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1500 questions
18
votes
5 answers
What are the fundamental sauces that every cook should know how to make?
I'd like to learn to make some sauces and I'm looking for the most common, "standard" sauces that professional cooks all learn how to make in culinary school.
What sauces form the basic "building blocks" of cooking and how are they prepared?
Jason Punyon
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18
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3 answers
How much yeast is in a "package"?
Our Better Homes and Gardens cookbook calls for "1 package active dry yeast" in its pizza recipe, which is less than helpful, since we keep a container of bulk yeast in the freezer. What is the standard volume (e.g. in teaspoons) of yeast in a…
Edward Brey
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18
votes
14 answers
How can I remove excess fat from stews or soups without refrigerating?
I've read that adding cork (from wine bottles) absorbs the fat. I'm not sure if this works or not.
Are there any other ways to remove excess fat without standing there and spooning out or refrigerating and then removing the solidified fat?
apaderno
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18
votes
5 answers
If I'm using milk as an ingredient in soup, how can I prevent it from curdling?
There are numerous chicken stock based soups that also have milk as an ingredient and the milk always seems to curdle - how can I prevent this?
AttilaNYC
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18
votes
8 answers
Are there culinary applications for carrot tops/greens?
The family members who taught me to cook have always tossed carrot tops/greens into the compost pile or the trash (and my regular grocery store carries carrots without tops), so I've never really thought about cooking with them before. Today,…
Iuls
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18
votes
6 answers
How to store hard boiled eggs that are peeled so to avoid moisture build up?
On the weekend I usually make 10 hard boiled eggs and peel them so I can eat 2 every morning during the work week. It's a big time saver in the morning, but when I store them in a plastic container in the refrigerator, a ton of moisture accumulates.…
David
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18
votes
4 answers
Wok patina comes off
I got a flat-bottomed iron wok a few weeks ago at a local Asian supermarket. I seasoned it on my electric stove, based on information I googled up: heated it up, put a thin layer of peanut oil on it, turned the heat down and let it sit for 15…
Tim
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18
votes
4 answers
What is the alternative to a vine ripened tomato?
Having just had a lovely sandwich of Aberdeen Angus beef, vine ripened tomato and horseradish I was wondering if anyone could explain to me exactly what a vine ripened tomato is?
Since all tomatoes have ripened and all tomatoes grow on a vine,…
StuPointerException
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18
votes
8 answers
Should I use whole eggs or only yolks in Spaghetti alla Carbonara?
I tried to cook spaghetti alla carbonara and searching out I found out that some recipes use whole eggs and some only the egg yolks. Which way gives the better result?
Felissa
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18
votes
9 answers
I would like to make my own Chicken Stock, any suggestions?
I am tired of using canned broth/stock and would like to make my own - any suggestions as to the proper technique and parts to use?
AttilaNYC
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18
votes
7 answers
Why do chefs traditionally wear a high white hat?
The stereotypical chef beloved of TV, cartoons, and elsewhere is always pictured wearing a high white hat.
A hat I can understand. But why so high?
Tea Drinker
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18
votes
14 answers
Can you make a sauce with beer?
Usually when there is alcohol in a recipe, it's wine. Why isn't there more beer? I've only ever seen it used in beer batters. Can beer be made into sauces or other uses? Do ales, lagers, or stouts have different uses?
I have a fridge full of steak…
SamAlterman
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18
votes
7 answers
Can I cook two types of dried beans simultaneously?
My bean cooking method is to soak overnight, then cook in a crockpot on low all day. By dinner time the beans are ready. I have only ever done this with a single type of bean at a time. However, I would like to make chili and I have two types of…
lemontwist
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18
votes
4 answers
What is the best way to toast pecans?
Amongst other things, I'm making a chocolate & bourbon pecan pie for Christmas in my capacity as family pastry chef. The recipe calls for toasted pecan halves.
What is the best way to toast nuts evenly? I assume a low oven is best to avoid…
ElendilTheTall
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18
votes
3 answers
How to minimize splatter using an immersion blender?
When I use my immersion blender (for soups etc.), I always have a lot of splatter. Is there a way to minimize this splatter? Is it better to put the blender on and put it in the to-blend substance or the other way around? Are there other tricks?
Mien
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