Countering the oven spring, on purpose In Maggie Gleer's Artisanal Baking, there is a recipe for a focaccia-style rosemary bread (ACME's herb slab).

The dough is fortified with oil, and spends a long time proofing. the recipe then goes out of its way to keep the bread flat. Firstly, the dough is stippled all over twice, and most important of all, five minutes after the bread goes into the oven, it's flipped over.

This basically means that it gets a solid crust on both sides that the force of the oven spring can't break, keeping the bread flat.

I've been wondering about the effect this has on the crumb, since normally, you do everything you can to get as much height as possible. My theory is that providing a counter force to the oven spring, what you're doing is increasing the pressure inside the bread. I'm imagining that this might cause the steam to superheat (or at least reach much higher temperatures). This would then heat the oil in the dough to much higher temperatures than it would reach if we let the bread spring normally. This, I imagine, would have some effect on the crumb that might be nice.

Is this hypothesis reasonable? Is this why you would want to flip the bread? Or is it just for the shape. And if so, could we provide even greater counter-force, keeping the dough almost the same size, and almost deep frying the crumb (and would this be desirable)?

The theory is unlikely.  The interior of dough rarely gets more than a few degrees above boiling, and it usually "stalls" for a significant amount of time in the 210-212F range.  The only way to go above that is to dry the dough out completely, resulting in a cracker-like consistency.

That's the reason why the crust has a different texture, color, etc. than the interior.  The crust is the portion of the bread which actually reaches temperatures significantly higher than boiling.  That allows other types of chemical (and thus flavor) reactions to happen, like the Maillard reaction and caramelization.

Another way to think about this is that 212F is boiling at sea level, and bread dough contains a lot of water, and the large interior "surface area" surrounding each bubble means there is a huge amount of surface area for water to evaporate.  So, if you heat water to 212F, it will evaporate, and it will leave all of those interior bubble surfaces at 212F.  Until the dough dries out enough to slow that moisture production significantly, the interior will maintain a temperature of roughly 212F.

Furthermore, even if you somehow did create pressure inside the dough to raise the temperature inside significantly above boiling, it would exert significant pressure on every surface of the loaf, and it would burst at any location.  Achieving even a few extra degrees of temperature would require significant extra pressure to be continuously exerted on the entire exterior of the loaf.  So, "deep frying the crumb" would be really difficult to achieve, and would you want that?  (Think of a hushpuppy or something that's deep fried dough -- would you really want the interior to be all crustlike and dried out?)

Regarding the flip -- I've never done it, but I assume it must just be for the shape and perhaps the coloring/crust consistency.  Dimpling on focaccia is done for similar reasons: on thin dough, if you have giant holes, it can create areas that might expand and become misshapen or burnt or mess up the consistency.  I've never dimpled to deliberately deflate the dough or decrease oven spring.  I do it to ensure a relatively consistent loaf during baking.

Focaccia can have enough oil on the surface so that it effectively does "fry" a bit, and if you have excess oil in the pan and flip it partway through the bake, you will effectively panfry the crust.  If your pan isn't that oily, I'm guessing it's only about the shape.  (I also don't know why you'd like to limit focaccia's oven spring -- I've gotten the most compliments on mine when I've accidentally let it rise a little too far, resulting in something that was thicker than typical but a truly amazing tender interior.)

But the interior?  You can only get the "fried" texture and flavor by raising the temperature significantly above boiling and getting rid of most of the moisture.  But then you end up with an interior that tastes like a cracker (i.e., all crust).  If you don't get rid of the moisture but raise the pressure, you end up with something that is sticky and bagel-like, not typical desired focaccia characteristics.  (Don't believe me?  Try baking bread in a pressure cooker -- which requires excess steam -- and see what happens.)


How can I create the equivalent of a fresh cake yeast from my sourdough culture? I essentially want to wash away the excess water and already consumed flour after I've fed my culture.  What I usually do is whisk the culture and pour off the excess down to 1 cup.  I then add more flour and water and then store it in a mason jar in my refrigerator until I feel like baking again.  This works, but I've always been curious how the commercial factories create a yeast cake that is sold in some grocery stores or specialty shops.

Food Grade Yeasts, Food Technol. Biotechnol. 44 (3) 407–415 (2006) describes the process by which yeast is commercially prepared in good detail for an overview.

There are several stages of cultivation and growing and increasing the yeast biomass, culminating as its final steps:

  Treatments and packaging The yeast in the final trade bioreactor is
  concentrated by centrifugation and finally harvested by a filter press
  or a rotary vacuum filter, until it contains 27–33 % of dry cell mass.
  The yeast cake is blended with suitable amounts of water and
  emulsifiers and cutting oils (soybean or cottonseed oil) to obtain its
  extrudable form. The yeast is then packaged and shipped as compressed
  fresh baker’s yeast, or thermolysed and dried to form various types of
  dry yeast. The dried yeast is packed under vacuum or nitrogen
  atmosphere. The packaging method varies among manufacturers and
  depends on the type of yeast product.

Note that this process requires assorted items of industrial or laboratory equipment which may not be suitable to the home environment, including centrifuges and filter presses or vacuuum filters.

If you really only want to preserve your starter strain without maintaining an active starter, simply drying a sample and then storing it in the freezer may be a better option.  This process is described at Breadtopia.


What is the best way to reheat meat with fried rice? How should i reheat my chicken with fried rice so the meat remains moist and the rice is not rubbery??

Use a wide skillet with a small amount of water in it. Heat the water to boil, then distribute the fried rice. Cover and reduce heat to low. Wait five minutes. Stir or fluff the rice. Add the chicken (which I assume is in little bits). Cover. Turn off the heat. Wait an additional five minutes.

Should be nice!


What is a good online resource for purchasing high quality sea salt? I would like to purchase some very nice sea salts. There are many sources available online but it is hard to tell what their quality and reputation is. What is the most comprehensive online shop for purchasing sea salt?

While their selection of salts isn't the broadest ('only' eight or nine varieties) I'm a huge, huge fan of World Spice ( http://www.worldspice.com ) here in Seattle; I've never mail-ordered from them but every time I've dropped in to pick something up the staff has been immensely helpful and knowledgeable.


Cooking juicy beef in a pan I recently cooked beef in a pan, and it came out pretty leathery. I came to cooking.SE to find some advice, and found this:

"The cut is important for both techniques. For sauteing, you need a lean cut - fillet, sirloin, or good rump steak. These should be cooked quickly over a high heat" from Cooking beef: how to make it tender? (most of the advice on the page seems to be "high-heat low-time")

My question is for a bit more follow-up on this. Most importantly, how will I know that the beef is cooked well enough to be safe, without it losing its tenderness? Also if it makes any difference, I'm using a non-stick pan (cooking it in olive oil is okay?)

The best way to test if it's done is to use an instant-read thermometer. Slide it into the thickest part, away from any bones. I like to lift up the meat with tongs and poke it into the edge, all the way to the center. You're looking for about 135-140F for medium rare; take it off a little early if anything because the temperature will go up a bit once it's off the heat. Let it rest for ten minutes or so before digging in to let the juices re-distribute.

I don't like using nonstick for steak, or olive oil. Neither does well at high heats, which is what you need to cook off moisture at the surface and get a nice browned outside before the inside gets overcooked. Cast iron and steel (stainless or carbon) both work very well in my experience. For fat, use a high smoke point oil like safflower oil, or clarified butter.


Milk pasteurization in the bottle via water bath: fridge live? I am frequently buying raw milk in bottle, which needs to be boiled for pasteurization. So far I always poured it in a pot, boiled it, and transferred it to a clean bottle after.

Since my old supplier dried up I need to travel a bit to get it, so I am thinking about ways to preserve it a bit longer, preferably 2-4 weeks in the fridge.

Would it be a good idea to put the glass bottles as they are in a water bath and wait until the milk starts bubbling? This way I won't need to do all the transfers and there won't be any air contact, it would be basically water bath canned. Would it hold for 2-4 weeks this way in my 4C° fridge? Any downsides?

I was also considering pressure canning, but I think this would be over kill for what I am trying to achieve here, which is slightly longer fridge life.

You're in luck!

High-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurisation for milk can be done at 71.5 °C (160.7 °F) for 15 seconds and extends milk's shelf life to about 2 weeks.  So if you can get a thermometer you don't need to wait for milk to bubble.

It's also possible to use a sous vide method; according to this guide 65°C for 30 minutes. Again, it's very important all the milk reaches this temperature and stays constant during the process. In this case the lower temperature is possible because the exposure time is longer. After 30 minutes, cool it as quickly as possible to 4°C.

To extend the shelf life to ~3 months you need ultra-high-temperature (UHT) pasteurisation (135 °C (275 °F) for 1–2 seconds) but that might be more difficult to control; you need to make sure that all the milk reached the temperature and stay there for that amount of time. I'm not sure this process is possible with home equipment.

Make sure to sterilise your containers prior to adding the milk, to avoid other contaminants.


Why am i unable to season my pure iron wok? I purchased a pure iron wok on Amazon -
https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B07YX683Y5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
When I try to season it (coat with oil and burn it), I cannot get that black shade to persist.
I observe that when I try to wipe a fresh thin coat of oil the second time, a dark residue comes out and fresh metal is exposed.
What am I doing wrong? Should I ditch the pure iron wok and get a cast iron / carbon steel wok instead?
Edit  1 : Details on seasoning process as follows :-

Wash fresh wok with hot soap water to remove factory oil
Let it dry completely
Coat the wok with thin layer of oil and heat it on medium flame till colour changes to bluish-brownish
Heat the entire wok
Dab a fresh thin layer of oil and repeat the above process

When i apply a fresh layer with a cloth/paper , i see the brownish coating get deposited on the cloth/paper and if i apply little more force , the fresh metal is exposed.
Edit 2: I cranked up the heat to high flame and now i can see the black coating. But i do observe that the coating flakes off in tiny bits in the process.

You cannot season it because you are not yet adept at seasoning. This is pretty normal, I also needed many, many attempts of seasoning pans and also many times of cooking with a badly seasoned pan and observing how it changes while cooking different foods to learn how seasoning should work. It is not impossible that it works from the first time following a description, but that is just luck.
Here are pointers to how you "read" the symptoms of wrong seasoning.

