Food news antipasto

Jane and I spent the weekend at the American Library Association annual conference in Philadelphia, promoting our Library memberships. Highlights of the trip included seeing several EYB Members who stopped by to say hello, wonderful cocktails at Almanac, and a meal with two absolutely delightful authors Jyoti and Auyon Mukharji, who had a demonstration on the What’s Cooking stage at the… 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

Tea innovations

Forget pumpkin spice lattes, the latest thing in beverages is pumpkin spice tea. That, and along with other trends, is driving an uptick in the popularity of tea, especially in the US, which has not always been tea-friendly. (We got a little salty about it back in 1776 and never got over it.) But now Americans are embracing tea, and… read more

Grocery store trickery

One of the grocery stores in my city vexes me to no end by its constant rearranging of products. As soon as I get used to learning where to find the items that I regularly buy, everything moves to a new location. This shuffling of items is probably not just due to changing inventory, but rather a deliberate attempt to… read more

Food news antipasto

We covered the James Beard Media Awards over the weekend, but there were more honors given on Monday, when the JBF announced the winners of its Restaurant and Chef Awards, representing the best food and drink in the US. Fine dining establishments took home many of the honors, but there were plenty of casual restaurants in the mix. Take a… read more

Strategies for when it’s too hot to cook

This year the solstice brought with it a record-breaking heat wave for much of the US. When the temperatures and dew points both spike this high, standing over a hot stove for any length of time is unappealing, to say the least. Keeping cool while cooking in the midst of a heat wave is difficult, but there are ways to… read more

Are you in the rhubarb lovers’ club?

I will never forget the time a 20-something coworker wrinkled her nose in disgust when I brought a rhubarb pie to the office. "Only old people like rhubarb," she said. Being only in my early 40s at the time, I bristled at the notion. It turns out that she might not be totally wrong, as rhubarb sales have been stagnant… read more

James Beard Awards Weekend in Chicago

Jane, Katie and I attended the James Beard award ceremony on June 14th in Chicago, where the the James Beard Foundation announced the winners of its 2025 Media Awards, which includes books, broadcast media, and journalism. This was the 35th Anniversary of the awards and the air was charged with excitement and positivity. As we shared in our post delivering the… read more

Celebrity chef Anne Burrell dies at 55

We received the sad news that Anne Burrell, popular Food Network host and chef, passed away today at her New York home. Burrell was the long time host of Worst Cooks in America, which ran on Food Network from 2010 to the present. Known for her spiky platinum-blond hairdo, Burrell coached teams through hundreds of episodes of the program. Born… read more

Food news antipasto

We start this week with news that is sure to make you smile. A small town in Mississippi is home to the world's only apron museum. For over 20 years, Carolyn and Henry Terry have been running the Apron Museum in the small town of Iuka. The museum houses a collection of more than 5,000 aprons, spanning the globe and… 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The rise of bakery tourism

When you are in your 20s or 30s, a pub crawl is often a weekend activity, jaunting from bar to bar with friends to enjoy a pint or a cocktail. This doesn't always seem like fun when your 30s (or 40s) are in the rearview mirror. What to do instead? Join the growing ranks of bakery tourists - people who… read more

The struggle to spell

Before I started writing for Eat Your Books (over 11 years ago!), I had a bi-monthly food column at a medium sized newspaper for several years. In junior high, I competed at the state spelling bee and made it to the final round. You might assume with that pedigree I could properly spell almost any culinary term without looking it… read more

Food news antipasto

Microplastics can be found everywhere, even inside our bodies. Researchers have raised concerns about this issue, noting that certain types of plastic shed more particles than others and warning about their use in connection with foods. Some plastic manufacturers claim that their products are safe for cooking and storage, but one of those manufacturers is now facing a class action… read more

Getting to know your gingers

Ginger is one of the most common spices, used around the world in a variety of cuisines. Humans have grown it for so long that it has become a cultigen, meaning it no longer exists in the wild. This fact, along with a bevy of other information about this delicious rhizome, can be found at Gastro Obscura, which recently explored the… read more
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