Cookbook collector extraordinaire Janice Bluestein Longone has died at age 89

August 11, 2022 by
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Janice Bluestein Longone, an antiquarian bookseller whose collection served as "an unparalleled repository of culinary history," died on August 3 in Michigan at the age of 89. Longone's collection of cookbooks, menus, and culinary ephemera was housed at the University of Michigan's Janice Bluestein Longone Culinary Archive. A few years ago we wrote about one of Longone's most treasured pieces, the… read more

Why you are seeing increased restaurant prices

August 10, 2022 by
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empty wineglasses on a tray
During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic when lockdowns were the order of the day, cooking at home had lost its luster, and takeout just wasn't cutting it anymore, most of us would have given our eyeteeth to be able to sit down in a restaurant and be treated to a proper dining experience, cost be damned. Well, today the… read more

Is it too early to plan for the holidays?

August 9, 2022 by
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You've probably seen a few Christmas in July sales, but usually holiday offerings don't hit stores in earnest until we get the first whiffs of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Not so for Bonne Maman, however, because the purveyor of jams, jellies, preserves, and herbal teas just announced the availability of its highly sought after limited-edition Advent calendars. Maybe they… read more

Food news antipasto

August 7, 2022 by
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Have you seen any of the amazing photos of distant galaxies, nebulae, and stars coming from the newly launched James Webb Space Telescope? One of the recent images has a food connection: French scientist tweeted an image of what he described as a 'distant star' - only it wasn't a star at all, it was a photo of a thin… read more

Pioneering British chef Alastair Little has died

August 5, 2022 by
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British chef Alastair Little, known as the ‘godfather' of modern British cooking, has died at the age of 72. Little's restaurant Soho, which opened in London's Soho neighborhood in the 1980s, was ahead of its time, with an open kitchen and an emphasis on seasonal, local ingredients. The chef influenced generations of other industry professionals including Jamie Oliver, who posted… read more

Sometimes the best things come in small packages

August 4, 2022 by
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Despite what some advertisers claim, bigger is not always better. A giant stand mixer might be perfect for making multiple batches of cookie or bread dough, but if you want to whip just one or two egg whites, you can be out of luck if all you own is a 10-quart Hobart. Often, having a small tool dedicated to the… read more

Why butter temperature matters

August 2, 2022 by
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As someone who loves to bake, I find that many of my favorite recipes begin with at least one stick of butter. Whether the butter is straight from the freezer, needs to come out of the fridge, or should be tepid depends on what I'm making, as the temperature of the butter will greatly affect the outcome of the baked… read more

Food news antipasto

August 1, 2022 by
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veggie burger patty on one half of a bun, topped with two onion rings, with the other half of the toasted bun to the right, both sitting on a red plate with a red polka-dotted napkin
Americans learned this week that they were losing a beloved frozen treat, the Choco Taco. The Klondike confection was invented in the 1980s and quickly became a favorite of kids and adults alike - what's not to love in a mashup of chocolate, ice cream, and a taco shape? But all hope is not lost: Reddit cofounder Alex Ohanian has… read more

IACP 2022 Cookbook Award Nominees

July 29, 2022 by
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cropped images of six cookbook covers: Zoe Bakes Cakes by Zoe Francois, Ripe Figs by Yasmin Khan, Pasta by Missy Robbins, Black Smoke by Adrian Miller, Flavors of the Sun by Christine Sahadi Whelan, and Treasures of the Mexican Table by Pati Jinich
Each year when I see the lists of nominees for the various cookbook awards I am always impressed that authors are able to keep innovating and achieving great heights in writing, research, and recipe development. The nominees for the 2022 IACP Cookbook and Media Awards prove that there remain deep reservoirs of culinary knowledge, cultural heritage, and cooking, baking, and… read more

What’s the best cookbook holder?

July 29, 2022 by
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An open cookbook rests in a bamboo holder on a butcher block countertop. A red KitchenAid stand mixer is in the background.
For those of us who use our cookbooks day in and day out, protecting them from ruin while still being able to easily reference them is an ongoing challenge. While a splatter or two can add character to a beloved book, a major spill can be disastrous, so many cooks turn to cookbook holders and protectors instead of just plopping… read more

Lock your doors: it’s zucchini season

July 27, 2022 by
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The warnings are dire: double-check to make sure all of your doors are locked, from your cars to your garage to your house. These precautions are not due to an increase in the crime rate, but rather because your neighbors are getting desperate to find homes for all of the zucchini (courgettes) that are now ripening in their garden. I… read more

Food news antipasto

July 24, 2022 by
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Our first news comes to us via Food Tank, where writer Jonathan Ribich brings us the story of the award-winning documentary called The Kitchenistas. This film "follows the lives of women leading a movement in Southern California to reconnect their community to healthy, traditional foods." Women who participate in the bilingual culinary program called Cooking for Salud at Olivewood Gardens in National City,… read more

