The only way to be absolutely sure that meat has been cooked to your liking is to use a meat thermometer. The thermometer should be inserted into the thickest part of the joint, without touching any bones, just before the end of the cooking time. When cooking beef and lamb, the meat will be rare when the temperature reaches 60C, medium rare when it is 71C and well done when the temperature reads 80C. Pork and veal should only be served well done, which means that the temperature should reach 75C for pork, and 71C for veal.

If you do not have a meat thermometer, you can insert a metal skewer into the thickest part of the cooked joint and wait for 30 seconds. If the skewer feels cold to the touch when it is withdrawn, the meat is not done; if it feels warm the meat is rare, and if it is hot the meat is well done.

It is wise to take the resting time into consideration when you are testing for doneness because the meat will continue to cook while it is sitting. This is more important for a piece of meat that you wish to serve rare or medium and less crucial if the meat is going to be eaten when it is well done.

** Cooking Thermometers **

It is possible to make mayonnaise without using raw eggs. Sauce remoulade is made with hard-boiled egg yolk, which makes it particularly suitable for anyone hesitant about eating raw eggs. Mash a sieved large egg yolk thoroughly, add 1 tablespoon of boiling water and stir it to a smooth paste. Gradually add 250 ml of olive oil, beating the mixture continuously. When the mayonnaise has thickened, add 2 tablespoons each of finely chopped gherkins and parsley, 1 tablespoon of drained capers and a dash of anchovy essence. This sauce is often combined with celeriac.

** Asian Recipes **

You can cut kilojoules and reduce the fat content of sandwiches by using a low-fat spread and, if you include well-flavored ingredients, still make a filling that is satisfying and appealing. You may also find that wholewheat bread sandwiches have not only more flavor but more staying power.

For example, you can use a low-fat spread on brown bread, top it with cottage cheese, scatter chopped sliced canned pineapple over the cheese and then sprinkle it with chopped chives or scallions. Add a final generous seasoning of sea salt and black pepper. Another successful combination is flaked cooked or canned salmon and chopped watercress, bound with 2 tablespoons reduced fat mayonnaise, garnished with a sliced tomato and sprinkled with lemon juice to finish. You can also use canned tuna or crabmeat with a handful of freshly chopped herbs and use finely shredded lettuce instead of watercress. Chopped red pepper or canned corn kernels add a crunchy texture.

Instead of sliced bread use muffins, lightly toasted focaccia, a walnut or tomato bread or halved French sticks. To give reduced-fat mayonnaise more zest, stir in a teaspoon or two of good strong mustard. And the addition of fresh herbs, such as basil, coriander or flat-leafed parsley, will help to make sandwiches much more attractive and tempting.

Pungently flavored foods in unusual combinations can be so interesting and delicious that no one will ever miss the fat.

** Baking Recipes **

Modern manufacturing techniques for reduced-fat cheeses are increasingly sophisticated, nevertheless in some situations the performance of these cheeses in cooking is not the same as their full-fat equivalents. A reduced-fat, Cheddar-style hard cheese will melt under the grill, but it will not brown properly. If you want a crusty topping for a baked dish, add breadcrumbs to these reduced-fat hard cheeses.

But in most dishes in which reduced-fat hard cheese is used (such as pastry), you can expect it to perform in much the same way as its full-fat equivalent. When making cheese sauces with reduced-fat cheese, make sure you remove the pan from the heat first, and stir the cheese through at the last minute so it doesn't over-heat. And when using a reduced-fat cheese for sauces, you may also find it necessary to add a little mustard or some herbs to boost the flavor, as it is usually less rich.

** Baking Recipes **

Sometimes we wash leeks under the tap but there always seems to be some grit remaining. So how should we wash them to get rid of it all?

Supermarket leeks usually come trimmed but homegrown ones can be difficult to clean properly. Remove most of the green tops and make slits in the outer layers to enable us to flush out any grit under the cold tap. If more cleaning seems necessary after we have sliced the leeks, rinse them thoroughly under a running tap or stand them in a bowl of cold water for 15-20 minutes.

** Asian Recipes **

Are all types of kidney equally suitable for grilling and frying, or for using in steak and kidney pie?

Lamb's and pig's kidneys are both tender and after preparation, can be grilled, fried, casseroled or used in pies. Lamb's kidney has the more subtle flavor; pig's kidney is somewhat stronger. Large, multilobed veal kidneys are lightly colored and delicately flavored but expensive. They are best quickly grilled or fried in order to optimize their tenderness.

