Dairy & Eggs
53 Helpful Cooking Tips
Published: February 2019
The Difference Between Grating and Shredding CheeseIs there a difference between grating and shredding cheese?
Published: December 2018
How Hot is "Room Temperature"?People's kitchens are different temperatures, so what is meant when a recipe calls for something to be “room temperature”?
Published: December 2017
Can You Freeze Ricotta?Ricotta spoils quickly. We froze leftovers two different ways to see which one was most effective.
Published: December 2017
Whipping Light Cream vs. Heavy CreamCan you make whipped cream using light instead of heavy cream?
Published: October 2017
How to Substitute for ButtermilkIs there a non-dairy alternative that will lend the same buttermilk tang to baked and savory applications?
Published: March 2017
What to Do with Hard Parmesan Cheese (and How to Prevent It From Drying Out in the First Place)Is there a good way to revive Parmesan cheese that has dried out in the fridge?
Published: December 2015
Preshredded CheeseWhy does preshredded store-bought Parmesan seem to work better for coating food for baking or frying than freshly grated?
Published: October 2015
What Causes Metallic-Tasting CheeseWhy does cheese begin tasting metallic if wrapped and stored in aluminum foil?
Published: October 2015
Substituting Greek Yogurt for Sour Cream in RecipesCan Greek yogurt be substituted for sour cream in recipes?
Published: December 2014
Substituting Almond Milk for Dairy Milk in RecipesI am lactose intolerant, and I’ve come to love almond milk in my coffee. Will it work as a milk replacement in desserts?
Published: October 2014
Does Pricking Eggs Before Cooking Make Them Easier to Peel?Does pricking eggs before cooking result in hard-cooked eggs that are easier to peel?
Published: February 2014
Freezing Leftover Sour CreamWe were curious if frozen, then thawed, sour cream could work as well in recipes as never-frozen sour cream.
Published: December 2013
Does Hard-Cooking Eggs with Vinegar Make them Easier to Peel?Some say that adding 2 tablespoons of vinegar per quart of water before hard-cooking eggs will make peeling easier. Is that true?
Published: October 2012
Cooking CheesesWhether crystalline or creamy, sharp or mild, blue or orange, cheese shows up in too many recipes to count here in the test kitchen. We’re profiling a dozen tha…
Published: April 2012
Demystifying Egg Yolk ColorThe eggs I buy from the farmers’ market have really bright orange yolks. Do brighter yolks mean fresher eggs?
Published: February 2012
How to Substitute Yogurt for ButtermilkIs there any way to substitute yogurt for buttermilk in recipes for pancakes and biscuits?
Published: December 2011
Adding Liquid to Scrambled EggsSome recipes for scrambled eggs call for water or milk. Does this do anything for the eggs?
Published: December 2010
Sour MilkAlthough some old cake recipes call for “sour milk, ” this doesn’t mean that you can use milk that has gone bad.
Published: October 2010
Substituting Evaporated Milk for Half-and-HalfWhen a recipe calls for half-and-half, can you use evaporated milk as a substitute?
Published: April 2010
All About Cultured DairyCultured dairy is cream or milk with friendly live bacteria (cultures) added. The bacteria convert lactose, or milk sugar, into lactic acid, making these produc…
Published: February 2010
Preventing Sour Cream from CurdlingWhat’s the best way to reheat sour cream-heavy recipes while preventing curdling?
Published: February 2010
Interchanging "Sharp" and "Extra Sharp" CheddarIn cooked recipes, can sharp and extra-sharp cheddar be substituted for each other?
Published: February 2010
Chill the Cheese, Then GrateFor easier grating, start by giving cheese the freeze.
Published: December 2009
Supermarket Italian CheesesItaly is second only to France in the variety of cheeses it produces, but many of the “Italian” cheeses sold in American supermarkets are produced here.
Published: December 2009
Evaporated Milk as Milk SubstitutionCan I reconstitute evaporated milk and use it in place of ordinary milk in recipes?
Published: December 2009
Freezing Leftover Egg WhitesCan leftover egg whites be whipped after defrosting?
Published: April 2009
Weighing CheeseHow do cup measurements for cheese translate into weight measurements?
Published: December 2008
All Eggs Aren't EqualIs there really a difference between the different grades of eggs?
Published: December 2008
Goat CheeseWhat does one look for when choosing goat cheese at the supermarket?
Published: October 2008
Dairy-free ButtermilkIs it possible to manipulate soy or rice milk to mimic buttermilk?
Published: August 2008
Whipping CreamIs it necessary to refrigerate the bowl and beater before whipping cream? Does it really make a difference?
Published: August 2008
Egg Whites 101What does a soft or a stiff peak look like? How will I know if I’ve over-whipped my egg whites?