Underpolymerized. if it is too light, and/or too thick, and/or somewhat sticky, your seasoning is underpolymerized. Possible solutions can be the use of more heat (either higher temperature or a longer time, or both), applying thinner layers of fat, or using a fat which creates a better, less gummy finish - these tend to be saturated fats with low iodine numbers.
Burned. if it is too dark, and possibly comes off in thin flakes reminiscent of the ash of burned paper, then it is burned. Next time, use less heat.
Newly seasoned pan sticks a bit too much. If the coating looks good and does not feel gummy when cold, but your food sticks more than it should, then you may be trying to do difficult foods too early. Seasoning gets better with use, the process you followed is just an initial "nudge" in the right direction. So at first, use foods and techniques which don't have too much chance of sticking. Make sure to use sufficient oil and proper temperature when frying, and avoid things that will stick a lot, like fish or sugar-glazed food, until the pan's seasoning has gotten really good with use. Try to frequently use it for foods which improve the seasoning, such as crepes.
Buildup of charcoal-like flat patches on the surface of the seasoning You are using an improper technique when frying starchy foods. Use sufficient oil and heat it to the right temperature. Maybe you also have a badly made recipe, consider using a different recipe.
You see patches or rust appearing. This can be a bit tricky for a novice to recognize, since the color of rust and the color of underpolymerized oil can be similar. But the rust is generally dry to the touch, while the polymer is sticky and will rather peel off than disperse as sandlike particles if you try to sand it away. If you get this, the reasons can be 1) the surface was not perfectly clean before applying the oil, 2) you introduced something in the seasoning process that shouldn't come close to bare iron, such as acid or salt, 3) you put your pan through the dishwasher, or 4) your seasoning was less good than you thought, and moisture or slightly acidic food found cracks to get to the iron.

If you want to improve the seasoning, in cases 2, 4 and 5 you have to strip the pan and redo the seasoning (in case 5, you also have to remove the rust). The first case, underpolymerization, might be worth a salvage attempt by applying more heat (as you tried), but there is no guarantee it will work, so if that fails, you again have to strip. For point 3, just restrict the types of food you use the pan for until it improves. With experience, you will start getting better results. The more attentively you observe the pan during seasoning and use, the more experience you get per time unit doing these things.
The process applies pretty much the same to different kinds of pans, woks and dutch ovens, no matter if they are cast iron, forged iron, or blue steel. The smooth ones are somewhat less forgiving of improper seasoning than are the thick rough cast iron ones, you see flaking earlier. But all work best with a well-done seasoning. So it is unlikely you will see improvement if you change the pan or wok. You just have to continue learning the skill of seasoning.


Preserving vegetables in the fridge I have a very challenging task every time I buy vegetables in preserving them even though I have a refrigerator at home. Tomatoes, carrots, beets, and bottle gourd always collect moisture in the plastic in which I store them. How do I avoid this?

I tend to be kind of lazy and store my vegetables in plastic produce bags from the supermarket.  I have found two things that help the produce keep longer:

Put a dry paper towel in the bag to absorb moisture.
Leave some air in the bag when you tie it, so the plastic is not resting right up against the vegetables.

Also, I'll sometimes put the produce right in the crisper drawer without a bag or container.


How are powdered emulsifiers (such as monoglycerides) prepared for use in cooking and baking? Recently I picked up a few different types of emulsifiers in bulk powder form when I saw them in passing at a catering wholesaler.

Having never used powdered emulsifiers before in cooking or baking, I figured I'd find pretty comprehensive instructions for their use on the web - but I can't.

I'm not a stranger to food science but nor am I a chemist. I understand that emulsifiers are at least sometimes prepared by pre-mixing them into a (heated?) liquid or fat and then using the resulting solution in the actual recipe, which may explain why a lot of commercial emulsifier mixtures are packages as tubes of gel or paste.

I've also checked several industry-level textbooks about emulsifiers and while they are fantastic for in-depth explanations of the chemistry behind each emulsifier, they do not (as you might imagine) provide guidance on how a lowly baker or cook would actually use a powdered form.

So does anyone know how to prepare and use a dry powdered form of any of the following in a real recipe?

Specifically I am most interested in enhancing baked goods and adding stability to sauces, but would also like to know how to use them for other processes such as sausage-making too.

E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids
E481 Sodium stearoyl lactylate
E482 Calcium stearoyl lactylate
E472e DATEM (diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono- and diglycerides)

Thanks.

Emulsifiers are a type of surfactant that helps combine oil and water. They are polar molecules with a hydrophobic side and a hydrophilic side (one side attracts fat and one side attracts water). They can be used in many, many ways, so it's difficult to answer this question fully, but I can give you a few examples.

First, I make almond milk all the time. It separates rather quickly, so I generally just shake it up right before use. But I sometimes put soy lecithin in it and put it in my Vitamix, heating it up (which helps with the emulsification) and blending in the emulsifier. This keeps the almond milk from separating in my fridge. The more I use the less separation I find.

You can use sodium stearoyl lactylate in breadmaking, mixing it with the flour before adding the other ingredients (whisk it together). This will give you a softer crumb, more volume, and a longer shelf life.

There are many ways to use common emulsifiers as well, such as egg yolks and mustard in mayonnaise. You can also use a little mustard in a vinaigrette, or egg yolks in a hollandaise sauce.

If you are making any food which is an emulsion (such as a forcemeat) and you're finding separation of the fat/water, try using an emulsifier.


What is the white dust on red grapes? I bought some red grapes, and they have a thin layer of white dust on them. What is this? It has no flavor and seems to be harmless, but sources differ on what exactly it is, so if anyone has an authoritative source, I'd be interested to find out.

This coating, which wipes right off and is indeed harmless, is called the "bloom" of the grape or sometime the "blush". As described here, (the wiki for Fermentation in winemaking), it contains trace amounts of natural yeast, though thought to be the result of ambient yeast rather than the result of growth process proper.

Here we find a more thorough answer,

  It’s mostly harmless wax, says Kay Bogart, a winemaker who works in
  outreach for the University of California at Davis’s viticulture
  program. The grape plant produces it to protect the berries from
  moisture loss. It’s also often just plain old dust, adds Jim LaMar, a
  professor of wine sensory evaluation at California State University,
  Fresno. Until recently, winemakers believed the white stuff was
  yeasts, responsible for wine fermentation. Now they believe such
  yeasts are airborne. In any case, that white stuff isn’t pesticide
  residue. Which is not to say that there isn’t pesticide residue on the
  grape, so wash it anyway before you pop it into your mouth.

In the book Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane by Andrew Graham-Dixon, we find of Roman mythology the following statement regarding Bacchus, the ancient god of wine and intoxication,

  The bloom on the grapes, which dusts them with a layer of whiteness
  and dulls the reflected light caught in their opalescent skins, is
  echoed by the dry and whitish lips of the god himself.


How do I get Nooks and Crannies in my English muffins? I have tried making English muffins a few times. Each time the flavor was good but I didn't end up with the open interior texture that I expect from storebought English muffins.

I let them proof for the amount of time recommended by the recipe- about an hour. I cooked them on an electric skillet. They took a bit longer to cook than the recipe called for- about 5 minutes per side if I recall.

What do I have to do to encourage the formation of large holes and an open interior texture in my English muffins?

I found a great recipe for English muffins, which is a variation on Alton Brown's recipe.  Basically, the variation calls for adding a bit of baking soda after proofing the dough.

I've made this recipe a couple of times, with very satisfying results.  The yeast flavor is a bit strong for those used to store-bought, but I like it.


How can huge bubbles in pizza crust be prevented? When making pizza, often the dough bubbles up hugely, displacing toppings and generally making a mess of the pie.

Are there any secrets to preventing this? Does the key lie in the dough recipe, the distribution of toppings, or something else? Or is there no real secret, other than watching and popping the bubbles when they form?

From Encyclopizza

  There’s a difference between bubbles
  formed from under-proofing versus
  over-proofing. Bubbles from
  under-proofing tend to be flat but
  large in diameter. If unpopped, they
  can blow up an entire pizza. This is
  the process by which pita or pocket
  bread is made. Bubbles from
  over-proofing tend to be high but
  smaller in diameter. They rise up like
  little ping-pong balls and eventually
  form a hole at the top, at which time
  they stop expanding. They almost
  always burn. Most pizza bubbling
  problems are of the under-proofed
  type.

  To resolve a bubbling problem, dough
  fermentation must be adjusted
  accordingly. To stop bubbling caused
  by under-proofed dough, increase the
  amount of fermentation. To stop
  bubbling caused by over-proofed dough,
  reduce the amount of fermentation.

  In addition to proper proofing, it has
  been found that reducing the amount of
  water in a dough formula can help with
  reducing bubbling when dealing with
  the under-proofed type. The reduction
  in moisture aids in creating the
  pinpoint holes in the cells walls.

In addition, you want to make sure you properly knead your dough. Some people poke tiny holes in the dough to prevent overly large bubbles. As a final resort you could observe your pizza in the oven and poke bubbles as they form.


Can you butter-baste steak without a gas stove? I'd love to try butter-basting a steak but the method involves tipping the skillet to one side so that you can scoop up the melted butter and pour it onto the steak. I have an electric stove and if I tip my skillet, it stops making contact with the heating element. A gas stove doesn't really have this problem because the flames still heat the skillet (albeit unevenly, but it's better than nothing). I'm concerned that if I tip my skillet off my electric stove, it won't cook correctly since heat isn't constantly being applied.

Am I overestimating the impact of the type of heating here? Is it still possible to reasonably butter-baste a steak with an electric stove if the cast iron is preheated sufficiently?

The couple of seconds it takes to scoop up the butter won't have any significant effect on your pan's temperature, especially if you use something that retains heat well, like cast iron.


Concentrated Yerba Mate I love yerba mate, I drink A LOT, and I would like to bring some with me backpacking.  Do you think I might save a few ounces to carry if I brewed my mate beforehand, concentrated it into a thick goo and then took that with me backpacking?

How would I do that? Just simmer it for a few days? That seems like not the best idea...

Also, is there any online retailer where I can find such a product for purchase?

