There are many commonly touted swaps for half-and-half, but which ones actually work? My family members are dairy fiends. At any point in time, our fridge will be stocked with milk, heavy cream ...

It comes down to fat. Although often used in conjunction in recipes (and stocked right next to each other in most grocery stores), half-and-half and heavy cream are not quite the same thing.

When I make this soup for myself, I use half-and-half, but it curdles. Is it the heat or the acidic tomatoes that causes this to happen? Heavy cream is a little too heavy, but it doesn't curdle.

The single most nerve-racking thing about making this simple, elegant custard sauce is that it can overcook and curdle. Grace Parisi prevents this by preparing a cold-water bath and setting it ...