Don’t sweat your lack of knife skills

Step into almost any restaurant kitchen and you will see chefs and cooks wielding knives in an impressive display of finesse and skill. I witnessed this firsthand years ago when I staged at a high-end restaurant in a small city. I was tasked with finely chopping parsley to be used as a sprinkled garnish (don't laugh, everyone was doing that… read more

Home Farm Cooking – Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our US/UK/AU/CA giveaway to win a copy of Home Farm Cooking by John and Catherine Pawson. Acclaimed British architect and designer John Pawson teamed up with Annie Bell for his first cookbook Living and Eating. Pawson applied his minimalist simplicity to the recipes in that title which became a coveted cult classic and demands three figures in price. Now… read more

Australia Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our US/UK/AU/CA giveaway to win a copy of Australia: The Cookbook by Ross Dobson. From our April 27th post on Australian news Roberta wrote: "Is there such a thing as Australian cuisine? It’s been a question we’ve grappled with for a long time. As an ancient land with a recent modern history that combines a cultural melting pot from… read more

Chefs share their family kitchen secrets

Ayubi Family at Parwana (photo by Alicia Taylor)
Many, if not most, of the world's chefs started out their culinary career in their home kitchens, learning the ins and outs of their regional cuisine from their parents or grandparents (most often women). Just like the rest of us, they still keep their family kitchen tips close, sometimes even bringing them into their restaurants. Gourmet Traveller recently polled nine… read more

Sumac – Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our US/UK/AU giveaway to win one of four copies of Sumac: Recipes and Stories from Syria by Anas Atassi. Sumac includes over 90 recipes inspired by Atassi’s family recipes and travels, as well as the stories, celebrations and memories of loved ones in Syria that inspired the recipes. It includes the wonderful Friday breakfasts he’d eat in his grandmother’s garden, his… read more

Food news antipasto

The croissant is one of France's most easily identifiable pastries. The flaky crescents are adored and emulated around the globe. Many chefs have made mashups of the butter-laden treats and other well known pastries, resulting in the Cronut and the Cruffin. The Ritz Paris' renowned pastry chef François Perret has a new way to put a spin on the beloved… read more

Learn what Alice Waters eats in a week

Whenever I browse through a great cookbook, I wonder if the delicious dishes in its pages are what the author actually eats on a day-to-day basis. Try as I might to always make a delicious meal and to eat seasonally and locally, I often resort to pizza or something quick from the pantry that is less than stellar because I… read more

Cooking with Marilyn Monroe (or at least her cookbooks)

If you have a spare $50,000 to $75,000 lying around, you can own a piece of history. Two cookbooks owned by Marilyn Monroe are going up for auction on June 22nd. The cookbooks are: The New Fannie Farmer Boston Cooking School Cook Book and The New Joy of Cooking were both published in the early 1950s and said to be… read more

The last two weeks: The dangers or benefits of working on the Library, cookbook giveaways and EYBD Previews, recipes and more!

Some of you may recall My Big Fat Cookbook Purge of 2021 initiative that I began when I was younger and full of hope (in March). Some recent issues have hindered my ability to lift or do manual labor which has slowed down the progress of my efforts. My goal is to still knock down some of the mountains of… read more

Quick Bites: Dianne Jacob

Dianne Jacob coaches food writers and bloggers on how to get a cookbook published and how to improve the quality and effectiveness of their writing. She specializes in book proposals, which have a 1 percent acceptance rate. Dianne is the author of a multiple award-winning book on food writing, Will Write for Food: Pursue Your Passion and Bring Home the Dough Writing… read more

Pastry Arts offers free virtual summit

Pastry Arts magazine is a multimedia platform that aims to inspire, educate and connect the pastry community an informational conduit spotlighting the trade and giving a voice to hardworking pastry and baking professionals. In addition to its website, Pastry Arts has an active Facebook group featuring posts from industry professionals and hobbyists alike. Last year, Pastry Arts offered a free… read more

Toni Tipton-Martin wins Julia Child Award

Award-winning food writer and cookbook author Toni Tipton-Martin can add another feather to her cap, as the Julia Child Foundation announced that Tipton-Martin is the winner of its 7th annual Julia Child Award. She joins a star-studded roster of winners that includes Jacques Pépin, José Andrés, Susan Feniger, and Mary Sue Milliken. In 1991, Tipton-Martin became the first African American… read more

The Farmer’s Daughter Bakes Cookbook and The Knotty Dane Rolling Pin and Egg Holder Giveaway

Enter our US giveaway to win one of two copies of The Farmer's Daughter Bakes: Cakes, Pies, Crisps and More for Every Fruit on the Farm by Kelsey Siemens with one grand prize winner receiving a beautiful 6 egg holder and pastry rolling pin from The Knotty Dane. Kelsey Siemens is the author of the blog The Farmer's Daughter where… read more

News from Australia and New Zealand

Truffle Kerfuffle - Truffle Dog Demonstration
If you’re in the west, it’s time to book your tickets for Truffle Kerfuffle (25-27 June) … and if you’re on the east coast, there’s still time to make travel plans (subject to COVID19 restrictions)! You don’t want to miss this aromatic celebration of winter’s favourite crop, fresh Australian-grown Périgord truffles! Whether you join in the fun of a truffle… read more
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