Live Q&As

If you can manage the cost, try a Thermapen. I have one. Design's right, doesn't fail, seems quite accurate. It is hand-held, though.

No, not poisonous, just bitter (although I haven't really had anything ruined by the stuff). The easiest thing to do is cut the clove in half from where it was attached to the head down to the pointed tip and scrape it out of the middle with your knife.

This is just the kind of Free Range question that gets a lot of response. David Lebovitz likes to wrap his baguette in a clean dish towel; I tend to cut half, wrap and freeze if I expect to eat it through the week. We had limited success when we tested Artisan Bread Bags made especially for baguettes; when I cut from a baguette, i tend to leave the ends whole and cut farther up, so i can put the cut sides together and enclose the remaining bread in a bag (or towel). Okay, chatters...add on!

I dug up a few ideas for you. A. Litteri in the city sells it, although it's not in stock at the moment. Bella Italia in Bethesda said they typically carry it, but suggested you call ahead. The Italian Store in Arlington says they can special order it for you.

Patty -- too funny. Let me ask about your ingredients for the burgers: What soy protein did you use? Was it  Gimme Lean?

Let's narrow things down:  Do you use recipes that start with a chilled dough? Softened or melted butter? Do you bake on the middle rack? Do you wait till the oven's fully preheated? Do you ever use parchment paper or a silicone liner?

I'd recommend two books: Molecular Gastronomy by Herve This and Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking.  I can't recommend any quick recipe's now, but you can easily find online molecular gastonomy kits.  You will be able to make your virtual caviar with all sorts of yummy chemicals.

Yeah, I think changing the temperature and baking time so significantly (our 20 minutes at 350 vs. your eight hours at 200) would definitely doom you to failure! Do follow the recipe as it's written, because that's how we tested it.

I'm not exactly sure what would possess anyone in this time-crazed day and age to stretch a cooking time from 20 minutes to 8 hours, so as Becky pointed out, that was a non-starter. Also, there's no way that a pound of cream cheese fluffed with two eggs and sugar would translate to a half-inch of batter in a 9-inch pie pan lined with a crust. As far as denseness is concerned, I'm a fan of that—in a cheesecake, that is. 

Sure, but that begets more questions. So in what form/temp  is the butter (or shortening)? I think parchment would help immensely; easy cleanup and almost eliminates the spreading. One more thing: ratio of fat to flour?

That might have been your problem. The recipe specifically suggests Gimme Lean because it has a very moist, sausage-y quality and it holds together well. When we first tested the BGR Veggie Burger recipe, we used a more crumbly product, and our burgers turned out like yours: They didn't hold together. Even so, we really liked the taste.

This is so true. A good baguette, in my experience, starts to turn within 24 hours. That's why when I buy one, I plan to eat it that evening.

It's conflicting because if you add chemicals to dough for a preservative your bread will last longer, but an all natural product, which I stand for, will only last a few hours after being baked. It's just flour and water, that's bread.

I think the Oriental Express Sauce would be fine for stir-frying. It's really a great-tasting sauce. Try it and see!

Not a silly question at all. You can search our database by date, although you'll only get as far down as the month (and year) a recipe was published. But since I have some time and you asked so nicely, here's a recap of last week's recipes:

Betty's Best BBQ Sauce
Brandy Cocktail
Grilled Cabbage
Grilled King Oyster Mushroom and Poblano Sandwich

Janelle's Delectable Sauce
Kale and Cucumber Salad With Avocado-Tahini Dressing
Mushroom, Spinach and Carrot Biryani
New England Blueberry Pudding

Okra, Corn and Tomatoes
Oriental Express Sauce
Roasted Red Pepper, Tuna and Bean Salad

Smoky Cabbage and Udon Slaw
Wild Rice, Mint and Pomegranate Salad

In general, yes. When I do our nutritional analyses, I have to think about what gets done to the food. So, for example, when you deep-fry something, not all the oil is absorbed. Or if a sauce is strained, what gets discarded? Is something only steeped in liquid? Does all the dressing get used? Those types of things.

