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Human: I am making a recipe (found on Reddit actually) that calls for "1 dried chipotle pepper" to be simmered with some other ingredients. Where I live I cannot find the dried pepper, just in adobo, or fresh. Any advice? It was a chicken thigh recipe, you add vinager, soy, garlic, a pepper and thighs and simmer and then finish on the grill. Thanks for your help! Assistant: Ah hang on. "fresh" chipotles don't exist, there's no such thing. A chipotle is a ripe red jalapeno that has been thoroughly smoked until the moisture level is low enough that the pepper is effectively preserved. e.g. they're by definition dried. The "freshest" chipotles you find might have enough moisture in them that they're a little chewy and tough in texture, but these are the same thing as the older ones that have become very dry and crusty.

Human: I am making a recipe (found on Reddit actually) that calls for "1 dried chipotle pepper" to be simmered with some other ingredients. Where I live I cannot find the dried pepper, just in adobo, or fresh. Any advice? It was a chicken thigh recipe, you add vinager, soy, garlic, a pepper and thighs and simmer and then finish on the grill. Thanks for your help! Assistant: Be careful these are small, but are pretty hot

Human: Bought some pickled herring - can I eat em straight out of the jar? My girlfriend says they have spines that need to be removed first. The little delicious chopped up fellas. I live in Canada. Thoughts? Thanks! Also, as a bonus - any tips on fun ways to eat these bad boys? Assistant: Play it easy - eat them out of the jar like I do! You look like a savage but they are so tasty! All the best!

Human: Bought some pickled herring - can I eat em straight out of the jar? My girlfriend says they have spines that need to be removed first. The little delicious chopped up fellas. I live in Canada. Thoughts? Thanks! Also, as a bonus - any tips on fun ways to eat these bad boys? Assistant: She's wrong. You eat those herrings spine and all.

Human: Can a pork shoulder being cooked at 200 degrees F ever get to 200 degrees in the center? My partner is attempting a recipe that says this pork shoulder should be cooked low and slow at 225 degrees for 15 hours until the center reads 200. But he also cut the recipe in half, so the meat is smaller than in the recipe (about 4 pounds). Its been cooking for 8 hours and its at 178 degrees and we are hungry. Should we raise the temp or just keep cooking it at 200 degrees and eat it tomorrow? Thanks! Assistant: I’ve made a lot of bbq. Pork shoulder is fine to smoke at 250-275. It will cut down on cook time. You can also pull it off the smoker after 6-8 hours, wrap in foil, and finish in the oven. Obviously put the pork in a baking dish of some sort. Cooking at 200 is extremely inefficient and you don’t really gain anything. 225 is fine but it takes hours longer than 250 for no noticeable gain.

Human: Can a pork shoulder being cooked at 200 degrees F ever get to 200 degrees in the center? My partner is attempting a recipe that says this pork shoulder should be cooked low and slow at 225 degrees for 15 hours until the center reads 200. But he also cut the recipe in half, so the meat is smaller than in the recipe (about 4 pounds). Its been cooking for 8 hours and its at 178 degrees and we are hungry. Should we raise the temp or just keep cooking it at 200 degrees and eat it tomorrow? Thanks! Assistant: I cook a pork shoulder at 180 for an hour a pound. It is falling apart. You should be able to pull the big bone out without any resistance.

Human: Why is my chicken breast not tender? But that bagged precooked chicken strips in the freezer section is? I've been doing some modest weightlifting over the past couple years and I cook chicken the same way: four or five large chicken breasts from Aldi, not frozen. I put down some olive oil and salt in a glass Pyrex baking dish, lay the chicken breasts on top of it, then add a little more oil and salt. I use meat probe thermometer in the thickest part of the biggest breast and bake until 165. I let it sit for about 10 minutes, then slice it up... put it in the fridge or the freezer, but every time I go to eat some it is chewy. However I see those grilled chicken strips for sale at Aldi in a frozen food section bag, they have grill marks on them, (whether they are authentic or not I do not know) Those grilled strips are always leaps and bounds more tender than anything I can make. What am I doing wrong? Assistant: One other thing you can try is cook it to 160 instead of 165. The internal temp will continue to go up a little after you pull them out.

Human: Why is my chicken breast not tender? But that bagged precooked chicken strips in the freezer section is? I've been doing some modest weightlifting over the past couple years and I cook chicken the same way: four or five large chicken breasts from Aldi, not frozen. I put down some olive oil and salt in a glass Pyrex baking dish, lay the chicken breasts on top of it, then add a little more oil and salt. I use meat probe thermometer in the thickest part of the biggest breast and bake until 165. I let it sit for about 10 minutes, then slice it up... put it in the fridge or the freezer, but every time I go to eat some it is chewy. However I see those grilled chicken strips for sale at Aldi in a frozen food section bag, they have grill marks on them, (whether they are authentic or not I do not know) Those grilled strips are always leaps and bounds more tender than anything I can make. What am I doing wrong? Assistant: Try chicken thighs always more flavorful and juicy.

Human: Is lamb shoulder better cooked hot and quickly or roasted/braised more slowly at a lower temperature? I have some lamb shoulder blade chops (about 1 lb. each) but am confused after searching online on how to best cook these. Some recipes treat them like rib chops, claiming they are tender and will cook quickly, and either grill them for a few minutes or sear them in a pan. Other recipes claim this is a tough cut of meat that needs to be cooked slowly over a long period of time (either roasting or braising). Personally, I would have thought a shoulder cut would be tough (and end up chewy if cooked like rib chops), but I don't know if lamb is different in this regard for some reason. I'd like to cook mine over binchotan, but I'm unsure whether I should use low heat and set them high above the grill for a few hours or cook them at high heat more akin to Yakiniku. Assistant: Every time I've cooked it hot and fast it's turned out tough with chewy connective tissue. I was confused by all the advice to grill it too. Maybe I'm not getting particularly young lamb which might be more tender. Maybe I'm picky with my meat. I've always liked it braised though. Excellent cut for a curry.

Human: Is lamb shoulder better cooked hot and quickly or roasted/braised more slowly at a lower temperature? I have some lamb shoulder blade chops (about 1 lb. each) but am confused after searching online on how to best cook these. Some recipes treat them like rib chops, claiming they are tender and will cook quickly, and either grill them for a few minutes or sear them in a pan. Other recipes claim this is a tough cut of meat that needs to be cooked slowly over a long period of time (either roasting or braising). Personally, I would have thought a shoulder cut would be tough (and end up chewy if cooked like rib chops), but I don't know if lamb is different in this regard for some reason. I'd like to cook mine over binchotan, but I'm unsure whether I should use low heat and set them high above the grill for a few hours or cook them at high heat more akin to Yakiniku. Assistant: I always read muscles that get used often should be cooked low and slow versus a less used muscle. Leg, butt and shoulder for low and slow as the example.

Human: When cooking pizzas at home, why do pizza dough instructions and frozen pizzas always suggest cooking at temperatures around 400 degrees? Commercial pizza ovens cook at temperatures around 750 degrees. When buying pizza dough to make a pizza from scratch at home, or even buying frozen pizzas, the recipes typically only have you cook at 400 degrees (or thereabouts) in a convection oven. Why aren't these suggested to be cooked at higher temperatures like they are at pizzerias? If I were to cook my homemade pizza at the highest temperature my oven allows, would this not produce a product much better than one cooked at lower temperatures? Assistant: Most pizza ovens in the industry bake at 450, however on Friday Saturday and some Sundays owners will crank it up to 500 550 to try to have the oven keep up.

Human: When cooking pizzas at home, why do pizza dough instructions and frozen pizzas always suggest cooking at temperatures around 400 degrees? Commercial pizza ovens cook at temperatures around 750 degrees. When buying pizza dough to make a pizza from scratch at home, or even buying frozen pizzas, the recipes typically only have you cook at 400 degrees (or thereabouts) in a convection oven. Why aren't these suggested to be cooked at higher temperatures like they are at pizzerias? If I were to cook my homemade pizza at the highest temperature my oven allows, would this not produce a product much better than one cooked at lower temperatures? Assistant: Try baking it.

Human: So I got a craving for hot and sour soup. I happen to have every ingredient, except I forgot I ran out of rice wine vinegar. Do you think black vinegar would be a good substitute if I sweeten it up a bit? I literally can't afford anything until Monday. I'm a poor bitch and have -4 dollars right now lol. Assistant: Black vinegar is the proper vinegar for the recipe

Human: So I got a craving for hot and sour soup. I happen to have every ingredient, except I forgot I ran out of rice wine vinegar. Do you think black vinegar would be a good substitute if I sweeten it up a bit? I literally can't afford anything until Monday. I'm a poor bitch and have -4 dollars right now lol. Assistant: Go for it, recipes are mostly guidelines.

Human: I cannot figure out what the hunk of tasty wood is in my Thai green curry. Any ideas? Sometimes when I order curry it comes with these wood hunks thank have a sweet and warm sort of flavor with just a teeny bit of heat akin to black pepper. I would love to know what it is but my googling has failed me. Assistant: It could be galangal, but I'm thinking it could also be fingerroot as well. Both have flavors that can be described as sweet but mildly pungent. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boesenbergia_rotunda

Human: I cannot figure out what the hunk of tasty wood is in my Thai green curry. Any ideas? Sometimes when I order curry it comes with these wood hunks thank have a sweet and warm sort of flavor with just a teeny bit of heat akin to black pepper. I would love to know what it is but my googling has failed me. Assistant: Go eat some tonight and take a picture of it please.

Human: Why is it preferable to use a bare pan instead of aluminum foil when roasting? What's the reason behind certain recipes specifying the use of a bare greased sheet pan, and is that something that should be carried out even in recipes that don't specify a bare pan? If the meal ends up the same, I'm not sure why anyone would elect *not* to use aluminum foil, since it makes clean-up so much easier. I can only assume that there's some quality roasting on a bare sheet pan gives that roasting on a foil-covered pan doesn't--is that true, and what is it? Assistant: Like most things, it depends. If you don't care about the roasted drippings, aluminum foil is fine. It's quick cleanup like you said. If you want to save those drippings, aluminum foil can tear and make a mess of it. Bare pan allows you to deglaze the drippings a lot easier.

Human: Why is it preferable to use a bare pan instead of aluminum foil when roasting? What's the reason behind certain recipes specifying the use of a bare greased sheet pan, and is that something that should be carried out even in recipes that don't specify a bare pan? If the meal ends up the same, I'm not sure why anyone would elect *not* to use aluminum foil, since it makes clean-up so much easier. I can only assume that there's some quality roasting on a bare sheet pan gives that roasting on a foil-covered pan doesn't--is that true, and what is it? Assistant: Depends on the bare pan. If it's new and unseasoned, then parchment paper. If it's well seasoned, then bare can be done at your discretion. Aluminum foil is unseasoned and a pain to remove from your food when it shreds

Human: Why are the eggs in eggs benedict specifically poached? Is there something about them being in boiling water vs. fried over easy/medium that makes them taste better? Assistant: Well, I mean, it's the recipe. Changing cooking methods of the proteins is one way of making a recipe something distinct and unique. One reason for poaching the eggs is that it makes the egg very light and delicate. Also, with the heavy, fatty Hollandaise sauce and the salty, fatty Canadian bacon, the plain, water-cooked egg doesn't add any more fat or salt to the recipe. We're always looking for balance in any given recipe.

Human: Why are the eggs in eggs benedict specifically poached? Is there something about them being in boiling water vs. fried over easy/medium that makes them taste better? Assistant: I just had eggs Benedict for the first time in my 39 and a half years and omg. Every bite is a perfect bite, every bite a slice of heaven.

Human: Why use a wooden spoon? Yesterday I made some cookies and I creamed the butter and sugar together using a regular fork, then mixed in the egg with the same fork. The recipe said to mix in the flour using a wooden spoon, but I figured since I was already using the fork there was no point in dirtying a wooden spoon. The cookies turned out great! Is there any reason a wooden spoon was suggested over any other utensil? Am I missing out on anything by not using a wooden spoon? I think if there was more dough it would make sense to use a larger utensil than a fork, but this recipe was relatively small. Assistant: Oh my gosh, I'm super impressed people have the perseverance to cream butter and sugar by hand! It takes my solid stand mixer about 10 minutes on high to get a butter/sugar mix super light, fluffy and creamy... you guys are rock stars!

Human: Why use a wooden spoon? Yesterday I made some cookies and I creamed the butter and sugar together using a regular fork, then mixed in the egg with the same fork. The recipe said to mix in the flour using a wooden spoon, but I figured since I was already using the fork there was no point in dirtying a wooden spoon. The cookies turned out great! Is there any reason a wooden spoon was suggested over any other utensil? Am I missing out on anything by not using a wooden spoon? I think if there was more dough it would make sense to use a larger utensil than a fork, but this recipe was relatively small. Assistant: Wood does not conduct heat nearly as well as metal. For recipes where the temperature of the material being mixed is sensitive to heat, you'll want to eliminate any sources of heat, such as a utensil that is metal and transfers heat exceptionally well.

Human: I found this old cast iron pot that was my grandmother's. What type of pot/pan is it? Is it a dutch oven kinda? Also what is that piece with the holes in it for? Plate With the Holes Cast Iron Pot One side of the plate has tiny nibs that hold the thing barely even a couple millimeters off of the bottom of the pot. Detailed View of Plate Assistant: http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L8DOT3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Trivet/dp/B00063RXKQ

Human: I found this old cast iron pot that was my grandmother's. What type of pot/pan is it? Is it a dutch oven kinda? Also what is that piece with the holes in it for? Plate With the Holes Cast Iron Pot One side of the plate has tiny nibs that hold the thing barely even a couple millimeters off of the bottom of the pot. Detailed View of Plate Assistant: That's a scorch plate with the holes in it. It reduces the need for stirring by keeping heavier things off the bottom. Nice old Dutch oven.

Human: Cooking with wine I don't have much experience with alcohol, don't drink much of it and I'm working on using it more in cooking. My question is simply, if the type of wine matters much in most recipes? Will any red do in a beef bourgogne, for example? And how about sweet vs. dry, does is make any difference? Thanks! Assistant: Most wines for cooking with tend to be on the dry side, so the dish doesn't end up sweet If the wine is in a sizeable amount (e.g. boeuf bourguignon, coc au vin...) in the recipe, I do recommend following the "use wine you would drink" rule, meaning "don't use crappy wine"

Human: Cooking with wine I don't have much experience with alcohol, don't drink much of it and I'm working on using it more in cooking. My question is simply, if the type of wine matters much in most recipes? Will any red do in a beef bourgogne, for example? And how about sweet vs. dry, does is make any difference? Thanks! Assistant: There are differences yes. A good rule of thumb is to only cook with wine you'd be drinking to your meal. Makes the pairing easy. Not by any means scientific, but that's what I always go by, and it's not failed me thus far

Human: Cooking a recipe that seems to have way too much salt - am I missing something? Hi All, I’m planning on cooking this recipe for birria beef tacos this week and have noticed that it calls for 1/4 cup of salt to go into the consummé. This seems like a lot (also a lot of vinegar as well), and the chef doesn’t seem to add as much as indicated in the video at the bottom of the link. Do you think this amount of salt is a mistake? Or am I missing an element of the dish that requires a lot of salt to balance it out? For the recipe I am having to use a different cut of beef as beef round isn’t a cut recognised in the U.K., so I’ve ordered beef silverside from the butcher. I’m also scaling it down slightly - cooking with 1.5kg of beef (3.3lbs) and scaling down the rest of the ingredients accordingly. Any tips and help greatly appreciated! Assistant: If you opt to follow the recipe by all means be sure to use kosher salt and not table salt.

