How do you convert solid coconut oil weight to fluid ounces? -Marleen In order to know how many fluid ounces there are for a given weight of coconut oil, or any other ingredient, the first thing you need is a conversion factor. It turns out that the USDA has a very helpful tool, called their Nutrient Database (http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/... Read more →

Why isn't it safe to cook kidney beans in a slow cooker? -Elanor Kidney beans contain a toxin called Phytohaemagglutinin, also known as Kidney Bean Lectin, that, if the beans are not cooked properly, can cause extreme nausea, cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. The symptoms typically start within 1 to 3 hours of ingestion and can last for... Read more →

There used to be a restaurant in Saskatoon called Cousin Nik's that specialized in Greek fare. One of our favorites when we visited was their Greek Ribs, so imagine my surprise when I got the owner's cookbook, only to discover that some of the ingredients and methods were far from traditional. What surprised me most was the inclusion of... Read more →

One presentation trick I really like is food served with a soft cooked egg so that when the yolk is pierced it becomes part of the sauce for whatever is underneath. Restaurant Sorza, 51 rue saint Louis en L’Ile, Paris, serves a dish they call "oeuf poché, confit de tomates" or "poached egg & confit of tomatoes" that uses this idea... Read more →

My watercolor artist wife recently took part in an online exercise with artists who were doing illustrated recipes. Here is her 'Go-To' Lunch Salad, a mix of diced tomatoes and cucumbers, with feta. For every day it may be served with Melba toast, for other occasions, maybe some baguette. To see more of Pat's watercolors, check out her... Read more →

Today, KitchenSavvy is excited to launch a new design intended to give readers a more contemporary feel and easier reading experience. Pages are simplified, with less content, including removal of the left-hand sidebar to reduce distractions. Loading is faster. A new search button has been added and a number of links to less relevant... Read more →

When I was learning to be a glider pilot, one of the things I learned about was Pilot-Induced Oscillations (PIOs), which are formally defined as "sustained or uncontrollable oscillations resulting from efforts of the pilot to control the aircraft." Basically, the pilot tries to correct a situation, over-reacts, tries to correct for the... Read more →

It all started with a plan to have Sloppy Joes for supper. For those not familiar, a Sloppy Joe is a mixture of ground beef in a tomato based sauce served in a hamburger bun. You can serve it sandwich style, which can be very messy, with the filling oozing out over everything, or as an open-face sandwich eaten with knife and fork. I... Read more →

I keep seeing cooking references saying that you need to dice your vegetables to a uniform size in order for them too cook evenly. Is that true?-Fred In a word, no. There may be an argument made for an even dice for aesthetic reasons -- a lovely rice pilaf with nice uniform cubes of veggies shows attention to detail and is a thing of... Read more →

Sometimes I make a dish which calls for Gruyere, Jarlsberg or another pricey cheese which is sold in much larger quantities than I require. Can these cheeses be frozen and used later for another cooked dish?-Zender Cheese can be frozen, however freezing can affect the quality of the cheese. In general, higher fat cheeses will freeze... Read more →