Would ‘Lockdown 2.0’ be easier?

July 31, 2021 by
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The Delta variant has thrown us for a loop. It seems that this version of the coronavirus is easier to catch and it can even affect a small portion of people who have been vaccinated. Given the low vaccination rates in some areas, the odds of having another lockdown have increased modestly, if not significantly. If we do have 'Lockdown… read more

The path to better fried foods

July 30, 2021 by
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A few years ago when I wrote a post about the secrets to better frying, I briefly thought about titling the post 'Fear of frying' but thought the title was too esoteric, as not that many people would get the reference I was making. A couple of days ago, I received an email from The Bittman Project where Mark Bittman… read more

Get a gold medal for snacks

July 29, 2021 by
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This year's summer Olympics are unlike any other: first they were postponed for a year, then the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus meant that fans would not be able to attend in person. Athletes are contending not only with their competitors but also with heat, oddly quiet arenas and playing fields, and cardboard beds (which are much… read more

How cast iron pans are made

July 26, 2021 by
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Cast iron cookware has enjoyed renewed popularity of late, with people singing its praises in blogs and magazine articles, and crowd-sourced companies adding 21st century flair and technology to the time-honored craft. The technique of making cast iron is not a secret - it's right there in the name - but have you ever witnessed a foundry at work? It's… read more

Food news antipasto

July 25, 2021 by
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Millions of people watched famed chef Jacques Pépin's short cooking videos during the pandemic. Although I never much paid attention to the clothing he was wearing, Charlotte Reilly of Inside Hook took notice. She added him to her list of the 50 best dressed men over 50. Reilly says she was impressed by "how simply and timelessly Pépin is dressed"… read more

Everything you always wanted to know about vanilla

July 24, 2021 by
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Vanilla as an adjective is a synonym for boring, but as a flavoring extract it is anything but blah. Why the term 'vanilla' took on such a connotation is an interesting story in itself, but we're here to talk about the actual product, not its colloquial use. Over at Eater, Jamie Feldmar takes a deep dive into vanilla, explaining what… read more

Why you should add tahini to your pantry

July 23, 2021 by
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When I was growing up in a tiny town in the midst of the US Great Plains, I was not exposed to a wide variety of foods. It wasn't until I left home to attend college that I first experienced items most people would find ordinary, such as avocados, asparagus, and leeks, much less any foods from Asian, African, or… read more

The “Cookbook Queen” of Mar Vista is selling her collection

July 22, 2021 by
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When you have a large collection of cookbooks, determining what to do with them once you are no longer around can be a difficult decision. Some people opt to pare down to the bare minimum when downsizing a house, others make arrangements with libraries or schools to donate their books. Ellin Palmer of Mar Vista, California, is taking a different… read more

Doing the can-can

July 21, 2021 by
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Just as the home gardening trend has continued this year, so has the demand for canning supplies. Last year's shortage of canning jar lids spilled over to 2021, and it is still difficult, if not impossible, to find jar lids in the US - at least if you want to buy US made lids. In late 2020, I scoured the… read more

Food news antipasto

July 18, 2021 by
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The Anthony Bourdain documentary titled 'Roadrunner' was released in theaters on July 15 and is getting mixed reviews from critics. Helen Rosner likes it (but is disquieted by the artificial intelligence used to fabricate Bourdain's voice), while Sean Burns says it is more of a petty tell-all than a true portrait of the revered chef. The film explores Bourdain's life,… read more

Who invented the ice cream cone?

July 17, 2021 by
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When I was a kid, one of my favorite frozen treats was a sundae cone. The combination of crisp waffle cone, cold ice cream, and a tiny chocolate nub at the bottom, was nirvana. To this day, if I am offered one I will not pass it up, despite knowing its calorie, fat, and sugar counts (yowza). The origin story… read more

The cookbook that helped save a language

July 15, 2021 by
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Cookbooks are amazing things: they tell stories, share culinary touchstones for cultures, and provide us with instructions on how to make the most fabulous foods. One cookbook goes above and beyond, however. Gastro Obscura shares the story of Valentin Vodnik's 1799 volume, simply called The Cookbook, which helped to save an entire language. Vodnik was a priest on a mission… read more

Nigella Lawson announces book mini-tour

July 14, 2021 by
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Nigella Lawson's Cook, Eat, Repeat: Ingredients, Recipes and Stories was the perfect tome to bring us through lockdown and beyond. When the book came out last fall, an author tour was out of the question, but things have changed since then. Yesterday Nigella announced some exciting news: she will be doing a mini-tour this autumn, and tickets went on sale… read more

