CookwareAsked Feb 09, 2022 by Sonya W.
What’s the best type of baking sheet? I wonder if my nonstick baking sheets are emitting chemicals, especially when I do high heat roasting. Should I look for plain aluminum? Or is there some thing else? I usually use parchment paper anyway. I use baking sheets for everything from cookies to traybakes to roasting veggies. Thanks for your expertise!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Sonya - We don't recommend nonstick sheet trays for the reason you mentioned. They are not approved for high-heat cooking and we often use them at temperatures above 400 degrees. Additionally, nonstick sheet pans are often made of thin metal and tend to warp in the heat of the oven. We, instead, recommend a heavy-gauge aluminum sheet tray like this one from NordicWare, which will retain even heat and won't warp. Using a sheet of parchment paper will keep most any food from sticking and make for easy cleanup. Best, The Milk Street Team
Read MoreAsked Feb 09, 2022 by James B.
What size Dutch oven is used in the recipes? I have seen 7 quart.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi James - We use a 7-quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Best, The Milk Street Team
Read MoreAsked Feb 09, 2022 by James B.
I have seen some recipes call for non-stick pans. Others do not mention anything more than a 12
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi James - We only ever call for a nonstick skillet - sometimes 10", sometimes 12." As a general rule, if we are calling for a specific type of skillet (nonstick, cast iron or carbon steel) we will specify. If we don't say, you can assume a stainless steel skillet. For saucepans or pots, assume stainless steel. We don't find a nonstick pot necessary for most recipes made in a saucepan. Best, The Milk Street Team
Read MoreAsked Feb 07, 2022 by federica N.
Hi, I made the potato gnocchi recipe (March-April 2019) and while they came out really good and all, not gummy, light and fluffy, by letting them cool for 15 min to firm up, they also are no longer hot when eating them. I prepared them with pesto, so the sauce was room temperature already. What would u suggest? let them dry up in the oven at 200F instead of on the counter? Just skip the step? reheat them? thx!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Federica - We would probably put them in a skillet with a little bit of reserved pasta water (maybe a few tablespoons - 1/4 cup of water?) over low - medium-low heat until they are hot again. Then toss with the pesto. We always recommend adding a little bit of reserved pasta water with pesto anyway so it shouldn't negatively impact the sauce. Best, The Milk Street Team
Read MoreAsked Feb 01, 2022 by L K.
Unlike most bread recipes I've made, the Butternut Squash brioche does not include instructions to punch down the dough after the first proofing & before refrigerating the dough. Is this an error or intentional? Thanks/
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi L.K. - "Punching down" the dough is sort of antiquated term since most bread bakers prefer to be a little more gentle with their dough. For example, in a focaccia or artisan loaf you don't want to knock all of the air out or you won't get that light, bubbly texture inside. The goal in punching it down is to simply prevent it from over proofing. Since we are cutting and rolling this dough to form it, there's no need for a formal "punch down" as the cutting and rolling process will deflate it enough to prevent over proofing. Best, The Milk Street Team
Read MoreAsked Jan 28, 2022 by Joseph W.
In last night's class on Advanced Flavor Techniques, Rosie talked about Milk Street theory. Part of that discussion centered around "warm" and "cool" foods and ingrediants. It seemed that warmth and coolness partly refer to temperature, but partly refer to flavor. It left me uncertain as to the definition and conceptual foundation of warmth and coolness. Can you'all help a confused cook here?
Thanks!
Joe
Answered by April Dodd
Hi Joe,
Thanks for reaching out, and thanks for coming to Advanced Flavor Techniques! The assessment of warmth and coolness is sometimes subjective (and open to debate, as you saw in class!), but here are some general guidelines to help you divide ingredients into categories:
Warming ingredients are often sweet, starchy, rich and / or fatty; they may literally warm you up with capsaicinoids (i.e., hot chilies and other sources of spice); and / or be warm in temperature. Some good examples of warming foods: pasta noodles, deeply browned roasted vegetables or meats, paprika, aged cheeses, chili oil.
Cooling ingredients are often sour or acidic; fresh and herbal; and / or are cold in temperature. Examples: yogurt, citrus juice, light-colored vinegars, most fresh herbs, crunchy raw cucumber, (cold) feta cheese.
Another question to ask yourself, Joe, is simply: how does this ingredient or dish make me feel? Do you imagine eating it on a cold winter day or at an outdoor barbecue? If the former, it's likely warming; and if the latter, it's likely cooling. Trust your gut - and have fun experimenting!
-April
Read MoreAsked Jan 27, 2022 by Judith S.
In a recent issue there was an "aside" or "parenthetical" note about a Recipe for Cacio e Pepi that involved using a blender, A link to the website was included.
Can you help me find that recipe?
Thanks,'
Judie Stone
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Judie - You can find our new cacio e pepe recipe here. Our recipe is inspired by a recipe from Luciano Monosilio, who makes his sauce in a blender and then cooks the pasta in a skillet. Ultimately we shortened his version (and skipped the blender) because we found we could simply start and finish the whole dish in the skillet. We begin the sauce by combining water with flour, adding the pasta and cooking to al dente, then removing it from the heat, adding the cheese, oil and pepper and tossing. Best, The Milk Street Team
Read MoreAsked Jan 27, 2022 by Michael P.
Just wanted to bring to attention that the timing for the Caldo Tlalpeño recipe is really off. The stated time start to finish is 1 hour but if you add up all the times in the recipe, in the best case, it would be 71 minutes, but of course that's not including any of the rest, such as chopping vegatbles, removing chicken from frying, etc. It actually took me over 2 hours to make this... It's a great soup, but that certainly seems like an error to me.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Michael - You're right. The times here are probably a little off since they don't account for simmering, heating, and prep time. I'm going to let our recipe editor know to update. That being said, the cooking times actually add up to a total of 68 minutes, since shredding the chicken and cooking the beans takes place while the rice is cooking so those times would be combined. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Jan 27, 2022 by Anthony Z.
Is there a reason it is not possible to register for this class on Eventbrite? Even if a class is sold out, I usually see a "waitlist" option and there isn't one here. Just "Event Sales Ended".
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Anthony - I checked in with the Cooking School team and they assured me the class is still open and the registration button is working. If it helps, here is the direct link to the class registration on Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/substitutions-how-to-make-great-choices-tickets-190633338447. If you are still having issues with registration, you can reach out to the cooking school directly at [email protected] (this is probably the most direct way) or let us know here. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Jan 25, 2022 by Edward P.
I understand that most unused spices should be discarded after one year of living in the pantry. My question is do "whole" spices unground spices have a longer shelf life when stored away from heat and direct light?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Edward - Yes, whole spices should last about 2-3 years. But, don't just throw away your ground spices after a year either. Try toasting them first - if they are aromatic, you can still use them for a little bit longer. Best, The Milk Street Team
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