Latest Cooking Answers

Is it normal for potatoes to look like they are 'shedding'?

I bought potatoes today in a different store then I normally do. When I came home I saw that the potatoes look like they are 'shedding', and I can peel of piece

semi-freezing ripe avocado for easier handling

I've got a sack of ripe avocados that are going to be used in vietnamese salad rolls, sliced into long pieces. The avocados are getting bit too soft to cut, and

What is the closest substitute for the cheese in urnebes?

Urnebes is a Serbian salad that contains cheese. Searching for recipes for said salad, I noticed that there are a lot of difference in the chosen cheese. Some s

Is salt needed for a souffle to rise?

I made a crab pudding/souffle (lots of egg whites) last night and it didn't rise at all. I've made it before successfully, but this time I didn't put any salt

Lost in translation: Pluma ibérico

In Spain,there are three popular iberian pork cuts: Secreto (or Cruceta), Bola (or Presa or Abanico) and Pluma. I have a question about the 'pluma' that I can p

Why is mixing good whiskey with cola/ginger ale frowned upon? [closed]

I ordered a Jameson and ginger ale at a pub the other night and my brother asked me why I wasn't ordering it neat or on the rocks, since it wa

Shelf life of soft or medium boiled eggs?

Its easy to google and find information on the shelf life of hard-boiled eggs from seemingly authoritative sources. It seems roughly 1 week when refrigerated is

How can I speed up cooking risotto?

I usually cook risotto in a wide-based, shallow pan. It always seems to take longer than the recipes would suggest. I've just seen a chef using a deeper saucep

What meats can I serve medium rare and why?

It is generally accepted that pork and chicken must be cooked completely (unless put through a strong curing process) while certain cuts of beef and lamb can be

How should I layer the ingredients in a taco salad?

When making taco salad, I often run into problems: If the beans or sour cream come in contact with the tortilla chips, the chips will become soggy. If the chee

About Farm Chicken

For two years, I've been eating chicken grown up in farms. They don't taste like village chicken (chickens raised in villages here eating natural food). Why not

Are there any yeast-less breads that can be used as sandwich bread?

My son cannot eat anything that contains yeast. Are there any types of yeast-less bread that can be used as a sandwich bread?

What's the difference between Prosciutto, Jamon Serrano and Speck?

Jamon Serrano and Prosciutto appear to be pretty much the same thing. Both are dried cured (and pressed) pig legs. Speck appears to be the same thing, but mad

Substituting mayonaise for vegetable oil

I know there's a recipe for Mayonaise cake that is super moist. I am baking sugar free brownies that are a bit dry, box recipe. I'd like to use mayo instead of

What cut of short rib do I have, and how do I prepare them?

I have beef short ribs that I'm not sure how to prepare. I'm not even sure what cut they are. They consist of only bone and intercostal meat. The blade fat and

Which type of chilli peppers for which cuisine?

Indian food typically calls for chilli powder, what I believe is called cayenne pepper in other parts of the world. Preferring spicier flavors, I find myself a

Haddock Falling Apart

I coated a haddock filet in flour and then fried it in olive oil. I let it reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit. When I went to flip it it fell apart and broke into s

Dissolving Egg Shell

I know that an egg shell is made up of approximately 92% Calcium Carbonate. The remaining percentage of the mass is a protein matrix. I know that vinegar (5%

Flavor and Chemical Composition of Thyme

What is the flavor of Thyme? What chemicals give it this flavor?

To achieve maximum flavour is it better to cut or tear basil leaves?

When I add basil to a dish should I tear or cut basil leaves? Does it matter?

How to wash vegetables without running water?

I live in a subtropical climate where most people cook vegetables, rather than eat them raw, so when making green salads, I must be careful to ensure that every

How can I make the tops of my macarons smooth?

After a recent trip to France, I have become mildly obsessed with making macarons (using this recipe). I have made a couple of batches so far - the first didn't

Why must potato salad be placed in the refrigerator before serving?

Many recipes for potato salad state that one should place the salad in the refrigerator after preparing. Some recipes state that one hour is enough. Others ask

Where to rent vacuum chamber?

I am testing out ideas for edible fruit cocktails that I would like to serve as an opener at a dinner party. So far, my tests have been successful, but it occu

Making Malt-Free Bread

The bread I make has been inconsistent in how it turns out each time. I follow the "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day" method for making bread. Sometimes it rise

Heated up oil for frying, stirred it, tiny bubbles appeared and rose slowly but with very loud popping sound - why?

Last night I tried deep frying stuff for the first time. As the oil heated in the pot, I thought it would be a good idea to stir the oil (I was really scared o

Shaken, not stirred...but why?

Most people are probably familiar with the line from James Bond, "Vodka Martini, shaken not stirred." What I have never figured out is "why would it make a diff

Whiskey and Water

In his answer https://cooking.stackexchange.com/a/24354/6279 @user5561 indirectly makes the claim that it is 'preferable' to mix whiskey with water from the sam

Does gin "bruise"?

Inspired by a question about shaking vs stirring--part of what is unusual about Mr. Bond's request is that a martini is typically stirred rather than shaken; th

What is the purpose of bitters in cocktails?

What is the purpose of small amounts of bitters in cocktails? For example, 1/32nd tsp angostura bitters in a Manhattan? Do they provide any function other tha