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1500 questions
26
votes
1 answer

Why are bay leaves used whole and then removed rather than crushed up like other spices?

Recently when making a 5-bean-stew "kit" my son finely crushed up the bay leaves and added them to the other spices, rather than adding them whole to be removed after cooking. When I pointed out his error, he asked me why bay leaves were different…
DQdlM
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9 answers

Should I use salted or unsalted butter if the recipe doesn't specify?

When recipes call for “butter” but doesn’t specify “salted” or “unsalted”, which should I use? Does it matter?
Laila
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26
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15 answers

How to quickly soften hard, dried out brown sugar

I had some brown sugar that didn't get properly sealed and so now it's too dry and solid as a rock. What's the quickest way to soften it up and get rid of the clumps? Folks have suggested leaving an apple with it in a bag overnight; any suggestions…
notpeter
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26
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12 answers

What to look for in a kitchen scale

I'm thinking of buying a modern, probably electronic kitchen scale, to replace my really ancient mechanical one. I'm located in Bombay, India. I'm wondering what considerations should inform my decision. Possible points include: Should the scale be…
Faheem Mitha
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26
votes
1 answer

What is this one-handed tool with five dull steel "blades" called?

I've been using it to break down clumpy powders, it's the best thing I have for the job by far, and I need to buy more for people helping me.
Tim Koelkebeck
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26
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5 answers

Is there a word for the flavour shared by onion, spring onion, shallot, leek, and chive?

Among the flavours of onions, spring onions, shallots, leeks, and chives there is one that they share. Is there a name for it?
user60495
26
votes
14 answers

How to stop meatballs falling apart when frying

I tried cooking meatballs as a change to what I usually cook but I found that they didn't stay together when being fried. I made the meatballs with about 500g of mince, a chopped onion, some herbs and a beaten egg. I then mixed everything up in a…
Jacob
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26
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6 answers

How do I convey an order for over medium eggs without runny yolks?

I'm not a chef; I'm a (new) waitress and a few days ago a customer ordered her eggs over medium, but she didn't want the yolks runny. She was very insistent on this, and said she would send them back if they were runny so I put the order in as over…
Natasha
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26
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24 answers

How do I make homemade Salsa thicker?

I have been playing with homemade salsa for a few weeks now and I can't seem to figure out how to get that thicker tomato texture that a lot of southern Mexican restaurants have. Right now I play with these…
jsmith
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26
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13 answers

How do I flip an egg when preparing it "over easy"?

I tend to break a lot of yolks when preparing eggs over easy. I also can't do it too fast, making it hard to cook multiple eggs at once (they tend to overcook). Sometimes the spatula I'm using doesn't want to slide under the egg very easily. Is…
Ryan Elkins
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26
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5 answers

Powdered milk in bread recipe

I have a book with several bread recipes that call for 1-2 tablespoons of powdered milk. This isn't something I usually use and I was thinking substituting it with normal milk, and putting less water to compensate for the added liquid. Would this be…
Rox
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26
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9 answers

How do I avoid carrot slices rolling away?

When you slice carrots, the slices tend to roll away. This previous question did mention this as part of a broader issue, but didn't focus on it enough to get answers that specifically address rolling. Sharp knives and a fluid rocking/orbital motion…
Cascabel
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26
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8 answers

Is it possible to make a marshmallow that isn't sweet?

I've got in mind to make a savory play on s'mores, using morel mushroom paste where you would expect chocolate. The graham cracker replacement should be no problem. But I'm stuck on the marshmallow. If you google savory marshmallow, you basically…
Michael Natkin
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26
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7 answers

Is "sealing in the flavor" an actual thing?

Someone mentioned searing food to "seal in the flavor". My response was that searing was a way to add a delicious crust, and nothing more or less. However, I recently noticed a frozen food mentioning their ground beef product is "flash frozen to…
Patrick
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26
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12 answers

How do you cook grass-fed beef so it is not tough?

I recently went to a farmers market and bought some grass-fed beef. I went with what we normally buy, and got a couple of bone-in thick cut ribeye. I typically prepare this by liberally applying salt and pepper, letting it come to room temp,…
mohlsen
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