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1500 questions
30
votes
9 answers
What are some good substitutes for salt for those on low sodium diets?
I try to keep my sodium intake fairly low to ensure that my blood pressure doesn't get too high.
Salt is such a common part of cooking, and it's especially difficult to cook Asian-style food without a lot of salt due to its reliance on salty sauces…
LeopardSkinPillBoxHat
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30
votes
10 answers
How do cooks prepare risotto in a restaurant?
I'm not looking for a Risotto recipe. I make a pretty nice risotto, thank you very much.
But, making a risotto takes about 20 minutes. It seems unreasonable to me that a cook would start from scratch in a restaurant.
So how do they do it? There…
Chris Cudmore
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30
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4 answers
What meats can I serve medium rare and why?
It is generally accepted that pork and chicken must be cooked completely (unless put through a strong curing process) while certain cuts of beef and lamb can be served on the rare side. Why is this?
Are particular bacteria populations present in…
Jon
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30
votes
13 answers
What is the difference between pizza sauce and spaghetti sauce?
Pizza sauce and spaghetti sauce are both tomato-based, have roughly the same seasoning (Italian) and look a like. However, I (and a friendly user here) think there is a difference between the two. So what is it? Or isn't there one and you can…
Mien
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30
votes
14 answers
How should I cook bacon in an oven?
I've heard of people cooking bacon in an oven by laying the strips out on a cookie sheet. When using this method, how long should I cook the bacon for, and at what temperature?
Donut
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30
votes
12 answers
Fish and cheese: An unbreakable rule?
I always wondered about this seemingly static rule:
Never add cheese (especially, but not limited to parmigiano reggiano) to a dish with fish.
Italians would never, ever add parmigiano reggiano to a pasta with fish. But they have many other…
Sebastian
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30
votes
4 answers
Why isn't it safe to eat raw chicken?
Why is safe to eat some raw or undercooked meats like beef and fish (assuming you're careful), but not chicken? I know that there are bacteria in chicken, but are they in all chicken, or just so many that the only safe thing to do is assume they're…
Brendan Long
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30
votes
15 answers
Good ways to store coffee?
What are some key points to store coffee to preserve freshness?
Different methods for whole beans vs ground?
Nick Canzoneri
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30
votes
1 answer
What are the names and purposes of these six kitchen knives?
My longtime neighbor had this collection of six GONON-GIRONDE high-carbon steel knives that she inherited from her mother. I thought that they were incredible, and must be wonderful to use.
Sadly she passed away, and her husband, who does not cook,…
Cary Jensen
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30
votes
6 answers
What is "layering flavors"? What does it accomplish and how do I do it?
Recently I've been into cooking videos and tutorials and something that stands out to me is this concept of "layering flavors" that some chefs use when they add ingredients.
Example:
We're only sweating the onion, afterwards we'll add some garlic…
David DPG
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30
votes
16 answers
How do I make paneer firm and chewy like in the restaurant?
Recently I've taken a liking to Indian cuisine and am trying to replicate the curry experience at home. The biggest problem I'm having is with the paneer cheese, which is used in curries I like the most.
When I eat out at an Indian restaurant, their…
neuviemeporte
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29
votes
7 answers
How can I tell the difference between unmarked sugar and stevia?
My wife just started back on her doctor-recommended ketogenic diet (due to a medical history of high blood pressure and Crohn's disease in her family). She's to have reduced carbohydrates and sugars, and to use artificial sweeteners for anything she…
Zibbobz
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29
votes
10 answers
Botulism, Garlic, Cold pressed Olive oil and mason jars
I make a product I invented called Maybe It's Marinade. It consists of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil and pressed garlic as the base and comes in three varieties, AoliOliO, Dill, and Cayenne Pepper. All varieties also include garlic powder and…
k sher
29
votes
6 answers
Why does diluted half & half not make a substitute for whole milk?
I noticed that cutting half & half with water does not make it taste like whole milk. What is the reason for this?
I'm trying to apply some systems thinking to my understanding of ingredients.
Gabriel Fair
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29
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10 answers
Can I boil eggs in the same pot I'm boiling something else?
I know cooking the eggs kills the salmonella and that the risk is small even for raw eggs. However, I stopped boiling the eggs in the same pot I'm boiling something else, like potatoes, when I learnt the salmonella is in the shell.
Obviously, I'm…
Julio
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