Human: Cooking a recipe that seems to have way too much salt - am I missing something? Hi All, I’m planning on cooking this recipe for birria beef tacos this week and have noticed that it calls for 1/4 cup of salt to go into the consummé. This seems like a lot (also a lot of vinegar as well), and the chef doesn’t seem to add as much as indicated in the video at the bottom of the link. Do you think this amount of salt is a mistake? Or am I missing an element of the dish that requires a lot of salt to balance it out? For the recipe I am having to use a different cut of beef as beef round isn’t a cut recognised in the U.K., so I’ve ordered beef silverside from the butcher. I’m also scaling it down slightly - cooking with 1.5kg of beef (3.3lbs) and scaling down the rest of the ingredients accordingly. Any tips and help greatly appreciated! Assistant: So a well seasoned dish is about 2% seasoned with salt. Recipe calls For 2kg water, 2kg meat and a bunch of other things. 60g of salt ends up about right in the end

Human: Substitute cheeses for Aligot? I wasn't to make aligot and being in the California desert leaves me with limited options. I was wondering if there is a cheese or combination of cheeses that could come relatively close to Tomme or Cantal. Would Gruyere, brie or aged cheddars be an option? Thank you. Assistant: Cook's Illustrated recipe calls for Gruyere for flavor, mozzarella for stretchiness.

Human: Substitute cheeses for Aligot? I wasn't to make aligot and being in the California desert leaves me with limited options. I was wondering if there is a cheese or combination of cheeses that could come relatively close to Tomme or Cantal. Would Gruyere, brie or aged cheddars be an option? Thank you. Assistant: If you can get it raclette works okay.

Human: Why do bakers alternately mix their dry ingredients, stop to pour wet ingredients, then mix it, alternating; or why do people pour their wet ingredients while mixing. I'm really REALLY a beginner in the field of baking, in fact, it's my first time today. I had just tried to make Buss Up Shuts, a roti, and... it felt like torture: Dough is too sticky to roll with a pin no matter how much flour I put. Looked back at more detailed recipe, and they seem to put their dry ingredients first, but then they pour the water in several stages instead of me who put everything into one bowl and mix it, and hope it's like a witch pot and magic happens. So, why do bakers alternately pour their wet a bit, then mix or knead, then pouring again, repeat? Why does not putting everything all at once work? Another similar question in mind is when I see bakers who uses their stand mixer or blender - the mixer is mixing all the dry ingredients, but they add their wet AS it's mixing. Can't they stop their mixer first before turning it on again, or is it some technique that Idk the concept off? Assistant: I know when I make cakes, adding all the eggs at once can cause the sugar/butter mixture to curdle 🤷‍♀️

Human: Why do bakers alternately mix their dry ingredients, stop to pour wet ingredients, then mix it, alternating; or why do people pour their wet ingredients while mixing. I'm really REALLY a beginner in the field of baking, in fact, it's my first time today. I had just tried to make Buss Up Shuts, a roti, and... it felt like torture: Dough is too sticky to roll with a pin no matter how much flour I put. Looked back at more detailed recipe, and they seem to put their dry ingredients first, but then they pour the water in several stages instead of me who put everything into one bowl and mix it, and hope it's like a witch pot and magic happens. So, why do bakers alternately pour their wet a bit, then mix or knead, then pouring again, repeat? Why does not putting everything all at once work? Another similar question in mind is when I see bakers who uses their stand mixer or blender - the mixer is mixing all the dry ingredients, but they add their wet AS it's mixing. Can't they stop their mixer first before turning it on again, or is it some technique that Idk the concept off? Assistant: It's easier to control the texture. Also the yeast (baking powder for cakes) is distributed evenly.

Human: OK, do TV chefs ignore kitchen etiquette, or did I just learn incorrectly? I come from a long line of chefs and line-cooks, though I myself am neither. There are certain kitchen standards that I just accepted as the norm because my family members told me so, but whenever I watch TV cooks I'm always taken aback by the lack of (what I view as) cleanliness. For example, I thought you were supposed to cut raw meat on a plastic cutting board? That wood was just for vegetables? Or I see cooks going straight from cutting raw meat to prepping salad veggies without a hand-rinse and I think, wait, isn't that kinda bad for whoever eats that? I also often see TV cooks stirring metal pots (and not just stainless steel, sometimes ceramic-coated dutch ovens or cast-iron) with metal utensils. Doesn't that scratch the pot and get metal fragments in the food? I guess with cast iron that's okay, but still... They lick their fingers and continue cooking... I could probably go on (and maybe you noticed some of these too!) but I'm just wondering if this is a thing, or if my family's kitchens are just too uptight. Assistant: I remember watching Alton Brown and Emeril cleaning their hands and using different prep areas, because that's how I learned that I should do this.

Human: OK, do TV chefs ignore kitchen etiquette, or did I just learn incorrectly? I come from a long line of chefs and line-cooks, though I myself am neither. There are certain kitchen standards that I just accepted as the norm because my family members told me so, but whenever I watch TV cooks I'm always taken aback by the lack of (what I view as) cleanliness. For example, I thought you were supposed to cut raw meat on a plastic cutting board? That wood was just for vegetables? Or I see cooks going straight from cutting raw meat to prepping salad veggies without a hand-rinse and I think, wait, isn't that kinda bad for whoever eats that? I also often see TV cooks stirring metal pots (and not just stainless steel, sometimes ceramic-coated dutch ovens or cast-iron) with metal utensils. Doesn't that scratch the pot and get metal fragments in the food? I guess with cast iron that's okay, but still... They lick their fingers and continue cooking... I could probably go on (and maybe you noticed some of these too!) but I'm just wondering if this is a thing, or if my family's kitchens are just too uptight. Assistant: You have to remember it's for TV. There's so much edited out to make it fit into that 30 minute time slot.

Human: i accidentally soaked whole teff grains in beer, is there anything i can make from it? so, i wanted to make some injera (ethiopian flatbread made from fermenting teff), but didn't realise that what i had was the whole teff grain (it's tiny) - not the flour. also, i'd read on a few forums about a trick of using beer instead of yeast etc. so i have a mixing bowl of teff, beer and water that's been sitting on top of my fridge for almost a week now. is there anything i can get out of this to avoid throwing the whole thing away? Assistant: You soaked the grain. Now blend it and break down the grains. After you do that, you are at the same state as if you had soaked flour. I would just try to make injera with it.

Human: i accidentally soaked whole teff grains in beer, is there anything i can make from it? so, i wanted to make some injera (ethiopian flatbread made from fermenting teff), but didn't realise that what i had was the whole teff grain (it's tiny) - not the flour. also, i'd read on a few forums about a trick of using beer instead of yeast etc. so i have a mixing bowl of teff, beer and water that's been sitting on top of my fridge for almost a week now. is there anything i can get out of this to avoid throwing the whole thing away? Assistant: Buy or make a super cheap still and make some moonshine! That's all I can think of :/

Human: How do I get a crispy exterior and soft inside to my fried chicken? I have made orange chicken at home several times. I found and orange sauce recipe that I like very much, but the fry of the chicken doesn't have the crispy exterior and soft interior like an asian restaurant's dish would have. I am dipping the cut chicken into egg and then flour, then submerging the coated chicken about halfway into canola oil at about 400 degrees, and cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side. Is canola oil the wrong oil for this? Is my coating wrong? How do I get that perfect balance of cripsy outside and warm soft inside? Assistant: If you have the tools, you can Sous Vide the chicken -before- frying. This allows you to finish the chicken without worrying about the internal temperature. The temperature makes a difference on how soft the interior of the chicken is, though. Serious Eats has a very comprehensive write up on how to safely handle and pasteurize chicken if you're so inclined. Chefsteps also has a pretty good write up on what to expect, if you are planning on going this route (sous-vide then frying).

Human: How do I get a crispy exterior and soft inside to my fried chicken? I have made orange chicken at home several times. I found and orange sauce recipe that I like very much, but the fry of the chicken doesn't have the crispy exterior and soft interior like an asian restaurant's dish would have. I am dipping the cut chicken into egg and then flour, then submerging the coated chicken about halfway into canola oil at about 400 degrees, and cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side. Is canola oil the wrong oil for this? Is my coating wrong? How do I get that perfect balance of cripsy outside and warm soft inside? Assistant: Others helped a lot with the chicken, I have a different question though: Could you post your orange sauce recipe? Im currently looking for one. Thanks!

Human: Making dough in a bread machine vs. by hand? I have a young child, a bread machine, and a desire for us to make different types of dough (mostly sweet doughs or pizza dough). The bread machine has a 'dough' setting. If we make the dough in the bread machine, and then let it have a day or two to rest and rise in the fridge, will we end up with something close to what you get when making dough by hand or using a mixer with a dough hook? Or is bread machine dough always going to be inferior? Assistant: Bread makers make fantastic and consistent sandwich loaves and I've found them great for sweet dough too. The advantage is definitely convenience and consistency. The advantage of hand techniques is for control over the crumb of your loaves, especially if you're making sourdough. It's good to learn and maintain some hand skills if you want to try making other types of bread like ciabatta etc.

Human: Making dough in a bread machine vs. by hand? I have a young child, a bread machine, and a desire for us to make different types of dough (mostly sweet doughs or pizza dough). The bread machine has a 'dough' setting. If we make the dough in the bread machine, and then let it have a day or two to rest and rise in the fridge, will we end up with something close to what you get when making dough by hand or using a mixer with a dough hook? Or is bread machine dough always going to be inferior? Assistant: By hand is the way to go! I've been making bread for a year with homemade starter and no mixer. They turn out amazing

Human: If you mixed skim milk and heavy cream to have the same fat % as whole, would it be any different from whole? I recently made eggnog with a recipe that called for three different types of milk (whole, half and half, heavy cream), and I didn’t have half and half so I just used appropriate amounts of the other two to target the same fat % in the final mixture. It also felt to me like having only two milks in your recipe would just be simpler/easier, so I was wondering if there was a reason this recipe had all three; ie did my mixing not actually achieve the same result as if I’d used the three milks? Assistant: In the case of Alton Brown's eggnog recipe, I believe this is just done for convenience to match package sizes sold in the USA. He calls for 1 pint each, so if you don't have another use for them, you can buy exactly what you need. If the recipe was just cream+milk, you would need something like 1.25 and 1.75 pints respectively, which means you would have to buy a larger container and do something else with the rest.

Human: If you mixed skim milk and heavy cream to have the same fat % as whole, would it be any different from whole? I recently made eggnog with a recipe that called for three different types of milk (whole, half and half, heavy cream), and I didn’t have half and half so I just used appropriate amounts of the other two to target the same fat % in the final mixture. It also felt to me like having only two milks in your recipe would just be simpler/easier, so I was wondering if there was a reason this recipe had all three; ie did my mixing not actually achieve the same result as if I’d used the three milks? Assistant: I can’t think of a single reason why you would need all three of them. Mixing them sounds like you would end up with whole milk.

Human: Cut the Potatoes before cooking for potato salad or boil the whole? When I want to make something from cold cooked potatoes, like potato salad, or hash browns, should I boil the potatoes whole, cut into quarters or diced to their final desired size? I am looking for a firmly cooked potato and less soggy and water logged. My wife says I am nuts. P.S. I sometimes use left over baked potatoes, peeled for the same reason. Am I nuts like my wife says? Assistant: In Germany we cook the potatoes for potato salad whole with the peel on. We peel them when they are still pretty hot and cut them into slices while they are warm. Dressing will be put on them while they are warm as well. Soaks up the dressing better.

Human: Cut the Potatoes before cooking for potato salad or boil the whole? When I want to make something from cold cooked potatoes, like potato salad, or hash browns, should I boil the potatoes whole, cut into quarters or diced to their final desired size? I am looking for a firmly cooked potato and less soggy and water logged. My wife says I am nuts. P.S. I sometimes use left over baked potatoes, peeled for the same reason. Am I nuts like my wife says? Assistant: I always cut them to final size. They cook faster in smaller pieces.

Human: Miso in risotto. Hello everyone! I am making a vegan risotto and I want to add miso to increase the richness and umami. My question is: at what step should at add it for best results? Thanks! Assistant: You might try making a miso butter to finish your risotto. Cream some white miso and vegan butter together, melt it over your final product.

Human: Miso in risotto. Hello everyone! I am making a vegan risotto and I want to add miso to increase the richness and umami. My question is: at what step should at add it for best results? Thanks! Assistant: Add at the end as you would butter or parmesan in a normal risotto. You want it to heat through and incorporate, but too long on the heat will cause it to lose some of the subtleties and nuances that make miso so addictive and delicious.

Human: How did vanilla and chocolate become the standard flavors of ice cream? Assistant: Also: vanilla is a distinct, delicious flavor. How did it come to be an adjective for bland and boring?

Human: How did vanilla and chocolate become the standard flavors of ice cream? Assistant: http://www.fourpoundsflour.com/origin-of-a-dish-chocolate-ice-cream/ http://www.fourpoundsflour.com/origin-of-a-dish-vanilla-ice-cream/

Human: When cooking and draining ground meat, how much fat are we actually removing from the dish? Just curious, I cooked down and drained 85/15 beef and managed to soak several paper towels while draining it. That said, it's all fat that's being removed, correct? If so...how much can we reasonably assume is being removed? 25%.....50%? Assistant: About 5% of the fat, and 20% of the moisture, is being lost, according to USDA ARS "Cooking Yield Data for Meat and Poultry" - Scroll down to page 27 of this PDF for the chart https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400525/data/retn/usda\_cookingyields\_meatpoultry.pdf. Page 30 - Beef, ground, medium fat (12%-22%), patty Broiled or Grilled. The Moisture % & Fat % Loss column is second and third from the right. Varies for other cuts of meat and cooking techniques.

Human: When cooking and draining ground meat, how much fat are we actually removing from the dish? Just curious, I cooked down and drained 85/15 beef and managed to soak several paper towels while draining it. That said, it's all fat that's being removed, correct? If so...how much can we reasonably assume is being removed? 25%.....50%? Assistant: Weigh the fat

Human: Why did my salt block turn from pink to black to gray? 3rd time using my salt block. I heated in the oven to temp and when I got ready to cook I noticed it had turned from pink to black. Didn’t do that on prior 2 cooks. Now that it is dry and back to room temp it’s an unappetizing grey color. Cannot find info online anywhere. Thoughts? Suggestions! Please help. Assistant: Not sure what would turn it gray but I've tried a salt block a few times and it's really kind of a PITA. Doesn't add any flavor so it doesn't make sense to use one over cast iron or stainless pan.

