What’s in a name? The backlash against vegan ‘milk’, ‘meat,’ and ‘cheese’

To some people, allowing non-dairy beverages to use the word "milk" in their name is not a pressing issue. But to dairy farmers, it seems vitally important. So it's not a huge surprise the chief of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration recently announced that his agency will crack down on the use of the word "milk" to describe non-dairy… read more

What James Beard had to say about onions

Onions are indispensable in my kitchen. I usually have at least two types on hand at any given moment (red and yellow) and frequently even more. They are essential to many dishes. I'm far from the only fan of onions, of course; they are favored by home cooks and chefs alike. One of the onion's biggest fans was James Beard,… read more

Amazon Prime Day guide

Prime Day starts at 3 p.m. ET (noon PT) on Monday, July 16. It runs through 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday night, July 17. (Note it will start at noon in the UK and noon AEST on July 16 in Australia, and will run for 36 hours in both countries. Offers will differ from country to country.) If you're not yet an… read more

Spain’s National Library puts historic recipes on video

Talk about a cookbook collection - Spain's National Library contains an impressive 23,000 food-related works, some of which date back to the 1400s. In an effort to raise awareness about these unique and ancient works, the library is embracing a modern techology: videos. Partnering with contemporary chefs, they have put together video recipes adapted from cookbooks that span the centuries.   In… read more

Are you a messy eater? Wear those stains with pride

It never fails: any time I wear a light-colored shirt while eating, I will splash tomato sauce, berries or chocolate sauce on it, creating an indelible stain. Dark colored clothing will get the same treatment in reverse, with a white sauce, yogurt, or something equally contrasting. When this happens, I attempt to discreetly daub the stain with a napkin and… read more

What’s new at the Fancy Food Show

Wander down the aisles of any large supermarket or grocery store and you will be bombarded with choices. There are rows and rows of every type of processed food imaginable, from chips/crisps to cookies to pickles to soups and sauces and so much more. How do those myriad items find their way onto the store's shelves? One part of the… read more

Which foods do you need to wash prior to cooking?

Most food safety guides tell you to rinse fruits and vegetables before preparing them. Some sources will even tell you to rinse meat before cooking. Is this good advice? NPR's The Salt weighs in on which food items you should rinse - and which you should leave alone.  A recent US outbreak of E. coli infections caused by tainted romaine… read more

Clever uses for your salad spinner

A salad spinner is one of those kitchen gadgets that is so good at what it does - wash and dry leafy greens - that you forgive it for being a one-trick-pony. It takes up a fair amount of cabinet space, so you might think about getting rid of it to make room for something else. Before you do that,… read more

The case of the disappearing salt shaker

Something is missing from more and more restaurants in the United States, and it's not politicians. The trend has nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with confidence. Across the country, chefs are removing salt and pepper shakers from their tables. This practice is occurring across the spectrum of restaurants, from fine dining to more casual eateries. While… read more

Use thrift stores as a guide for your cookware collection

EYB Members have frequently posted about the great items they discover at thrift stores. Whether it's a wonderful cookbook, vintage cookware, or a gorgeous serving piece, there is a thrill involved in digging through the shelves to find the perfect gem. But the things you pass over - and the things you don't find at these stores in the first… read more

Almond extract is this baker’s secret weapon

Every baker has a secret weapon, whether a special type of flour, a certain brand of cocoa powder, or another ingredient that they feel adds a spark to their baked goods. For Elizabeth Chambers Hammer, founder of BIRD Bakery in San Antonio, that secret weapon is an elixir known as almond extract.  Hammer says almond extract is the secret to… read more

Are you making these appliance mistakes?

