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

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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

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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

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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

Recipe rabbit holes

It's easy to run down a recipe rabbit hole on the internet. One click leads you to an article about a particular dish, then you follow tangents until you have forgotten the impetus for the original click. That just happened to me: I clicked on a masa pancake recipe on Epicurious, which contained a link to sources of fresh masa… read more

Just for the fun of it

Chef Chris Young wanted to test a theory about basting steaks with butter, a common practice among chefs that is often shown during cooking shows. He wanted to know if basting meant the steak would cook faster, remain juicier, and taste better, which are all reasons chefs give for doing it. After setting up a rigorous testing method that included… read more

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Award-winning cookbook author and television host Pati Jinich has a new gig: teaching you how to write a cookbook. Jinich is partnering with notebook brand Levenger to create the workbook How to Write a Cookbook, filled with practical advice for anyone wanting to dip a toe into the world of cookbook writing. Matcha roll cake from One Tin Bakes by Edd Kimber The… read more

The princess cake’s ascendance

The first time I saw a princess cake (aka princess torte), it was in the display case of a Minneapolis bakery. I was intrigued by the domed, green shape topped with one simple decoration at the top. After that initial sighting, princess cakes seemed to appear everywhere: on the Great British Bake Off, in other bakeries, and online. The popularity… read more

Beware the digital ‘slop farmer’

Bloggers and recipe developers put in a tremendous amount of time creating, testing, writing, and photographing before they publish their articles and recipes to be seen by the world. For some, this has led to internet stardom and a profitable career. Others use it as a side gig or even just a creative outlet. There is another kind of content… read more

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Bravo TV's Top Chef has been introducing the world to the best new chefs for 22 seasons. One of the most interesting episodes each season is the "restaurant war" where contestants form two teams that each serve patrons in a hastily converted space. Although we get to see the drama in the kitchen, we don't really get to experience the… read more

Life-changing flavors

I will never forget the first time I tasted an Alphonso mango. I was visiting food loving friends who lived in a large city, and they happened to live near a market that had just received a shipment of Alphonso mangos, so they grabbed some to serve alongside other nibbles before dinner. I was so overwhelmed with the intense, floral… read more

Kid’s food no more – how chefs are redefining the chicken nugget

Chicken nuggets are something you buy for your picky four-year-old, not something you would expect on a fine dining menu, right? Wrong, according to several chefs interviewed by Food and Wine Magazine. These chefs use refined techniques to create nostalgic nuggets that they feel are worthy of a place on a fine dining menu. Easy chicken nuggets from Weelicious Lunches… read more

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One of our Members, Kerry Faber (Kfaber on EYB), was interviewed recently about her cookbook collection of over 530 books. Kerry works as a recipe tester for media outlets and recipe developers and has a Substack called Dish Lister, which came from requests she received from friends and family for go-to recipes. In her New Jersey home, Kerry adopted a… read more

TikTok craze leads to worldwide pistachio shortage

The Dubai chocolate craze, which started at the end of 2023, shows little sign of abating, with chocolatiers and home cooks alike serving up their version of this delicious treat. The original contained crisp kataifi combined with pistachio paste enrobed in milk chocolate, and while others have varied the crispy part and the type of chocolate, one constant remains: pistachios.… read more

A good time to stock up the spice drawer

There's an elephant in the room that home cooks in the US cannot ignore: the effect that tariffs might have on their grocery bills. Most of the herbs and spices used in American kitchens come from outside of the US, so it's wise to stock up on these items (as well as other flavorings like vanilla beans or extract) before… read more
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