Human: Why did my salt block turn from pink to black to gray? 3rd time using my salt block. I heated in the oven to temp and when I got ready to cook I noticed it had turned from pink to black. Didn’t do that on prior 2 cooks. Now that it is dry and back to room temp it’s an unappetizing grey color. Cannot find info online anywhere. Thoughts? Suggestions! Please help. Assistant: What was cooked on it all three times?

Human: Will a kevlar glove adequately protect me against mandoline slicer slips? I cut myself with a mandoline a few weeks back and am looking for extra protection. I've heard of using kevlar gloves with a microplane before, but will wearing one while using a mandoline protect my hands? If so, is there anything in particular I should look for or avoid when selecting a glove? Assistant: Steel mesh and you'll be fine. Plus, medieval. Just don't stab yourself because the mesh is crap with that.

Human: Will a kevlar glove adequately protect me against mandoline slicer slips? I cut myself with a mandoline a few weeks back and am looking for extra protection. I've heard of using kevlar gloves with a microplane before, but will wearing one while using a mandoline protect my hands? If so, is there anything in particular I should look for or avoid when selecting a glove? Assistant: My mandoline came with a thing to hold what I'm slicing so my fingers never really get near the blade. Is that unusual?

Human: What are some things someone who cannot bend their fingers buy to make cooking in the kitchen easier? I have swan neck deformity in my fingers due to arthritis and I want to cook for myself. Cutting and general gripping of things is extremely difficult. Assistant: ive been 1 handed for a coupla years. i have a friend who was born w/ cp. she turned me onto ableware. heres a few things from the site that i use daily. this cutting board is great bc it stays still. this knife will prove invaluable. it will allow you to cut your own food while youre out even. i keep one in my truck too. i use this stuff under my bowls and plates to keep them from sliding around when i stir.

Human: What are some things someone who cannot bend their fingers buy to make cooking in the kitchen easier? I have swan neck deformity in my fingers due to arthritis and I want to cook for myself. Cutting and general gripping of things is extremely difficult. Assistant: Silicone potholders may make it easier to open wide mouthed jars. Also, oxo makes a jar opener that you put on the mouth of the jar and use the leverage of the handle to open, you might try that out to see if you can open jars with it. On a non-kitchen note, have you swapped out the light switches in your house for rocker switches and the doorknobs for lever handles?

Human: What are these two things on this kitchen multitool used for? https://imgur.com/a/QoCiqhl I found what appears to be a kitchen multitool at Goodwill. It has tongs, a knife, a cheese grater, a corkscrew, bottle opener, and two other things (labeled A and B) that I don't know the purpose of. What are the purpose of those two things? Assistant: That actually may be a cocktail multi tool, A may be intended for stirring, that top bit is for reaming and B is for use as a strainer.

Human: What are these two things on this kitchen multitool used for? https://imgur.com/a/QoCiqhl I found what appears to be a kitchen multitool at Goodwill. It has tongs, a knife, a cheese grater, a corkscrew, bottle opener, and two other things (labeled A and B) that I don't know the purpose of. What are the purpose of those two things? Assistant: ~~A appears to be a butter knife/spreader/spatula. B might be a herb stripper.~~ See here, it's cocktail multitool

Human: This cooking utensil is in my girlfriend's kitchen and neither of us has any idea what it is. Any idea? The item in question: http://imgur.com/Yp3ow4m I haven't the slightest clue. Can you help, askculinary? Assistant: It's a rice washing tool

Human: This cooking utensil is in my girlfriend's kitchen and neither of us has any idea what it is. Any idea? The item in question: http://imgur.com/Yp3ow4m I haven't the slightest clue. Can you help, askculinary? Assistant: You might also want to x/post this to /r/whatisthisthing

Human: How do you season grilled food if spices and herbs burn in high heat? So many videos show seasonings going on before the grill. But don't they all burn? Assistant: You tend to fall into one of two categories - you season after the fact or you infuse before you start, typically through a medium like a marinade or brine.

Human: How do you season grilled food if spices and herbs burn in high heat? So many videos show seasonings going on before the grill. But don't they all burn? Assistant: Temperature control. If you are burning herbs your temperature is too high.

Human: New here and not sure if this is aloud here I think i ruined my stainless pot. I boiled away my water for my tea and burnt the pan, now it looks brassy on the bottom of the pan inside and outside. It didn't seem like i burned it that bad in appearance, however my whole kitchen smelled like burned pan. So I waited for the pan to cool off then immediately washed it and re made my tea. But it tasted horrible like the burnt pan smell and i can't get the taste out of my mouth. Should i try vinegar on it or just toss it? Assistant: Barkeepers friend and your problem will go away

Human: New here and not sure if this is aloud here I think i ruined my stainless pot. I boiled away my water for my tea and burnt the pan, now it looks brassy on the bottom of the pan inside and outside. It didn't seem like i burned it that bad in appearance, however my whole kitchen smelled like burned pan. So I waited for the pan to cool off then immediately washed it and re made my tea. But it tasted horrible like the burnt pan smell and i can't get the taste out of my mouth. Should i try vinegar on it or just toss it? Assistant: Crumple aluminum foil into loos ball, spread some barkeepers friend in the pan and just enough water to make a slurry. Scrub with the foil until it’s all clean stainless steel again.

Human: I'm a cook at a steak house. My boss just told us we all have to buy our own knives. Any suggestions on a tough, reliable chef's knife? Assistant: Its dangerous to cook alone! Here, take this! http://tinyurl.com/73lmn5r

Human: I'm a cook at a steak house. My boss just told us we all have to buy our own knives. Any suggestions on a tough, reliable chef's knife? Assistant: Get yourself a CarboNext gyuto, probably at least 240mm. It is pretty cheap - about 120$. Easy as pie to sharpen as its a high carbon steel. And has some stainless qualities so you do not have to baby it as if it was a white or blue steel. Also pick up a relatively cheap dual grit whetstone to start practicing sharpening on. Something like 1000/6000.

Human: What is a good flavor substitute for cumin? Some foods just don't taste right without it, but it makes me very ill. What else is there that adds that cumin-y depth of flavor? (I also can't have onions or garlic, so those won't work, either) Assistant: I've used Micro Shiso professionally and it tastes exactly like cumin! If it's not available where you are you could probably order some seeds and grow a little tray inside.

Human: What is a good flavor substitute for cumin? Some foods just don't taste right without it, but it makes me very ill. What else is there that adds that cumin-y depth of flavor? (I also can't have onions or garlic, so those won't work, either) Assistant: Wow. Nothing, to my palate, tastes like cumin. Maybe caraway seeds?

Human: A lot of cookie recipes I've used call for chilling the dough in the fridge before baking. Does this actually serve a purpose, and if so what is it? Assistant: Not only chill it, but let the dough sit. Here's a great article about why.

Human: A lot of cookie recipes I've used call for chilling the dough in the fridge before baking. Does this actually serve a purpose, and if so what is it? Assistant: Here's an example... These cookies were baked with chilled dough: http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/555301_10150989600482154_2103022019_n.jpg If the dough were not chilled, they would have spread out and been more crispy because of the greater surface area.

Human: Shallots in place of pearl onions in Beef Bourguignon? For Christmas dinner this year, I’ve decided to try my hand at beef bourguignon. While I am not following Julia’s recipe to a tee (no Dutch oven, on the stove top), I don’t want to stray too far from the traditional recipe this first time. I wasn’t able to find pearl onions without trekking to a bunch of different stores (normally something I wouldn’t mind too much, but you know, COVID), so I picked up shallots instead. Any thoughts? Is this a bad idea? If not totally off the mark, are there any adjustments I should make like less garlic? The shallots are on the larger side, should I cut them in half? Thanks all! Assistant: Sometimes Pearl onions are in the freezer section.

Human: Shallots in place of pearl onions in Beef Bourguignon? For Christmas dinner this year, I’ve decided to try my hand at beef bourguignon. While I am not following Julia’s recipe to a tee (no Dutch oven, on the stove top), I don’t want to stray too far from the traditional recipe this first time. I wasn’t able to find pearl onions without trekking to a bunch of different stores (normally something I wouldn’t mind too much, but you know, COVID), so I picked up shallots instead. Any thoughts? Is this a bad idea? If not totally off the mark, are there any adjustments I should make like less garlic? The shallots are on the larger side, should I cut them in half? Thanks all! Assistant: I just skip them. The extra work isn’t worth it anyway imo.

Human: How to make dried shallots? The only method found that didn't require a dehydrator was baking the shallots at 130 degrees for several hours. Our ovens only go down to 200. The shallots are for a panko and sesame seed breading for chicken wings. Thanks Assistant: Ever consider using Asian fried shallots? Theyre essentialy dry as they are slowly fried and have a better texture than regular dehydrated IMO(think potato chip texture). Bonus, you can just buy them so it's piss easy to use. You can make them too, but having made them a bunch, they're tricky to get right. Starting with cold oil,

Human: How to make dried shallots? The only method found that didn't require a dehydrator was baking the shallots at 130 degrees for several hours. Our ovens only go down to 200. The shallots are for a panko and sesame seed breading for chicken wings. Thanks Assistant: Crack the oven open and regulate the temperature with a thermometer.

Human: How would YOU make a fried mashed potato and gravy ball? So I have a group of friends who thought it would be cool to have a fried ball of mashed potato with gravy that oozes from the center. Kind of like a fried cheese ball. General idea of how to is 1: make a gravy and freeze it into cubes (kind of like you do for soup dumplings) 2: Make mashed potatoes 3: season mashed potatoes to liking 4: Cool mashed potatoes for handling 5: Put frozen gravy cube in a small portion of cooled mashed potatoes and form a ball 6: Coat the exterior for some crunch 7: fry up 8: ENJOY Now the questions are these: Gelatin or no gelatin to help freeze the gravy and give it a better shape and less melt ability when doing step 5? What kind of potatoes? Just bread crumbs on the outside or egg and bread crumbs? Any ideas on this would be greatly appreciated. Assistant: Bitterballen are Dutch fried croquettes that remind me of deep fried gravy balls

Human: How would YOU make a fried mashed potato and gravy ball? So I have a group of friends who thought it would be cool to have a fried ball of mashed potato with gravy that oozes from the center. Kind of like a fried cheese ball. General idea of how to is 1: make a gravy and freeze it into cubes (kind of like you do for soup dumplings) 2: Make mashed potatoes 3: season mashed potatoes to liking 4: Cool mashed potatoes for handling 5: Put frozen gravy cube in a small portion of cooled mashed potatoes and form a ball 6: Coat the exterior for some crunch 7: fry up 8: ENJOY Now the questions are these: Gelatin or no gelatin to help freeze the gravy and give it a better shape and less melt ability when doing step 5? What kind of potatoes? Just bread crumbs on the outside or egg and bread crumbs? Any ideas on this would be greatly appreciated. Assistant: Use stuffing for the outside frying layer.

Human: Can I use leftover Galbi bones to make a beef stock? Title pretty much says it all. I ordered a ton of bone in galbi (Korean beef bbq) yesterday, and saved the bones from the meat. The bones still have a lot of cartilage and a bit of meat on it. I’m wondering if the fact that it has been cooked already if it would still have a lot of the umami flavor that bone beef stock has, or if I should just chuck them because the flavor is all cooked out. Assistant: The flavor from the marinade might not be ideal for a neutral stock but in principle you can use them to make stock.

Human: Can I use leftover Galbi bones to make a beef stock? Title pretty much says it all. I ordered a ton of bone in galbi (Korean beef bbq) yesterday, and saved the bones from the meat. The bones still have a lot of cartilage and a bit of meat on it. I’m wondering if the fact that it has been cooked already if it would still have a lot of the umami flavor that bone beef stock has, or if I should just chuck them because the flavor is all cooked out. Assistant: flanken cut or whole butterflied?

Human: What are other mediums other than fat to extract aromas while cooking? To make a sauce for exemple, what are other mediums I can use to dissolve flavors of different aromatics (ginger, garlic, herbs, dry spices etc) rather than fat/oil? Now, if the memory of my biochemistry class serves me well, for the most part, the pleasant smelling molecules found in most aromatics (esters) are fat soluble rather than water soluble. What else can I use to kind of dissolve them or let these molecules out rather than fat? The goal here is to make a sauce resembling something like some Japanese style sauces, where they don't use fat, equilibrate the sauce on a salt, acid, sweet and umami level, but also infuse the fragnance of, for exemple, cloves in them. Is there something better than water or the list I've made below, that I can use for this purpose? I've also gathered a list of things I will try and compare how they work but if you already have an idea of what may work and what may not, would be appreciated: - Alcohol - Vinegar - Water + Sugar - Water + starch - Water + gelatin - Water + fiber (water soluble (e.g Inulin) or water insoluble (e.g Xanthan gum)) Assistant: Alcohol is your best bet. There's similar analogues in western cooking, such as vodka sauce, which uses alcohol to draw out flavors to Japanese sauces you list. Japanese sauces make heavy use of sake (alcohol) and mirin (alcohol and sugar).

Human: What are other mediums other than fat to extract aromas while cooking? To make a sauce for exemple, what are other mediums I can use to dissolve flavors of different aromatics (ginger, garlic, herbs, dry spices etc) rather than fat/oil? Now, if the memory of my biochemistry class serves me well, for the most part, the pleasant smelling molecules found in most aromatics (esters) are fat soluble rather than water soluble. What else can I use to kind of dissolve them or let these molecules out rather than fat? The goal here is to make a sauce resembling something like some Japanese style sauces, where they don't use fat, equilibrate the sauce on a salt, acid, sweet and umami level, but also infuse the fragnance of, for exemple, cloves in them. Is there something better than water or the list I've made below, that I can use for this purpose? I've also gathered a list of things I will try and compare how they work but if you already have an idea of what may work and what may not, would be appreciated: - Alcohol - Vinegar - Water + Sugar - Water + starch - Water + gelatin - Water + fiber (water soluble (e.g Inulin) or water insoluble (e.g Xanthan gum)) Assistant: You could buy a distiller extractor that is by far the best way

Human: Ok, so I'm an expat living in China. Cooking Chinese food is all well and good, but sometimes I want something else. I miss Mexican food, Creole food, and some good ol' Western food. What's open to me using a Chinese kitchen and Chinese ingredients? I'd rather stay away from imported goods whenever I can. They're quite pricey. **Chinese kitchen**: - Flames on the stove are crazy hot. Cooking something like a steak, or even a chicken breast or a pork chop, is quite tough without messing up ('medium-high' to 'high' would be the lowest setting on a Chinese stove, and then there's only one tiny flame in the center). - No oven. We have a little toaster oven, which is good for melting cheese and making toast... not much else. Temperature is hard to control, basically impossible to roast stuff. **Chinese market**: - In this area of the country (Shenzhen, Guangdong), the quality of beef is pretty terrible unless you're paying a hefty premium. Lamb is almost non-existent. Pork and Chicken are cheap and plentiful. - Seafood is awesome. Fish are of the regional variety, and there's always tons of crab, shrimp, and crayfish. Can go to the market and get it live. - Fruits and veggies depend on what's in season. Okra, for example, is available but only for a brief period in the summer. **Ingredients in Western Food that's Available:** - I got a pretty good selection of dried herbs and spices: Bay Leaf, Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Dill, Garlic Salt, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Fennel Seeds, Cinnamon, Paprika, Nutmeg, Tumeric, Mustard Seed, Black Pepper - Fresh Herbs: Cilantro, Parsley, Lemon Grass - Sauces: Hot Sauce, Tabasco, Worcestershire Sauce, Mustards, Mayo - Dairy: Butter, Milk, American Cheese As for oil, olive oil's available but crazy expensive so I'd rather stay away. Recently I was able to find tortillas for a decent price. Assistant: Chinese stoves mostly differ in that all of the gas is concentrated on a single spot on in the center of the hob, rather than being spread out (it's actually not a very dissimilar total power, it's just concentrated). This is to optimize for wok cooking. You may be able to emulate a western stove by using a large heavy pan to dissipate the heat. As in, place a big griddle or cast iron skillet (if you have one) on the stove and put another cooking vessel on top of that.

