A chat with the Food section staff is a chance for you to ask questions, offer suggestions and share information with other cooks and food lovers. It is a forum for discussion of food trends, ingredients, menus, gadgets and anything else food-related.

Each chat, we will focus on topics from the day's Food section. You can also read the transcripts of past chats. Do you have a question about a particular recipe or a food-related anecdote to share? The Food section staff goes Free Range on Food every Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET. Read about the staff of the Food section.

The transcript follows.

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Joe: Greetings, chatters. Welcome to Free Range. I don't know about you, but today I'm sad about Eastern Market; I just enjoyed some fantastic mushroom-stuffed ravioli I bought there a couple of weeks ago (along with piquillo peppers from Spain, San Marzano tomatoes, and fresh produce from outside). I'm lucky to live near the Dupont FreshFarm Market, but EM is another thing entirely, a community treasure that draws all walks of life.

Do you shop there? What are you doing in the meantime? If I were in town this weekend I'd make sure to shop the vendors who will be showing up on the periphery. These folks need our business more than ever.

What else is on your mind, in the back of your fridge, on the high reaches or deepest recesses of your pantry? Throw your questions and comments our way, and we'll do our darndest to get you answers that help you get the food you want, when and where you want it.

Now for giveaway books -- actually, today, one book and one product. Did Bonnie's Udon Noodles With Baby Bok Choy or Nick Malgieri's Thai Chicken and Rice (the first installment in our occasional new Sunday Starts series) tempt your taste buds? For our two favorite chat questions today, we have Robin Robertson's "Quick-Fix Vegetarian," which includes that udon noodle recipe; and a nice big bottle of (unopened) soybean sauce, one of the secrets of Malgieri's Thai dish.

Let's get started...

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Sustainable Fish: Thanks for the article on sustainable fish today. Here's an etiquette dilemma (maybe this is better for Hax). I just received a wedding invitation with food choices of Chilean sea bass or chicken. Obviously, I won't be ordering the sea bass, but it makes me a little heartsick to think of the large quantity being used for a wedding. Do I inform the bride of its status as unsustainable? Unfortunately, I'm not close enough to her to know if she'd be upset either way.

Joe: Maybe there's a way you can do this without offending. A nice polite note that says that if the caterers are interested in the possibility of providing a fish with healthier populations than the sea bass, they might consider sablefish. (Maybe you could send the note anonymously!)

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Mangoes: Submitting early. The New York Times has a story on the first arrival of Indian mangoes. Will they be available around here, and if so, where??

Walter: The Alphonso variety of mango, said to be the the most fragrant and sweet of all, has been cleared for importation into the U.S. for the first time. The shipments are still in an experimental phase, according to the importer, Savani Farms. They are talking to Costco, Giant Foods and Super Fresh and have promised a shipment to at least one Indian grocer in the area-Patel Brothers in Langley Park. They hope to receive some next week but the demand is overwhelming. More on the Alphonso in next week's Food section.

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Alexandria, Va.: Hello, Rangers! On impulse, I bought a package of something labeled Bhutanese red rice. Any ideas on what I do with the package now? Thanks!

Joe: Why, open it up and cook, of course. According to "Seductions of Rice" by Jeremy Alford and Naomi Duguid, our go-to reference for all things rice, this medium-grain rice has been semi-milled, meaning it cooks more quickly than brown rice. In texture, it cooks up like Japanese rice (except with a pale pink color) -- clingy enough to eat with chopsticks.

Bonnie: It's great. Nutty and chewy, a pretty color on the plate.

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Kitty City: Thank you so much for recognizing the problems with pet food. But what about those of us with cats? Cats are even more sensitive (picky?) to problems with their food than dogs are. Would you consider publishing some cat food recipes in the future?

Joe: Hi, KC -- If this trend/issue continues, we might dip back into it, although keep in mind that our primary mission is people food! We did address both cats and dogs in the piece, though, and suggested a vet-recommended cookbook that talks about both: "Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: The Healthful Alternative," by Donald R. Strombeck (Iowa State Press, 1999). Good luck!

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Flourless desserts?: Hi Foodies,

I need to make a 60th birthday dessert. The recipient basically doesn't eat flour. She also prefers low sugar (unless chocolate mousse is involved, but that's become the standard fancy dessert, so I need something different).

