Daniel is spot-on with his answer .

I'll elaborate on it a bit here.

As indicated by his bottled water in the freezer trick, a full freezer is a happy freezer.

The same applies to the refrigerator too.

While I wouldn't put random bottles of water throughout my refrigerator, it's important to know that the fuller your refrigerator is, the more it holds its temperature when opening/closing, and the less energy you'll use.

However, you don't want to jam pack it so full that there isn't any airflow around your stuff, because this can hamper the cooling efficiency as well.

The ideal refrigerator temperature is 35°F (1.6°C).

You're not hugging the danger zone like you would be at 40°F (4.4°C), and you're distancing yourself sufficiently from 32°F (0°C) that you don't freeze half the stuff in your refrigerator.

That said, the temperature within your fridge can vary rather significantly with normal usage.

The coldest parts of your refrigerator are the back, and the bottom.

The back because the cooling element is there, and the bottom because warm air rises.

If items you don't want frosty are getting frosty, then move them away from the back of the fridge.

I would avoid putting items in the door of your fridge that are particularly sensitive to spoilage.

The items in the door of your fridge can easily get as high as 59°F (15°C), and do so often.

Putting milk and eggs in your door will significantly decrease their shelf life.

Butter is OK in the little covered section in the door, because the door actually helps keep it's temperature a little better.

You also generally don't want rock solid frozen butter.

So, put your meats on the bottom shelf in the back, your condiments (mayo, ketchup, mustard, etc.)

in the door, and put everything else where it fits.

Normally a domestic freezer is best set to −18 °C (0 °F) or colder, as that's what the expiration dates for many food items are based on.

It's also a requirement for freezers in restaurants, supermarkets & other places that sell food (at least here in Europe) to maintain a temperature of at most -18 °C.

A general purpose domestic fridge should be at around 1-4 °C (so, just above the freezing point, and below 5 °C).

Normally it's not possible to set a fridge to 0 °C (at least not over here), but sometimes the temperature sensor doesn't work as intended, especially if there is a freezer compartment that is heavily frosted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerator has some more info, and also lists some alternative temperatures for special purpose fridges & freezers, e.g. for fresh fruit a normal fridge is too cold.

Some refrigerators are now divided into four zones to store different types of food: −18 °

C / −0.4 °F (freezer) 0 °C / 32 °F (meats) 5 °C / 41 °F (refrigerator) 10 °C / 50 °F (vegetables)

In order to keep food out of the Danger Zone, your fridge must be set between 32-40°F (0-4°C).

Your freezer must be below 32°F (0°C).

I keep mine as cold as it will go.

Keep your freezer efficient by half-filling it with bottles of water.

(I'm not sure if this question will stand, as it is broadly off-topic.

But there is a specific and expert answer, so...)

I've always been told to keep freezer at 0 F, with fridge no higher than 40 F. Alton Brown recommended buying a pair of those hanging temperature gauges (one for each compartment).

If you keep potatoes in the fridge they should not be stored at temperatures below 7 °C (45 °F).

If, that is, you intend to use them for roasting for frying.

At lower temperatures the starch in the potato breaks down giving a burnt look and a bitter taste after roasting.

My fridge, which stands about six foot, appears to have almost 4 °C of difference between the temperatures at the top and at the bottom.

This means I could have potatoes at the top and items that spoil more easily lower down.

At least I could do that if the piece of junk would maintain a consistent temperature.

Question: For a refrigerator, if it's cooler, items like milk and meat last a bit longer. However if I set it close to freezing then some items start showing frost on them. What temperature should I set my refrigerator to for best overall results?  Since the person answering is likely to know, I'm also asking what temperature I should set my freezer to.

What temperatures should I keep my refrigerator and freezer set at?

Normally a domestic fridge should be set to 1-4°C, and a freezer to -18°C in order to keep food out of the danger zone and maximise storage time, but you should be aware that different areas of a fridge may be different temperatures.

There are temperature variations at different points inside a fridge, so for best results you should keep it at 35°F (1.6°C). A freezer should be kept at 0°F (-18°C).

A fridge should be set at 32-40°F (0-4°C), with the ideal temperature being 35°F (1.6°C).

There are temperature variations between different points inside a fridge. These can be as much as 4°C between the top and the bottom.

A domestic freezer should be kept at -18°C (0°F) for optimum food storage.


You might also use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet .

This will have the double benefit of a high thermal mass so the temperature won't be down, and a surface that discourages sticking.

It might be that the oil is hotter when you put the first side in and cooled a little by the cooking meat when you flip it.

You could try turning the heat up shortly before you flip, or taking the meat out, letting the oil get up to temperature again and adding the meat on the other side.

Perhaps add a little more oil before you flop the meat?

So that would mean that the second side is also protected from sticking.

Consider using a higher smoke point fat for frying, such as refined corn (canola) or vegetable oil.

Your pan may become hot enough that your olive oil (assuming it is extra virgin, which has the lowest smoke point of the olive oils) isn't doing you much good.

Also of note when cooking many things in a pan is that you have to leave them in place for a while for everything to "set" before flipping.

Are you flipping from the second side earlier than the first?

Finally, consider your binding.

I've found that using sour cream to bind flour to chicken for frying helped it stay on quite a bit, the same way that a restaurant-grade binder might.

Many recipes suggest eggs.

If you are using simply a liquid, using something stronger might help.

Seconding a higher smoke point fat, I personally like grapeseed oil for high heat situations.

It also adds a little nutty flavor (and my wife isn't a huge fan of vegetable oil anyway).

I'd also say, slightly higher temperatures to go along with it

- I cook breaded meats on a 6-7 out of 10, whereas most people I know habitually go to 5 for fear of burning.

Also, consider trying to leave the second side down for a little longer, I feel like you might be flipping it the second time too quickly.

If you flip it too fast, it's not getting a chance to crust and un-stick itself from the pan - similar to how if you flip too fast on a grill, your chicken breast will stick to the grates, but if you wait until it crusts up some, you get a clean flip.

And as Princess Fi said, a little extra oil on the second side isn't the worst idea in the world if nothing else works.

In addition to adding a bit more oil and using a higher smoking point oil, you could also try different breadings.

You could try panko bread crumbs, crushed pretzels, very fine bread brumbs.

Also, consider double-breading your chicken.

Question: Whenever I fry breaded chicken cutlets, the first side browns beautifully, but when I turn them over, the next side always sticks to the pan. Consequently, one side is beautifully breaded, and the other side is bare of coating. This happens to any kind of meat that I bread. I use olive oil for frying- Ideas?

How can I get breaded chicken to stop from sticking to the frying pan?

The oil may be cooler or shallower for the second side, so try adding more oil, using an oil with a higher smoking point or even removing the meat and bringing the temperature back up before cooking the second side. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet could prevent sticking and you could try different breadings or double breading your chicken.

Try using a different oil that has a higher smoke point and getting the oil really hot before flipping. Your pan should be well-seasoned to avoid sticking. You could also change the recipe of your breading so it sticks on better.

Change the recipe for your breading or think about double-breading.

Your oil needs to be hotter. Consider using oil that has a higher smoke point.

Make sure your pan is well seasoned to avoid sticking.


similar to what julio said, the main reason is that typical wheat-based noodles release a lot of starch into the water, which changes the consistency of the soup.

the starches can add a dirty colour to the water, but more than that, they can also thicken the soup undesirably (think of making a roux).

Finally, if there are leftovers, the noodles can sometimes become completely water logged, making eating it the next day a bit of a soggy experience.

That said, with all these considerations there are times when you might add the noodles directly in-- non-starchy noodles (eg.

like rice noodles) seem to do ok.

also parboiling regular pasta before hand seems to help a lot with the starch and can still help you achieve the flavour integration you mentioned.

Some people prefer to cook them separately because when you do so, you can see the water changes color a little and they don't want that (mainly flour) in their soups.

Another advantage is that you can have your soup ready and just cook the noodles on demand.

The noodles go to boiling water, the soup is just very hot, but not boiling.

That's what restaurants do.

If those reasons are not important for you, do as most of us do and cook them together :)

That's how I cook noodle soup.

And yes, it does give them a nice flavor.

Just be sure you don't add them too soon: it's easy to over-cook the noodles by leaving them too long in the hot broth.

With a cream-based soup the added starch adds desired thickness.

It isn't worse for the soup than adding corn starch or extra flour, and color change would be indistinguishable.

Same for a tomato-based soup, or an egg-flower soup.

I like robust soups in general, and I think throwing the water out in general is a terrible thing to do to a food product.

Any soup that calls for discarding more nutrients and flavor from a product already 'enriched' out of the crop's natural value isn't one I'd be interested in cooking.

Cooking flavor into the noodles beats wringing more out.

I suppose it you prefer a clear light soup, it would preferably be better to cook the noodles separately and then pour broth over to maintain the clearness of the broth and texture of the noodle.

Well first of all, any sauce you make that'll have pasta in it, must have at least 1 to 2 tablespoons of pasta water in it, i.e. 1 to tbsp of the water you boiled the pasta with.

Second of all, it's all about the amount.

If let's say you're adding a 1/2 cup of rigatoni or fussili

then you're fine, add'er up; but be advised when reheating, pasta will break easily on you.

If you're putting let's say skinny noodle type pasta, then don't put it from the start.

What you can do is half boil the pasta in the normal water, drain it, and then add it to your soup 5 / 10 minutes before it's done.

Any soup I cook that requires noodles gets put in the same pot as the other ingredients.

The noodles will have more flavor and it helps thicken up the soup for a heartier meal.

I have been doing this for quite a while and it is the ONLY way I cook noodles when they are going in a soup.

It really doesn’t have a different taste.

I will add uncooked noodles to soup that have been soaked for 1 hr.

As for thickeners, I prefer potato flour that keeps the broth a clear and translucent look.

Potato flour goes a long way as a thickener~go for 1/4 normal & add more if required.

