Latest Cooking Answers

Can you safely can homemade caramel/butterscotch syrup?

I've done canning of jams and jellies. I would like to make caramel and butterscotch syrups and jar them to give away, too, but I'm not sure if this is do-able

What does "spooned and leveled" mean?

I'm looking at a recipe that lists the following as an ingredient: 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) What exactly does this mean? Is this li

Why is my lemon juice fizzing and smelling like yeast?

I have an open bottle of lemon juice that I've been keeping in the fridge. I just took it out to dress a salad and it fizzed like soda when I opened the bottle

Why are baking measurements such nice round numbers?

I've heard over and over that when it comes to baking, measurements cannot be ignored, and you need to be very precise. This question covers how precise a measu

dehydrator temperatures

I just bought a nesco dehydrator. Used it a few times with good results. Yesterday I sliced up some fresh pineapple and placed it over 4 racks. I let it run at

Help identify a strange root vegetable

The other day I ventured into a grocery store that sold a lot of root vegetables that I have never seen before. One of the vegetables was a large round thing,

What to serve at a cheese tasting? [closed]

I'm arranging a cheese tasting for 10 adults in a few weeks, mostly hard Italian cheeses, and I'm wondering what to serve with it? I want the

What are good techniques to prepare liver?

I don't like liver, but now I have to start eating pork liver because of its high iron content. There are some ingredients which I have disliked for years, th

Making Beef Stock

I just purchased some nice beef marrow bones. What I'd like to do is make myself some beef stock for soups and whatever else. Now I'm planning on making a Mir

Does brewing tea for longer result in higher caffeine content?

The ISO standard for brewing tea says "6 minutes". Of course different teas have vastly different properties, but... For "average commodity black tea" and "av

Are commercial foods adjusted for integer cooking times?

Pasta, noodles and such foods are often labeled "cook for n minutes". Are the ingredients for these foods purposefully balanced such that the average optimal co

Where can I buy Salsify in the UK?

I like the look and taste of salsify, and have had it in restaurants. However, I cannot find anywhere to buy it. I don't even mind how it comes - tinned, froz

Given I have to make the batter now to eat in 3-4hrs, what's the best way to store my pancakes (or the batter)?

I'm about to make some pancakes(1) for my daughter, and will want to make some for me and my wife this evening (in about 3-4hrs), since using a single egg shoul

Why is gnocchi a dumpling and not a noodle?

I've recently been told that gnocchi is technically a dumpling, not a noodle. What about it causes gnocchi to fall under the dumpling category?

Is acid-marinated raw chicken still safe after several days?

I marinated chicken five days ago in lemon juice, seasoned salt, and garlic powder, is it still safe to cook in the oven?

Are there alternative ways to test fruit preserves for doneness?

I've tried twice to make fruit preserves using only the natural pectins in the fruit. The first time with plums where the jam was much to thick, and yesterday o

Culinary uses for juniper extract?

I bought some juniper extract for making bath stuff, and it doesn't seem to be very effective for this purpose. I have used juniper berries before, so I thought

Best way to dissolve caramelized sugar

I have a chocolate syrup recipe that calls for around 1 cup of sugar and 3 cups of water. I have found that the recipe turns out better if I caramelize the suga

How can I stop my soups sticking to the bottom of the pot?

I like cooking soups, however often as not the lentils or oats stick to the bottom of the pot and start to burn. I like cooking my soups over several hours in a

Brown line in back of shrimp

What could be a brown line in the back of an already peeled shrimp?

How to make fluffy rice and which type of type of rice to use?

In some restaurants like Greek ones I get some nice pretty fluffy rice. The rice is short and little fat in the middle. It doesn't like look Jasmine or basmati

How do I make spicy mayonnaise like Japanese restaurants use for sushi?

I've tried mixing mayonnaise and hot sauce together and it didn't taste right at all. Any Suggestions?

Why is it dangerous to eat meat which has been left out and then cooked?

If cooking meat kills bacteria, and bacteria are responsible for problems with eating meat which has been left out, then why is it dangerous to eat meat which h

How to make Pancakes with Almond milk?

We've been experimenting with using almond milk as a substitute for actual milk in my household. The biggest failure so far has been with pancakes. The pancakes

How do I stop porridge sticking to the pan?

I love porridge but I always seem to end with some stuck on the bottom of the saucepan. I use a non-stick saucepan, keep on a low heat, and stir regularly. I te

Cook Burger on Stove - Turns Gray

So I've been wondering why whenever I cook burgers, they end up turning into a gray color, and a greasy mess. I'm restricted only to a stove top pan and oven, a

Can I use a 4 quart crock pot instead of a 6 quart?

For a recipe that calls for a 6 quart crock pot, can I use a four quart crock pot? Should I only use 2/3 of each ingredient?

Fried garlic turning black

When frying garlic in olive oil, it usually turns translucent after a while. This time, it quickly turned black. Why? Was the pan too hot?

Can I adjust soup texture right before serving?

I'm terrible at getting the right texture for soups and stews. Adding boiling water to adjust the texture right before serving is my usual response. Would this

Counter to bitterness in soup

My minestrone turned out too bitter. How can I counter it? The soup contains tomatoes, pasta, Savoy cabbage, celery, carrots, burnt sautéed garlic, thyme