8 Shiitake Mushroom Substitutes for that Unique Umami Taste

Shiitake mushrooms are an edible type of fungus originating from China and Japan. They contain a chemical called lentinan which is good for the immune system.  You can eat them both raw and cooked, but they are more often used in cooked dishes to bring out the best of their flavor.  Shiitake mushrooms have a …

12 Pie Weight Substitutes to Maintain the Beautiful Form of your Pies. 

Pie weights are small ceramic or metal balls used to fix the form of the dough at the first stage of the baking process.  Of course not everyone owns them but when it comes to pies, tarts and other baked goods that call for similar items we need to use something else instead.  Luckily pie …

9 Best Butcher’s Twine Substitutes to Keep your Dish In Place

Cooking string, kitchen twine or butcher’s twine: whatever you call it, it’s the string used when cooking meat. It is made of 100% pure cotton and is oven-safe. It helps to keep the meat in place and cook it evenly.  You may wonder if there is a butcher’s twine substitute when you don’t have it …

Celery Seed Substitutes for Hot and Cold Dishes and Not Only

Celery seeds taste like celery stalks only a bit stronger and with a bitter taste. They have a wide usage in culinary as a condiment. These tiny seeds are meant to season pickling, barbeque dishes, roasted veggies, salads, sauces, soups and potato dishes.  You can use different forms of celery to replace celery seeds as …

14 Fish Stock Substitutes to Get that Rich Flavor in your Dish

Fish stock is one of the most flavorful broths made of fish bones, heads, and other trimmings. It is used in cooking for a number of reasons: to add a fishy flavor to the dish or to make it more nutritious. You can use it in gumbo, seafood bisque and étouffée. If you don’t have …

15 Gruyere Cheese Substitutes to Use in Cooking, Baking and Not Only

Gruyere is an Alpine smooth, melting type cheese with Swiss origin. It is made of whole cow’s milk and is usually aged for about six months or even more. It has a mild, sweet and slightly salty flavor but in most cases the taste varies with age.  Gruyere is one of the most popular types …

11 File Powder Substitutes to Thicken your Dishes and Add Flavor

The ground, dried leaves of the sassafras tree are known as a condiment called file powder. It has a unique root beer flavor and is used in soups, seafood stews, gumbo, gravies and sauces.  The main function of file powder, however, is to thicken the dish.  There are cases when you run out of spices …

Substitutes for Lime Juice: Refreshing Citrus Flavors

Lime juice is used in many dishes, cocktails, mixed drinks, sauces, marinades, fruit salads and sweets. It’s a citrusy and flavorful juice that you can replace with other juices, flavors and seasonings to have a similar taste in your dish.  In case, you have no limes in hand for a particular recipe or have allergies …

Cloves Substitutes to Save the Warm Aroma of Your Dish

Whole cloves are dried brown buds that come from reddish flowers of a tropical evergreen tree. They are among the most intensely flavored spices. Their usage is more than versatile and clove has its special place in many traditional cuisines all over the world.  Cloves are usually used as an aromatic spice in savory dishes, …