The Kitchn Archive: Oct 2010

Q: I have been looking online to see how other people fit their spaghetti in a pot. I have two 6-quart pots, but their diameter is just under 10 inches, and the pasta measures 10 inches long. It’s hard to find a large pot with a diameter of over 10 inches.After reading some comments, it seems people put the pasta in with the ends sticking out and then push it in as the pasta softens. Is that how it works? Never thought of pushing in after softening, but it makes sense.

Ever wonder, as you sip that glass of Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, how it was made? Fermented grape juice of course. But what does that mean? And what choices are made along the way? Here’s a bird’s eye view of how wine is made, from start to finish. The first decision is when to harvest. The longer the grapes are left to ripen on the vine the more sugars accumulate in the grapes. When to harvest depends on many things.

Q: I just received a small bag of chilis that a co-worker picked and wondered if anyone out there had any good recipe ideas. I love jalapeños but these go a bit beyond that! He gave me names and descriptions (below).I am open to any ideas!Sent by AmandaAmanda’s Chil Peppers:• Common Habanero -The orange ones. Very hot.• Red Savina Habanero -The red one that look like mini bell peppers. Extremely hot, used to make pepper spray.

Can one bad apple really spoil the bunch? As a matter of fact, yes, and the same may be said for bananas, cantaloupes, and a number of other fruits and vegetables. It’s all due to a plant hormone called ethylene.Ethylene is a natural plant hormone released in the form of a gas. It triggers cells to degrade, fruit to turn softer and sweeter, leaves to droop, and seeds or buds to sprout. While some fruits and vegetables are high ethylene producers, others are more sensitive to it.

Q: I just bought a side of beef for the first time. I came home and noticed that I have several packages labeled as “boiling beef.” Is this the same as stew meat? Or is this something that I should just treat as scraps and use for making stock? Also, I received the soup bones and am looking forward to making my own beef stock for the first time! But I’ve never done this before — how do you make your own beef stock?

We get positively giddy as soon as the butternut, acorn, kabocha, and other winter squashes hit the market. Do you know how to choose a good one? Here are five things we look for when shopping for winter squash.Unlike summer squash, winter squash are fully matured and have hard, thick (and generally inedible) skins. This allows them to last longer, especially when stored in a cool, dark, and dry place.

Q: We don’t always finish the bag of potatoes we buy and end up having to throw half of them out as they start sprouting very rapidly.Is there a way I can keep them from sprouting so fast?Sent by I’ChingEditor: I’Ching, the key to keeping potatoes fresh is twofold: Keep them dark, and keep them cool. Also, don’t store them near onions, bananas, or other fruit — this will encourage them to sprout faster.

Q: My husband and I made a batch of homemade sausage for the first time this past weekend, and accidentally oversalted it.Is there any way we can salvage it? We froze about 10 pounds, and I’d hate to throw it all away, but it’s pretty inedible in its current state.Sent by JenniferEditor: Jennifer, our first thought is to use the sausage purely for flavoring other dishes.

In previous posts I’ve discussed German Rieslingdifferent styles and levels of sweetnessRiesling is the lynchpin of the German wine industry. While it accounts for only about 20% of all vineyard plantings, it is the first grape that comes to mind when anyone mentions German wine. Riesling is considered the most noble of varieties planted in Germany and is planted in all wine-growing regions.

Here’s a great little tip I picked up at a cooking class in Paris a couple years ago — a faster, easier way to mince fresh herbs.Ashley, Paule’s kitchen assistant, took a moment to demonstrate this ultra-simple tip. It’s so easy I wondered why I had never thought of it! (Classic sign of a good tip, right?)She put a handful of tarragon leaves in a tall glass, then used kitchen shears to snip the leaves until they were minced fine.

Q: I am an adventuresome eater, willing to try anything once. I see fresh dates, sold on sticks, and have no clue what to do with them, how to eat them — I do have to say I tried sneaking one and biting into it and it was horrid — same pruning effect as eating an unripe persimmon — which if you have never had the misfortune — is akin to eating chalk.Do you know what to do with fresh dates? They look so beautiful on their stalks.

Q: Hello! I’m hoping to get some advice on what to do with Bird’s Custard Powder. I purchased some a while ago to make Nanaimo bars and am not sure how to use the rest of it.Can I make just the regular custard recipe and eat it? Fill cannoli with it? Anything? A person can only eat so many Nanaimo bars…Sent by KatieEditor: Katie, yes, you can just mix it up and eat it like regular instant pudding, if you are so inclined. But maybe our readers have other recipe suggestions?