Does this settle the scone debates?

August 8, 2023 by
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Scones have been an integral part of afternoon tea in the UK for hundreds of years. The recent coronation of King Charles reinforced this tradition and drove sales of scones up by 120%. Clotted cream and jam sales also spiked during the weeks leading up to the coronation. This week is Afternoon Tea Week, so scones are again front and… read more

Food news antipasto

August 6, 2023 by
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Peeking inside celebrities' kitchens and pantries is a source of fascination for people. It may be so popular because it's a way to relate to the celebrities (they're just like me because they have [insert your favorite item] in their fridge!) or perhaps because it offers a glimpse into a lifestyle few of us can afford (think Kim Kardashian's enormous… read more

Increase your cooking intelligence with RecipeIQ

August 4, 2023 by
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One of the things I miss about the recipe app that I once used (now defunct) is that it quickly calculated nutritional information based on the ingredient list. While there are a handful of websites that offer such calculations, they are tedious to use and have all manner of annoying pop-up advertisements. However, I've recently learned about a new app… read more

Brouhaha over burrata

August 2, 2023 by
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Food writer Tammie Teclamariam (winner of a Best Emerging Voice award from the James Beard Foundation in 2022) stirred a hornet's nest with her recent opinion piece for Grub Street titled "A Big Fat Blob of Boring: Can we cool it with all the burrata balls?" As quickly as you could say "comment", a division emerged between those who agreed… read more

Mourning the loss of Canadian culinary icon Rose Murray

August 2, 2023 by
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We learned the sad news that Rose Murray, a Canadian culinary icon and celebrated cookbook author, has passed away. Her food writing regularly appeared in Canadian Living, The Globe and Mail and other publications, and she was frequently featured on national TV. Rose took a roundabout path to becoming a treasured culinary figure. She received a university degree in English… read more

Food news antipasto

July 30, 2023 by
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In a surprise move, Cher recently said that she is getting into the frozen desserts game with a line of gelatos under the brand name Cherlato. The singer said the launch was years in the making. In the Instagram post announcing the new project the New Zealand based ice cream and gelato supplier Giapo Kitchen was tagged, indicating that it… read more

Some (in the UK) like it hot

July 29, 2023 by
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In the United States, hot sauce has been a favorite condiment for many years (remember Hillary Clinton talking about keeping a bottle in her purse?), and the love for spicy food has likewise been around for a long time. Until recently the love for fiery foods has not taken root across the pond in the UK, but that seems to… read more

No Famous Chocolate Wafers? No problem.

July 28, 2023 by
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Nabisco recently roiled home bakers by announcing that they were discontinuing their Famous Chocolate Wafer cookies. People relied on these dark, crumbly cookies for no-bake cakes and crumb crusts, and bakers lamented the loss so much they started a petition for Nabisco to change its mind. Whether or not this petition is successful, you may want to have a backup… read more

The latest TikTok food fad isn’t cool, it’s cold

July 26, 2023 by
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You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream, and then we throw it at each other. If the latter half of that sentence sounds bizarre to you, that's because you have not yet seen the latest TikTok trend where ice cream shop workers throw a scoop of their product at another team member. Food and Wine dubs this… read more

Will the Le Creuset factory sale live up to the hype?

July 25, 2023 by
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It was Sea Salt that hooked me. For many years I owned but one Le Creuset item, a 7 quart Dutch oven in white that I purchased as a factory second from a now defunct distributor. Le Creuset's revolving palette of colors was enticing, but not enough for me to fork over a considerable sum to purchase another piece. That… read more

Food news antipasto

July 23, 2023 by
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GBBO finalist Crystelle Pereira just released her first cookbook, Flavour Kitchen, to rave reviews. She recently sat down with The Independent to discuss life after Bake Off, the decision to quit her day job and focus on cooking and baking, her Goan-Portuguese roots, and her upcoming food plans. Despite loving French pastries, Pereira admitted that she doesn't love French food.… read more

Books that celebrate bean cuisine

July 22, 2023 by
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When I converted to a vegetarian diet many years ago, there were not many options on restaurant menus or in cookbooks. I remember getting a cookbook focused on beans that had recipes for varieties of beans I had never even heard of before. Unfortunately, none of those recipes were good - there were precious few seasonings called for, the timing… read more

The sweet side of MSG

July 20, 2023 by
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There once existed a more formal divide between the sweet and savory sides of the kitchen, but over time the lines between them were blurred. Techniques and ingredients started crossing from one side to the other in both directions. A recent Epicurious article brings this concept home, as Anikah Shaokat makes the argument that MSG belongs in sweet foods just… read more

Will the Instant Pot end up in the graveyard of kitchen fads?