You could do that, but it would not save much weight and will be perishable.  The concentrate will have enough water to spoil.  If you want to take this course still, prepare a concentrate by using about 4x as much mate and steeping somewhat longer.  You can reduce it over low heat, but probably not enough to get a sludge without hurting the flavor.

If you're concerned about weight, I suggest light equipment. 50g of mate will make you about 15+ cups of it.  To steep it, I suggest getting a very light tea infuser, either a basic basket or cup with built-in infuser. This way you can enjoy fresh yerba mate.


Re-canning Ghee that was not strained well I made Ghee and pressure canned it for long term storage. After it hardened, I noticed quite a lot of brown bits in it; I didn't strain it well.
Can I re-melt the Ghee, re-strain it and pressure can it again? It tastes fine, but it is unsightly to me.

There are no known methods for canning dairy products (including the use of pressure canning). So re-canning is unsafe, and so is the original canning.


Whipped Cream Separates While Piping When I pipe my cake for decorating, some have a complex design so I take at least an hour. But after a while, the whipped cream started separating in the bag. Is this because of the warmth of my hands?? I have no idea why this happens.

Are you using an insulated piping bag with a disposable plastic piping bag inside?
Is the room hot?
Is the whipped cream over whipped?
To solve the heat problem, try folding a dissolved gelatin sheet into the whipped cream.
If the cream is over whipped it will start to look a bit grainy, as the fat starts to glob together as the fat turns to butter.


Stock vs Broth - What's the difference in usage? I've now learned (from this site) that broth and stock are not the same product (see this great answer).

So, in any given scenario, why should one use stock rather than broth, or vice versa?
i.e. What's the practical difference?

EDIT: I'm mostly looking for when to use one vs the other.

Classification and use of Stocks vs. Broth:

Broths are the result of cooking meat, not just bones. They're generally the result of preparing another item and usually not prepared specifically on their own. The juices poured off from a roasted turkey (after being degreased) would be considered broth.  Whole chickens being poached for another preparation would create broth.

Stocks are made from just the bones. They are prepared specifically for use in other recipes (sauces, soups, stews, rice, etc.)  Stocks are never salted in their preparation or the finished dish will most likely end up too salty due to reduction that will take place upon further cooking. Note that homemade stock will be often a bit more broth-like than restaurant/commercial stocks, since it's really hard to get all the meat off the bones.

Stocks are usually simmered for a very long time (4-6 hours for chicken & 8-12 for veal/beef) to extract maximum flavor and gelatin from the bones.

Broths aren't usually cooked nearly as long due to the fact that cooking the meat for extended periods (even chicken surrounded by the liquid) will result in tough, flavorless meat.

Consomme: a fortified and clarified stock.  The stock is fortified in flavor by the addition of a "raft" which is a combination of lean ground meat (appropriate to the type of stock being used) with brunoise (1/16 inch) mirepoix (carrots, onions, celery), and egg whites.  The raft mixture is stirred into the cold stock and as it gently heats, the proteins coagulate forming a "raft" on top of the stock.  A small hole is poked in the center (if one hasn't already formed) and as the stock bubbles through the hole it leaches back through the ground meat/egg white raft which filters out impurities to clarify the stock and fortify it with flavor.

Bouillon:  French word for broth.

Court Bouillon: sometimes called a "short broth".  A poaching liquid usually used for fish that is usually comprised of water,  acid (lemon juice, vinegar, wine), parsley stems, bay leaves, peppercorns, and some salt.

When to use Stock vs. Broth:
Use stock when a sauce is to be reduced significantly or when clarity of the final result is preferred.

Broths can be substituted for stock when the body of the liquid or clarity isn't important, and when the liquid will be thickened by addition of a starch.


What are the ways of classifying bread? What words and dimensions are used to describe bread and their recipes?

I realize describing bread is subjective, I'm only looking for common words to describe bread.

The Bread Baker's Apprentice has a 2-page long chart of different types of breads; in terms of classifying (not "describing") them, they look at the following:

Water Content - literally the amount of water in the bread. From lowest to highest you have Stiff, Standard, or Rustic.
Richness - the amount of fat, primarily, but also sugar, milk, eggs, or anything else to provide a richer mouth-feel.
Fermentation - direct or indirect specifies whether or not there is pre-fermentation.
Leavening - various categories describe the type of leavener used, including commercial yeast, wild yeast, chemical leavening, or a mix.
Flatbreads have their own designation and can also describe unleavened breads.

That's enough to classify the vast majority of breads out there.

As far as "describing" bread goes, that is entirely subjective and culture-dependent. For anything more detailed, you really need to go and read a book - there's far too much literature to condense into a single Q&A thread.


Crunchy/fried grapefruit? One day when I was young, we went to the doctor’s office for a checkup. While we sat in the waiting room, I was struck with curiosity by another family that was waiting. The children were eating some kind of food or snack (which I got the feeling was homemade, not store-bought). It looked just like a grapefruit (same size, shape, and color), except that instead of peeling it or cutting it in half and eating it like a regular citrus fruit, they were just taking bites out of it like an apple, right through the rind (assuming there was a rind of course). I got the distinct impression that it was dry, light, porous, and had a crunchy texture (I think I even recall an actual crunching sound), something like potato chips or cheese-puffs.

Over the years, I have often wondered what the heck they were eating. I have tried searching for it (the current top several Google results are a bust), as well as trying to figure out how it could have been made. Assuming it was indeed a grapefruit, I considered that it may have been deep-fried (yuck‽) or “cheese-puffed” or candied or something, but none really seem plausible.

I’d love to try one, so it would be great if anyone as any leads on what it is or how to make it.

It sounds like it could be a Nashi pear. It is something between an apple and a pear and is crunchy and rather dry.


Can I substitute unsweetened cocoa powder for unsweetened baker's chocolate? I'm using a recipe for chocolate crinkle cookies  and it calls for 4 squares of unsweetened baker's chocolate. Can I substitute cocoa powder for the baker's chocolate?

Recipe

Yes, that's a very standard substitution. For each square (ounce) of unsweetened chocolate in the recipe, use:

  3 tablespoons (20 grams) natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed) plus 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter, vegetable oil or shortening

Joy of Baking

I'd add that Dutch processed cocoa (if that's what you happen to have) is fine too, just be aware of your acid balance. This is the opposite issue, but it's relevant here: Effect of undutched cocoa on baking

This too: What makes the difference between domed and flat cookies?

If your cocoa happens to be Dutch processed, ask another question about adjusting acid. Even though it usually doesn't matter, in that recipe, it just might.


Roasting pork and traveling I have a 4 lb pork loin to roast, approx 2 hours. I also need to travel 1 hour distance. The pork is the main entree. Dinner is set for 6 pm. What is the best method to cook the roast so that it remains moist? I cannot arrive much before 5:45 and we can eat a little later. Cook for 1 hr, travel for 1 hr and complete 1 hr cooking at destination? Any combo of these?

That's actually just about perfect, since meat should rest before you slice it. Start the roast at 3. Cook it for 2 hours. Wrap it in aluminum foil. Put it in something to retain heat (a cooler, or even just a box with some towels). Drive 1 hour to your destination.

The muscle fibers will re-absorb the moisture, making it perfectly juicy. Without resting, it will seem "juicy" when the juices pool on your slicing board, but that's moisture that's lost. The sensation of juiciness is strongest when it has re-absorbed the moisture among the fibers, so it comes out in your mouth when you chew.

Wrapping it in aluminum foil will keep it warm as you go. Heat will equalize throughout the roast. Since it cooks from the outside in, the outermost layers are hottest. Take it just to the very bottom of the cooking range (145°F), or even a little lower, and let the carryover heat from the hotter outer layers finish the cooking. It will arrive perfect for you to slice and eat.

If you're eating any later than, say 6:30, then keep it warm in the oven at 200 or even 180 if your oven will do that. Another hour of warmth will still be perfectly safe, and won't go too far towards moisture loss.


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, but it's a bit of a hassle.

Would just ziplocking them in the freezer direct give me a month? I'm talking carrots, celery, spinach, zucchini. I'm sucking air out with a dustbuster which is nowhere near a vacuum sealer but hopefully better than not doing it.

Would putting the celery and spinach in a bowl of (sugared) water keep them going?

Blanching is done to halt enzymatic action that would start to destroy the plant cells. You can freeze without blanching and the veggies will still be edible even after 6 months but their quality will decline faster.

If you are planning on juicing those veggies within a month then you are going to be doing a lot more damage than the freezer will and I don't think you would see much benefit from blanching. The spinach and celery might stay a little greener when it thaws- the carrots and zucchini would probably not be effected at all.

As for the sugar water. Are you planning on freezing them in the water? I don't think that would do much but dilute their juices when the ice crystals rip them apart. Of course you wouldn't be able to keep spinach in a bowl of water for a month- that would be more like a swamp than food.


Corned Beef - From Scratch I want to make corned beef, completely from scratch. How do I:

Select the cut of beef to corn?
Corn that cut?

I'm well aware of how to prepare corned beef after that process, but I'd like to start from scratch.

Is this possible to do at home with basic equipment? If so, how?

You are about to enter the wonderful world of Charcuterie, the preserving and curing of meats.

The traditional cut of beef to turned into corned beef (or pastrami, which has a similar preparation) is a well-marbled brisket. I'd imagine that a flank steak or other similar long-and-moist cuts would work out too.

The curing process involves soaking the brisket in a brine of pickling spices (for flavor) and  Sodium Nitrite, which will preserve (cure) the meat and provide that wonderful pink color. You'll have to plan ahead, as the process takes about five days. I've used the recipe detailed in this forum post with fantastic results before. I think that it comes from this book, which you might think of picking up if you have future dreams of sausage, pastrami, and other feats of meat.


Does smoke point affect max temp of patina If I were to season a cast iron pan by rubbing it with olive oil(smoke point of 350F to 410F) and putting it in the oven for a while at 340F to create a patina, would I be able to later on use that pan in the oven at 550F? My thought is that the patina might smoke or something because 550 is so much higher than the smoke point.

It sounds like you need to better understand the process of seasoning your cast iron. What you are doing when you season a cast iron pan is a two part process of polymerization and carbonization. Done properly, the second step, called the carbonization stage, requires that you apply heat slightly above the smoke point of the oil.  Once completed properly, you should have a non-stick surface. You can use your pan in a hot oven.  It is possible to destroy the seasoning of your cast iron.  See this as well. However, in a 550F oven, with food in the pan, I doubt you will reach the temperature necessary to destroy the seasoning.