Got any great suggestions for me? The most important criteria is that it be flourless

Thanks

Birthday Baker

Jane: A flourless chocolate cake or torte is a classic choice, and there are plenty of recipes to be found for those. But you could also try something different. Does she like coffee? Here's a link to a recipe for a rich and delicious coffee panna cotta, from Rose Levy Beranbaum.

washingtonpost.com: Recipe: Coffee Panna Cotta.

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Germantown, Md. -- Mourning Eastern Market: I am posting to commiserate with my fellow foodies about the loss of Eastern Market. I am relieved it will be rebuilt. It is an historic loss and a cultural loss - but a culinary loss as well. My family outgrew our tiny Capitol Hill townhouse and moved away, but have fond memories of pushing my toddler in the stroller the few blocks to the market (as generations before me did), greeting friends, and loading up on fresh-baked scones, steaks, interesting fresh sausages from Canales, fresh pasta. In fact, one day I slung so many bags on the back handles of the stroller that when I let go to unlock our front door, the weight of the bags tipped the stroller backwards! Luckily the fall was well-cushioned by the amazing cheeses from Bowers and tons of produce from Calomiris (and they were always sure to tuck in an extra banana or plum or peach for my son as a special treat). I know if we went through the archives of Free Range, there would be many times that Eastern Market would be recommended as a place to go for an elusive ingredient. It'll be sorely missed while it rebuilds.

Joe: You're in good company here, Germantown. I know we're all hoping that the rebuilding doesn't take any longer than absolutely necessary -- and that there are possibilities for shopping at these vendors in a temporary setup in the meantime. We'll keep you posted.

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Arlington, Va.: How can I tell if a cantaloupe is ripe? I keep getting burned at grocery stores with tasty samples where I take home a juiceless, rock-hard melon. Thanks!

Bonnie: Former Food section recipe editor Renee Schettler passed along these 'lope words of wisdom several years back:

Smell the stem end; the aroma of the melon is the best indication of ripeness, though the perfume will be muted if the melon is chilled. Look closely; the net pattern should be raised slightly and the background should be a cream color. Pick it up; the melon should seem heavy for its size. Press gently; there should be no soft spots although the melon should yield to slight pressure near the stem end. Pass over those that are hard; cantaloupe does not ripen once picked. Don't bother rapping the rind; honestly, would you know what to listen for?

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Thai chicken: Greetings, Foodies,

I don't have the dark soy sauce the recipe calls for. Can I use regular or tamari soy sauce or substitute something else, like molasses?

Bonnie: Use the soy sauce/tamari you have, sure.

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Arlington, Va.: I will be hosting a pig roast this summer. Do you have any suggestions on where I can purchase a whole pig for this event? Eastern Market was a possibility, but with the fire there, it's not very likely.

Walter: So sad about Eastern.

Organic Butcher (6712 Old Dominion Dr., McLean; 703-790-8300) sells whole Yorkshire and Tamworth pigs priced from $3 to $7 per pound, depending on weight. A 30 pound pig is $4.99 per pound. Smaller, say, 20 pound pigs are more expensive. Order three days in advance.

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Upperville, Va.: Oh please you don't need to cook your dogs meals. All they need is some raw chicken venison or steer parts to include bones. My rough collies work 12-14hr days herding sheep and my Maramas work as livestock guard dogs. They eat a raw diet with raw veggies thrown in. Now my collies are smart enough to cook a gourmet meal for themselves if they had thumbs to flip the steaks etc. But they don't need cooked food. Their ancestors never cooked the venison they took down. And no raw bones will not hurt your dog. They eat those too. My dogs work in all kinds of weather from -10F to 100 degrees plus F. I have been feeding raw for 15 years without any problems.

You need to check out Dog Gone Healthy in Berryville VA.

Jane: There are many, many advocates of what is known as the BARF (biologically appropriate raw food, or bones and raw food) diet, developed by Dr. Ian Billinghurst (he's got a couple of books out). Several people in a breed group I belonged to were having great success with it. My vet wasn't sold on it, though. He said he'd pulled enough bones out of dogs' throats to make him skeptical. But for those who are interested in it, there's plenty of info online to at least get you started looking into it. Just make sure you get both sides of the story, and figure out what works best for you and your dog.

