Tastessence

Bread & Grains

Bread, rice, pasta and whole grains, covering baking fundamentals, cooking ratios, and what to do when dough won't cooperate.

Flour-dusted sourdough boule on a worn wooden board with wheat stalks

All Articles

Golden toasted crumpets with melted butter pooling in their characteristic holes

Things you Need to Know about Crumpets

Unless you have traveled to England, Scotland, or other Commonwealth countries, there are chances you haven’t heard about the delicious crumpets. Similar to English muffins, crumpets are flat cakes eaten with tea for breakfast, and are served with lip-smacking toppings. Read all you need to know about this comfort food in this Tastessence write-up.

A braided challah loaf, a bagel, and folded flatbread arranged on a wooden board in soft light

7 Types of Jewish Breads to Pamper Those Taste Buds of Yours!

Traditional Jewish breads are given a modern twist and incorporated in many cuisines all over the world. They have a lot of history and are significant in Jewish culture. There are many varieties available, and Tastessence provides you with a list of these delicious breads.

Two bowls of cooked rice side by side comparing the shorter jasmine grains with the longer basmati grains

Jasmine Rice Vs. Basmati Rice: Here’s How to Tell the Difference

Both jasmine rice and basmati rice are long grain, aromatic rice varieties. While they may look similar, there are a number of differences between these two types of rice. Tastessence pits jasmine vs. basmati rice and looks at the differences between the two.

A skillet of golden fried rice with vegetables and egg beside a bowl of plain cooked rice

Wondering What to Do With Leftover Rice? Here are 10 Wow Recipes

Cold, leftover rice that is left in the refrigerator for a day or two can be extremely unappetizing. However, instead of throwing out the rice, there are many ways in which you can transform the leftover rice into a delicious dish. This Tastessence post provides some great ideas for using leftover rice.

Golden oatmeal muffins with apple and walnut pieces cooling on a rack beside oats and a cut apple

Recipes to Prepare Healthy and Hearty Oatmeal Muffins

For a change, let your group of friends get curious to know the secret behind your delicious freshly served moist, flavored oatmeal muffin recipe that would tempt them to request for more! The recipes are an open book... look further and you will know!

Slow-cooked pinto beans simmering in a crock pot with a wooden spoon and warm tortillas alongside

How to Save Time and Cook Tastier Pinto Beans in a Crock Pot

Slow cooked pinto beans taste great, and are excellent for serving with tortillas, bread and rice. While cooking pinto beans in a crock pot, some basic things that you should keep in mind are pre-soaking beans, choice of seasonings and the cooking period.

Three golden-brown bagels with sesame and poppy seeds cooling on a wire rack

How to Make Bagels

Bagels are fun and easy to bake, and absolutely delicious to taste. Once you learn how to make bagels, you can experiment till you drop, and still you will find newer and yummier ways to bake these delights.

Arborio rice grains toasting in butter in a wide pot, edges turning translucent as a wooden spoon stirs

Here’s a Demystification on How to Cook Arborio Rice Perfectly

Many people shy away from making risotto dishes due to the perceived complexity of cooking Arborio rice. This article explains how to cook Arborio rice perfectly, demystifying the process and explaining the steps so that anyone can make a wonderful risotto.

Fresh pasta squares filled with ricotta-spinach mixture beside a bowl of mushroom ravioli filling

Ravioli Filling Recipes

Ravioli filling can be prepared easily, using different ingredients. Go through this article for some simple recipes to prepare this filling.

Unbaked pastry crust pressed into a flan dish beside a rolling pin and chilled butter cubes

Quiche Crust Recipe

While just the thought of making a pie crust can make some people go cold with fear, there are some simple dos and don’ts that can make all the difference. Once you’ve gotten the hang of making your own quiche crust from scratch, I’ll wager you won’t be going back to the store-bought variety any time soon, not unless you’re seriously pressed for time anyway.

Hand layering pasta sheets over ragù and cheese while assembling a lasagna in a baking dish

How to Layer Lasagna

When a dish contains too many layers, it is essential to understand which item should follow what and exactly why should it be done in a particular manner. Lasagna is one such dish which is multilayered and one really needs to know that sequence in which the noodles, the sauce, the cheese, and the ragù should be arranged in order to nail the dish. So, here we tell you how to go about the entire process of layering a lasagna and also give you seven lasagna recipes for you to try out.

A pot of freshly cooked pinto beans simmering with a piece of ham hock in thick broth

Cooking 101: Learn How to Perfectly Cook Pinto Beans

The two most important things required to cook pinto beans are time and patience. Read this article to learn a good deal about cooking pinto beans from scratch on a stove, a slow cooker, and a pressure cooker.

A bowl of brown jasmine rice mixed with shrimp, scallions, and chopped parsley

Brown Jasmine Rice Recipes

Brown jasmine rice is the best option for any type of curry and gravy preparation. Take a look at a few healthy recipes and ways to cook brown jasmine rice in the following Tastessence write up.

A sliced loaf of sweet potato bread with a moist orange crumb, served with chopped pecans on a wooden board

How to Make Sweet Potato Bread

Sweet potato bread is a unique form of bakery product that can be eaten when you want to add variety to you meals. Any extra ingredient, which adds taste and flavor to the bread, can be tried to enhance your meal experience.

Golden-crusted Italian bread loaf cooling on a wooden board dusted with cornmeal

How to Make Light and Delicious Italian Bread Easily

A meal pertaining to Italy that does not include a baked yeast loaf is generally considered incomplete. The following passages provide enough information on how to make Italian bread with utmost ease.

A steaming bowl of ramen topped with pork slices, a soft-boiled egg, scallions, and nori

Amazingly Simple Recipes to Make Mouthwatering Ramen Noodles

Learn how to make Japanese ramen with noodles in various ways in the following article. While four are the original traditional versions, the other five are regional adaptations of the Japanese noodle soup, topped with veggies, meat, egg, fish, seafood and a whole bunch of other things.