Question: Most noodle soup recipes that I see call for boiling and draining the noodles separately, then adding them to the broth already cooked. Is there any reason that I can't just add the dry noodles 10 minutes before the soup is done, and add a little extra water or broth to compensate for that the noodles take? Doing it this way would allow the noodles to take up some of the broth's flavor, and also save dirtying an extra pot and a colander.

Can I add uncooked noodles directly to soup?

Wheat-based noodles add starch to the soup, thickening and colouring it. Noodles in leftover soup can also become waterlogged. However, where clearness is not as important and especially in creamy soups that require some thickness, noodles can be added later in the cooking process.

Cooking the noodles in the soup is a good idea if you want to thicken the soup up a bit. For a clear soup, it will make it a little cloudy, so this should be avoided.

This is not a good idea for clear light soups as the noodles will add starch to the soup and make it cloudy.

You can do this for creamy soups as the noodles will release starch and thicken the soup up.


Flavor in most meats is generally determined by a few things.

How the animal was raised and if it is of a particular heritage breed.

How it was treated over its lifetime (i.e. diet and environment).

When and how it is slaughtered.

How it is handled from the slaughterhouse to the butcher, was it properly stored, etc.

Also, how fatty the bird is and light to dark meat ratio will also determine flavor of the bird.

I definitely have tried a lot of different types of "free range", "organic", and/or "local" chickens out there

and you basically get what you pay for in terms of meat quality and flavor.

At my restaurant, we try to source best quality chickens — local, organic and free range, if possible — because it just tastes better and it coincides with our philosophy.

Properly cooking and seasoning the chicken will also help.

A study done in July 2008 found that in blind tests (i.e. if the eaters did not know whether they were eating "standard" or free-range chickens) the free-range chickens were actually found to be less preferred in terms of taste.

They compared chickens that had been raised by "standard", maize-fed, free-range and organic production systems.

Taste panel assessments were made using 8-point category scales of texture, juiciness, abnormal flavour, flavour liking and overall flavour.

Fillets from birds reared in the standard system were rated by the taste panel as more tender and juicy.

There were no significant differences in chicken flavour.

Based on hedonic assessments of flavour liking and overall liking, by a small panel of assessors, meat from birds produced in the standard system was most preferred and that from organic systems the least preferred .

Meat from free-range and maize-fed systems was intermediate in preference.

This result reveals a trend, but does not infer consumer acceptance.

(emphasis mine)

In the course of tracking down the above study, I found a few people blogging about their own blind tests.

Obviously, these don't have the rigor of a scientific study, but they do include control groups and blind testing.

This person cooked four chickens (three free-range and one normal) and concluded there was "no noticeable difference in taste" and family members (who tasted blind) "

unanimously said that it all tasted the same".

Two chefs did a side-by-side test of free range vs mass-produced chicken and found "no appreciable difference in flavor".

If anything, they noticed that the industrial chicken had "a marginally juicier and tenderer consistency".

So the conclusion seems to be that free range chicken does not taste better and if anything tastes worse.

However, it's worth noting that we don't actually eat things blind.

(Well, you might if you were eating at a friend's house

and they didn't tell you the type of chicken you were eating - but not in your own kitchen.)

We are influenced by brand names, product descriptions and price.

If you know you're eating a free-range chicken, it may actually taste better to you.

This is completely subjective and unscientific, but... does it matter?

Furthermore, there are plenty of reasons for wanting to eat free-range chickens besides taste - the main one of course being concern for the welfare of the animal.

If this is something important to you, it might even contribute to your subjective tasting from the previous paragraph.

This is all 1 speculative, of course, but I mention it as a caveat to taking the scientific findings as a rule for what chicken to eat, not as justification for an opposing rule about what chicken to eat. 1 "all" =final two paragraphs

"Free-Range" chicken - or any animal in an ideal world - is raised with access to the outdoors as well as a balanced diet.

It's the same as when you go hunting:

wild animal has a more "gamey" taste the older it is, simply from what it eats.

What a chicken eats during its lifetime and the exercise it is able to have will affect taste as well as fat content.

If you want tasty, ethical, and better-for-

you chicken, I would ask around at your local farmers' market and get a healthy farm-raised chicken that is grain fed with access to the outdoors.

This way you can also help out the local economy and the planet by buying locally.

On another note, how you cook your chicken and keep the meat moist is just as important as the original quality.

The definition of "Free-range" is quite loose in the US.

If the chickens are "free" enough to go outside and eat bugs as part of a more natural diet, it can improve the flavor (like grass-fed beef).

This is not required to call chickens "free range" here, and merely getting a bit of fresh air and sunshine will not really improve the flavor.

Free range" is more about treating the animals well than getting the best flavor.

Also, breeding will affect the taste of the chicken.

Factory farm chickens are designed to have more breast meat and to be ready for slaughter sooner.

I've had a few Label Rouge chickens and definitely found them more tasty and richer flavored.

You will notice that the bones are harder and in my opinion make a better stock.

The meat looks less slimey than some of the typical US supermarket salt water injected fodder.

Saying that, if you're just interested in breast meat I think it's a little harder to tell the difference.

Based on my personal experience, free-range chicken does taste better than regular grade commercial chicken.

But the call may be biased as there are confounding factors such as air-chilling, grass-diet, etc which are typical for free-range chicken products, and are possibly stronger determinants of what we perceive as better taste.

Question: Free range chicken is generally a lot more expensive than battery farm chicken, but it's often claimed it is better tasting.  I'm curious if restaurants stick to this mantra and use free-range chicken, or if it's just psychological, and if there any benefits besides ethical ones.

Is free-range chicken more flavourful?

Many people prefer to buy free range chicken both for the flavour and also for ethical reasons, although in one blind study the taste was actually less preferred than factory raised meat. You often get what you pay for in terms of meat quality and flavour, but it is also important to cook the chicken properly and keep the meat moist.

While studies have shown that in blind tests, people struggle to tell the difference between free range and industrial chicken, a lot of people do say that they prefer the taste of more expensive chicken and that you get what you pay for when it comes to meat.

You get what you pay for with chicken and a more expensive, free range one will taste better.

Blind tests have shown that people can't tell the difference between free range and industrial chicken. The cooking method seems to have an important role to play.

Eating free range chicken is as much about the ethics as the taste.


Crema is a food foam.

For crema to form and survive long enough for us to enjoy the espresso, something needs to hold the bubbles of the foam together.

In most food foams proteins help hold up the bubbles, but in crema it is a mixture of proteins and oils .

This makes it hard to predict what makes good crema.

From practice, good crema comes from: Enough pressure and well timed extraction

Fresh grind with a good grain size distribution Darker roasts

There are also tradeoffs between stability of the crema and the amount of crema produced.

The two don't seem to go together.

The crema also should have bubbles that pop and sprinkle the coffee aromatics into the air and our noses (like champagne).

The higher pressure extraction helps extract and emulsify the oils (about 0.1g ends up in one shot).

The darker roasts help with the Maillard reaction which creates the still unknown molecules that give crema its color and volume.

The crema is done by the fatty content of the coffee, the high pressure (a good expresso machine has about 15 bar of water pressure) help to extract much fat from the coffee.

Also the quality of the coffee can influence the fatty contents; a mix of arabica and robusta type coffee can give a better crema than 100% arabica.

McGee's On Food and Cooking also lists the mineral content of the water used as an important factor in crema.

He states that hard water will reduce the amount of crema produced but also that softened water causes over-extraction.

Grind size and the tamper pressure applied by the barista also make a difference to the amount of crema.

Though I don't have any results handy to back this up.

Around 30 pounds or pressure (13.5 kg) applied to tamp the grounds is considered optimal.

Test this on a scale to get a feel for it.

I've heard that some award-winning baristi will tamp with less pressure but grind the coffee finer to compensate.

As said before by SWrobel, beans should be freshly roasted 3 or 4 days prior.

Beans just roasted or within a day or two seem to produce much more crema but the crema produced is not as stable.

Possibly from too much CO2?

I am currently using a northern Italian style roast and it produces a nice think crema.

Would be interested if anyone has done any experiments on how roast profile affects crema.

If you source your beans from a local roaster and grind on demand you should have no problem producing crema.

The only issue is producing a crema made of fine bubbles.

Too fresh and there is generally too much gas giving you a very bubbly crema.

The origin and processing of the bean can also play a huge factor.

If you have ever tried Monsooned Malabar you'll see what I mean.

However at the end of the day you want a decent cup of coffee and taste is the only thing you can go by.

There is no ideal age for beans.

My favourite blend tastes best to me at around the 1.5-2 week mark and still produces a fine espresso.

Beans should be roasted within the last week.

Ideal age is about 3-4 days past roasting, and of course they should be ground right before extraction.

Typically, Brazil coffee beans are used in espresso blends because of their ability to produce crema, which would remove the need for robusta type beans.

As for your answer, pygabriel has a more technical answer.

Question: 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 pulling good espresso shots specifically contribute to the crema?

What factors lead to rich crema on espresso?

A good crema requires extraction of the fatty content of the coffee through high pressure. Freshly ground beans, sufficiently soft water and well-timed extraction are also important.

Several things can influence the crema: the extraction, the hardness of the water and the freshness of the roasted beans.

Good crema comes from pressure and a well-timed extraction.

Crema comes from the fatty content of the coffee and is influenced by the pressure of the extraction.

The hardness of the water can have an effect.

The beans should have been roasted in the last few days.


Less complicated than the other method, but similar steps at the beginning.

I have used two methods and both worked.

I have heard success stories for grains in the freezer for over a year.

No milk powder involved.

Wash the grains in both cases.

Methods: Put in fresh milk (the same you used before to make the kefir) and then freeze in a plastic container or so (I used a plastic bag)

Let the grains dry.

Not just with kitchen tissue, but actually leave it dry for an hour or two.

Finally put it into kitchen tissue and wrap that in a plastic bag or so for freezing.

For thawing I left the grains in the fridge for half a day and then gave them directly into milk.

I tested both methods, as stated.

Both worked just fine.

In my case the max.

time was more than 2 months.

However, when "reactivating" the grains it took both some time and the results of the first two or three batches were not consumable (well, I guess they were, but just not pleasurable as kefir proper).

