Take your ice cream sandwich game to the next level

  Many people have fond memories of ice cream trucks and stands from their childhood. Whether it was cones, sundaes with sprinkles, or ice cream sandwiches, the icy treats were a treasured part of summer. Pastry chefs are now rekindling those memories by making ice cream sandwiches that feature flavors more suited to adult tastes, says indexed magazine  Bon Appétit.… read more

Much more than just a garnish

Many diners in the US probably first experienced parsley as a pale sprig garnishing a (likely overcooked) protein in a family restaurant. But the culinary herb has so much more to offer than just being a splash of green on your plate. Epicurious explores the myriad ways you can use parsley in your cooking. Italian or flat-leaf parsley is generally… read more

Za’atar is even better when you make it yourself

Those who are familiar with za'atar, the Middle Eastern spice blend, love how it adds a tart and herbal punch to many foods. Za'atar has been popularized outside of the Middle East by celebrity chefs like Yotam Ottolenghi, who sprinkles it on many dishes. The Los Angeles Times explains how, like most spice blends, za'atar is at its best when… read more

An argument for unbleached flour

  A few days ago we posted about a pastry chef who only uses bleached flour for cakes. Today we look at a counterpoint (of sorts), this time from Cooking Light Magazine, which advocates ditching bleached flour for unbleached. The crux of the Cooking Light article is that the reason flour is bleached is because it benefitted large-scale commercial bakeries who… read more

How to make caramel without melting sugar

  People are sometimes afraid of making caramel. It can be a fussy process: the sugar can crystallize, you can easily scorch it if you get distracted, and it's really hot and will leave a nasty burn if it gets on your skin (or your lip - I learned the hard way not to rap my wooden spoon on the… read more

If you can’t beat ’em…eat ’em

Dandelions are a gardener's bane. Even before the grass sheds its winter dullness, bright yellow flowers polka-dot the lawn, frustrating homeowners who dream of lush green expanses of lawn. But dandelions weren't always considered a nuisance. The French have long found dandelions to be a culinary delight (the name comes from the French dent de lion, literally 'lion's teeth'), and their… read more

Celebrate Chocolate Chip Cookie Day

Today was National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day in the US, but it doesn't take a special day for anyone to appreciate this both humble and transcendant treat. There are different chocolate chip cookie camps: some people prefer thin and crisp cookies, while others like theirs to be thick, gooey, and chewy. Some embellish their cookies with additions like rolled oats… read more

Look beyond the pie to make the most of rhubarb season

  When people think of rhubarb, they probably conjure images of pies, tarts, or other desserts. (When I think of rhubarb, I recall a conversation with a younger coworker who said "rhubarb is for old people." But I digress.) The uses for this spring vegetable (it's not a fruit, despite its usual treatment as a dessert) extend beyond the pie plate,… read more

A brief guide to beans

  We mentioned earlier this year that 2016 was the UN's International Year of the Pulses. We're back with more bean cuisine, this time via Food Republic, who gives us the lowdown on legumes and beans with a guide to the beans you need to know (and cook). Food Republic's post focuses on several "new world" beans, i.e. beans of… read more

All about asparagus

Spring is in the air, and the first vegetables of the season are hitting farmers' markets stalls. While ramps may have stolen the spotlight in recent years, asparagus remains perennially popular as a star of the spring vegetable pantheon. Since it's easy to overcook or underplay this delicate vegetable, The Washington Post chose asparagus as the ingredient in its annual… read more

Uh oh, it’s magic

  Scrolling through my Twitter feed today, I came across several recipes with the word 'magic' in the title. A Magic lemon poppy seed cake from The Telegraph promised three types of cake from one batter. Food Network offered a Magic lemon meringue pie, although it was unclear to me what was magical about it. There are many variations of… read more

The sandwich cake phenomenon

If you are planning a lunch or going to a picnic and have run out of ideas for what to make, you might want to consider making a sandwich cake. These playful mashups of layer cakes and tea sandwiches are getting a lot of buzz, likely due to their Instagram-worthy good looks. Country Living magazine provides a good introduction to… read more

