Back to Basics
These three basic kitchen tips will transform your time in the kitchen. Try them out on this super summery Sauteed Succotash!
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It’s amazing what a few simple tips can do to save you time and hassle in the kitchen (and make cooking more enjoyable too!). Here’s help on the basics. be sure to check out our library of Kitchen Tips video clips too!
Recent articles in Kitchen Tips:
The Beauty of Buying in Bulk
Bulk Buys: Save money and sample new foods by shopping at the bulk bins.
Secrets to the Perfect Pie
The secret to great pie crust: Cold ingredients and plenty of time.
MacGyver Moves in the Kitchen
No space? No excuse! Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens author Jennifer Schaertl inspires strategies to make the most of a few tools and cramped quarters.
The Secrets to True ‘Cue
No type of cooking inspires as much passion, competition, obsession, and plain old American hometown pride as barbecue. Chef Kurt Michael Friese, our Iowa aficionado, shares his secrets to true 'cue.
Have Your Risotto and Get Your Whole Grains Too
Five easy steps to risotto-style whole grains ... great for any season.
Relandscape Your Kitchen
Lately, as I’ve been getting my garden into shape, I’ve been reflecting on how some outdoor techniques can apply in the kitchen to create a healthier landscape to live in. Here are three to try (and, unlike most landscaping projects, they won’t cost you a cent!).
Make Flavor with a Pan Sauce
I remember the first time I learned what “fond” was. I was in a kitchenware store in New Orleans and Chef Paul Prudhomme stopped by to give an impromptu cooking class. He sautéed some chicken with a spice mix and then picked up the pan and pointed to all the gunk glued to the bottom. “That’s the good stuff.” He chuckled. “That’s where the flavor comes from.” From that day on I stopped fretting when my sautés stuck.
No yard? No Problem … Container Gardens to the Rescue
These days, home is a second-story condo with no yard. Instead, we have a sunny, south-facing balcony and a sizable deck, which means our urban farming must be done in containers. Which is all right by me. Even when I lived in houses with yards, I was still more inclined to garden in containers because I’m horticulturally challenged and lazy. Overseeing a few containers just seemed...easier. And it is; even I’ve managed to cultivate pots of vigorous herbs and sweet cherry tomatoes.
Spring Pantry Cleaning Reinvigorates Your Cooking
The urge to do some serious spring cleaning has hit, and I wondered how many others shared my crazy pantry dilemma. So I’ve put together a list of the three most common ingredients lurking in cupboards and included ideas for using them.
Stretch Your Food Budget: Use Everything
“Profits are measured in pennies,” one of my culinary school instructors often repeated to remind us of the importance of maximizing our use of ingredients. Smart chefs--those who want to stay in business--do this all the time and now, thanks to a stagnant economy, it’s a practice budget-conscious cooks are bringing home.
Natural Products Expo West: A world of organic
Turning 30 is a big deal, whether you’re a person or an event, and it was certainly cause for celebration last month at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California.
Dying Onion Easter Eggs – The Beauty of Imperfection
If you’re of a certain age and grew up with garish Hanna-Barbera cartoons, you harbor some nostalgia for Easter eggs dyed in lavishly fake hues not found in nature. Bubblegum pink, say, or Tang orange. But aesthetics have changed since then, especially among those of us who have embraced sustainable living. We crave something more in tune with the earth using natural dyes and decorations, which is what Lia charged me to bring to you in this post.
The Cook’s Thesaurus: Lori Alden
Truth is, if you want to learn more about how to use an ingredient or find a substitution, you’ll probably start with the Internet. My first stop is The Cook’s Thesaurus, a site I learned about a few years ago from a colleague. It has a homey, unfussy design, a vast range of reliable food information, and great navigation. I’ve consulted it on my iPhone while at the farmers’ market and when I needed to make substitutions on the fly in a busy pastry kitchen. It’s rare that I don’t find what I seek in The Cook’s Thesaurus, and every time, I’m impressed anew by the site’s breadth and depth.
Knife Skills 101: Choosing and Using a Knife
The knife: No other tool is so elemental, so representative of the cook than the well-honed blade. They are, in essence, the extension of a cook’s hand and in every culture a kitchen is simply not a kitchen without them. Yet few tools in the contemporary American home are treated so casually. If you’re one of those home cooks who has a handful of knives, purchased God-knows when, stored in a drawer with the can opener and that gadget they got for Christmas, it’s time to change your ways.
Feast without Frenzy: Put People to Work
For whatever reason, I often feel like I have to do everything myself when guests gather—plan, cook, serve, clean (alright, I admit, Christopher does that). But the truth is, involving others in the meal makes them feel even more welcome, more at home. Here are five strategies for putting people to work during the holidays in a way that will bring cheer to all.
favorite finds
Spicy Hatch chiles have begun to arrive in markets across the country! These babies are key to Southwestern cooking, and they have a very short season. Stock up now, roast 'em and stash 'em in your freezer to enjoy throughout the year.
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