How to separate two jammed-together measuring cups? I have two Pyrex measuring jugs (this type) that have got jammed together, one inside the other, I'm looking for suggestions on how to separate them again.

I've already tried

washing-up liquid around the edge
putting ice water in the upper jug, then dipping the bottom jug in hot water

but neither of these has worked.

What else can I do to separate them?

Filling the lower jug with water and then putting the whole thing in the freezer worked. I checked it after a couple of hours and didn't think it had worked as I still couldn't separate them, but it mustn't have finished freezing at that point because when I looked again a bit later the ice had travelled up between the two jugs and then at some point the inner jug must have popped free.


Is baking by weight really more accurate? It's gospel among serious bakers that measuring by weight is far more accurate than measuring by volume.  However, I'm not sure that measuring by weight helps at all when you have varying humidity levels. It seems to me that, if the recipe author has much higher or lower level of humidity in their kitchen than you do, measuring by weight would tend to make differences in water balance even worse.

For example, I recently made the same pizza dough recipe in my apartment (65F, 80% humidity) and at my in-laws (75F, 35% humidity).  Getting the same texture of dough was a difference of 2/3 of a cup of water, or around 6oz of weight.  This water already was clearly in the flour in my apartment, adding to its weight but adding somewhat less to its volume.  This means that if a recipe was written by someone in Tuscon and I made it in San Francisco, I'd get a sticky mess of a dough without enough flour.

Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to make repeated experiments in measurement at different humidity levels to see if weight or volume is more accurate when the hydrometer is going up and down.  Is anyone?

Is it more accurate?  ABSOLUTELY

Does it mean that you can still follow a recipe by weight exactly and expect perfect results everytime?  No

You're right in that humidity will vary the weight, but if you're consistently working in the same area with a small change in humidity - its not something to worry about.  You'll adjust your recipe once and then generally stay in the same range.  Going by volume, you're always going to be all over the board.  Sometimes you'll pack light, sometimes tight.  Going by weight, you're going to be pretty close as long as none of the variables have changed drastically.

The problem you run into is when you change locations or the humidity changes drastically.    In the long run, you'll need to know what your expected dough should look and feel like.  After you've baked a loaf 100 times, you'll poke it and know if its too dry.

In addition to the feel of the dough, I have a hygrometer in my kitchen.  Keeping an eye on it lets me know if I should expect to need to add more or less water to my dough.  I bake A LOT, so I keep an eye on this to make life easier.


Use non-inductive pans on induction cook top I moved to new place with inductive cook top. But all the pans I have are the normal non-inductive pans (ceramic and stainless steel).

I tried using them with no luck. Cooktop shows error, keeps beeping and doesn't start. If I try an induction pan, it works.

Is there any way to make them work?

You seem to be mixing up some things here.

The difference is not between "normal" and "inductive". The difference is between pans which happen to have a ferromagnetic body, and thus work on induction, and all others. All pans with ferromagnetic body also work on resistive or gas stoves, so they are sold as "normal" pans, just like the non-ferromagnetic ones. "Ceramic" has nothing to do with the pan body **, that's a coating which can be put over a body made of a variety of metals, some of them ferromagnetic and some not.

Most steel pans and all iron ones should work on an induction stove, regardless of how they are coated. You can test this with a magnet - if it sticks, it will work. If it doesn't, don't try it anyway - in the worst case it can be an aluminium pan, and melt on the stove bad things can happen - my memory is patchy about what exactly happens, but the general advice is "don't".

You are likely to already have enough pans to use on the induction. But if you want to keep using some existing pan which is not ferromagnetic, you can simply use metallic discs which are sold for this purpose. The downside is that the performance of the stove drops to levels comparable to old-style resistive stoves (non-glasstop). But you can continue with your existing pans, and ditto for pots.

** I assume here that you mean ceramic-coated nonstick pans. The word "pan" is ambiguous in English and can also mean e.g. a lasagna pan whose body is 100% ceramic. But these are not used on stovetop, so I think we can exclude them here. Another option is a series of solid ceramic pots and pans developed for the stove, like Arcoflam/pyroflam but they are quite rare. None of the full body ceramic will work on induction, no matter if intended for the oven or stovetop.


Modernist Cuisine-style BBQ brisket safety I am going to try Nathan Myhrvold's 2-step BBQ brisket recipe: Smoke at 149F for 7 hrs, then vacuum seal and sous vide at 146F for 72 hrs. However, (due to travel for work) I won't be able to complete these steps in the consecutive days leading up to the party.

What I would like to do is smoke the brisket about 6 days ahead. After smoking, I would wait for it to cool just enough to vacuum seal, rapidly chill in an ice bath, and refrigerate until I return and start the sous vide bath. Can I be confident that a 10-12 lb brisket, after 7 hrs at 149F, will have reduced enough pathogens to be safe to refrigerate for 3 days? Or more practically, will it be safe to eat after 3 days refrigeration followed by 72 hours in a sous vide bath at 146F?

I am not aware of any rigorous tests done on a sequence like you propose.  In the absence of data, I simply assume holding any open cooked product more than a week in the refrigerator is risky, smoke notwithstanding.

You can significantly boost your safety by soaking your brisket for at least 24 hours in an acidic salt bath -- perhaps with some brown sugar and aromatics for added flavor.  Consider, for example, a recipe like Alton Brown's corned beef, which IMHO is tasty.  (Add a dry rub of fresh-ground black pepper and, say, a little fresh-ground allspice and juniper, and you have pastrami.)

By the way, after smoking you don't have to wait for your brisket to cool: any vacuum bag suitable for immersion/sous-vide cooking can easily handle a brisket right off a 150*F smoker, no cooling/waiting needed.  Besides, if you submerge the still-hot brisket after sealing in its bag into a 150-160*F water bath for 10 minutes, you will have effectively Pasteurized your product; with the residual salt and acid, I personally would be comfortable holding the sealed bag in the refrigerator up to two weeks (if I needed longer I would freeze it).


How to stop oatmeal from sticking to the sides of my slow cooker? When I cook oatmeal, I usually do steel-cut oats in the slow-cooker overnight.

They are tasty, etc., but invariably there is a layer of oats stuck/burned on to the side walls of the ceramic slow-cooker pot.

Given that each experiment is an overnight job, I am wondering if anybody else has had this problem, and if so, how you solved it?

Would it be worth greasing the sides with butter - or will that impart some taste as it cooks for so long?

Other ideas?

Are you cooking too long or too hot?

Oats shouldn't burn; stuck oats should just soak off.

Crock Pot Tips:

Often the slow cooker's ceramic pot gets quite rough and can have cracks in the glaze. Try an oven proof glass pot inside the ceramic pot (or instead of it if it fits OK).
A hardware-store drill-speed-controller, or heater thermostat/controllers, can be used on slow cookers to reduce their heat. Also, a plugin timer can be used to time the cooking cycle.

Different Methods:

You can bring the oats to the boil and pour into a preheated thermos flask (with a wide opening) and leave overnight. Traditional oats or other grains were brought to the boil on the evening fire, and then the  pot was put into a hay box* for breakfast and lunch the next day
Personally I cannot tell much difference between slow cooker oats and a serving of oats that were blasted in the microwave for three minutes. Just compensate with a little extra milk, and let stand five minutes before serving

* Large wooden box lined with dry straw or hay, with a cavity big enough for the lidded cooking, pot. More hay and a heavy lid placed on top (to keep the animals out)


What is the actual probability of food poisoning with food left unrefrigerated overnight? There are two components to risk: probability (how likely is the bad thing to happen) and hazard (how severe are the negative consequences). I know that hazard can be quite bad in case of food poisonings so I'm not surprised official sanitary guidelines often require taking the probability all the way to zero. But as an individual I have a hard time being able to properly evaluate food safety-related risks - not because I don't know the hazard but because I don't know how likely is it actually that dangerous bacteria will develop etc.

When I leave home forgetting my bicycle helmet I can roughly gauge if cycling is a risk worth taking because I know the conditions on the road and can anticipate the probabilities of collision. With a soup left overnight I have no clue of the probabilities involved: is it definitely unsafe? One in ten chance of diarrhoea? One in hundred chance of death? Or maybe one in a million?

I remember from growing up in central-eastern Europe that my family left food unrefrigerated overnight on a regular basis, often intentionally to improve the flavour profile - and so the probability of poisoning is definitely on the low side. Still, with my hypochondriac tendencies, and scared straight by overly conservative safety guidelines I end up throwing out a lot of food these days, which pains me a lot. I want to be able to manage risk in a more informed way so hopefully someone can offer any insight about this.

I'm not sure how answerable this is, as kitchens vary so much.

A clean, cool kitchen will be very different to a steamy hot, dirty one, in terms of both likelihood of contamination and growth of pathogens after the food is contaminated. Some pathogens are also almost ubiquitous. Homes may be cleaner than they used to be, but in temperate parts of the world they're also warmer.

It doesn't of course help that the guidance is almost all written for cases where for is being provided for the unsuspecting public (including individuals at greater risk) rather than in the home.

And then it depends on the food as well. Some support the growth of particularly bad species particularly well (e.g. cooked rice), others tend to spoil in detectable ways before they're colonised by nasties (many dairy products and actually bread).

From my experience I can say that the risk from food left out is really rather small compared to other sources of food poisoning - but a sample size of one is no use. Even if it's not a threat to your overall health, food poisoning is very unpleasant so it's worth a little effort to avoid it by cooling hot food quite quickly and chilling it. I sometimes forget stuff that starts too hot to put in the fridge, but don't waste it, and that's how I know the probability has to be low. That's not a recommendation, far from it.


How safe is steak tartare? How safe is steak tartare?

What can I do when preparing it make sure it is safe to eat?

Butchered meat is generally sterile except on its exterior.  (That doesn't mean parasite- or botulism-free, but it's a start.)

Get the best quality you can from a source you trust.  Keep it at as low a temperature as possible, and don't expose it to warm air for more than the few minutes it takes to prepare.

Cut with a clean knife on a clean surface. Put it right back into the fridge at a very low temp.

