Out of sight, out of mind

March 31, 2020 by
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Jenny's post earlier today about the Le Creuset factory to table online sale sent me scurrying to the LC website in a flash. Thanks to generous friends and my own efforts in finding good deals on LC and Staub, I have a better-than-average collection of enameled cast iron cookware. Nevertheless, I figure there is always room for another pan in… read more

Le Creuset Factory to Table Online Sale

March 31, 2020 by
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Yesterday, I shared our promotion to win a lovely 5.5-quart Dutch oven in Le Creuset’s newest color artichaut. Today, my friend Robin shared a link to Le Creuset's first-ever online Factory to Table sale. There are some incredible deals to be had! For instance, the 9-quart Dutch oven above is only $261 during this sale! In addition, there are four pages of… read more

No World’s 50 Best ceremony in 2020

March 30, 2020 by
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Usually during this time of year we are sharing news of cookbook award nominees and winners, along with other food industry awards. This year, however, everything seems to be in limbo. IACP is postponing their awards ceremonies, the James Beard Foundation hasn't even released its list of nominees, and now we learn that there will be no ceremony until at… read more

Food news antipasto

March 29, 2020 by
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With more of us cooking at home than ever before, I thought it would be a good idea to focus on the basics this week. First up is a guide from The L.A. Times on how to roast vegetables. It provides advice on how to adjust oven temperatures and times for different sizes and densities of vegetables. Jim Dixon, who… read more

Canelés, friands, baking cookbooks and things that bring me joy – Part I

March 29, 2020 by
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As you can ascertain from the photo below, I had intended to do a post on canelés and all things baking before Valentine's Day. It was right about then that things went haywire and shortly thereafter the pandemic took over. Many people are baking and trying new things and I wanted to share a few things that bring me baking… read more

Farmers markets go virtual

March 27, 2020 by
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In addition to chefs, servers, dishwashers and other employees, farmers are caught up in the closure of restaurants across the US. Many small farmers sell directly to restaurants in addition to running CSAs or particpating in farmers markets. Due to social distancing concerns, some farmers markets are going virtual, offering direct to consumer shipments of produce, grass-fed beef, and free-range… read more

Food safety tips

March 26, 2020 by
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A lot of us are suddenly making more meals at home than ever before. Most of us are hunkering down in our homes and only venturing out for necessities like groceries. In nearly all areas of the US, people are still able to go to the grocery store (even if some staples are rarely in stock), but even these necessary… read more

The top 10 breads in the world

March 23, 2020 by
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Although I will happily eat a burnished baguette, a slice of sourdough, or a puffy pita, I'm a sucker for a pillowy, soft white sandwich bread. I'm sure everyone has their favorite bread, but few people are willing to state what they believe to be the top 10 breads in the entire world. But Tim Carman of The Washington Post… read more

Food news antipasto

March 22, 2020 by
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People are probably tired of hearing about the coronavirus, but the severe fallout keeps making headlines. One that might be interesting to our Members is that the sun may be setting on California's beloved Sunset Magazine. Due to a drop in advertising, the publication is laying off workers and its future is now in doubt. Restaurants around the world are… read more

Now is the time for complicated projects

March 20, 2020 by
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A great number of people who normally work in an office are currently working from home. Others are staying home for less fortunate reasons, such as layoffs and store closures. In both scenarios, a lot of us have a little extra time on our hands, and also could use a little positive distraction. Perhaps now is the time to jump… read more

How to support local businesses (including cookbook stores)

March 18, 2020 by
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The restaurant industry is reeling during this chaotic time. Also feeling the pinch are independent booksellers, many of which have been forced to close their doors as cities institute strict policies on which stores can remain open during the pandemic. Many stores and restaurants are shifting how they do business in order to stay afloat, as most of them operate… read more

If you watch one video, watch this.

