Great British Bake Off/Baking Show – Recap: Pastry Week 8

October 19, 2019 by
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Five bakers are left and it is one week before semi-finals. For a breakdown of what has happened in the big white tent, please see my earlier recaps Weeks 1 and 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7. I confess now that there are just two weeks left, I am sad. It is over too soon. I relate these mixed… read more

Observer Food Monthly Awards 2019

October 18, 2019 by
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Last evening at the Freemasons Hall in London, the winners of the 2019 Observer Food Monthly Awards were announced. The awards celebrate the best in food across the UK, highlighting the work of celebrity chefs as well as local producers and eateries. There are ten categories of reader awards, plus several other categories judged by a professional panel. The evening's… read more

Check out Martha Stewart’s new cookbook library

October 17, 2019 by
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It's difficult to imagine that someone as accomplished as Martha Stewart was once a novice cook, but everyone has to start somewhere. As a newlywed, Stewart purchased a copy of Joy of Cooking, like countless others who embarked on their cooking journey through that book's pages. You will probably not be surprised to learn that Stewart has amassed a rather… read more

Why pumpkin spice is associated with fall

October 15, 2019 by
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Love them or hate them, Starbucks' pumpkin spice lattes have been in stores since August 29 - the earliest ever release for this drink that ostensibly celebrates fall weather. (Did anyone even look at a weather report before choosing that date?!) Now that cooler temperatures have finally arrived in most of the Northern Hemisphere - really cool if you are… read more

Meet MasterChef Australia’s new hosts

October 14, 2019 by
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Back in July, we reported that all three of MasterChef Australia's hosts quit in a pay dispute following months-long negotiations. Several names were floated as being potential replacements for the trio of Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris. The wait is over, as we now know who the judges will be for the upcoming season of the program. At least one of the… read more

Food news antipasto

October 14, 2019 by
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Since I read cookbooks voraciously and have been an avid cook and baker for decades, it's hard to stump me with a vegetable or fruit that I haven't at least read about. This week it did happen, and the vegetable in question is celtuce. Curious to find out more? Check out a recent article in The Guardian about this so-called… read more

Everything you need to know about Dutch ovens

October 13, 2019 by
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My Dutch ovens are the workhorses of my kitchen: I use them to sear, simmer, roast, fry, and bake. It seems like there is nothing these beauties can't do. However, when I was a novice cook I was unfamiliar with Dutch ovens and had no idea of how to use this type of cookware. If I had read an article… read more

Great British Bake Off/Baking Show – Recap: Festival Week 7

October 12, 2019 by
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Six bakers are left. Cake week saw the demise of Dan, biscuit week crumbled Jamie’s dreams of baking royalty, bread week sent Amelia packing, dairy week bid adieu to Phil, the Roaring 20’s sent both Michelle and Helena home and desserts scooted Priya out of the tent. (Weeks 1 and 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6). You may notice a… read more

You can’t take it with you

October 11, 2019 by
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Intellectual property rights are generally not considered scintillating dinner conversation (unless you are an IP lawyer, and even then it's iffy). However, discussion of that topic is becoming more common in restaurants - at least in the back of the house. The issue is becoming more prevalent in the age of celebrity chefs who often build a brand around the… read more

Cooking with tamarind

October 10, 2019 by
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My initial exposure to tamarind came when I tried pad Thai for the first time. Almost immediately after I ate my meal, I was looking up recipes for it so I could make it at home. That's when I encountered tamarind, which was an unfamiliar ingredient to me because I was raised on meat and potatoes in the upper Midwest.… read more

Tools that the pros can’t cook without

October 7, 2019 by
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Kitchen gadgets and appliances are always changing, with home kitchens the target for the vast majority of them. Have you ever wondered which (if any) of these tools chefs actually find useful or even indispensable? Gear Patrol has your answer - they recently surveyed chefs to find out the kitchen equipment they turn to over and over againn. As you… read more

Food news antipasto

October 6, 2019 by
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Talented cookie artists attract huge numbers of followers on Instagram and Facebook with amazing, intricate detail on their edible masterpieces. If you love seeing these creations and also like a good history lesson, then you will love Jasmine Cho. She uses the medium of intricate, hand-drawn cookie portraits of Asian American figures as a way to increase representation and raise awareness… read more

Great British Bake Off/Baking Show – Recap: Desserts’ Week 6

October 6, 2019 by
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Seven bakers remain. Cake week saw the demise of Dan, biscuit week crumbled Jamie’s dreams of baking royalty, bread week sent Amelia packing, dairy week bid adieu to Phil and the Roaring 20's sent both Michelle and Helena home. (Weeks 1 and 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5). Even before the seven remaining bakers entered the tent, I started muttering under… read more

