General

Answered by April Dodd

Bruce - this is likely not precisely what you had in Cozumel, as our recipe was inspired by travels to Oaxaca, nearly 1,000 miles west, but check out this refried bean recipe, which uses black beans. Texture-wise, I think it will have what you're looking for: a creamy thickness that's great for spreading, or simply sprinkling with cotija cheese and cilantro and serving as a side. Let us know how it compares! - April D.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Jennifer - After speaking with our Recipe Editor, I think I can clarify the confusion. You are absolutely right—high heat blunts or kills the nuances of EVOO—and for that reason, we never use top-shelf EVOO for cooking. And we don't use it in applications where really high heat is needed because of its low smoke point. So, if we do call for it to sauté vegetables or cook meat, we usually only do so at medium or medium-high heat. Sometimes we make these decisions when we are going to use oil to both cook and finish a dish and don't want to call for two different types of oil in one recipe. That being said, if you've only got the good stuff at home (lucky you!), feel free to substitute with a neutral oil, like grapeseed oil, for sautéing. I hope that helps! I was confused too. Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Clarence - I checked in with Albert Stumm, one of our writers who traveled to Turkey for us, and he said that, while he had something similar in Instabul, he didn’t travel to Adana on his previous trip so is in unable to impart any real wisdom. However, we are hoping to return to Turkey in the next year or so, so we will definitely add this to our list of potential recipes to tackle! Thanks for writing in and bringing it to our attention! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Elaine - In order for the batter to hold the weight of the apples, I would ensure that the total weight of the two small apples called for in the recipe equals exactly 12 ounces. I would also ensure that the slices are as thin as possible (ideally, 1/8-inch thick) so there aren't any thicker, heavy slices that could sink in the batter. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Richard - How disappointing! Just want to make sure you lined the pan with foil and put your pan in the middle position? If you use a darker, older sheet pan and don't line the pan with foil and liberally spray with cooking spray, the cauliflower may scorch. Also, if the rack is too low and your oven heats from below this could cause it to burn. If you are already doing both of these things, I would maybe lower the temp by 25 degrees and see if that slows down the over browning. It's possible that your oven just runs a bit hotter than ours. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Jeanne - Vanilla extract is like salt in savory dishes, it just enhances the flavor of all of the other ingredients. So I would recommend, rather than replacing the vanilla, using another extract in conjunction with the vanilla. I think this will yield more balanced flavor overall. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Chris - I have to admit - I never do this. Other than a quick swipe with a soapy sponge to remove any grease (which I do think is important), I don't go very deep into cleaning the outside. However, if you do want to do it, I would follow the instructions here. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by April Dodd

Hi Mary - great question! We love spatchcocking poultry, whether it's chicken, turkey or, yes, goose. Because a goose is a larger bird, just make sure your kitchen shears are definitely up to the task; if you're worried, turn to a sturdy, Western-style chef's knife to remove the spine. For cooking, you can treat it very much like a turkey, giving it a long cook at a fairly low temperature - I'd go with 350°F - though, because it's spatchcocked and will therefore cook a bit faster than a whole trussed-up bird, you may want to start it off higher (like 400°F) to accelerate browning of the skin before dropping the temperature down. To judge doneness, think of your goose like a chicken or turkey thigh - the dark meat, in other words - which means you're looking for a temperature of right around 175°F in the thickest parts of the goose leg and breast. And for flavor, you can take it in any number of different directions! Take a look at our Brown Ale Turkey for some great inspiration. - April D.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Craig - Our recipe style is to provide weights for baking recipes - because we would really prefer that people weigh their dry ingredients for baking - and any ingredient you might purchase by weight (produce, meat, etc.). However, we've found that most folks don't have a scale at home and prefer volume measurements. Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Georgina - You're right. Those settings are pretty general and don't always match up from stovetop to stovetop. Unless you have an infrared thermometer that would be pretty challenging to measure on your own stove and, likely, even variable from day-to-day. When reading recipes look for key words to help guide you - simmer, brown, sear, etc. These will give you a visual clue to look for to ensure that the temperature is not too high or low. Best, Lynn C.