Sara’s Secrets
Mushrooms: Why do you suggest removing the gills from portobello mushrooms?
While it is not necessary to remove the gills from portobello mushrooms before you use them, I feel that there are some good reasons to take the time to do it. The dark gills share their color with everything they touch and will discolor (turn black) any stuffings, sauces, and…
Brunch: Can you suggest an easy brunch recipe that will please a variety of tastes?
Toni e-mailed the Kitchen Shrink that she was planning a brunch for a friend’s wedding shower and needed an easy main dish that would satisfy both vegetarians and meat lovers. One of my favorite dishes to serve for a company brunch is a strata because it can be assembled the…
Limes: How can I get the most juice from a lime?
Betty e-mailed the Kitchen Shrink that she had some limes that were especially firm and wondered if there was a “secret” to getting the most juice from them. Now there is a question that I get so frequently that I put a sidebar in Sara Moulton Cooks at Home with…
Baking: How can I get my cookies to brown evenly?
Sharon e-mailed the Kitchen Shrink that her cookies always get dark on the bottom before the top begins to brown. She wondered what she can do to get them to bake evenly. There are several things that affect the way cookies brown. The best way to get them to brown…
Seafood: Is it better to buy wild or cultivated mussels?
Mary Lou e-mailed the Kitchen Shrink that she was confused by the choice of mussels in her market. She wondered if wild or cultivated mussels are the best choice. Most of the mussels we find in restaurants, fish stores and supermarkets are blue mussels from North Atlantic waters. They probably…
Avocados: Can avocados be frozen?
Becky wrote to the Kitchen Shrink that her brother can send her cases of avocados from Texas but she needs a way to preserve them. She wondered if she could freeze them or freeze her homemade guacamole, and if so, how? According to the California Avocado Commission, avocados can be…
Eggplant: How can I select an eggplant that isn’t bitter?
Dolores e-mailed the Kitchen Shrink that many of the meatless main dishes she likes to make for Lent include eggplant and wondered if there was some way to make sure the eggplant won’t be bitter. Eggplants become bitter if they are very mature and full of seeds when harvested or…
Vegetables: Can you suggest some good vegetable main dishes?
Mary Elizabeth e-mailed the Kitchen Shrink saying that she always had a hard time finding good meatless meals to cook during Lent and would love to have some suggestions. Although I enjoy cooking and serving vegetable main dishes all year long, I get most of my requests for vegetarian entrees…
Aprons: My Aprons and Chefs Jackets
After the peppermill question, one of the most frequent queries I get in my e-mail is, “Where can I find the beautiful aprons you wear on Sara’s Secrets.” With the holidays only a week away, those e-mails are coming in so I thought I would make it easy for those…
Sara's Secrets is now airing on the Cooking Channel
My old Food Network Show, “Sara’s Secrets,” is now airing on the new Cooking Channel which launched several months ago. “Sara’s Secrets” is on every morning, Monday through Friday at 7AM. The Cooking Channel (managed by the same folks that own Food Network) will replace the Fine Living Channel. So…