Human: Ok, so I'm an expat living in China. Cooking Chinese food is all well and good, but sometimes I want something else. I miss Mexican food, Creole food, and some good ol' Western food. What's open to me using a Chinese kitchen and Chinese ingredients? I'd rather stay away from imported goods whenever I can. They're quite pricey. **Chinese kitchen**: - Flames on the stove are crazy hot. Cooking something like a steak, or even a chicken breast or a pork chop, is quite tough without messing up ('medium-high' to 'high' would be the lowest setting on a Chinese stove, and then there's only one tiny flame in the center). - No oven. We have a little toaster oven, which is good for melting cheese and making toast... not much else. Temperature is hard to control, basically impossible to roast stuff. **Chinese market**: - In this area of the country (Shenzhen, Guangdong), the quality of beef is pretty terrible unless you're paying a hefty premium. Lamb is almost non-existent. Pork and Chicken are cheap and plentiful. - Seafood is awesome. Fish are of the regional variety, and there's always tons of crab, shrimp, and crayfish. Can go to the market and get it live. - Fruits and veggies depend on what's in season. Okra, for example, is available but only for a brief period in the summer. **Ingredients in Western Food that's Available:** - I got a pretty good selection of dried herbs and spices: Bay Leaf, Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Dill, Garlic Salt, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Fennel Seeds, Cinnamon, Paprika, Nutmeg, Tumeric, Mustard Seed, Black Pepper - Fresh Herbs: Cilantro, Parsley, Lemon Grass - Sauces: Hot Sauce, Tabasco, Worcestershire Sauce, Mustards, Mayo - Dairy: Butter, Milk, American Cheese As for oil, olive oil's available but crazy expensive so I'd rather stay away. Recently I was able to find tortillas for a decent price. Assistant: It looks like you have most of the ingredients to make Chorizo sausage

Human: How to remove smells from granite mortar and pestle? I ground some Sichuan peppercorn in my granite mortar and pestle and now there's a lingering peppercorn smell that won't go away. I've already ground white rice and washed it with hot water twice but there's still a scent. Any idea how to get rid of odors? I'm supposed to make guacamole tomorrow and I'd rather not have it taste like Sichuan peppercorns. Assistant: Alternatively, sichuan peppercorn guacamole sounds delish

Human: How to remove smells from granite mortar and pestle? I ground some Sichuan peppercorn in my granite mortar and pestle and now there's a lingering peppercorn smell that won't go away. I've already ground white rice and washed it with hot water twice but there's still a scent. Any idea how to get rid of odors? I'm supposed to make guacamole tomorrow and I'd rather not have it taste like Sichuan peppercorns. Assistant: Along with all the chemical suggestions make sure to scrub with a stiff nylon brush if you can. The smell is likely a bit of pepper stuck in the rough surface that you have to scrub out.

Human: Are there any South American spices, apart from chillies? I can think of lots of different spices/herbs from India, the Mideast/North Africa, and SE Asia. What about South/Latin America? I think I remember reading about a distinctive herb that was used in Ecuador or Colombia, but can't remember the name Assistant: Vanilla, Allspice / Pimento, Epazote, mexican oregano, annatto seed, california bay leaf, stevia, pumpkins seeds, tobacco, paprika (smoked peppers), wild mint, sage, CHOCOLATE! Lol too many to count. The rest of the world will catch up. Blue agave and tequila.. Also lots of native medicines like cuachalalate, cancerina, açai, american ginseng, boldo, uña de gato, echinacea, and thousands more in the Amazon.

Human: Are there any South American spices, apart from chillies? I can think of lots of different spices/herbs from India, the Mideast/North Africa, and SE Asia. What about South/Latin America? I think I remember reading about a distinctive herb that was used in Ecuador or Colombia, but can't remember the name Assistant: >The new world has contributed only three *significant* spices: allspice, capsicum peppers, and vanilla. Allspice was among one of the few spice treasures presented by Columbus to the court of his sponsors. I refuse to believe that in the in the entirety of South America there are only three native spices. There's definitely more herbs than are listed as being native as well. Bookmarking this for more research tomorrow.

Human: Parchment paper or silicon baking mat for roasting vegetables? I always like to simplify cleaning by adding a layer to a baking sheet. In the case of roasting veggies, is there benefit to one over the other? Should I leave them off entirely? Is foil a contender? Thanks! Assistant: I used to use foil but parchment paper is infinitely better

Human: Parchment paper or silicon baking mat for roasting vegetables? I always like to simplify cleaning by adding a layer to a baking sheet. In the case of roasting veggies, is there benefit to one over the other? Should I leave them off entirely? Is foil a contender? Thanks! Assistant: Heavy steel pan, oil, salt.

Human: How can you make a skillet or pan hot enough to sear a crust into a steak without burning the butter? Every time I have ever tried to do the classic butter-basted crusty steak, the following happens: 1.) I get the pan really hot. Most of the tutorials I've watched recommend placing it in a 400-500F oven for 10 minutes. If I'm using my cast iron, this is what I do; with stainless steel, I just use the stove top because the pan handle is not oven safe. 2.) I place a large pat of butter in the pan. It immediately (and I mean truly immediately, as soon as the butter contacts the pan) turns black as midnight and sends up a smoke signal visible halfway around the globe. 3.) I clean out the pan, put on a fresh pat of butter which doesn't burn now that the pan has cooled a bit, and sear my steak in the freshly cooled pan to a nice, appetizing zombie-flesh grey color before finishing it on the grill. I used to just grill steaks, but YouTube inspired me to try for that steakhouse seared crust. But every time I've tried, that's what happens. I've tried not getting the pan as hot or heating the butter in the pan, but the pan never gets hot enough to sear the steak without cooking it through first. I've tried fats with higher smoke points, and they work, but I miss that rich butter-basted flavor. How do I fix this? Assistant: You don't use butter for searing. You use a high smoke point oil (or maybe ghee/clarified butter) and then finish with butter.

Human: How can you make a skillet or pan hot enough to sear a crust into a steak without burning the butter? Every time I have ever tried to do the classic butter-basted crusty steak, the following happens: 1.) I get the pan really hot. Most of the tutorials I've watched recommend placing it in a 400-500F oven for 10 minutes. If I'm using my cast iron, this is what I do; with stainless steel, I just use the stove top because the pan handle is not oven safe. 2.) I place a large pat of butter in the pan. It immediately (and I mean truly immediately, as soon as the butter contacts the pan) turns black as midnight and sends up a smoke signal visible halfway around the globe. 3.) I clean out the pan, put on a fresh pat of butter which doesn't burn now that the pan has cooled a bit, and sear my steak in the freshly cooled pan to a nice, appetizing zombie-flesh grey color before finishing it on the grill. I used to just grill steaks, but YouTube inspired me to try for that steakhouse seared crust. But every time I've tried, that's what happens. I've tried not getting the pan as hot or heating the butter in the pan, but the pan never gets hot enough to sear the steak without cooking it through first. I've tried fats with higher smoke points, and they work, but I miss that rich butter-basted flavor. How do I fix this? Assistant: Maybe consider a torch but obviously more dangerous.

Human: I'm tired smoking up the house when searing meat. Would a cast-iron pan retain its heat enough such that I could move it outside and then sear? And I don't want to grill as an alternative. Specifically want pan-seared. Assistant: I had the same problem. I bought a cast iron hot plate that I take on the patio. It does the trick. http://imgur.com/2ASq8fd

Human: I'm tired smoking up the house when searing meat. Would a cast-iron pan retain its heat enough such that I could move it outside and then sear? And I don't want to grill as an alternative. Specifically want pan-seared. Assistant: Another option: Don't use oil at all. Dry pan on high heat. Sear, turn, sear. Almost zero smoke.

Human: How to make Mexican street tacos not dry? Hey y’all. So I love making Mexican street tacos at home using simple Mexican grocery store ingredients: corn tortillas, carne asada or other marinated meats, onions, cilantro, and limes. Every other part of my tacos usually taste pretty good, except for the corn tortillas, which always come out dry tasting compared to tacos I buy from the taqueria. The corn tortillas aren’t falling apart into pieces or flaky either— they are just dry and doesn’t feel cohesive with the rest of the juicy tacos. (I used to live in a place with a gas stove & was able to heat up my corn tortillas directly over the fire, but now I have an electric glass top stove and can no longer do that. I try to heat them up on a dry pan though.) What tips do y’all have for me in terms of how to prepare (or season?!) my tortillas so that they are less dry & taste more like the tacos I buy? Assistant: Advice I got from my uncle who is a street taquero in Mexico is to mix 3/4 veg oil and 1/4 water. I do this on a bowl to make it easier for the next step. You quick dip the tortilla in the mix and then just heat on the skillet.

Human: How to make Mexican street tacos not dry? Hey y’all. So I love making Mexican street tacos at home using simple Mexican grocery store ingredients: corn tortillas, carne asada or other marinated meats, onions, cilantro, and limes. Every other part of my tacos usually taste pretty good, except for the corn tortillas, which always come out dry tasting compared to tacos I buy from the taqueria. The corn tortillas aren’t falling apart into pieces or flaky either— they are just dry and doesn’t feel cohesive with the rest of the juicy tacos. (I used to live in a place with a gas stove & was able to heat up my corn tortillas directly over the fire, but now I have an electric glass top stove and can no longer do that. I try to heat them up on a dry pan though.) What tips do y’all have for me in terms of how to prepare (or season?!) my tortillas so that they are less dry & taste more like the tacos I buy? Assistant: This guys knows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBwQZMLvPJY

Human: If I reduce a stock by 50% and then added back the exact same amount of water that evaporated, will the stock be taste exactly the same as it did before the boiling? Or does something else change in the process? Over reduced a stock and added water back to it the other night. Got me thinking about this. Assistant: Somewhat related . I came from an Alain Ducasse school and we always always simmer chicken jus for 1 hour 15 minutes. Any shorter or longer will result in a less flavorful jus

Human: If I reduce a stock by 50% and then added back the exact same amount of water that evaporated, will the stock be taste exactly the same as it did before the boiling? Or does something else change in the process? Over reduced a stock and added water back to it the other night. Got me thinking about this. Assistant: All that delicious smell came from somewhere. It's gone at that point.

Human: Why is salting food before tasting it frowned upon, yet black pepper is okay? Assistant: Salt is something that a good chef should have the correct amount of in the dish. A perfectly salted dish is something a cook can be proud of, so if you salt it right off the bat you are kind of saying you don't trust the cook. You might like more salt then normal so you can add it after tasting. Pepper is much more dependent on personal preference so you can add it by sight usually.

Human: Why is salting food before tasting it frowned upon, yet black pepper is okay? Assistant: A lot of dishes are better served with fresh ground pepper

Human: I see recipes all the time for putting red onion in guacamole but I tried it and it was so overwhelming. Should I have just tried white onion or no onion at all? Assistant: I've got 20 bucks that says this is Scott Conant using a fake account.

Human: I see recipes all the time for putting red onion in guacamole but I tried it and it was so overwhelming. Should I have just tried white onion or no onion at all? Assistant: I like avocado, salt, lime, cilantro, maybe a clove of garlic. If you get the first four right, it is all you will ever need.

Human: Is beef skin edible? Why have I never seen cuts of beef sold with the skin still on? I eat chicken skin all the time, and it's delicious, yet I've never seen a cut of beef sold with the skin on (I'm in the U.S.). Is beef skin edible? Is beef sold anywhere in the world with the skin still on? Same with lamb--I've never seen that sold with skin on, either. I'm just curious. Assistant: Cow skin is edible. We eat it here in Indonesia, usually as krecek to accompany gudeg. They're basically cow cracklings. Some versions don't fry the skin but boil them for a long time until they're soft and jelly-like.

Human: Is beef skin edible? Why have I never seen cuts of beef sold with the skin still on? I eat chicken skin all the time, and it's delicious, yet I've never seen a cut of beef sold with the skin on (I'm in the U.S.). Is beef skin edible? Is beef sold anywhere in the world with the skin still on? Same with lamb--I've never seen that sold with skin on, either. I'm just curious. Assistant: simply agreeing with everyone here... it's more valuable as leather, so no one sells it otherwise. and do you really want to eat a baseball glove?

Human: How come when I try to "caramelize" onions, they turn bitter instead of sweet? Whenever I try to caramelize onions, they end up tasting burnt and bitter rather than sweet. I can't seem to get that jammy, almost sticky consistency people get when they caramelize onions. Does it have anything to do with variety? Red vs white? Or am I just doing something wrong? Would appreciate the help and advice! Thanks! Assistant: Caramelized onions are a treat for a reason. It's because they're tedious and take forever. If you're not bored shitless when they're done, you went too fast.

Human: How come when I try to "caramelize" onions, they turn bitter instead of sweet? Whenever I try to caramelize onions, they end up tasting burnt and bitter rather than sweet. I can't seem to get that jammy, almost sticky consistency people get when they caramelize onions. Does it have anything to do with variety? Red vs white? Or am I just doing something wrong? Would appreciate the help and advice! Thanks! Assistant: Whenever i make onion jam or just caramelised onions in general i tend to do a medium heat and sauté for about 25 min its always turned out perfect :) i use yellow onions btw. Maybe your heat might be to high ? Or maybe your not moving them around the pan enough ? Like are they sticking to the pan ? And if your using butter instead of oil that will more then likely burn so that might be the burnt your tasting.

Human: Besides killing parasites and french fries, what foods/ingredients actually turn out / taste BETTER after freezing? Is it safe to say that generally, freezing foods destroys flavour / texture / nutritional value? Is frozen beef always worse than fresh / aged beef? Are there foods or ingredients that actually turn out better after freezing? I know french fries is one, any others? And I'm not talking about ice cream, etc.. Assistant: Freezing whole ginger makes it easier to grate (while still frozen). It doesn't clog the microplane. It also lasts forever in the freezer. I haven't noticed any decline in flavor.

