Potential pumpkin shortage
If a pumpkin pie usually graces your holiday dessert table or if you are craving a creamy pumpkin soup, you may want to stock up on canned pumpkin. US pumpkin harvest is down by about half, and the UK harvest isn't…
Darcie
Is seaweed the next kale?
Move over kale, there's a new green powerhouse in town. Because of the grim prospects for both ocean fish stocks and land agriculture due to the effects of climate change, many entrepreneurs, scientists, and farmers are…
What to drink at your Halloween party
Next weekend Halloween parties will feature all manner of spooky treats: graveyard cakes, cookies that are shaped like witches' hats, even appetizers that look like dismembered body parts. Indexed blog Serious Eats has…
Are some foods addicting?
A recent study conducted by the University of Michigan and published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine confirms the suspicion of many: certain foods can be physically addictive. The study found that while not all…
The Splendid Table turns 20
Last night I had the pleasure of attending The Splendid Table's 20th Anniversary Celebration at the historic Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Splendid Table radio broadcast debuted in 1995, and host Lynne…
Alice Medrich's advice for bakers
We have discussed the advantages of weight measures over volume measures previously on this blog. Acclaimed author Alice Medrich buttresses the argument in favor of scales in a recent article for The Washington Post.…
All about herbs, spices and vanilla
Have you ever come across an ingredient when reading a recipe but don't know exactly what it is? Or have you bought something at the market but don't really know what to do with it? Then you'll want to bookmark The…
Start your own cookbook club
Does the following scenario sound familiar? Your new cookbook has arrived, and you eagerly crack open the cover to begin perusing the recipes. You want to try several of the dishes but the time investment (not to…
Which cookbook is the best of all time?
There is no way to achieve consensus on which cookbook is the best of all time. Nevertheless, The LA Times reports that a poll asked that very question of 400 food professionals in Britain, the United States, Australia…
Non-cookery books that inspire our cooking
Avid cooks often read cookbooks like novels, with the books always within easy reach: perched on the arm of the sofa, stacked on the nightstand, tucked into the ever-present totebag. We learn so much through these…
Who invented the pavlova?
The question of the pavlova's origin has long been contested. While there is little doubt that it was named for Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, there has been controversy about where the dish was invented. Australia and…
Cookbook giveaway - Food Gift Love
In Food Gift Love, Maggie Battista, a food-gift guru and rising star of the blog world, celebrates her expertise in and enthusiasm for small-batch, hand-crafted foods. The book includes memorable, edible gifts for any…