Explore the sweet-sour punch of tamarind

May 10, 2022 by
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I first discovered tamarind while searching for pad Thai recipes years ago. Once I had purchased a brick of it, I explored other recipes that used this tropical fruit, finding that it was used in a host of cultures in both sweet and savory applications. When I saw that Food and Wine's Lara Lee recently posted a comprehensive guide to… read more

Food news antipasto

May 9, 2022 by
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For those worried that we are living in a dystopian future straight out of a sci-fi novel, here is something to add to your concern: a team of scientists has created a robot that can taste. The device, which is "trained to taste a dish’s saltiness and the myriad of ingredients at different stages of chewing," aims to help chefs… read more

When you lose a favorite recipe

May 7, 2022 by
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Have you ever had a terrific recipe that you absolutely adored but that you somehow managed to lose? That is the scenario I found myself in this evening. I was tasked with making a salad for a potluck and my thoughts immediately turned to a raspberry walnut salad dressing I discovered over twenty years ago and which I have made… read more

An evening with Yotam Ottolenghi

May 5, 2022 by
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During his US tour Yotam Ottolenghi came to Minneapolis, and since it was so close to me and I am a huge fan of his cookbooks, I booked a ticket to listen to his talk. Although I had hoped to go in person, a sore throat (that is probably just allergies although I played it safe) made me switch to… read more

Fine Cooking’s last issue

May 4, 2022 by
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Even though I knew the end was coming (I wrote about Meredith Corp.'s acquisition of Fine Cooking in October 2020), it was still a sad day when I received a postcard in the mail a couple of weeks ago announcing that Fine Cooking Magazine was no longer going to be published. As the magazine continued to hit my mailbox for… read more

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

May 3, 2022 by
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Before I begin extolling the virtues of celebrating Mexican food for Cinco de Mayo, I want to make sure that everyone knows that this holiday is NOT Mexican Independence Day. What Cinco de Mayo does commemorate is the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the first Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. Regardless of its actual historical significance,… read more

Sweets for Eid al-Fitr

May 2, 2022 by
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Muslims around the world are celebrating the end of Ramadan with Eid al-Fitr celebrations. Food is at the forefront to celebrate the end of Ramadan fasting. The foods eaten vary depending on the culture of the local celebrants, but sweets are an important aspect no matter where Eid feasts happen. BBC's Good Food provides us with a list of eleven… read more

Food news antipasto

May 1, 2022 by
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Have you been watching the HBO special about Julia Child? Reviews have been mixed, with some people enjoying the behind-the-scenes drama and others who take issue with some of the bending of the truth for purposes of better storytelling. One of those expressing dismay is Sara Franklin, who is writing a book about legendary editor Judith Jones, who is a… read more

Jazz up your juleps

April 29, 2022 by
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Few celebrations have a cocktail that is as strongly associated with the day as the Kentucky Derby is with the mint julep. In one week (May 7), the 148th edition of "The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports" will be run, and there is no telling how many mint juleps have been sipped since the inaugural event in 1875. Southerners love their… read more

The James Beard Cookbook Awards are back – here are the nominees

April 27, 2022 by
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After a one-year hiatus - due in part to the pandemic but also to controversy surrounding the lack of diversity in its awards programs - the James Beard Foundation has announced the nominees for its 2022 Media Awards, which includes cookbooks. This list covers 2021 and 2022, so only the best of the best books have made the cut. JBF… read more

Le Creuset’s advice to consumers: don’t use olive oil

April 26, 2022 by
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Like many EYB members, I cherish my Le Creuset and Staub cookware. The durable, colorful, and downright gorgeous vessels are workhorses in my kitchen, helping me create stews, roasts, braises, soups, and more. That is why Jenny and I were somewhat perplexed by the recent advice Le Creuset offered to some customers who complained about damage to their pricey pans.… read more

Anzac Day is a food tradition worth celebrating

April 25, 2022 by
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While many “holidays” about food are completely fabricated events to promote a product, some foods are associated with real holidays that have a more noble purpose. This is the case with the Anzac biscuit, made to commemorate Anzac Day on 25 April (I know, it's already 26 April in Australia but the rest of us can still celebrate it). Seed-studded Anzac biscuits from… read more

