Food
Most Recently Answered Questions
Questions 1 - 15 of 1555 (Page 1 of 78)Submitted by judy vinroot from charlotte,nc
Q:interestingly, that is what i did(typing in cold potato soup). but, for some reason, it came back with a 0 recipes found. i will try it again. thanks so much
A: I see your problem: The name of the recipe is Cold Potato and Leek Soup. So under the rules of Boolean logic (the format used for most online searches), "Cold Potato Soup" wouldn't work because it isn't the exact phrase. That's why searching a single word, like potato, is a better idea.
Submitted by judy vinroot from charlotte,nc
Q:kathleen, i have tried all manner of ways to find a cold cream potato soup that was in the food section, i think, june 23rd... to no avail. can you help me? please walk me through the steps for finding the recipe in the archives. it didn't come up when i tried both observer-tested and reader-tested. what am i doing wrong? i made up my own recipe and it wasn't that successful!! thank you, judy vinroot
A: I'd be glad to walk you through it, Judy. The only way I get to keep features like recipe databases is if plenty of people use them, and I get enough questions about it that there must be some confusion. OK, Step 1: Go to www.charlotteobserver.com/food. Look on the right side for the blue link that says "Recipe database." Click there. Step 2: Look toward the bottom of that page for a blue line that says "Search Observer-Tested Recipes." Click on it. You'll get a blue form with blanks to fill in. Step 3: You can leave all the blanks empty and click "search" at the bottom; you'll get a list of all the recipes we're posted. To narrow it down, fill in any of the blanks. For your cold soup, I just put "potato" in the recipe name and clicked "search." I got 17 recipes, including "Quick Potato and Leek Soup." Click "details" and you'll get the whole recipe. You also could have chosen "soups" in the drop-down menu for categories, or you could have filled in "leek" in the "main ingredients" line. Does that help?
Submitted by Gwen Baker from Clover, SC
Q:I clipped one of your articles on Mac & cheese but failed to also clip the recipes that were printed on another page. I think this would have been several months ago. The name of the article is Mac & cheese - What's not to love? Thanks for any help. Gwen Baker - 6-29-09
A: Thanks for your interest, Gwen. There were three recipes with that article, Custardy Macaroni & Cheese, Three-Cheese Mac & Cheese, and Creamy, Crusty Macaroni & Cheese. All three are in the searchable recipe database on the Food page at www.charlotteobserver.com/food. If you click on "Observer-tested recipe" and then just put "cheese" in the title space, you'll get all the macaroni & cheese recipes we've run for a couple of years, including those three.
Submitted by tracee from reno, nv.
Q:If the seal is broken on red wine vinegar, how long is its shelf life? Also, should any vinegars be refrigerated?
A: Even vinegar that has been opened has an almost indefinite shelf life, Tracee. Vinegar has been used for centuries as a way to preserve food. The high acidity makes it difficult for harmful bacteria to grow in it. Over time, you may notice some changes,such as increased sediment at the bottom of the bottle, but that's not dangerous. You can pour the vinegar off and rinse out the bottle if it bothers you. You also might see a cloudy growth in the bottle. It's a growth of cellulose and bacteria called Mother of Vinegar, and it can grow even in commercial vinegar if there is some sugar or alcohol present. It actually is used by vinegar makers to turn cider or wine into vinegar. It can be unsettling to look at, but you can filter the vinegar through a coffee filter to get rid of it. I can't think of any vinegar that would need to be refrigerated.
Submitted by Ross from Charlotte
Q:Pickled pigfeet are sold at Wal-Mart & Food Lion also.
A: Thanks, Ross.
Submitted by Shirley Fischer from Davidson, NC
Q:Last Wednesday you advised that readers could look for U.S.-grown edamame at Whole Foods. Which Whole Foods are you talking about? I would love to find one. Also, what happened to the column by Suzanne Havala-Hobbs? I would get more from her column than the one last Wednesday written by Andrea Weigl where she suggested cooking with totally unhealthy practices. Using Paula Deen as an excuse is no excuse. I don't plan to follow Ms. Weigl. There are many readers who understand that the American way of eating is killing us. There is no excuse to continue to support unhealthy practices.
A: Sorry, Shirley, I was referring to Whole Foods in other cities, as well as to health-focused supermarkets such as Earth Fare here in Charlotte. The Q&A column runs in other cities in addition to Charlotte, so I widen the information for other readers. Also, since most of our information runs on our online page as well, many people have access the information from outside Charlotte. Unfortunately, our space is much more limited and we have fewer chances to run Suzanne's columns. I appreciate your criticism of Andrea's article, although I can't say I agree with it. I didn't see where she suggested unhealthful practices, but perhaps I read it with a different point of view than your own. I think what she wrote was an honest account of her journey as a developing cook. There are many readers who are developing their own cooking skills who probably could relate to it.
