Seasoned Advice
Seasoned Advice

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1500 questions
27
votes
14 answers

Is there a trick for softening butter quickly?

I often don't realize a baking recipe requires softened butter until after I start adding in the other wet ingredients and it's too late to wait for butter to soften the normal way (with time). So, I will usually microwave the butter until it…
JMann
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27
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3 answers

Does cooking food inside a pressure cooker and then leaving it locked preserve it similar to canning?

I have made some food in my pressure cooker and left it in room temperature for over a week. When I opened it, there was no mold. I threw it out because it might have still been bad, but this got me thinking. Since canning is basically cooking food…
MatthewRock
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27
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1 answer

Do plastic cutting boards dull knives faster than wood boards?

I've heard on numerous occasions that plastic cutting boards dull knives faster than wood boards. I use a large wooden cutting board often, but recently I've been finding it heavy and it sometimes leaves behind a flavour on food despite good…
Behacad
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27
votes
4 answers

Is my microwave damaged if I can smell the food inside it?

I think I can smell the food inside my microwave. Is that bad? I figured it's not necessarily unsafe, since you only need a cage to block the microwaves from escaping, but I'm not familiar with the precise architecture of a microwave oven.
user81291
27
votes
2 answers

What are these tiny kidney bean sized things in my rotisserie chicken

I was trying to separate the bone and chicken meat to make soup when all of a sudden I see these tiny kidney bean things.literally the same size and everything but it was inside the chicken. Which is a rotisserie style chicken from the store. What…
Paige Patterson
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27
votes
2 answers

How much caffeine would there be if I reuse tea leaves in a second brewing?

If you look for information about the amount of caffeine present in a cup of tea, the amounts vary depending on the kind of tea, if the tea is bagged or loose leaves, the brand, and other factors. Nonetheless, the values estimated range from the 25…
Charlie
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27
votes
5 answers

What research is there on tea preparation?

I'm a fan of modernist cooking, and its emphasis on precise measurements and consistency. I'm curious how to apply this to tea preparation - in particular, several things: It seems to be well established that different types of tea should be…
Nick Johnson
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26
votes
7 answers

What to use instead of cling film to wrap pastry

I'm trying to stay away from single use plastics for the environment. The only kitchen thing I have not yet managed to find a substitute for is wrapping pastry in cling film to let it rest in the fridge before rolling and baking. What can I use…
user141592
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26
votes
1 answer

Why are bay leaves used whole and then removed rather than crushed up like other spices?

Recently when making a 5-bean-stew "kit" my son finely crushed up the bay leaves and added them to the other spices, rather than adding them whole to be removed after cooking. When I pointed out his error, he asked me why bay leaves were different…
DQdlM
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26
votes
9 answers

Should I use salted or unsalted butter if the recipe doesn't specify?

When recipes call for “butter” but doesn’t specify “salted” or “unsalted”, which should I use? Does it matter?
Laila
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26
votes
4 answers

Does the fruit label get put on a bad spot, or does the bad spot develop as a result of the label?

So often when I take the little barcode sticker off the piece of fruit when I'm washing it, I discover a blemish under the sticker. Is that because the sticker was placed so as to cover up the blemish, or because the act of putting on the sticker…
aparente001
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26
votes
6 answers

Which torch to buy for finishing sous vide meat? Butane or propane?

I have started cooking sous vide and am thinking of buying a torch to finish off the meat. I have seen stores selling little butane torches for creme brulees, but some have claimed they are not hot enough and I should use propane. On the other hand,…
luispedro
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26
votes
15 answers

How to quickly soften hard, dried out brown sugar

I had some brown sugar that didn't get properly sealed and so now it's too dry and solid as a rock. What's the quickest way to soften it up and get rid of the clumps? Folks have suggested leaving an apple with it in a bag overnight; any suggestions…
notpeter
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26
votes
12 answers

What to look for in a kitchen scale

I'm thinking of buying a modern, probably electronic kitchen scale, to replace my really ancient mechanical one. I'm located in Bombay, India. I'm wondering what considerations should inform my decision. Possible points include: Should the scale be…
Faheem Mitha
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26
votes
5 answers

Is there a word for the flavour shared by onion, spring onion, shallot, leek, and chive?

Among the flavours of onions, spring onions, shallots, leeks, and chives there is one that they share. Is there a name for it?
user60495
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