Salt and acid, if you use them in your sauce, will provide some anti-bacterial benefits, but this is not foolproof.

People all over the world eat raw meat, but it's best to start with small amounts and see how your system handles it.  If you're a child/pregnant/old/sick, it's much less of a good idea.


What can I use as the leaf in dolma? I want to make dolma, but grape-leaves aren't available here. What can I use instead? I would like to stay as close as possible to the original, grape-leaved dolma, in looks, taste and texture.

Here, in Turkey, cabbage dolma is also very popular. I have no clue about cooking, but probably you may need to cook it differently.


What are the differences between candy thermometers and meat thermometers? I know that meat thermometers generally won't handle as high a temperature range as candy, but I'm only planning to make caramels and fudge (so soft ball and firm ball) and that's within the range of the meat thermometer that I already own.

Also, meat thermometers are often labelled "medium well" etc., rather than "soft ball". Since I have access to the temps required, that's not an issue.

I'm definitely a noob to candy, so is there some magical reason I can't use a meat thermometer for my candy? Is it a huge no-no? Does it contain leprechauns that will destroy my caramels?

I think Doug and yossarian both touched on the main points, but to summarize, there are four reasons why you might not want to use a meat thermometer for candy:

Range A meat thermometer might go from 140 F to 220 F or something like that, which is plenty for meat. Candy often requires a range from about 75 degrees (chocolate) up to 400+ degrees (hard candy). The range on most thermometers is simply not sufficient for most candies.
Accuracy When you temper chocolate, 88 F degrees is an ideal working temperature (for dark chocolate). Some people would consider 91 so high you might want to think about starting over. When you make caramels, the difference between 235 F and 240 F can be the difference between wonderfully chewy caramels and a sugar-flavored rock. If you can't read one degree increments at a glance, you need a real candy thermometer.
Speed Meat thermometers often take 30 seconds to a minute to get an accurate result. When you are making candies, you have to be able to tell what the temperature is right now.
Contamination I don't want the thermometer that goes in semi-raw meat anywhere near my chocolate.


OK to "recook" partially cooked poultry? Cooking a leftover turkey. Took it out because it looked done and meat thermometer said it was done. It was sitting on the counter resting for about an hour, and when I carved it the meat at the very inside of the bird was still uncooked. Is it OK to pop it back in the oven until gets back up to 165° or so? Or is it ruined?

It was still warm when I carved it. It had been frozen and thawing in fridge since Saturday. Thanks in advance!

Although this is an old question, its a good question.

My recommendation for this case would be to break the bird apart and continue roasting the pieces. It might not be the best presentation of a nice turkey dinner, but it will allow the bird to finish cooking to completion.


Do you have to drain all the sugar water from water kefir regularly? I know that water-kefir grains need to be fed sugar and minerals every 24 to 48 hours, but my question is whether I can withdraw just 25% to 50% of the sugar water, and leave the rest of the sugar water as a sort of "starter" to speed up the next fermentation, and add enough sugar and dried fruits or sea salt for the total amount of liquid being fermented or according to taste or need?

Meaning, is there a problem with leaving a lot of old sugar water regularly and just adding sugar and minerals with minimal water every 24 to 48 hours?

Please note that I'm not asking about taste or for any subjective advice; I'm asking whether old sugar water creates any problems for the kefir grains, from lingering yeast or anything like that, or compromises the grains' health or activity in any other way.

Thank you.

Technically, you can.

The advantage of cleaning is that you can start with the right amounts of kefir, water, sugar and whatever you add. If you are aiming for a certain taste, starting from scratch makes it easier to match again.

If you don't, there won't be a problem (at first), but as time goes by the chances of contaminations in the residual water will grow. Those contaminations can affect the grains.


How to prevent flies sticking to hood fan lightbulb guard? I hope this is not OT. I'm struggling mightily with little flies and other bugs getting stuck all around my hood fan but the worst part is the lightbulb guard. Is there anything that can be done about preventing it? My hood fan (which does vent outside, luckily) is exposed to my oil rich cooking and resulting fumes although I do clean it regularly.

It might be helpful (but not a complete solution) to leave a fly trap (as in explained here: How can I keep flies out of my kitchen?) on your stove when not in use. Use several around your stove when they seem to be bad.


Solubility of turmeric powder I wonder if anyone mixes turmeric in milk, almond milk or water, and if you still have those insoluble bits interfering in the beverage.

What I've been doing is mixing milk, turmeric powder, honey and vanilla together, then filtering it through a very fine strainer (something you might use for straining curdled milk). However this process is tedious.

I was wondering if I'm one of the few that has this problem, and most people have access to a soluble kind of turmeric.

Turmeric is a plant, and therefore is made up of many different chemicals. Most of the aromatic compounds in turmeric are either water-soluble or disperse well in water, and are too small to be strained out.
The rest is the actual plant matter -cellulose, proteins etc., which is not and can not be water soluble.

You are not the only person to experience this, and there is no such thing as soluble turmeric.
One thing you may want to try is turmeric flavouring (e.g. http://www.epigenetics-international.com/product/24/Turmeric_Root_Flavouring_100ml/) . This is an alcoholic solution of natural turmeric extract, which you may be able to make yourself if you felt so inclined.


Garlic + Oil, Why is this recipe safe? I've read other questions here and elsewhere that talk about the danger of garlic in oil. I'm trying to figure out why this recipe is safe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-oliver/amazing-pickled-and-marinated-vegetables-recipe/index.html

The basic recipe calls for a pickling liquid of vinegar, water and salt. The vegetables are boiled for three minutes and then scooped out and placed in a pickling marinade of oil, sliced raw garlic and a chili. The vegetables and marinade (but not the vinegar solution) are placed in jars and stored for up to three months.

As far as I can tell shouldn't this recipe be at a high risk for botulism contamination?

REDACTED. Botulism growth is inhibited at pH of 4.6 or lower. The pH of this recipe is lower than 4.6 because of the vinegars.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09305.html

After re-reading the recipe, I think the OP is right. This is not the safest recipe out there.

For a great pickling recipe that is safe, try this: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pickled-beets-recipe/index.html


Is there a difference between seasoning and flavouring? I find the meaning of the word 'seasoning' slightly elusive. Before I started to take cooking seriously, I'd have said that any herb or spice used in cooking could be called a seasoning.

Without having had it spelled out to me, I'm now under the impression that seasoning refers only to the addition of salt and pepper during cooking. Some recipes will simply say "season to taste"; the implication being that salt and pepper will be used for this. Needless to say, not all recipes are consistent in this usage.

Does anyone have a definition of 'seasoning' that disambiguates it from the more general 'flavouring'?

The problem is, both Sarge's and Carmi's answers are right depending on who is using the word. Some people use the word seasoning to just mean salt, some mean salt and pepper, and some mean "anything you want to use to bring the flavor to the desired point, including salt, pepper, lemon juice, spices, herbs, etc." If you are dealing with someone in person, it is best to ask. With a cookbook, sometimes you can figure it out from context or from other recipes. Otherwise, you'll have to make your own best call. In my own recipes, I will generally write "taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and/or more lemon juice as needed".


How to grow sourdough starter for increased production? I am a commercial baker, and we are going through lots of sourdough starter.  But I wanted some ideas or help for growing sourdough starter without throwing away lots of starter.  Will the sourdough starter be strong enough if we do a three day turn around?

day 1. 1LB starter, 1lb, water, 1Lb Flour.
Day 2. 3LBS starter, 3 lbs water, 3 lbs flour.
Day 3. 9Lbs starter, 9lbs water, 9lbs flour and then use on day 4?

Will that work?

I've only baked at home, not commercially, but something sounds amiss if you're throwing away a ton of starter. [And wow, having a multi-lb starter!]

You throw away starter to keep your starter from getting too big, when you're not baking with it. And I'd hope a commercial bakery is always baking with it.

Example: if your starter is 4lbs and you're keeping half (so feeding 1lb flour, 1lb water), then you discard 2lbs, which you promptly replace with the new flour & water. This keeps your starter at 4lbs consistently. Ideally, that 2lbs removed from the starter is what you'd use for your baking (possibly after doubling it, to feed it).

You don't have to remove the 2lbs, either. You can just add 2lbs flour + 2lbs water, doubling your 4lb starter to an 8lb starter.


Whisk eggs without an electric whisker I am planning on baking Macarons.   The recipe requires whisking egg whites in an electric whisker but I don't have one. It is bit expensive to buy a good one for me right now and I do not have space in my kitchen to actually keep a machine like that.

I was wondering if there was any other way of doing it.

I don't know if beating eggs by hand would get the same result as it is supposed to be very fluffy.

Also I have an electric mixer in which I usually whisk eggs for a cake. My mixer is the one where I can press the button to create short pulses so it does not overdo the process. Does anyone know if I can use the same mixer to beat egg whites to the same consistency as an electric egg beater?

Any advice is appreciated.

Yes, you can whip egg whites (or whipped cream, or....) by hand. There are a few things you need:

a reasonably large bowl
a good, sturdy whisk, again not too small
proper technique
a good amount of ellbow grease
patience

It will typically take longer than when using a mixer (for beginners, I've seen pros that could keep up with any measly old mixer, especially taking cleanup time into account) but lets you control the outcome better: less chance of overmixing or uneven results.

I myself have done it several times, either because I had no mixer at hand or because I was working in the middle of the night and didn't want to wake everyone and the neighbours.

For motivation, see this video and this video for technique and this video for fun or any other tutorial on the web.


Why do patterns appear on tempered chocolate? Sometimes, during a single session, spots and lines may appear on tempered chocolate. This seems to happen with the first third of production.

Chocolates produced later in the batch do not exhibit any pattern:

Why is that? How can this be prevented? Is it caused by poor tempering?

Chocolate is Valrhona 66% Caraïbe (but it happened with other chocolate of the same brand), and tempering was done by controlling temperature with water baths following a 52-55C / 28-29C / 31-32C schema. Chocolate was maintained at working temperature by periodic water bathing each time its temperature dropped below 31-30.5C.

What you're seeing is called chocolate bloom. It doesn't happen because of tempering, it happens in spite of it (or sometimes due to improper tempering).

