Q: I recently inherited an old handwritten cookbook from my Jewish grandma, originally from Poland. She has the sugar and flour measurements listed as GL. For example, the sponge cake recipe calls for 1 1/2 GL flour and 1 1/2 GL sugar.

Does anyone know what this stands for?

Sent by Jackie

Jicama is one cool customer. It hides out with the other vegetables, looking totally plain and unremarkable. But peel away its papery skin and get it in a salad, and suddenly this crunchy sweet tuber takes on a whole new dimension.

Q: My dad gave me 30 bags of rolled barley. Any ideas for what can I make with it?

Sent by Pinguino

In baking and beer brewing, my two biggest passions, precision matters. When my old, battered scale died an honorable death, I decided to upgrade to this bad boy. It measures down to the gram at lightning speed, and I wouldn't be too surprised if it could leap tall buildings in a single bound as well.

Q: I'm hosting a beer festival at home for 20 people in March. Everyone will be bringing two 22-oz beers or equivalent, with emphasis on variety and uniqueness.

I'm providing palate cleansers for during the tasting and a hearty meal for after, and I would love some ideas.There is at least one vegetarian for the event, so the apres-tasting meal will hopefully be easily modified for this guest. Your thoughts are most appreciated!

Sent by Anna

Is "diet food" the first thing you think of when we mention cottage cheese? Because when it comes to cooking, this particular dairy product is capable of so much more.

Q: I bought a few cans of Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut to make cakes for a party. Turned out the guest of honor didn't care for coconut so I changed my plans. But now I'm left with a ton of this stuff.

I love it but I'm having a hard time coming up with ways to use it. All I can think of is the cake I originally planned and Pina Coladas. Has anyone used it in anything else.

Sent by Nancy

Brew your own beer for long enough and eventually you'll get around to swapping bottles with fellow homebrewers. Here's a simple and clever way to label your brews for all to see.

The perfect baked potato is crispy on the outside and pillowy in the middle. Cracked open and still steaming, it's ready to receive anything from a sprinkle of cheese to last night's stew. Here's how to make them.

To make ciabatta, you have to have a stand mixer...right? Not according to this 20-year-old recipe from the New York Times.