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 find that I get inconsistent results when I use gelatin. Even for the same recipe, sometimes it will come out softer or firmer than other times. What is happening? --Sara Gelatin is a protein-based thickening agent used primarily in making desserts, aspics and jellies. It comes in a powdered form which is easy and convenient for... Read more →

Why is it that when you blend hot liquids they blow the lid off the blender if you aren't holding it in place?--Dave Actually, the science of this is pretty straight forward. As you know, when you heat a gas, it expands. So, you put hot liquid into the the jar of the blender and put the lid on. At this point you have a near boiling... Read more →

I recently heard a TV chef say that she prefers a certain kind of oil because it has a high smoke point. What is a smoke point, and why does it matter?--Sean The smoke point of any oil or fat is the temperature at which it begins to smoke. This is important because at or near the smoke point, the oil begins to also undergo chemical... Read more →

I live at 8500' and am now using gluten free recipes. I usually double or triple the recipe and always wonder if I am suppose to double or triple (whichever I am doing) the baking soda or baking powder. Can you give me some help with this?--Vedina It is not clear from your question whether the recipes you are using are already adjusted... Read more →

I notice sometimes that meat in the display counter at my local butcher shop has a green and magenta sheen to it. What causes this? Is the meat still okay to eat?--Toni What you are noticing is likely a phenomenon referred to as iridescence, or more technically birefringence. Essentially, this is the same effect as light passing through a... Read more →

I'm trying to formulate a whole wheat lemon-blueberry pancake mix. I am using hard white wheat flour, lemon juice powder and lemon peel granules for flavor. I'm wondering if the lemon effects the cooking of the pancakes by reacting with the baking powder. It seems like the first couple of pancakes are better then subsequent ones, which... Read more →

I have a problem with Yorkshire pudding that I hope you can help. My recipe is: 1 cup all purpose flour 3/4 cup cold homogenized milk and 4 eggs I put 1/8th of an inch of extra virgin olive oil in the muffin pans, heat the oil up just to the smoking temp then add the chilled batter and bake it for 25-30 minutes. I bake it at 425... Read more →

Sometimes when I save an unfinished jar of baby food in the fridge, when I go to use it, it has become runny. Is it still good?--Anna This happens if you save food that has had the spoon which you used to feed baby put back into it. Saliva contains digestive the enzyme amylase that help to start the breakdown of food for digestion.... 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 →