As an appetizer for entertaining at Easter, I was planning to serve Lox and Caviar on Blini. Now I wonder, "What is the difference between Lox and Gravlox?" Which one was I thinking of? --Ruth Lox is salmon that has been brined and then cold smoked. The brine contains salt and sometimes sugar. Smoking is done at temperatures ranging... Read more →

Well, we're starting to see the last of winter in Saskatchewan. It has been long and at times bitterly cold, but as the days get longer and the sun gets warmer, you start to allow yourself to think about summer's treats, just around the corner. One of mine is a feast of Barbecued Bones. Rich, meaty beef ribs that have been slowly braised... Read more →

So many cake and cookie recipes say to cream together the butter and sugar. Why is this done and how do I do it right?--Amber To cream butter means to beat it together with the sugar in the recipe until it is light in color and no sugar crystals are visible. With white sugar, the butter will take on a light yellow color, almost white. If... Read more →

I recently received a plastic and a wooden cutting board. Unfortunately neither came with cleaning instructions. I use the plastic type for the meats, and the wooden for vegetables, fruits and breads. How do I make sure I am not having any bacteria or other bad things pass on to other foods? In other words, how do I clean my cutting... Read more →

See if you can spot the difference: The waiter brings our drinks to the table. In his haste to move around the table, a beer slides off of his tray and spills all over Pat's leather coat. Later, serving the first course, as he is putting soup in front of one of our daughters, he is already turning away to go to the next table, spilling... Read more →

This past Christmas we bought a turkey with one of those plastic pop-up thermometer thingies in it. It got me to wondering: How do these things work, are they reliable, and can they be reused?--George Although some people refer to them as timers, they are actually thermometers, as you note, since they indicate the temperature of the meat... Read more →

Help! Lots of recipes say to sauté onions until they are translucent. I can never tell for sure what that means. They never turn translucent for me. What am I doing wrong?--Trish Chances are you aren't doing anything wrong at all. I too find the description of onions turning translucent to be difficult. Translucent means that you... Read more →

I am out of all-purpose flour however I do have self-rising flour. I am making Chocolate Chip cookies. Can I use the self-rising flour instead of the all-purpose flour?--Jo Ann Self-rising flour is regular flour that has baking powder and and salt added. Exact formulas, including the type of baking powder used, vary by manufacturer.... Read more →

A few days ago I was planning to make cookies using a recipe that had honey in it. When I went to measure the honey, it had large grains of something in it. What were these, how did they happen and what can I do?--Jamie The granules that form in liquid honey are precipitated crystals of glucose. Honey is a supersaturated liquid, meaning... Read more →

At what temperature can I keep roast chicken or turkey in the oven to keep it warm and safe if we are having a very long dinner party?--Susan Hot food should be held at a temperature above 140°F (60°C) if it is not being served immediately. Unfortunately, most home ovens are not built to operate reliably at that low of a temperature... Read more →