One appliance is getting all the cookbook love this season

October 26, 2018 by
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A few days ago we wrote about how Indian cooks are embracing the Instant Pot. They are far from the only group that has latched on to the convenient appliance, and cookbook publishers are taking note. As Jenny points out in our October New Cookbook Review, and as Bonnie Benwick writes in The Washington Post, this fall nearly twenty books… read more

The cranberry sauce debate: canned or homemade?

October 22, 2018 by
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I grew up eating cranberry sauce once a year, and it was always of the canned variety. The sauce was pushed out of its cozy can into a narrow serving bowl, its rings used as a marker with which to slice the jiggly substance. As far as I can recall, only about two slices were ever removed from the bowl,… read more

Darkness descends onto fall menus

October 17, 2018 by
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As the days grow shorter here in the Northern Hemisphere, seasonal menus move away from the fruits and bright flavors that dominate summer fare. The ubiquitous pumpkin and/or pumpkin spice offerings have begun to make their appearance, much to the delight of some and chagrin of others. Pumpkin may have finally hit its peak, with overall offerings down somewhat from… read more

Apple upgrades its bagel emoji

October 16, 2018 by
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Remember the days when text messages consisted solely of text and not emoticons? Probably not, because emoticons (aka emoji) can be traced back to the beginnings of the internet. The first known use of the "smiley face" ASCII text emoji, :-), dates to the early 1980s. As the old cigarette advertisements that date back even farther said,  "we've come a… read more

When is ‘almost as good’ good enough?

October 11, 2018 by
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For home cooks, learning how to make something that they usually purchase is exhilarating and can be transformative. Whether it is a curry paste made from whole spices and fresh peppers, a loaf of sourdough bread, or an all-butter puff pastry, making a dish from scratch carries a sense of accomplishment and often results in a superior product than one… read more

The ins and outs of recipe development

October 9, 2018 by
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We all love the cookbooks, magazines, and websites that contain the recipes that we eagerly read, aspire to, make, and enjoy. The sheer volume of recipes easily available to us is staggering, but have you ever wondered what goes into the developing a really great recipe? Christine Gallary did, and experienced the ins and outs of recipe development during a… read more

The great brownie debate: cakey or fudgy

October 8, 2018 by
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There is an ongoing and heated debate that divides people into two camps. No, I'm not talking about politics; this debate is between those who prefer their brownies to be cake-like and those who feel that fudgy brownies are the best. Have you ever wondered just what makes a particular brownie come out either cakey or fudgy? Fine Cooking has… read more

How to make ingredient substitutions that work

October 5, 2018 by
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Have you ever read a comment on an online recipe that made you shake your head? The ones that get me are those where the person gives the recipe a bad review, but notes in the comments that he or she substituted one of the main ingredients with something that (in my mind) would obviously not work for the type… read more

Have you thrown any cocktails lately?

October 4, 2018 by
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There are few things more satisfying to a cocktail aficionado than the sound of a drink being shaken over ice. Shaking cocktails is a time-honored tradition, but there is another way to mix drinks that predates this method. It's called throwing cocktails, and bartenders across the US are beginning to embrace it.  When I first heard the term, I envisioned… read more

Bring the flavors of fall into your cocktails

September 29, 2018 by
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Fall has begun in earnest in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, with crisp morning temperatures, crystal clear days, and gorgeous displays of color. Along with the change of the season comes a change in foods, with warm comforting items taking center stage. In addition to entrees, appetizers, and desserts, the flavors of fall can be extended to cocktails too.… read more

Do you wear an apron in the kitchen?

September 27, 2018 by
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In addition to cookbooks, I have other kitchen obsessions: Bundt pans, ramekins, vintage food tins - and aprons. Ever since I was given an apron for my college graduation (along with a copy of Joy of Cooking), I've been hooked on having aprons on hand to keep my clothes from being splattered.  As much as I adore my beautiful and… read more

Political turmoil can follow you into the kitchen

September 26, 2018 by
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It seems there is no escaping politics in today's world. Even if you try to escape by retreating into the kitchen to do some cooking and baking, political issues can still creep in. Food and agriculture are playing huge roles in global trade disputes, which show no signs of relenting.  The argument over a revision of NAFTA, the free-trade agreement… read more

An ode to the public library

September 25, 2018 by
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While I have a decent-sized cookbook collection, I realize that I simply cannot have every new cookbook that catches my eye, nor can I collect every worthy classic. There is only so much shelf space and budget available, even though Jenny's monthly review always tempt me. However, I have a way to deal with this situation: visit my local library. … read more