Star Wars meets Le Creuset

October 4, 2019 by
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Just when I lied to myself and swore off more cookware, I find out that Le Creuset is putting out a line of Star Wars™-inspired items. Be still my heart. Below are a few of the items available on November 1st at outlets and online. You can read more about this line and be put on a waiting list to… read more

Apples are a sweet introduction to fall

October 3, 2019 by
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The news cycle these days can be nearly be measured in nanoseconds, with one crazy headline appearing after another. While nothing seems settled in the world, it can be reassuring to see the change in the seasons which serves as a reminder that this, too, shall pass. In much of the Northern Hemisphere, fall is in the air with crisp… read more

Can there be only one?

October 1, 2019 by
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At last count, there are over 100 “best” chocolate chip cookie recipes in the EYB Library. That doesn’t even include the recent craze of Levain Bakery copycat recipes, or recipes describing themselves as "perfect" chocolate chip cookies. Browsing through the Library, we see that some authors are convinced that they have created the best cookie for any occasion. See, for example, The best chocolate… read more

Food news antipasto

September 29, 2019 by
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We have some fun news and great tips in this week's edition. We begin with an interview with the inimitable Maggie Beer, who is one of Australia's best-known food personalities. Gourmet Traveller recently sat down with Beer to discuss a variety of topics, including gardening, opera, and her views regarding pineapple on pizza. (Don't forget that we have a complete… read more

Great British Bake Off/Baking Show – Recap: Roaring 20’s Week 5

September 29, 2019 by
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And then there were nine. To recap - cake week saw the demise of Dan, biscuit week crumbled Jamie’s dreams of baking royalty, bread week sent Amelia packing and dairy week bid adieu to Phil. (Weeks 1 and 2, Week 3, Week 4). Before I begin retelling the tale of the "first-ever" Roaring 20's week, I must confess my struggling… read more

Do ‘smart’ appliances make us better cooks?

September 24, 2019 by
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oven dial
It is becoming increasingly common for new kitchen appliances to be 'smart' devices: ovens that 'think', internet-connected refrigerators, and microwaves that operate with voice commands. All the gadgetry is cool in a 'we are living in the future' kind of way, but does it really help us be better cooks? Joe Ray at Wired doesn't think so. He says that… read more

The endangered French café

September 23, 2019 by
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Of all the food-related images conjured in the pages of novels or the screens of cinema, one of the most enduring vignettes is that of a small French café. This venue serves as a meeting place for lovers, a spot for self-truths to be realized, or the clandestine location for the handoff of classified information. In real-life France, cafés serve… read more

Food news antipasto

September 22, 2019 by
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It's easy to find chefs who will wax poetic about the best meal they've ever eaten. They will go on about the perfect ingredients, skillful presentation, or exemplary service and atmosphere. What is not often discussed is their worst food experience. Several of Australia's best chefs recently dished on that concept, telling Gourmet Traveller about the worst food they have… read more

Great British Bake Off/Baking Show – Recap: Dairy Week 4

September 21, 2019 by
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The ten bakers arrived at the tent for the first-ever dairy week. Cake week saw the demise of Dan, biscuit week crumbled Jamie’s dreams of baking royalty and bread week sent Amelia packing. (Weeks 1 and 2 and Week 3). How will the bakers tolerate a weekend of lactose bakes? Let's find out. Signature bake: Cake containing a cultured dairy… read more

In praise of the can

September 20, 2019 by
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When you leaf through most cookbooks today, you will find anecdotes about finding joy at the farmers' market or praising local, grass-fed beef. What you do not find as often are essays extolling the virtues of canned goods, although they do have a lot more to offer than emergency rations, at least according to Melissa Clark. She has just penned… read more

The ingredients Ottolenghi uses the most

September 18, 2019 by
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Yotam Ottolenghi is one of the most, if not the most, loved authors by EYB Members. He wrote four of the top ten most popular books in the Library (Plenty, Jerusalem, Ottolenghi: The Cookbook, Plenty More). Plenty sits in the number one spot, followed by Jerusalem, both of them beating Julia Child's beloved tome Mastering the Art of French Cooking… read more

The ‘kitchen hack’ is not a new concept

September 17, 2019 by
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I have to admit that I am a sucker for any post that comes through my social media describing a kitchen hack. Only a few of them ever end up in my personal arsenal, the rest being either more work than the original method or merely ineffective. Still, the allure of a time- or gadget-saving process always grabs my attention.… read more
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