Dairy & Milk

There's a daunting number of cardboard pints and quarts of different cream varieties at the grocery store. Which is which?

Forgot to plan ahead? No problem.

The perfect addition to tonight’s dinner!

Running to the store right now!

Hey, it’s worth a try!

We stumbled upon a mess-free method for making creamier, richer, and more stable whipped cream.

Tip 1: Don't overcook your pasta!

Turns out a rind has so much more potential than flavoring soups and sauces.

For those who love bananas Foster, you're in for a treat.

No cream needed!

Grab a few sticks of butter and a small saucepan and let's upgrade our beloved butter to fragrant, nutty brown butter.

It's amazing in blondies, traditional haystack cookies, and so much more.

Butter brings the flavor, but here's how it can bring crunch, chew, and more.

Take a walk down the dairy aisle and you’ll notice an ever-growing selection of butter and margarine. Most people have strong opinions about which one they prefer. But do you really know the difference between butter and margarine? While used for many of the same purposes, butter and margarine are two very different products. The primary factor that sets them apart is what they’re made from, and thus the types of fats they contain.

Leftover whipped cream. It happens from time to time. Not a lot, but every now again. And let’s be honest, it’s not exactly the worst problem to have. Last week I talked about my new favorite (and super easy!) way to make whipped cream using just a mason jar. My excitement for this mind blowing trick got the best of me and it wasn’t long before I had more whipped cream than I knew what do to with. Like, a lot more.

The cheesiest solution comes from the pantry.

Doing this will give you better sauces, desserts, and more.

In case you forget the cheesecloth again this year!

You don't have to deal with a sticky cheese grater!

The perfect hack for the holidays!

Stock your fridge with these cheesemonger-approved picks.

Tangy kefir is like a pourable, drinkable version of yogurt. It’s praised for containing good-for-you probiotics that aid in healthy digestion. While kefir makes for a delicious beverage all on its own, there are a lot of other smart ways you can put this fermented drink to work in the kitchen. This fermented dairy drink is similar to yogurt and buttermilk, and makes an ideal stand-in for both.

Oils, applesauce, and yogurt will all work in a pinch.

They're not always interchangeable.

We have all the details on regular pasteurization, ultra pasteurization, and shelf-stable milk.

Is this another go-to method for softening butter quickly?

Until recently I was constantly confusing evaporated and condensed milk — especially at the grocery store when trying to remember which one a recipe called for. It didn’t help that the cans look nearly identical. The differences are small, but they can have a big impact on your finished dish. The main differences between evaporated milk and condensed milk are sweetness and consistency.

A board covered in flavorful butter? Yes, please!

From breakfast ideas to vacation tips to seasonal strawberry treats, we’ve had scones on the brain in recent weeks. As any cream tea enthusiast will tell you, scones are best served with a spoonful of rich cream – but is that clotted cream, Devonshire cream, or double cream? Read on for an explanation, in addition to some recipes and substitutes if you don’t have access to the real thing.

I always have milk in the refrigerator, and more often than not, I also have cream in the fridge or freezer. But half-and-half? Never. Since I don’t drink coffee on a regular basis, I grudgingly buy half-and-half when a recipe calls for it — usually quiche or ice cream, which I only make once or twice a year. There are other uses for half-and-half other than coffee. If you need it more often, you can actually make a half-and-half substitute out of dairy you probably have at home.

Half-and-half sits quietly next to regular milk and cream in the dairy section, a constant presence that doesn’t seem to be as widely used as its neighbors. Is there something special about it, and how do you use it besides in morning coffee? Half-and-half, also known as half cream in the United Kingdom, is a simple blend of equal parts whole milk and light cream. It averages 10 to 12% fat, which is more than milk but less than light cream.

This goes for all types of milk.

Have you noticed the butter options in your dairy aisle expanding? A few short years ago you’d be hard-pressed to find anything but unsalted and salted butter. Perhaps it’s a result of our changing relationship with fat (we’re back to liking it, it seems), or maybe the demand for more flavor found its way to the ears of the dairy industry — either way, the contents of the butter section have expanded.

All you need is just a spoonful of this beloved ingredient.

Don't rush the chill, friends.

Sometimes in the middle of making a soup, I decide that creamy is what I crave. Yes, definitely. A creamy, spoon-clinging soup to savor slurp by slurp while I catch up with my Netflix queue. It’s time to travel off-recipe into improvisation territory: creamy soup or bust! As I discovered, there are ways to thicken soups and one of them is by using pantry staples like flour or ground nuts.

Need sour cream for a recipe and only have yogurt on hand? Or perhaps you’re looking for a healthier alternative to sour cream and have been wondering if yogurt can do the trick. Sour cream and yoghurt are generally great substitutes for one another. Here’s how to do it, with a few tips for the best results. When substituting sour cream for plain yogurt, or vice versa, it’s quite easy: the basic rule of thumb is that you can just use the same amount.

It could greatly affect the outcome of the dish.

We're all wondering.

Queso fresco may rival goat cheese, feta, and ricotta as one of the best cheeses to have on hand during hot summer months, when lighter, fresh cheeses make the best accompaniment to grilled food and summer vegetables. Here’s what you need to know about this versatile cheese.Queso Fresco is a soft, fresh Mexican cheese traditionally made from raw cow milk or a combination of cow and goat milk. In the U.S., pasteurized versions are the most common.

The options in the yogurt aisle at the grocery store have increased greatly over the years, with Greek yogurt taking up just as much space on the shelves as the regular stuff. What’s the difference between Greek and regular yogurt? It comes down to straining: Greek yogurt is regular yogurt with the bulk of its the liquid components removed, a process that make Greek yogurt thicker and gives Greek yogurt more protein and fat per serving than regular yogurt. So which one should you buy?

Plus when to use which for what!

Don't let one bit go to waste with these easy recipe ideas.

Butter does go bad, but with proper storage you can extend its life for days, weeks, and even months.

This method makes so much sense.

One cheese I always try to keep in the refrigerator is feta, and the most important reason for this is taste. Feta is a complex cheese that manages to be rich and creamy but also tangy and bright. It has much more character than other creamy cheeses, so on taste alone it wins my heart. But there is one other reason why feta should have a permanent place on your refrigerator’s shelves: how long it lasts! Feta can last up to several months if well-wrapped or submerged in a brine.

Sur La Table, French for On the table, first opened in Seattle’s Pike Place Market in 1972, selling gourmet cooking paraphernalia. 42 years later the store is as active as ever, with over 100 retail locations around the country and an impressive online store. With the high quality of brands and merchandise, and their emphasis on cooking classes and special events, Sur La Table remains a great place to browse for high-end tools and cookware.

Making cheese at home is something that we’ve been wanting to try for years. Now that we’ve gotten our feet wet with homemade paneer, we think we’re finally ready to take the plunge. Who wants to join us?!Click through for a round-up of the cheese-making kits we’ve been shopping…We’re thinking that mozzarella is the place to start. If all goes well, we can always work our way up to harder cheeses!

My go-to sub was beaten out by a surprising choice.

If you think you make the best grilled cheese, think again!

It's easier than you think!

The perfect sub-in for those times you're in a crunch.

There's more to butter than just "salted" and "unsalted." Here's what you need to know.

You can officially say bye-bye to crumbly and dry leftover mac and cheese.

No more melted mess in the microwave.

Stabilize your whipped cream with one of these pantry and fridge staples.

We found several great ways to make fluffy whipped cream ... and one method for splattering it everywhere.

You'll wonder why you didn't do this sooner.

I have spent years perfecting this method.

Bonus: It cuts down on waste!