Let’s face it: Maraschino cherries sound great, and when you were little you thought they were this expensive, high-quality fruit you only ate every few years. As an adult, you now know they’re mass produced and taste just like they look: neon-sweet, nothing like a cherry, and annoying. So what do you do when your …

If you’re in love with sushi then you might make your own at home. In that case, you need all the assorted flavors and accompanying food items, including pickled ginger. But how long does pickled ginger last ? We ask because the only time you can get small packets of the stuff is with pre-made …

Blueberries are a favorite in many kitchens. They are sweet, tangy, and packed with nutrients. People love adding them to muffins, pancakes, smoothies, and desserts. But what if you run out of blueberries? Maybe they are out of season, too expensive, or simply unavailable. Don’t worry—there are plenty of options. Knowing a good blueberry substitute …

Strawberries are really hard to replace, and the flavor they bring to any dessert is like nothing else. Still, sometimes you might find yourself in the position of having to replace strawberries, and that’s that. So what do you do ? We’ve made up a lit of the best candidates possible, keeping texture, flavor, and …

Are you in the middle of making oatmeal cookie batter and totally forgot about the raisins ? Don’t worry, there’s definitely something you can use instead. In fact, there’s several options you have, depending on your taste and how easily you can find them. So here’s the best ideas for raisin substitutes, and we’re pretty …

Does your new favorite recipe call for olives but you just can’t stand them ? Or maybe you absolutely love them but can’t find any right now ? There are substitutes for both sides of the camp, both for olive lovers and haters. Some of these will have more in common with olives, specifically green …

Passion fruit are amazingly delicious little things, but their high price can instantly upset anyone. So what do you do if you’re in desperate need of passion fruit, but don’t want to shell out $2 per fruit ? There are alternatives you can use, and they will cover the flavor quite nicely. So we’ve made …

Passion flowers are really something else. They look both strange and mesmerizing, and often like they belong on a coral reef, with colorful fish swimming by. Or maybe that’s just our imagination. Maybe you just got a young seedling as a gift, and are wondering if it will give you actual fruit. That’s a very …

Don’t you absolutely love passion fruit? It’s probably one of the most interesting fruits to look at, smell, or eat! These wrinkly babies are delicious, but also downright expensive. But why is that? After all, where passion fruit grows, it does so in large numbers, so there shouldn’t really be a crop shortage problem. So …

If you’ve ever wanted to make something with fresh, delicious berries you’ve noticed they cost a small fortune for 7 oz of fruit ! Really, the prices on berries are ridiculous when you stop to think they grow freely on the side of the road. Ah, yes, but are those berries the same as market …

If you’re looking for the best cheeses for a fondue you might’ve noticed an upsetting fact: cheese is expensive. Not only that, but all the good, melty, delicious cheese will make you think twice about the cost of melting a whole pound. Why is cheese so expensive ? After all, cheese was made thousands of …

If you’re absolutely in love with pomelos, you know they’re not supposed to be bitter. Well, at least the good ones, and the ones you usually find in supermarkets. But what if you do happen across a bitter pomelo one day, what then ? And is there anything you can do to remove that bitterness …

If you’re in the middle of winter then you may not have easy access to zucchini/courgette. So what can you use in place of courgettes ? To be honest there’s not that many direct substitutes. Most of these will be completely different veggies, and which you use will depending on exactly what you’re making, and …

You’ve definitely heard of pepper, and you’ve definitely heard pretty much every chef ever, on every cooking show ever, recommending freshly ground black pepper. But did anyone stop to explain why fresh pepper is better ? And did anyone discuss the merits of pre-ground pepper ? After all, it’s on the market for a reason. …

Pepper is possibly the most common spice on the planet, not counting salt, which is more of a seasoning. You find pepper everywhere, in everything, even in some sweet dishes or drinks ! But why is pepper everywhere ? Why is it so common, and why pepper but not another spice ? It turns out …

If you have a nightshade allergy then you definitely need to know all the veggies you can’t touch. But does this include black pepper ? It’s possibly the most common spice ever used, at least in Western cooking. Trying to avoid something containing pepper is really difficult, so lets clear up whether black pepper is …

Got a hankering for prickly pear cheesecake but just can’t find any ? If you’re in the middle of winter you’re out of luck. These things are also hard to find outside of America, so if you’re from anywhere that’s not America you’ll definitely need a substitute. But what is the best substitute for prickly …

If your favorite recipe calls for pineapple, but you don’t want to use it, don’t have any, or are allergic to it, what do you do ? Well then, you look for a pineapple substitute. Of course, each recipe uses pineapple differently and for different reasons. Sone need the flavor, some need the texture, some …

Do you love black pepper ? Do you love how absolutely peppery and sharp its flavor can get ? Oh it’s spicy, alright, and when it hits it’s really hard to miss. You can easily overdo pepper, especially if it’s freshly ground black pepper. But what makes pepper so peppery ? After all, it’s not …

Did you just get a pound of the loveliest looking apples you’ve ever seen ? Well then, go ahead and wash one, let’s see just how delicious it is ! Oh, it’s sticky ? Hmm… You know, you’re not the first and probably not the last to be confused as to why your apples are …