Ox kidneys from mature animals are strongly flavored and best cooked slowly with other ingredients in casseroles and pies. Many people consider them the first choice for a steak and kidney pie. The flavor of kidneys combines well with herbs, mushrooms, mustard, olives, peppers, tomatoes and strongly flavored wines.

** Asian Recipes **

Packet jelly always seems to taste artificial. Is there any easy way I could use fresh fruit to make a healthier, more natural jelly? The answer is yes because fresh oranges, lemons and all berries can be easily converted into jelly and the result has a flavor much nicer than any you make from a packet. Children who resist eating fresh fruit often love jelly and making your own helps to ensure that some vitamins are retained. Fresh fruit jellies should be eaten on the day they are made.

Jellies made with boysenberry, raspberry, strawberry or black-berry will still contain a few seeds even after the puree has been sieved. If this coarser texture is not to your liking, you can remove all the seeds by straining the puree through a muslin cloth. Try making fruit jellies with as little sugar as you can so they are really healthy, and the taste of the fruit comes through.

** Dessert Recipes **

Japanese food looks exquisite but appears to be difficult to prepare. Is there anything quick and easy that could be made at home?

Yes, there is. Sushi is made from rice flavored with mirin, or sweetened rice wine, and formed into finger-sized mounds topped with raw seafood or pickled vegetables. It is an art form in Japan, but the basic technique is simple. Sushi rice can also be rolled around a filling and wrapped in sheets of seaweed called nori, then cut into bite-sized pieces - but the moulded sushi are easier to make. The seafood toppings are raw and must be absolutely fresh. For the most authentic taste and texture, use Japanese sticky rice.

** Japanese Recipes **

Lassi, a traditional Indian drink, used to be made from buttermilk poured into earthenware crocks, with salt added to combat dehydration in the hot climate. It is now made from thin yogurt, with salt or sugar. To make your own, dilute natural yogurt with water or milk, add salt or sugar to taste, then blend vigorously with crushed ice.

** Asian Recipes **

The microwave is a blessing for the greaseless cooking of cracker-like poppadoms. Place them one at a time on the turntable of the microwave and cook for 40-60 seconds on High until puffed and crisp. They will not be as fluffy as those that are traditionally fried in oil, but they are considerably healthier.

** Asian Recipes **

Parsley is a good match for baked ham. Try flavoring aspic or a light jellied stock with parsley and white wine, then pour into a terrine which you have filled with rugged pieces of baked ham. Leave to set in the refrigerator for a few hours, turn out, then slice and serve cold with a green salad. You could also stir some pieces of leftover ham into a German-style casserole of sausage, beans, cabbage and onion for a hearty winter lunch or dinner.

** Food and Culture **

Seedless grapes are wonderful for eating but are not always what you need for cooking. Some recipes require a sharper tasting grape to counterbalance a rich sauce. You can remove the seeds by cutting the grapes in half, lengthways, and removing with a small sharp knife. To remove grape skins, prick each end, cover with boiling water and leave to stand for 45 seconds. Plunge the grapes into cold water to cool, then peel and cut in half.

** Asian Recipes **

The two glasses should part if you contract the inner glass and expand the outer glass by subjecting them to cold and hot temperatures, respectively. Pour cold water into the inner glass, or use ice. Immediately immerse the outside glass in hot, but not boiling, water and carefully pull the two apart.

** Asian Recipes **

The soak-in-water method doesn't work well on most modern label glues. Solution: Glue-removing products are formulated to loosen chemically the bonds between the glue and the metal pot. You have another option if the label is on the outside of the pot - use heat. Fill the pot with boiling water and let it stand. In most cases, the heat will loosen the glue's hold on the metal. Be patient. Don't try to peel a label off the pot prematurely lest hard-to-remove remnants of the glue remain bonded to the metal instead of the label.

** Asian Recipes **

Not only does hot water make oil and other food substances more fluid and therefore easier to dislodge, but it also has a lower surface tension than cold water. The hot water therefore better penetrates the food, and just as important, the soap or detergent can more readily form an oil-and-water emulsion. When cleaning a dish smeared with a raw or cooked flour paste, however, do not make the water too hot, lest the flour become instant glue.

** Asian Recipes **