Vicky Bennison takes us behind the scenes of Pasta Grannies, her YouTube channel that documents Italian grandmothers making pasta the old-fashioned way. Plus, Robin Russell Gaiser tells us about her years-long endeavor of asking perfect strangers to lunch; Alex Aïnouz attempts to make a 1-million layer puff pastry; and we serve up Portuguese-Style Sweet Potato Rolls.

This episode is brought to you by King Arthur Flour, Ferguson and Master Class.

Questions in this Episode:

“My question is about the alcohol in vanilla extract. I suspect the alcohol in vanilla extract prevented my peach jam from setting. I confirmed this by trying another batch of peach jam using vanilla bean instead of the vanilla extract. Is there a way to “cook off” alcohol from vanilla extract and use the remaining vanilla? I had some serious sticker shock when I purchased the vanilla beans.”

“My question is about the nutritional values of products. For example, the can of cooked chicken has high sodium content. Is that including that soaking liquid? Also, bacon, is that calorie and fat content including that grease that’s leftover after it’s cooked?”

“What is the best way to store and reheat pancakes?”

“What does Xanthan gum have to do with baking? What effects does it have on dough? Would Xanthan gum help the elasticity of my biscuits?”

“I was inquiring as to lobster mushrooms. I live in the Seattle area and seem to have the good luck to find these mushrooms frequently. I’m not sure what else to do with them other than risotto.”