Making the most of mango season

July 12, 2021 by
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Seeing a huge display of mangoes at the grocery store always puts a smile on my face. The tropical fruit gets a workout at my house, finding its way into everything from creamy lassi to piquant salsa. If you are fortunate enough to live in an area that a large selection mango varieties, head over to Saveur to find out… read more

Food news antipasto

July 11, 2021 by
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Reduce, reuse, recycle, eat? Scientists have recently developed a novel solution for disposing of waste plastic. They invented a process to convert discarded plastic bottles into vanilla flavoring using bio-engineered bacteria. The research was published in the journal Green Chemistry, and the scientists claim that the process generated no hazardous waste. My mornings always begin with a steaming cup of coffee. If… read more

2021 has been great for cookbooks

July 9, 2021 by
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Each year I wonder how cookbook authors could top the fantastic books they have already written, yet I keep being pleasantly surprised at the quality of cookbooks that are released. Not every volume is a home run, but it is amazing that authors continue to innovate and find fresh takes on a variety of subjects. I own dozens of baking… read more

Celebrate World Chocolate Day

July 7, 2021 by
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Today is World Chocolate Day, and we’re going to help you celebrate by providing you with several beloved chocolate recipes from the EYB Library. The day celebrates the anniversary of chocolate's arrival to Europe when (as the story goes) Conquistador Hernandez Cortes brought it to Spain on 7 July 1550. Whether that is the exact date or not, chocolate quickly became… read more

It might be time to clean out your condiment shelf

July 5, 2021 by
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Last year most of us eschewed large gatherings, which meant fewer occasions to use that tub of mayonnaise, jar of mustard, or bottle of ketchup. We might have these condiments and more left over from pre-pandemic times (I am among the guilty). Now that picnics, cookouts, and other celebrations are happening again, it's time to give your condiment shelf a… read more

Food news antipasto

July 4, 2021 by
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The #MeToo movement saw plenty of accusations of harassment in the culinary sphere, especially among back of the house staff. It seems that harassment isn't the only problem in restaurant kitchens; bullying and toxic work environments seems to be commonplace. The latest restaurateur to be put in the hot seat is Michelin-starred chef Tom Kitchin. Anonymous complaints have labeled his… read more

A new addition to the list of quality Substack food newsletters

July 3, 2021 by
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We've written before about food writers or collectives that are moving away from traditional media - and even from 'new' media like major commercial websites - and starting their own subscription newsletters with hosts such as Substack. While the quality of these newsletters varies, many produce exceptional writing, including Vittles and The Bittman Project. We recently learned of a new… read more

Cookbook store spotlight: Brooklyn’s Archestratus

July 1, 2021 by
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We value the independent cookbook stores that we feature on our Cookbook Stores Around the World page, and do our best to promote these small shops. The owners are always enthusiastic and knowledgeable about our favorite subject. One of the newer entrants in the space is Brooklyn's Archestratus, owned by Paige Lipari. Recently, Taste interviewed the 34-year-old, getting the low-down… read more

Finding hidden gems

July 1, 2021 by
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Vittles continues to publish some of the best food writing you can find anywhere. The most recent article that impressed me comes from former GBBO contestant and cookbook author Ruby Tandoh. When you grow up in an area that isn't renowned for its food - let alone many positive cultural attributes - it can be a challenge to acknowledge the… read more

IACP Cookbook Award finalists announced

June 28, 2021 by
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With the JBF Awards being cancelled this year and other awards already announced, there is only one major cookbook award program left: The IACP Cookbook Awards. Earlier today the IACP announced the finalists for its 2021 awards, with the winners to be revealed at the IACP Conference on October 23, in Birmingham, Alabama. In addition to the cookbook awards, the… read more

Food news antipasto

June 27, 2021 by
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We begin this week's recap with sad news: influential chef Mark Peel has died at the age of 66 just days after being diagnosed with cancer. Peel worked at various restaurants including Wolfgang Puck's Spago. Along with his wife at the time Nancy Silverton, Peel opened the famed restaurant Campanile, which won a James Beard Foundation Award in 2001. Campanile… read more

Smaller menus, simpler food

June 26, 2021 by
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As restaurants scrambled to adapt to lockdowns, most of them switched from indoor dining to takeaway and also drastically reduced the menu options to accommodate the change. Now that they are reopening to indoor dining, many of the restaurants are keeping the shorter menus, says Grub Street's Rachel Sugar. Both independent eateries and large chains are reducing the number of… read more
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