One method for storing kefir grains for periods of up to 2 months, is by freezing spare grains.

To freeze effectively, wash the grains with pre-boiled COOLED water.

Pat-dry the grains between pre-ironed cooled white toweling to remove excess moisture.

Place the grains in a jar or in a plastic bag, seal and put in the freezer.

With milk grains, first add some dry milk powder, [DMP] adding enough to completely cover the grains with the DMP, seal jar or bag and then freeze.

DMP is mixed with the milk kefir-grains as a cryoprotectant agent to prevent freezer burn.

Although I've found that kefir grains are viable for up to one year with this method, this length of time may completely remove the yeast component found in healthy kefir grains [if frozen for longer than 2 months, but not specifically].

Because of this potential, freezing kefir grains as explained above, is best performed for a period of no longer than 2 months.

If DMP is omitted for freezing milk kefir-grains, then a period of no longer than 1 month is recommended.

Otherwise the yeast component of kefir grains may become damaged, especially if continual partial thawing and freezing due to poor freezer mechanism is involved.

To reactivate frozen kefir grains, thaw by placing the grains in a glass filled with cold water for a few minutes.

Place the grains into a strainer and wash off any powdered milk that's adhered to the grains with cold water.

I've successfully frozen and defrosted milk kefir grains.

The defrosted kefir grains worked the first time culturing in fresh milk.

I washed the kefir grains in filtered water till water was clear.

Packed the washed kefir grains into zip lock snack bags with some plain filtered water and heat sealed the bag.

I double bagged and heat sealed each bag.

After 5 months I took the bag of frozen kefir grains and defrosted at room temperature overnight.

In the morning I fed the kefir grains with some warm fresh milk and left to culture for 24 hours.

They haven't looked back.

Making beautiful kefir every day.

I have been making kefir for many years now.

I always freeze grains using the dry milk powder mentioned above.

Four days ago I cleaned our freezer of expired foods and found grains frozen 5 years ago.

I was curious it

they might be revived after so long since I've never left them for over one year.

I rinsed them with tapwater (I admit to being abusive to my grains) then left them in milk at room temperature.

I was certain they were dead, but my husband bet they were still viable.

Less than 48 hours later, they cultured the milk.

After being frozen 5 years they are alive and working well.

I'm really surprised.

Since I've read frozen viability is much shorter, I wanted to share my experience.

Good luck culturing!

To freeze milk kefir grains, I place the unwashed grains in a pint glass bottle and fill the jar 3/4 full with fresh milk, put on the lid and place in the freezer compartment.

To freeze water kefir grains, I do the same thing only I fill the jar 3/4 full with sugar water, (the same type as I use to make water kefir), put on the lid and place in the freezer.

Leaving enouh room for the ice to expand safely in the jar.

When I want to reuse either of them, I take the jar out of the freezer and sit it on the refrigerator top until thoroughly thawed and then use as normal.

When I first reuse them, they always work immediately as if they had not been frozen at all.

I have frozen dairy kefir grains in a 1/2 c canning jar with no rinsing, adding in a little kefir to surround grains.

When I was ready to use, I left jar in refrigerator overnight and added to fresh milk in the morning.

My grains have been frozen several times and reused in this manner.

So far so good.

Question: I have been making kefir regularly for a couple years. Lately, however, my family's interest in it has waned and I have been using it less often and so feeding it less often.  I want to store some kefir grains so I don't lose them due to my own negligence. I've heard that grains can be frozen but I'm scared to kill some in the experiment.  What is a proven procedure for freezing (and subsequently rethawing) my kefir grains such that they stay viable?

How to properly freeze kefir grains

Milk kefir grains can be froze for several months or even a year before being defrosted.

It is possible to freeze kefir grains for up to a year.

You can freeze kefir grains for up to a year.


Cold, it gives the inside more time to come up to the same temperature with the outside, for more even cooking.

According to McGee "On food and cooking: the science and lore of the kitchen" P.283 potatoes have an enzyme that firms the cell walls at 55ºC-60ºC (130ºF-140ºF).

Starting cooking from cold can make the potatoes firm.

Starting cooking from hot will make a more granular potato.

That's also the reason that you shouldn't add cold water to cooking potatoes if you don't want them to be firm.

If you want to make potato salad, you definitely want to start with the potatoes in cold water so that the potato cooks through evenly and won't fall apart or dissolve when making the salad.

Also helps to choose the correct potato for what you want.

The Yukon Gold is a good all around boiling potato but also try the 'blue' - there are about 5000 varieties of potato.

I like using different colored potatoes in salads.

I have done it both ways, depending on whether I'm in a hurry.

Ideally, you will fill the pot with your spuds and then add cold water to that pot and then add to heat.

As Michael describes above, this will give more even cooking and you can avoid the outer surface "splitting" and other wise breaking apart with this technique.

If your house heating system is the kind that gives you a tank of pre-heated hot water, it makes sense to use this water.

Boil your potatoes using water from your hot tap.

This way, you will save time and money and your boiled potatoes will taste just as good.

Question: I've heard both. What's the correct way to boil a potato? Why?

When boiling potatoes, should I put them in with the cold water or in to the hot?

Cold water allows the inside to come up to the same temperature as the outside, and provides a firmer and less granular result.

Cooking from cold water will give a firmer potato.


You really need to filter it first.

If you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it (also good advice re: wine).

There seem to be sources on the internet regarding how to make rainwater drinkable, so I would start there.(example: http://www.rain-barrel.net/drinking-rainwater.html )

If you're already drinking your rainwater, and haven't died yet, it's probably safe to cook with.

If you're planning on using it as an ingredient in baking, or any dish where the pH is critical, you may want to actually test the pH of the water you're putting in and try to balance the recipe accordingly (substitute some baking soda for baking powder, for example).

As long as you don't live in an area with bad acid rain, and you are catching it in a sanitary container without running it through gross gutters etc, it would be fine.

Rainwater, straight out of the sky, is generally safe, with some caveats depending on the location.

For example, in a polluted area, it's probably not a good idea.

The 2 biggest issues are primarily how it's collected and how it's stored.

Collection and storage are where rainwater can easily become contaminated by either chemical pollutants or biological pathogens.

So, if you want to replace your tap water with rainwater, it'll take an investment in sanitary collection and storage devices/methods.

BTW.

On desert hiking trips I have used rainwater collected from a tarp dripping into a pan and then filtered through a bandanna to remove dust.

I had no worries since the terrestrial sources were questionable.

I would happily drink rain water in any amount, in most situations.

But how that rainwater is collected and stored is a big deal.

For example: Roofs often have dirt and animal feces on them, and many roofing materials are treated with toxic chemicals.

Dirty, standing water is a breeding ground for bacteria, algae, and insects.

As long as there hasn't been a recent chemical, biological, or nuclear attack you should be fine.

Acid rain shouldn't be much of a problem since it's only slightly more acidic than regular rainfall (which is already acidic).

Keep in mind that tap water is tested to ensure it's safe for human consumption.

Rainwater has no such requirement.

While rainwater seems to be a happy-fuzzy natural resource, I'd like to stress that this could be a serious safety issue.

Yes, it seems unlikely, but you need an authority who knows their water.

I suggest seeking out a professional opinion on how to properly filter rainwater.

Possibly from the people who handle your municipal water supply.

It is safe to use water from streams, rivers, and lakes in the US (not including those affected by nuclear power plants) if you boil the water to a rolling boil and keep it there for 3 minutes first.

This kills bacteria which commonly live in bodies of water.

Rain water is unlikely to have giardia living in it, unlike streams, but sources indicate that it may contain some bacteria depending on the collection method.

Therefore keeping your rain water at a rolling boil at a minimum for safety purposes.

Note that at least one scientist from Argonne National Labs also recommends filtering , but several others on the same site indicate that rain water should be perfectly safe.

Does this question mean we will shortly see rainwater cooked meals infiltrating the trendiest restaurants?

I live in Australia, outside city about 30 mins and 10 mins from the water.

I collect straight from big plastic bins after it rains then bottle in your soda litre drinking bottles.

I then boil it, let it cool and return to litre bottle and then fridge it.

Tastes clean and as far as the process of precipitation, collection, boiling, cooling and bottling, it is common sense easily safer without the chemicals in treatment and pipeline rust corrosion of internal piping from standard water supply!!!!

Make sure to keep your plastic collection bins are food grade at least, keep them out of the sun and clean before use!!!!

Also I have read that chlorine in supply water is not great for seedlings, so going into your body cannot be any better.

So the method to use is to boil water or leave in open container so chlorine will evaporate as a gas naturally from the water, standing overnight thereabouts.

Question: Is it safe to use rainwater as an ingredient versus tap water - or even cooking things  in it  like pasta?  Would there be any differences in measurements or cooking times - the thought being that there are no chemicals in it versus Tap Water?

Is it safe to cook with rainwater?

Rainwater straight from the sky is probably safe to drink, depending on the collection method and location, but it needs to be collected in safe containers and possibly pH tested for baking and some other purposes. It is safer than stream water, but filtering is still advisable.

It is a good idea to filter rainwater and have it tested before consumption. However, it should generally be fine to use in cooking as long as it was collected in a clean container.

You need to filter the water and test it first. It may have bacteria from the collection method.

It should be fine as long as you are not aware of any immediate pollution. Make sure you collect it in a sanitary container.


You can also try doing it in a bowlful of water; the skins will float to the surface when they come loose.

Peeling chickpeas will give you a creamier texture, but won't have much of an effect on taste.

The most efficient way I know of peeling them is to rub small handfuls in the palm of your hands.

It will still take some time to work through them, but it's far more efficient than using your fingertips.

One other possibility is to use a product similar to Oxo's silicon garlic peeler.

It's a tube in which you can place garlic and roll around until the cloves are peeled.

I have one and it works amazingly well.

