Creep - To slip out of place; shift gradually (Answers.com) Recipe Creep - The process by which a recipe changes gradually over time until at least some variations bear little or no semblance to the original recipe Example 1 - VichyssoiseThe cafeteria I go to most often for lunch served vichyssoise (pronounced VEE-shee-swahz) last... Read more →

Why are some onions such as Walla Wallas or Vadalias sweeter than others?--Syl Onions such as Walla Wallas, Vadalias, Mauis and others are sweet because they have lower quantities of the sulfur compounds that cause the "bite" associated with more pungent onions. There is some discussion as to whether this is because the particular... Read more →

My wife says I have to cream butter and sugar with electric beaters in one direction only. She says this will help incorporate the air into the mix and make it creamy. I seem to be getting results moving the beater through the mix ad hoc. Is there any science to beating in one direction for the purposes of creaming butter?--Ling Because... Read more →

I have a carton of eggs without a best-before date on it. I think I have had the eggs for about two or three weeks. Is there any way to tell if they are fresh?--Lin There are two ways to tell how fresh your eggs are, but you need to remember that these are rough guidelines and that they don't necessarily tell you if the eggs are safe... Read more →

I have recently started cooking with whole wheat flour because of the nutrition and flavor. I recently made a squash casserole using whole wheat flour. I put it in the fridge until I had time to bake it the next day. When I took it out of the fridge, it had turned dark on the top. What happened and why did it turn dark? Was it the flour... Read more →

When my Mom used to make tea, she would always rinse the pot out with boiling water before putting the tea leaves in, and she always measured out a rounded teaspoon of tea for each person plus "one for the pot." Is there any reason for either of these rules?--Janice First off, I'll bet your Mom was drinking black tea, which includes the... Read more →

I have several out of date cake mixes, probably about two years old. I assume they would not rise properly as the baking powder in them has lost its potency. Would they work if I added fresh baking powder? What would be the proper amount, if so? Thank you, although I suspect the answer will be, "try it and see."--Geri You are likely... 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 →

Hi! I have two containers of flour one of which is self-rising. The labels have gotten mixed up. Is there a way to tell which flour is the self-rising? Best, --Mike Your question got me to thinking about all sorts of different ways to tell the difference, but after a little head scratching, I think this is maybe the easiest. Take two... Read more →

KitchenSavvy has encountered technical difficulties which are affecting some existing posts. Until this problem is sorted out, we will not be posting new articles. We hope to have this resolved soon and appreciate your patience in the meanwhile. Dave... Read more →