Sugar bloom is pretty straightforward - it happens due to moisture exposure (e.g. condensation) causing dissolution and re-crystalizing of the sugar on top. You can easily check if you have sugar bloom by wetting your finger (just a bit!) and wiping the grainy/streaky surface. If it becomes smooth after doing so, then you got sugar bloom.

The other type, fat bloom, is more complicated, but ultimately it boils down to having different types of crystals (and specifically crystals that are not the beta crystals you want from tempering). It can happen for a lot of different reasons, but some of the most common ones are:

Not heating enough before tempering. You might have melted most of the original chocolate but not quite all of it.
Too much heat in the 3rd stage - if you melt some of the beta crystals, they can form larger crystals and push cocoa butter to the top when they re-crystallize. This happens to me every so often when I decide to make a way larger batch of chocolate-coated whatevers than I really have time for, start rushing near the end, and heat too much/too quickly in order to keep it melted.
Fat migration, due to incompatible fats on the surface of whatever you're coating (maybe nuts, or something with oil or butter) mixing with the melted chocolate. This is more likely to happen later in the process, after you've dipped and coated a whole bunch of them, so it's probably not what happened to you here. Also, it's more likely to happen when the coated items are at a very different temperature from the chocolate.
Cooling too fast during or after molding. I don't know the scientific explanation for this one, but it's pretty easy to demonstrate by throwing enrobed chocolate into the fridge right away - it almost always blooms. This can also happen in more subtle ways, e.g. if a nearby air conditioner happened to be running while you were working.

Unfortunately it's almost impossible to tell which specific problem occurred simply from looking at the end result. If it's any consolation, though, I don't think yours really turned out so badly compared to what can happen with bad tempering.


When is best to apply sauce on to BBQ chicken? I'm cooking a full chicken divided into 8 pieces...

When is the best time to put sauce on chicken cooked on a BBQ?

Is it better to do it after it sits for a while on the BBQ?
Is it better to let it sit in the sauce over night?

If you let it sit in the sauce overnight then it's no longer a sauce, it's a marinade.

That's fine, but marinating is something you generally do with tough, cheap, and/or dry cuts of meat such as chicken breasts or top rounds (beef).  For a full chicken, especially the wings, drumsticks and thighs, a marinade is entirely unnecessary and in my humble opinion simply dilutes the deliciously moist interior and often makes the whole thing soggy and depressing.

Generally the goal (or at least my goal and that of the majority of restaurants I've been to) for chicken wings or even a traditional roasted whole chicken is a nice crispy, golden-brown, well-seasoned skin with juicy meat on the inside.

You can't get that if you douse it in sauce before grilling it.  The water in the sauce will inhibit the Maillard reaction that causes browning (and crisping), and as Mike points out, the sauce may even burn.  In fact, it almost certainly will burn; most store-bought BBQ sauces only last a few minutes exposed to direct heat.

With that in mind, the best time to sauce a grilled (BBQ) chicken is after it's cooked, or more precisely, when it's nearly cooked.  Go ahead and season it liberally and coat it in butter or oil beforehand, but wait until it is no more than a few minutes away from being done before you sauce it.  You're not trying to cook the sauce, and it takes no more than a few minutes to get the sauce to bind to the skin - i.e. a few coats with 30-60 seconds each to reduce and form a sort of glaze.

This is true for almost any meat and any cooking method as long as you're not marinating - BBQ chicken, fried or convection-baked wings, smoked or oven-braised ribs - you almost always want to sauce it right at the end.  If your technique and ingredients are good then the meat, not the sauce, should be your main attraction.


How do I make the filling in pain aux raisins / danish pastry I'm making pain aux raisin, but would like some help making the jelly like filling that goes in between.

The recipe here describes the filling as frangipane, yet when I make it, it is not as jelly like as I would like, and ends up being quite soggy.

I would describe the filling I am expecting to make as more like vanilla custard, with a kind of jelotine texture.

Any help would be appreciated.

A few things that I think will solve your problem.

Use powdered sugar instead of granulated.  I find that makes for a much smoother end product and a silkier mouth feel.
Cream the butter and sugar together first and then add the nuts and other ingredients.  This will add some fluffiness as the creamed butter/sugar mixture will allow it hold a little more air.
Add another egg (or just an extra yolk). This will create a thicker end product and allow it to set harder at the end.
add almonds to a custard filling recipe.  You can side step your entire problem by picking out a pudding or custard recipe that fits what you want and adding course chopped almonds to it, or on top of it. It ain't authentic but it works every time.

Also: A link I found that most closely resembles the way I make it, that might help you out.


What can be used instead of cheese to help a grilled sandwich stay together? Grilled sandwiches like paninis almost always have cheese in them, which is important both for taste and structure. The cheese works like glue to hold the bread together and keep the ingredients in place. You can make one without cheese, but it's logistically difficult (the insides fall out while cooking) and I find it a little empty without the texture filling all the gaps.

Are there some substitutes that will provide the same material benefit without being cheese? I've used roasted sweet potato to great success in quesadillas, but it's a very strong flavor that won't play well with a lot of sandwich types.

If you find roasted sweet potato to be a strong flavour, that makes things harder. Mixed roast vegetables, including some roast sweet potato or squash can work well, and the flavour of one vegetable doesn't dominate.

A rather thick hummus is also good (it softens a little on warming). In fact, roast veg and hummus is probably the vegan panini I see the most. Peanut butter should work, but I find that when heated it can become unpleasantly sticky (depending on brand; other nut butters that start stiffer may be better).

All these options have their own flavour, but so does cheese, even if very mild. The trick is to work with it, not against it.


Sous vide pasteurization for pregnant wife long time StackOverflow user (and home cook). My wife is now almost 5 months pregnant, and whilst initially I didn't want to serve her sous vide food (she didn't want any) 5 months of non sous vide meals has taken its toll on her!

After looking into sous vide pasteurization it would seem that as long as food is pasteurized, it is super safe (if not safer than any other method).

So am I right in thinking, that as long as food has reached its pasteurized temp for the right time, there are no food safety issues (regarding pregnant women etc).

So technically I could serve her a rare(ish) steak, cooked at 136F, if I slow cooked it over say 8 hours?

Likewise, the first meal I was going to attempt was sous vide ribs, 8 hours at 164F (to be safe).

Thanks!

Pasteurization is the process of heating food to kill pathogenic bacteria, rendering it safe to eat. Pasteurization is a function of temperature and time.  Using sous vide, one could easily have a pasteurized rare steak, or even a "raw" egg. So, yes...pasteurized food is able to be consumed more safely by people who are immunocompromised or pregnant.  These guides will be helpful.


Sediment in chicken stock Despite using a fine mesh strainer, when I pour out my stock into a container, I appear to have a lot of sediment/debris in my stock.  I am following the method used by Chef John (Foodwishes) http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2012/02/roasted-chicken-broth-part-1-of.html and I'm not sure if this is normal, or if I should be doing more to get a cleaner/purer chicken stock.  I do my best to skim, but as a newbie, it's hard to tell if I am skimming the right parts.

A stock made from roasted chicken is never going to be clear like a consomme.

You will note in the the video you reference, the stock is also moderately cloudy with some particles floating around in it.

This is normal, and nothing to worry about.

If you do desire a more clear stock next time:

Bring the stock only to the most gentle of simmers to reduce the amount of sediment stirred up from the boiling action.   It may be easiest to do so by putting the stockpot in the oven rather than doing it stove top.
Strain the stock with a very fine strainer or chinois, lined with several layers of cheese cloth.

In truth, I would suggest this is not worth it for most applications, unless you feel the appearance of the final dish being created is marred.  Since aspics are no longer terribly popular, where a clear gel really is needed for appearance, normally getting a very clear stock is not needed.


Why am I getting runny whipped cream from my iSi canister? Lately when I try to use my iSi the whipped cream just comes out very runny.

Does anyone know why this happens and what I can do about it?

Things to check:

Seal.  If the seal is broken/erroded gas will be able to escape and will therefore not whip your cream - giving you a liquid.

Canister (Charge) - Are you using a fresh charge (ie. NOS canister)?  While it is unlikely, it is possible that you have either a dud box or it has somehow become damaged.

Position - Are you holding it correctly?  I believe it should be completely inverted when using it forcing the gas through the cream as it escapes.  Double check your instructions for your specific whipper.

Cold cream will work better than warm - What is the temperature of the cream you are trying to whip?  Also I assume you are using 100% dairy cream?  I've had mixed results with things like elmlea (a UK low fat "cream" that uses vegetable oil instead of dairy fat).


The name or chemical compound responsible for a specific quality of some spices (numbness) I'm putting together the results of a kitchen experiment and I'd like to be able to identify a phenomenon that I've noticed when using certain spices. I've felt it in some of what are often called "warm" spices, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg come to mind, but that's by no means a complete list. For lack of a better way to describe it, it's a subtle numbness. I feel it primarily on the hard palate, and the sensation (or lack thereof) lasts perhaps twice as long as the perception of the actual flavor of the spice. It's so subtle that it won't surprise me if nobody knows what I'm talking about, but I'm hopeful.

It could be eugenol that causes the numbing sensation you experience. Eugenol is common to cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, basil and bay leaf and is used in anesthetics & analgesics, among other things.


Unfreezing and cooking steaks like ribeye or club steaks We usually buy club steaks or rib eye steaks and freeze them for cooking them at a later day.

Then a few days later we take the steaks out of the freezer to make them on a pan or in the oven.

One of the issues we have found is that the steaks seem to be a little chewy, meaning that the meat seems to get cut in pieces like if it was rubber, instead of the cut that it has when it is fresh from the day.

Would anyone have an advise for the unfreezing and cooking of steaks so they taste almost like fresh?

To get something as close as possible to fresh meat, you should freeze the meat as quickly as possible:

Package the steaks into portions with a high surface area.
Chill them well before you freeze.
Make sure your freezer is set as low as it will go
Freeze them in a single layer.

You can use some other tricks, such as having a thermal sink ... place some metal sheet pans into the freezer while you're chilling down the steaks, then place the steaks between then when they're freezing.

...

But all of that being said ... the chewiness problems are likely some other problem, such as incorrect butchering (ie, cutting with the grain instead of across, not trimming off the silver skin) .