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Washington, D.C.: I have a question about buying Italian pine nuts. Pine nuts are called for in a lot of recipes these days, and some web sites say the Italian pint nuts are most common in the U.S. On the contrary, I have been looking to buy these for quite a while. Whole Foods, Vace, La Cuisine in Alexandria all stock Chinese pine nuts. On line sources don't mention where they are from. Italian are supposed to be different, and better. Do you or any of your readers have any idea where to buy them, either in this area or online?

Walter: The only market that we can find with real Italian pine nuts is the Italian Store (3123 Lee Highway, Arlington; 703-528-6266) The Rebecchi brand nuts are $12.99 per pound.

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Maple sugar: On a trip to upstate New York, I bought a pound of maple sugar. Please give me some ideas on how to use it, and maybe even some recipes. I thank you.

Bonnie: Try it in oatmeal and plain yogurt with fruit. You could replace the sugar in glazed vegetables and fish recipes, too. Stirred into mashed sweet pots, it'd be heaven.

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Rockville, Md.: Hi, fellow foodies! Just wanted to make sure everyone knows that Penzey's (with which I am not, by the way, affiliated -- I'm just a very happy customer) is now open on Rockville Pike. What a lucky acquisition for our community! Stop in and say hello, and tell them how glad we are that they're here!

Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: And soon in Falls Church. Spice lovers will be in heaven.

Walter: I dropped by the new Penzeys a few days back and sniffed my way through dozens of herbs and spices. I'll tell you more about my trip in next week's Food section.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Just a quick thanks: a few weeks ago I asked for a suggestion for an "unusual lasagne" recipe. You responded with a recipe for butternut squash lasagne. I made it and brought it to my church's lasagne bake-off. I won "most creative," an award which I was proud and excited to receive! Thanks again! (Having never made nor tried this lasagne before, I was also excited that it tasted good and will be made again.)

Jane: Great to hear it, and congrats on the award! I got that one from my Food colleague Bonnie Benwick, and I have passed it along many times since, as she has. It just keeps picking up new fans all the time.

And I love the idea of a lasagna bake-off!

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Arlington, Va.: I have turned over a new leaf and would like to eat healthier. More veggies and fiber, less bad carbs and fatty meats. I was the queen of heavy cream and lots of butter. Here is my question can I make dinner with a can of chickpeas and 3 green bell peppers (with spices of course)? Can you cook chickpeas with peppers and onions?

Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: Of course you can. Cook the diced onions and bell peppers on medium-low heat until they're nice and soft, Add canned, drained chickpeas, cumin, salt, pepper and just enough broth (vegetable broth will work) to make the mixture moist. Cook until the chickpeas are heated through. This could go over rice for a vegetarian dish or serve over a grilled chicken breast or fish filet.

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Do I inform the bride of its status as unsustainable?: no, no, no! You let the poor woman be. You follow your own morals but, of all people, let a harried bride make HER OWN choices, just as you make your own choices. There's NO polite way to do that. You have no right to "TELL" a bride her menu choices are not politically correct. Geeze. Pass on dinner if you have dietary restrictions, but don't use her ONE wedding day to get on your soapbox.

Joe: I knew this would get something going!

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D.C. ginger questions: (Filing a bit early) Because ginger is such an oddly-shaped root, kinda like a lumpy body with lumpy limbs or a gerrymandered political district, I hope you can tell me:

When a recipe calls for a "knob" of ginger or "an inch" of ginger, does that mean an inch or a knob from the "trunk" or "torso" of the ginger, or from the much-thinner "limbs"?

Also, can I ever substitute powdered or crystal ginger for fresh and if yes, what are the proportions? Lastly, is it better to store ginger in the refrigerator or to keep it buried in dirt (or buried in a flower pot inside the refrigerator)? Many thanks!

Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: I got it. I got it. You need a more exact measurement which in ginger's case is hard to give. Here's what I do, I figure 1 inch as a piece from a thick part of the ginger. If I'm using a thinner part, and I think I know what you mean, I cut a larger piece. I happen to love ginger so I tend to go bigger all the time.

The powder is great, but not as a substitute for fresh. Crystallized ginger is very sweet-again not a great substitute.

Penzey's, now open in our area, sell shredded dried ginger root. I've used it in marinades in a pinch-I just strain it out or put it in a tea holder and remove before serving. You just want to extract the flavor, not get a mouthful.

