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What are some creative things I can do with a lot of caper berries? A lot, a lot. Like, a large glass jar of them that I inexplicably received from my parents for Christmas last year. [more inside]
posted by emelenjr at 6:28 PM - 9 answers

I have unexpectedly on hand plenty of buttermilk. I have less than a scant 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. Otherwise a pretty normal pantry of baking staples and a modicum of baking ability. Please suggest what I should bake right now. [more inside]
posted by sestaaak at 5:15 PM - 13 answers

My nephew is really into Super Mario right now. I've seen that there are super mario themed candy in Japan. I'd like to get him some for Christmas. I'm in Canada. Is there a way that isn't insanely expensive to order some candy to be sent over here?
posted by NoneOfTheAbove at 6:43 PM - 8 answers

While visiting friends in Baltimore we went to a restaurant/bar called Clavel. I ordered a drink called "Almohada" which consisted of the following: Paranubes Oaxacan rum, vanilla, egg white, Nela Raw panela sugar, lime juice, canela (cinnamon?), "served in clay" (it was served in a sort of clay mug with no handle). The drink was a bit creamy/frothy (due to the egg white) and seemed topped with nutmeg, although maybe it was the canela? I want to make this for myself at home. Help! [more inside]
posted by rbf1138 at 5:41 PM - 6 answers

I like to freeze uncooked steaks before individually wrapping them for later use. This reduces ice crystals from forming if cooking them from frozen, and freezes them flat which works better for pan searing and getting a good crust. I put a couple steaks on a plate in the freezer and now they're impossibly stuck. How can I get them to release from the plate without thawing them or breaking the plate?
posted by ms_rasclark at 9:43 AM - 5 answers

Someone gave us fresh duck eggs. What do we need to know about washing and storing them, as far as food safety goes? [more inside]
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 2:42 AM - 8 answers

This is my first food safety question - some kind of rite of passage! Anyway. I made a batch of excellent applesauce about three and a half years ago, using a certified safe recipe and canned and processed properly. (Please assume this is true, I’m from a family that is vigilant about canning things safely.) One jar of it ended up forgotten behind things and I just found it today. It’s been stored in a cool dark place, the seal is intact and it looks normal. Can I bring this to a latke party tonight or is it too old?
posted by centrifugal at 1:20 PM - 10 answers

Back in Philadelphia for Year 2 of PAX Unplugged. What restaurants would you recommend we try out in town? [more inside]
posted by isauteikisa at 1:00 PM - 8 answers

I'm making braised short ribs for a dinner party on Sunday. I'm stumped for ideas for a "bright"/acidic vegetable side to go along. The other side will be polenta. Any ideas?
posted by sarajane at 7:21 AM - 32 answers

I've bought and started using way more herbs in my cooking, to salubrious results. Yay! Unlike spices, where I have a sort of instinct for which spice flavors go together and with which foods, I cannot keep parsley sage rosemary and thyme (etc) straight in my head. I have no concept of which ones are appropriate where and how to combine. Is there something that can teach me/give me a run down? [more inside]
posted by Cozybee at 4:16 AM - 16 answers

I love my Instant Pot and I want to take full advantage of its ability to cook frozen foods. What recipes could I make ahead of time, freeze, and then cook in its frozen state? [more inside]
posted by christinetheslp at 7:28 PM - 4 answers

For pie crust I use 50% lard, 50% butter. I just cut in what I thought was lard, but I realized it was really soft. Checked the package and it's backfat. Oops! All my fat is now cut into my flour - is it going to be bacon-y? Can I just roll it out carefully and make it anyway? This is for a pumpkin pie - definitely dessert. [more inside]
posted by Emmy Rae at 3:59 PM - 23 answers

My niece wants an all-in-one type of pot to do EVERYTHING in. [more inside]
posted by fantasticness at 1:13 PM - 37 answers

My sister and I are obsessed with the Great British Bake-Off show, so for a Christmas gift I thought it would be fun to get her a cookbook that includes actual step-by-step recipes for some of the challenges from the show. However, I looked up the cookbooks related to the show, and there are soooo many different ones to choose from - see link: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=british+baking+show+book For anyone familiar with this show and these books, can you recommend the best one for beginner bakers who want to try some of the baking challenges from the show? I'm looking for step-by-step easy instructions, and I'm not sure how each of these books differ.
posted by koolaidnovel at 8:18 AM - 8 answers

I was cleaning the house and found cannabis I somehow forgot about. Besides the fact that I have learned my lesson to not forget about these things - Is it still good? Details below. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:21 PM - 5 answers

Assuming I am buying fruit from my local grocery store (HyVee) in season (ie nearly ripe pears in the fall, ripe peaches in the middle of summer, crisp apples in the fall, oranges in the winter, etc, etc) , can I really expect the fruit from Harry and David to taste significantly better? On the one hand I feel it must because otherwise what justifies the exorbitant pricing? But on the other hand perfectly ripened in season fruit is so good that I can't imagine what could be done to it to make it taste even better. Thoughts?
posted by TestamentToGrace at 6:36 PM - 24 answers

I need a decent pepper mill. I've had two in my life and they've both been terrible at grinding pepper. I was thinking I would just give up on freshly ground pepper but then realized a sample size of two is probably not comprehensive. Do you have a really good pepper mill? Tell me which one it is.
posted by something something at 12:12 PM - 43 answers

I've made a few pots of, to me anyway, passable miso soup using some basic, I think, ingredients. Can you provide tips/tricks/ideas/mistakes to avoid that will make good into great with minimal addition of marginal effort? I'm fine with things that defy traditional. [more inside]
posted by RolandOfEld at 11:36 AM - 16 answers

I'm cooking crappie (fish) for dinner tonight. I want to do something different with it than I usually do. I'm out of brain cells. Do you have a crappie recipe that you really love? Please share. [more inside]
posted by bilabial at 5:19 AM - 5 answers

I like to experiment with marshmallow cereal treats for an annual potluck. I’ve done all kinds of cereal, and bits & bites last year for a wonderful gooey salty spicy sweet thing. What are some odd, unexpected, or classic-but-delicious things to use in place of Rice Krispies?
posted by yellowbinder at 6:45 PM - 27 answers