Submitted by KMF from John Day, OR
Q:By mistake meatballs in a tomato sauce were left overnight Friday in the microwave. Would they still be safe to eat today, Saturday? Thank you.
A: Absolutely not. Sorry, KMF. Two hours is the limit for unrefrigerated perishable food. And in the case of the meatballs in the microwave, you had even less time because they probably were heated and then were left in the warm, moist environment inside your microwave. They probably became dangerously compromised by bacteria within an hour.
Submitted by Nick Sigalas from Fairfax, Va
Q:What is a good substitute for Fontinella Cheese made by Stella?
A: How about Bel Paese?
Submitted by Linwood Canady from Charlotte, N C
Q: Where can I buy pickled pork products? pigfeet, Dill pickles, and etc?
A: When you're driving through the country, Linwood, look for any store that has the sign "Bait & Tackle." That's going to be your home of pickled pigs feet. Beyond that, I don't have a source for you. If anyone else has a good suggestion for Linwood, let me know.
Submitted by roberta malickson from charlotte
Q:Where can I find edamame that is grown in the US? The frozen ones I've found are from China (I won't buy that) or Thailand (I buy). What's happening to American grown soy beans?
A: While edamame are green soybeans, the type of soy that is used for edamame is a different variety than the kind grown as a large crop by many U.S. farms. The seed is more expensive and of course, it is harvested and handled differently. The soy grown by most U.S. farms is used for soybean oil and other products. The amount of green edamame grown by U.S. farms is very small, but it is growing slowly as farmers are encouraged to branch out. Try looking in the freezer-section of health food stores or health-focused supermarkets such as Earth Fare for U.S.-grown versions.
Submitted by Bill Walker from Charlotte, NC
Q:I have been surprised to see asparagus from Peru still in local markets. Usually by this time of year there's plenty of domestic asparagus. Has something changed the asparagus market or is this just a fluke this year?
A: Bill, are you talking about what you're finding at the supermarket? I've been finding lots of local asparagus at the farmers markets. The trick is turning out early -- it tends to sell out quickly. That said, we have had an odd spring -- it stayed cold for a long time, got hot all of a sudden, then got cold again. That may be playing havoc with some crop schedules.
Submitted by Sue Miller from Mooresville, N.C.
Q:Kathleen, Ilove Passion Fruit, but can`t find it any where. Just wondered if you had any suggestions.I`ve seen Martha Stewart using it alot on her show.Thanks, Sue Miller
A: You make me nostalgic, Sue. My late father had a plant nursery in Florida, and he loved growing tropical plants. He grew passionfruit, and my brother trained his German shepherd to play tricks with one, tossing it around without bruising it until my brother gave him the signal to bite it. Try looking for frozen passionfruit in a Latino-focused supermarket, such as Compare Foods.
Submitted by Dee from New Jersey
Q:What fish can I substitute for stripped bass, which isn't available in NJ
A: Snapper or tilapia would be good substitutes. But I've had striped bass in New York, so I would think it is available in New Jersey.
Submitted by Graddie Lane from LKN NC
Q:Kathy, The horticulturist/landscaper at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden has been growing cardoons as part of his winter plantings for the last couple of years. My guess is it's too late this season, but he might be a good source of seeds or information.
A: That's a great tip, Graddie. Thanks.
Submitted by Mary Caputo-Kamerer from Charlotte, NC
Q:Kathleen, I'm trying to find someone who might be growing a weed/wild vegetable that we would pick up North called (in Italian) carduni, cardune, or garduni. It looks like a small version of the elephant ear plant and is also be known as "burdock" or artichoke thistle. We use just the stems, which look like celery but taste like artichoke, to make fritters. I never see them in the grocery store, but someone may have them wild in their wooded yard. I'm also looking for fontinella cheese...not fontina. The warehouse club stores used to carry it, but haven't seen it lately. Thanks. Mary
A: It sounds like you're describing a vegetable that also is known as a cardoon. I haven't seen it around here, but you could try asking around at a farmer's market to see if there is someone who would be willing to grow it for you if you buy the roots through a catalogue. Some backyard farmers are willing to do that. Fontinella is a trademark for a cheese sold under the Stella label. You can check for it at stores that specialize in Italian products, such as Ferrucci's in Cornelius or Pasta & Provisions on Providence Road.