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Washington, D.C.: I have a friend coming into town this weekend, and I had been planning to walk around Eastern Market with her. Will any vendors be in that area this weekend (maybe in the flea market area across the street)? If yes, I will definitely still go, as they need our support now more than ever. Thanks.

Joe: Yes, all the outside vendors will be there -- as I imagine will be many people from the community. You and your friend should be among them!

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Glover Park, Washington, D.C.: Rocklands in Glover Park also offers a delicious whole pig!

Walter: Rocklands, with restaurants in Glover Park, Rockville and Alexandria, does a great wood smoked pig. But they do not sell uncooked pigs.

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Upstate, NY: That recipe for udon noodles with baby bok choy sounds fantastic! I know my kids will love it, even the non-vegetarians. You can't go wrong with a sesame dressing like that. But do you think it would be ok to substitute some choy sum? They've really grown to love that vegetable after having it in some chinese noodle soup and I'm always looking for new ways to make it.

Bonnie: Absolutely. I'd think this is a very kid-friendly dish. Don't forget the sesame seeds.

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Takoma Park, D.C.: I have a general pasta question -- why are we told to save some of the pasta's cooking water to add back to the pasta? Why not just use tap water? What is its special quality and should we use it in other recipes too? (It's so much easier to dump the whole potful of pasta and water into a colander that I figure there must be a good reason.)

Bonnie: Our Food 101 columnist Bob Wolke tested pasta water properties a few years back and decided there's no magic there -- the alleged extra starch that might thicken a sauce measured about 1/15th of a teaspoon when he cooked 8 ounces of pasta in 3 quarts of water.

Still, In Season columnist (and former Food section recipe editor) Stephanie W.S. and I think you get a little extra flavor and at least the right temperature water to add to a sauce. Not sure I'd go as far as saving it like a chicken stock for other recipes, tho.

Joe: The real magic in pasta-cooking water happens in restaurants, where the same water is used for many batches of pasta, so the starch accumuulates much more than at home...

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A shameful confession: Maybe I should send this to PostSecrets instead, but here

goes: I recently bought a bottle of commercial spaghetti

sauce because, at $2, it was a lot less expensive than buying

all those tomatoes and basil in order to cook the sauce

myself. The terrible thing is ... I liked it!

Am I alone?

Bonnie: I suspect this will not come up when you meet your Great Reward...but you have empowered me to profess my admiration for bottled San Marzano tomato sauce. Ooh, that felt good.

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Catsskill Woman: I posted this to Kim's chat on Tuesday and she agreed this really stunk and asked for responses from the chatters but there weren't any. Maybe I'll get a response on this chat:

I am wondering if other folks have had my experience. About a year and a half ago I bought Kyocera ceramic santoku chef's knife. I loved it for it's lightness and sharpness. Within six months the tip chipped off and last nite when I accidently banged it on some wood, the knife broke completely in half. Are they really that delicate? This was an expensive knife and am wondering what to get to replace it. Don't think I want to go the ceramic route again because of this but do want the lightness.

Catskill Woman

Joe: This is why I haven't bought a ceramic knife. I'm just not going to be able to commit to never hitting or banging it on anything, and I want my knives to be able to take some abuse. Tip-chipping problems with the ceramic knives are well-documented; even Kyocera specifically mentions that such chips are not covered by its five-year warranty -- nor is "accidental damage."

Now to be fair, even a steel-bladed knife can chip or be bent when dropped right on its tip from a height, and you certainly can't use it to pry open things without damaging, and such problems aren't covered by the much longer warranty of a traditional German-knife company such as Wusthof, either. But the ceramic knives are much more prone to this kind of thing than the steel ones.

On to the more important question, though, which is: What do you buy now? Since you mentioned wanting something lightweight, you should probably avoid a fully-forged knife like my Wusthof, even though I find the balance of weight between the blade and the handle to be just perfect. You might look at the Forschner (Victorinox) Fibrox, which sells for less than $30 and is one of the lighter ones on the market. In a testing of cook's knives, Cook's Illustrated rated it as highly as the Wusthof Grand Prix, which costs almost three times as much. (The Oxo Good Grips, also about $30) also did well.

But whatever you do, promise me that before you buy any knife, you will go to a store that will let you get your hands on one. Pick it up. Then ask yourself: How does it feel?

