Just give it a rest
Whether it's a need to shorten meal prep due to physical limitations, hectic work schedules, or just to avoid spending all day in the kitchen, people often look for ways to minimize the time spent in preparing foods.…
Cooking Tips
You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs
In cooking or baking, sometimes the smallest action provides the biggest challenge. As I discovered when watching my husband make an omelet, one of these actions is cracking an egg. His approach is to crack the egg on…
Cookie baking tips just in the nick of time
If you are an avid baker you probably have a list of all of the cookies and treats you will be making for the holidays. Even people who rarely bake will whip out a batch of decorated sugar cookies or family favorites…
A spoonful of sugar
I grew up far north (and west) of the Mason-Dixon line, the historical demarcation between North and South in the United States. I married a Southerner and lived in the South for many years, so I absorbed a lot of…
Why butter temperature matters
As someone who loves to bake, I find that many of my favorite recipes begin with at least one stick of butter. Whether the butter is straight from the freezer, needs to come out of the fridge, or should be tepid depends…
A lazy person's guide to smoking
My husband is one of those old-fashioned "lump-hardwood-charcoal-is-king" kind of barbecue smoking dudes. There is no denying that his old-school methods turn out wonderful smoked chickens, turkey breasts, ribs,…
Keep your edge in the kitchen
Keeping your knives sharp is one of the best things a home cook can do to make their cooking tasks faster and more precise. For instance, a sharp blade will allow you cut thinner slices of onion and help keep you from…
Tips for baking with chocolate
I will never forget the first time I had chocolate seize - a couple of errant drops of water on a silicone spatula was all it took to turn a creamy, smooth bowl of dark chocolate into a lumpy, grainy, blotchy mess. It…
Best cooking hacks of 2021
I must admit that I'm a sucker for cooking hacks, and if they seem remotely plausible I am game to give them a whirl. They do not always live up to their hype, but I find enough new shortcuts and improved methods to…
Whip it good
When a problem comes along / You must whip itBefore the cream sits out too long / You must whip itWhen something's going wrong / You must whip itDevo - Whip It (1980) The lyrics from the post-punk band Devo always make…
The science of cocoa powder
Not all cocoa powders are made the same. You might be familiar with the terms Dutch-process and natural, but beyond those two main characteristics lies another world of nuance. There are different "dutching" processes,…
What's the shelf life of spices?
If you are like me, your spice cabinet/drawer overfloweth, the natural result of a large cookbook collection and an insatiable appetite to try new and different cuisines. You may have purchased a jar of spice for a…