Predicting the future through asparagus

There are many ways to have your fortune read, the most popular methods being crystal balls, Tarot cards, and tea leaves. According to one woman in the UK, we can add another method to the list: asparagus spears. Jemima Packington, aka The Mystic Veg, who resides in the city of Bath, says she can predict the future by reading asparagus.… read more

Is this the end of Tupperware?

In the US, the term Tupperware is shorthand for any plastic reusable storage container, whether made by Tupperware or not. Most women (and probably many men) over the age of 40 have been to a Tupperware party, and few are the households of that demographic that don't have at least one Tupperware-branded item. However, the iconic company is teetering on… read more

Food news antipasto

With spring in the air in the Northern Hemisphere, blooms are starting to pop up on what was, in many places, frozen ground just a few weeks ago. Seeing these cheery flowers might tempt you to use them as a garnish for cake or even salad, but be careful about which blooms you perch atop your food, cautions Epicurious. Some… read more

Dispelling myths about salt

Salt is the most important and ubiquitous seasoning on the planet. It's played a vital role in human food since humans started cooking, appearing in the most ancient recipes known to man. While salt is a basic component of most recipes, many myths have developed around this pantry staple. The Washington Post's Becky Krystal decided to debunk seven of the… read more

Countdown to The Great American Baking Show begins

In December we mentioned that the Great American Baking Show would be coming to your screens in 2023, and now we have an exact date: Friday, May 5. People has an exclusive trailer that we can watch (below) in anticipation of the premier. GABS (not the worst acronym, I have to admit) is filmed in the same tent as GBBO… read more

A pepper primer

Black pepper is undoubtedly the most popular spice on the planet, a perennial companion to salt. While there is a contingent that believes black pepper is drastically overused, the general consensus is that pepper adds something worthwhile to the dishes in which it is used. Of course there is more to the world of pepper than black peppercorns, and Food… read more

Food news antipasto

We learned the sad news that Raghavan Iyer passed away Friday while on a visit to San Francisco. "Raghavan was a dear friend to many around the globe," said Anne Spaeth, owner of the Lynhall restaurants in Minneapolis [where Iyer lived with his partner Terry Erickson] and Edina. "The world lost a beautiful soul and consummate educator of his beloved… read more

April Fool’s Day food pranks

After waking up to six inches of fresh snow this morning, I knew no one could pull a better April Fool's day prank than Mother Nature herself. However, I did scroll through several social media accounts to see if I could find some good ones to share with our Members but did not see many. Either the algorithms failed and… read more

Dispelling food origin myths

A while back I wrote that I was surprised to learn that I was older than ciabatta. After reading a recent article in The Telegraph about food origins, it would seem that's not the only Italian food story that I did not know - and that there are other foods worldwide whose accepted origin stories are little more than myths.… read more

Food news antipasto

Along the lines of "how many licks does it take to get the center of a Tootsie Pop", researchers at MIT asked another of food's most prominent questions: what's the best way to twist apart an Oreo? "I was personally motivated by a desire to solve a challenge that had puzzled me as a child: how to open an Oreo and get… read more

A brief history of brunch

When I was growing up, Sunday morning brunch was something I eagerly anticipated. It was always a family affair, when my mom would whip out the electric griddle and fry up bacon or sausage and pancakes, while hashbrowns crisped on the stovetop. Eggs of some sort always made an appearance, along with stacks of toast. Brunch happened at a reasonable… read more

Meeting food fears head on

Foods that some people adore can turn the stomachs of others, whether due to a prior encounter that did not end well or for other reasons. One of my friends cannot stand bananas, and won't even be in the same room if someone is eating one because the aroma makes her nauseated. Facing down an aversion like this is difficult,… read more

Union effort in food television gains traction

Although scripted television programs have long been highly unionized, the same is not true for reality and other nonfiction shows including most of the food programs on Food Network and other channels. That is beginning to change, as Eater reports. The workers behind two Food Network shows - Trisha’s Southern Kitchen and The Kitchen - have voted to form a union, the… read more

