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Almost all curries contains cumin (and most home cooks add it to their curries out of habit rather then based off need). However, what’s right for a quick chicken curry will be overpowering in a coconut korma or thin in a dry bhuna. Why? Because cumin is not an isolated ingredient; its flavor shifts depending … Read more

Cornstarch is the secret ingredient to making cake flour at home. You’ll notice the difference in the crumb. All-purpose flour has plenty of protein to form structure, which is great for bread and cookies. However, the same amount in layer cakes and sponges can make them taste a bit tough than usual. That’s where cornstarch … Read more

Vanilla is a key ingredient in great French toast, particularly when trying to get the measurement just right. To most cooks, adding vanilla to the custard mean pouring until it smells right. That’s fine, except when the next batch do not. One bread soaks up more than another; eggs mute flavors while other ingredients compete … Read more

Vodka sauce is made with varying amounts of tomato paste to achieve a certain final taste. Not enough paste and you end up with a weak thin sauce. Too much paste and your sauce becomes thick and heavy. It is a balance of concentrated tomato, creaminess, and the booziness from the vodka. Most cooks mixes … Read more

For beef barley soup, barley change when cooked. It goes from small and plain to big and puffed-up. It pulls in the broth around it and swell as it heats. This changes not only texture, but overall volume of your meal. What is the key to the balance? Too little barley make the soup thin, … Read more

There’s more to determining the proper amount of cheese than simply considering the package size. Consider the sauce, crust, toppings, and what the cheese do in the oven. If you don’t use enough cheese it feels sparse on a pizza. Use too much cheese and you’ll have burnt cheese around the edge and a soggy … Read more

When planning a bake, you know how many grams of flour to use for a loaf of bread, or so you think, right? What about your hydration or your starter? What about your pan size or what happens in the oven? The answer change as each of these factors does. After cooling on the rack, … Read more

The sour cream gives banana bread a subtle tanginess, plus moisture; otherwise the crumb would of been lifeless. Recipes usually specify how much is needed (and they don’t vary), but play around with it, depending on your bananas, flour, and what kind of consistency you prefer. Too little will result in a slice that’s dry … Read more

Adding nutmeg to your macaroni and cheese doesn’t call attention to itself; instead, it rounds out the flavors of the dairy components. It’s that little something that takes the sauce from tasting flat to being more complete, particularly if the cream is rich or the cheese are sharp. Add too much spice and dish starts … Read more

You may be asking what oregano oil is. It’s got quite a pungent odor to it but adds an interesting twist to everyday foods! The key are to get the flavor right without overdoing it on the spiciness. With this tool, you calculate how many drops or teaspoons go in your dish, then it translates … Read more