What makes something taste Italian or Cajun or Moroccan? Whether crafting vinaigrette, seasoning chicken, or developing a soup, understanding the flavors of ingredients that help to define various cuisines can be deeply useful. Every cuisine has its regional variations; Basque … [Read more...] about A Cheat Sheet to Flavor Profiles
Featured Recipes
Real Mashed Potatoes vs. Instant
I understand the lure of instant mashed potatoes. You want comfort and you want it now. According to Wisegeek.com, a Canadian scientist developed instant mashed back in 1962. Nutritionally speaking, instant mashed potatoes offer roughly the same vitamins and minerals as the … [Read more...] about Real Mashed Potatoes vs. Instant
Recipe: My Uncle Clarence’s Corn Flake Crusted Oven-Fried Chicken
My Uncle Clarence debuted a deep-fried recipe that became so popular in my parents' Italian restaurant in the 1950s that they had to put it on the regular menu. After their restaurant went out of business, Mom adapted it to an “oven-fried” version to capture the same flavors but … [Read more...] about Recipe: My Uncle Clarence’s Corn Flake Crusted Oven-Fried Chicken
How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken
After reviewing dozens of videos on this subject, I decided to use this one by the wonderful Melissa Clark of The New York Times to demonstrate what's arguably one of the most valuable lessons a home cook can master. Why is it so important? Here’s an excerpt from The Kitchen … [Read more...] about How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken
Knife Skills – The Basics [video lesson]
I've interviewed dozens of home cooks and hands down (pun intended), the most valuable thing a home cook can do is to get a decent chef's knife and learn how to use it. Below, you'll find a quick video lesson. After that, you'll find basics on buying and caring for a chef's … [Read more...] about Knife Skills – The Basics [video lesson]
