Hosting a cookbook swap party
Have some cookbooks that just don't thrill you anymore? Want to have new cookbooks without spending any money? If your answer to either of those questions is yes, you might want to host a cookbook swap. Not sure how to…
Darcie
Winners of the 2019 IACP Cookbook Awards
This year's annual International Association of Culinary Professionals conference was held in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At a ceremony held last evening, the association announced the winners of its 2019 IACP Cookbook,…
Spice support: star anise and anise seed
Although both star anise and anise seed (aka aniseed) share a licorice-like flavor compounds called anethole, the two are unrelated botanically. It's easy to confuse the two because of their similarities, but the two…
Pucker power - how sour flavors have taken over
Sour beer, sour candy, lacto-fermentation: there is no denying that sour flavors are ascending, in homes and restaurants alike. What's the reason behind this trend? Is it a reflection of our environment or something…
The television series 'Great Chefs' celebrates 40 years
The televised cooking program Great Chefs recently celebrated its 40th anniversay. It is one of the oldest cooking/travel series on cable. When it debuted in the early 1980s, Great Chefs took a bold step away from most…
Diana Kennedy's cherished cookbook collection gets a new home
One could argue that no one has done more to promote traditional Mexican cooking than a British transplant, the venerable Diana Kennedy. For over half a century, she has diligently researched the cuisine from every…
In praise of the quarter sheet pan
I have to admit to being a little late to the party on this, but I did not appreciate the versatility of quarter-size sheet pans until very recently. Why would I want yet another item to clutter my small kitchen when I…
Inside Julia's Kitchen podcast with Matt Sartwell
The podcast Inside Julia's Kitchen contains interviews with many distinguished and diverse culinary guests, including chefs and authors. Recent episodes include a conversations with Jacques Pépin and Ruth Reichl, and…
These Ligurian bees are a long way from home
It makes sense that foods become associated with the place of their origin. If the place association becomes lost, the food can morph into something else or fade into obscurity. Or, it can retain the name and the legacy…
Joy of Cooking is getting an upgrade
First published in 1931 and created as a way to overcome a tragic event, the classic and authoritative Joy of Cooking has been in print for nearly ninety years. This fall, the book that taught generations of people how…
Mother's Day recipes that take the cake
My mother lives several hundred miles away, which means I do not get to see her very often. When Mother's Day rolls around, this distance also means she gets plants or something that can be shipped, not a homemade…
James Beard Chef Awards announced
A couple of weeks ago we covered the James Beard Foundation's Cookbook Awards, and now it's time for the other half of the JBF: the Chef Awards. As Grub Street points out, there was a lot of diversity in this year's…