Also, as you're only keeping it for a 'few days', and that means less than 5, you might be better off just chilling them rather than freezing.


How do I cook and hold pasta for 200 people? I am making spaghetti dinner for 200 people. I am not sure how to make 20 pounds of pasta ready for a three hour dinner. I thought about a steam table and cooking all the pasta and putting it in a steam table. Would that work, or is there a better way?

The common method would be to cook the pasta in advance, then shock it in cold water to stop the cooking before draining and refrigerating it.  You would then heat it up in boiling water for about 20 seconds just to heat it through.

You would just need a portable burner to keep a pot of water boiling for service.

On the other hand, 20 pounds of pasta for 200 people is a portion size of only about 1.5 ounces per person.   That is a very, very small portion, less than side-dish sized.

For side dishes, 2 ounces of pasta is more typical.   If you are serving it as a main dish, 4-5 ounces would be more typical.

(Weights are for dry pasta.)


Do I have to change the cooking time when I cook homemade noodles? I want to make my own egg noodles for a casserole dish. Do I have to adjust the cooking time? I have been told homemade noodles cook faster, does this mean I should add the noodles later? The recipe has to bake for 45 minutes. I do not want my noodles to be mushy.

Homemade noodles have a completely different texture from dried pasta.  The times I've made lasagne for friends with fresh spinach noodles, they were quite confused by the texture.  And even if there's lots of moisture and time for it to cook in the casserole, you need to boil them for 30 to 60 seconds or they'll disintegrate in the casserole.

Depending on the recipe, I might consider starting with everything already hot, the pasta boiled for a minute or so, assemble it, then put it under the broiler (grill, whatever you call 'top heat only' in your country) to get a bit of a crust on top, then let it sit for a few minutes to firm up some.


Why is there a fluid ounce? My wife and I have noticed that a lot of the drinks or liquids we buy have a measurement of "fl oz".

I was surprised to ascertain that fl oz. is indeed a measure of volume.  I might be a little dense here but why the hell do I need the "fl"?  Does this provide us with any more information?

Also for "heavier" liquids couldn't fl oz be different from oz?  So if a recipe asked for 10 oz of gravy and I have a jar that is 10 fl oz, what if they gravy is 11 oz?  Serenity now!

Because a fluid ounce and a dry measure ounce (both volume measurements) are about 20% different, though "dry measures" (other than the measuring scoops and spoons in a USA kitchen) have become far less common as most product is now marketed by weight, not volume.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_measure

A US dry quart is 1101 cc, while a US liquid quart is 946.4 cc (and an imperial quart is 1137 cc either way, since they evidently didn't have the bifurcation.)

A fluid ounce (volume) of water weighs about an ounce (weight) - a jar that is 10 fl ounces is a volumetric measure and can weigh whatever it likes - more for mercury (or syrup, for a less toxic and more food example) and less for ethanol. The continued use of fl mostly helps to distinguish volume from weight in current labeling, practically speaking.


Smoking time for 6 racks (18 lbs) of baby back ribs? I have a vertical propane smoker that has slots for 7 racks.  I will be smoking 6 racks of baby back ribs.  I have smoked 3 racks (9 pounds) at 200-210 in six hours. I know I will need additional time for the extra 3 racks -- but it can't be 6 extra hours (12 total).  What is a good rule of thumb?

The extra cooking time would be negligible. Cooking time is predominantly a function of temperature of the cooker, and surface area and mass of what you are cooking.


How can I make my Ice Cream "creamier"? My ice cream doesn't feel creamy enough. I got the recipe from Good Eats, and I can't tell if it's just the recipe or that I'm just not getting my "batter" cold enough before I try to make it. I let it chill overnight in the refrigerator, but it doesn't always come out of the machine looking like "soft serve" as he said on the show - it's usually a little thinner.

Recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/serious-vanilla-ice-cream-recipe/index.html

More fat!

Your recipe has two dairy components (half and half and whipping cream). The half and half is half cream, half milk. To increase the fat, experiment with using more cream and less half and half.


How do I ensure my cooked meat turns out moist? I don't cook meat very often, however when I do it often turns out "dry" rather than moist and juicy.

How do I ensure my cooked meat turns out moist?

thermometer?
braise the meat?
cook less time?
high temp vs low temp?

The way to ensue moist meat is to make sure that you don't overcook it.  It is really just that simple.  Variations on cooking method are to achieve certain effects on the meat, i.e. searing to develop more flavor due to the maillard reaction, sous vide to allow you to cook to a specific temperature, ect.  In the war against dry meat, a thermometer is your best foxhole buddy.

That said, some cooking methods allow you to hit that temp mark easier than others.  Typically, the slower heat enters the food, the closer to the specific temperature you will be able to get.  Thus things like a braise more often result in a meat that is moist as the window between cooked and over-cooked is much larger than on something like a grill.


"Soften" ice cream to make ice cream bars I am trying to make ice cream bars using a silicone mold, and the instruction sheet that came with it says "fill the mold with softened ice cream". I was wondering what the best way is to "soften" the ice cream?

I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker. Should I stop the machine when it's at soft-serve consistency and pour it into the mold, or just hard-freeze the whole thing, then thaw it in say, like a microwave? Would there be any differences between the two? I kinda think that the latter feels redundant.

If any of you could shed some light on this, I'd really appreciate it!

You just need the ice cream to be soft enough to mold.

Your recipe is referring to store-bought ice cream that tends to be very hard. A little time on the counter will soften it a bit without melting it completely.

A microwave is right out. It would melt pockets completely which would solidify to icy chunks.

If you are making the ice cream yourself then your situation is simpler. Homemade ice cream is still fairly soft when churning is finished. It has to be frozen solid in the freezer.

Just churn completely and mold.


How many cups of flour are there in a pound? I have a recipe that calls for 5 pounds of flour, but I live in a country that sells their flour in 1-kg bags. So I put in 2 kg = 4.4 pounds... How many cups should I put in for the remaining .6 pound that I'm missing?

The weight of flour varies immensely depending on how densely it's packed and the humidity.  If you've started with a weight-based recipe, I'd try to find a scale.

If that's absolutely not an option, I tend to approximate 100g = 1 cup.

Be warned, I've found some recipes that are really sensitive to the amount of flour and the difference between a lightly sifted cup and a scooped cup can really throw off the results.  You might do better to try to divide another kg package of flour evenly and use the approximation that 0.6 lb is about 0.25 kg (i.e. one quarter of the bag).


How should I store chilli for freezing and later defrosting? I usually make too much chilli so I want to freeze it and defrost it later to eat.  Right now I am just using unbranded plastic containers to hold the chilli when it's frozen.  I'm assuming it's unsafe to microwave these as they might melt, so I'll take out the frozen chilli and microwave it in a bowl.  However is there a better way than this?  What containers are best for freezing food in, and can any just be put in the microwave safely when it's time to defrost?

For meat/veg in sauce recipes I anyways freeze in boxes, and often defrost in the microwave. I tend to buy boxes that are meant for microwave use but don't fuss about this (larger quantities work well in ice cream tubs).

If you know in advance that you're going to eat it, you can defrost in the fridge. If not, aim to defrost quite slowly in the microwave and transfer to something else (e.g. Pyrex) before it gets hot. A larger container is good because it gives you room to stir, and that's a good idea when defrosting. Even the best plastic microwave containers can get very stained with hot oily tomatoes, and with others you might worry about leaching


What do I substitute for Greek yogurt in a pizza dough? The two ingredient pizza dough recipe calls for 1 cup of Greek Yogurt and 1-1 1/2 self rising flour. I can't find 'Greek Yogurt' where I live. Can I use 'natural yogurt'? Or whatever.

You can make your own version of Greek yogurt and it will be even better than what you buy in the stores.  What you need to do is buy "plain unflavored yogurt", preferably full fat or whole milk.  Then get a cheese cloth, and put the yogurt into the cheese cloth that is covering a bowl (please make sure the cheese cloth or a very thin cotton type wash cloth not (like a bath towel) but very smooth like a bed sheet, is secured over a bowl so that the yogurt can drain and the cloth will stay in place. It will take an hour or maybe two or even three, but the water will come out of the yogurt and it will be thicker and richer.  I think the water that comes out is called whey.  Preferably buy a middle eastern brand of yogurt, or an Armenian or even Russian brand.  There is something different in those brands that tastes a little bit better, especially if you get the water out, Mountain High is also good.  You can also buy something called "lebni" but that is a different product of yogurt, similar process, but if you try what I say, it will work fine.  If you do this with nonfat or lowfat, it is ok also, but we prefer the whole milk style and my friends and family do not like the Greek yogurt at all.  Funny, my Greek friends don't care for Greek yogurt either. We find Greek yogurt has more of a cloudy taste rather than a crispier creamier fresher taste and not so heavy and old as Greek yogurt.  Good Luck


What can be used as an alternative for Applesauce? This  banana bread recipe calls for applesauce and it's not something that's available at the stores here. Will it be okay if I just leave it out or can I use any other common ingredient to replicate the effect?

Applesauce has little flavor and almost no nutritional value. It is added to baked goods for the one thing it does have- pectin.

Pectin interferes with gluten in a similar manner to fat although by a different mechanism. For this reason applesauce is often used to replace some of the fat in recipes for health-conscious bakers. See this question.

Other banana bread recipes are very similar to cakes and rely on a huge amount of fat- often creamed with a large amount of sugar.

Your options are then to:

Replace the applesauce with some other oil substitute. Another puree of high-pectin fruit would work.
Switch to a recipe that just uses the fat and enjoy a richer banana bread.


Is free-range chicken more flavourful? Free range chicken is generally a lot more expensive than battery farm chicken, but it's often claimed it is better tasting.

I'm curious if restaurants stick to this mantra and use free-range chicken, or if it's just psychological, and if there any benefits besides ethical ones.

Flavor in most meats is generally determined by a few things.

How the animal was raised and if it is of a particular heritage breed.
How it was treated over its lifetime (i.e. diet and environment).
When and how it is slaughtered.
How it is handled from the slaughterhouse to the butcher, was it properly stored, etc.

Also, how fatty the bird is and light to dark meat ratio will also determine flavor of the bird.

