THE WASHINGTON POST – Each Wednesday at noon, Aaron Hutcherson and Becky Krystal answer questions and provide practical cooking advice in a chat with readers at live.washingtonpost.com.
Aaron and Becky write and test recipes for Voraciously, The Washington Post’s team dedicated to helping you cook with confidence.
Here are edited excerpts from a recent chat:
When a recipe calls for one or more cloves of garlic, what is considered a standard size clove?
To me, it’s one of those situations when you know it when you see it. From experience, I have my own idea of what a standard clove is, so if I ever see cloves smaller than that, sometimes I use two when a recipe calls for one standard clove.
I defrosted chicken breasts, cooked them in water, checked that the internal temperature was 165 degrees, and when I cut them open, there was red (blood?) near the bone and in the flesh. What causes that?
Basically, you can thank myoglobin. It’s a pigment protein and depending on the method of cooking or other factors, it may retain its colour even after the meat reaches a safe internal temperature.
The fact that you froze them could have something to do with it, due to how the bone marrow behaves. Here’s a bit from Thermapen, which makes instant-read thermometers and has lots of great science on its site: “The liquid contained in the mass of a chicken expands during freezing, including the bone marrow. The dark marrow can push through the bone’s surface as it expands. The bones and meat adjacent to them become stained, and will remain a deep red/purple colour regardless of the final internal temperature of cooked chicken.”
What makes some flavours work together while others don’t? How do I learn what goes with what?
This is a big question! It’s a little bit of a mix of art and science as to the why that I don’t know if I can succinctly or even fully explain at the moment.
The best way to learn is to try new things. That could mean eating dishes at restaurants that you’re not familiar with and taking note of what’s in it, or trying out recipes (from trusted sources, such as us) that have new-to-you flavour and ingredient combinations.
On top of that, one of my favourite resources is a book called The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg that talks about this topic and even lists ingredients along with a bunch of combinations that go well together.
I use avocado oil for most recipes that don’t specifically call for olive oil. Are there better choices (taste, health, versatility)?
That’s a fine pick! It’s neutral in flavour and, bonus, has a high smoke point, so it’s less likely to burn.
I guess if there’s one drawback, it’s that avocado tends to be more expensive than other neutral oils. Seems like there are plenty of reasons to view it as a healthier option, including that it’s mainly monounsaturated fat.
Please explain the difference between instant and active yeast. Are they interchangeable?
More or less. Usually you want to “proof” your active dry yeast in some warm liquid to activate it (although I’ve read the folks from King Arthur Baking say it’s not really necessary). Instant can be mixed directly into the dry ingredients.
Amount-wise they are roughly interchangeable. Instant will work a bit faster, but not dramatically.
If you are subbing active for instant, you’ll want to do the proofing step, use a little more of it or be prepared to wait longer for the rise. If you’re subbing instant for active dry, just add the yeast to your flour and be on your way.
I don’t bother with active dry anymore. I buy a one-pound bag of instant and stash it in a container in the freezer, where it will stay for years.
And you can use it straight from the freezer. – Becky Krystal & Aaron Hutcherson
