Q. “I do love a traditional Friday Fish Fry, but it’s getting to be a bit much. What are some other ways to prepare walleye and panfish? (Bluegill is my favorite.)” —Kathi, Omro A. I also love the Wisconsin tradition of the Friday Night Fish Fry! Since we don’t go out for fish every week, READ MORE
Q. “When should I use mayonnaise and when should I use Miracle Whip? Can they always be swapped?” —Willa, Appleton A. The answer to this question is controversial and a matter of opinion. Mayonnaise is a seasoned emulsion of eggs and oil resulting in a creamy spread. Miracle Whip is also a seasoned emulsion of READ MORE
Q. “It seems like a new ancient grain—like quinoa and spelt—has a ‘moment’ each few years. What’s ‘on trend’ right now?” —Margo, Neenah A. According to the Whole Grain Council, the consumption of whole grains has doubled over the past 20 years. Although over-processed grain products are still the scourge of the western diet, more READ MORE
Q. “My family does a prime rib every Christmas. We struggle with it actually being medium rare despite the thermometer reading 130° F. What are we doing wrong?” —Larry, Kaukauna A. First, let’s discuss desired internal cooking temperatures for meats. If we consider 140° F as a baseline for medium, 15 degrees less is 125° READ MORE
Q. “My husband has a sensitive stomach. How do I make pasta sauces less acidic?” —Nora, Appleton A. Highly acidic foods include citrus fruit, buttermilk, wine, vinegar, coffee and tomatoes. Some foods are intentionally prepared with the addition of acid, particularly beverages like lemonade, soda and canned products like pickles and pickled vegetables. Some people READ MORE
Q. “Do you have experience rolling homemade sushi? I think it would be a fun date night option.” —Angela, Appleton A. While I have rolled sushi, it is not a common activity in my house. However, I can give you a few pointers. First, it is an important suggestion to pick up one or two READ MORE
Q. “We love homemade pizza in our house! What kind of cheese works well, besides mozzarella? Should we be cooking some toppings before adding them like mushrooms?” —Jean, Menasha A. According to our friends at the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, “perfect” pizza cheese is 45% skim milk mozzarella cheese for browning, 45% whole milk mozzarella READ MORE
Q. “How do I keep my rice from getting mushy?” —Mary, Kimberly A. Generally speaking, mushy rice is the result of the over absorption of liquid. To prevent this, let’s explore how much liquid is appropriate for perfect rice. For long grain white rice, most cooking references recommend a ratio of 2 parts liquid for READ MORE
Q. Which is better for thickening: cornstarch or flour? Are they almost always interchangeable? —Ann, Neenah A. Both cornstarch and flour work essentially the same way. When heated, the starch molecules of each swell up and provide thickening, which is a very desirable texture needed for many preparations. Neither cornstarch or flour is better or READ MORE
A. “Any tips on how to crack an egg without breaking the yolk?” —Lisa, Appleton Q. Because many applications require us to have an unbroken egg yolk, this is an important question. The first step is to make sure your eggs are cold, as warm egg yolks tend to break significantly easier than cold egg READ MORE