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Falls Church, Va.: I bought a whole rockfish at a well respected seafood purveyor in Arlington on Saturday. We grilled it that night and at the first bite we tasted a chemical taste that made it inedible. I took what was left back to the store on Sunday and explained our situation. The cashier told me to talk with the man behind the counter who happened to be the person who waited on me the day before. Upon hearing my story, he asked if I had a receipt. (He also claimed to not remember waiting on me.) I did not, and suggested that saving the receipt was not commonly done when preparing fish from a well respected establishment. He finally weighed what I returned at $2.oo a pound less than I was charged. He changed the price and handed me the sticker which would normally be applied to the wrapper and I took it to the cashier for what I assumed would be a refund (about $10.00 less than what I paid for the fish) The cashier (who witnessed this entire process) asked me what he was supposed to do with it. I said I thought he was supposed to give me the amount as a refund. He looked at the guy who gave this to me and said he couldn't do this, they'd have to talk with so and so. At this point I told them to forget it and left. Are you really expected to provide a receipt? I brought back most of the fish. Obviously we didn't eat it. I was disappointed the establishment wasn't concerned that they sold bad fish. Should I write the owners a letter?

Joe: This was probably one big fish, so I can certainly understand why you would be so upset, as it probably cost you a decent chunk of change.

I'm of the make-the-customer-happy school of thought. Why would they want to do anything other than make sure you keep shopping there?

I ran your situation by Gary Royce, owner of American Seafood in Arlington (who says he doesn't sell whole rockfish right now, only fillets), and he agreed. The store should have offered you a refund or at least an alternative fish -- and certainly shouldn't need a receipt for something as memorable as a whole-rockfish sale. No matter how they decided to handle, the upshot is that you left upset, which should have been avoided if at all possible.

Royce, by the way, says that in addition to the possibility that the fish you bought wasn't fresh, it might have not been gutted immediately, which he says can indeed lead to an off-taste. As always, you should look for a fish with clear eyes, red gills and shiny scales. "If it doesn't look fresh, it probably isn't," he says.

Joe: And yes, if I were you, I would write a letter: a polite one, but explaining your disappointment as well as the fact (if true) that you would like to continue shopping there if only you could be convinced that they take such problems seriously. (If they think they have already lost you as a customer, I imagine it is less likely they will try to make amends.)

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maple sugar follow-up: What are the "mashed sweet pots" you suggest trying with maple sugar? Thanks!

Joe: Mashed sweet potatoes!

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Washington, D.C.: I'm a vegetarian, and would like to start making better use of quinoa as a source of protein. I am clueless, though, as to how to prepare it. I mean, once it's ready, I know I can use it instead of other grains (example: I was thinking that the lemony couscous recipe today would be good with quinoa instead). I'm just a little scared of words like "germinate." Is this something that could be done ahead of time? I'm always looking for ways to make fast weekday meals that don't involve a frozen dinner or takeout. And, no, this was not intended to be a shameless plea for the vegetarian cookbook today...though I have to admit it sounds like something I could really use.

Joe: You must be referring to the fact that when cooking quinoa, according to Lorna Sass's "Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way," sometimes "some or all of the little germs (little white comma-shaped filaments) will release from the seeds and unfurl; this is a sign that the grains are either done or very close."

I've found quinoa very easy and forgiving to cook: especially if you use Sass's method and boil it like pasta. (Cooking it like rice can cause mushiness because it's hard to know how much water any batch of quinoa will absorb.)

But it cooks very quickly -- under 15 minutes usually. So it's perfect for weeknight meals.

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Fresh vs canned: Well, not that dried beans are really "fresh" but anyway, I'm wondering, when I prepare dried beans (black beans or chick-peas), should they taste a whole lot different from canned beans, meaning, like a whole different kind of food?

Should they at least taste better? I noticed you suggest canned chick-peas and I've been not too happy with some of my own home cooking, so I'm wondering if maybe canned beans are better.

Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: Here I go. I use both canned and fresh. If I want the beans really well cooked-I ALWAYS turn to the can. For example, cannellini beans. I really like mine on the soft side.

For other dishes, say ones called for black beans, I prefer dried. The beans hold their color better and have a much "brighter" appearance.

