Milk Street Q&A

Answered by Chris Kimball

Yes. We are coming out with 4 new spice blends in January and one of them, Veggie Lift, is the equivalent of Secret Salt. We are also introducing 6 new seasoned salts by the end of the year that you might want to check out as well.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi - I always recommend, when purchasing cookware, to just buy the pieces you use the most. Generally speaking, cookware sets aren’t cost-effective since they often include pieces you don’t need/use and are missing more useful ones. I would advise evaluating what you use most often and simply replacing those pieces. None of the traditional nonstick pans can handle metal utensils but a carbon steel pan can. Carbon steel, when seasoned properly and regularly, can develop as nonstick a surface as any traditional nonstick pan and is much more durable and resilient. Please visit our store to see some of the cookware we use here at Milk Street: https://store.177milkstreet.com/collections/cookware-by-milk-street. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Mitch - Depending on how many people ask, I would assign a few each to appetizers or snacks, salads, and dessert. I often do this for parties so all I have to deal with is the main course. If I’m worried about not having enough in the event someone doesn’t show, I’ll order a cheese plate from the local cheese shop, make a simple salad, and make a couple batches of cookies. That way I know I’m covered but with minimal effort. And if everyone comes through on party night I can always enjoy a meal of cheese, salad, and cookies the following night! As someone who likes control of the kitchen, I can appreciate the stress of not knowing what people will bring or even if there will be enough of everything. But I‘ve learned to let go of a little of the control and find I can enjoy the party myself a whole lot more. :-) Hope this helps. Good luck with the party! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Katherine - Jason is correct (thanks, Jason!). When we call for salt amounts at Milk Street we are referring to the amount of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. Simply put, the smaller the crystal, the more it weighs in a given volume, and therefore the more salt you are getting. For example, because of differences in crystal sizes, 1 teaspoon of table salt weighs as much as 2 teaspoons of coarser Diamond Crystal kosher salt. The largest crystals—and therefore the lightest—are Maldon sea salt flakes. Table salt, with its compact, sand-like crystals, is the smallest and heaviest. Therefore, as Jason mentions above, you would want to use 1/2 cup table salt for the potato recipe. Feel free to refer to the article and chart we published on salt here: https://www.177milkstreet.com/2017/06/salt-talk Hope this helps! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Richard - I’m not sure what may have gone wrong but I do know that, as Enrique Olvera mentioned in the story, the texture is more suited to serving in a tortilla or over rice than simply in a bowl as you would a more soup-like stew. This is an example of a dry braise. In a dry braise the juices from the meat and the liquid released by the aromatics are the only liquid in the braise. Since there is so little liquid the flavor is more concentrated yielding richer flavor. The tomatillos, added towards the end, will also add a fair amount of liquid but will naturally give off varying amounts depending on ripeness. Ripe tomatillos will have bright green flesh and husk and usually the smaller they are the more desirable. In this particular dry braise we use less meat since we are also adding potatoes and tomatillos. Because of this it’s really important to maintain the level of liquid in the pot by keeping it covered during the entire cooking period, which is a slightly different technique than most of our other Milk Street braises where we remove the cover after a few hours and return the pot to the oven. Again, I’m not sure what went wrong here but I hope this information is helpful! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Sarah - Thanks for your question! I agree - sometimes a white cake is just what’s needed. A couple of factors could be affecting your cake, but the biggest one is probably the temperature of your butter. When we say “room temperature” we really mean somewhere around 66 degrees. That’s probably a lot cooler than most people think since our rooms are generally much warmer than that. The butter should bend easily without cracking and leave an indentation when pressed. We want the butter to be soft enough to coat the flour but not so soft as to lose its ability to aerate or create structure. It’s also important to ensure that your other ingredients - eggs and milk - are at room temperature as well. When mixing the butter into the flour make sure to stop when the mixture is still crumbly. That being said, don’t be afraid to really beat the cake in the last step. With reverse creaming we have coated the flour with fat from the butter which inhibits gluten development. So you don’t have to worry as much about overbeating . The final batter should be really light and fluffy - almost like buttercream. If you watch Erika Bruce in this episode of Milk Street, she uses the reverse creaming method for our Lemon Almond Pound Cake. This may help you get a better idea of the texture at each stage. The reverse creaming method is a little tricky to get the hang of at first but, once you do, I think you will really love the texture of the cake. Hope this helps! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Eli - yes, weight is what we are looking for here. Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Greg - You could probably make this with pork shoulder and keep most of the recipe the same. It just won't be traditional Peposo anymore. :-) Good luck! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Kristine - I apologize for the delay in responding. We have been doing some follow-up testing to see what may have gone wrong. Does your springform pan have a dark, nonstick coating? If so, I believe that may be the cause of the issue. We generally use and prefer lighter aluminum pans in the Milk Street kitchen, which yield a more slowly-developed crust. A darker coating (especially when combined with glass) will brown faster, which is likely why your cake was too dark after just 40 minutes. If you would like to make it again using your darker springform pan, lowering the temperature to 350 degrees should solve the problem. I’m so sorry this didn’t work out the first time for you. We will be making a note of this difference in pan color going forward. Thanks! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Kenneth - thanks for the suggestion! I will pass it along to our editorial team. In the meantime, I can give you some info here. Verjus, a tart grape juice, has been used by European and Middle Eastern cooks for hundreds of years. Neither vinegar nor wine, it is the pressed juice of unripe grapes, and has a taste in between those two. It can be white or red and can be used much like you would use white or red wine, vinegar or even lemon juice. Since it's not fermented, it's nonalcoholic. Great in vinaigrettes, sauces like beurre blanc, deglazing pans, etc. A splash of verjus can really lighten up a meaty stew or braised meat. The subtle tang really complements the richness. Verjus is also great in cocktails or even as a nonalcoholic cocktail itself (alone or mixed with sparkling water). Once opened, it keeps in the fridge for a few weeks; in the freezer, a few months. If you freeze it in ice cube trays, once frozen, transfer to an airtight container to keep it as fresh as possible. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.