Human: Besides killing parasites and french fries, what foods/ingredients actually turn out / taste BETTER after freezing? Is it safe to say that generally, freezing foods destroys flavour / texture / nutritional value? Is frozen beef always worse than fresh / aged beef? Are there foods or ingredients that actually turn out better after freezing? I know french fries is one, any others? And I'm not talking about ice cream, etc.. Assistant: I once heard of syrup made from Silver Maples. Instead of being boiled down, the sap was frozen and the ice skimmed off ‘til it was thick and rich.

Human: How do I freeze & re-heat small pieces of cooked chicken? This would only be to use for tiny portions as toppings on a small pizza, for a single one off sandwich, adding to one salad etc, when it’s not worth the effort & time of preparing a bigger portion of fresh chicken from scratch or I need it without notice. This way I can just take a few pieces, only as many as I need, & have some chicken ready to go quickly & easily. I have never frozen cooked chicken or meat before, but for these quick one off meal I don’t mind some compromise on freshness & taste for the convenience. The chicken would be cut into small pieces, marinated & then cooked on a griddle. And I might do large pieces of marinated chicken breasts & slice them after cooking too. Assistant: Freeze on wax paper or silpat and then move to a zip lock or something. Now you have individual pieces you can take out

Human: How do I freeze & re-heat small pieces of cooked chicken? This would only be to use for tiny portions as toppings on a small pizza, for a single one off sandwich, adding to one salad etc, when it’s not worth the effort & time of preparing a bigger portion of fresh chicken from scratch or I need it without notice. This way I can just take a few pieces, only as many as I need, & have some chicken ready to go quickly & easily. I have never frozen cooked chicken or meat before, but for these quick one off meal I don’t mind some compromise on freshness & taste for the convenience. The chicken would be cut into small pieces, marinated & then cooked on a griddle. And I might do large pieces of marinated chicken breasts & slice them after cooking too. Assistant: This is what I do: I portion out my cooked chicken into very small pieces, freezing them in one flat layer in small zip-lock bags. The smaller cut the pieces the better. When defrosting, I try to leave it out to thaw as long as possible. But if I'm short on time I'll throw one bag into a bowl of room temperature water for 20-30 mins (shorter if thawed overnight) and from there on I can easily cook with the chicken in various ways.

Human: Why do high end steak houses use a broiler or pan versus a grill? I have my own theory on this but it’s of course subjective — I just vastly prefer the taste of crusty steak out of a cast iron or under the broiler. Whenever I eat grilled steak it tastes just that — a bit burnt at the ends of the steak and slightly bitter/carbonized. My question is why do restaurants rarely served them grilled? Without meaning to sound pretentious, is it “unrefined” to grill an expensive meat (ex. Dry aged)? Assistant: One reason to use a broiler is the lack of flair ups. If you have 20 fatty ribeyes on a grill, you will inevitably have massive flames that are not a good thing. Also, these broilers sit at a slight angle towards the front opening. Fat and juices run to a drip pan which are collected then used as a "finishing" sauce after plating.

Human: Why do high end steak houses use a broiler or pan versus a grill? I have my own theory on this but it’s of course subjective — I just vastly prefer the taste of crusty steak out of a cast iron or under the broiler. Whenever I eat grilled steak it tastes just that — a bit burnt at the ends of the steak and slightly bitter/carbonized. My question is why do restaurants rarely served them grilled? Without meaning to sound pretentious, is it “unrefined” to grill an expensive meat (ex. Dry aged)? Assistant: A broiler is a grill just upside down.

Human: So I guess MSG isn't as bad as people made it out to be so what are some good uses and guidelines that I should know about its use? Assistant: Guideline: **do not** pour a line of msg and proceed to snort it. It will not, in fact, make everything "smell more umami-y", it will just burn.

Human: So I guess MSG isn't as bad as people made it out to be so what are some good uses and guidelines that I should know about its use? Assistant: The science of MSG with Harold McGee, from *Mind of a Chef* just for reference. If you haven't seen this series, it's a fantastic watch. As an aside, my dad cooks with MSG and growing up I never had a problem, so I knew it was safe but one fact I didn't know before watching this is that MSG is naturally occurring in tomatoes.

Human: How long can I leave out fresh pasta room temperature? I've recently gotten into pasta making since my italian wife loves it and it's been great. Last time I made it however, I was making tomato sauce and bread at the same time as the pasta and it was just too hectic. How long can I leave freshly cut pasta on a drying rack before beginning to cook it? Assistant: Depends honestly on the weather in your kitchen. If it’s super humid they might get gloppy and a bummer. If it’s really dry they’ll get, well, dry, which isn’t as bad. I like to make fresh pasta in big batches and feeeze. Then when I make it for dinner they pop out of the freezer, cook in 3 minutes, and you get all the joy of death pasta with no hassle. Edit: I’m sticking with death pasta

Human: How long can I leave out fresh pasta room temperature? I've recently gotten into pasta making since my italian wife loves it and it's been great. Last time I made it however, I was making tomato sauce and bread at the same time as the pasta and it was just too hectic. How long can I leave freshly cut pasta on a drying rack before beginning to cook it? Assistant: Even if your pasta does dry out a little, you'll be rehydrating it when you cook it. Just flour it nicely to prevent sticking and you should be good to go.

Human: Why does pastrami taste good with such a meat to bread ratio while other deli meats don't? This is something I always wondered about but never really looked into. I can't imagine another deli meat that comes out actually tasting pretty good being stacked like that, what is the reason behind it? Assistant: Aaaand now I want a pastrami sandwich Edit: I got one, it was great. Thanks OP.

Human: Why does pastrami taste good with such a meat to bread ratio while other deli meats don't? This is something I always wondered about but never really looked into. I can't imagine another deli meat that comes out actually tasting pretty good being stacked like that, what is the reason behind it? Assistant: I’m confused by your question. Are you saying that pastrami is good with a **high** meat-to-bread and others *aren’t*?

Human: Frozen lemon juice - does it taste just as good? I'm making a large but varying quantity of cocktails every Friday until Christmas. I'll be preparing lemon juice and lime juice in advance and storing them in bottles, but want to avoid throwing any leftover juice out. Can't leave it in the fridge for a week it'll taste bad after a week. If I put the bottles in the freezer for a week and then defrost it the next friday, will it taste the same as it did the previous week? I'm unsure of the mechanism that makes lemon juice taste bad—something to do with enzymes and oxygen exposure?—so can't really figure this out myself and don't have time to test it. Assistant: You’ll notice some change in flavor..less fresh, more acidic. If you still want to do it, try zesting some of the lemons into the juice container (before juicing them) to improve the flavor

Human: Frozen lemon juice - does it taste just as good? I'm making a large but varying quantity of cocktails every Friday until Christmas. I'll be preparing lemon juice and lime juice in advance and storing them in bottles, but want to avoid throwing any leftover juice out. Can't leave it in the fridge for a week it'll taste bad after a week. If I put the bottles in the freezer for a week and then defrost it the next friday, will it taste the same as it did the previous week? I'm unsure of the mechanism that makes lemon juice taste bad—something to do with enzymes and oxygen exposure?—so can't really figure this out myself and don't have time to test it. Assistant: I recently learned about True Lemon (and Lime), which are single serve packets of freeze dried lemon juice. They are shelf stable and I think they taste much better than bottled juice.

Human: Seasoning suggestions for altered seafood chowder Every once in a while I make a big cauldron of chowder and since I just pulled a lot of parsnips from the garden I decided to replace a bit more than half of the potatoes with parsnips. I also changed the wine I put in it from white wine to shaoxing, but otherwise kept the seasoning the same. I thought it made a nice change from my usual extremely conservative chowder but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for a different seasoning to use that would compliment the parsnips and make it more different. Here is my recipe; sorry I can only give exact measurements for things that are sold in exact amounts and I use the whole thing, because otherwise I eyeball everything. 1 lb hickory bacon, chopped up small and fried til it's very crispy and all fat is rendered. Then add about a quart and a half diced onions and cook in the fat til they're browned but not caramelized. Then put in some diced carrots and sliced celery and cook for a bit. Then add the parsnips (grated), then the potatoes (grated), probably about 4 lbs altogether, but I'm not entirely sure. Add cayenne pepper and smoked paprika at this point, and cook for a few minutes, stirring now and then. Some salt too. Add the fish stock (I make this beforehand from a bag of fish heads from the Asian market, it's pretty thick, but not so thick that it's solid at room temperature) and some shaoxing wine, bring it up to a simmer and cook until it thickens up and it gets hard to find the individual grated pieces of potato. Put in 2lbs of white fish (I use whatever frozen fillets are cheap) cut up into inch and half inch pieces, and 2lbs frozen clams, then wait til it starts to simmer again. Add 1lb bay scallops, cook until it just comes back to a simmer, then add more salt if needed and 1 quart heavy cream, eat. With a dash more smoked paprika on top of the soup. This was actually really good and I liked the sweet parsnippy flavor with the Chinese wine, but how could I change the seasoning to further distinguish this soup from regular seafood chowder and make it more of its own thing? Assistant: I don't know why, but I keep thinking about curry powder and traditionally pumpkin pie spices. Things like cinnamon, allspice, clove, star anise, fennel, cardamon. Maybe some ginger and lemongrass. Especially with the sweetness of the parsnips and the shaoxing wine, it would bring the whole dish towards almost a Thai or Indian sort of feel. At least, I would interpret a dish flavored in that way as being Thai or Indian, depending on the ratio and strength of the spices you use.

Human: Seasoning suggestions for altered seafood chowder Every once in a while I make a big cauldron of chowder and since I just pulled a lot of parsnips from the garden I decided to replace a bit more than half of the potatoes with parsnips. I also changed the wine I put in it from white wine to shaoxing, but otherwise kept the seasoning the same. I thought it made a nice change from my usual extremely conservative chowder but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for a different seasoning to use that would compliment the parsnips and make it more different. Here is my recipe; sorry I can only give exact measurements for things that are sold in exact amounts and I use the whole thing, because otherwise I eyeball everything. 1 lb hickory bacon, chopped up small and fried til it's very crispy and all fat is rendered. Then add about a quart and a half diced onions and cook in the fat til they're browned but not caramelized. Then put in some diced carrots and sliced celery and cook for a bit. Then add the parsnips (grated), then the potatoes (grated), probably about 4 lbs altogether, but I'm not entirely sure. Add cayenne pepper and smoked paprika at this point, and cook for a few minutes, stirring now and then. Some salt too. Add the fish stock (I make this beforehand from a bag of fish heads from the Asian market, it's pretty thick, but not so thick that it's solid at room temperature) and some shaoxing wine, bring it up to a simmer and cook until it thickens up and it gets hard to find the individual grated pieces of potato. Put in 2lbs of white fish (I use whatever frozen fillets are cheap) cut up into inch and half inch pieces, and 2lbs frozen clams, then wait til it starts to simmer again. Add 1lb bay scallops, cook until it just comes back to a simmer, then add more salt if needed and 1 quart heavy cream, eat. With a dash more smoked paprika on top of the soup. This was actually really good and I liked the sweet parsnippy flavor with the Chinese wine, but how could I change the seasoning to further distinguish this soup from regular seafood chowder and make it more of its own thing? Assistant: Old Bay Seasoning. Fresh lemon juice and zest at end of cooking. To balance all that parsnip sugar. Why grate vegetables? Chowders are chunky.

Human: Safely handling raw chicken/red meats/pork -- give me all your protips! I am helping my Redditor friend learn to cook. The other day he was cooking and I noticed him touching raw chicken breast, the frying pan handle, cabinets and spice jars in quick succession -- notice the lack of the hand washing step following the touching of the raw chicken. I have been a vegetarian for many years so my freaking out was interpreted as related to the "grossness" of the meat vs. the potential contamination of various surfaces with salmonella. So, what protips should a meat-loving Redditor know? EDIT: punctuation. Assistant: Use your less-dominate hand to handle the raw things. For me it's my left hand (sorry southpaws). That way I can open doors, grab knives or utensils, turn on faucets, pour ingredients...without having to constantly wash hands.

Human: Safely handling raw chicken/red meats/pork -- give me all your protips! I am helping my Redditor friend learn to cook. The other day he was cooking and I noticed him touching raw chicken breast, the frying pan handle, cabinets and spice jars in quick succession -- notice the lack of the hand washing step following the touching of the raw chicken. I have been a vegetarian for many years so my freaking out was interpreted as related to the "grossness" of the meat vs. the potential contamination of various surfaces with salmonella. So, what protips should a meat-loving Redditor know? EDIT: punctuation. Assistant: in the kitchen, we have a sanitizing solution (half a cap of bleach per one bucket of water). You should use that to wipe on the area that the raw meat touches. If you are doing multiple things at the time, I suggest wearing gloves, since you can just put them on while handling the raw proteins, then remove the gloves when you're done.

Human: Im a student at culinary school and i made spaetzle but when i was trying to drop the the speatzle into the boiling water from a colander the speatzle cooked it self from the steam i was wonder if there is a trick to it Assistant: Not that I've personally made it before because I'm an exec pastry chef, but we had a sous chef that made his own "speatzle pan." He took a perforated half hotel pan and bent each perforation downward with a screwdriver to make it almost like a box grater to push the batter through. The pan is strong and would sit perfectly on the pot so he could apply enough pressure. He seemed pretty efficient with it, maybe this is something you can try?

Human: Im a student at culinary school and i made spaetzle but when i was trying to drop the the speatzle into the boiling water from a colander the speatzle cooked it self from the steam i was wonder if there is a trick to it Assistant: What exactly did you do? The process should be to pour *some* batter into the colander over the boiling water, push through with a rubber spatula, scoop out spaetzle that has floated to the top with a slotted spoon or spider, then repeat until you've used all the batter. If you're spaetlze is cooking before it leaves the colander, that makes it sound like you life the colander sitting above the boiling water.

Human: (Update) Is food pairing a thing? Hi everyone, A week ago, I and my team started a study about food and alcohol beverage pairing in restaurants. We are trying to design a digital solution around the food pairing topic. I posted a survey here and would love to THANK EVERYONE who helped us in our journey by filling it out. We succeded to gather 134 responses across several Reddit communities in just 2 days (You guys are awesome!!!🎉) Now, we want to share several things we learned from the survey. It is evident that 'food pairing' IS a thing. We read a lot of detailed and great food pairing experiences that are very insightful (We can't share it, due to confidentiality). Unfortunately, food pairing hasn't been widely recognized by 'common' consumers, due to lack of knowledge and also lack of options (not offered in the menu). The cool thing here is people are very open to trying new things, so it is highly recommended for restaurants to train waiters to suggest alcoholic beverages when taking orders (It is likely that consumers will follow through!) The use of digital technology in a sit-down restaurant is a very controversial topic (result is almost 50-50). So now, I and my team are rolling out quick online interview sessions/ online chat to dig deeper if there is any room for tech in the food pairing space. If you are interested/ open to have an interview/ simply online chat, please feel free to direct message me on Reddit. We are looking for restaurant owners/ staff/ sommeliers/ experts (Canada/ US-based if possible)😊 Thank you everyone, stay safe and healthy! Assistant: It's actually referred to as "wine pairing." I'm not sure what digital thing you're trying to create here- an app that pairs meals with drinks? Types of wines? Types of beer? These are all things that a server will tell you when asked, which can initiate a great conversation. There are multiple restaurants in my city who actually list the recommended drink next to the meal on the menu- this includes a pizza place I worked at.

