For most special occasions around our house, whether it's Christmas, a birthday or an anniversary, we have Eggs Benedict for breakfast. The recipe is pretty straightforward. Toast and butter English muffin halves, top with ham or Canadian bacon slices and a poached egg, and nap the whole thing with Hollandaise Sauce. That is... Read more →
Here's my problem. I love tzatziki but every time I make some, it ends up so runny you could almost drink it with a straw. It is too runny for dipping pita or vegetables in. How can I make it thicker? --Gail Tzatziki is a traditional Greek dish made by combining yogurt, crated cucumber and other ingredients. There are two things... Read more →
While you mentioned that cream of tartar, in a properly sealed container, can be kept indefinitely, I used mine last evening and the beaten egg whites did not turn out to be stiff as described in the recipe. I suspect the culprit is my cream of tartar being too old, even though it was kept in a tightly sealed container.-- Lucy Cream... Read more →
What can I substitute for Gruyère cheese? -- D To some extent, that depends on what you are using it for. In fondue, Emmental would be the standard substitution. If you can't find Emmental, look for generic Swiss Cheese. The Food Substitutions Bible suggests you can also use Comté or Beaufort as a general substitute for... Read more →
How can you prevent a cheesecake from cracking? --Sr. Celine Cheesecakes crack because the filling expands during cooking and then contracts while it cools. If the filling is not able to relieve the stress caused by this contraction in some way, it cracks. There are a few ways to help prevent cracking, according to Harold McGee. They... Read more →
I notice in Parmesan cheese sometimes that there are crunchy little grains. What are they and what causes them? Do they mean that the cheese is no longer good?--Anja The grains you are noticing are crystals of either calcium lactate or the amino acid tyrosine. Tyrosine is formed by the breakdown of proteins in the milk. It precipitates... Read more →
How long can you keep boiled easter eggs without refrigeration? How long can you keep boiled eggs in the fridge? Please, we need this answer A.S.A.P.--Ed I assume when you ask how long can you keep boiled Easter eggs without refrigeration, you mean ones that you intend to eat afterwards. If so, then the general food safety rule holds... Read more →
What is crème fraîche? I have several recipes that call for it but I can't find it anywhere. --Eva Crème fraîche [pronounced 'krem FRESH'] is a common ingredient in French cooking. It is a fermented cream product with 30% or more butter fat, by weight, and is used to garnish soups or desserts. It is also used as an ingredient in... Read more →
Can you freeze tzatziki? I have gallons of it left after a wedding. help! -- Wendy This was kind of answered in the posting on Freezing Cream Cheese Dips. The chances are that your tzatziki may exude some water after it has been frozen and then thawed. If so, I would recommend pouring that off rather than trying to stir it back in.... Read more →
Every time I try to make a Beurre Blanc, it separates into a greasy mess. What is happening, and how can I prevent it? --Meegan A Beurre Blanc is a sauce made by reducing a mixture of wine, vinegar and shallots. Butter is whisked into this to form a sauce about the consistency of heavy cream. Other acids and flavors can be... Read more →