I suspect it would be great for chickpeas too.

the ABSOLUTE BEST WAY, is to cook them only half the time (the dried ones and drained 24 hours), half the time would be 20-25 minutes... take them out after 25 minutes, put a tablespoon of baking soda on an ounce (420 grams), stir the soda in well.

Than put them on a very hot flat pan over the fire for 2-3 minutes.

The skin will just stick to the pan.

Than put the chickpeas back to boil for 20 more minutes.

It'll take about 90-95% of the skins without peeling them one by one.

I rolled the chickpea between two tea towels and used a rolling pin.

Rolled the chickpeas wich loosen the skin then place the chickpeas into a bowl with water and let gravity lifed the skins up to the top.

I washed the peas.

There you are chickpeas without water easy.

I bought a Vintage Foley Food Mill set with the red handles on eBay...

It's great for mashed potatoes, crushing crackers, baby food, and separating the skins off of garbanzo beans for hummus.

If you have a hand mill , you can run chickpeas through it on a very course setting.

That'll crack the peas and dislodge the skin.

Skins can then be quickly removed by sieving or shaking.

Be cautious when milling though.

Chickpeas can be very hard, too hard for a mill that's set for too fine a product.

You could pass the chickpeas through a food mill.

Pureeing something while holding tough parts back is what these things are designed for.

I shell on a regular basis.

Dead simple: Boil dried peas for twenty minutes.

Cool under cold water.

Rub thepeas between the hands and float off the skins.

Five rinses and thepeas are completely skinned.

It takes less than five minutes for a liter.

Then cook the chickpeas for about one hours at a gently boil to soften for tempeh making.

Pictures:

Removing husks from Chickpeas

It has never even occurred to me to try skinning chickpeas.

What's the benefit?

I pressure-cook them (without soaking) for ~55 minutes—4 parts water per part of beans, with a little salt—let them cool somewhat, and put them in the food processor.

The hummus comes out delightfully smooth and creamy.

What's not to like?

Question: When making a hummus one of the key factors seems to be removal of chickpea white skins.   Are there any tips on how can I effectively peel the skins off in an efficient way?

How do you peel chickpeas?

Removing the skins gives the hummus a creamier texture, but does not affect the taste much. You could run the chickpeas through a food mill or remove the skins by rubbing small amounts in your hands or between two tea towels.

You can try rubbing them between your hands or between two tea towels, or pass them thourgh a food mill.

Peeling the chickpeas will give you a creamier texture.

Try putting them in a bowl of water, rubbing them in your palms or between two tea towels.


You could use them, together with the core, to make apple-glaze (for your pie).

Cover everything with water, simmer about 30 min, strain, simmer until you reach the desired density.

You can do something similar to how low-end vodka is made from potato peelings: Take all the peels, stuff in a blender, and liquefy with as little water as needed to make a fairly liquid slurry.

Dump into a large pot, bring to a boil, cover, cool.

Dump into a fermenter, add yeast, wait a week, strain, add a clarifying agent, return to fermenter, let rest a week, distill, recombine with water/sugar/apple juice to flavor: bam, free applejack :)

This takes some know-how with respect to fermentation, and some effort to set up the fermentation, but if you have loads of apple bits (like from pressing cider from 6 or so bushels), it is kinda worth it for free booze from nature.

This isn't exactly a culinary use, but apple peel is apparently a very popular exfoliant .

The other day I stumbled across this recipe for apple butter that uses the peels.

It's made from apples as well

, it's not just the peels, but the author specifically mentions that she dumps any extra peels (i.e. from apple sauce or apple pie) in the crock pot in order to increase the yield.

I haven't tried to make it, but the photo makes it look pretty delicious.

There are some "creative" suggestions towards the bottom of this page .

(dietary supplement, jelly, string, ...).

Apple peels combined with any citrus slices and/or peels, a cinnamon stick, some whole cloves, and some allspice makes a great potpourri.

Cover with water and maintain at a very low simmer on the back of the stove.

It makes the house smell homey and comforting from the minute you walk in the door!

Question: I made an apple pie the other day and peeled 6 or so apples.  I ended up composting the peelings, and it got me wondering, what else could I have done with them?

What can I do with apple peel?

It can be used with the core for a glaze for your pie, or together with the rest of the apple for apple butter. Apple peels can also be blended to make a kind of low-end vodka, made into an exfoliant or combined with any citrus slices and/or peels, a cinnamon stick, some whole cloves, and some allspice to make a great potpourri.

Apple peels can can apple butter, apple alcohol or be used as an exfoliant or pot pourri.

You can use them to make an apple glaze or for apple butter.


As a matter of fact, here is a link to a PDF of a technical article that talks all about using microbial transglutaminase on vegetable proteins.

This article is not for the scientifically faint-of-heart, and it does not contain recipes, but it does review ways industry has found to use transglutaminase in making vegetable-based food products, using things such as soy, wheat, rice, pea, sunflower, and sesame.

I have never tried using it to mix vegetable proteins with animal proteins, but chemically speaking it should work.

Unfortunately, I have no source of recipes; you might just have to experiment.

As far as I know, most transglutaminase on the market currently is of microbial origin.

That is definitely true of the "Activa" brand transglutaminase formulations, manufactured by Ajinomoto.

Transglutaminase crosslinks glutamine and lysine amino acids, which are found in almost all proteins - not just in meat, but also in eggs, nut or bean based proteins, etc.

In fact, you can use transglutaminase to coagulate nut milks to make a vegan cheese, as demonstrated by Cashewbert: http://www.cashewbert.com/en/transglutaminase-ti.html

For more info, Dave Arnold's primer on transglutaminase on the Cooking Issues blog is a wonderful resource on all things transglutaminase: http://www.cookingissues.com/transglutaminase-aka-meat-glue/index.html

To answer my own question, years later, it turns out that Activa RM can be used to make a phenomenal veggie burger: https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/hi-tech-mushroom-burger .

Full disclosure, I work at ChefSteps, but I didn't when I asked this question!

I'm relatively certain that transglutaminase will only bond proteins found in animal flesh or products (it is used sometimes to make milk seem creamier, for example).

I'm pretty certain, also, that it's derived from animals making it unsuitable for vegetarian applications.

Oh, by all means.

Take a peek at the two different veggie burger options at ChefSteps.com.

Unfortunately everything I read states the enzyme is derived from meat or vegetable products

nad

I can't find "vegan" Transglutaminase.

If anyone knows of a strictly plant based extract of said enzyme, please pass it on!

Question: Transglutaminase is an enzyme that is popular among modernist chefs for two main purposes - to glue different meats together for special effects (like a modern turducken), and to create consistently shaped and sized portions for even cooking.  My question is whether there are any known vegetarian applications for this enzyme? Has it been used with (say) tofu, eggs, or cheese? Is there a way to combine it with another protein to get it to glue lower protein things together like most vegetables?

Are there any vegetarian applications for transglutaminase ("meat glue")?

Transglutaminase has been used in making vegetable-based food products, using things such as soy, wheat, rice, pea, sunflower, and sesame. It can also be used to make a great veggie burger.

It is normally used for animal products. It has however been tested in soy, rice and sesame based products, amongst other.

It has been used for vegetable-based food products like soy, rice and sesame. It is good in veggie burgers.


You can store it with the stems in a glass of water, like a bouquet, preferably not in the refrigerator.

A few black spots that aren't moldy or slimy doesn't make it totally unusable, but it isn't very appealing to eat.

This is actually precisely the reason why it's not recommended to refrigerate fresh basil leaves .

I would not recommend consuming basil that has turned brown/black, especially if it is "slimy" to the touch.

Even though a few brown spots are probably safe, it will be bitter and, well, slimy.

Throw it away - and consider using some of the storage methods discussed in the link above.

If you have leftover basil you can also freeze it so it doesn't go to waste.

It won't be that nice for salads or drinks, but it will still be perfectly good for putting in pasta sauces or pesto.

If it's only been a few days, there's no sliminess or weird texture, and the smell is still fresh and basil-like with no hints of unpleasant decomposition, then what I've found is it's just a matter of presentation.

It won't be very good for garnish, but if all you need out of it is its flavor, then it's fine.

Blended into a puree or simmered in a sauce at the last minute, it still tastes fine to me.

Even just by themselves, the mottled leaves have tasted fine, just a little rougher texture.

So it's not necessarily a complete waste.

I just finished making a pesto with my brownish basil leaves.

It tastes good to me,just like "regular" green basil leaves, only a little browner.

As long as they are NOT slimy and well cleaned use them.

I blend in food processor with fresh garlic, olive oil and a bit of good Parma just so it sticks.

Take a large tray or cookie sheet, cover with waxed paper drop by large spoonfuls (they spread a bit) and freeze.

When frozen take off waxed paper and freeze in ZIP lock bags.

You have a good beginning pesto for use in soup, stew/goulash pasta or risotto.

The sky is the limit.

I make this frequently in summer and again winter when I run out!!

My garden harvest just turned half black while leaving it to soak in water.

I quickly blanched it ...

this will stop the blackening reaction.

I’ll make pesto tomorrow.

NYT Cooking recommends blanching the bright green basil for pesto, as it will keep the final product very green.

It true.

Question: When I store basil in the fridge, sometimes it gets brown spots. Is it still usable? Is that valid also for Thai basil? Throwing it all away after 2-3 days seems such a waste. Also, how can I prevent this from happening?

When basil gets brown spots, is it still usable?

As long as they aren't slimy, a few brown spots should be safe but just not as appealing to eat. Basil can be stored in water like cut flowers, frozen or blanched.

To keep basil for longer, keep it in a glass of water or freeze it. As long as there is no moldy and the leaves aren't slimy then it's fine to eat.

You can store it in a glass of water, freeze it or blanch it.

As long a the leaves aren't moldy or slimy then it should be fine to eat.


You probably are used to having a lot of sugar in your mixes.

Use lime-ade instead of lime juice, or add some simple syrup.

Adding orange juice also helps.

Of course, this isn't "traditional", but you'll probably like it better.

If you're looking for a ratio, I would try something like 2 parts tequila, 1 part triple sec, 2 parts lime-ade, 2 parts orange juice.