Meet saba, balsamic’s gentle cousin

  Remember when balsamic reductions were all the rage? Now there's a new trend featuring an ingredient that is a close relative of balsamic vinegar. Food Republic reports on the growing popularity of saba, a cooked grape juice product. Saba is made from wine grapes, and is part of the balsamic vinegar making process. It was traditionally made as a… read more

New Tabasco museum opens in Lousiana

With the proliferation of hot pepper sauces that crowd supermarket shelves, it's easy to forget that once upon a time there was only one hot sauce in the US: Tabasco. The vinegar-based pepper sauce was introduced in the 1860s by prosperous Louisiana banker and avid gardener Edmund McIlhenny. In February, Tabasco unveiled a brand new museum, visitor center, and restaurant on… read more

A tale of two peppers

  Black pepper is one of the world's most used spices, especially in Western food cultures including the United States and Europe. But long before this spice was on every cook's shelf, a different type of pepper - long pepper - was far more popular. Atlas Obscura looks at why black pepper won the battle between these two spices. Long pepper… read more

All in for alliums

  If the cast iron skillet we discussed yesterday is the workhorse tool of the kitchen, you could argue that the title of workhorse vegetable belongs to the allium family. Whether you're using onions, leeks, shallots, ramps, or garlic, alliums provide the foundation for many dishes in cuisines around the world. Indexed magazine Bon Appétit takes a look at the myriad ways… read more

Is this the next big US regional cuisine?

  You will be forgiven if you have never thought of Appalachian cuisine in a favorable light - or at all. But many chefs are taking a look at what one person has called 'America's own cucina povera,' likening the state of Appalachian foods to that of Tuscan cuisine in the 1980s.  The foods of central Appalachia - a region… read more

Are you ready for a tart takeover?

  The cupcake craze that peaked a few years back may be on the wane, but there hasn't been anything that has taken its place. One baker hopes to change that: Christina Maria Chambers is on a mission to elevate the status of tarts. Through her recently-launched company, Black Pearl Tarts, Chambers aims to "raise the profile of the oft-overlooked… read more

Perk up homemade pasta with herbs and spices

  Homemade fresh pasta is a simple yet versatile food that boasts a delicate texture you can't find in its commercial counterpart. Once you get the hang of making pasta, you can perk it up with a number of different add-ins, says David Tanis in The New York Times. Tanis explains that you can have pasta that not only looks… read more

The savory side of oatmeal

  Oatmeal has been a breakfast staple for centuries. Americans usually prefer it sweet, but a new trend (sparked in part by the gluten-free movement) has oats starring in decided savory roles. This trend has caught the eye of David Tanis, who writes about it in The New York Times. Tanis was surprised to see how big the trend had become, noting that… read more

Perfecting pancakes

  Sundays offer most of us the only relaxed breakfast we'll have all week. Pancakes often make an appearance in these leisurely meals, but finding the perfect recipe can be a challenge. Indexed blog The Kitchn offers us their 10 pancake commandments to make sure we're eating the best cakes around. Their first tip really applies to anything you are… read more

Get your chocolate fix

  Valentine's Day will probably be forever linked with chocolate. Last year, people in the US spent nearly $350 million on chocolate (a whopping 58 million pounds) for the holiday. But you don't have to be content with just eating chocolate as a treat. As the website FSR explains, you can incorporate chocolate into your entire meal. From cocktails to… read more

Too much of a good thing

  When it comes to beef stews and braises, long cooking at low temperature is the way to go, and many recipes call for hours of cooking. Even though you may think longer is better, beware of extended cooking times, says indexed blog Serious Eats. You might feel that if three hours is good, four must be better, to allow all of the… read more

Learn to love your slow cooker

  Chowhound recently proclaimed that this is "the age of the crockpot." The "golden age" term has perhaps been bandied about too often, but hyperbole aside, the once forgotten slow cooker has found new life in modern kitchens. As Chowhound points out, the machines have improved in recent years. But while the slow cooker is among the simplest appliances to… read more

‘Low and slow’ works for more than just meat

  Read any modern vegetable recipe and you're likely to see words like char, sear, and roast - all high heat methods. This reflects the current emphasis on treating vegetables like meat as many people embrace a more vegetable-centric diet. But just as many meats benefit from 'low and slow' cooking, so can vegetables, says indexed magazine Bon Appétit. Don't… read more
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