March 17, 2020 by
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We know what an amazing man José Andrés is as evidenced by his endless work to feed those in need. He fed workers during the government shut down, the work he did in Puerto Rico was unparalleled (We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time), and recently he set up in Oakland… read more

Food websites offer free access

March 17, 2020 by
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As more and more of us are staying home due to the coronavirus outbreak, people will be reversing the trend of eating out and will be making their own meals. Some of us are more accustomed to doing a lot of cooking at home but others will struggle. And after a few days, even those of us who like cooking… read more

Food news antipasto

March 15, 2020 by
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This week's news cycle has been dominated by measures being taken by countries around the world to slow the spread of the coronavirus. If you are staying home to avoid contact with others, you might want to take note of the recent Salon article on how to use citrus peel scraps to make better cocktails. Resourcefulness rules during times like… read more

Coronavirus takes its toll on the food industry

March 13, 2020 by
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While people have wiped the shelves bare of toilet paper, the concern about the spread of coronavirus has affected other areas of the economy as well. Several restaurants, including NYC's Le Bernardin, San Francisco's La Taqueria, and dozens more have closed their doors for at least a couple of weeks. Alinea's Nick Kokonas explains how many restaurants are facing a… read more

Buzz about the Great British Bake Off 2020

March 11, 2020 by
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I think we are all in need of some good news and something to look forward to, which is why I was excited to see a blurb about the Great British Bake Off in my news feed. In January we reported that GBBO host Sandi Toksvig was not going to be a co-host on the upcoming season of the show… read more

Food news antipasto

March 8, 2020 by
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Our first news nugget for this week falls under the 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' department: Anna Sanders, a reporter for the New York Daily News has an unusual and interesting food-related hobby. She likes to paint portraits of bagels. Food & Wine recently caught up with Sanders to discuss her bagel art. We have some sad news… read more

Missed opportunities

March 7, 2020 by
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One evening several years ago, I was walking along Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis and passed by the Dakota Jazz Club. There were a lot of people standing outside, and when I looked at the marquee, I understood why. Prince was playing that night. Amazingly, there were still tickets available, but they came with a steep price tag. I pondered the… read more

Diving into the deep end

March 6, 2020 by
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Ideas for quick, satisfying weeknight dinners are always welcome. When you've logged in a hard day at the office, in the field, or in the house, the last thing you want to do is tackle a recipe with a laundry list of ingredients, multiple complicated steps, and the potential for dirtying every saucepan and mixing bowl you have. However, on… read more

How to stock up for a quarantine

March 5, 2020 by
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Somtimes I discover information that, while practical, is something that I hope I will never have to use. Today is a case in point, and it surrounds the growing concerns over COVID-19. While it might be too soon to think about a potential quarantine, that hasn't stopped people from emptying store shelves of supplies like hand sanitizer and toilet paper.… read more

How the Sugarcraft Guild made an historic cake replica

March 4, 2020 by
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When then-Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip in 1947, the entire world watched. The post-war euphoria, combined with a first-ever televised ceremony, created an atmosphere of celebration that reverberated around the globe. To honor the couple, bakeries from near and far sent cakes to London. One of the most elaborate came from the now-defunct Peek Freans biscuit company. As Gastro Obscura… read more

Quick Bites: Paula Forbes

March 4, 2020 by
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Paula Forbes has been a professional cookbook critic for over ten years and is the author of The Austin Cookbook. She is the publisher of Stained Page News, a newsletter where she shares news, recipes, exciting upcoming books, details on new releases and more. Q: What first triggered your interest in cooking? Your first cooking memory? I honestly can’t remember… read more

The rise of private restaurants

March 2, 2020 by
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Getting a table at most of the world's top restaurants is not easy. Most of them are booked months ahead of time or have limited seatings that can only accommodate a relatively small number of diners. A new wave of eateries is making fine dining even more limited. Some chefs and proprietors are turning to private restaurants to control costs… read more

Food news antipasto

March 1, 2020 by
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Remember all of those stunning cheese boards that popped up on Instagram a few years ago? The idea behind these sumptuous displays is now taking root for other foods, as The Washington Post explains. They explore how people are putting everything from deconstructed salads to French fries and even pancakes on boards. The reason this type of display is so… read more

Bonus recipes

February 29, 2020 by
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I spent the better part of my day reorganizing my cookbook collection, adding the new volumes I purchased over the last few months. I had to do some serious rearranging because 2019 was such a great year for books that I ended up with more than I had planned. As I was moving items from one shelf to another, some… read more
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