Human: (Update) Is food pairing a thing? Hi everyone, A week ago, I and my team started a study about food and alcohol beverage pairing in restaurants. We are trying to design a digital solution around the food pairing topic. I posted a survey here and would love to THANK EVERYONE who helped us in our journey by filling it out. We succeded to gather 134 responses across several Reddit communities in just 2 days (You guys are awesome!!!🎉) Now, we want to share several things we learned from the survey. It is evident that 'food pairing' IS a thing. We read a lot of detailed and great food pairing experiences that are very insightful (We can't share it, due to confidentiality). Unfortunately, food pairing hasn't been widely recognized by 'common' consumers, due to lack of knowledge and also lack of options (not offered in the menu). The cool thing here is people are very open to trying new things, so it is highly recommended for restaurants to train waiters to suggest alcoholic beverages when taking orders (It is likely that consumers will follow through!) The use of digital technology in a sit-down restaurant is a very controversial topic (result is almost 50-50). So now, I and my team are rolling out quick online interview sessions/ online chat to dig deeper if there is any room for tech in the food pairing space. If you are interested/ open to have an interview/ simply online chat, please feel free to direct message me on Reddit. We are looking for restaurant owners/ staff/ sommeliers/ experts (Canada/ US-based if possible)😊 Thank you everyone, stay safe and healthy! Assistant: No trying to be an ass but food pairing has been a dining staple at the high end for a while and is making it's way down the ladder, pre covid.

Human: How do you get grilled octopus to be tender and not like rubber? Willing to braise it as well, if that would help! How do you keep octopus tender and not rubbery? Assistant: Not to be a downer here, but I just want to point out that Octopuses are highly intelligent creatures, possibly on par with dolphins or even more intelligent, and way smarter than cows and other livestock. I’m not a vegan or vegetarian but I’ve recently found myself faced with a moral dilemma when I want to order Octopus.

Human: How do you get grilled octopus to be tender and not like rubber? Willing to braise it as well, if that would help! How do you keep octopus tender and not rubbery? Assistant: There's so many different answers that I get confused and just cheat with sous vide.

Human: If it is not being cooked at any point- does candy made with sweetened condensed milk require refrigeration right away? I am making a very old recipe for York peppermint patties- but I really like this as a candy base, so I am wondering for the future as well. I am making Easter candy and really don't want to poison my family. It's just sweetened condensed milk, a TON of powdered sugar (1 to 5 ratio on milk vs sugar) and your add-ins/flavorings. Assistant: When sugar is concentrated enough in foods, it becomes harmful to microorganisms. Most can't survive in it similar to how they can't survive in an overly acidic or salty environment. My best guess is the amount of sugar in condensed milk plus the 5x sugar you are adding, will make it high enough for similar protection, especially on a recipe from 1945. I can't be absolutely sure though of course. https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/preserving-food-death-sugar.php

Human: If it is not being cooked at any point- does candy made with sweetened condensed milk require refrigeration right away? I am making a very old recipe for York peppermint patties- but I really like this as a candy base, so I am wondering for the future as well. I am making Easter candy and really don't want to poison my family. It's just sweetened condensed milk, a TON of powdered sugar (1 to 5 ratio on milk vs sugar) and your add-ins/flavorings. Assistant: I don't think it requires refrigeration the same way something made with fresh milk would. Sweetened condensed milk is basically milk preserved with sugar and you're adding more sugar so I think they would be fine stored out of the fridge, but it can't hurt to refrigerate them if you want to.

Human: Messed up making rice last night, I’ve got about 5 cups of pretty mushy rice in the fridge. Is it salvageable for another dish? Assistant: Arroz caldo is a type of Filipino chicken rice soup that's akin to a congee, and is absolutely delicious, and I'd hazard you could easily add in your pre-cooked rice to achieve the dish. Here's the Serious Eats Arroz Caldo recipe. Do not skip the fried garlic and lime wedges, as they're absolutely essential to the dish. Same with the fish sauce. God damn I want some now.

Human: Messed up making rice last night, I’ve got about 5 cups of pretty mushy rice in the fridge. Is it salvageable for another dish? Assistant: Indian rice pudding

Human: What is the difference between good chopsticks and bad chopsticks? I wanted to get reusable chopsticks from Amazon and I was wondering what to look for. Assistant: I would say make sure they’re dishwasher safe if you’re planning to clean them that way

Human: What is the difference between good chopsticks and bad chopsticks? I wanted to get reusable chopsticks from Amazon and I was wondering what to look for. Assistant: Search for "kafuh chopsticks" I have several of their sets. The hold up well and there are lots of design choices.

Human: what is a sanitary and cheap way to keep old cooking oil for the next use? i have seen the $30 holders for it but that seens like a bit much Assistant: Pour through a coffee filter and save it in a mason jar in the fridge. I’ve been doing this with bacon grease for years.

Human: what is a sanitary and cheap way to keep old cooking oil for the next use? i have seen the $30 holders for it but that seens like a bit much Assistant: Keep your last empty oil bottle and put the used oil in there, voila.

Human: For someone who doesn't have access to a meat thermometer all the time, what's a good way to make sure they're cooked to at least medium rare without taking them out of the pan and cutting into them? Thanks! Assistant: When you **DO** have access to a thermometer, when you check the temps, you should ALSO get in habit of learning what the different temps feel like by touch. That way, you'll know for certain what you're feeling, because of the thermometer, and you'll learn what they feel like for when you don't have a thermometer.

Human: For someone who doesn't have access to a meat thermometer all the time, what's a good way to make sure they're cooked to at least medium rare without taking them out of the pan and cutting into them? Thanks! Assistant: Cake tester. Stick it in a couple different points in the steak then touch it right below your lip or on the backk of your hand between your thumb and index finger. Still cold is rare, lukewarm is more medium rare, warm is medium, hot medium well, very hot is well done. Pair this with pressing at different points to see how loose it is will give you a decently accurate reading.

Human: Why does my lobster taste fishy? I have eaten lobster twice. The first time was at a restaurant; the lobster was frozen and cooked in the smoker. It was a drastic improvement over shrimp and noticeably sweeter with no fishy taste at all. I recently bought a live lobster, dispatched it and then immediately boiled for 10 minutes in salted water (a teaspoon for every quart). It was more tender than the one from the restaurant but was less sweet with a noticeable fishy taste. The two lobster were approximately of the same size. The only thing that I may have done wrong is that I used a heaping teaspoon of salt per quart. Note: in the restaurant the lobster was served whole and I was the one who extracted the meat out of the shell, so I ruled out the possibility that the restaurant had any impact on the taste of the lobster other than the smoking. What did I do wrong? Is it due to the lobsters' variety? Assistant: i find a big difference between cold water lobster and warm water lobster... cold water is much sweeter

Human: Why does my lobster taste fishy? I have eaten lobster twice. The first time was at a restaurant; the lobster was frozen and cooked in the smoker. It was a drastic improvement over shrimp and noticeably sweeter with no fishy taste at all. I recently bought a live lobster, dispatched it and then immediately boiled for 10 minutes in salted water (a teaspoon for every quart). It was more tender than the one from the restaurant but was less sweet with a noticeable fishy taste. The two lobster were approximately of the same size. The only thing that I may have done wrong is that I used a heaping teaspoon of salt per quart. Note: in the restaurant the lobster was served whole and I was the one who extracted the meat out of the shell, so I ruled out the possibility that the restaurant had any impact on the taste of the lobster other than the smoking. What did I do wrong? Is it due to the lobsters' variety? Assistant: Smoking a lobster will totally change it's outcome. Possibly you just haven't had non smoked before and you aren't used to it. Or possibly you needed to clean it better.

Human: Why is a binder necessary for meatballs but not burgers? Is it simply because a sphere is more difficult to uphold, or does the binder double as a textural/flavor component? Assistant: Maybe I’m the odd man out but I always bind my burgers.

Human: Why is a binder necessary for meatballs but not burgers? Is it simply because a sphere is more difficult to uphold, or does the binder double as a textural/flavor component? Assistant: Moisture retention and texture, both. I actually had a recipe for burgers for a while that used a binder and it had good results.

Human: I experimented by letting my canned soup sit for 1 year past its best before date and then compared it with a soup i had just bought (which is 2 years away from its expiration) I could not tell much difference in terms of texture but the expired one clearly tasted more salty and looked murky. Both are same brands. How do you explain this difference Assistant: Commercially canned soup will be microbiologically safe forever as long as the can remains sealed. However the ingredients will dissolve and degrade over time and the flavor will definitely go down hill. TL/DR: There will come a time when you won't want to eat it, but it still won't kill you.

Human: I experimented by letting my canned soup sit for 1 year past its best before date and then compared it with a soup i had just bought (which is 2 years away from its expiration) I could not tell much difference in terms of texture but the expired one clearly tasted more salty and looked murky. Both are same brands. How do you explain this difference Assistant: Aging

Human: I want to prepackage the dry ingredients of a typical pancake mix. How long can I keep them stored and what would be the best storing method to maximize its freshness? Assistant: Kenji suggests an air tight container for up to three months for his dry mix in The Food Lab book.

Human: I want to prepackage the dry ingredients of a typical pancake mix. How long can I keep them stored and what would be the best storing method to maximize its freshness? Assistant: aint nothin fresh bout pancakes

Human: How can I clone that fried rice they do in Japanese Hibachi restaurants? This seems to be the biggest secret in food. From ingredients, to techniques and even that ginger sauce they do. It seems impossible to find a recipe that gets everything right. You know, those Japanese steak house places with the hibachi grill that prepare food in front of you with a little show? http://www.ichibanjapanesesteakhouse.com/images_mobile/pic_chef.jpg I love that rice so much and it's very different than say Chinese fried rice. I've heard crazy theories about the butter not actually being butter (is it oil based, or garlic butter?), use of Oyster sauce, a sauce made of boiled Mirin, sugar, and soy sauce. But I cannot find a general consensus on this, not even to the type of rice that they use! has anybody cracked the code of this magical fried rice? Assistant: The industrial teppan flat top is the hardest part to replicate, they get very hot, and have far more cooking surface area than any normal pan/wok would have. I have used a cast iron griddle on high heat to try and replicate this but still have not managed to get it 100% like the restaurants.

Human: How can I clone that fried rice they do in Japanese Hibachi restaurants? This seems to be the biggest secret in food. From ingredients, to techniques and even that ginger sauce they do. It seems impossible to find a recipe that gets everything right. You know, those Japanese steak house places with the hibachi grill that prepare food in front of you with a little show? http://www.ichibanjapanesesteakhouse.com/images_mobile/pic_chef.jpg I love that rice so much and it's very different than say Chinese fried rice. I've heard crazy theories about the butter not actually being butter (is it oil based, or garlic butter?), use of Oyster sauce, a sauce made of boiled Mirin, sugar, and soy sauce. But I cannot find a general consensus on this, not even to the type of rice that they use! has anybody cracked the code of this magical fried rice? Assistant: For me, the secret was some lime juice, and using day old rice. Cook it the night before, store in the fridge, then place in a piping hot pan with some soy sauce . I also find that letting the soy sauce boil at the bottom of the pan depends the flavor.

Human: AskCulinary Annual Christmas Questions Thread With Christmas coming up, we realize you're going to have a lot of questions and we're here to answer them. Use this post from now until Christmas day to hit us up with any questions you might have. Need to plan how much meat to order - we got you. Need to know how you're going to make 15 pot de cremes - we're here to help. Can't decide between turkey or duck - let us decide for you! Need a side dish - we've got plenty of recipes to share. Need to know if the egg nog you made last year is still safe - sorry food safety rule still apply :( Assistant: Okay this is an easy one. We're not doing anything fancy but I would like to reduce the amount of work I have to do on Christmas morning. Can I crack eggs Saturday afternoon and store them in a Tupperware until Xmas morning when I'm going to make scrambled eggs?

Human: AskCulinary Annual Christmas Questions Thread With Christmas coming up, we realize you're going to have a lot of questions and we're here to answer them. Use this post from now until Christmas day to hit us up with any questions you might have. Need to plan how much meat to order - we got you. Need to know how you're going to make 15 pot de cremes - we're here to help. Can't decide between turkey or duck - let us decide for you! Need a side dish - we've got plenty of recipes to share. Need to know if the egg nog you made last year is still safe - sorry food safety rule still apply :( Assistant: Got a good recipe for latkes that come out crispy but not greasy?

Human: If well-done steak tastes like leather, then why does braised beef fall apart? Sorry if this is a stupid question, beef isn’t available here and I’m trying to learn more about it. Well done steak is baisically steak that is fully cooked and so is slow cooked beef. Then why does one taste so tough and the other so tender? Is it because of the difference in heat? Steak is cooked quicker than braised beef, which is generally slow cooked. If so, then why? Assistant: Time

Human: If well-done steak tastes like leather, then why does braised beef fall apart? Sorry if this is a stupid question, beef isn’t available here and I’m trying to learn more about it. Well done steak is baisically steak that is fully cooked and so is slow cooked beef. Then why does one taste so tough and the other so tender? Is it because of the difference in heat? Steak is cooked quicker than braised beef, which is generally slow cooked. If so, then why? Assistant: It's the temperature it's cooked at. If you cook meat at high temps for too long, hockey puck. As the old bbq/smoker wisdom goes, "low and slow". As the old song lyrics state, "slow steady wins the race." And when I order prime rib at a restaurant, I always say "make it moo".

Human: Why are canned or pureed tomatoes not used in West African cuisine? It seems like everyone always blends up fresh tomatoes instead of using already processed tomatoes but here in Central Europe that seems kind of counter productive if I want to achieve the best flavor since tomatoes aren't in season most of the time. not to mention it's quite labor intensive as well. Assistant: I’m Nigerian, and we use multiple forms of canned tomatoes. We also use fresh tomatoes. It really just depends on the dish.

Human: Why are canned or pureed tomatoes not used in West African cuisine? It seems like everyone always blends up fresh tomatoes instead of using already processed tomatoes but here in Central Europe that seems kind of counter productive if I want to achieve the best flavor since tomatoes aren't in season most of the time. not to mention it's quite labor intensive as well. Assistant: It’s definitely used in Cape Verdean cuisine.