I definitely have tried a lot of different types of "free range", "organic", and/or "local" chickens out there and you basically get what you pay for in terms of meat quality and flavor. At my restaurant, we try to source best quality chickens — local, organic and free range, if possible — because it just tastes better and it coincides with our philosophy.  Properly cooking and seasoning the chicken will also help.


Pecan pie says "keep frozen" on the box, but the store is selling them just sitting out. Is this safe? My local supermarket has a display of Edwards Pecan Pie boxes that all say "keep frozen" on the box, yet they are just sitting out at room temperature in a display.

I asked and the manager said this was fine. So my question is, why does the box say "keep frozen"? How does it make sense that the store could sell them unfrozen and then the customer is expected to freeze them at home?

It really varies by exactly what it is, and what temperature it's meant to be served at.

In general, when the box says 'keep frozen', the cooking instructions assume that the item is frozen when it goes into the oven unless it specifically has multiple sets of times & temperatures.

If it's an item that's meant to be served at either fridge temperatures or room temperature, then the box likely has information about how far in advance you can thaw it (and how far in advance you need to thaw it, as it'll take a few hours if you just set it out).

Searching for that specific item's reheating instructions led me to a site that I wasn't familiar with: https://www.directionsforme.org/item/1892860

... but they have on there (with my adding some bold to highlight) :

  Preparation instructions: Serve at room temperature or warm for best flavor. Pie can be thaw for up to 28 days. Ready to eat. Remove pie from carton. Thaw at room temperature for 3 1/2 - 4 hours or refrigerate overnight. Reminder Freezers, refrigerators and ovens may vary. Adjustments to time and/or temperature may be required. For a flaky crust: preheat conventional oven to 350 degrees F. Remove pie from carton. Place pie in center of oven on baking sheet and heat as follows: Conventional oven: Frozen pie - Heat for: 15-20 minutes - Let stand for: 5 minutes. Conventional oven: Refrigerated pie - Heat for: 12-15 minutes - Let stand for: 5 minutes. Conventional oven: Room temperature pie - Heat for: 10-12 minutes - Let stand for: 5 minutes. Or. To microwave: Place slice on a microwave-safe dish and heat at medium power as follows: Microwave oven: Frozen slice - Heat for: 60 seconds - Let stand for: 1 minute. Microwave oven: Refrigerated slice - Heat for: 35 seconds - Let stand for: 1 minute. Microwave oven: Room temperature slice - Heat for: 20 seconds - Let stand for: 1 minute Refrigerate or discard any unused portions. Store frozen, refrigerated or at room temperature. If purchased thawed, we recommend that you consume or refreeze within 24-48 hours. If you choose to refreeze the product, understand that it may not provide optimal taste performance.


How do I make my fruit leather soft? We recently bought a food dehydrator, and have spent many hours experimenting with it. However, we have failed in our attempts to make fruit leather that resembles the stuff you buy, meaning that whatever recipe we try, and whatever temperature and drying time we use, it always comes out very thin and very tough.

By contrast, the stuff you buy always seems to be thicker, sat 3mm or more, and is always soft, without being sticky or mushy.

We've tried pureeing fruit, whether fresh or tinned, we've tried stewing it first, we've tried everything we can think of. All of our recipes have been pure fruit, we've never added sugar, preservatives, etc. don't know if that would make a difference.

Anyone know how we can make it thicker and softer?

You want it to form a thicker layer on the sheet, and you don't want to overdry it. The toughness is from drying a thin thin layer for too long. Cooking the fruit a little can help with that. So can fiddling with what fruits you use.

Thing is, though, it's not going to be like the stuff you buy. Read the ingredients: most have added sugar and some sort of thickeners like gelatin or xanthan gum.

For me, what matters is the taste. As long as it doesn't shatter when I try to eat it, I will accept a wide range of textures. I choose the fruit for flavour and availability and go for the simplest possible preparation, which is pureeing raw fruit.


How do i make frozen pizza crispy and what temperature is required? I want to know that how i make frozen pizza fresh and crispy.And what temperature of microwave oven is required for this purpose?

Microwaves don't make things crispy, and aren't defined by temperature, but by power level. First you need an oven, then a good place to start is following the instructions on the pack, assuming you bought one intended to be crispy. Generally a high temperature is needed


How long do meatballs in sauce need to be heated in a crock pot? I'm participating in a pot luck lunch this week.  I'm bringing fully cooked meatballs, served in pasta sauce.  My plan is to make the meatballs (around 30 - 40) the night before, cook them fully in the oven, and refrigerate them overnight in the crock pot without the sauce.

My question, to have everything properly heated before lunch time, how early should I start the crock pot?  I don't want to start too early and turn everything to mush, but I also don't want to serve cold meatballs.

They're meatballs.  It's a crockpot.  Why bother refrigerating them or cooking them in the oven?  Just brown them in the oven under broil and then set the crockpot on low and cook them overnight in the sauce.  They'll be perfectly done, perfectly safe, and delicious in the morning.  A few extra hours won't hurt them at all and then you won't have to worry about time, temperature and food safety.


My olive oil didn't solidify in the fridge. Is it fake? After reading about scandals involving adulterated (and sometimes fake) olive oil, I decided to test a bottle of Bertolli olive oil. Bertolli in particular has been sued for selling fake olive oil, and successfully fended off the case by claiming their suppliers defrauded them.

The bottle had about an ounce left in it. I placed it in the fridge for about 11 hours, and it's still liquid. From my understanding, olive oil should solidify in the fridge. Is this conclusive proof that the oil was not real olive oil?

How liquid was it when you say liquid? Our kitchen is very cold in winter and may very well get to fridge temperature at night time and the olive oil gets white balls of solidified oil in it, and then goes very sludgy, making it difficult to pour, if not impossible. But it doesn't exactly solidify. So it depends on whether you mean it is completely liquid like normal or not.

This website implies that most oils should be unpourable by 35F (1.7C), which is the lowest temperature for a fridge (i.e. any particular fridge or part of a fridge may be slightly warmer than this):
http://www.oliveoilsource.com/page/freezing-olive-oil
(This same information is found on a multitude of sites, so I do not believe this is the original source)

However, it also says that olive oils may be "winterized" which means they do not clump or cloud, even at 32F/0C. This is so they can be used in salad dressings, etc, that are stored in the fridge. So you would need to find out if your olive oil had been so treated. I am not sure if this process is just used for oil sold for commercial use or not.


Is polyamide food safe? I got a nylon bag which is marked 'PA' in the label, which I think is polyamide.

I plan to use it for mashing barley grains in homebrewing ( 62C to 78C, PH ~ 5, 90 minutes ).

The bag is black and was originally intended for washing clothes.

Is it food safe in this setting?

Will it leach chemicals?

Pure polyamide is foodsafe at these temperatures, they make pan spatulas out of them, which are safe to about 200 Celsius.

The problem is that we cannot know if your bag is 100% pure polyamide. It could be that the coloring is not food safe, or that it was contaminated with something inedible during production. So nobody can promise you that a nylon bag from unknown origin is food safe.

Products meant to be used in the home are unlikely to be produced where they can come in contact with extreme irritants. So you can decide to take the risk as one more potential environmental pollution, and go with it. Or you can think that it's not worth it, and look for other bags. In any case, there is no indication that the main material (nylon) will cause any trouble.


How to make a cappuccino not overflow? I am a waiter at a coffee shop and quite often I have guests that order cappuccino. As you knew, the milk foam of cappuccino looks very unstable and tends to overflow. Not to mention I have to bring the cappuccino from the barista on the first floor to guest on the second floor. Sometimes it does overflow. I want to ask how I can solve that problem with tools available in any coffee shops ?

Two suggestions, one practical, the other probably less so.

1) Hold the cup directly, instead of the plate the cup is on. I don't know if that's allowed by health code or restaurant policy, but if it is, you get much more stability from cupping the cup in your hand than balancing it on a small plate. If you're already doing that: practice will get you there.

2) A good cappuccino should be fairly stable. I know there's disagreement about the proper way of layering cappuccinos, but the best ones integrate very finely textured foam into the milk, instead of just layering coffee - milk - foam on top of each other. Milk foamed this way is more stable than regular milk; I've carried cups filled to the brim up the stairs without any spilling. But: this is a barista-side issue, and to be honest, I wouldn't touch it ... the barista is going to make the cappuccino how s/he feels it's best, and being told to do something differently won't go over well.


When simmering black eyed peas, should the water turn brown? I'm simmering black eyed peas for the first time. I rinsed them very thoroughly, covered with clean water, and simmered.

The water they're in has turned dark brown. Is that normal?

I am sure it is; the pigments in beans can be soluble in water, and there will be more time for them to dissolve when you cook the beans.

If you cook black beans, the water turns nearly black.


How to rise and bake a sourdough loaf in the least amount of time? Sometimes I need to bake a loaf or loaves of bread as soon as possible with my sourdough starter.  For example my few tablespoons of starter needs to become bread within the next three hours when dinner is served.  I'm happy to enrich it with sugar, salt, fat, eggs, etc as required, so a really developed sourdough flavour (while fine) is not necessary.  I would still like most of the other aspects of good sourdough, such as enough gluten development to hold a nice airy rise.

In other words, I am not interested in cultivating the lactic acid bacteria in the sourdough, only the yeast, but without negatively affecting other characteristics of the loaf.

Assuming I always start with a few tablespoons of starter, what methods and conditions would I set up to increase the yeast/CO2 production in the least possible time?

My thoughts so far relate partly to bread in general and partly to just sourdough:

maintain a firmer, more frequently fed starter?
drier dough hydration to reduce baking time and possibly kneading time to allow more rise time?  (would this have other effects?)
rise at a very warm temperature - 25 degrees celsius?  (but would this accelerate acid production and gluten breakdown too?)
add salt last?
add fats last?
several brief kneads during the first rise?
longer final rise after shaping?
bake from a cold oven instead of a preheated one to allow a slightly underproofed loaf to rise as much as possible before gluten structure sets? (what other effects would I anticipate?)
shape baguettes or rolls instead of loaves to reduce baking time and allow more rise time?

Shorten the intervals for feeding, prove in a warm environment, use a high LA starter to begin with, (mine started life as a mix of live yoghurt, wheat flour& an apple from my garden). Highly acidic stable leavenings can be faster...  Mine doubles in size in 2hrs.