Copyright (c) 2013 FineCooking.com en-us FineCooking.com - "Test Kitchen" blog entries http://www.finecooking.com/blog/test-kitchen Wed, 22 May 2013 05:47:42 -0500 FineCooking.com - "Test Kitchen" blog entries http://www.finecooking.com/assets/images/cs_logo_sm.jpg http://www.finecooking.com/blog/test-kitchen Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:03:44 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/50935/know-your-custards http://www.finecooking.com/item/50935/know-your-custards Posted by JuliRoberts
A mixture of milk or cream, eggs, and sugar, custard can take many forms, depending on the specifics of each ingredient and how it’s cooked to make the custard set. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/50935/know-your-custards Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:58:14 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/50936/halve-tomatoes-and-peppers-for-easy-peeling http://www.finecooking.com/item/50936/halve-tomatoes-and-peppers-for-easy-peeling Posted by ShelleyWiseman
Cutting and broiling tomatoes and peppers makes it easy to peel them. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/50936/halve-tomatoes-and-peppers-for-easy-peeling Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:38:37 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/50930/use-the-right-strainer-for-the-job http://www.finecooking.com/item/50930/use-the-right-strainer-for-the-job Posted by ShelleyWiseman
There are no standards for coarse-, medium-, or fine-mesh sieves, so how do you know which is which? ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/50930/use-the-right-strainer-for-the-job Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:18:48 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/51117/test-salad-dressing-with-a-leaf http://www.finecooking.com/item/51117/test-salad-dressing-with-a-leaf Posted by ShelleyWiseman
Trying to get the right balance in your homemade salad dressing? This is one time you don't want to use your hands. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/51117/test-salad-dressing-with-a-leaf Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:12:42 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/50934/how-to-attach-a-thermometer-to-a-pot http://www.finecooking.com/item/50934/how-to-attach-a-thermometer-to-a-pot Posted by JenniferArmentrout
For some recipes you need to monitor water temperature. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/50934/how-to-attach-a-thermometer-to-a-pot Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:10:52 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/50941/a-workhorse-drain-rack-that-looks-good-too http://www.finecooking.com/item/50941/a-workhorse-drain-rack-that-looks-good-too Posted by ShelleyWiseman
We’ve tried a number of drain racks over the years and this is the first one we’ve really liked. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/50941/a-workhorse-drain-rack-that-looks-good-too Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:03:43 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/50931/two-easy-ways-to-squeeze-spinach http://www.finecooking.com/item/50931/two-easy-ways-to-squeeze-spinach Posted by FC_Editors
When it comes to squeezing excess water from cooked spinach, we've got a couple of tricks. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/50931/two-easy-ways-to-squeeze-spinach Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:08:49 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/50932/a-peeler-hulls-strawberries-too http://www.finecooking.com/item/50932/a-peeler-hulls-strawberries-too Posted by ShelleyWiseman
Vegetable peelers are an effective strawberry huller. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/50932/a-peeler-hulls-strawberries-too Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:00:20 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/50926/a-mexican-lime-juicer-is-perfect-for-key-limes http://www.finecooking.com/item/50926/a-mexican-lime-juicer-is-perfect-for-key-limes Posted by ShelleyWiseman
Key limes are too small for most citrus squeezers, so when we need to squeeze a lot of them, we reach for a hand-held Mexican lime juicer for easy juicing. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/50926/a-mexican-lime-juicer-is-perfect-for-key-limes Mon, 15 Apr 2013 08:51:19 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/50925/how-to-make-a-better-burger http://www.finecooking.com/item/50925/how-to-make-a-better-burger Posted by ShelleyWiseman
Rather than flattening the burgers with a spatula, which presses out all their lovely juice, try forming your burgers a little differently. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/50925/how-to-make-a-better-burger Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:05:58 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/49307/why-flour-a-cake-pan http://www.finecooking.com/item/49307/why-flour-a-cake-pan Posted by ShelleyWiseman
Many cake recipes instruct you to butter a cake pan and then flour it. We all know the butter stops the cake from sticking, but what does the flour do? ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/49307/why-flour-a-cake-pan Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:05:32 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/49309/use-your-rolling-pin-to-transfer-pie-dough http://www.finecooking.com/item/49309/use-your-rolling-pin-to-transfer-pie-dough Posted by ShelleyWiseman
Once you’ve rolled out the dough for a pie or quiche crust, your next task is to transfer it to the pie plate. The best way to do this is to roll it around the rolling pin and then unroll it over the plate. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/49309/use-your-rolling-pin-to-transfer-pie-dough Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:03:50 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/49308/how-to-test-fish-for-doneness http://www.finecooking.com/item/49308/how-to-test-fish-for-doneness Posted by ShelleyWiseman
Restaurant chefs have an ingenious way of checking whether a piece of fish is properly cooked without having to cut it open, and it’s something home cooks can easily do, too. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/49308/how-to-test-fish-for-doneness Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:03:11 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/49306/choosing-kitchen-towels http://www.finecooking.com/item/49306/choosing-kitchen-towels Posted by ShelleyWiseman
Cloth kitchen towels aren't just for drying dishes; they're often used for handling food, too. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/49306/choosing-kitchen-towels Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:02:12 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/38790/how-to-cut-a-chicken-into-pieces http://www.finecooking.com/item/38790/how-to-cut-a-chicken-into-pieces Posted by FC_Editors
To cut a whole chicken into pieces all you need is a sharp chef’s knife and kitchen shears. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/38790/how-to-cut-a-chicken-into-pieces Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:01:27 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/49297/why-you-need-a-bench-knife http://www.finecooking.com/item/49297/why-you-need-a-bench-knife Posted by ShelleyWiseman
A bench knife, also known as a pastry scraper, is a straight-edged metal rectangle with a handle along one side. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/49297/why-you-need-a-bench-knife Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:59:31 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/49302/how-to-truss-a-chicken http://www.finecooking.com/item/49302/how-to-truss-a-chicken Posted by FC_Editors
Learn how to truss a chicken to make it easier to handle during roasting or braising. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/49302/how-to-truss-a-chicken Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:23:13 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/49633/win-melissa-clarks-must-have-kitchenware http://www.finecooking.com/item/49633/win-melissa-clarks-must-have-kitchenware Posted by raitken_fcweb
At Melissa Clark's house, these kitchen tools make cooking a family affair. Leave a comment for your chance to win Melissa's favorite kitchenware. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/49633/win-melissa-clarks-must-have-kitchenware Thu, 27 Dec 2012 00:41:46 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/48393/for-a-good-sear-dry-early-season-late-and-dont-crowd http://www.finecooking.com/item/48393/for-a-good-sear-dry-early-season-late-and-dont-crowd Posted by JuliRoberts
Whether you’re browning meat to make a stew or a pot roast, or simply cooking cutlets for a quick dinner, there are some tricks to getting a nice, rich-looking sear. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/48393/for-a-good-sear-dry-early-season-late-and-dont-crowd Thu, 27 Dec 2012 00:38:55 -0500 http://www.finecooking.com/item/48391/separating-eggs-successfully http://www.finecooking.com/item/48391/separating-eggs-successfully Posted by ShelleyWiseman
Here are a few tips for separating egg whites from yolks. ]]> http://www.finecooking.com/item/48391/separating-eggs-successfully