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1500 questions
22
votes
9 answers
Can food be boiled "extra fast/hard" in water?
Once water is boiling you can either leave the heat on quite high, or turn it down a bit so that it just keeps boiling. Apart from extra water vaporating, does this have any effect on the taste of food you're boiling (meat, vegetables, eggs,…
Jeroen
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22
votes
18 answers
How do you make Yorkshire Puddings rise reliably?
Has anyone got a foolproof method for Yorkshire Puddings? With the recipe I have they never seem to rise properly.
Martin Brown
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22
votes
9 answers
How do I maximize the shelf life of my homemade hot sauce?
I am planning on putting this year's crop of hot peppers to use by trying my hand at making my own hot sauces.
I've never tried this before, but I've found a number of recipes on the Internet. However, I'm concerned about shelf life, and the…
Beofett
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22
votes
2 answers
Is a "cup" on a coffee maker always 6 oz? Is this a standard in the US?
Our coffee maker instructions often refer to a "cup" of coffee. These cups are whats marked on the side of the coffee maker showing how much water is in the reservoir. The instructions never define what a "cup" actually equates to. It appears to…
Doug T.
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22
votes
3 answers
Does adding salt when soaking dry beans toughen or soften the skin of the bean?
I have heard opinions on both sides of this. The the latest answer on this site, says salt softens bean skins quoted Cooks Illustrated (I can't see the article, but I trust CI), while another answer says salt hardens the beans' skins.
In case is…
Clay Nichols
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22
votes
1 answer
What does the refrigerator crisper compartment actually do?
In most refrigerators you will be able to find a compartment for your vegetables and fruits. This compartment is called the crisper and it is supposedly able to keep your vegetables and fruits fresh longer.
How do these crispers keep the vegetables…
Jay
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22
votes
6 answers
How long does cooked pasta last in the fridge?
I sometimes cook more pasta than I intend to eat or use at once and store the rest in a container in the fridge (just plain, cooked pasta). How long would it store safely for?
Daniel Vandersluis
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22
votes
8 answers
Why does coffee taste awful after reheating it in a microwave oven?
I brew my coffee with a percolator using finely ground beans and it comes out great when it is still hot. However, I have to brew at least two cups in the machine. So if I make coffee in the morning, the afternoon cup is cold and I have to reheat…
Henry
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22
votes
9 answers
Proper ratio of Water to Rice
When making rice, what is the proper ratio of water that I should use?
Donut
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22
votes
7 answers
Is it safe to reuse loose tea leaves the next day? What precautions need to be taken for storing tea for reuse?
I'm a fan of green tea and I find myself reusing the tea leaves 2-3 times a day. Sometimes I'll just store the leaves and reuse them the next day but it got me thinking if what I'm doing is actually "safe", I know that the taste isn't the same.
So…
Serge
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22
votes
17 answers
Pink salt vs regular salt
What is the difference between pink salt and more typical coarse salt (e.g. sea salt)?
I know it is pink due to mineral deposits, but culinarily is it any different? e.g. does it taste different, is it used differently, etc.
Since there may be more…
Tara
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22
votes
4 answers
What's the purpose of clarifying butter?
Seriously, if it's just an ingredient in something larger, is it going to make a difference if the butter's been clarified or not?
Sean
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22
votes
6 answers
How do I know if a black banana is too old to be eaten?
From time to buy, I buy too many bananas. For the future, I am considering refrigerating them instead of eating them, but they turn black.
How can I know whether a black banana is still edible?
user2954
22
votes
3 answers
At what point is water considered "at a boil?"
Lots of recipes call for waiting for the water to come "to a boil." However I have never been sure when that is. From my viewpoint it could be at three different points:
First start to see small air bubbles coming up from the bottom of the pan…
Jack B Nimble
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22
votes
8 answers
What causes yogurt in sauces to split? How to prevent it?
A lot of my favorite curry recipes have a yogurt based sauce in them, but on a pretty regular basis when I make them, the yogurt ends up splitting into basically curds and whey. What causes that, and how can I prevent it?
As an illustrative example,…
cabbey
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