Bottom Line: Better to use beans from the can, than no beans at all. Just rinse them before adding to recipes to refresh. If you have the time, the dried do often have a slightly better taste and appearance.

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Arlington, Va.: Do you have a good cole slaw recipe that you could share or recommend? I've been searching for a good one...just tried a recipe that uses a hot vinegar-sugar dressing. I liked it a lot but my husband wasn't a big fan -- too tart/sour for him. I'd like to find a fairly traditional recipe -- not something gussied up with blue cheese, etc. -- especially as grilling season approaches! Thanks for any ideas.

Jane: Try this fairly traditional recipe, which we published about 10 years ago. It's got tang, but it shouldn't be too tart, so your husband won't be put off.

If I were making this ahead, I'd keep the red cabbage separate until a little before serving time; it tends to turn everything pink.

CREAMY TANGY COLESLAW

(Makes 4 to 6 servings)

2 cups finely shredded green cabbage

1 cup finely shredded red cabbage

1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/4 cup plain yogurt

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, toss together the two kinds of cabbage. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, orange juice, mustard, mayonnaise and yogurt, mixing until smooth. Pour the mixture over the cabbage, tossing to coat. Add the caraway seeds and salt and pepper to taste. Toss again to distribute the seeds evenly

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Charlotte, N.C.: Can you substitute wheat bran for oat bran in a muffin recipe?

Bonnie: Baking whiz Rose Levy Beranbaum says sure, bran's bran! (and it cuts through gluten like little scissors, but is not prone to rancidity like the germ). FYI, she likes to keep it refrigerated.

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Clifton, Va.: Bring back Ben. Your new wine reviewers are awful. Or get some reviewers who know hat they are talking about and are not condescending. The Post now has two of the worst wine reviwers of any major paper in the. The guy who does the wine reviews for my local paper published monthly the Southeast Fairfax something does a better job. And obviuosly your wine reviewers are not local and have a bias against VA wines.

Why not concentrate on VA, MD, NC, NY wines

at under $20 a bottle they are as good as anything from Cali, NZ, OZ or France or Italy.

Joe: I'll take on just part of your rant: A bias against Virginia wines? That's funny; I just edited their column for next week, in which they praise nine wines from three VA vineyards.

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wedding shower: I have to throw a bridal shower lunch for about 10 women in June. I was thinking tea sandwiches and cupcakes. But I needed recipes suggestions for those. Maybe red velvet? Also thoughts on sides dishes or other things to round out the lunch?

Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: Here's an idea for dessert-make tea sandwiches out of cake. Just choose a cake with a firm texture. Slice like bread and trim the "crust." Make a quick cream cheese icing and use as the "filling." These little sandwiches disappear quickly so make plenty. They also hold well, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. Bring to room temp. before serving.

Jane: Hmmmm...tea sandwiches as a main course followed by cupcakes (or Stephanie's cake tea sandwiches, which sound yummy) equals a lot of bakery products for one lunch. There are so many wonderful luncheon salads out there; why not have one of those? Or a delicious make-ahead frittata and small salad on the side. Just not bread for both courses, is my vote.

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Washington, D.C.: That udon noodles recipe sounds so good. The only problem is that, while I am a vegetarian, I am not the skinniest of vegetarians and am trying to work on that. Is there any way I could lighten the recipe up a bit? While I am a big fan of occasionally indulging and not sacrificing satisfaction, it's hard for me to justify 570 calories and 27 grams of fat on my diet.

Bonnie: But it's not bad fat, in this case. Eat half a portion. Or cut back on the amount of tahini. The sauce is very flexible -- use just as much as you need to coat the noodles you make.

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Another knife question: I have one of those wooden block knife-holders and I wonder if it isn't a better idea to put the knives in with the blades facing up, rather than down? If the blades face down, I figure they're leaning on the wood and that can't help them stay sharp.

Joe: You're kidding, right?

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Washington, D.C.: I tried making ganache over the weekend and it was a disaster - it got grainy and the oil separated. I know that you have to make sure no water gets in, and my second attempt was better, but not great. But, I dumped my first attempt in a bowl and stuck it in the fridge. Is there any way of salvaging this (I'm open to different ways of using it) or should I just toss it?

