Q: I am seeing star anise everywhere on cooking shows lately. I can’t even say I know what it tastes like, let alone how to use it.
Please satisfy my viewer curiosity and help me use a new, fun-looking ingredient!
Sent by Sara
Author: Faith Durand
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How Can I Learn to Use Star Anise in My Cooking? Good Questions
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What Can I Cook with Venison Neck Bone? Good Questions
Q: Recently my fiance and I received a bunch of venison meats from his family as a result of their hunting trip last year. We used everything — the roasts, steaks, venison beef — until just one thing remained in our freezer: The neck bone. How do I use neck bones for cooking? Thank you so much; you’re helping two college students make the most of their budget!
Sent by Camolai
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Can You Help Me Find a Recipe for Creamy Malai Kofta? Good Questions
Q: I am fairly new to Indian cuisine but I recently tried something called Malai Kofta. I loved it! The sauce was like velvet, with loads of heavy cream.I researched this recipe online only to be faced with recipes using tomatoes. The dish I had definitely did not include tomatoes. I think the main ingredient must have been pistachios. The sauce was very light green in color, very creamy, and was served with the koftas and sprinkle of nuts on top.
Any ideas for better web research, or does anyone have a recipe to something similar?
Sent by Jessica
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What Are Good Lunches That Don’t Need To Be Reheated? Good Questions
Q: One of my New Year’s resolutions is to pack my lunch for work more often. Sadly though, my office here in New York City does not have a microwave. (I’m lobbying for one!)In the meantime, can you direct me to some easy and packable lunch options that do not require re-heating? Do you have any suggestions for some subway-friendly lunch containers/bags?
Sent by Jen
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What Are Some Alternative to Cheese For Topping Pizza? Good Questions
Q: Pizza is on the weekly rotation at our house. We generally enjoy them with plenty of good sauce and plenty of cheese. Now, though, I’ve become somewhat lactose intolerant and mozzarella seems especially intolerable. Although I can take a lactase supplement, I thought maybe I could also branch out in my pizza toppings. What do readers put on top of their pizzas when they don’t use cheese?
Sent by Heather
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Why Did My Cookies Get Soggy (And Can I Save Them)? Good Questions
Q: My sister and I made Linzer cookies, and they turned out swimmingly, but I stored them in a Tupperware container with a lid that fall slightly short of airtight, and now the cookies are soggy. Is there any way I can save them at this point?
Sent by Ariel
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How Can I Keep Food Fresh in a Too-Hot Apartment? Good Questions
Q: Help! I live in an apartment where I have no control over the heat temperature during the winter months. I love to cook, but anything not in the fridge spoils quickly because of the dry heat! (Onions, garlic, bread, potatoes…) Average temps within my apartment are 75 degrees. Do you have any suggestions for keeping food fresh in a warm/hot apartment?
Sent by Liz
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How Should I Cook Really Big Pasta? Good Questions
Q: I am seeing more and more very large dried specialty pastas — ones that are sometimes about two feet long! They look beautiful and I would love to try them at some point but does anyone know how to cook them? I know that angel hair pasta sits out of the water for 30 seconds and then it softens enough to get pushed into the water, but these look daunting! I’m sure there is a way to cook them without boiling?
Sent by Allison
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How Can I Make a Jack Daniels or Whiskey Simple Syrup? Good Questions
Q: I’d like to make a variation on Shirley Temple cupcakes, and recreate them as Jack & Gingers. My husband adores this drink.I am looking for any thoughts on how I might go about creating a Jack Daniels simple syrup. One recipe I found suggested adding a shot to a standard simple syrup recipe, but I just don’t think that will have the amount of Jack flavor I am hoping for.
Sent by Sara
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Good Recipes for Small-Portioned Sweet Treats for Two? Good Questions
Q: I was wondering if you had any tasty baked goods recipes for two. I want to make something special to share with my partner for Valentine’s Day, but since it’s just the two of us the notion of a whole batch of cupcakes or an entire cake just isn’t very practical.
Any ideas? Thanks!
Sent by Claudia
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Difference Between a Waffle Iron and Waffle Maker? Good Questions
Q: Is there a difference between a waffle iron and a waffle maker?I’ve been wondering about this for some time and I just came across the waffle recipe in one of the best of 2009 articles. Is one stronger than the other (their names make it sound like it)? Will you get the same result?
I have a waffle maker I think, but if the iron will make something even better, I may consider investing in one later on.
Sent by Debbie
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Should I Tip My Cooking Class Instructor? Good Questions
Q: I’m taking my first cooking class this weekend with my beau for Valentine’s Day. The class is run by a few ladies — one of whom will be our teacher for the evening. Does one typically tip a cooking teacher after the lesson, even if he or she is the owner of the business?
Sent by Tanya
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What Would Be a Good Lunch for a Valentine’s Ski Trip? Good Questions
Q: What is a good lunch to pack for a Valentine’s ski trip that requires an overnight stay in a hotel beforehand? We will have a camping cooler. I want it to be tasty since its our first trip to Tahoe together and for Valentine’s.I figure I can bring cookies, non-perishables, and make a thermos of coffee or cocoa in the hotel. I want to make sandwiches but unsure about this, in case there is no mini-fridge.
Sent by Karolyn
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Look! Disco Ball in the Kitchen
This rather muted, traditional kitchen has one really offbeat accessory. Can you see it? It’s a disco ball!
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What Is the Best Way To: Wash Dishes?
Washing dishes seems like a self-evident task: Suds-up, scrub, and rinse. But there are myriads of variations in people’s dishwashing habits and technique! What do you think is the very best way to wash dishes? Do you soak silverware ahead of time? Do you use a loofah, or a sponge, or a dishcloth? Do you use a plastic scrubbie, or steel wool? Extra-hot water, or lukewarm? Tell us your tricks, tips, and best ways to wash up.
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Winter Olympics Recipe: Nanaimo Bars
The Winter Olympics begin this Friday in one of our favorite cities: Vancouver, B.C. (See our food-lover’s guide to Vancouver here!) In honor of the Olympics, we’re bringing you a famous regional recipe: Nanaimo Bars. We’ve given you a recipe for this treat before, but this one has some significant differences that makes it a little easier to replicate in your own kitchen.
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How To Carve a Roast Chicken: The Video Home Hacks
This was one of the most requested how tos this month: How to carve a roast chicken! This is also our first attempt at a slightly longer video; it goes quite in-depth on how to cut up a chicken.
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What Can I Cook With Sake? Good Questions
Q: I had an Asian-themed potluck dinner and a friend brought a large bottle of sake. I don’t particularly like drinking it, but I know you can cook with it. Does anyone have any recipes with sake?
Sent by Gabrielle
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Are $15 Tomatoes Worth It? Plus Kenyan Food & The Claw This Time Last Year
This time last year we were gearing up for Valentine’s Day, so we had a firestarter of Baked Alaska to show you! Plus we had a series on Kenyan food, some winter recipes, and another session of knife skills. And to round it out there was a look at ten kitchen improvements for renters, and heart-shaped foods for Valentine’s!
