Refers to the culinary definition of fruit: a sweet seed-containing part of a plant that is commonly eaten raw.
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2answers
227 views
Which type of blueberry for making jam?
If I want to make blueberry jam, which type of blueberry should I use?
I just bought a pack of blueberry, but I found that the flesh/pulp of them is not blue, but light green in color. When people ...
4
votes
2answers
519 views
Baking watermelon
A while back I saw an article/recipe for baking watermelon -- the watermelon was cut into fillets and baked for a couple hours (IIRC). This was supposed to totally change the texture and give it an ...
4
votes
2answers
910 views
Fruit/nut allergy - cooking for
In this thread about cooking for people with allergies the first commenter (rightly, IMHO) suggests splitting up that general effort into more allergy-specific tips. The overall effort might still be ...
3
votes
1answer
692 views
What effects will xylitol have as a sugar substitute?
What effects does xylitol have when used in place of sugar?
Will replacing sugar with xylitol lower the calories in my candy?
Does it have a laxative effect if eaten in quantity?
Will my fruit ...
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votes
0answers
318 views
sugar free or stevia/low cal fruit jellie sweets (like Gummy Bears) [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
sugar substitute
Hi I want to make some jelly sweets like Gummy Bears or Jelly Babies but I want to substitute the sugar with something lower in calories. I know it ...
6
votes
3answers
814 views
2
votes
2answers
257 views
Culinary uses for juniper extract?
I bought some juniper extract for making bath stuff, and it doesn't seem to be very effective for this purpose. I have used juniper berries before, so I thought I might be able to use the extract for ...
2
votes
2answers
278 views
Are there alternative ways to test fruit preserves for doneness?
I've tried twice to make fruit preserves using only the natural pectins in the fruit. The first time with plums where the jam was much to thick, and yesterday orange marmalade which came out tasting ...
5
votes
7answers
463 views
Nutritional information on fruits and veggies
I've been looking online for an extensive database of nutritional information on various fruits and vegetables. I've been advised by my doctor to start eating healthier and I'd just like to know the ...
7
votes
5answers
770 views
Kids Lunch box - suggestion for fruit smoothie packaging
Could you suggest how to package a home made fruit smoothie to make it appealing to young children. The kids seem to love fruit tubes by innocent in their lunch boxes as they are colourful, easy to ...
12
votes
2answers
782 views
How to recover jam that has set too hard?
Every time I make jam I always manage to set it too hard. Is there any way to recover it once it's done this?
4
votes
1answer
4k views
How do I tell if a cantaloupe is ripe?
I have a tough time telling if my cantaloupe is ripe (without opening it and trying it. Any suggestions?
2
votes
1answer
615 views
Are ripe meyer lemons supposed to be soft?
At the grocery store they were selling meyer lemons in mesh bags, they all seemed to be much softer than an ordinary lemon. Are meyer lemons supposed to be a very soft fruit? just touching them ...
7
votes
1answer
225 views
How do I adjust a baking recipe for fruits of different PH?
I just cooked some apple bread, and I'm curious about adapting it to other fruits. I'm led to believe that the acidity of a fruit will cancel out some of the effect of baking powder or baking soda by ...
7
votes
2answers
859 views
Cooking fruit with or without sugar solution
Why does fruit retain its shape when heated in sugared water but break down when heated with just plain water?
6
votes
1answer
695 views
What are the fundamental differences between citrus fruits that necessitate different cooking techniques?
I used to cook pastries and tarts quite a bit, and one thing that always intrigued me was how recipes vary in their treatment of citrus. For instance, if you make a lemon tart, you can generally do ...
6
votes
5answers
849 views
How do I pick an avocado?
When buying an avocado from the grocery store or farmers market how do I know when it is ripe? What are some signs I should look for to know that it is either a good or bad avocado?
3
votes
2answers
299 views
What is hot raspberry puree?
I have a caramel recipe that calls for hot raspberry puree to be added near the end of cooking. I'm assuming that the seeds are supposed to be removed, so how is this different from raspberry juice?
...
2
votes
3answers
183 views
What to do with Pickled Figs
I have a jar of pickled figs bought for me as a present, and would like to make good use of them. Any ideas??
11
votes
4answers
8k views
how to peel a pomegranate efficiently?
Two well known facts about pomegranates:
they are yummy
they are a pain to peel by hand
do you know of any efficient ways to peel pomegranates? by efficient i mean two things:
quick
minimum ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
Making juice from fresh fruit
I bought pineapple and mango with the intention of making some juice out of them. I tried puréeing the fruit in the food processor and then mixed it with some water and lemon juice in the blender. The ...
11
votes
1answer
2k views
Do Pineapples Ripen After They Are Picked
Do pineapples ripen after they are picked? I had alway thought you could leave them on the counter to ripen, however, I recently heard they don't ripen after they are picked.
1
vote
1answer
99 views
How to remove the rind from Citrus Sugar?
I made citrus sugar a while ago (basically chopped up lemon rinds in a canning jar with sugar) and have now decided to remove the lemon before giving the sugar away.
So far I have tried wrapping the ...
1
vote
2answers
395 views
How long does a fruit and sugar mixture last?
I made a sauce with frozen rhubarb and raspberry mixed with sugar and reduced it until there is hardly any juice left. I put the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. Would this still be ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
How do I remove bitterness from bitter melon
We use bitter melon/bitter gourd for making curry. We boil bitter gourd in water couple of times to remove bitterness which is very time consuming.
