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1500 questions
37
votes
2 answers
Do magnets dull knives?
A friend of mine bought some new, very sharp knives. He has a magnetic strip that he uses to store knives, but he does not put these new knives there because he says magnets dull knives.
Is that true? I've never heard of this. If so, why do magnets…
David says Reinstate Monica
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What oil or fat to use for different purposes?
I understand that one of the main reasons to use different kinds of fat or oil is the temperature at which it burns, e.g. an extra-virgin olive oil to fry a steak wouldn't work. Taste is also a very important aspect. Can you give a list of the most…
tobiw
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37
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8 answers
How to test that a knife is sharp enough?
As per the question - how to I test that a knife is sharp enough?
And/or, how do you know when a knife needs sharpening?
Edit:
Yesterday I attempted (I feel quite successfully) to hone my knives for the first time ever (requiring me to purchase a…
DMA57361
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37
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3 answers
What is the purpose of creaming butter with sugar in cookie recipes?
I got distracted while assembling the dry ingredients for a cookie recipe and added the sugars, which were supposed to be creamed with the butter first. Fortunately, the sugar was added last and I was able to salvage enough to cream it.
What does…
avpaderno
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37
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12 answers
How can brown stains be removed from pots and pans?
I haven't been cooking for long — recent college grad — so I'm doing a lot of experimentation and making a lot of rookie mistakes. One of them is shown here for your viewing pleasure:
My mom gifted me this pan less than a year ago. She used it…
Pops
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37
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4 answers
What is the difference between green, white and black tea?
What is the difference between green, white and black tea? Are all based on original tea leaves?
awe
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37
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3 answers
How did replacing flour in muffins go so wrong?
I had a whole bag of Cocoa Puffs that had gone stale, and thought it would be fun to mess around and see if I could bake something with them. So I aimed for muffins. I more or less based it on a banana muffin recipe I make all the time:
2 1/2 cups…
the-baby-is-you
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37
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7 answers
Does water "go bad" in this sense?
I have an electric water boiler in the kitchen. I put fresh tap water into it, boil it up, and use it for my coffee. Then, an hour later, I go back and press the button again and have it re-boil the now room-temperature water, and use it for another…
A Nyboer
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5 answers
If one tomato had molded, is the rest of the pack safe to eat?
Yesterday I bought a pack of cherry tomatoes and after arriving home I discovered that one of them had developed some impressive black mold (it was bigger than the tomato itself!). Of course, I tossed the offending tomato and the packaging, washed…
Paula
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37
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2 answers
What is this device?
What is this device called? The length is exactly 12 inches.
user80399
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36
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3 answers
What is this glass object for?
I inherited a bar set. It has a wide variety of glassware, all of which I recognize except this piece
The bottom portion holds a 1/2 cup. There is a small hole connecting the top and bottom. The top section is about 2in in diameter with a 3/4 inch…
StrongBad
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5 answers
When a recipe asks to add spices to the oil, can you add the spices directly to the sauce for the same effect?
Many chefs add spices to the oil because the "oil brings out the flavors". But I want to experiment with different spices and quantities (which is hard because you can't taste the oil and predict the end result). My question - when a recipe clearly…
Bar Akiva
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36
votes
4 answers
Why does this entire carton of eggs have 2 yolks each?
I got chills this morning making breakfast as I cracked open 6 eggs in a row, all having 2 yolks each.
I've read this is caused by an anomaly that is considered normal in an egg here and there.
I guess the question is, is a whole crate of…
Nick Charney Kaye
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36
votes
10 answers
What's (really) the difference between fruit and vegetables?
I was wondering what's (really) the difference between fruit and vegetables. Obviously I can name different fruits and vegetables, but if you ask me what's really the distinguishing factor, I wouldn't know.
Things that I think may be the difference…
Kevin
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36
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3 answers
Why should I "rest" meat after cooking?
I often read in recipes that I should "rest" meat after it has been cooked but what does resting the meat actually do?
lomaxx
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