James Beard Cookbook and Media Award winners

Jane, Katie and Jenny attended the James Beard award ceremony this evening in Chicago, where the the James Beard Foundation announced the winners of its 2025 Media Awards, which includes books, broadcast media, and journalism. You can view the entire award ceremony, which was live-streamed on YouTube. Padma Lakshmi served as emcee for the event. We will focus on the cookbook… read more

A well-connected kitchen

As I read an article about how to ensure your dishwasher lasts for many years, I was a little surprised to read that many dishwashers are now wifi compatible. I am not sure why I was taken aback, after all, it is becoming difficult to find kitchen appliances that don't come with an app. While I can see potential upsides… read more

Planet-friendly eating is more than meat vs. vegetables

People wanting to make food choices that are better for sustainable agriculture often think in terms of eating less meat and more fruits, nuts, and vegetables. However, the concept of a planet-friendly diet is not as simple as swapping meat-based proteins for vegetable-based ones. There are additional considerations that also come into play such as how the food is grown… read more

Cookbook Deals

I will update this post when time permits – new additions are always at the top of each bulleted list below. If no update is available, be sure to check the publisher links and "cookbook deals" links under each region as they are updated periodically. If you spot a deal that isn't in the links below (publishers and or separate entries)… read more

Who invented Taco Tuesday?

Recent events reminded me of the phrase Taco Tuesday, which has become ubiquitous in the US. From 1989 until 2023, the Midwest chain Taco John's owned the trademark for Taco Tuesday in 49 states, claiming that they were the first to use the phrase. The company aggressively pursued its trademark, sending cease and desist letters to eateries who used the… read more

French at Heart – Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our worldwide giveaway to win one of two copies of French at Heart: Recipes That Bring France Home by Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini. From the founders of the Cook’s Atelier, a cooking school in Burgundy, France, and authors of The Cook's Atelier: Recipes, Techniques, and Stories from Our French Cooking School, comes a second cookbook. When mother and daughter duo Kendall… read more

20 Amici – 40 Ricette Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our worldwide giveaway to win one of two copies of 20 Amici – 40 Ricette: Friends and Food from the Heart of Chianti by John Bersani. Experience what it’s like to not only eat in Tuscany, but also how it feels to live there in this lovely book. With traditional Tuscan recipes, heartwarming stories/chef profiles, and insider’s tips from… read more

Food news antipasto

The Guinness Book of World Records has come a long way since the Guinness Brewery's managing director, Sir Hugh Beaver, devised the concept while arguing with his mates about which game bird was the fastest. Today the Guinness Book contains all sort of records, including ones that involve food. In addition to individuals, companies can have world records, and Chowhound… read more

Bartenders spill on their most controversial takes

The cocktail scene has had many ups and downs in its history, and at the center of it all have been the bartenders. They are the ones who have created iconic drinks that have stood the test of time, and they have opinions about those cocktail and more. Vinepair asked several bartenders about their most controversial cocktail opinions, and some… read more

Celebrate National Doughnut Day

This food holiday almost slipped past me. Today is National Doughnut Day, but it isn’t just another arbitrary food holiday cooked up by a commercial enterprise – this special day has roots that go back almost 100 years. Basic raised [doughnuts] from Doughnuts by Lara Ferroni According to the Salvation Army, National Doughnut Day’s origins stretch back to the first… read more

Pride month, EYBD Previews, recipes and more

In the United States and most parts of the world, Pride Month is celebrated in June - a celebration and commemoration of LGBTQIA+ pride. This week's roundup will highlight books released in 2025 by LGBTQIA+ authors. Please note this is not a complete list. What Is Queer Food?: How We Served a Revolution by John Birdsall is the celebrated food… read more

Ranking the best cookbooks of all time

A few weeks ago, the staff at Food and Wine published a ranking of the 35 best cookbooks of all time. Such a list is bound to be divisive, because great cookbooks convey the personality of the author as much as they contain solid recipes that stand the test of time, and there is no way that everyone will love… read more

