QUESTION: I have some semisweet chocolate squares that have an expiration date of September 2011, but the chocolate has turned white or pale. Is it OK to use?ANSWER: The white haze is called bloom. It happens when chocolate is stored improperly, usually when it is kept somewhere that is too warm or it is exposed to extreme temperature changes. A couple of things can cause it. Either moisture dissolves some of the sugar in the chocolate, then rises to the surface, leaving sugar crystals behind when the moisture evaporates. More commonly, the fat or cocoa butter in the mixture separates and rises to the surface.If you're using the chocolate in a recipe where it will be melted, you can still use it. Nibble a little bit first to make sure it doesn't have an off-flavor. (But you'd do that anyway, right?)Good-quality chocolate is delicate, and it's certainly expensive. So it's worth storing it correctly. Keep it well-wrapped in a dark place where it doesn't get too warm or too damp. In most kitchens, that means a cabinet that's well away from the stove. Be careful of what's stored near it, because it can pick up strong odors. I once heard from a reader who had stored a large amount of chocolate in a closet and didn't realize it was near mothballs. Sadly, her chocolate was a total loss.

QUESTION: I am coordinating distribution for a farm-harvest subscription service at work. I'd like to be able to include recipes for our participants. I want to comply with copyright laws. Is it enough to cite the recipe source?ANSWER: Copyright laws on recipes are complicated, but they mainly apply to printed material, such as books, or to profit-making enterprises. If you're writing a book and you use someone else's recipe, for instance, you need to obtain permission to use it.However, copying recipes and handing them around among friends usually doesn't become an issue because the distribution is limited and you're not reselling someone else's work. Citing the source is respectful, and most cookbook authors appreciate it because you are helping to support their work.One general rule is that if you make three substantive changes to a recipe, in either the ingredients or the method, you can call it your recipe. That's not legally binding, however. It's more like gentlemen's — or gentle cooks' — agreement.