I keep forgettin’

December 28, 2022 by
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There's a 1980s song by Donald Fagan about him "forgetting" that he is no longer in a relationship with his ex. The lyrics of the chorus are "I keep forgettin' we're not in love anymore \ I keep forgettin' things will never be the same again." I am reminded of this song every time I visit certain food websites that… read more

Playing the leftover game

December 26, 2022 by
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What to do with the leftovers is the question of the day for everyone who has hosted a large gathering, so we are here with the compulsory answers to this perennial issue. We might have a few go-to favorites, but sometimes it's nice to venture outside of our comfort zone. That's what the experts at The Guardian offer with their… read more

Test your food knowledge with this BBC Christmas food quiz

December 22, 2022 by
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BBC Food created what it titled "The great big festive 2022 food quiz", which I felt sure I would do well taking. As it turns out, my confidence slightly exceeded my ability. My score on the main part of the quiz was respectable if not great, although I definitely need to work on my food-related music and movie trivia. Watching… read more

Baby it’s cold outside

December 21, 2022 by
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Tomorrow, the wind chill is forecast to dip below -30°F in my neck of the woods. When it gets this cold, the first thing I do is count my many blessings that include a warm house and a well-stocked pantry. The second thing I do is set out to prepare my favorite warming foods to help combat the frigid temperatures… read more

Food news antipasto

December 19, 2022 by
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This week we learned of the passing of Cara De Silva, an award-winning journalist and James Beard Award Nominee, who focused on a broad range of subjects that include food and food history. De Silva is the author of In Memory's Kitchen: A Legacy from the Women of Terezin, a compilation of remembered recipes written down by malnourished women in Terezin,… read more

Tied up in knots – the history of the pretzel

December 16, 2022 by
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Pretzels have always held a special place in my heart (and stomach), whether the thin, crunchy kind you buy in bags at the supermarket or the soft, chewy type you find at pubs, often accompanied by a gooey cheese sauce. Carbs and salt - what's not to love? I never much thought about the history of pretzels, although after reading… read more

Food TV in 2022 – the good, the bad, and the ugly

December 13, 2022 by
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When the Food Network debuted in 1993, it quickly became a go-to for food loving people who flocked to their TV sets to see shows that celebrated their favorite pastimes of cooking and eating. The network (which owes a lot of debt to public television programming) then spurred other cable television channels to put forth their own shows. When streaming… read more

Food news antipasto

December 12, 2022 by
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As we enter peak holiday baking season, even people who don't bake a lot will be firing up their ovens to make the festive cookies, cakes, and pies of the season. This will involve copious amounts of butter, flour, eggs, and sugar. The last ingredient comes in many different forms, including granulated, powdered, various shades of brown, and even as… read more

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Great British Bake Off/Baking Show – Week 8 – Pastry

November 5, 2022 by
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We are down to five bakers for the quarter finals and this week was all about pastry. Signature: 12 individual Vol-au-vents made with a rough puff pastry and a sweet filling. Sandro forgot to turn on his oven - maybe his leather pants were too tight. (Forgetting to turn on the oven happens to contestants on the regular, a few… read more
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