre coffee? When is the best time during the coff

Do flax seeds lose their fiber if cooked?

I found a recipe on the internet in which half a cup of ground flax seeds are added to the mixture to make muffins. Since there is flour and sugar in it I was

If a recipe doesn't specify the type of vinegar, is there a standard type implied?

I occasionally come across recipes that call for vinegar, but don't specify which of the many varieties they mean. (A recent example is this recipe for a corn a

What are some vegan thickeners for beverages?

I need a vegan thickener that dissolves well and doesn't have any flavor. I tried tapioca flour the other day and it didn't dissolve very well and left a powder

What could I substitute for coffee in an Opéra cake

I would like to bake an Opéra cake for someone who doesn't really appreciate the taste of coffee. Since coffee and chocolate are the two main elements, I

Is blanch freezing vegetables required for short term storage?

I need some vegetables to last for about a month until I've juiced them all. Blanch freezing many vegetables sees them last for periods 6 months and longer, bu

Wet Cooked Ham Slices

If you were to open a packet of cooked ham slices and they were wet, is that a bad sign? Are they gone bad? Is it ok to eat them?

Cooler as a pantry?

Spices (and many other things) are supposed to be stored in a dark, cool, dry place. I live in an apartment (i.e. no dedicated pantry), in California (i.e. it'

Instant espresso powder substitutions?

Many recipes for chocolate baked goods call for instant espresso powder. I rarely bake, but I always have coffee in the house. What might I use as a rule of thu

What is club soda and how do I make it?

After many searches on the Google, I still can't find out how to make club soda. So, I have to ask the question - what is club soda exactly? I bought a iSi

Why can heating things in a microwave make them soggy?

Why does heating something (like pizza) in an oven make it crisp but heating it in the microwave makes it all soggy?

How to make celery root dish without parmesan?

I've used a recipe before (can't find it anymore, sorry) where I steamed sticks of celery root. The ingredients I remember are garlic (whole cloves steamed toge

How much brine do I need to freeze icecream?

Suppose that I am making ice-cream the old fashioned way, by keeping a bowl of ice cream base in a bigger bowl of table salt solution cooled to below freezing.

Why do instructions for carving a chicken disregard the back?

Many instructions for carving a roast chicken don't mention doing anything with the meat on the back. For example, Mark Bittman in How to Cook Everything, descr

Soda from fridge to room temperature

Does taking an unopened can of soda out of the refrigerator and leaving at room temperature compromise the taste, flavor, or carbonation of the unopened soda ca

Why does my oil cake drop in the centre

My cake initially rises perfectly, but after about 20 - 25 minutes, the cake starts to slightly droop with the cake also pulling away from the side of the pan.

Baking batter-covered chicken instead of frying?

Yesterday I made Sweet Chicken according to this recipe: ding! It was very good. However, I really don't like making and eating deep fried food, so I figured I

Mixing mozzarella without clumping

Whenever I use mozarella in a pasta dish, and attempt to mix it in like you would cheddar or anything else, I end up with one giant clump of mozzarella. Ex) I