Latest Cooking Answers

Fat free dumplings?

There is nothing like beef stew and dumplings, yet I am trying to eat more healthily. Is there any way to make fat free or at least low-fat suet type dumplings

What is a reliable source for the caffeine content in tea?

If you do a quick google search for "Tea caffeine content" you may get varied results anywhere from 20mg up to 45 for black tea. I wonder: Where do all these n

How can serrated knives be sharpened, without the serration being eroded?

This post recommends having serrated knives sharpened by professionals, and not an amateur. I ask about whetstones, steel rod, and pull-through sharpeners. But

Kneading dough by hand

I don't have a bread machine or a mixer. Kneading dough by hand is a long and tiresome process. Are there any tricks to developing gluten?

standard way to make crispy sweet potato fries?

I've been looking for a way to fry (not bake) sweet potatoes, maybe like the double-fry method for russet and russet-like potatoes, to get a crispy exterior.

What are the small yellow things on my cooked bacon

I cooked some bacon medallions yesterday, it was in date, didn't smell, and I had some of it, putting the rest in the fridge - by all accounts it was fine. Thi

What's the different between the sides of aluminium foil (shiny/matte)? [duplicate]

Is there any difference between the two sides of an aluminium foil? (shiny/matte) If so, when to use each one? For example, when covering som

How can I recognize peaches with split pits?

Split pits in stone fruit can be a real problem for farmers, because fruit that are seriously affected can’t be sold. However, if the damage isn’t o

Refrigerator Fruit/Vegetable Bins

Is there anything that makes the bins in the fridge particularly good (or bad) for storing fruits and vegetables. Previous refrigerators had a moisture control

Does "build up" on the bottom of copper-bottom stainless sauce and frying pans matter?

I am not the most fastidious pot washer: over the years, my copper-bottomed fry pans have developed a layer of (I guess) burned oil residue. Aside from any "ic

I left my non-stick pan in the oven while it was preheating, can I still use it?

Long story short, I left my non-stick pan in the oven while it was preheating. Left it in there for about 20 - 30 minutes, including 15 minutes at 375 degrees F

How accurate is the hand technique for grilling?

I have read several articles and watched several videos talking about the proper way to gauge the temperature of a grill. Basically they state if you can hold y

My sourdough starter split in 2 on the 3rd day. What should I do?

I have fed it first after 24h and it grew nicely. And on the 2nd morning after I woke up I saw this: Should I keep the upper half? or simply start a new batc

Lodge Dutch Oven seasoning fail (My first cast iron experience)

I bought this. It was a little rusty. I cleaned the rust with salt. I wanted to remove preseasoning but I don't have requirements for that process. Washed th

Size of holes for salt/pepper/seasoning shakers?

Is there any reference for the sizes of holes for salt shakers? For cooking I should think that the holes would be larger than for table shakers. This quest

Can I freeze fruit shrub?

I am about to make some fruit shrub for use in drinks. I have clear instructions and I understand that it will keep safely for 6 months in the fridge (barring s

Does a mix of cocktail sauce and tartare sauce have a special name?

What does one get when one combines cocktail sauce and tartar sauce in equal parts?

How to remove the distinct flavor of vital wheat gluten when making faux meat?

How do I remove the distinct protein flavor of vital wheat gluten when making faux meat?

In bakeries, what are the factors that make breads become hard?

If breads are reheated in a bakery, will this cause the bread to become hard?

Super-saturated sugar solution gone wrong

An interesting recipe here provides this as a recipe for making a geode-looking sugar crystal. The finished product looks really great and is basically this: 3

Are there home bread machines that can make baguettes or boules?

The bread machines I have used create a cube-shaped loaf with a hole in one end. Are there home bread machines that can make bread in other shapes, such as a lo

What is a 'parmigiano pearl'?

I've read the following dish description in a wedding buffet menu: Truffle essence potato soup with parmigiano pearl I can't seem to find any relevant res

Sourdough starter stopped growing, is it normal?

I posted a question a few days ago. This was my first sourdough starter: My sourdough starter split in 2 on the 3rd day. What should I do? and I decided to onl

How to harden a chocolate made from Regular (unsalted) butter?

I am trying to make chocolate in following steps- Take cocoa powder (unsweetened) and powdered sugar. Grind them. Add Regular (unsalted) melted butter, mix the

Shallow frying safety

I've recently begun shallow frying a lot of chicken in batter - which have been turning out perfectly tasty for what I need them for. However, frying with more

How to make pizza without cheese? [closed]

Maybe I'm the only person in the world who does not like cheese ... Or maybe not .. What are the perfect ingredients to make a pizza taste goo

How can I BBQ everyday without the cleaning?

I want to BBQ everyday with a small BBQ but I do not want to wait to have to light coals, and then wait on the grill and then clean. Is there an easier way to

Can anything be done with cooking apples that fall early?

Can anything be done with a large amount of cooking apples that have fallen early? They vary in size from golf ball to tennis ball but have fallen a couple of m

Coconut milk in iced coffee

I like using coconut milk in my coffee. However, during summer, I like putting ice in my coffee. Some part of the coconut milk clumps up around the ice. This is

Does resting stew lead to more succulent meat?

My wife makes a very delicious chicken curry. Part of the "recipe" is let it rest for 2 hours or so until it reaches room temperature. She claims the meat relax