Outdoor cooking may be a boon this summer

Monday is a holiday in the US, a day of remembrance for those who have fallen in the line of service to our country. It is also Spring Bank Holiday in the UK. Unofficially, the long weekend marks the start of summer and kicks off peak grilling season. Last year I wrote a post about summer grilling looking different these… read more

Rethinking holiday dinners

Easter and Passover are two of the biggest food holidays of the year, but 2020 is shaping up to feature much more intimate feasts. This means rethinking what is going on the table. If there are only going to be two to four instead of a dozen or more, you are going to need to scale back unless you want… read more

Celebrate Pi(e) Day

Today is the perfect day for bakers to celebrate both pi and pie due to the natural synergy between the two. Bakers use pi when scaling pie and cake recipes to determine the proper pan size, and of course, they also love to make pie, whether filled with fruit, custard, meat, or vegetables. Pie is universally appealing to everyone from… read more

The meaning behind lunar New Year’s foods

Today marks the beginning of a very special time for the Chinese and several other cultures, as it is the beginning of the lunar new year. This holiday, celebrated by 20% of the world's population, is honored differently in various countries, but food features prominently in all celebrations. Each of the foods traditionally eaten during this holiday has a meaning… read more

The ’12 days of cookies’ trend spreads

I don't know who started the '12 days of cookies' phenomenon, but Food Network was the first entity to ask me to sign up for it. For several years now, beginning sometime in late November, I have received a dozen emails from Food Network, each with a different holiday cookie recipe (there is usually a bonus thrown in for good… read more

How famous artists would plate Thanksgiving dinner

We want to wish all of our US Members a Happy Thanksgiving. The crazy weather in many parts of the country has fouled up travels plans and caused flight delays, so if you are holed up in an airport waiting for a storm to pass, here is a little something to distract you from your dilemma: two slideshows on how… read more

Relax, you’ve got this

My Twitter feed is nearly 24/7 Thanksgiving prep at this point. It's been building over the past couple of weeks in the lead-up to the biggest food holiday in the US. Usually on the Tuesday evening before Thanksgiving I would be elbow-deep in turkey (literally, to season it for dry brining), finishing the make-ahead gravy, making pie crusts, and performing… read more

Holiday gifts from your favorite authors

Jenny has already provided her comprehensive lists of holiday gifts for cooks and cookbook lovers. In addition, we have compiled a list featuring holiday hampers and more from popular chefs and cookbook authors around the world. Many of these sites have sales going on now just in time for the holidays.  These gifts would be a delight for any food or… read more

Get ready for Thanksgiving

If you are celebrating Thanksgiving next week (yes, it's only a week away!), we hope you are using EYB to find and bookmark recipes and make your shopping lists. For a big meal like this, however, sometimes you need more than just recipes, you need assistance with the whole package: decor, timelines, and tips on how to make certain items.… read more

Ideas for wrapping edible gifts

From quick breads to savory breads to cookies to candies, edible gifts are a wonderful way to make something from the heart for the holidays (plus they make the perfect hostess present). Most of us have our go-to recipes for this, whether it's a cherished family heirloom or something we spied on the internet. What we may not have are… read more

The ultimate Thanksgiving recipe finder

About this time each year I come across several posts for a food site's new and/or improved holiday recipe finder. Each is organized a little differently, but the premise is the same: use your preferences, whether ingredient or nutrition or type of dish, and the magic of the "finder" will return the perfect recipe to you. This year is no… read more

Ideas for a spook-tacular Halloween

Halloween is just a few days away, and if are looking for some ghoulish goodies or creepy canapés, we have you covered. Just head over to our Halloween Pinterest board to find hundreds of recipes that cover the gamut of your party needs, from appetizers to drinks to desserts. (Not on Pinterest? Use the EYB Library to find ideas instead.)… read more