Balli Balli – Cookbook Giveaway and Quick Bites

Enter our US/CA/UK giveaway to win one of two copies of Balli Balli: Quick & Easy Korean Cooking by Da-Hae West. Please note the author's events coming up at Divertimenti on June 7th (kimchi class) and June 26th (book signing) Korea is often described as having a balli, balli culture (balli translates as 'quickly' in Korean) as it is a… read more

You can pry my croissant from my cold, dead hands

Eating a balanced diet full of vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein is a laudable goal. Such a diet can help you stay healthy and avoid certain diseases. Endless advice is available on what foods to eat and which to avoid if you want to achieve this goal, such as the recent article from The Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food… read more

For the Love of Lemons by Letitia Clark – Giveaway

Enter our US/UK giveaway to win one of two copies of For the Love of Lemons: Italian-Inspired, Sweet and Savoury Recipes by Letitia Clark. Please note the author's events that we have shared on our Calendar. I'm absolutely obsessed with all things lemon! While most people reach for chocolate, I'll choose lemon every single time. So when I discovered Letitia… read more

Food news antipasto

Samin Nosrat shared news with her followers: she is moving to Substack with a newsletter called a grain of salt. Nosrat is "looking forward to building a vibrant community focused on cooking, gardening, reading, and general good living" in her new venture. She is also offering a free online cooking class for people who preorder her upcoming book Good Things.… read more

The Giveaway Roundup

All of our current giveaways are now on one convenient roundup which will be continually updated! If you are having any difficulties with entering our giveaways, please see our step-by-step help post. Giveaways are tagged by the countries the contests are open to. Bookmark the searches below for easy reference! To enter our contests click on the blue link beneath the… read more

Reduce, recycle – but don’t reuse

Two generic white containers with lids
When I was growing up, finding out what leftovers were available in our refrigerator was like a treasure hunt. That's because we used plastic tubs from margarine, cottage cheese, Cool Whip, and other ready-to-eat foods to store leftovers. All of the plastic was opaque, so there was no way to tell what was inside. Sometimes it was a tasty surprise,… read more

Pasta: the long and short of it

Fresh or dried? Bronze cut? Long, tubular, or flat and folded? With eggs or without? There are many questions to answer when choosing the kind of pasta to use in a particular dish. With hundreds of pasta shapes available, it can be difficult to know which type will pair well with your sauce. Epicurious brings us the information we need… read more

Kitchen analysis paralysis

I have been called an overthinker, and my husband says that choices are bad for me. Both of these are truths that I must painfully admit. Ruminating over even the simplest of decisions can result in analysis paralysis, where you never achieve forward progress because you worry about making the wrong decision. For me, this issue extends to the kitchen,… read more

Taste Canada Awards 2025 longlist released

Now in its 28th year, Taste Canada / Saveurs du Canada has announced the longlist of 69 cookbooks in the running for its culinary writing awards. The Awards are presented to outstanding Canadian cookbooks in both English and French languages. The shortlist will be announced online on June 25th, 2025 and the winners will be announced in autumn of this year. The Taste… read more

Amanda Hesser leaving Food52

Amanda Hesser, one of pioneering website Food52's founding members, announced in her newsletter that she is stepping away from the company. She will focus on her Substack Homeward in which she is chronicling her home renovation in Ojai, plus providing design picks, recipes, and travel recommendations. Hesser said that after 16 years at the company, it is time for her… read more

Food news antipasto

Eating at the French Laundry is a bucket-list item for many food lovers. While it may not have risen to that level for San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Mackenzie Chung Fegan, it was still going to be a memorable experience. She had no idea how memorable, as Thomas Keller asked her to leave the restaurant (gift article). Saffron risotto with… read more

Too many onions?

There is a glut of onions right now in the US (and in India, too). Due to a combination of bountiful harvests and a dip in demand, the supply of onions is currently high. That should, in theory, lead to lower prices for consumers. I have not seen super bargains in my neck of the woods, but in other areas… read more

Splish-splash: What is the best method for washing your produce?

When you buy fresh produce, especially items that are loose in bins, you don't know what (or who) it has been in contact with, so you wash it before using. There are new products on the market that claim to be able to better remove pesticides or contaminants that may be lurking on the surface of your food than just… read more
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