Adjust the lime-ade and orange juice until it tastes good to you.

My favorite ratio is the simple 2:1:1(2 parts tequila,1

part triple sec,1 part lime)

The "official" ratio is 7:4:3, but that's more geared toward a crowd.

What I'd recommend is doing 2:1 and then adding lime until it tastes right.

You can buy a sweetened lime syrup in the store, if you like the extra sugar.

There has been a lot of debate over this topic.

It usually boils down to preference.

A neat ratio I have tried more than once is as follows: 2 parts tequila, 1 part fresh lime juice (yes, from a lime), 1 part lime juice (from concentrate, perhaps a lime-aid of sorts or a lime juice mix you like) and 1/2 part Cointreau or Grand Marnier (no Triple Sec unless you have no money and you are using Quervo ;--), and 1/4 part simple syrup.

Lately, I have been getting into making my own simple syrups for Margaritas.

They fit in nicely in place of added sugar or orange flavored liquors or, in my example above, in conjunction with.

Just dissolve 1:1 warm water and sugar, let cool, and bottle for later (be careful, though, long storage will lead to spoiling).

I like Bob's advice above, and adding OJ to margaritas is very good.

One final trick I learned is to add a bit of pomegranate juice for color and tangy-ness.

Before you totally give up on the classic 'rita, you should really try it with good ingredients, and definitely feel free to adjust the proportions to your taste.

My favorite simple margarita is 2oz Sauza Hornitos Reposado, 1oz Cointreau, and 1oz fresh squeezed lime juice, shaken with ice and served in a salt-rimmed rocks glass.

My wife does like a little less sour, so I usually go 1½oz tequila, 1oz Cointreau, and ¾oz lime juice for her.

You'll be amazed at how good tequila can taste!

The most important thing is starting with a reasonably good tequila.

Cuervo Gold is just for shooting at the bar after you're already too drunk to taste anything.

As well as using quality ingredients, proper mixing technique is also important.

A Margarita can be intimidatingly strong and/or sharp for those with a sweet tooth, if it hasn't been sufficiently diluted.

Ice is one of the most important cocktail ingredients and getting it wrong can ruin a cocktail .

Shaking with ice will introduce some dilution and will help to smooth out the edges a little.

It's therefore critical to add lots of ice to your shaker and

shake the cocktail for at least ten seconds.

If the shaker isn't covered in condensation and hasn't become uncomfortably cold to the touch, you haven't shaken the drink long enough.

Me and my wife had the same reaction to trying it the "official" way.

What found really did it for us was

1 can of concentrated frozen limeade mix and then half a can of tequila and 1/4 can of triple sec and just pour it all in a blender

and it's delicious as well as super easy.

Was also delicious throwing in some fresh strawberries for a strawberry margarita.

2 oz Silver Tequila,1 oz

Orange Liquer,1 oz

Lime Juice,.5 - 1 tblsp agave nectar

Question: I bought my wife that Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Maker, and it is awesome.  We make a lot of margaritas, but always with pre-made mixes.  I tried one recipe to make one from scratch, and it was HORRIBLE.    I tried using the 2:1:1 ratio described below - 2 parts tequila, 1 part triple sec, 1 part lime juice.  It tasted just like a shot of tequila with a little lime.    What are some alternatives I can try to make it taste better?

How can I improve the 2:1:1 margarita recipe?

You may be used to having more sugar in the mix, so you could add limeade or lime syrup instead of lime juice, or add simple syrup. Alternatively, you could shake with ice to dilute the mix and smooth out the edges a little.

Replace some of the lime with a sugar syrup and make sure you shake with ice.

Try adding a sugar syrup or limeade if you prefer a sweeter mix.

Make sure you are shaking with ice to dilute it slightly.


I also typically use bottled lemon juice, as my budget does not allow for fresh lemons.

Stilltasty says you should use the bottle within a week, but I've had success with keeping it much, much longer.

That said, this is one item that will not usually work well past its best-by date, I've found.

Maybe in the future, you could freeze it in cubes if you can't use it soon enough?

I just used lemon juice concentrate 1 1/2 years after the best-by date to cook with fish

and it was fine.

Citric acid is literally a preservative.

Why not?

What is supposed to preserve the preservatives?

With any food, when you are getting to months past the use by date, it would be wise to throw it out.

Odds are that it is more an issue of the taste deteriorating, but why take any chances?

I wouldn't.

I tend to be--at home, not at work!--of the "Eh, if it's not actually developing its own language, bung it in a pan and see what happens" school.

But months past the best-before is something even I won't mess with.

Yes, best-before dates are incredibly conservative, and in many cases (e.g. honey) are irrelevant and used merely as a marketing technique.

(Oh no, my X has expired, I need to buy more X.)

But for one thing, flavour compounds in fruits (even pasteurised concentrates) break down over time, leaving a flat dull flavour.

For another, it has almost certainly bounced around in temperature, possibly been contaminated by molds and yeasts living in your fridge (yes they do, and no it's not really something you need to worry about if there's turnover in your fridge

and it's basically clean), and possible been cross-contaminated by other things.

Sure, you're not going to dump raw meat in your bottle of lemon juice, but if you have been slightly careless (as we all are!)

about putting the lid down on a contaminated cutting board...

Even if it is more acidic and concentrated...

in the end it is a fruit juice, and fruit juices tend to spoil comparatively quick even in the fridge (very high water activity that anything that can deal with the acidity can take advantage of).

Question: My lemon juice concentrate's use by date passed a few months ago. It was kept it in the fridge the whole time. Is it still safe to use it?

Can lemon juice concentrate be used after the use-by-date?

Citric acid is a preservative and could be expected to last a long time, but it is probably not wise to use foods months after their best before date, even if the main change will probably be to the taste.

Even though it would probably be fine, the taste may have deteriorated and it is not recommended to use it.

If it is many months past its date then it is probably not a good idea to use it.

Citric acid is a natural preservative so it is probably fine.


Put the grapes on a plate - best if you do as many at one time as will fill the plate in one layer.

Cover the plate with an identical plate turned upside down.

Using a long knife cut between the plates to cut all the grapes in half at once.

I use my thumb nail to scoop out the seeds, but the tip of a vegetable peeler will work better than a knife if your nails aren't long.

If you just need the pulp (for pie, ice cream, jam, etc...)

then cook them down and run them through a food strainer.

If you need them raw, or halved/skins on, then find a good audiobook...

I'd say this might be a good time to invest in a cherry pitter, as I'd assume it'd work on grapes, too.

Some things to try for speed : crushing them, and seeing if the pots pop free (it works for olives). cut more than one at a time -- put four or five down on your work surface, place your hand over them, fingers up, and slice between your hand and counter with a sharp knife.

(although, I've never done this for something with pits, so I don't know how much of a problem it might be)

And, when all else fails, buy some seedless grapes, and save the seeded ones for snacking.

update :

I've since learned a safer method for option #2 : use lids from deli containers or other small items with raised lips (like the bottom of some earthenware plates).

Place it lip-side up, fill with items to be cut in half, place a similar item on top, press down on the stack, and slice in between the two containment devices.

Here's how you do it: Cut Grape in half lengthwise, either all the way through or just through to the last skin Remove the seeds from each half with a serrated grapefruit spoon.

Note:

Assembly line is most efficient - pull enough grapes off stem to fill a plate, cut all the grapes in half, then remove the seeds from each grape.

It's easiest with larger grapes, cut through the middle rather than lengthwise.

The seeds tend to end up in one half and are easily removed with the tip of a paring knife.

I find that the loss of the edible portion of the grape is minimized.

Squeeze grape to seperate pulp from skin and seperate.

Bring pulp to boil.

At some point pulp will release the seed.

Then filter to seperate seed from pulp.

Combine unseeded pulp and skins.

Ready for pie etc.

See Joy of Cooking ..old version.

Have you tried pushing a straw through them?

Maybe a stainless straw would work.

I may take a Dremel tool to it, to put an edge on the straw!

Question: I've got a bunch of grapes, with seeds. I need to seed them for a recipe. Cutting them in half and prying out the seeds with a paring knife makes me yearn for stringing beans. Any suggestions on how to get through this process faster?

What's the fastest way to seed grapes (e.g., Concordes)?

You could use a cherry pitter or push a straw through them, or cut them in half crossways and remove the seeds with a serrated grapefruit spoon. Alternatively, you could cook them and then run them through a food strainer.

You can try straining out the pits after cooking. You can also cut them in half lengthwise to make removing the pits easier.

Try cooking them first and putting them through a strainer.


First, start your Thai coconut curry sauce in a separate pot (i.e. the coconut milk and later the seasonings; no meat , no vegetables, etc.).

Make sure to shake the can of coconut milk before opening to ensure it is not separated.

Add 1/2 the can to the pot.

Bring to boil, reduce temperature and allow the mixture to reduce to almost a paste like texture.

This will allow the coconut flavors to intensify, and give you a thicker starting point.

The key is to reduce some of your sauce before cooking everything else; if you attempt to reduce your entire sauce with the vegetables, they will overcook because the process takes too long.

Once reduced, add the other 1/2 of the coconut mixture.

You end up with a very silky, smooth coconut sauce.

Afterwards add your curry paste, fish sauce, sugar, Thai basil etc.

When you open a can of coconut milk, it usually has separated, with the thick stuff at the top, and more watery business at the bottom.

Don't shake or stir it!

Start your curry with just the thick stuff, and then thin it as needed with the remainder.

I would definitely not add a starch-based thickener.

That isn't traditional in Thai curries and will inevitably make them a little gloopy.

Some things I might try: Cornflour or Arrowroot - Normal thickening agents might help Half and Half - Replacing half of the coconut milk with coconut cream.

Reducing it down more - this will have the bonus of concentrating the flavour even more.

Using less coconut milk overall?

I've only found this using low quality coconut milk.

Trying a different brand or adding a thick coconut cream (or even coconut butter should fix it).

There can be a massive difference in what you get quality wise

so it's worth experimenting.

I tend to use those solid blocks of dried coconut milk cream.

