No Tangent Tuesday: Don't Waste That Helium

Dave is solo in studio for a skeleton crew edition of No Tangent Tuesday.

Topics Covered:

• Grana Padano vs. Parmigiano-Reggiano – Is Grana just a weaker Parmesan, or does it deserve its own place in cooking? Dave breaks down the real distinctions between these cheeses, how aging, terroir, and the Italian cheese consortiums impact flavor, and when you can (or can’t) swap one for the other.

• Can You Recreate Pizzeria Cheese Texture at Home? – A listener wants to mimic the fine, slightly clumpy grated cheese found in pizza shop shakers. Dave and Quinn dissect industrial processes, moisture control, grating methods, and how additives like maltodextrin or milk powder might help — plus why Wiley Dufresne probably already has a working prototype.

• Clarifying Fresh Ginger Juice Without Magnesium Carbonate – Dave details how to clarify ginger-turmeric-galangal juice (a.k.a. “zing”) using Pectinex and citric acid, and shares the full recipe spec for the Firefly Mule served at Double Chicken Please.

• Pre-Theater Food Strategy – What’s the best way to eat before a show when timing is tight? From halal carts to hand rolls, the crew dissects good and bad pre-event meals, with bonus recommendations for fast, reliable options in both NYC and LA.

• Cheese Powder, Moisture Content, and Anti-Caking Agents – More on shaker cheese: Dave outlines the likely industrial approach (not freeze-dried powder, but low-moisture cheese + blending and drying aids) and proposes a homebrew version for kitchen experimenters.

• Shoutout: Utica Grind Red Pepper – A caller recommends a regional crushed red pepper blend that delivers on texture and coverage.

All that and more, this week on Cooking Issues.

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