CookShelfThere 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
