In defense of recipes

December 10, 2022 by
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There's been a proliferation in recent years of a different type of cookbook, one that deemphasizes recipes in favor of a more relaxed style of cooking. It it isn't exactly a recent trend - Pam Anderson wrote How to Cook Without a Book in 2000 and there are even older books in a similar vein - but it has gained… read more

You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs

December 8, 2022 by
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carton of eggs
In cooking or baking, sometimes the smallest action provides the biggest challenge. As I discovered when watching my husband make an omelet, one of these actions is cracking an egg. His approach is to crack the egg on the sharp edge of the mixing bowl, and his method almost always results in small shards of eggshell that he has to… read more

Top food trends of 2022

December 7, 2022 by
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As we approach the end of the year, it's time to reflect on all that has happened in 2022. Jenny keeps us up to date on all of the cookbook happenings, so I am looking more broadly at food trends. Food and Wine recently reminisced on the top TikTok trends for the year. We reported on a couple of these… read more

Matt Lucas is leaving the GBBO

December 6, 2022 by
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Next year's Great British Bake Off is going to look a little different, as one of the show's co-hosts, Matt Lucas, announced that he would not be returning to the program in 2023. In an Instagram post, he said that hosting has “been a delicious experience and I can’t imagine a more fun way of spending my summers. But it’s… read more

Food news antipasto

December 4, 2022 by
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Food is a significant contributor to cultural heritage, and UNESCO recognizes exceptional food items by adding them to its Cultural Heritage List. The latest food to officially become part of the "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" is the French baguette. President Emmanuel Macron described the baguette as "250 grams of magic and perfection in our daily lives.” Dan Leader's 4-hour… read more

Can The Great American Baking Show match the GBBO?

December 3, 2022 by
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The Roku Channel just launched the first episode in its new series The Great American Baking Show. It is a celebrity-baker, holiday-themed program so we don't yet get to meet the bakers who will be competing in the 'real' program, but it does give us a flavor of what to expect. I watched this first episode and so far I… read more

What not to give for the holidays

December 2, 2022 by
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I'm sure most of you have been seeing lots of advertisements and posts about gift ideas, and if your browsing habits influence the algorithm like mine do, most of what you see is food or cooking related. My biggest problem is that plenty of what I see in those articles appeals to me as a gift recipient, not necessarily as… read more

Is mise en place really necessary?

November 30, 2022 by
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Read the foreward to any cookbook and the author will probably mention mise en place. It is touted as the key to making sure your food will turn out well, and there are definitely benefits to the practice. But, as Mark Bittman points out in a recent episode of his podcast focused on the new edition of How to Cook… read more

Cookie baking tips just in the nick of time

November 29, 2022 by
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If you are an avid baker you probably have a list of all of the cookies and treats you will be making for the holidays. Even people who rarely bake will whip out a batch of decorated sugar cookies or family favorites this time of year. No matter where you fall on this spectrum, good baking advice is always handy… read more

Food news antipasto

November 28, 2022 by
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The Gourmand Cookbook Awards winners were recently announced, with a whopping 45-page listing by country. Each category in the awards contains multiple winners, considered the “Best in the World” for their respective topics or regions. The list is sprawling and contains worldwide submissions for various cities, countries, and subjects. While you may not recognize all of the authors or titles,… read more

The luxury of leftovers

November 25, 2022 by
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Many moons ago, I regarded most leftovers with annoyance. Since I liked cooking so much I did not enjoy revisiting the food from the previous day, preferring to having something completely new for each meal. As I got older I realized the error of my ways, learning that leftovers were a delicious timesaver as well as a sign that I… read more

Words of advice on Thanksgiving Eve

November 23, 2022 by
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My social media feeds are full of photos of gorgeous pies and beautiful roasted turkeys. This is the first year in over a dozen that I haven't made a huge meal (I even cooked a whole feast for just two of us during Covid lockdowns), instead I'm taking it easy, going to a friend's place, and only make a couple… read more

What’s the best time for the holiday meal?

