Copyright (c) 2013 FineCooking.com en-us FineCooking.com - "Food Science" blog entries http://www.finecooking.com/blog/food-geek Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:13:07 -0500 FineCooking.com - "Food Science" blog entries http://www.finecooking.com/assets/images/cs_logo_sm.jpg http://www.finecooking.com/blog/food-geek Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:57:47 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/50900/the-science-of-ice-cream http://www.finecooking.com/item/50900/the-science-of-ice-cream Posted by FC_Editors
A few tricks can help make this summer treat its smooth, creamy best. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/50900/the-science-of-ice-cream Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:58:54 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/49607/the-science-of-pressure-cookers http://www.finecooking.com/item/49607/the-science-of-pressure-cookers Posted by FC_Editors
These are no ordinary pots--they deliver incredible slow-cooked flavor in a fraction of the time. Here’s how. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/49607/the-science-of-pressure-cookers Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:25:24 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/48328/the-science-of-frying http://www.finecooking.com/item/48328/the-science-of-frying Posted by FC_Editors
The hows and whys behind this popular cooking technique. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/48328/the-science-of-frying Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:13:48 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/48260/the-deal-with-bread-dough http://www.finecooking.com/item/48260/the-deal-with-bread-dough Posted by TheFoodGeek
Different types of doughs require different techniques, and sometime familiarity with one dough's method takes you down the wrong path with another type of dough. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/48260/the-deal-with-bread-dough Thu, 01 Nov 2012 13:09:35 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/47380/cream-of-the-crop http://www.finecooking.com/item/47380/cream-of-the-crop Posted by TheFoodGeek
What is Culinary Cream, and is there a good substitute for adding to hot or acidic liquids? ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/47380/cream-of-the-crop Fri, 28 Sep 2012 14:37:28 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/46530/how-eggs-provide-lift http://www.finecooking.com/item/46530/how-eggs-provide-lift Posted by TheFoodGeek
Adding an egg to a cake mixture will tend to cause the cake to rise more. What is it about eggs that provide lift, even without making a foam? ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/46530/how-eggs-provide-lift Fri, 31 Aug 2012 18:17:40 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/45952/salt-pasta-and-water http://www.finecooking.com/item/45952/salt-pasta-and-water Posted by TheFoodGeek
We salt our pasta water because our pasta is unsalted, but why is our pasta unsalted? ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/45952/salt-pasta-and-water Tue, 31 Jul 2012 08:30:00 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/45309/its-only-mostly-cooked http://www.finecooking.com/item/45309/its-only-mostly-cooked Posted by TheFoodGeek
The techniques of blanching and parboiling seem awfully similar. Are they the same? ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/45309/its-only-mostly-cooked Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:14:26 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/44581/saucy-lumps-and-how-to-avoid-them http://www.finecooking.com/item/44581/saucy-lumps-and-how-to-avoid-them Posted by TheFoodGeek
Lumps in a sauce are the sign of a cook who isn't your grandmother, and is therefore an inferior cook. Learn to avoid the lumps, and be ready for a better comparison at holiday meals. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/44581/saucy-lumps-and-how-to-avoid-them Thu, 17 May 2012 08:30:00 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/43369/the-why-of-the-wooden-spoon http://www.finecooking.com/item/43369/the-why-of-the-wooden-spoon Posted by TheFoodGeek
Recipes sometimes specify using a wooden spoon. What's wrong with plastic? ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/43369/the-why-of-the-wooden-spoon Tue, 03 Apr 2012 07:10:33 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/42189/slow-cooking-secrets http://www.finecooking.com/item/42189/slow-cooking-secrets Posted by TheFoodGeek
Too often the results of a night of slow cooking are a grey, gooey mess. If you're making oatmeal, that's not so bad, but for most things, it's icky. Here are some tricks to slow cooking success. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/42189/slow-cooking-secrets Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:19:00 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/40690/a-new-method-for-panna-cotta http://www.finecooking.com/item/40690/a-new-method-for-panna-cotta Posted by TheFoodGeek
A reader runs across a new method for making panna cotta, but it seems vaguely familiar in a different context. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/40690/a-new-method-for-panna-cotta Sun, 19 Feb 2012 09:45:00 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/39089/the-dos-and-donts-of-slow-cookers http://www.finecooking.com/item/39089/the-dos-and-donts-of-slow-cookers Posted by FC_Editors
Using a slow cooker has unique benefits, but it isn't completely foolproof. Here are some dos and don'ts to help your next slow cooked meal come out perfectly. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/39089/the-dos-and-donts-of-slow-cookers Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:20:00 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/38740/make-the-most-of-your-slow-cooker http://www.finecooking.com/item/38740/make-the-most-of-your-slow-cooker Posted by FC_Editors
The hows and whys behind cooking with this popular kitchen appliance. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/38740/make-the-most-of-your-slow-cooker Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:06:34 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/39875/ginger-ale-ginger-beer http://www.finecooking.com/item/39875/ginger-ale-ginger-beer Posted by TheFoodGeek
What's the difference between ginger ale and ginger beer, and is there really such a thing as a "ginger beer plant"? ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/39875/ginger-ale-ginger-beer Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:30:00 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/39248/mashed-potato-textures http://www.finecooking.com/item/39248/mashed-potato-textures Posted by TheFoodGeek
Potatoes processed with a ricer have a different texture than those processed with a mixer. Why? ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/39248/mashed-potato-textures Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:33:59 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/39026/cucumber-preservation http://www.finecooking.com/item/39026/cucumber-preservation Posted by TheFoodGeek
Though it's not the best for the environment, there are reasons to wrap cucumbers in plastic. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/39026/cucumber-preservation Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:32:27 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/38545/flattened-cookies http://www.finecooking.com/item/38545/flattened-cookies Posted by TheFoodGeek
Sometimes what should be a nice, puffed-up cookie falls flat. Literally. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/38545/flattened-cookies Thu, 17 Nov 2011 07:29:08 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/37958/less-moist-dehydration-at-home http://www.finecooking.com/item/37958/less-moist-dehydration-at-home Posted by TheFoodGeek
Sometimes you get a bounty of tasty food that you want to preserve, but you don't want to take up all that freezer space and you've canned about as much as you're going to can. Do you buy a specialty machine to do that, or are there other options? ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/37958/less-moist-dehydration-at-home Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:45:00 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/37787/how-baby-carrots-are-made http://www.finecooking.com/item/37787/how-baby-carrots-are-made Posted by TheFoodGeek
There are no storks, but baby carrots often have to go a ways to get to your home ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/37787/how-baby-carrots-are-made