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1500 questions
23
votes
2 answers
Best chopping board material for meat
I've heard that using a wooden chopping board for cutting meat is not very hygienic as it is a porous material. If that is the case, then what would a chopping board ideally be made out of when chopping meat?
lomaxx
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23
votes
6 answers
What factors lead to rich crema on espresso?
I love espresso, especially when it has a rich crema (the head that forms on top of a well made shot). I notice that some cafes produce this consistently while others never have more than a wisp on top. Which of the many factors that go in to…
Michael Natkin
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23
votes
3 answers
What is the butter for in a jam recipe?
I made plum jam at the weekend. The recipe I had (from my Good Housekeeping cookbook) wanted me to simmer the plums in water, add sugar and a knob of butter, then boil until a set was reached.
I realised too late that I was out of butter, so I…
Vicky
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23
votes
8 answers
Is it safe to not wash mushrooms?
Most chefs stress the fact that white button mushrooms, and others, should not be washed to be cleaned. They say to either lightly brush them or just pat them with a cloth or paper towel to get the "dirt" off to clean them, and then cook or eat them…
user33210
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23
votes
4 answers
How do canned soup companies keep their noodles from absorbing all the liquid in the can?
I like to make noodle soups. Chicken noodle, pho, k'tieu, soba, and so on; there are many different types of noodle involved. In every case, if the soup goes into the fridge, the noodles absorb all the broth fairly quickly. Typical fixes for this…
Air
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23
votes
9 answers
Can raw eggs be frozen?
If raw eggs are nearing their expiry date, can they be preserved in the freezer? Would there be any issues with them after taking them out of the freezer?
Daniel Vandersluis
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23
votes
17 answers
Ideal coffee grind for a French Press?
I recently picked up this Bodum "French Press" style coffee maker and so far, I'm really enjoying it for its simplicity. But I'm curious how I should be grinding my coffee.
When I bought it, I grabbed a bag of pre-ground coffee at the grocery store…
Pretzel
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23
votes
7 answers
Why can't this ice cream scoop go in the dishwasher?
I have an ice cream scoop that is labeled with something like:
Do not immerse in water hotter than 140 °F / 60 °C. Do not wash this item in the dishwasher.
What is the real reason for these warnings? I have found mentions of things like:
Hot…
Greg Hewgill
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23
votes
6 answers
How do you coat perfectly round truffles with melted chocolate?
How do you coat perfectly round truffles with melted chocolate. Preferably with the least amount of mess. Normally, I just dip the truffle into a bowl of melted chocolate and remove the truffle with a spoon. I then will place them on a sheet of wax…
Adrian Carolli
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23
votes
6 answers
Cure for burns from hot peppers / capsicum oil?
So, I foolishly ignored advice about wearing gloves while handling hot peppers. I thought since they were "just" anaheim peppers I'd be fine... I was wrong, and I repent.
Does anyone know of a way to stop the burning? I have washed my hands…
JustRightMenus
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23
votes
4 answers
Trick to making perfect egg ribbons?
I'm looking for a time-proven method for getting perfect egg ribbons in egg drop or hot and sour soup. The result I'm looking for is a clear soup with the classic gossamer egg ribbons. I'm not really asking for soup recipes(although feel free to…
barneco
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23
votes
7 answers
Are Chives and Green Onions the same thing?
Is it OK to substitute one for the other?
AttilaNYC
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23
votes
5 answers
Flavour combinations - structural analysis
Without neccesarily going into molecular cooking (although we could): does any literature / website / theory provide information on flavor / flavour combinations that go well together?
(ignoring texture at this time: I'm sure it's a contributing…
Tobias Op Den Brouw
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23
votes
25 answers
How do you raise your dough in cold seasons?
It is winter down here in Australia and I find it challenging to find a warm spot to raise my bread dough. What I have been doing is placing the dough in the oven (not switched on) with a pot of hot water, replacing it once or twice. The oven…
zachary
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23
votes
2 answers
Why do some powders clump in hot water?
Why do some powders like flour or matcha green tea causes lumps in hot water while other powders like sugar or cocoa or wheat grass (triticum aestivum) readily dissolve? Wheat grass powder is green and easily dissolves in cold water.
Cocoa:…
Chloe
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