November 22, 2022 by
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You've set your Thanksgiving (or other holiday) menu, gathered the ingredients, cleaned the china and linens, and are all set to start your feast. Now the question remains: what time should you serve the meal? The Washington Post's Becky Krystal recently explored this question, and found the time periods that met with the most approval. Accidental turkey from Food Network… read more

Food news antipasto

November 20, 2022 by
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As we gear up for the biggest food holiday in the US, people are finalizing their big Thanksgiving Day feast. Although everyone wants the meal to be amazing and delicious, sometimes things don't go as planned. We've all had cooking mishaps, and often these turn into memorable events that get discussed for years afterward. My husband still loves to regale… read more

IACP Cookbook Awards 2022 winners

November 18, 2022 by
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On Friday November 18, 2022, the International Association of Culinary Professionals announced the winners of the prestigious IACP awards from the Middleby Showroom in Dallas and New York. The announcement was made via video and can be viewed online on Vimeo. It was a good 'day' for Member favorite baking books: Cheryl Day's Treasury of Southern Baking topped the American… read more

Accessorize your air fryer

November 16, 2022 by
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Apparently I am the only person in the world who has not discovered the joys of an air fryer. Following a recent office lunch outing, a group of my colleagues discussed the wonderful meals they recently made in their air fryers, and of the dozen people there I was the sole holdout who hadn't yet purchased this marvelous appliance. Since… read more

Have food, will travel

November 14, 2022 by
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Several years ago I was tasked with making a cake for my brother's wedding. The only problem was the fact that I lived an eight-hour drive away, and I would not have time (or equipment) at my disposal at the wedding venue to make the cake there. I decided to make and freeze the cake and buttercream, and just do… read more

Food news antipasto

November 13, 2022 by
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Assorted cheeses on a rustic wooden board
Celebrity chef Guy Grossi helms Garum at the Westin Hotel Perth, and his Christmas lunches are among the most sought-after on the day. So what does he eat when he gets home? The revered chef shares some of his family traditions with The Sydney Morning Herald (registration or subscription required), saying “It’s all about the celebration and the feast.” It's… read more

Keeping it basic for the holidays

November 11, 2022 by
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Adventurous cooks who like to try new foods are often stymied during the holidays. We would appreciate adding new or unusual items to the menu, but the diehard traditionalists want everything to be exactly the same - often leading to hard feelings or at least a classic sitcom situation. Instead of fighting the traditionalists, there is a case to be… read more

Words that capture a culinary experience

November 9, 2022 by
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If you don't grow up speaking English, it can be an extremely difficult language to learn. It has appropriated words and structure from so many different languages that making sense of grammar and spelling rules often requires reciting a poem (i before e except after c, or when sounded like a as in neighbor and weigh - and of course… read more

In praise of garlic powder

November 7, 2022 by
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Watch a few videos of chefs and food writers and most of them will probably tell you that it's best to cook with fresh ingredients, especially when it comes to garlic. You'll see differing advice on how best to chop or mince the allium, but by and large most everyone will be saying that fresh garlic is much better than… read more

Food news antipasto

November 6, 2022 by
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We begin this week with another passing to report. Former New York Magazine Restaurant critic Gael Greene died this week at age 88. Greene revolutionized restaurant criticism. According to the NYT obit, "she put a premium on lively prose and colorful detail, throwing overboard the pompousness of the professional gourmets who dominated the profession." People noted the sensuality that came… read more

How much do you cook from your cookbooks?

November 4, 2022 by
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By and large, EYB Members own a lot of cookbooks. The numbers vary, with some people having just a handful and others thousands, but it is safe to say that if you are a member who does not like or possess multiple cookbooks, you would be an outlier. How much each of us actually cook from all of the books… read more

The foods of Día de Muertos

November 2, 2022 by
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On the heels of Halloween is the Mexican celebration Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead, celebrated November 1-2 each year. Day of the Dead celebrations can be traced to the ancient Aztecs, who felt that instead of mourning the deceased, people should celebrate their lives and welcome their spirits back to the land of the living once a year. Spanish… read more

Julie Powell, of Julie & Julia fame, dies at 49

November 1, 2022 by
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We have just learned that Julie Powell, whose blog about her quest to make all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year, died on October 26 at age 49. Powell's blog attracted the attention of NYT reporter and Food52 founder Amanda Hesser, who wrote about Powell's efforts. Powell wrote a book about her experience,… read more
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