Magazines to read in October
Jenny provides us all with excellent cookbook reviews each and every month. But what about magazines? While we diligently provide indexes for the major food publications, we haven't yet been able to incorporate magazine…
Antipasto
Restaurants turn to cookies for dessert
When you think of restaurant desserts, images of carefully composed quenelles of whipped cream placed beside a gorgeous slice of cake may come to mind. Some restaurants are turning their attention toward something a…
Why are we so drawn to black-colored food?
Remember when Burger King caused a sensation a few years ago with its black-as-night hamburger bun? Even before that took the world by storm, we were awash in black-hued foods that popped up in our Instagram and…
The history of your favorite apple varieties
In the United States, apple season has begun. Crisp, fresh fall apples have started to hit market shelves, and the variety that you can find is staggering, especially at farmers' markets and boutique grocery stores. If…
Recreating historical recipes
If you have ever leafed through an old cookbook, you've probably run across some recipes that sounded, well, less than appetizing. Antique books might have recipes for meats that you wouldn't consider eating, and…
What's the difference between parchment paper and wax paper?
Enthusiastic bakers know (and love) baking parchment and wax paper, but novice bakers might not understand the difference between the two. While you can use them both for some applications, they aren't always…
A weighty situation
Over the last several years, there has been a subtle but important shift in baking books in the USA. No, it isn't a move to beautiful, moody overhead photography (although that has also been trending), it's about the…
The case for using tweezers in the kitchen
Most cooks have at least one pair of tongs in the kitchen, and if you do a lot of cooking or grillings, you may have several. It's not a secret that many chefs abhor tongs (David Chang blasted tongs in The New Yorker…
How cooking has changed since the 1980s
In keeping with Jenny's Friday Flashback theme, today we are going to step into the time machine and head back thirty-odd years, courtesy of food writer John Kessler. Writing for Tasting Table, he reminisces about his…
Take the pasta shapes quiz
The Italians may not have invented pasta (there's debate on whether it originated in China or Italy), but there's no doubt that they have perfected it. According to the Encyclopedia of Pasta, Italians have created over…
Recovering from baking mistakes
Last weekend I made desserts for the wedding reception. The bride (the daughter of one of my best friends) wanted a dessert bar but allowed me free rein in what I made, which turned out to be a blessing. I had the…
How to use dairy in cocktails
The first time I experienced dairy in a cocktail was at the marvelous Velvet Tango Room in Cleveland, in 2008. The cocktail renaissance was hitting full stride, although I was just beginning my journey into the world of…