You add warm water yourself to make a paste as thick as you like.

It thickens as it cooks too so best to make it a touch runnier than you want it to end up.

Unlike the tinned stuff it rarely separates.

A runny curry means you haven't cooked it long enough and/or you have used coconut milk with a low percentage of solids.

Authentic curries never contain any type of starch (flour).

So, buy coconut milk (or cream) with the highest percentage of solids that you can find.

Next, use more paste.

If you are happy with the spice level and you still need more paste you can add bell peppers to the paste.

Match colours of course.

This will make the paste a little more watery

but it'll still work very well.

Last of all, use a better curry method to cook it.

Best way to thicken is is to grate a potato or two in there.

Potato is delicious in curries and adds creaminess naturally.

I also like to turn some dry coconut flakes to powder using a coffee grinder and add it in.

It intensifies the coconut flavor and thickens at the same time.

Lastly, the mother of all coconut curry thickeners is coconut flour.

You can find it in some grocery stores or on Amazon.

Rice flour does the trick too.

Curry is eaten with rice so why not thicken it with rice flour?

Question: I made some Thai red curry a few days ago. It turned out pretty well. The only problem is that it was fairly runny. I thickened it up with a slurry which helped a bit. I doubt a roux would have any more thickening power. I'm sure there's got to be a better way. Thanks in advance!

How to thicken Thai curry

Coconut cream has more solids than coconut milk, so buy one with the highest percentage of solids that you can find. Prepare your sauce in a separate pot without the meat and vegetables to allow it to reduce without overcooking the vegetables. Cornflour, arrowroot, half and half or other normal thickening agents could also help.

Reduce your sauce sufficiently and make sure your coconut milk is quite thick. You can also try thickening with flour or potato.

You should reduce your sauce and cook it separately from the rest.

Try using a thickening agents and make sure your coconut milk is sufficiently thick.

Try cooking it for longer or using coconut milk with a higher solid percentage.

Try grating a potato or using flour to thicken it up.


It depends on what the bees had for lunch :) .

Acacia honey is extremely sweet, with no bitter aftertaste.

Chestnut honey (easy to find in Italy, don't know about elsewhere) is dark and has a strong bitter note.

I personally love how the bittersweet goes with butter and bread, but some people hate it.

Generic polyflower honey usually does not have a bitter note.

I also notice it myself, and it varies depending on the flowers and region.

I read that there is a bitter honey from Sardinia, Miele Amaro.

I find honey's bitterness is in the aftertaste.

I also find it--except in very cheap grades of honey--extremely pleasant.

And useful when building flavour profiles in a dish.

Honey from chestnut flowers is very bitter.

This may be of interest.

I've just returned from Sardinia and they have a honey there that's described as bitter.

The honey is from bees that collect pollen from the Arbutus unedo trees or 'Irish Strawberry Tree' (not actual strawberries but round fruit that look a little like strawberries.

Arbutus unedo serves as a bee plant for honey production, and the fruits are food for birds.

The fruits are also used to make jams, beverages, and liqueurs (such as the Portuguese medronho, a type of strong brandy).

Many regions of Albania prepare the traditional drink raki from the fruits of the plant (mare or kocimare in Albanian), hence comes the name of the drink "raki kocimareje".

In order to reduce the high content of methanol in the drink, the spirit is distilled twice.

Honey produced has a characteristic bitter taste.[7]

In Turkey the fruit is called kocayemiş

and it is consumed as a fresh fruit, usually sold in the streets in November and December."

The jar I got from Sardinia is shown attached, and in Sardinia it's known as Corbezzolo honey.

The taste certainly is bitter.

There's some sweet notes initially but it rapidly turns bitter, though still of honey.

Smooth finish.

Certainly not to everyone's taste (my wife included)

- But I love it.

There are varieties of honey that have an inherently bitter note.

I personally search out sourwood honey for that character.

It might be my favorite right after linden (or basswood here in the US) honey, which is not bitter but complex.

Living in the Philippines.

Were wild honey is sold by boys walking the streets with a bucket with a comb in it to sell honey.

With some bees still in it.

Need your own bottle.

You first taste it before buying.

Some is sweet some is bitter.

Even had some that taste of rosemary or we call it seamist.

Very good for cooking.

Dark honey normally has more pollen in it.

Very dark honey has industrial use.

Normally you do not see this sold.

Strong flavor there.

Also type of bee that made the honey.

We have about a dozen types of bees some blue some red some like most see.

Even the black African stile bee.

So taste before you buy.

Unless you know the brand name were sameness is important.

There bottle not yours.

Over the past year I bought a small plastic bottle with a label that reads Raw Local Honey, Wild Flower.

When I first opened the bottle and tasted it, I almost recoiled.

I have never tasted honey like it; it is, to me, very bitter.

So yes, bitter honey can happen.

Question: I've heard Jeffrey Steingarten, on Iron Chef America, mention that he finds honey quite bitter. I've never noticed that myself. Maybe if I really try I can notice a slight bitter finish, but for me the sweetness and floral aroma dominates. Is honey actually bitter in some quantifiable sense? Are some particular varieties of honey better known for this characteristic?

Does honey have a bitter component?

Honey from some flowers and regions can be quite bitter, including chestnut honey. The bitterness is usually in the aftertaste On the other hand, acacia honey is very sweet with no bitter aftertaste, and generic polyflower honey has no bitter note.

Flower honey is generally not bitter except for chestnut honey and honey from certain areas.

Normal flower honey and acacia honey has no bitter taste. It depends on the region and the flowers though.

Chestnut honey and honey from certain areas has a bitter taste.


Anytime you're in a rush, the convection oven's a big help.

Wikipedia had this to say:

By moving fast hot air past the food, convection ovens can operate at a lower temperature than a standard conventional oven and yet cook food more quickly.

The air circulation, or convection, tends to eliminate "hot spots" and thus food may bake more evenly.

A convection oven will have a reduction in cooking temperature, compared to a conventional oven.

This comparison will vary, depending on factors including, for example, how much food is being cooked at once or if airflow is being restricted by using an over sized baking tray.[citation needed]

This difference in cooking temperature is offset by the fact that circulating air transfers heat more quickly than still air of the same temperature; in order to transfer the same amount of heat in the same time, then, one must lower the temperature to reduce the rate of heat transfer to compensate.

I sometimes feel like it dries things out a little more than a traditional oven, but that may just be a function of it being easier to overcook things due to the speed.

We have a convection oven and almost always use it.

I can't remember the last time we didn't use convection.

Our model automatically decreases the temperature, so if you set it for 300, then it will heat to 275.

Not sure if that is a magic 25 degree number, but it seems to work.

Almost all recipes cook time wise as they would with a non-convection oven.

Our also has a single and multi-rack mode, and it circulates the air differently in that case.

We have NEVER had any problems with the food drying out more with the air circulation as they say that is a common negative.

I am sure the effectiveness varies oven to oven, but in our case, we always use it (except for broiling of course).

When baking Toll House cookies!

I just did a test from a 16 ounce bag (24 cookies) of White Chip Macadamia Nut.

The first baking was was for 12 (half bag) cookies with a preheated non convection setting oven at 350.

The bottom was overdone and the edges looked too dark (almost burnt).

This took place in 10 minutes when the directions say cook 11 to 12 mins.

The second baking was for the remaining bag of 12 cookies with a preheated convection setting (same oven) at 300 for 10 minutes.

The bottom was perfect golden color and edges were perfect golden as well.

A nice added small flavor was a little coconut oil brushed on cookies just before baking.

This last batch of cookies cooked on convection was wonderful in looks, flavor and texture.

This was my first experience using the convection mode of my oven.

From now on I will always use the convection setting when baking anything.

I believe the lower temperature combined with less cooking time is the main factor based on my test.

Actually, I am thinking the convection mode acts as a toaster oven when set on toast, because during the convection the broil (top burners) are on at the same time as the bake (bottom burners) making it equal cooking coverage on top and bottom of cookies or anything else.

I have tried twice to bake a double-crust Blueberry pie in my convection oven with poor results both times.

The crust comes out hard as a rock (homemade crust, not store bought).

After the first attempt, I tried again adjusting temperature and time, but the results were still poor.

As you know, berry pies require high heat for the berries and sugar to interact and produce a filling that is firm and not watery.

Since the filling is inside the crust, it has to cook too long at a high temperature for the convection oven to "not" overcook the crust.

When I make the same pie in the regular oven, it turns out perfect every time.

So I have sworn off baking fruit pies in the convection oven.

I also find that it dries out foods that have to cook more than 30 minutes or so.

If yours is a convection/microwave type of oven, then be sure you don't have the control set to "mix" when you make chicken wings.

Microwaving meat has always been undesirable to me as it makes the meat tough and chewy.

My oven has the option to cook with convection only, microwave only, or a "mix" of convection/microwave.

The convection seems to work best for me when roasting meats or baking a covered casserole (so it doesn't dry out).

I doubt I'll ever attempt to bake a pie in there again.

I have looked all over the Internet and can't find any good advice about how to solve the baking problem with fruit pies.

I made buffalo chicken wings using the convection feature and they came out tough and not crispy as experienced in non-convection cooking.

I'm actually gun shy about the convection option as a result.

Question: I think I understand what convection does, and (some) of the benefits, such as eliminating hot/cold spots, and being more efficient overall.  Does this mean that I should always take advantage of it?  If not, which circumstances are better for convection, and which are better for regular bake/broil?

When should I use convection when baking?

Convection cooking is great when you are in a hurry, and it will reduce the cooking temperature compared with a conventional oven. However, it can make it easier to dry food out or overcook it, so roasting meat in a covered casserole would work best.

Convection cooks more quickly and evenly than traditional ovens. It is useful for baking cookies and roasting meats. Be careful of overcooking and drying out.

Convection ovens cook more quickly but there is a risk of the food drying out.

It is useful in baking cookies or with roasting meats.


If you have an indian market nearby, you can get kewra extract/essence.

Kewra is the indian name for pandanus plant and kewra essence is featured in a number of indian desserts.