Human: /r/AskCulinary, what are some of your little magic cooking tips that ensure your food is awesome? This is my first time posting here, so be nice... :o) For me, if I happen to over-salt a soup or sauce, I just throw a potato in their to absorb the excess salt! How about you guys? Assistant: This might be a pedestrian response, but screw it, I want to contribute. Stop using that cheap finely ground black pepper that everyone uses. Just throw it away and never use it again. Get a pepper mill and fill it with big, fat, oily peppercorns. Preferrably tellicherry. The depth and complexity of flavour that comes from using good pepper is just impossible to describe adequately until you taste it.

Human: /r/AskCulinary, what are some of your little magic cooking tips that ensure your food is awesome? This is my first time posting here, so be nice... :o) For me, if I happen to over-salt a soup or sauce, I just throw a potato in their to absorb the excess salt! How about you guys? Assistant: Add in things that will probably make you fat.

Human: What are some culinary certifications? Are there any culinary certifications to demonstrate your knowledge (besides food handler's certificates)? im looking to gain more "on paper" skills since i am a young culinary student. im looking for something equivalent to "C+ certified / Microsoft Proficiency" to programmers/IT Assistant: Getting your servsafe in alcohol is pretty easy and it only takes a few hours. Some jobs require the certification. http://www.servsafe.com/alcohol/training-and-certification or http://www.tipsalcohol.com/

Human: What are some culinary certifications? Are there any culinary certifications to demonstrate your knowledge (besides food handler's certificates)? im looking to gain more "on paper" skills since i am a young culinary student. im looking for something equivalent to "C+ certified / Microsoft Proficiency" to programmers/IT Assistant: If the school that you go to is an ACF accredited culinary school, AND you're already a member of ACF, then you'll automatically earn your Certified Culinarian (CC) certification when you graduate culinary school. I know it's usually cheaper to join the ACF as a student rather than to wait until after you graduate. If you check their website they have everything laid out for you in terms of what you'll need to do to in order to advance your certification.

Human: What to do with 10 lbs of shallots?? I have a large amount of shallots I did not end up using for a recent catering event. I have no idea what to do with them. Any thoughts?? Assistant: Share them with a rescue mission or homeless shelter.

Human: What to do with 10 lbs of shallots?? I have a large amount of shallots I did not end up using for a recent catering event. I have no idea what to do with them. Any thoughts?? Assistant: Ferment and pickle Caramelized, purée and freeze in ice cube trays. Transfer to vac bag for use when needed

Human: Are there ingredients where quality really matters and others where quality isn't noticed as much? I'm a complete cooking beginner, I have no idea what I'm doing. So I'm just curious to see if there are certain ingredients where I can save some money because it doesn't matter as much. For example, I know that spending a little more on extra virgin olive oil can make a noticeable difference. However, maybe there are things that I should buy relatively cheaply so I can spend my money where it matters a lot more. Thanks! Assistant: My general rule of thumb is that the longer it cooks the less I worry about the quality of an ingredient. Ex: if I start cooking a dish with butter I wouldn’t spend the same money that I would for butter I put on the table alongside bread

Human: Are there ingredients where quality really matters and others where quality isn't noticed as much? I'm a complete cooking beginner, I have no idea what I'm doing. So I'm just curious to see if there are certain ingredients where I can save some money because it doesn't matter as much. For example, I know that spending a little more on extra virgin olive oil can make a noticeable difference. However, maybe there are things that I should buy relatively cheaply so I can spend my money where it matters a lot more. Thanks! Assistant: I generally cheap out on canned beans and veg, flour, and vegetable oil (e.g. oil for frying). Conversely, whenever I need red meat I buy cheap cuts (brisket, beef cheek) and cook them low n slow. Obv don't cheap-out on a steak but with the right prep methods you can get away from shelling out on expensive ingredients!

Human: Eggs over easy/over medium in restaurants I have kind of a dual question - how do I order eggs to get them how I want without offending, and is there some reason that eggs seem to be so tricky to cook in restaurants? The situation is: I like my eggs over easy (fully cooked white and runny yolk), and have never had a problem pan cooking them at home that way. I order in a restaurant and have yet to successfully get eggs how I want at like a dozen different restaurants. They range from greasy spoon style to high end brunch places, none has succeeded. One waitress I told over easy AND explained exactly how I want them and she said this was over well (google disagrees) - so I ordered over well and they still came back runny whites and yolk. Closest I've ever gotten was ordering over well and getting firm whites with yolk nearly completely set (from same place that said over easy was over well) Is there some trick to eggs that makes it near impossible to cook the whites through in a restaurant setting? I've read how to's for cooking eggs and sounds like there is some trick to temperature to cook the white and not the yolk- does it make it unreasonable in one-temp stovetop type cooking? Is there some way to get eggs how I want (like a similar style that's easier to cook)? I like cutting my eggs over hash browns and letting the yolk soak in, but don't like runny white - am I more likely to get it cooked this way sunny side up or some other style? I feel like describing the cooking seemed to offend the waitress a bit, and still didn't get it right. Assistant: This must be some weird regional thing, or the staff hates you and fuck your order up on purpose. ;) If anything the problem I have is getting an over easy or over medium egg with the yolk runny/soft enough! Over cooking an egg is extremely easy to do when a busy breakfast place is trying to prepare 15 orders and like 40 eggs at once...

Human: Eggs over easy/over medium in restaurants I have kind of a dual question - how do I order eggs to get them how I want without offending, and is there some reason that eggs seem to be so tricky to cook in restaurants? The situation is: I like my eggs over easy (fully cooked white and runny yolk), and have never had a problem pan cooking them at home that way. I order in a restaurant and have yet to successfully get eggs how I want at like a dozen different restaurants. They range from greasy spoon style to high end brunch places, none has succeeded. One waitress I told over easy AND explained exactly how I want them and she said this was over well (google disagrees) - so I ordered over well and they still came back runny whites and yolk. Closest I've ever gotten was ordering over well and getting firm whites with yolk nearly completely set (from same place that said over easy was over well) Is there some trick to eggs that makes it near impossible to cook the whites through in a restaurant setting? I've read how to's for cooking eggs and sounds like there is some trick to temperature to cook the white and not the yolk- does it make it unreasonable in one-temp stovetop type cooking? Is there some way to get eggs how I want (like a similar style that's easier to cook)? I like cutting my eggs over hash browns and letting the yolk soak in, but don't like runny white - am I more likely to get it cooked this way sunny side up or some other style? I feel like describing the cooking seemed to offend the waitress a bit, and still didn't get it right. Assistant: Order your eggs "over medium." To a professional breakfast cook "over easy" means that the whites are not cooked all the way. Source: have been a breakfast cook for over 17 years

Human: Cooking/browning both sides of something (pancakes, eggplant, etc.), the first side is always evenly golden, the second side is almost burned in spots and uncooked in others. Why? This is without changing the temperature, or adding more fat. I have experienced this on different stoves, gas and electric, stainless steel and cast iron pans, butter and oil. What gives? Thanks. Assistant: For pancakes and other batters the first side is also the flattest it will ever be during the cooking process. As it heats bubbles will form on the other side and create an uneven surface for browning. In other cases moisture can be the culprit, I always keep a towel handy to dry the other side before flipping something so it doesn't steam instead of brown.

Human: Cooking/browning both sides of something (pancakes, eggplant, etc.), the first side is always evenly golden, the second side is almost burned in spots and uncooked in others. Why? This is without changing the temperature, or adding more fat. I have experienced this on different stoves, gas and electric, stainless steel and cast iron pans, butter and oil. What gives? Thanks. Assistant: It sounds like you're adding things when the pan is cold or not upto temperature. As a rule, never add anything to a pan that's not pre-heated.

Human: What is the best way to keep cut Tornado Potatoes in a ready to fry state for a few days to a week? This is a tornado potato: http://i.imgur.com/S99dYHM.jpg I sell them at my store but I am looking for a way to cut them in batches during lean days, then fry them just when a customer orders. I have no batter, I just add flavored powders, and leave adding the salt or pepper to them. I am situated near a school so I need them cut and ready to fry when the peak hours hit. With our other products, we even start cooking them before the rush hour. I only have a deep fryer, no ovens. I've tried freezing them after cutting and they came out ok after frying. But I wonder if there truly is a best way to store it that can also improve the product? Thank you. Assistant: I would blanch in either water or oil and freeze them and then go straight from frozen to the fryer. If you don't have the freezer space then I would cut them and leave them raw soaking in water and then blanch and use the same day.

Human: What is the best way to keep cut Tornado Potatoes in a ready to fry state for a few days to a week? This is a tornado potato: http://i.imgur.com/S99dYHM.jpg I sell them at my store but I am looking for a way to cut them in batches during lean days, then fry them just when a customer orders. I have no batter, I just add flavored powders, and leave adding the salt or pepper to them. I am situated near a school so I need them cut and ready to fry when the peak hours hit. With our other products, we even start cooking them before the rush hour. I only have a deep fryer, no ovens. I've tried freezing them after cutting and they came out ok after frying. But I wonder if there truly is a best way to store it that can also improve the product? Thank you. Assistant: Did you talk to the people who sold you the machine that cuts them?

Human: I constantly get worms (larvae) in my bags of rice. What's going on? I constantly get worms (larvae) in my bags of rice within a week or so of buying the rice. Whether it's been opened and tightly closed or if it has yet to be opened, the bag still gets worms. Is this a common thing that rice makers have to deal with? Assistant: Yikes. I have never seen this. I hope that is because I have never *had* this.

Human: I constantly get worms (larvae) in my bags of rice. What's going on? I constantly get worms (larvae) in my bags of rice within a week or so of buying the rice. Whether it's been opened and tightly closed or if it has yet to be opened, the bag still gets worms. Is this a common thing that rice makers have to deal with? Assistant: It is very common, they will grow into small moths if you let them. Switch to a glass container if you want, they wont hurt you though.

Human: When a recipe tells me to cover my pots, is this necessary? There's a lot of recipes that ask you to turn down the heat and cover the pot while it simmers for some amount of time, but I have mostly hand-me-down kitchenware and a lot of my pots don't even HAVE lids. I can grab a plate or something and stick it over the top but that just makes for more dishes. What does covering the pot do? Is it essential? Assistant: Think about it this way: using plates to cover pots means having pre-warmed plates for the dish :)

Human: When a recipe tells me to cover my pots, is this necessary? There's a lot of recipes that ask you to turn down the heat and cover the pot while it simmers for some amount of time, but I have mostly hand-me-down kitchenware and a lot of my pots don't even HAVE lids. I can grab a plate or something and stick it over the top but that just makes for more dishes. What does covering the pot do? Is it essential? Assistant: If your using a plate place it right side up, not upside down on the pot, and the round ridge needs to within the pots opening. The key here is that all the condensation on whatever lid goes back into the pot and doesn't drip outside the pot so that it will retain the moisture.

Human: Slow cooked pork curry I made is tangy maybe due to overcooked paste of Ginger/Garlic or maybe overcooked Onions. How do I fix it? The concoction has been batched out into meal prep boxes. I'd like to fix the tangy in the boxes. I have heard adding sugar would help? I have also heard adding a pinch of baking soda into the curry and warming it would fix the tangy? Also heard about adding pineapple bits. I must say this is the first time it has happened. I usually slow cook pork belly, onions and some Indian spices every week. I sear the meat and brown the onions a bit before putting it all in the slow cooker with some tomato paste/ginger garlic paste/indian masalas. I think the onion and the ginger garlic got over cooked as I had browned the onion/ginger garlic in the pan before adding them in. Assistant: This is why you need to taste before you portion. Like someone else said, I'm pretty sure it's not the ginger/garlic/onions. Pineapple would make it more tangy. Sugar is the best way to balance tang, but it needs to be heated. I would just throw it all back in the pan and re-season it. Next time taste it before you portion it.

Human: Slow cooked pork curry I made is tangy maybe due to overcooked paste of Ginger/Garlic or maybe overcooked Onions. How do I fix it? The concoction has been batched out into meal prep boxes. I'd like to fix the tangy in the boxes. I have heard adding sugar would help? I have also heard adding a pinch of baking soda into the curry and warming it would fix the tangy? Also heard about adding pineapple bits. I must say this is the first time it has happened. I usually slow cook pork belly, onions and some Indian spices every week. I sear the meat and brown the onions a bit before putting it all in the slow cooker with some tomato paste/ginger garlic paste/indian masalas. I think the onion and the ginger garlic got over cooked as I had browned the onion/ginger garlic in the pan before adding them in. Assistant: I don't see how overcooked onions and garlic can make something too acidic. Starches turn to sugar and then turn into caramel. I think you have a problem with one of the other ingredients - maybe the tomato paste.

Human: Can you make French toast with almond milk instead of regular milk or cream? Title, thanks! Assistant: You can but almond milk isn’t especially creamy or smooth. If it was me I’d throw in a nice splash of coconut milk, soy milk, or extra creamy oat milk, just enough to thicken the texture not substantially alter the flavor. Roasted slivered almonds over French toast made partly with almond milk sounds nice.

Human: Can you make French toast with almond milk instead of regular milk or cream? Title, thanks! Assistant: I've never used anything but eggs and cinnamon.

Human: [Troubleshooting] Need Help With Take-out Style Chinese Fried Dumpling (Guo Tie) Dipping Sauce I recently made some homemade Chinese dumplings, dough from scratch and everything, and they turned out really well. The sauce, on the other hand, was a disaster. Dipping Sauce: * 1/4 cup soy sauce * 1/2 clove pressed garlic * 4 tsp sweet soy sauce * 1/4 Tsp Ginger Powder * 1/2 Tsp Sesame Oil * 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar * 1 Tbsp hot water and 1/4 Tbsp Sugar, dissolved * Sprinkle with fresh Chives The sauce was too sour, the ginger was overpowering, and it just didn't taste right. I'm trying to replicate the flavor of East Coast, take-out style dumpling sauce, so I imagine they're not doing anything too fancy, but some guidance would be appreciated. Assistant: At uni in Beijing, the dipping sauce for dumplings was always a combination (you made it up yourself) of * (Light) soy sauce * Black (Chinkiang/zhenjiang) vinegar * Chili flakes/oil * Garlic paste * Sugar and/or MSG (optional)

Human: [Troubleshooting] Need Help With Take-out Style Chinese Fried Dumpling (Guo Tie) Dipping Sauce I recently made some homemade Chinese dumplings, dough from scratch and everything, and they turned out really well. The sauce, on the other hand, was a disaster. Dipping Sauce: * 1/4 cup soy sauce * 1/2 clove pressed garlic * 4 tsp sweet soy sauce * 1/4 Tsp Ginger Powder * 1/2 Tsp Sesame Oil * 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar * 1 Tbsp hot water and 1/4 Tbsp Sugar, dissolved * Sprinkle with fresh Chives The sauce was too sour, the ginger was overpowering, and it just didn't taste right. I'm trying to replicate the flavor of East Coast, take-out style dumpling sauce, so I imagine they're not doing anything too fancy, but some guidance would be appreciated. Assistant: You need to add sugar

Human: Taking a class on knife skills: Sur La Table or Pro School? I want to up my cooking game, and while I feel like I'm pretty sure I have the basics down (searing, braising, etc), I feel like I could wield my knives a lot better and get faster and more precise at chopping, and learn some more about sharpening (I hone with a steel already). I've watched videos online and practiced, but I'm not that great, so I think taking a proper class is the next logical step. I looked up classes where I live (New York City), and found the ubiquitous Sur La Table option ($75), but also courses at the Institute of Culinary Education, and International Culinary Center, which are a bit more in cost ($120). I am by no means planning to turn professional, but I do wonder if going the pro route is necessarily the better option (I mean, in the end, both are courses trying to sell you *something*). If anyone knows of any other better options for someone in my position, that suggestion would be appreciated too. Can anyone offer any advice, experience or input to point me in the right direction? Thanks. (I hope this is the right place to ask, if not I apologize and ask where that place would be). Assistant: A big bag of potatoes, carrots and onions combined with some YouTube videos would be way cheaper.