Diana Kennedy, champion of Mexican cuisine, has died age 99

July 24, 2022 by
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We have just learned that Diana Kennedy, who reigns as one of the top authors in the EYB Library, holding two of the top ten spots for Mexican cookbooks, has died at the age of 99. Born in England, Kennedy moved to Mexico in the 1950s with her husband Paul. Once there, she began to chronicle Mexican cooking and plant life.… read more

The Bear is this season’s must-watch food show

July 23, 2022 by
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Forget reality television, drama is where it's at right now with respect to food programming. At least according to Helen Rosner and my food-loving friends who live in Chicago, who highly recommend The Bear, which is streaming on FX and Hulu. The Bear is a fictionalized account of a top-tier chef who leave's the "world's best" restaurant in NYC to… read more

Get paid to eat state fair foods

July 21, 2022 by
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If there's one thing that most Americans can agree on, it's that eating food on a stick is wonderful. From Pronto Pups (corn dogs) to fudgesicles to fried pickles, we love our state fair foods, most of which have been configured to fit on sticks to make it easier to carry them around the vast fairgrounds found in county seats… read more

World’s 50 Best Restaurants announced

July 20, 2022 by
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Last year we had to wait until October to learn the results, but the 2022 World's 50 Best Restaurants were announced on 18 July. As usual, European restaurants had the strongest showing, but more South American, Asian, and African venues have popped up. A fair number of chefs on the top 50 (as well as entries 51-100) list have written… read more

This price hike is a really big dill

July 19, 2022 by
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The patch of dill in my garden has overtaken the small area where I let it go to seed last year, staking out territory meant for the winter squash that is now competing for space with the leggy, feathery-leaved plants. This complaint about an overabundance of an herb is probably irksome to many of our Australian readers who are facing… read more

Food news antipasto

July 18, 2022 by
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As Europe braces for its worst-ever heatwave, BBC Good Food is providing recipes along with tips and tricks for dealing with the hot weather. You will find ideas for no-cook meals, foods to make that are perfect for outdoor eating, advice from a nutritionist on how to adjust your diet to deal with the heat, and other tips. Orange-cardamom ice… read more

Finding the right cookbook fit

July 16, 2022 by
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I have been wearing the same athletic shoes for nearly 30 years - not the exact same pair of course, but the same brand and style. After trying different brands and types, I discovered that these worked best for me, providing the support and comfort I needed. The same can be said for cookbooks - not every cookbook or author… read more

France encounters a mustard shortage

July 14, 2022 by
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While the French celebrated Bastille Day today, many of the festivities were missing a beloved ingredient. France is in the midst of a Dijon mustard shortage, depriving the country of "the condiment that gives edge to a steak frites, life to a grilled sausage, depth to a vinaigrette and richness to mayonnaise." Dijon-style mustard  from  The Art of Preserving (Williams-Sonoma) by Rick Field and Lisa Atwood and Rebecca… read more

Celebrate Bastille Day with French food and drink

July 13, 2022 by
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Food, drinks, and fireworks in July aren’t limited to the United States. Ten days after America’s Independence Day, the French also have their own red, white and blue holiday. Called Bastille Day by English speakers, the day is known to the French as “La Fête Nationale,” and it celebrates the anniversary of the liberation of France marked by the storming… read more

Global chickpea shortage looms

July 11, 2022 by
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Hummus and falafel lovers won't want to hear this news, but it looks as though there will be a worldwide shortage of garbanzo beans, aka chickpeas, in the coming year. Reuters recently reported that global supplies of the crop may fall 20 percent over the next several months. Basic hummus from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi If you surmised that the… read more

Food news antipasto

July 11, 2022 by
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This week's theme centers on fried chicken in honor of the fact that July 6 was National Fried Chicken Day in the US. Up first is Eater's series, The United States of Fried Chicken, which takes us all over the country to find the 27 best fried chicken joints in the nation. But that's not all: you'll also find an… read more

Ingredient snobbery must go

July 9, 2022 by
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Just about every TV chef I have watched has maligned a ready-made ingredient like boxed chicken broth or pre-peeled garlic. I've also seen scads of articles like Food & Wine's "29 things chefs never buy pre-made," where the pros besmirch everything from salad mix to jarred sauces, emphatically stating they would never deign to purchase such an inferior product. While… read more

World Chocolate Day is here

July 7, 2022 by
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Today is World Chocolate Day! The middle of summer is a brave choice to host this food holiday in the Northern Hemisphere, but there is a reason: it's celebrated on 7 July because that is allegedly the date that chocolate was first brought to Europe in 1550. It's not as though we really need a day to celebrate chocolate, because… read more
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