A reader has asked: My Italian-American mother made something called “wine cookies.” Have you heard of those? Are they for dunking in wine, or do they have wine in them?
A reader has asked: I always loved that packaged cinnamon-raisin bread we ate as kids and I’d like to try making my own. Is it just a pullman loaf with cinnamon and raisins in it? How should I shape it?
A reader has asked: I’m in the market for a new kitchen scale, but there are so many options that I’m overwhelmed. What do you look for when buying one?
A reader has asked: I have a great recipe for lemon mousse, but sometimes it has a bitter taste. I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong sometimes but not others.
A reader has asked: Recently I made some doughnuts. They were fine, but a little greasy. In fact, I could see a dark line of oil inside the crust when I broke into one. What could have caused this?
A reader has asked: Isn’t artificial vanilla flavor just as good as the real thing? I read that chemically synthesized ethyl vanillin is no different from ethyl vanillin in real vanilla.
A reader has asked: What’s the secret to making a good marble cake? Mine tastes great but never has distinct different colors—it all gets muddled together.
A reader has asked: I make a basic chocolate and cream ganache filling for cakes and I would like to add some lemon flavor to it. Should I just add lemon juice to the finished ganache?
A reader has asked: My New Year’s resolution is to bake bread every week. I have had failures in the past, though. Do you have any advice for the novice bread baker?