Kitchen appliances ranging from blenders to microwaves to slow cookers allow us to save time and energy for many cooking tasks. However, sometimes we don't use these tools appropriately. We might not even realize that we are making mistakes with the appliances, so it can be helpful to get reminders. Taste of Home is here to help, providing a list… read more

What to bring when cooking in someone else’s kitchen and tips for moving

 I love to cook and bake, and my friends all know and (mostly) understand that I all but live in the kitchen. So when I go to visit them, I'm often helping them prepare a meal or a special dessert. Cooking in someone else's kitchen can be tricky, and as Anna Stockwell of Epicurious wisely notes, it makes sense to bring… read more

An ode to an unsung kitchen workhorse

l As far back as people began to cook as a hobby as much as they did for mere sustenance, kitchen gadgets have beckoned to food lovers. While it is fun to have the latest small appliance or smartly-designed tool, sometimes these items don't stand the test of time. A few items, however, are indispensable and their utility extends well… read more

A cookbook cafe opens in a Texas library

  What could be better than going to a library and browsing through stacks of cookbooks, thumbing through the pages and discovering new cuisines? How about eating at a cafe in the library where all of the recipes come from cookbooks in the library? That's what is happening at the new central library in Austin, Texas.  Conceived two years ago… read more

Can you ever really replicate a restaurant dish?

If you have ever eaten at a restaurant and loved it, were thrilled when the restaurant published a cookbook, but struggled to replicate the dishes you admired, this Grub Street article by Rachel Sugar is made for you. Sugar attempts to make the Superiority Burger from the eponymously named cookbook.  Her recounting of the struggle to replicate a real Superiority Burger… read more

A.A. Gill on last meals

If you are a food critic or writer, almost inevitably someone will ask you what your "last meal" would be. Beloved British writer A.A. Gill was no exception. Over a decade ago, he wrote a column for Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine on the subject. They have recently republished the article, which is part of a new collection of the late writer's… read more

A flea market cookbook sparks a restaurant’s revival

  Cookbooks might not be able to change the world, but they definitely can have a tremendous impact locally. A story on Atlas Obscura brilliantly demonstrates this possibility - the owners of a failing restaurant in Tbilisi, Georgia stumble on a tattered old cookbook at a flea market, which proves to contain a winning formula for reinvigorating their establishment into… read more

This startup aims to help cancer patients enjoy food again

  If you have had chemotherapy or know someone who has, you understand that one of the side effects of the treatment can be a significantly diminished sense of taste. This side effect reduces the enjoyment of eating and is a continuing struggle for those who love food. Caretakers, too, are disheartened by being unable to fix foods for their… read more

Vanilla is now as expensive as silver

  About a year ago, we reported on a surge in vanilla prices due to a combination of poor weather and lack of farming capacity. Twelve months later the surge shows no sign of abating, with the price of vanilla by weight now almost equal to that of silver. The high prices are forcing suppliers to confront the situation in… read more

How your identity affects your food preferences

  Growing up in a rural area of the northern US that was populated mostly by German and Scandinavian immigrants, I ate a lot of food that some folks would find, shall we say, uninspiring. Even though much of it was on the bland side, I still fondly recall many of the dishes like knephla soup, kraut strudel, and cold… read more

On the processed food debate

  We're told that for our health (and our waistline), we should avoid processed foods at all costs. Despite the dire warnings, many of us - even though we can understand the health implications and don't have any obstacles that stand in the way of healthy cooking - choose to eat packaged foods anyway. The reasons for this are complex,… read more

Saving the scraps

  Marcella Hazan's three-ingredient tomato sauce is, simply put, brilliant. So easy to make but boasting deep, complex flavors, it's no wonder the recipe has been printed dozens of time in various newspapers, on blogs, and in multiple cookbooks. When you read the instructions on how to prepare the dish, one of the last steps is to discard the onion. That's… read more

Le Creuset is Coming to Your City

Williams-Sonoma is teaming up with Le Creuset to bring you an exclusive "Cooking in Color" dinner series, celebrating the vibrant hues of the company's iconic French cookware. Join one of these eight monthly events (one tonight in San Francisco) at some of America's best restaurants, complete with wine pairings by Winemaker Rob Mondavi Jr. of Michael Mondavi Family Estate, featuring… read more

Looking to the past for new ice cream flavors

  Ice cream is a treat enjoyed all over the world. Once reserved for only the wealthy, today it is available to people from all walks of life. While stalwart flavors like vanilla and chocolate are the most-often consumed, new taste creations draw the interest of aficionados. While many ice cream innovators look to other cultures or to the savory… read more
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