Human: Taking a class on knife skills: Sur La Table or Pro School? I want to up my cooking game, and while I feel like I'm pretty sure I have the basics down (searing, braising, etc), I feel like I could wield my knives a lot better and get faster and more precise at chopping, and learn some more about sharpening (I hone with a steel already). I've watched videos online and practiced, but I'm not that great, so I think taking a proper class is the next logical step. I looked up classes where I live (New York City), and found the ubiquitous Sur La Table option ($75), but also courses at the Institute of Culinary Education, and International Culinary Center, which are a bit more in cost ($120). I am by no means planning to turn professional, but I do wonder if going the pro route is necessarily the better option (I mean, in the end, both are courses trying to sell you *something*). If anyone knows of any other better options for someone in my position, that suggestion would be appreciated too. Can anyone offer any advice, experience or input to point me in the right direction? Thanks. (I hope this is the right place to ask, if not I apologize and ask where that place would be). Assistant: With sir LA table classes you get a discount on Purchases made same day. If you are getting something there anyway, that class would make it a bit cheaper.

Human: Cheese curds aren't really a thing in my country. What cheese can I use as an alternative when making poutine? You can find cheddar but it's almost always aged and/or already shredded. I don't know where to find young and whole cheddar. I was thinking of using mozzarella and seasoning it myself. After that halloumi as a last resort. Gravy isn't a thing either really here but at least it's easy to make. I have never seen pre-made gravy in a store. Assistant: Honestly, as a quebecois, I like to switch it up and use goat cheese with a mushroom gravy!

Human: Cheese curds aren't really a thing in my country. What cheese can I use as an alternative when making poutine? You can find cheddar but it's almost always aged and/or already shredded. I don't know where to find young and whole cheddar. I was thinking of using mozzarella and seasoning it myself. After that halloumi as a last resort. Gravy isn't a thing either really here but at least it's easy to make. I have never seen pre-made gravy in a store. Assistant: Scamorza or provola cheese if you can find it. Its basically mozzarella thats been dried a bit.

Human: When seasoning fried foods, do you apply it before or after frying? When you are frying up foods, what seasonings are applied before and after cooking? Assistant: Why not both? I season my breading/batter and then season the final product as well.

Human: When seasoning fried foods, do you apply it before or after frying? When you are frying up foods, what seasonings are applied before and after cooking? Assistant: Batter = before No batter = after

Human: Do you remove the rind if you are slow cooking pork? I'm slow cooking some pulled pork and I've got a pork shoulder roast with a big hunk of rind just wonder if I need to remove it? Assistant: I leave it on and then cool it off long enough to be able to remove the rind in one giant slab. Then you can season it and cook it at 300 or so until it gets nice and crispy.

Human: Do you remove the rind if you are slow cooking pork? I'm slow cooking some pulled pork and I've got a pork shoulder roast with a big hunk of rind just wonder if I need to remove it? Assistant: I leave it on for the cook and then decide what I want to do with it after. It won't negatively impact the shoulder

Human: How do I get the gatlic smell off my hands? Its been two days since I prepped some chicken that needed garlic and despite daily showers and multiple times of washing my hands still reak of garlic. Assistant: Why would you want to get rid of the smell of garlic.

Human: How do I get the gatlic smell off my hands? Its been two days since I prepped some chicken that needed garlic and despite daily showers and multiple times of washing my hands still reak of garlic. Assistant: Palmolive do a pretty good handwash to counter onion and garlic odours: here

Human: I have a recipe for Yorkshire pudding that calls for 3 eggs. Everything else is easy to cut in half (1 cup milk and 1 cup four), but how would I do half the egg quantity without cracking all three eggs and only using half? Assistant: Just do a two-thirds recipe instead of a half recipe.

Human: I have a recipe for Yorkshire pudding that calls for 3 eggs. Everything else is easy to cut in half (1 cup milk and 1 cup four), but how would I do half the egg quantity without cracking all three eggs and only using half? Assistant: How much does an egg cost?

Human: Sushi Rice Coming Out Like Glue No Matter What I Do Hello folks. I know there are a lot of questions floating around about sushi rice already, same problem, same solutions. I have tried everything from Reddit forums to food blogs to YouTube Videos with culinary experts, and yet my short grain rice comes out like shiny, goopy, elmers glue that sticks to my cutting board, sticks to saran wrap, literally like gobs of super glue. I'm using Koda Farms Superior Short Grain Sweet Rice. My last attempt was using a sequence popular on Reddit where several experiments were tried with the Instant Pot, and I used number 4, which was 1 Cup Rice, + 1 Cup & 3 Teaspoons Water, 6 Minutes High Pressure, and 10 Minutes Natural Release. I followed this perfectly, and immediately on opening the lid I could tell it was screwed. Transferred the rice anyway to my container, added the vinegar mix, and proceeded to live the nightmare that was last night's sushi making. I'm rinsing my rice extensively, then soaking for 30 minutes and gently agitating the rice to get any last traces of starch out of the water before cooking. I've also tried cooking in a standard pot, using less water, and tried a few other different Instant Pot recipes, same outcome every time. That's what bothers me the most is that it always comes out the same regardless of how I cook it. Shiny, wet, goopy. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to make another attempt today with the leftover smoked salmon, shrimp, and kani salad. Assistant: Since you have sweet rice or what I grew up calling glutinous rice, here are some recipes that are designed for that type of rice! https://thewoksoflife.com/?s=Glutinous+rice

Human: Sushi Rice Coming Out Like Glue No Matter What I Do Hello folks. I know there are a lot of questions floating around about sushi rice already, same problem, same solutions. I have tried everything from Reddit forums to food blogs to YouTube Videos with culinary experts, and yet my short grain rice comes out like shiny, goopy, elmers glue that sticks to my cutting board, sticks to saran wrap, literally like gobs of super glue. I'm using Koda Farms Superior Short Grain Sweet Rice. My last attempt was using a sequence popular on Reddit where several experiments were tried with the Instant Pot, and I used number 4, which was 1 Cup Rice, + 1 Cup & 3 Teaspoons Water, 6 Minutes High Pressure, and 10 Minutes Natural Release. I followed this perfectly, and immediately on opening the lid I could tell it was screwed. Transferred the rice anyway to my container, added the vinegar mix, and proceeded to live the nightmare that was last night's sushi making. I'm rinsing my rice extensively, then soaking for 30 minutes and gently agitating the rice to get any last traces of starch out of the water before cooking. I've also tried cooking in a standard pot, using less water, and tried a few other different Instant Pot recipes, same outcome every time. That's what bothers me the most is that it always comes out the same regardless of how I cook it. Shiny, wet, goopy. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to make another attempt today with the leftover smoked salmon, shrimp, and kani salad. Assistant: Seems you got your answer, so just here with a suggestion! I buy sushi rice frequently just because the flavour is better compared to jasime rice, and I usually look for something labelled calrose, it seems like that is a typical sushi rice grain

Human: What can I change from my recipe or technique so that my meatballs won't fall apart when cooked? This is the recipe that I use: 1 pound ground beef (80/20) ¼ cup panko bread crumbs ¼ cup onion, finely chopped ½ teaspoon salt 2 eggs I mix them just until uniform, i.e. long enough that there's no longer visible loose ground beef chunks but not so long that the mixture would start to turn sticky or gooey. After shaping, I deep fry them just to brown the outside, then let them finish cooking in the oven. My problem is that during the deep frying part, sometimes the meatballs would fall apart and crumble. Usually it starts with the onion chunks falling out, so I thought that might be the problem so I tried chopping the onions more finely. That helped to an extent, but I would still have one or two meatballs crumbling. Should I be grating the onions instead to make it as fine as possible? Or maybe use onion powder? Maybe I didn't mix the ingredients long enough, or mixed it for too long? Reasons for my recipe and method: \- I use 2 eggs in this recipe as I found that 1 egg wasn't enough to bring the mixture together and the meatballs would start to fall apart even before cooking. I'm willing to hear out a better method though \- I brown the meatballs by deep frying because I want to retain the round shape, as I found that pan frying or baking them tends to flatten the shape a little. Also, pan frying and baking doesn't help with the falling apart as the meatballs would tend to stick to the bottom of the pan and then I would have to scrape to get it out and it would end up falling apart anyway. But if I need to change my cooking method, I'm all ears! Assistant: I use a pack of mince, an egg yolk, two slices of bread whizzed up in a blender, a dollop of dijon, a bit more salt than I think it needs and a glug of milk. Form into balls, refrigerate for an hour or so and then just poach in the sauce for about 20 minutes. Used to pan fry first but if you're serving in sauce you don't see the browning anyway, and they're much more tender just poached, I think.

Human: What can I change from my recipe or technique so that my meatballs won't fall apart when cooked? This is the recipe that I use: 1 pound ground beef (80/20) ¼ cup panko bread crumbs ¼ cup onion, finely chopped ½ teaspoon salt 2 eggs I mix them just until uniform, i.e. long enough that there's no longer visible loose ground beef chunks but not so long that the mixture would start to turn sticky or gooey. After shaping, I deep fry them just to brown the outside, then let them finish cooking in the oven. My problem is that during the deep frying part, sometimes the meatballs would fall apart and crumble. Usually it starts with the onion chunks falling out, so I thought that might be the problem so I tried chopping the onions more finely. That helped to an extent, but I would still have one or two meatballs crumbling. Should I be grating the onions instead to make it as fine as possible? Or maybe use onion powder? Maybe I didn't mix the ingredients long enough, or mixed it for too long? Reasons for my recipe and method: \- I use 2 eggs in this recipe as I found that 1 egg wasn't enough to bring the mixture together and the meatballs would start to fall apart even before cooking. I'm willing to hear out a better method though \- I brown the meatballs by deep frying because I want to retain the round shape, as I found that pan frying or baking them tends to flatten the shape a little. Also, pan frying and baking doesn't help with the falling apart as the meatballs would tend to stick to the bottom of the pan and then I would have to scrape to get it out and it would end up falling apart anyway. But if I need to change my cooking method, I'm all ears! Assistant: I cook the onions in a pan before adding to my meatballs, they’re softer so mix better with the other ingredients

Human: How do I make a green herb sauce or puree that stays a nice green? I've made some nice tasting sauces using a variety of fresh herbs but always end up with a fairly unappetising colour rather than an attractive bright green. Assistant: Add a carrot top.

Human: How do I make a green herb sauce or puree that stays a nice green? I've made some nice tasting sauces using a variety of fresh herbs but always end up with a fairly unappetising colour rather than an attractive bright green. Assistant: Don't cook them above 50°C

Human: Maple syrup/brown sugar burning with glazing and roasting vegetables, but the recipes have no complaints from others? Hi, I couldn't find much on the internet overall specifically about using brown sugar and/or maple syrup to glaze things that are to be roasted and how to avoid burning/smoking. I've had issues with it ALWAYS burning and smoking with any recipe like this. But I'm looking at recipes where no one in the comments seems to have the same issues, wondering, "is it me???" I'm pretty sure my oven is relatively accurate based on how it cooks meat (have a thermometer). Gas range/oven. Just wondering if there's some mysterious way to prevent sugar from burning at 350-450 degrees in the oven or if these reviews are made by bots or if I am....a fool! I love to use a little brown sugar with olive oil to glaze winter vegetables, but find I have to not follow the recipes and just add the sugar at the very end of roasting, which doesn't have the same effect. Roasting veg under 350 seems like it won't caramelize/taste as good. I'm not an expert chef but I'm a decent home cook, but fee like this solution is eluding me. Thanks for anyone who reads this! Assistant: Don't wash the bowl that you tossed the veggies in with their oil and seasonings. When they are partially cooked through, dump the pan back in the bowl, add your sugars/ syrups, toss and dump back onto your pan. I do this when I want to use fresh herbs (but not scorch them) and it's Much easier (and CLEANER) than trying to evenly "toss" on the sheet pan itself. You can then lower the temp a bit to get a nice glaze as the veggies are mostly cooked already.

Human: Maple syrup/brown sugar burning with glazing and roasting vegetables, but the recipes have no complaints from others? Hi, I couldn't find much on the internet overall specifically about using brown sugar and/or maple syrup to glaze things that are to be roasted and how to avoid burning/smoking. I've had issues with it ALWAYS burning and smoking with any recipe like this. But I'm looking at recipes where no one in the comments seems to have the same issues, wondering, "is it me???" I'm pretty sure my oven is relatively accurate based on how it cooks meat (have a thermometer). Gas range/oven. Just wondering if there's some mysterious way to prevent sugar from burning at 350-450 degrees in the oven or if these reviews are made by bots or if I am....a fool! I love to use a little brown sugar with olive oil to glaze winter vegetables, but find I have to not follow the recipes and just add the sugar at the very end of roasting, which doesn't have the same effect. Roasting veg under 350 seems like it won't caramelize/taste as good. I'm not an expert chef but I'm a decent home cook, but fee like this solution is eluding me. Thanks for anyone who reads this! Assistant: Have you considered roasting the seasoned vegetables alone, and making the glaze in a pan to coat the vegetables with after?

Human: Substituting maple syrup for sugar I’m baking a pie with 28 oz blueberries, 7 oz sugar and 1.5 oz tapioca flour. I want to replace the sugar with maple syrup to make an intense pie for a special occasion. Should I just add 7 oz maple syrup instead of sugar, or will the ratio be different to achieve the same flavor and consistency? Assistant: Substitution of sugar by maple *syrup* is not 1:1. As a general rule, maple syrup is substituted for refined sugar by a 2/3 to 3/4 measure of maple syrup to 1 measure of sugar, depending on the flavour and sweetness of maple syrup used. In this case, sugar isn't there for any structural reasons so its unlikely to need any further adjustments.

Human: Substituting maple syrup for sugar I’m baking a pie with 28 oz blueberries, 7 oz sugar and 1.5 oz tapioca flour. I want to replace the sugar with maple syrup to make an intense pie for a special occasion. Should I just add 7 oz maple syrup instead of sugar, or will the ratio be different to achieve the same flavor and consistency? Assistant: Can you find "maple sugar" ? That would probably be the best substitute.