Q: Lots of recipes call for unsalted butter, which I don't usually have on hand. Do I need to use unsalted butter? How would I replace it with salted butter?-- Michelle Some cooks claim that there is a noticeable taste difference between salted and unsalted butter, so my first suggestion would be to try it for yourself. Make the same... Read more →
Q: If a recipe calls for fresh herbs and I only have dried, or the other way around, what is the substitution?-- Dave The general rule of thumb is that one part of a dried herb has about the same strength as three times that amount of the fresh. If a recipe calls for two tablespoons of fresh sage, for example, then you could substitute... Read more →
Q: Would you please tell me what the difference is between complete and complementary proteins.-- Angie Proteins are the basic building blocks for all living cells. They are made up from chains of smaller compounds called amino acids. There are 20 amino acids that are important to human health. Of these, your body is able to manufacture... Read more →
Q: I'm having a dinner party this weekend and would like to know if I can pre-cook the pasta, refrigerate it and then reheat it just before serving.-- Michael M. Restaurants do it all of the time. Boil the pasta as usual, but under-cook it just a little. Drain the pasta and then dump it into a bowl of ice-water to stop any further cooking... Read more →
Q: In cooking, what does it mean to temper something?-- Rochelle Tempering refers to the blending of ingredients of different temperatures. There are two common uses of the term, to temper eggs or to temper chocolate, although the way tempering works differs between the two. In tempering eggs, you add a small amount of a hot liquid into... Read more →
Q: What is "clarified butter"? -- Lily Clarified butter, also known as drawn butter, is butter from which the water and milk solids have been removed. Store-bought butter contains somewhere around 16-18% water by weight. It also contains between 1-2% milk solids other than fat, the proteins (caseins and whey) and carbohydrates (lactose)... Read more →
Q: What is the difference between Scones and Biscuits? -- Jolene Opinions vary on this question. Most sources avoid the question completely, referring to both as kinds of Quick Bread. In the book Baking With Julia, based on the PBS series hosted by Julia Child, Dorie Greenspan says that "[Scones] are made in a manner similar to biscuits... Read more →
Q: In A Trio of Bread Books, you mention "Baker's Percentage". What is it and how does it work? -- Pat R. Baker's Percentage is a notation method for bread recipes. Using Baker's Percentage, the amount of each ingredient is given as a weight, stated as a percentage of the total weight of flour used. For example, a simple white bread... Read more →
Q: What is the difference between black and green tea? -- Josie Tea, whether green or black, is made from leaves of the plant Camellia Sinensis. Beverages made by infusing the leaves or parts of other plants, such as rose hips, chamomile or mint, are technically tisanes. In making black teas, the leaves of the tea plant are left to wilt... Read more →
Q: I have been marinading some Tri-tip*, and am now ready to cook it. Is it safe to cook it in the marinade? -- Brieanna Marinade can be used to stew, braise or baste meat provided that it is boiled to kill any bacteria that may have transferred from the meat. To make a classic French Boeuf en Daube, cubes of beef are marinaded in red... Read more →