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By MARY A. KEITH

Tribune correspondent

Published: July 16, 2008

I was surprised by your recommendation not to freeze rice and pasta. I freeze them often. Is there a reason I shouldn't?

Here's the problem: Foods with lots of moisture - like cooked rice and pasta - will form ice crystals when frozen. When the ice thaws, it often breaks down the structure of the starch. The result is a mushy, gummy mess. But if you're getting results you find satisfactory, there's no reason to change.

I put frozen chicken in a pan of tap water to thaw. In about 20 minutes, there was a layer of fluffy stuff floating on the water and little pieces sinking to the bottom of the pan. What could be causing this?

If you were boiling the meat, I would not be concerned. Heat makes protein in the chicken juice congeal. Some will bubble to the top, some will sink as sediment. But simply thawing chicken in tap water shouldn't be causing that. You're probably safer to discard it. Buying fresh chicken is less costly than a doctor's visit.

How well does blueberry pie freeze? I was given several and can't use them all at once.

It depends on the starch used to thicken the filling. Tapioca or ClearJel will still stick together after the pie is frozen and thawed. But fillings made with flour or cornstarch may separate, which means the filling will leak a lot more juice and might be lumpy. The pie will be safe to eat, just not top quality.

Where can I find powdered buttermilk?

I've seen it in several local grocery stores. Call around to stores in your area. Bob's Red Mill and SoCo are two available brands.

Can I make marmalade with mangos? Would it need pectin?

Marmalade depends on orange, grapefruit or lemon peel. The peel is needed to boost the natural pectin in citrus and make the marmalade gel. To make mango marmalade, you'll need to add citrus. You'll also need powdered pectin. Mangos don't contain enough pectin on their own.

A friend cooks peas and beans with seasonings and freezes them. They are ready to just heat and eat. How does that work?

If you only plan to keep the beans in your freezer for a month or so, seasoning them first will probably be fine and you can add any you like. But many spices and seasonings change flavor in the freezer; some become strong or bitter or lose their flavor. Cooking and freezing the beans without seasonings - then adding them later - will work better long-term.

What is used to make balsamic vinegar? I'm allergic to many things and I'm hesitant to try it because ingredients aren't listed on the label.

Balsamic vinegar is usually made from what is called must or the pulp of freshly pressed grapes. Must may contain the seeds and skins plus the juice. The vinegar is then aged for several years in specialized wooden barrels. This is what gives balsamic vinegar its characteristic taste; it picks up flavor from the wood. Traditional balsamic vinegar is made with one type of white grape and aged in varied types and sizes of barrels. There are less-expensive balsamic-flavored products that may not have gone through the whole process.

Is it OK to store boxes of canned food in an RV for the summer?

It's not a good idea because the quality will deteriorate much faster. Beans will become grey and peaches will brown. They'll get mushy, too. Plus, a few cans might spoil and swell.

Mary A. Keith, a nutrition and health agent at Hillsborough County Extension, can be reached at (813) 744-5519 or mkeith@ufl.edu.

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