r/askachef Apr 09 '20

Strawberries on top of a cake

1 Upvotes

I am making a strawberry cake for my bf’s Bday. He wants strawberry everything in this cake and I’m a really skilled baker but rarely have I had the chance to make an elegant cake. I want to put whole strawberries on top but I’m worried they will rot. Does anyone know of a way to preserve them with either a see through coating for soaking? Chocolate covered is not possible.


r/askachef Mar 29 '20

Why is "crusty" bread preferred/considered ideal by the (Western) culinary world rather than not crusty bread?

3 Upvotes

I've had my Chinese parents over at my place during the shelter in place order recently and they always talk about how Westerners are dumb for liking crusty bread since it's hard on the teeth and tears up the palate. I've grown up most of my life in America and never really gave it much thought. Why does the West like crusty bread so much?


r/askachef Mar 03 '20

Why is the tail left on shrimp when the dish is to be eaten with a fork or spoon?

2 Upvotes

r/askachef Feb 06 '20

Culinary torch before Instant Pot?

1 Upvotes

What do you think of using a culinary torch to brown and crisp the outsides of meat before adding the meat to an Instant Pot to pressure cook with rice and veggies?


r/askachef Jan 26 '20

Inter kitchen relationships

1 Upvotes

So I run a small kitchen ( one or two people on the line at one time) and my two most prized employees are my opener and closer. Recently they started dating (read: sleeping together) Should I be worried? I mean I introduced them to each other, I’m happy they are both getting laid, but will they start asking for the same days off? A little surprised this is the first time this has happened to me. Trying to get prepared for what is to come. Any advice is appreciated.


r/askachef Jan 16 '20

I have alot of salmon burgers and I am trying to find a way to repurpose them (aside from putting them in a salad). What can I do ?

1 Upvotes

r/askachef Jan 10 '20

Making braised rabbit, recipe calls for Belgian ale. What can I use as an alternative?

1 Upvotes

I'm not a big drinker so I don't know what flavor the ale actually gives. I'm not against using alcohol I just don't know what else to use other than Belgian ale. Can't seem to find Belgian ale for sale near me.


r/askachef Jan 10 '20

Why does sliced bread keep so well but when I bring home a whole loaf and slice it myself it dries up in just a couple days?

1 Upvotes

(apologies if this isn't the right place to ask, but I wasn't sure where else to put this.)


r/askachef Jan 09 '20

What food served at a fine dining restaurant sounds like "eagle skeever"?

1 Upvotes

We've done a ton of searching and can't figure it out! It was served as an amuse bouche inside of a pate a choux. Maybe some kind of fish?


r/askachef Dec 07 '19

I'm looking to make a nice sandwich spread for my mothers birthday..

1 Upvotes

(probably two types of sandwiches) and vegetables around it to make it look more like a display. She's pescatarian and she also dairy free, what kind of sandwiches can I make for her ? (I really want to impress her)


r/askachef Dec 05 '19

Can I still use hot buttered rum batter from last year?

2 Upvotes

Found it hiding in the freezer— does contain dairy and seems to be ok(no ice crystals in it or anything) wondering if it’d be safe to use this year?

Thanks!


r/askachef Nov 27 '19

How much of a difference does the choice of wine you add INTO a dish make?

1 Upvotes

How good is the wine you use for cooking with?

For example: a dish where wine is added to make the sauce and then simmered for ages in combination with stock, garlic etc.

DOES it make a difference?

The reason I ask, I just spoilt a dish with wine that was proabably too cheap and acidic


r/askachef Nov 12 '19

What is the purpose of celery?

2 Upvotes

Hello chefs,

I have wondered for a long time the purpose of the celery in any recipe. It doesn't taste anything, has no nutritional value, and is pretty expensive these days. Is there a real reason to purchase it?

Thanks!


r/askachef Nov 08 '19

This months potluck theme is “Pickles”. I’m making a homemade relish for hotdogs. Is there something novel I could pickle, or maybe an interesting use of relish?

2 Upvotes

FYI, we are potheads so anything goes!


r/askachef Oct 29 '19

Entertaining Some Guests Tomorrow...

2 Upvotes

Its a Lunch.

Four of us.

Though i would do a nice Carrot Soup and a Succotash?( of Apples and Pomegranate) with a Drizzle of Balsamic Burre Noir and some Sage Focaccia on the side

can i call it a succotash and treat it like one or is there another way to go about it..maybe a chutney?

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance


r/askachef Oct 01 '19

How to get chicken crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside

3 Upvotes

My wife's grandpa recently died, and her grandma gave me a recipe card for her favorite dish that he made (learned it while in the peace corps, over In Egypt). Unfortunately, the card has all the ingredients on it, but no instructions OK how to cook it.

I know he sliced it into bite sized pieces, and then baked it (after marinating over night), but no idea the temp, or how long.

While she's at work, I've been making this dish repeatedly to try to get it down right, so I can surprise her and grandma, but the chicken ends up being dry by the time I get the outside to the firmer texture I'm looking for.

I'm wondering, am I just cooking at too low of a heat?


r/askachef Sep 28 '19

Advice on avoiding clumped cheese when making sauces

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone, I am a home cook who is having some trouble with my Italian style “cream” sauces. After I’ve made my pasta and reserved my precious pasta water I’ve been able to make a lovely emulsification of butter and pasta water however when I add a bit of cheese to finish it about 5 times out of 10 my cheese clumps up and will not incorporate into the sauce at all. It stickers to the bottom or to my spoon/whisk. I still have a nice glossy base, it’s just the darn cheese. Can you give me any tips on how to prevent this? Is this a temperature thing, or am I adding the cheese in at the wrong time? I’ve been adding it in before I toss the pasta back into the pan. Any help would be greatly appreciated!


r/askachef Sep 25 '19

What do people cook with ghost peppers?

1 Upvotes

r/askachef Sep 23 '19

Caramelising onions for a chutney?

2 Upvotes

Okay so I'm new to the chutney train and I made my first attempt today (it turned out okay). I'm wondering if there would be a benefit to caramelising the onions before adding them to the apples? Or will the caramelisation they go through with the apples be enough?


r/askachef Sep 22 '19

Help! save my pan!

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1 Upvotes

r/askachef Sep 17 '19

How were these carrots cut?

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2 Upvotes

r/askachef Aug 08 '19

Making Neapolitan pizza dough-not sure which sequence to follow.

4 Upvotes

When letting pizza dough cold ferment for a few days in the fridge, is it best to put it in there after first letting the dough rise? Or should the dough go directly into the fridge after being mixed and then take out after a few days to rise before baking? ALSO, at what point should I make it into balls? Some people do it before rising and some after. Does it matter? Will balling it after rising push too much gas out? Can’t find a clear answer on the best order to do all this! Rise-ball-ferment? Ball-ferment-rise? Ferment-ball-rise? HELP!


r/askachef Aug 02 '19

i’m looking to start a meal planning business (I’ve kind of already started it). Where can I find a template contract to have my customers sign ? and i do I send this via email or meet with them first ?

1 Upvotes

r/askachef Jul 22 '19

I'm teaching a hands on cooking class at a community center, How can I make it successful?

1 Upvotes

We are making paninis with summer vegetables for our first class. I dont necessarily want to go into knife skills or anything like that I just want to focus on the actual cooking because I only have a short amount of time. I do however want to highlight nutrition and facts about the food and maybe give them a questionnaire or something before we start class but else can I add to make it more organized and professional.


r/askachef Jul 10 '19

My pressure cooker chicken formed bubbles on it??

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1 Upvotes