It's a good question, actually, and can lead to some uncomfortable moments for those who eat blue cheese that's turned.

The general signs to look for when a blue cheese goes bad: a yellowing of the crumbly ivory-colored curds, a distinct ammonia aroma wafting off the cheese, a change in texture from crumbly to soft and squishy.

If you detect any of these, toss that cheese.

A good question!

You could blend for a cold soup or puree for a sauce; maybe throw a few knobs of butter into the blender or processor if  the vegetables are still warm. You could stir the puree into a risotto or serve over polenta. I'd go light on the green bell pepper.

I have that same issue from this past weekend. If I don't eat all of it myself today, I will turn it into mac and cheese. I have frozen it before (people shudder at the thought) and the texture changes a bit but isn't awful, especially if you reconstitute with some additional mayo.

Sounds like you have the makings for a Basic Herb Mix,  which is so multipurpose and can go into any dressing recipe you like. There's also this great Save-the-Herbs Pesto and even an herb mix for chicken.  Have you ever made a salad  entirely of herbs, tho? If not, you're in for a treat.

You can find all kinds of options in our cooking class list. Where do you live? You might want to check with your locality's adult ed department. Arlington County, for example, has some classes that sound right up your alley -- How to Boil Water, Cooking Fundamentals I, Cooking Fundamentals II, Men in the Kitchen: Beginner Cooking. Of course, anyone can take their classes -- it will just be more expensive for non-county residents. Looks like some of those are already full for this term, but you get the idea.

More on the baguette controversy....

Hmm. It's a fairly standard recipe that looks like it definitely calls for the butter to be softened. Otherwise, how are you able to work it into the sugar/then the dough properly? Also, I think you ought to use unsalted butter. This recipe calls for a teaspoon and that's a fair amount already. (Doesn't have an impact on your spreading probs, though.)  Chilling choc chip cookie dough's usually a good idea...do you remember the revelations from a famous recipe a few years back? An overnight or two in the fridge makes for a more flavorful dough.

Tell you what: Follow this tested recipe from our database: Chock-Full of Chocolate Chip Cookies. Report back! I think you'll have a hit on your hands.

Like your friend, I had assumed borscht was always made with beets. That it wouldn't, in fact couldn't, be borscht without the root vegetable. But according to this informative piece in the L.A. Times, there is a beet-less borscht known as "bialy barszcz," or Polish white borscht.  Could this be your grandmother's recipe?

Unfortunately, Jim Shahin is not with us today, so I'll attempt to wear his hat today, since he's been my official barbecue guru for about five years now.

I don't know whether your brother-in-law is a beginner or an experienced griller, but either way, I think Steven Raichlen's "How to Grill" book is a good primer on barbecue. The thing about barbecue is that it can't be learned in a book. Not really. It has to be learned by hard, ugly experience. Tips will help you avoid some mistakes, but barbecue is a fickle enterprise. Just when you think you've mastered it, your grill/smoker tells you otherwise.

As for accessories, I think you need a few things: a sturdy pair of thongs, grill gloves, a good brush and, if you are not skilled at knowing meat temperatures by touch, a decent meat thermometer.

Well, I use my microwave all the time. When I cheat for dinner, I can't imagine not having it around to heat up an emergency frozen entree from Trader Joe's. I use it to melt butter and chocolate, reheat leftovers and, yes, cook corn on the cob. That's just a start. I can't imagine life without it!

I'm with Becky. I love the microwave for defrosting, softening butter and cream cheese, melting chocolate. I made brown butter in it, per Christina Tosi's suggestion in the Momofuku Milk Cookbook, and it turned out perfect and not as messy as doing it on the stove. Plus reheating leftovers, steaming fish and vegetables in papillote, warming stocks for sauces.

To me, the clock is ticking on a baguette from the moment it comes out of the oven. It's something meant to be bought and consumed daily. If there is leftover bread, I make croutons. Or I store in a plastic bag (horror!) knowing that the next day I will halve it lengthwise and toast it in the oven for breakfast or grill it for crostini. 