Food news antipasto

April 24, 2022 by
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Adventurous cooks have a drawer or cupboard filled with a variety of spices. Although some folks have a large selection from which to choose, most of us have a few favorites that get used in a multitude of dishes. If you had to pare down your spice collection to just 11 essential spices, what would you choose? Compare your list… read more

Tips on cleaning, storing, and organizing your cookbook collection

April 21, 2022 by
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Many of our members have outsized cookbook collections. Mine is modest compared to some but I do have hundreds of books which means I have a lot of storage needs. While I aspire to an impeccably organized, highly logical, and beautiful system for housing my cookbooks, instead I have a mismatched bookshelves lining the walls of a spare bedroom, stacks… read more

The Washington Post temporarily drops paywall

April 21, 2022 by
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Voraciously, the culinary section of The Washington Post, is one of the best food sections in the US. WaPo's talented food writers including G. Daniela Galarza, Becky Krystal, Tom Sietsema, Joe Yonan, and Matt Brooks, share excellent and varied recipes, tips and tricks, general kitchen wisdom, and entertaining food news. In honor of Earth Day, WaPo is lifting its paywall… read more

Getting ready for rhubarb

April 20, 2022 by
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As the years roll on, I appreciate more and more the rhythm of the seasons and the act of eating within them. Even though supermarkets have all manner of produce available year round, things like December asparagus and January watermelon seem out of place here in the north land, with a flavor that only faintly echoes what the fruit or… read more

Is this the mother of all puddings?

April 18, 2022 by
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Custard style puddings are common across a number of cultures, and California chef Reem Assil believes that most of them can be traced to a single source: the Arab pudding mahalabiya. “I feel like every culture has some version of the mahalabiya. That was the tip-off point for me,” Assil told food writer Genevieve Yam. “It’s usually some form of… read more

Food news antipasto

April 17, 2022 by
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When Nigella Lawson tells you to read something, you read it, and you are not disappointed. A few days ago she posted a link to an article in The Paris Review where writer Valerie Stivers offers a story that involves the intersection of food and the stories from Soviet dissident writer Sergei Dovlatov. Stivers attempts to recreate the foods in… read more

Uses for leftover Easter eggs

April 16, 2022 by
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If you’re among the millions of people who dyed a bunch of eggs to use as decoration for the Easter holiday, you are probably facing a conundrum of what to do with all of them now that Easter is behind us. Egg salad sandwiches and deviled eggs might work for some, but there a dozens of more interesting options. Delicious… read more

Another print domino falls

April 14, 2022 by
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Since DotDash purchased Des Moines-based Meredith publishing late last year, they have shaken up the magazine behemoth with a slew of changes, not the least of which was shuttering the print editions of six magazines so far this year. We can add a seventh to the list, as DotDash Meredith just announced that it would end print publication of Martha… read more

The next wave of US food cities

April 13, 2022 by
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America's largest cities have long been revered as destinations for food lovers, but that doesn't mean you are limited to New York or Los Angeles for excellent dining options. Many other metropolitan areas have vibrant food scenes, and some of the locations listed on Food & Wine's recent article on the 11 next great food cities will provide travel inspiration.… read more

The perfect potholder doesn’t exist

April 12, 2022 by
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When you need to grab a Dutch oven or baking sheet out of a blazing oven, what do you use to protect your hands? There are many options to choose from to complete this task: basic squares potholders, large oven mitts, silicone gripping pads and gloves, leather pot handle covers, cloth 'oven gloves', and the chef preferred side towel. None… read more

Food news antipasto

April 10, 2022 by
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Have you ever watched America's Test Kitchen and thought "I should be working there?" If so, here is your chance: Casting Crane is casting for a reality show called America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation. Not only is the grand prize a job at ATK, it also comes with an option on a cookbook. Applications are accepted until April 15.… read more

Salad greens 101

April 9, 2022 by
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Even though the Upper Midwest is full of 'salads' that feature a wide range of ingredients from Jell-O to Snickers candy bars, when most people think of salads they conjure images of leafy greens and vegetables tossed in a dressing. The variety of greens from which you can construct a salad is almost limitless, but not all greens are created… read more

Are calzones better than pizza?

April 7, 2022 by
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You probably know someone who has spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on a wood-fired pizza oven in a quest to make the perfect homemade pizza. Perfecting pizza at home is a laudable goal, because it means you can control all of the variables to end up with a pie that is exactly what you want. If you have… read more
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