It only takes one recipe

September 24, 2018 by
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Everyone has a food that he or she just doesn't like. Many times the dislike reaches all the way back into the person's childhood. However, these preferences are not carved into stone, and you can turn from someone who despises a certain food into a person who really enjoys eating it. Sometimes all it takes is one recipe to bridge… read more

Take a trip to the ranch

September 23, 2018 by
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Few things fascinate me as much as food history. It's always interesting to find out the origins of food, and usually the stories say as much about the people as they do the foodstuff themselves. Julia Moskin recently dived deep into the history of an iconic American food: ranch dressing. Unlike many other foods, the history of ranch dressing isn't… read more

Ridiculously good rugelach

September 23, 2018 by
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Before you scroll down and lay your eyes upon my photograph depicting my first attempt at making rugelach - don't have a mouthful of coffee to spew. Well, truthfully, this was my second rugelach. My very first was bacon jam rugelach which I made while testing a recipe for Cathy Barrow and her debut cookbook Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry. While my pastry… read more

Bonnie Benwick on downsizing a kitchen

September 18, 2018 by
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There are many reasons that people downsize their homes, the most obvious being retirement or divorce. If you have a kitchen filled with gadgets and cookware (not to mention a study stuffed with cookbooks), the thought of moving to a much smaller place might give you cold chills. But getting rid of things isn't always bad, as food writer Bonnie… read more

Use your instant read thermometer for more than just meat

September 15, 2018 by
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If you have an instant read thermometer, there's a high likelihood that you purchased for its speed and accuracy when measuring the temperature of large cuts of meat like steaks, whole chicken, roasts, and chops. However, the uses for this nifty device don't end there, as The Washington Post explains. It's also handy for many other foods, too.  Delicate items… read more

Check out the new ‘Cookbook Love’ podcast

September 13, 2018 by
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Although the traffic is terrible, the worst part of my long daily commute is that it wastes time that I could be spending reading cookbooks. Until now, there has not been much to fill that time that is even cookbook-related. But a new podcast called Cookbook Love is changing that. CookBook Love was started by author, editor, and coach Maggie… read more

When a cookbook doesn’t live up to expectations

September 9, 2018 by
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Oh, the thrill of a new cookbook: cracking open the cover, leafing through the pages, and marking the pages of the recipes you want to try first. You gather all of the ingredients and proceed on the maiden voyage. And the results? Eh, it wasn't what you were expecting. You shrug it off, thinking 'not every recipe can be a… read more

How to keep your wooden cutting board in tip top shape

September 8, 2018 by
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Everyone knows that proper seasoning is the key to great cast iron, but what you might not realize is that the same holds true for wooden cutting boards. Over at indexed website Serious Eats, J. Kenji López-Alt gives us great advice on how to season a new cutting board, and how to keep it working (and looking) good for years.  The… read more

Jenny vs. Modernist Bread – Bagel Battle

September 4, 2018 by
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Earlier this year, I purchased Modernist Cuisine from an author friend who was downsizing. Due to my obsessive nature, I couldn't have one set of the books without the other so I took the plunge and ordered Modernist Bread. I'm already saving up for set three, Modernist Pizza. I really don't need both kidneys and these books are worth every penny. My goal… read more

Bring on the pumpkin

September 3, 2018 by
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Labor Day is nearly over here in the US, and that can only mean one thing: pumpkin season has officially begun. Pumpkin spice-flavored items have sprung up on menus everywhere (pro tip - there is no pumpkin in pumpkin spice), but even better, sweet pie pumpkins are popping up in stores. Of course, canned pumpkin is available all year round,… read more

When life hands you lemons (and cucumbers and tomatoes and herbs and…)

September 2, 2018 by
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After a trip to a particularly bountiful farmers' market last week, I stood before my open refrigerator in wonderment at the heaps of luscious fruit, vegetables, and herbs I had just purchased. Just as I was basking in this embarrassment of riches, panic struck: how was I going to use all of it before it went bad?  The panic was… read more

James Beard on the importance of salt

September 1, 2018 by
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Discovering a new seasoning is one of the greatest pleasures a food lover can have. The first time you taste it, you immediately start imagining all of the dishes in which you could use the flavor. It gets tucked away in your mental spice box, ready to be pulled out at just the right moment. The more you cook and… read more
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