Milk Street Q&A

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Andy - I have to admit I had not even heard of this before reading your post! I'd recommend using a heating core or heating rod. These are helpful when baking a cake larger than 9" in diameter or 3-4" deep and are designed to ensure that the center bakes through before the exterior is overcooked. They are made of stainless steel so provide heat conduction to the center of the cake. You just stick it in the middle and bake as usual. They are pretty inexpensive and you can order through Amazon - Ateco and Fat Daddio's both make them. I think that will help. Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi - Thanks for your question! Anodized cookware is simply aluminum cookware has gone through an electrochemical process that makes the material harder, more resistant to corrosion, and more durable making it easier and safer to use. The layer of aluminum oxide in anodized aluminum is not like paint or a coating but is completely fused into the base metal. This means that it cannot peel away or chip off. It's important to note here that this is for anodized aluminum cookware \not\ anodized aluminum *nonstick *cookware, which does have a coating. Therefore, I don't see why it wouldn't be safe to cook with despite its "vintage" status. Aluminum is a great conductor of heat and heats very evenly. Because stainless steel is a poor heat conductor, many manufacturers make tri-ply cookware with an inner layer of aluminum sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel. High-end manufacturers (such as All Clad) do this, not just on the bottom of the pan, but up the sides as well. This, as you can imagine, drives up the price. I'd say if you are happy with how your vintage Calphalon is performing, stick with it. It's probably as good as what's out there today in terms of heat conductivity and even cooking and a whole lot cheaper (and probably more lightweight to boot). Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Diane Unger

Hi Brice - In response to your question about the panade for the meatballs being too thick, I got in 5 different brands of Panko. I measured 2 ½ cups by volume of each in dry measuring cups using a dip and sweep method, then weighed each brand. The difference between the 4-C (very coarse) and Wegmans (the finest) would mean ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons difference, which is a lot. For breading a cutlet, it doesn't matter as much. I developed the recipe with 4-C brand, which weighed in at 166 grams (5 ⅛ ounces). The mixture is quite thick after you mash it, like Play-Doh, but will loosen up after you add the onion and egg. Here are a couple of other tips when making the meatballs to prevent them from falling apart: It's very important to let the crumbs sit with the water to fully hydrate the crumbs. Make sure to refrigerate the meatballs for the full 20 minutes before baking them. The cold meatballs will hold their shape better during baking. After baking, let them cool for 10 minutes on the sheet. The meatballs are still pretty soft when they are fresh out of the oven and hot. Allowing them to cool will firm them up before you add them to the sauce. Make sure your sauce is at a gentle simmer when you add the meatballs. If the sauce is bubbling too much the agitation will break the delicate meatballs apart. Hope this helps! Diane Unger

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hi Divina - You can check out our line of carbon steel pans on our website: https://store.177milkstreet.com/

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hi Tim - A hand mixer is good for creaming ingredients like butter and sugar or whipping ingredients like eggs or heavy cream. It cannot be used to mix heavier ingredients like bread dough.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Tim - You can generally use a hand mixer for most recipes that call for a stand mixer - cakes, cookies, etc. One exception would be when making and kneading yeast doughs. You can, however, do this by mixing the dough together with your hands or a wooden spoon and then kneading the dough by hand on the countertop. If you don't have a hand mixer, you can mix most cookie dough and cake batter by hand using a wooden spoon or whisk, depending on the thickness of the batter or dough. It just requires a little more elbow grease! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Dominic - I think my first suggestion would be to use it in baking recipes to add some orange flavor to a recipe that doesn't already have orange flavor (i.e., make a plain vanilla cake an orange cake). Orange extracts can vary and some are pretty potent so you may have to play around with the appropriate quantity. I think you \could\ substitute orange extract for orange zest but, again, it would not be a direct 1:1 substitution and I feel like you would lose some of the fresh flavor of the zest. To substitute for orange juice it's a little more complicated since orange juice is often counted as some of the liquid in the recipe. So, for example, if a recipe calls for 1/2 cup of orange juice you would want to add a teaspoon or two of extract and then 1/2 cup of some sort of liquid (water, milk, buttermilk, etc.) to the recipe so the texture isn't compromised. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Maureen - The generous size of these meatballs is their hallmark in Naples, so we were pretty dead-set on making them to scale and did not test other sizes. I imagine you could make them smaller and adjust the cooking time, I just can't give you exact timing since we didn't test it. You do want to make sure to still put them in the pot with the sauce as they simultaneously finish cooking through and flavor the sauce during this time. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi David - You're somewhat right. Whole grain pasta has a stronger, often nuttier flavor than semolina pasta and can negatively affect the flavor of more subtle pasta sauces like marinara, aglio et olio, pasta al limone, etc. Its texture, which can be granular, doesn't work well with others, such as carbonara or cacio e Pepe. It's best to combine these heartier whole wheat pastas with strong-flavored sauces such as duck or beef ragu, nutty pesto, or any combination of ingredients with strong flavor and texture such as anchovies, chilies, roasted vegetables, crumbled sausage, or bitter leafy greens. Finally, though you should always strive for al dente noodles, it's especially critical not to overcook whole wheat pasta. When cooked too long it tends to mush together. Drain the noodles a couple of minutes shy of al dente and then toss with the sauce and serve immediately. Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Liberty -The almond paste we use in the Milk Street kitchen is 45% almonds to sugar. I don't think we've tried the Mandelin brand (we use what's available in our local market) but I think their classic almond paste is closest to what we use at 50% almonds to sugar. Whatever almond paste you do use, make sure it's fresh and pliable or the cake will be dry. Best, Lynn C.