Brendan

2,227 reputation

215

bio	website	brendanelee.com
	location	Virginia
	age	28
visits	member for	5 months
	seen	May 14 at 2:22
stats	profile views	63

Amateur chef, interested in food-science and modernist cooking.

	2,227 reputation	bio	website	brendanelee.com	visits	member for	5 months
215 badges		location	Virginia		seen	May 14 at 2:22

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202 Comments

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May 6	comment	Do more peppers mean more heat? I think to be more clear it should be edited to reflect that the addition of more capsaicin (regardless of the intensity) will increase the overall level of heat that can be generated. The 99% this and that part is what makes it confusing and a bit verbose.
May 6	comment	How does the addition of Chicory affect coffee? civil war soldiers in america used to use chicory in the field because coffee was scarce or too expensive.
Apr 25	comment	How could I keep one-ingredient “ice cream” soft? you could also try adding something like versawhip (modified soy protein) that would likely allow you to whip the bananas to incorporate air in the initial stages.
Apr 22	comment	Cooking Temperature for Crocodile meat? In my limited experience with croc meat (not sous vide) it's been dry and like overcooked chicken breast no matter how it was prepared. I think that it is a very dense meat to begin with and lacks fat so it's not going to have the same tender mouthfeel regardless of how it's cooked.
Apr 17	comment	Why have all of my quality pans started smoking at once? Can you take that pot to a neighbors place and test it on their stove and take one of theirs on yours? Also, please take temperature measurements of water when your heating, it would be helpful to understand how "hot" or not the water is when you are seeing this happen
Apr 12	comment	How can I reproduce a “gamey” flavor? I would see if you can get your hands on blood, and use some of the offal from various animals to get some of that barn yard in your food. Liquid smoke definitely won't help anything though.
Apr 11	comment	Chopsticks versus forks? That's what I was trying to convey as a response to why chopsticks were adapted as a primary means of utensil even in the light of forks and knives being available. If that's not clear in the answer I can edit it if you want.
Apr 11	comment	Does adding salt before cooking toughen scrambled eggs? Cooking too quickly over too high of a heat source will cause some syneresis and therefore liquid in the pan after cooking. A properly cooked batch of eggs will create a nice thick network that will trap the liquid within the eggs and keep it more tender. In practice, salting the mixture should denature proteins and actually make it easier to retain more moisture like in brining.
Apr 10	comment	Is it safe to use a propane torch bought at a Hardware store? there's a nice thread on this here forum.chefsteps.com/discussion/comment/2082/#Comment_2082
Apr 7	comment	Why should you scrub/clean cast iron cookware with salt? salt is a good cheap abrasive
Apr 6	comment	Why does broccoli turn brown when steaming? it's from oxidation
Apr 6	comment	Is it safe to use a propane torch bought at a Hardware store? pretty much every trusted source I've come across has recommended MAP/MAPP or it's newer equivalent over anything else. Their arguments are actually counter to yours, namely that they burn more completely then butane or propane and will lessen the risk of torch taste. I tend to trust the sources I've come across but to each his own.
Apr 6	comment	Do frozen ahi tuna steaks need to be seared? from the sound of it you have been thawing, searing and eating with basically a raw interior already? if so then I don't see how not searing is making a big difference from what your already consuming.
Apr 5	comment	How to get a synthetic cork back in a wine bottle? +1 for reusable corks, they are cheap and make this problem a non-starter.
Apr 5	comment	Flattened chicken breast returns to original size when frying +1 for butterflying, it's way less work and much more even.
Apr 1	comment	Need help identifying a kitchen tool, with a wooden handle, and a cylindrical cutter alternatively, it could be an old school citrus zester, the hole on the side leads me to believe that it may be where you feed the peel out to keep it out of the cutting area.
Apr 1	comment	Is there a plastic bowl/dish that can withstand high temperature in the oven? i'm not sure about the shape your looking for but take a look at the high heat cambro boxes, they are rated to 500F I think.
Mar 29	comment	How can I make fat-free whipped “cream” with a whipped cream dispenser? @Jefromi i've tried the half and half with those ingredients and they aren't present in high enough concentrations to make a difference for whipping. They are primarily added to make up for the mouthfeel of the product since there is less fat.
Mar 28	comment	What can replace coconut oil in a chocolate cookie coating? you could look for cocoa butter since your using chocolate already. I'm not sure where your located but AFAIK whole foods carries it but it's pricey.
Mar 28	comment	How can I make fat-free whipped “cream” with a whipped cream dispenser? add gelatin and keep it cold