As to the remote thermometer, this is something I have always touted as a kitchen essential.It takes all the guesswork out of roasting/grilling meat.  Mine is a Taylor and I'm sure it cost less than $20. It works like a charm.

Yes, it can. But it will alter the homogenized texture of your milk. The fat will separate, but you can shake the thawed milk and help redistribute the fat. It won't be the same, however, as your homogenized milk.

Chatters? Any help?

To me, the molecular gastronomy thing is like a high-fashion concept dress on  a Paris runway. It's not actually meant to be worn by anyone and not practical in any sense, but it is new and provocative. Elements will eventually filter down to the mainstream and become part of the vernacular.

Turning everything into powders, foams and extracts and providing instructions on how to eat food to diners started off as twee and self-indulgent, a form of cooking more about the person making the food than the person eating it. But now look what has happened in the hands of people who really care about the diner. They want them to have an intersting experience and have discovered that sous-vide cooking, for example, does marvelous things to vegetables. Or that you can inject a hint of smoke into a dish just before you serve it or make ice cream in seconds using liquid nitrogen. This is progress. Are these items essential? Not necessarily. I do just fine at home without a truffle slicer, but I do love my mandoline and microplane. Cedric should weigh in here. 

I'll add my two cents here: I think molecular gastronomy is more like the avant garde in the art movement. It's absolutley necessary for food to evolve and grow. It's not for everyone, but it's not supposed to be. It's for people who think of food as more than nourishment and nutrients. This is as valid as any way to think of food.

Besides, molecular gastronomy is just taking food chemistry to another level.  It often breaks down ingredients in unique ways and then reassembles  them in different forms. I'm not always a fan of what's produced, but I respect those who explore this field.

Made our day. :)

Another valid question!

Sure. Okay -- we all are jonesing for cookies now.

Are there ever enough? The recipe we've given this chatter ought to solve that problem, but I'm sure Maida's works like a charm as well.

I understand the sentiment. Nothing beats good caviar. But this is what the food industry does: It exerpiments to create processed foods. The only way to stop it is to not buy it.

The Sticky Rice tater tot dipping sauce has been a closely guarded secret -- or a clever marketing ploy (or both). Whatever the case, the Washington City Paper tried to recreate the sauce -- and they thought they came close to the real thing.

Good ideas for leftovers.

Twenty minutes isn't really forever -- just when you've got hungry mouths to feed. :) Generally, the heavier the pot, the longer it will take for the water to boil. If you're boiling water for pasta and have a filter on your tap or an electric kettle, start with heated water to cut down on energy/time.

From the looks of things, our chatters have a lot of stale bread on hand.

None of us here own a Montel model, but I own a VitaMix and think it's awesome. Which one do chefs have in their professional kitchens? Shop around and find a good deal on eBay.

We've been using FreshPaper since Jane Black's Smarter Food story ran a few weeks ago. It definitely extends the life of the berries. As for bananas, we've never heard that separating them makes them last longer. Also, transfer them to a container or bowl so they have a little more air around each berry/they're not touching each other so much.

Here's the Handy Guide on on ranges by our Local Living colleague Jura Koncius.

Who wants to rave about their oven? I have no complaints about my GE Profile stove (it's a double oven, which I love), but I think that's probably out of your price range. (And mine, really, but it was an awesome bonus when we bought our house the other year.) 

Imagine a smaller version of a professional kitchen, a lot smaller, and keep all of the fancy tools in a cupboard. Amidst the late night snacks, you'll find the George Foreman grill, a magic bullet, a crock pot - basically everything that allowed me to create fast food. Don't forget that I spend 6 or 7 days a week lately at the restaurant so tools that cut down on prep and cooking time and indispesible for my beauty sleep. 

I find this whole discussion rather amusing, because a baguette has a snowball's chance in you-know-where of lasting 24 hours in my house.

Not to get too promotional here, but you might look back on this interview I did with Ferran Adria last year. He clearly has mixed feelings about his work, but I suspect that's because he's a sensitive guy who takes criticism seriously.