Bonnie: We went to expert Rose Beranbaum again on this one:

"Once this happens there's no way to resurrect it that I've ever found. What happened was surely because it was overheated. If you use the food processor method it will NEVER happen. All you have to do is break or chop the chocolate medium-fine and process it until it is fine. Bring the cream to the boiling point (I prefer not to allow it to boil to maintain flavor) and with the motor running pour the cream in. Perfection."

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Anonymous: I have a flour related question too. How do you use white whole wheat flour and is it exchangeable with AP flour? Does it have the same health benefits as regular whole wheat?

Joe: White whole wheat flour is made from a wheat with fewer tannins (meaning it tastes sweeter) and a lighter color than regular whole wheat. It has the same benefits of regular whole wheat, indeed. It's not truly interchangeable with all-purpose, though, any more than regular whole wheat is, but it does result in a lighter product. Try subbing half of your AP flour with the white whole wheat for starters -- or, if you don't want to risk experimenting, check out cookbooks such as "King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking."

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Dupont Circle, D.C.: So what exactly is soybean sauce? I've had different types of soy sauce and tamari, but never tried this. The recipe looks great, but what is this sauce exactly and where can you buy it? The recipe notes more info to be found in the TIP section, but I don't see this anywhere online...

Bonnie: Sorry about that.

Thai yellow soybean sauce (tow jiaw, pronounced "dow GEE-ow") is made from fermented whole soybeans and is sometimes called salted soya beans or soy bean paste. It has the consistency of ketchup and provides a concentrated, salty hit to this dish. It is available in the international aisle of larger grocery stores; at Duangrat Oriental Food Mart, 5888 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, 703-578-0622; and at Thai Market, 902 Thayer St., Silver Spring, 301-495-2779.

Joe: If you're interested in picking up our giveaway bottle of this, just let us know. The first person to claim it can take it!

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Green curry paste: I have a jar of Thai green curry paste on hand. Do I need coconut milk to make a curry or stir fry? I don't have any on hand and wanted to use paste.

Jane: I just did a quick Internet search and it confirmed my suspicion that 99.9 percent of recipes calling for green curry paste also call for coconut milk. But the combo is so delicious, it's worth the trip to the store.

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Bok, Choy: Funny that you should mention bok choy. I am making the pork dumbling burgers from the recipie finder and was thinking of doing bok choy as a side dish. How can I prepare it if no baby bok is available?

Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: I love every kind of bok choy. Bok choy just takes a little longer to cook than the baby version, it's also easier to clean. I don't ever cook it whole, like baby bok choy. Just slice it, rinse away any grit and give it a steam or stir-fry.

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If you have the time, the dried do often have a slightly better taste and appearance. : I think I should switch to self-cooked beans to get away from the salt in the canned beans. Coversion? If I use 2 cans white beans in my cassolet, how much dried?

Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: If a small can is about 1 3/4 cups, two cans are 3 1/2 cups.

Beans more than double when cooked, so I'd probably cook 1 1/2 cups dried to get at least 3 1/2 cups. It's going to vary depending on the bean, but this is another example of a place where an exact measurement probably isn't necessary anyway.

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My Desk: I want to make the Udon Noodles With Baby Bok Choy and have some tahini sauce in my fridge. How long can an open jar of tahini last? I can't remember the last time I used it.

Bonnie: Hmm. That's usually a pretty good indicator of Time for a New Jar. Any chance of a date code on the label? Otherwise, take it out and let it come to room temperature to see what the consistency's like.

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to Joe about storing knives: I wasn't kidding but I guess I was wrong. (Need I add, your response cut me like a knife ... that'd been stored blade-side up!)

Joe: Don't mean to cut you down! I'm sorry -- I immediately pictured blades pointing up to the sky, which represents obvious risks, but now I see what you mean. Wood shouldn't dull the blades beyond anything that regular honing with a steel can't fix, but as long as there's no blade exposed to wandering hands, I can't imagine this would be a problem, either.

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Joe: We're out of time, everyone. Thanks for coming to the chat. Hope you got some good ideas for dinner tonight, tomorrow or anytime.

Now for the giveaways: The DC chatter who asked about quinoa will get Robin Robertson's "Quick-Fix Vegetarian." Just send your mailing info to food@washpost.com.

And the first chatter to call dibs on the soybean sauce (and expresses willingness to come by our offices to pick it up) will get it. Again, send us a note to food@washpost.com.

Until next time, happy cooking, eating and reading.

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