Food news antipasto

A recent TikTok trend has people boiling their wooden kitchen utensils in an effort to sanitize them. A video of someone giving her wooden spoons a bath in a vat of boiling water has over 49 million hits. One person who is not jumping on this bandwagon is Rachel Cooke. The daughter of microbiologists, she was taught that wood is… read more

What’s the deal with all these ice cream flavors?

a single scoop of chocolate ice cream sits inside a waffle cone. The background is a blank white canvas so the cone stands out.
A few days ago an advertisement for Van Leeuwen's Hidden Valley Ranch-flavored ice cream passed through my news feed. I showed it to my husband who replied, succinctly, "No." This savory take on a beloved treat - matched with a major brand, in this case Kraft Foods - seems to be a growing trend. Not everyone is a fan, especially… read more

Mysterious food deliveries stymie L.A. neighborhood

Move over 'Murders in the Building' - there's a new mystery afoot, but it (thankfully) doesn't involve anyone being killed, just phantom deliveries from Uber Eats. Apparently a neighbor in Los Angeles is being vexed by a series of unwanted food deliveries from McDonald's and Starbucks - and no one can figure out who is ordering the food. The small… read more

Pi-e Day is a time to celebrate

I will always believe that today is the perfect date to celebrate pies because 3.14 (pi) is such an integral part of anything round. I noticed many people celebrating via posts on social media today, but even if you missed the "official" date, pie is so delicious that you can definitely have a makeup day. I ended up making a… read more

Food news antipasto

World Central Kitchen and José Andrés just announced that the organization is releasing a cookbook this September. According to an email, the WCK team has "gathered recipes from and inspired by many of the places our Relief Team has cooked following disasters and other crises worldwide, as well as sharing powerful narratives from the people and communities we’ve met along… read more

Movie-themed ideas for your Oscars party

The Academy Awards are coming up tomorrow, but it's not too late to make changes or additions to your Oscar party menu (or to start planning an impromptu get together if you haven't already done so). You might want to consider some of the recipes from The Washington Post, which came up with themed foods to match some of this… read more

GBBO making changes for 2023

While the Great British Bake Off musical may have received mixed reviews (at least one critic didn't think it was worthwhile but one of our Members and last year's winner Syabira Yusoff thought it was great), even die hard GBBO fans were a bit disappointed with the 2022 season. The show's producers have taken note of the criticism (and a… read more

Does the GBBO musical live up to the show?

The reviews are in for the musical adaptation of The Great British Bake Off, the series that bakers around the world adore. The big question is whether this stage show can live up to the fascinating charm of the television program, which is coming up on its fourteenth anniversary. According to Matt Wolf of The New York Times, the answer… read more

Food news antipasto

Looking for ways to get your kitchen better organized? Head over to The Kitchn, which recently posted about their favorite IKEA solutions to keep your cooking area tidy while also looking stylish. The products include utensil organizers, pegboards, and clip-on baskets. One of my favorite IKEA organizing products is their Hultarp series. I have three rails in my kitchen and… read more

Do chain restaurants deserve more respect?

My friends know that I love to cook, bake, and dine at nice restaurants, and sometimes this makes them self-conscious about food or dining out. If we are talking about a recent restaurant meal they enjoyed they might say something like "You probably wouldn't like that place, it's not very fancy, just a chain restaurant." While I have on occasion… read more

A 10-year scone sampling project

I admire dedication to a project, and if it involves food all the more so. This one features baked goods, making it rank even higher in my appreciation. Sarah Merker, from Isleworth, recently completed a 10-year quest to sample scones at every possible National Trust location, ranking each on her blog. Diana Henry's Easter scones from Diana Henry at The… read more

Yuzu is lemon’s mellower cousin

Yuzu is a form of citrus that has attracted fans well outside of its original East Asian place of origin. Cultivation of the fragrant fruit with floral overtones has expanded to the Mediterranean, New Zealand, and Australia, but whole fruits are still difficult to find in the U.S. However, it's fairly easy to find the juice, as Aleksandra Crapanzano explains… read more
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