I don't recall seeing kewra leaves in my local indian market, but I use kewra essence regularly.

(Careful, sometimes it's sold as a very concentrated oil extract and sometimes as the more dilute kewra water ; so how much you need to add will depend on which form of kewra you buy).

Not too long ago, I made a Thai custard (usually served with sticky rice) that called for pandanus extract.

It was researching where to purchase that when I discovered that I already had it in my cupboard.

Great stuff.

There are enough Sri Lankans live in UK.

Therefore, you should be able to find this in a Sri Lankan store (or in an Indian store).

This is known as "Rampe" in Sri Lanka.

Ask for "Ram-pe" when you visit such a store.

If you plan more of this cooking in the future, you can order extract .

The aroma is subtle and savory.

It is similar to that of jasmine rice or fresh-baked white bread.

The leaf is frequently used in combination with coconut milk for sweet curries and desserts.

The Pandan Leaf ( Pandanus amaryllifolius ) is actually used in a wide range of Southeast Asian and South Asian cuisine.

The flavor seems to derive from one specific aroma compound (abbr.

Interestingly, the Maillard reaction that is responsible for browning during baking produces an analog of the compound.

I replaced some of the stock in my recipe with jasmine tea and a dash of vanilla essence.

It seemed to work - gave a slight flowery taste, which I think is what the pandan leaves do.

Perhaps flavors similar to Indian curries and Asian dishes, such as cilantro, Thai basil, kaffir lime leaves, or celery leaves.

I also just read a recipe that suggested bay leaf would be an appropriate substitute.

tried several attempts to use jasmine tea and vanilla this just doesn't work.

First time - No.

Second time - No.

Third time - more fool me, you guessed it -

No!Instead I used with great success some Rooibos tea with vanilla.

This is already balanced to suit adding to hot water to drink and as the ratio of leaves / vanilla is done the taste just works.

Strange I know

but just try it

- you'll become a convert like me.

Also its readily available in most supermarkets and guess what?

You can use the rest of the packet to drink as tea!

Winner.

Pandan leaf is sometimes sold dried, as a tea.

I don't know if its available in your area as such, but you may be able to buy it online more easily - as it is both shelf-stable and lightweight, it may ship and store more easily than, say, buying fresh leaves or extract.

I've purchased the tea relatively cheaply, even including overseas shipping, and gotten a fair quantity as well.

You may be able to add the leaves as a garnish, soak them and some water to balance moisture, or else make a tea and just add that, to get the flavor into your final dish.

Question: When preparing Sri Lankan cuisine (especially curries) one of the key components is the Pandan Leaf (also known as a Pandanus Leaf).  These aren't readily available where I live so I was wondering if anyone could suggest an alternative?

What's an acceptable substitute for Pandan Leaves?

You can order extract if you will be cooking this in the future, or you could approximate with kewra extract/essence or bay leaf.

Try looking for the extract instead of replacing with bay leaf.

Try looking for kewra extract instead.
Try ordering the extract instead.
Bay leaf might be a good alternative.


Your technique is going to be critical here.

Leaning scones aren't necessarily indicative of improper technique, but flat ones are.

Keeping your ingredients cold is important when creating scones in every recipe I've read or tried.

Cook's Illustrated went so far as to grate the butter and then freeze the grated pieces and use a laminating technique to provide layers.

Many other recipes use cold butter (frozen or simply very cold out of the freezer) in chunks and a pastry blender to cut them in.

Your milk should also be cold, not room temperature.

You may also want to chill your work bowl and utensils.

You don't want your butter melting before those scones hit the oven.

When your scones hit the oven and the butter does begin to soften and melt, it will leave behind layers of air in your scone which will help it to rise.

You don't want to handle finished scone dough very much.

Use a light touch and minimal work.

I'd also check the date on your self-raising flour.

The ingredients will lose their activity over time, causing the flour not to rise as well any more.

I would suggest switching to a recipe with All-Purpose flour and baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Also, cut in the cold butter, use cold milk and stir/knead as little as possible.

Pop immediately into the oven.

This is the way I make them and they always rise nicely.

However, i wouldn't say they are perfectly even!

I think they look cute that way!

Of course your ingredients (except for butter) should be at room temperature before you start.

But here are 2 other key things to consider: (1) is the leavening agent distributed evenly through your dough?

(i.e. did you mix the dry ingredients thoroughly?

you may want to sift them together, just to make sure they're evenly incorporated) (2)

have you rolled the dough (or shaped it) to uniform thickness?

If there are spots which are thicker (middle) than the ends, the scones could end up lopsided.

Hope that helps!

another cause of lopsided scones are caused by "twisting" the dough when you are cutting them.

You should always use a sharp hit and NO twisting when cutting your scone, this way you will get a lovely rise out of your scones.

I use strong white flour and a good amount of baking powder, all sieved twice.

Pop them in the fridge for 20mins then into a hot oven.

Some are a bit lopsided, but rise amazingly.

I'll remember the no-twist technique when cutting.

The key is not to turn your cookie cutter.

Flour the cutter and push down once.

Flour again for the next scone.

The turning of the cutter lets the dough rise unevenly.

The key is nothing to do with freezing your butter.

I have been trying various ones for years and now have then perfect.

The 2 main things to remember.

The milk which should be soured but don't buy it just warm your milk in the microwave to take chill from it then squire lemon juice in it and thus will sour it.

After you have done your butter and flour to breadcrumb effect stir in your sugar then make the well and pour in your soured milk.

It will look sloppy

don't worry well

flour your work surface and your hands then slop it on.

2nd do not overwork from here because overworking it makes the gluten active which affects the bake.

Just gently fold it and start cutting.

Don't use the jagged edge of cutter use the smooth and just press down no turn.

Make sure they're deep.

Gently fold remainder and same again any left just roll and pat you don't need uniformity you want home made look.

Brush with egg that look great and only 10 mins in oven for me . .

And I can make mine last for 4 days without drying out if you want this tip just ask

Question: I've been making some scones and they are either falling away to one side or just sort of staying flat.  I'm currently just baking them on a tray in the oven at 220C  The recipe is:  450g self-raising flour 1 tbs caster sugar 80g butter, cubed, at room temperature 250mls milk, at room temperature    Are there any tips or techniques I can use to make them rise evenly?

How can I make my scones rise evenly?

Cold ingredients are important, so put them in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking them. Try using all purpose flour or strong white flour with baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and avoid 'twisting' the dough when cutting the scones.

Refrigerate your dough before cooking and sieve your flour. Avoid twisting the scones with your cutter.

The ingredients should be very cold. Put the dough in the fridge before cooking.

Use and all-purpose or strong white flour and sieve it.

Don't twist the cutting when you are cutting the scones.


Use a deeper dish.

Fries shouldn't be fried in a skillet.

Use a 4+ quart pan.

Then cover with a metal screen to reduce the splatter.

Other considerations: 1)

You can buy a splatter shield - it's a very fine wire mesh on a long handle.

It works very well. 2)

One of the things that can cause splatter is

when water or ice hits the oil -- make sure your fries are as dry as possible before putting them in.

You shouldn't be 'tossing' the fries into the pan.

Put them in slowly, using a tray or slotted spoon.

Make sure to have the container no more than halfway full of oil.

I learned this the hard way working in a cafeteria, the results can be messy and painful :(

It's a rather unavoidable part of cooking things like bacon or sausage.

I would advise against a lid, and instead use a splatter screen .

The lid will keep the spatter in, but it will also change the cooking time and even method of your food.

Putting the lid on can effectively begin steaming your sausage, which may not be desired.

The splatter screen will let steam escape but catch the little grease pops which are unavoidable.

Frozen fries often have a lot of water at the surface too, which is why restaurants that serve fries from frozen often let them sit out for 10-20 minutes before dropping them in the fryer.

This does two things: Lets the surface ice melt and evaporate

Brings their temperature up

Question: I often cook fries in a skillet. I put about 1/4 cup vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat on high, then I toss in some frozen fries.   As soon as I toss them in there is an explosion of grease that makes a huge mess. After it simmers down though, I can cook the fries without spilling anymore grease.  Is there anyway to avoid the initial uproar?

Is there any way to avoid grease splatter?

Use a deeper dish with a splatter screen rather than a lid, leave frozen fries to thaw for 10-20 minutes before adding them to reduce the water on the surface and put them in slowly using a tray or slotted spoon.

Use deeper pan and a splatter shield. You should let the fries defrost slightly first.

Use a deeper pan to catch more of the grease.

Using a splatter shield to keep the grease in the pan.

Let them defrost slightly first so there is less water.


The fast food chains that sell pre-cut apples in bags use Nitrogen or similar food inert gas.

But I can't see this being practical in a normal kitchen Acid is the answer, try slightly less noticeable acid sources such as fresh (as in you squeezed it)

orange or pineapple juice

They should not taint the taste so much if you just lightly brush it on the exposed surfaces, don't soak the apples in it

A great place to start is the Scientific American article,

Why do apple slices turn brown after being cut?

The discoloration of apples is caused by oxidation , which, in the case of apples, is actually caused by oxygen (this is not always the case).

Specifically it's caused by an enzyme in the apple caused polyphenol oxidase (PPO).

There are many things you can try if you want to prevent this browning:

First, choose a type of apple that has lower PPO .

Apples classified as "baking" apples tend to be better for this, although that's not always a reliable indicator.

Orin, a Japanese apple, is said to have a mild pineapple flavour and has very low PPO (does not brown easily).

Golden Delicious and Granny Smith are also good in this respect.

Have a look at this annotated list of common apple varieties for more.

The suggestion that most people will give you - to use lemon juice - works for two reasons.

One is that lemons are high in antioxidants, which prevent oxidation as the name implies.

The other is the acidity; lower pH somewhat inhibits oxidation.

So apply this knowledge; if you're concerned about the taste imparted by lemon juice, understand that almost all fruits (except apples) are high in antioxidants and most fruit juices are at least mildly acidic.

