27
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Potato for a purpose
Yes, there are differences. Unfortunately, many potatoes have been bred for crop yield and storage over flavor ... and so the flavor differences that you might see in South America don't tend to be ...
- 80k
23
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Accepted
Potato for a purpose
If the potatoes are the same in different packages, it's just marketing.
Some potatoes are better for baking, some for frying, some for mashing...
It mostly depends on the starch content.
See.
https://...
- 20.5k
21
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Finding cheap but quality steak for grill
There are a few things that you can do:
Buy in bulk. There's typically a major discount for buying a 'family pack' (usually 5+ lbs) at once. I like shopping at Wegman's, because they sell steaks ...
- 80k
17
votes
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How can I examine fruits or vegetables in a market, while minimizing mechanical damage?
The first step is to only pick up items you're likely to buy. Then you should only have to put down items that have an actual problem already.
For some things you want to check for ripeness, but ...
- 43.8k
17
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Mild chili powder?
As you have found, often the generic chili powders that are sold in the US by the major brands like Schwarz aren't pure chili powder, they have other additives like oregano, salt and garlic. The best ...
- 75.4k
16
votes
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How can I tell which limes have the most juice?
Heavier limes tend to be more juicy, but another important factor is the color and texture of the skin. Look for the brightest green (sometimes with almost a yellow tinge) and smoothest skin you can ...
16
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Finding cheap but quality steak for grill
Since you mention Whole Foods, I'm assuming you're in the US. That being the case, you are likely within reasonable driving distance of a Costco or Sam's Club (big warehouse stores that require ...
- 58.5k
12
votes
Mild chili powder?
You could look for chili powders online. Alternatively, you can buy (mild) dried chillies and grind them to a powder yourself, using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. This way, you can even ...
- 4,881
11
votes
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How to buy eggs to avoid dark specks
The spots aren't anything to worry about.
From Egg Safety Center
Eggs with blood spots and meat spots are fine to eat. Most eggs with blood or meat spots are detected by electronic spotters and ...
- 58.5k
9
votes
What kind of cheese did I buy in Bulgaria...and how am I supposed to eat it?
This is not a traditional Bulgarian product (*). It was created by one specific dairy company ("Jossy") and it is not even listed on their normal web page (http://www.josi.bg). There is one reference ...
- 137k
8
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How can I tell which limes have the most juice?
The most tell-tale factor I have found -- and this applies to lemons and oranges too -- is the thickness of the pith. When there's a half inch of that bitter white stuff, the pulp which contains all ...
- 3,221
7
votes
How can I tell which limes have the most juice?
The juiciest limes will generally be the heaviest ones. Water is dense, citrus peel and dry citrus are not so much.
- 58.2k
7
votes
Does the size of capers influence their taste?
I hadn't really thought about this until I saw your question. I don't use capers all that often, so I usually end up with the smaller ones as that's what I usually find at the market.
Interestingly ...
- 18.3k
6
votes
How do I know if water in supermarket's seafood tank is salty enough?
There are several ways to measure water salinity (water salt content), most are impractical for that situation. A very effective and quick way to measure salinity to use a salinity meter, these are ...
- 75.4k
5
votes
What kind of cheese did I buy in Bulgaria...and how am I supposed to eat it?
Pleten means knitted/braided, and indeed it is not unusual to see such a cheese made of relatively thin strings braided into a braid; often smoked:
source
- 151
5
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Can powdered citric acid be used instead of baking soda?
No, those are absolutely not the same thing. They're completely different compounds: baking soda is sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), and citric acid is C6H8O7. And they're not even similar chemically: ...
- 58.2k
5
votes
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What kind of cheese did I buy in Bulgaria...and how am I supposed to eat it?
The answer from user rumtscho ♦ put me on the right track so, as now I had a way to contact the producer company, I wrote them an email asking the same question I posted here: what's the idea behind ...
- 489
5
votes
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What variety of tomato is typically used in Italian, canned, peeled tomatoes?
Based on what they say on their web page they use both early and late varieties. The type of tomato therefore probably changes throughout the canning season. Since they source their produce locally (...
- 551
5
votes
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How can I tell an eggplant is not bitter and very seedy?
Eggplants become bitter as they mature so your best bet is to buy freshly picked eggplants and to use them as soon as you can. Look for a full-size eggplant with a glossy and firm purple. Once an ...
- 540
5
votes
Potato for a purpose
In my supermarket, in the Netherlands, you can also find that kind of division but mostly they will tell you the kind of potato and the usual way it is when cooked.
Any potato can be used for any use, ...
- 2,072
5
votes
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What is 91/100 CV when referring to olives?
CV is a common abbreviation for cultivar (ALLACRONYMS q.v. and used, e.g., in here (pdf) and here). The Gordal olive weighs about 12 grams (search for "size").
Assuming they are pitted, and ...
- 4,081
4
votes
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Why are mushrooms safe for everyone to touch at the supermarket?
A major reason produce can be sold loose without tongs is that you're supposed to wash it just before preparing it anyway. You couldn't wash your baked goods. How effective this washing is, is of ...
- 43.8k
4
votes
Accepted
Where can I buy fresh, live yeast for making bread? (NOT active dry yeast)
Both Red Star and Fleischmann's produce fresh cake yeast, but as it is a perishable item with a limites shelf life and a need for constant refrigeration, they limit their sales area and state so on ...
- 58.6k
4
votes
Accepted
How to choose coconut in supermarket?
Those at the store should be heavy and 2/3 full of milk or more. So shake them and listen, and also judge the weight, holding them in one hand.
Once you buy a coconut, place it between a rock or ...
- 999
4
votes
Potato for a purpose
FYI: In SW Idaho, I don't see them selling potatoes for different purposes (they pretty much just have russets, red potatoes, and gold potatoes, with no purpose or even breed mentioned).
However, I've ...
- 1,113
4
votes
Accepted
Why can't I keep chicken in the refrigerator for more than 2 days when the supermarkets can
If your chicken remained below 40F (4.5C), and in its sealed package, the expiry is valid, regardless of whose refrigerator it is in. Any time in the danger zone (between 40 and 140F or 4.5 and 60C) ...
- 73.8k
4
votes
What are the proportions of the parts in a broken down chicken?
I do not think this can be answered in a satisfactory way because there's way too much variation in chickens - breed, age when slaughtered, living conditions, feed, etc. all would affect the ...
- 3,518
4
votes
What are the proportions of the parts in a broken down chicken?
Here's some numbers from a random document I found on the USDA website. It appears to be used as a contract specification for processors who are hired to process whole chickens on behalf of the USDA, ...
- 932
3
votes
How can I examine fruits or vegetables in a market, while minimizing mechanical damage?
Chris hit the most important point already: it has probably been handled far less gently already, so you need not be too concerned.
In the spirit of being gentle, I:
Do not poke or jab the produce
...
- 139
3
votes
Where can I buy fresh, live yeast for making bread? (NOT active dry yeast)
Another option-- if it is available to you-- is a grocery store in an area with significant population of recent Eastern European immigrants. There was a Polish store in Ann Arbor, MI (until it closed ...
- 31
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