Q: I have a jar of Kalamata olives in my fridge, that seem to have developed a white scum (for lack of a better word!). What is it, and are they still safe to eat? Kalamata and other olives may release some of the olive oil contained in the fruit into the pickling brine. The low temperature of the fridge will cause the oil to thicken and... Read more →

Q: What does the term "blind baking" refer to? When making pastries, tarts, flans, quiches or other items with a crust, it is sometimes necessary to bake the shell before the filling is put in. This helps prevent the filling from making the crust soggy or keeping it from cooking completely. It also allows you to cook the crust at a... Read more →

Q: I have heard that there is a way to tell if a steak is done by pressing on it and comparing that to your hand. How does this work? As steaks cook, the meat becomes progressively more firm as the muscle fiber in them tightens. By pressing on the center of the piece of meat, being careful not to burn yourself, you can tell how firm, and... Read more →

Q: Why do recipes for Fried Rice say to use leftover rice? Why can't I just cook the rice and use it right away? If you were to use just-made rice, it would continue to cook during the making of the final dish. The rice would become too soft, and starch released from it could make the entire dish mushy. But a little kitchen science can... Read more →

Q: What are the wispy white streamers that sometimes appear in vinegar? Those white streamers are called "Mother of Vinegar". They are clumps of the bacteria that turn alcohol into vinegar. Generally, they are harmless and you can just pour the vinegar off the top, leaving the mother behind. Sometimes, if left in the vinegar for a long... Read more →

Q: When I go to peel hard-boiled eggs, I end up with very small, messy-looking eggs, with big chunks of the white stuck to the shells. How do I get round this? Older eggs are easier to peel than new ones. As eggs age, some of the carbon dioxide contained in the albumen escapes, reducing its acidity. Research shows that the reduced... Read more →

The New Food Lover's Companion: Comprehensive Definitions of Nearly 6000 Food, Drink, and Culinary Terms by Sharon Tyler Herbst Ever wonder what a Salmagundi is? Or a Salamander? Need to know what cheese is used in Saganaki? You can learn about these and literally thousands of other food terms in The New Food Lover's Companion. And... Read more →

Q: What kind of frying pan (non-stick, stainless, cast iron) should I use? I am not sure that there is a definitive answer to your questions, but here are a few hints: Look at the recipe. If it calls for making a pan gravy or sauce in the pan after meat or other ingredients are cooked, then you want to use a pan that does not have a non-... Read more →

One of my wife's favorite appetizers when we have company is Pissaladiere, a caramelized onion tart from Provençe. She enjoys the combination of sweet, salty and savory tastes, and the soft and firm textures. To me, Pissaladiere is a perfect example of how flavors can be built, each upon the last, to give an exciting dish with variety... Read more →

Q: Why do my baked beans never seem to cook completely, no matter how long I leave them in the oven? Beans cooked in water that contains a high level of calcium can take a very long time to cook, or may never soften at all. The calcium combines with the pectins between cells in the beans. The strengthened pectins reinforce the walls of... Read more →