Salt to taste. If you've ever read a recipe, you've probably seen that line. Though common, it's also a common source of confusion for home cooks. "Whose taste?" some ask. The answer, your taste, often leads to more questioning: "What is my taste?" or "What if my taster's no … [Read more...] about How to do a Comparative Tasting and Why You Should
Basics
Spices & Herbs: A Quick Lesson
As this terrific video by Consumer Reports shows, you don't need to spend a lot of money on fancy spices. However, the key element is when spices get old. Ground herbs and spices are more exposed to air, and thus they lose their potency more quickly. Spices vs. Herbs First, its … [Read more...] about Spices & Herbs: A Quick Lesson
Vinaigrette Basics [video lesson]
Do you have so many bottles of vinaigrette in your fridge that when you open the door it sounds like wind chimes? Vinaigrette is one of the first things that any home cook should master for a couple of reasons. One, it's expensive to buy and tends to be loaded with ingredients. I … [Read more...] about Vinaigrette Basics [video lesson]
How to Avoid Wasting Food
Comedian John Oliver took to task the issue of food waste on an episode of This Week Tonight. Seemingly overnight, it's become a burning issue. Finally. I dedicated an entire chapter of my 2011 book, The Kitchen Counter Cooking School, to the issue of food waste. Here's an … [Read more...] about How to Avoid Wasting Food
Cooking in Parchment (video lesson)
Cooking en papillote (French for “parchment”) is a wildly overlooked method of cooking in America. It’s an easy method for a quick weeknight dinner that’s also elegant enough for guests. The smell that escapes when the package is reason enough to try it. This works well for … [Read more...] about Cooking in Parchment (video lesson)