Get ready for Rosh Hashanah

Eating apples dipped in honey is a tradition on Rosh Hashanah, but there are many more food-related customs for the Jewish New Year. Several other symbolic foods are also typically eaten to celebrate this holiday. Each of these foods — pomegranates, dates, string beans, beets, pumpkins, leeks, and fish heads — symbolizes a wish or blessing for prosperity and health in… read more

Two food festivals on tap for Australians

Australians living in the Brisbane vicinity have some exciting food events coming up in the next few weeks. Up first is the second annual Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival, which is scheduled for 7-8 September. The other is the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, which features severals Food & Wine side events and runs from 20-29 September. The Moreton Bay… read more

Bastille Day recipe ideas

The upcoming Bastille Day holiday provides the perfect excuse (like we need any) to make delicious French food and celebrate liberté, égalité, and fraternité. The holiday is the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, a turning point in the French Revolution, as well as the  Fête de la Fédération which celebrated the unity of the French people on July 14, 1790.… read more

Summer grilling looks different these days

For the majority of Americans, the upcoming Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of summer. Across the nation, it's a tradition to fire up the grill and pile it high with bratwurst, hamburgers, and ribs, accompanied by cold beer. That scenario is rapidly changing, however, says Food & Wine. They report on a recent study that says not only… read more

Mother’s Day recipes that take the cake

My mother lives several hundred miles away, which means I do not get to see her very often. When Mother's Day rolls around, this distance also means she gets plants or something that can be shipped, not a homemade treat. I enjoy baking for special occasions, whether for a birthday, holiday, or other event, so it makes me a bit… read more

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

While Cinco de Mayo is a relatively minor historical anniversary in Mexico, in the U.S. it has become a much larger celebration. The date commemorates the Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the first Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. It is not, as many people assume, Mexican Independance Day (that falls on September 16). In the United… read more

Celebrate Anzac Day

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. According to EYB member and blogger Pat Churchill of Cooking Down Under, each year on April 25, Australians and New Zealanders mark Anzac Day "when they remember their war dead… read more

Are you ready for Valentine’s Day?

Next Thursday is Valentine's Day, and restaurants wll be a hot mess. Don't just take my word for it; Bon Appetit, The Kitchn, and The Huffington Post all agree with me that if you really love someone, you should not take them out for a romantic meal on the actual Valentine's Day holiday. The wiser course of action is to plan… read more

Get ready to celebrate the Lunar New Year

February 5 marks the beginning of a very special time for the Chinese and several other cultures, as it is the beginning of the lunar new year. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which is based on the sun, the lunar calendar uses the moon to set its dates, which means that the lunar new year doesn't land on the same day… read more

Get ready for a day of “super” food

Tomorrow brings the second largest food holiday for people living in the United States. According to the US Department of Agriculture, food consumed on Super Bowl Sunday is second only to food eaten on Thanksgiving. Over  1.3 billion chicken wings will be devoured, along with other party foods like pizza, nachos, chili, and potato chips. This year's matchup pits a young team against one that… read more

Tips for making the perfect pavlova

It's Australia Day today (it's already January 26 there), and many Australians will be celebrating with a traditional dessert - pavlova. It can be intimidating to make a pavlova if you are not a seasoned baker, which is why Sydney baker Nadine Ingram of Flour and Stone has put together a primer on how to make a perfect pavlova.  First… read more

Celebrate National Pie Day

Today, for reasons I will never understand, is National Pie Day (I believe the logical choice for the day is March 14). I've noticed in my Twitter feed that people from all countries seem to be celebrating this "holiday", so perhaps it should be renamed as International Pie Day. Regardless of where it originated, I am happy to join in… read more

New Year’s Eve drinks – with and without alcohol

There is one more big party left before we begin our resolutions for the new year, and many of us will be celebrating with champagne flute in hand as the clock strikes twelve on December 31. There are plenty of excellent cocktails that incorporate champagne or other sparkling wines to make the celebration special. While bubbly will be imbibed at… read more
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