July 19, 2023 by
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Air fryers are the kitchen gadget du jour, and the poor Instant Pot, which recently dominated Amazon Prime Day, is now relegated to second class status. Both appliances promise to tremendously streamline your cooking and reduce the amount of time and effort involved in meal prep, plus make it easier to eat a healthy diet. Claims like these are not… read more

Have your cake and read it too

July 18, 2023 by
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Even though I'm not a huge fan of romance novels, I must admit that they can be just the thing to throw in your bag when you head to the beach or other vacation destination where you will have plenty of relaxation time. They are fast paced, the best ones have some unexpected twists and turns, but everything always turns… read more

Food news antipasto

July 16, 2023 by
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We start out this week's recap of culinary happenings with sad news of two deaths in the cookbook community. Acclaimed British writer Colin Spencer has passed away at the age of 90. Grub Street Publishing (UK - not related to the US Grub Street website) posted a remembrance about him yesterday. Spencer wrote numerous cookbooks and food-related titles including British… read more

Comfort food is great, but have you tried comforting food?

July 16, 2023 by
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Since the start of the pandemic, comfort foods have reigned supreme. In times of stress, people turn to the foods that made them feel good, whether it is a throwback dish that reminds them of home or something with a lot of fat, carbs, sugar, or all three. While eating carbohydrate-rich and fat-laden dishes is satisfying, I think there is… read more

Celebrate French food on Bastille Day

July 13, 2023 by
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I'm not French, but since nearly all of my great-great-great grandparents lived within spitting distance of the Rhine I say "close enough" for celebrating Bastille Day by eating French foods and drinking a French 75. Even if your ancestors are not French or French adjacent, holidays from other countries or traditions offer a great way to break out of a… read more

Top Chef announces new host and location

July 12, 2023 by
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Following Padma Lakshmi's departure after Season 20 of the Bravo TV show Top Chef, fans of the series were wondering who the producers would tap as a replacement for Lakshmi. Now we know that beginning with Season 21, the new host joining Gail Simmons and head judge Tom Colicchio will be former Top Chef winner Kristin Kish. Kish has maintained… read more

Nigella Lawson addresses the ‘girl dinner’ trend

July 11, 2023 by
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TikTok user Olivia Maher has been credited with coining the phrase 'girl dinner' after posting a video that described how medieval peasants ate, describing it as being terrible because they had nothing to eat but bread, cheese, and perhaps a few vegetables. However, Maher went on to say it was her “ideal meal” before panning to a plate containing of… read more

Food news antipasto

July 9, 2023 by
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Fans of the Hulu series The Bear may have noticed that fictional chef Carmy Berzatto has a cookbook collection at the new restaurant he opens in Season 2. Kat Kinsman and Chandra Ram did some sleuthing - including taking screenshots and enlarging them, CSI-style - and put together a list of the books Carmy has displayed. They are what you would… read more

Cookbook author Marlena Spieler dies at age 74

July 7, 2023 by
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We learned the sad news late yesterday evening that prolific cookbook author Marlena Spieler has died at the age of 74. She is the author of over 70 cookbooks published worldwide, including Grilled Cheese and Macaroni & Cheese, and has written for Bon Appétit, Saveur, The San Francisco Chronicle, and other publications. Marlena was also a three-time James Beard nominee… read more

Getting up to speed on modern restaurant lingo

July 6, 2023 by
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The food world is never stagnant, and new creations happen at a rapid pace. Just a tick over ten years ago there was no such thing as a Cronut, seven years ago the Impossible Burger didn’t exist, six years ago ruby chocolate was born, and the list goes on. It’s difficult to keep up with food trends and new food… read more

Where does the ketchup go?

July 6, 2023 by
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Some food disputes seem eternal: is a hot dog a sandwich, should chili have beans in it, are brownie centers better than brownie edges, and is cake superior to pie. Another one, and the subject of today's discussion, whether ketchup should be stored in the refrigerator. The answer to that question depends on who you ask. The UK branch of… read more

Fireworks in the kitchen

July 5, 2023 by
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My neighborhood was full of the pops, booms, and crackles of fireworks tonight as people celebrated the 4th of July holiday. I only heard them distantly because I was scurrying about in the kitchen. Whenever I have a day off, I almost always plan a huge cooking or baking spree. Today was Cook's Illustrated Strawberry cream cake, plus Greg’s scrunchy… read more
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