THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 9, 1995 TAG: 9511080058
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Morsels
SOURCE: Ruth Fantasia
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
IF THERE'S one thing Mom taught me about cooking, it's never use margarine in a butter-based recipe.
In the '70s, butter and margarine could be used interchangeably in recipes and the results would be similar, though not good enough for Mom. These days, there are so many margarines and butters on the market that substituting can make a mess rather than a success.
The key is the amount of fat in the product. The lower the oil content, the less fat in the margarine. Fat does more than add calories to dishes: It is the foundation for texture, and the conductor of flavor.
Here some tips for using margarines, from the National Association of Margarine Manufacturers - and Mom:
Products containing 49 percent or less oil (look on the label to find the percentage of fat) can only be used in recipes developed for that product. There is not enough fat in the spread to supply texture or to hold up in the heat of frying or sauteing.
Products with 50 percent to 59 percent fat work well for sauteing and for some baked items, such as quick breads, that call for vegetable oil.
Products with 60 percent or more fat, including regular margarine, can be used in most recipes except pastries, cut-out cookies and butter cookies or cakes.
Butter should always be used for butter-based recipes, such as spritz cookies, poundcakes, croissants and other pastries.
Premium butters, with a higher fat content per tablespoon, can be used in any recipe calling for butter. But because of the richness of premium butters, the texture of the baked good will be different.
Holiday cooking hotlines
Land O'Lakes Holiday Bakeline is open again to answer your questions. Call (800) 782-9606 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Dec. 24.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline has a special 24-hour category for turkey questions. Call (800) 535-4555 and press 1 on your touch-tone phone for recorded messages in the ``Seasonal Food Safety'' category. Home economists answer questions from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the same number.
Mark your calendar
Wednesday is Clean out Your Refrigerator Day. For the uninitiated, here are a few tips from Whirlpool:
Commercial cleaners can leave a strong chemical odor. For a fresh fridge, scrub with 2 tablespoons baking soda diluted in a quart of warm water.
Don't forget to wipe off the door gasket and liner.
Rinse all parts of the refrigerator well with clear water, and then dry.
Vacuum the coils and throw away those old jars of pickle juice.
What's new?
New on the shelves: Swiss Miss Premiere Cocoas, instant hot chocolate in Suisse chocolate truffle, chocolate raspberry truffle and chocolate English toffee flavors. Available in 10-ounce canisters for $1.99 and six single-serve envelopes for about $1.79.
Paper ways
I finally found the purpose of paper bowls. Measure recipe ingredients into them and toss the bowls in the trash as you cook. It makes cleanup much easier.
Another tip: If you're out of parchment paper, freezer paper may do the job. Just make sure the dull side of the freezer wrap faces the food. by CNB