You're welcome, on behalf of Joe Yonan, who came up with that Smoky Cabbage and Udon Slaw recipe.  (You used a head each? No wonder the yield was so generous!) Savoy cabbage would probably work just fine -- with frilly charring on the ends of the leaves, even. I must try that. Certainly just loved the grilled cabbage aspect....

We're having a tough time summoning our memory to remember what it looked like on the inside. Anyone want to help us out? 

You could also download the first chapter of the Kindle edition and see if you like how it looks.

Nice.

Funny you should mention this. I've been smoking ribs for years now and have started to encounter this problem of blackened ribs. They look burnt, but they're not. They typically taste great.

I used to think it was from oversmoking -- that the blackening was the result of those great wafts of indirect apple/cherry wood smoke from my off-set barrel smoker. But my last batch of ribs were wrapped in foil for most of their 4.5 hour cooking time -- and they still turned out black as night. I'm beginning to think it's the foil wrap itself. There's something about sealing in the heat and moisture that turns my simple salt-and-pepper seasoning dark.

This is just a theory, but I'm going to test it and see if I'm correct.

You could add miso to any soup base to add another layer of flavor.  Just be careful with the sodium content.

It's pretty easy to smoke things using a bit of hay in a pot on the stovetop, or even soaked wood chips in a stovetop smoker.

If I recall my prior endeavors, I've put in a bit of sugar to taste into my tomatillo salsa to cut into that acidity.

By cooking down a lot of  vidalia onions from the farmer's market you can balance your over-acidic salsa with the natural sweetness of the onion, but make sure the onion is almost caremelized.

Poke the soft skin between the thumb and forefinger of an unclenched hand. This is how very rare/raw meat feels. Now make a fist, but don't clench it. Poke the same area. This is what medium rare meat feels like. Now clench lightly—this is medium. Now clench very tight. If your steak feels like this, throw it out.

Sounds delicious. Where did you buy this broccoli slaw?

Depends on your feelings about our water quality, I guess. If the tap water's boiled, I don't see the diff.

Wine columnist Dave McIntyre responds:

How about once a month? If you paid attention and read my column every week you would know that on the first Wednesday of each month I recommend six "Bargain Wines" that are usually around $15 and under - often under $10 - and outperform for the price. I only recently dropped the moniker "Recession Busters" for these, but I've kept the monthly focus on extreme values, and quite frankly I keep that focus in the rest of my columns too. (I didn't call the $22 Chardonnay a "bargain", by the way - that's your word - though I could easily have put the "Great Value" label on it. Value and Bargain are not interchangeable.)
I write for several audiences - including people who pay attention to their wines and appreciate the nuances that terroir and a winemaker's technique add to them; including people who can afford to pay $40 or more once in awhile; and including those who prefer to pay $10 or less but are willing to search for small-production, family-produced wines from France, Spain or elsewhere and selected by specialty importers to provide extreme value so that these readers don't have to go to Safeway all the time for the same old industrially-produced wines.
Sorry about that run-on sentence, but your mean-spirited comment only shows that you do NOT read my columns regularly. Even if you're not inclined to search out the wines I listed today, I hope you enjoyed the column and maybe will think about these issues as you drink your favorite wines. And please keep reading - next week is the first Wednesday of June and I bet you'll find some wines for $10 and less worth trying.

This should give you a range of options.

The chatter is welcome to share their panzanella recipe, but here are some of ours:

Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad

Panzanella Salad

Roasted Caprese Panzanella Salad

Books: anything by Jacques Pépin and The Joy of Cooking. Essential equipment: a brain, a palate, a set of hands, a remote thermometer, a good chef's knife and a good quality sauté pan.

Studies have shown that vinegars have a virtually unlimited shelf life; the acids in vinegar are essentially self-preserving. The sediment and discoloring are normal for aging vinegars.

Suet is beef fat (raw) or sometimes mutton fat that you ought to be able to get from  a good meat department or, preferably, your local butcher. Even if it's used for bird feeder cakes, I'd stick with a supply I mentioned rather than the pet aisle.  The lard you find might be rendered fat, so it wouldn't work the same.