Spice support: galangal
Some spices so much resemble another spice that the more common of the two is usually substituted for the lesser known one. Such is the case for galangal, a tropical plant in the ginger family. There are two main types…
Antipasto
The meaning behind food memoirs
If cookbook lovers aren't devouring the latest offering from Yotam Ottolenghi, Ina Garten, or their favorite blogger, they are probably reading another food-related book such as a food memoir. That genre has exploded in…
Meals that changed the world
Yesterday we posted about six people who changed an entire country's (and perhaps even beyond its borders) cuisine. In addition to people, meals themselves have shaped the course of world affairs for centuries. Whether…
Use this food-serving calculator to make just the right amount this Thanksgiving
Planning a big holiday meal, like the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday for those of us in the US, can be stressful. First, you have to choose which dishes to make, running the risk of angering family members if you stray…
Even top chefs use shortcuts
When you think of what the world's top chefs make at home, you likely picture them gently simmering bones and vegetables to make homemade stock, or folding and rolling puff pastry from scratch. As it turns out, even…
Truffle prices surge due to poor harvest
Truffles have long been associated with haute cuisine. Brillat-Savarin called truffles "the diamond of the kitchen", and the delicious fungi have graced fine dining menus the world over. Truffles are notoriously finicky…
Raiding Grandma's recipe box
If you are a fan of Southern barbecue, you are probably familiar with the side dishes that are must-have accompaniments like baked beans, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, and potato salad. One North Carolina pitmaster is…
Feeling the absence in the leftovers
When I was growing up, Sunday supper at my grandparents' farm was all but mandatory. Portions were substantial, dessert always provided, and leftovers packaged and sent home to various households. The act of cooking for…
The evolution of the newspaper food section
In today's media saturated age, it can be difficult to imagine a time when there was only one or two sources for information about food and cooking. For decades, however, that was the case. Before there was Instagram,…
Quick action saves M.F.K. Fisher's former home
Few people have had as much impact on food writing as M.F.K. Fisher. Beginning with Serve it Forth, published in 1937, her career as a writer flourished. For the last 20 years of her life, Fisher resided in a home she…
Are recipes dead? Tyler Florence thinks so
While attending the Smart Kitchen Summit in Seattle, celebrity chef Tyler Florence made a bold declaration: recipes are dead. Not only did he say that, he proclaimed that our entire approach to making food, from grocery…
Preserving on Paper
Cookbook enthusiasts often read vintage cookbooks for entertainment, using them to imagine past ways of cooking and eating. Kristine Kowalchuk also enjoys digging into old cookbooks, although she approaches them from a…