Choose something that's closer to the taste of apple, or doesn't clash as much; pineapple, grapefruit, or orange juice might be better bets.

Some spices are also high in antioxidants; if your dessert includes a lot of cinnamon then sprinkle that cinnamon directly onto the apples; it's also a mild antioxidant and will at least slow the browning.

Alternative, you can simply lower the amount of oxygen available by either coating with syrup or placing the apples in a sealed (i.e. tupperware) container, or both.

This should be fine if the apples are intended as a dessert.

Lastly, blanching (boiling)

the apples for 5 minutes will basically kill (inactivate) the PPO enzymes which will totally prevent browning - although it'll obviously also soften the apples a whole lot, so whether or not this is viable depends on exactly how you plan to serve them.

If you don't want to use lemon or lime juice, you can get a vitamin-c tablet and dissolve it in water.

Same effect, only flavorless.

Agree with TFD.

I usually use a bit of lemon juice and mix the juice with cold water.

I think the ratio would be 1 lemon per 1L water.

just dip the apple in the mix for a few seconds and then the apple should last for a long time

You can use acid, such as some lemon juice.

In your baking aisle at the grocery store in the canning area you also may find Ball Fruit Fresh, which provides preservatives.

It depends on how long you need to preserve the apples for.

If it's only between slicing and serving, just submerge the peeled apples in water.

No oxygen, no oxidisation.

Depending on the type of apples you're using, you can keep them submerged for more or less time before they start to get soft & pulpy.

Keeping them in the fridge will extend that time, but not indefinitely.

I don't prefer to any of above.

Generally people find a way which we can use at glance & easily available at home.

I prevent my apple from turning brown by spraying some salt on it.

And it works for me very well from very long time!

That is it, you need acid to prevent oxidation.

The only other possibility would be to prevent air getting to your apples, but if you cover them with some mass you'd probably not see the brown color anyway...

Question: I love to use Apples in my Desserts. They look really delicious when I just make them, but by the time they are consumed as dessert, the apples have all turned brown. and suddenly the dessert doesn't look all that nice anymore. How do I prevent this?  UPDATE:  I remember reading somewhere that dipping apples in lemon juice prevents the oxidation which turns them brown, but this effects the flavor of my recipe. What else can I do?

How to Prevent Apples from turning Brown

Baking apples are better at avoiding this, but you can use an acid like lemon or lime juice or a dissolved vitamin C tablet, or just submerge the slices in water before serving.

Try a different kind of apple that doesn't oxidise. You can coat with an acid like lemon juice or spray with salt.

Try coating with lemon juice or any other acid.


Coriander, the plant, is the one whose leaves are called cilantro in many regions - the Spanish name for the plant.

Of course, in some regions, the leaves are called coriander (or coriander leaves) as well.

Coriander, the spice, is indeed the dried fruit/seeds of the plant, commonly sold both whole and ground.

The seeds have a very different flavor from the leaves.

As for dried cilantro, the leaves?

They're going to be pretty much flavorless compared to fresh cilantro.

Cilantro loses its aroma quickly when heated or dried.

Obviously there's still something left, or you wouldn't be able to buy dried cilantro, but it's not going to be a striking addition to a dish.

If you can get it fresh, it's worth it.

These are the seeds:

These are the leaves of the more common variety (there are many others): While dried seeds are full of aroma and flavour, dried leaves are not.

BTW, it is VERY easy to grow cilantro (as parsley) in a pot, just use the seeds ...

Instead of drying the cilantro, why not just plant the other half in good potting mix?

You won't have to run to the store for fresh then.

It grows quickly too!

I have both dry and fresh.

The dry doesn't stack up.

It has a much less pungent flavour.

It's good in a pinch.

I made home made salsa and used dried cilantro in a tin that I bought from the store.

I threw the salsa out and gave my dried cilantro in the spice tin away...

It was awful awful awful and didnt taste a thing like fresh cilantro.

It ruined mmy salsa...

never again will I buy it in the grocery store.

Dried cilantro brings a mild herbaceous favor to soups and stews but it is not a substitute for fresh cilantro.

If you take the notion of subbing for the fresh stuff off the table, dried cilantro is interesting...

I often use both because they bring completely different things to the party.

It tastes foremost of "generic dried herbs" - the typical hay-like, bitter taste with a note of cilantro.

It is mostly sold so people can put a checkmark next to the "cilantro" line in a recipe.

While applications exist and have been mentioned in other answers, it is not a valid substitute for fresh or frozen cilantro (which I heard exists in some places - not here unfortunately, and it does not home freeze well).

To make things easier - dried coriander (leaves) looks like dried parsley - that is green.

Coriander seeds are yellowish and therefore the ground version is also grey yellow in color.

The tastes are completely different - the ground seeds have a pungent taste and are not used in salads or cold dishes.

The leaves, whether dry or fresh can be used as is without cooking, e.g. add them to a salad.

Question: Is coriander dried cilantro seed?  Has anyone used dried cilantro, and if so how does it compare to fresh cilantro.  I assume fresh is better but please describe the difference (less pungent, etc...)

How does dried cilantro relate to fresh?

Cilantro is the Spanish name for coriander, bu the leaves will quickly lose their flavour when heated or dried and will taste more like generic herbs.

The coriander spice is just the fruit of the coriander/cilantro plant. The leaves lose most of their flavour when dried.

They're going to be pretty much flavorless compared to fresh cilantro.

Coriander seeds are the fruit of the cilantro/coriander plant.

Dried leaves lose most of their flavour.


I keep a box of instant mashed potato flakes in the house.

I use it only for two things: one is a super-quick pantry chowder and the other is to thicken over milked mashed potatoes.

While I wouldn't want to eat a bowl of instant mash, a quick shake in this circumstance takes care of the problem and no-one's the wiser.

If you're going to try to dry it out, may I suggest spreading it out in a large shallow baking pan and putting it in the oven on low heat.

Take it out once in awhile to stir it up a bit...

make sure you spread it out again after you stir.

A few rounds of this will probably dry it out.

I realise this thread is now years old, but I also recognise there are people (like me) who still discover forums like this years on.

This happened to me today.

I tried putting mine back in the oven, however nothing seemed to change consistency wise, so I scrapped that suggestion.

I have instead decide to leave my mash, to cool and already it is thickening up.

So for anyone who ends up in this predicament in the future, i'd suggest trying that.

Seems simple really, but it works!

Cream generally results in a better texture than milk when making mashed potatoes, but assuming you have your reasons for using milk (health concerns, allergies, etc.), there is only one way to literally dry it out , and that is to evaporate the water.

Toss it in a pot and simmer it uncovered until it reaches the consistency you want.

Because it's potatoes, you might have to stir it very often or even shake the pot around in order to prevent burning and a nasty mess.

This is actually what I always do to potatoes before mashing them (after boiling) to dry them out.

I've never attempted it after mashing them, but the potatoes are already cooked, so I doubt that you can do any more damage that way.

If you just want to thicken them then add some savoury ingredients.

I really wouldn't recommend flour, potatoes have enough starch already, but I'll often add cheese to my mashed potatoes.

Hard cheeses like parmesan are particularly good if your aim is to soak up some of the excess moisture.

I'd also suggest, in the future, that you whisk in your liquid gradually to avoid this exact problem.

Just leave it on low heat for a while with the lid off.

A shallow gentle stir now and then will help too You will probably burn the bottom layer, but that way you only lose a little, not the whole pot.

An overnight pot soak remove the burnt stuff without sweat

I think over milking and longer cooking makes a nicer mash.

And be careful of over stirring, mash isn't whipped cream, it's just a soft texture Instead of butter to finish try a spoon of decent mayonnaise (real egg and good oil)

Surely there is no better water (liquid) evaporator than a microwave.

Or is zapping verboten on this forum?

You are far less likely to scorch anything, but of course you can if you grossly overdo it.

You must place in porcelain or microwave safe plastic.

Start with one minute at 800 watts.

If you are nervous, open the door and look in after 30 secs.

My Asian friends will cook and reheat rice by no other means if this is available.

Had this issue and I tossed in fine bread crumbs until I got the consistency I wanted.

Worked fine, just had to add a little more seasoning.

All you gotta do is put some grits in and call it a day. "

Mashed potatoes and grits."

I just had this problem.

I dried them over very low heat, open pan and stirred in carefully with fork so as not to stick to the bottom.

I added just a tad bit more butter towards the end when I felt I had lost too much moisture.

i had this happen during a dinner party.

I simply cooked 2 large potatoes, peeled and mashed them right in !

I just tossed a bunch of flour in there when I realized my mashed potatoes were turning into potato soup.

Worked out just fine in the end.

Also if you did realize that you added a lot of milk

but you didnt stir the mixture yet

, you can without no problem remove the extra milk back to the milk container, if no then you will have to add something to thicken it such as bread crumbs, or even you can try to some potato or corn or rice starch works

but it will slightly change the flavor of your potatoes, also flour also works or whatever you have on hand, and of course you will need to cook it at medium-low heat a few minutes to let it thicken enough.

Spread them in a 9x13 pan, and put in an oven (about 250°F - 350°F) and leave the oven door cracked open a good ways to expel the evaporating moisture.

(Otherwise you're just macerating the potatoes)

Stir occasionally.

It will dry them out.

Yes it will heat up your house but it will save the potatoes.

Question: I was just making some mashed potatoes and slipped when adding milk, adding probably 50% too much.  The mash is now very liquid.  Whats the best way of saving it?  I am thinking of either heating gently to dry out a bit or adding some sort of flour to it, or both.  The mash will be used to make fishcakes if that makes a difference and has been seasoned with salt and pepper and butter.

How to dry out mash - added too much milk

Add instant mashed potato flakes, bake it on low heat in a shallow pan or simmer it in an uncovered pot until it reaches the right consistency. Alternatively, it may thicken up as it cools.

Try cooking it for a bit longer to reduce the liquid or just leave to cool and thicken up.

Try adding some instant mashed potatoes.

Try drying out in the oven, leaving it to reduce on the stove or just leave it to cool and thicken up.