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1500 questions
18
votes
2 answers
Eating food from a slightly rusting cast iron dutch oven...is it safe?
I have a cast iron dutch oven. It has a self-basting lid, basically it has a grid of little cone shapes on the underside of the lid. The idea is that liquid condenses on underside of the lid and these little cones help the liquid drip back down onto…
milesmeow
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18
votes
2 answers
Is it true that smell is lost flavor?
This is a maxim that I hear frequently, especially as a defense of cooking methods that don't produce a lot of aroma: if the aroma is in the air, it means it's left the food.
As an example, some people complain about the lack of aroma produced in…
Ray
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18
votes
11 answers
How much rice should I cook per person?
I would like to know how much rice I should cook per person.
Preferably in some "fast" measurements - like cups, spoons, etc.
It would also be nice to know how much water should I add to the rice-cooker.
Edit: I want to have the rice as a side…
Tomáš Fejfar
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18
votes
5 answers
What's the difference between masa for tortillas and for tamales?
I often buy fresh prepared masa from Mexican markets in order to make tamales and pupusas. Mexican cookbook authors stress getting the correct masa for the recipe, either masa for tamales or masa for tortillas. However, the masa at the market is…
FuzzyChef
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18
votes
10 answers
Do slow cookers require liquid to operate?
I have a Butterball turkey breast roast that I'd like to cook tomorrow, and I'm planning to do it in my slow cooker.
The recipe as provided online is the same one that is on the turkey packaging:
Slow-Cooker Instructions:
Place THAWED roast, skin…
Steve V.
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18
votes
3 answers
Are there any negative effects to kneading bread dough longer?
Is there such a thing as over-kneading bread dough. From what I understand, kneading the bread dough is what allows the gluten strands to align and form the beautiful gluten networks that create bread with all the little air bubbles.
If that is the…
Jay
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18
votes
7 answers
Should I use my microwave's 'popcorn' button?
My microwave oven has a "POPCORN" button. Its manual reads:
Touch this pad when popping popcorn in your microwave oven. The oven's sensor will tell the oven how long to cook depending on the amount of humidity it detects from the popcorn. See page…
msh210
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18
votes
4 answers
What is the difference between quick bread and cake?
Quick breads, like banana or zucchini breads, seem to be assembled in an identical method and with similar ingredients as cake. Many recipes have comparable quantities of fat and sugar.
So what is the difference and how can you tell whether a baked…
Sobachatina
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18
votes
4 answers
Is hot tap water safe for cooking?
I'll typically bring hot water from the tap to the boil instead of waiting longer for cold water. This hot water comes from water heater with a large storage tank. Is this considered safe?
For example, are heater storage tanks known for festering…
jontyc
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18
votes
7 answers
Why does my bread collapse in my bread machine?
I have a bread machine and when I follow the recipes in the included booklet that came with the machine, the bread rises for about an hour, but the collapses back on itself and comes out rock hard and, usually, undercooked (doughy). I've tried…
Adam J.R. Erickson
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18
votes
2 answers
What are the optimal simmering times for each stage of a traditional phở?
Several of my associates and I consider ourselves phở connoisseurs, of a sort, and one thing we've noticed is the drastic variation in the quality of the broth served at various establishments.
The best takes on it - in terms of my own tasting…
Aaronut
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18
votes
14 answers
Why can't these fish sticks be made in a toaster oven instead of real oven?
My toaster oven has a temperature gauge just like my oven 200-450 degrees. I opened a package of fish sticks and the instructions said "Do not cook in microwave or toaster oven." It only had instructions for cooking them in a regular oven. Do you…
user4296
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18
votes
2 answers
What determines how well cheese melts
I have had my fair share of eating cheese and experimenting with them. Sometimes they come out heavenly while other times, it turn out to be a huge flop. Usually when it flops, it's because I am expecting the cheese to melt and it doesn't.
So my…
Jay
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18
votes
4 answers
What is the Purpose of Using Onions in (Almost) Every Soup Recipe?
Almost every soup recipe seems to call for sauteed onions. For instance, I'm looking up recipes for squash soup, and every single one calls for onions -- but every soup recipe I can think of uses onions, so it's not just this type.
So what's the…
The How-To Geek
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18
votes
3 answers
What is the purpose of oil or butter in bread?
Specifically in wheat and potato breads, what is the purpose of adding oil or butter to the dough?
I have always assumed it was just for flavor, but I suspect there is some background chemical reasons for adding it.
Gabriel Fair
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