Is there any better way to remove bitterness?
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vote
2answers
95 views
Using Elderberries in Cooking
I noticed that there's lots of elderberries near where I live, and I had an idea about making an elderberry brulee, but I'm sure that the elderberries would be a little too sharp if simply cooked.
...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
What happens when you bake Winesap apples?
In researching the answer to a question of why the apples in a pie became mushy, I noticed that two of my cookbooks contradicted each other on the Winesap apple, on whether it remains firm upon ...
5
votes
2answers
18k views
Can you freeze apples?
What is the best way to freeze apples? I am planning on cooking with them when they defrost.
4
votes
3answers
884 views
What are the costs to consider when making jam?
I am trying to dertermine what kinds of jam are particularly cost-effective to make at home.
I have been given a few bits of equipment for jam making, and am looking forward to getting started.
We ...
17
votes
1answer
2k views
How do I ripen unripe oranges and grapefruits?
Sometimes when I buy oranges or grapefruits I find out that they are rather unripe when I get them home. How do I ripen them?
4
votes
3answers
686 views
Simple things to do with very tart plums?
We got a bag of purple plums from our CSA that have a great flavor and seem ripe, but that are very tart. I'm the only person in the family who really likes sour fruit, and they are pretty sour even ...
7
votes
3answers
2k views
Substitute frozen cranberries for fresh berries
I just came across this recipe that calls for 1 1/4 cups of fresh cranberries. I was wondering if it was possible to substitute frozen cranberries instead. I am assuming that I have to
thaw the ...
5
votes
3answers
504 views
Fruit peeling techniques
I came across this page (How to peel a mango) while surfing and I found it very interesting. What kind of methods and knives/kitchen gadgets do you use to peel fruits? Are there different tools to ...
13
votes
3answers
1k views
How should I organize my fruits for storage?
As I learnt from this post, there are some fruits that should not be kept together with the others (e.g. watermelon and apple). Which fruits should be kept separately in order to prevent rotting?
2
votes
2answers
162 views
cooking with cherimoya
Cherimoya is an amazing delicacy that I highly recommend; however, I haven't found much culinary use for it other than eating it raw.
What's your experience on cooking with this fruit?
and on a side ...
1
vote
1answer
83 views
Is there a technique for glacé (glazing) that could speed up the process?
I saw a recipe for glacéing (is that a word?) cherries, and at one stage they required anywhere from 10 days to 3 weeks soaking time. Are there any techniques that could speed this up, or am I just ...
3
votes
6answers
957 views
what's a good technique for freezing blueberries?
I'm taking a trip to the berry patch today. I'd like to get say 3 pounds of blueberries and freeze them. The problem is that when you defrost them, they're all busted up and mushy. So I wonder if I ...
2
votes
1answer
220 views
Cause of watermelon rind rotting (at room temperature)
I bought a large seedless watermelon 2 days ago, and I made sure to check for the following:
Yellow underbelly
Hollow sound
Solid rind
When I got home I left on the kitchen table. The room ...
4
votes
1answer
205 views
What's the best way to clean and dry blueberries?
I buy organic blueberries which come in a little plastic container. I like to wash them and put them in a tupperware container. After I wash them I place them between some paper towels to let them ...
11
votes
6answers
266 views
I would like to try grilling fruit - any suggestions?
I had a catered lunch the other day that had grilled fruit (apples, pineapples) it was great and I wanted to try it at home. Are there any tips as far as preparation or what to glaze them with or ...
3
votes
2answers
388 views
What are some culinary applications for rambutan?
Besides eating it straight from the rind, how else can one use rambutan fruit? I saw it at the grocery store for the first time tonight and would like to try it.
8
votes
2answers
265 views
Which types of apples are considered to be “quick-cooking” apples?
In my great-grandmother's recipe for Open-Face Apple Pie, she writes, "Cut apples in eighths if they are not quick-cooking." I assume that this means some apples will cook more quickly than others, ...
4
votes
2answers
620 views
Storing fresh peaches for a long time
We just picked a bunch of peaches off our peach tree this morning. There is additional fruit left on the tree and we already have more than we can eat in the next few days. Is there a process I can ...
4
votes
2answers
295 views
What are ways to extract the juice from a pomegranate?
Is there an efficient way to extract the juice from a fresh pomegranate?
4
votes
1answer
683 views
Do bananas ripen better in rice sacks?
Okay, I know the title is a little ridiculous, but I swear I am not making this up. When I was a kid, my parents bought a lot of rice and a lot of bananas (among other things). They would get the ...
4
votes
2answers
479 views
mysterious green middle eastern plums
I was on a trip to the middle east a year or so ago around mid spring. I was offered what looked like a green plum.
The taste was very sour and hard (not soft like a plum). The locals called it ...
4
votes
4answers
894 views
When is the right time to pick blueberries?
My neighbor brought over a fresh batch of blueberries. Some are sweet and some are sour. He told us to come over and pick some whenever we wanted, but I don't know the right time to pick them so ...
4
votes
1answer
220 views
How much sugar should I put with the fruit in a pie or crumble?
I just made a plum and apple crumble, which was delicious but I was worried it was going to be too sweet because when I was pouring the sugar in straight from the bag, it slipped and I ended up with ...
