It's Friday night, you're in the kitchen, and your guests are arriving way sooner than you want them to. The soup is not thickening like it's supposed to, the salad still needs dressing, and the pine nuts for the salad are... wait, what's that smell? Crap, the pine nuts!
If you've ever turned on an episode of Iron Chef or Top Chef, chances are you've seen a contestant in gloves and goggles, yielding a canister that looks far more fit for a chemistry lab than for a kitchen. Wonder what's in the canister? Liquid nitrogen, the go-to tool/ingredient of molecular gastronomy, and one of the trendiest items in many gourmet chefs' kitchens.
There's something primal about the smell of smoking food. Somewhere deep in the recesses of our souls, we remember a time when humans only ate by the fire. Or perhaps that's just something I tell myself. Either way, it's hard to smell smoke and food and not feel like you should be eating. And, as chef Edi Frauneder said in a recent Saveur article, "Grilling is convivial. There's something about this act of coming together over an open flame that just says vacation."
Independence Day is right around the corner, and that means three things: fireworks, cold beer, and great food. I always love to cook festive foods for the Fourth of July, and I don't just mean the classics, like grilled chicken and brats. I mean foods that celebrate the Stars and Stripes: foods that are red, white, and blue.
At its core, grilling is the simplest form of cooking. You create extreme heat, you put a piece of food on top of the heat, and then you sit back and watch the magic happen. Yet despite the inherent simplicity in grilling, there are a million ways to make it more complex, more unique, and, yes, even more flavorful.
There are tons of greasy drippings that can be used to flavor up any dish, but none will ever be more delicious than animal fat. The bigger and fatter the animal, the juicier and tastier their fat is. For those of you who have had your fill of bacon-anything, here's your next obsession. It's called caul and its very existence will divide those that are serious about their animal fat flavoring from the pretenders.
In order to make your food taste good, your favorite restaurant is most likely using way more salt than you think they are (among other pro secrets). Which is why when you ask just about any professional cook what the biggest problem with most home-cooked meals are, they almost always answer that they're "undersalted" or "underseasoned." (In cooking lingo, to "season" food means to salt it.)
Salt is a miraculous substance. From the Ancient Egyptians to the Christian Bible, many cultures believe it to have mystical powers that can ward off evil, among other things.
We tend to assume that eating is mostly a physical act, but the mind has so much to do with the choices we make.
Last year, The New York Times wrote that certain restaurants in Manhattan and Brooklyn banned patrons from taking photos of their meals. That means no flash photography, no standing on chairs for a better angle, not even a quick pic for your Instagram followers before the first bite. Little do these restaurants know, this ban can actually make their customers' food taste worse, so to speak.
Think eating food is as easy as putting it in your mouth? It's considerably more complicated than that. Your brain plays a big role in determining what and how you eat. Understanding how your brain interprets food choices is key to managing your eating habits.
There is and always will be a staunch anti-microwave camp, but they're a fact of life. The whole point of a microwave is convenience, right? But it's not so convenient when you pull out reheated leftovers and discover that your food is only partially warm.
Smoked foods are popular all over the world, but most of us don't have smokers at home. If you want smoked salmon, brisket or Gouda, you usually have to go out and buy it. Outdoor smokers aren't usually an option for city-dwellers, and the indoor versions can be pricey.
Steaming food has a lot of advantages over other cooking methods. The gentle heat of steam allows for meats, such as chicken wings, to become more moist after cooking.
In this video we learn how to make a puff-pastry cornucopia. This is a great centerpiece for Thanksgiving and can be used to hold different foods such as buiscuts or finger sandwiches. First we need to form the mold for the cornucopia. You take some tin foil and make about 13-16 balls. These are spacers for inside the mold. Then you cut a piece of tin foil about 30" long. You place your balls in the middle and wrap your foil up over. Start to form your cornucopia the way you like. Try to make...
Looking to give your kitchen a good cleaning this spring? Don't go out and spend a ton of money on sanitizing sprays and cleaning equipment. Cleaning and sanitizing your kitchen is easy, effective, and inexpensive, because everything you need is likely in your kitchen!
A gerbil makes a great “starter pet” for a child. Gerbils are friendly, fun to watch, quiet, and clean little guys whose cages don’t get smelly as fast as some animals’.
Pregnancy indigestion is easily remedied through modifications in diet, eating routine, sleeping habits, and dress.
Make the most of summer's bounty by learning how to preserve it for winter. You Will Need
Microwave ovens are an essential part of modern life. It is important to know how to use them safely.
Learn how to build the perfect barbeque fire. Build the perfect blazing barbeque fire and experience a feeling of primal backyard pride long before the rib-eyes are done.
Expand your cheesecake horizons by making white chocolate cheesecake the next time your in the mood for a rich and decadent dessert! In this video, learn from Sue McMahon, cookery editor at Woman's Weekly magazine, how to make a delicious white chocolate cheesecake. This cheesecake takes a total time of four hours and thirty minutes to make and you will need the following ingredients:
How to make a Polymer Clay Chocolate Bon-Bon (Chocolate Truffle with peanut Butter filling using polymar clay).
Pie crust can be tricky... If it's overcooked in the slightest, it will come out tough and break easily. In this video, learn how to make the perfect flaky homemade pie crust that will be the perfect compliment to any pie filling.
Potato cakes are a great treat for entertaining some guests or just to enjoy on your own. In this video, Betty demonstrates how to make potato cakes quickly and simply.
Chef Jason Hill shows how to use a grill box smoker. This box will turn your propane or gas grill into a temporary smoker. The box is used to hold wood smoking chips. Place the box over the burner to produce smoke flavored food.
This video is about making Pakistani style potato cutlets. Ingredients: 1 medium sized potato, boiled, peeled and mashed
This video from Southwest Yard and Garden tells viewers why it is important to wash your hands after gardening, and when and how to do so. It also emphasizes the importance of cleaning cutting boards. You should wash your hands before eating, after using the bathroom, and while you are handling food. While handling food, if you handle any meat, you must wash your hands before touching anything else. You should wash your hands for twenty seconds, with soap and water. To demonstrate the importa...
Termite poop and biofuels — what's the connection? New research into termites' intestinal comings and goings describes a process that may speed the development and lower the cost of fuels made from plant matter.
Imagine you have mastered the perfect cherry pie for your annual work picnic but, upon taking it out of its airtight pie carrier, your heart sinks as you realize the crust has turned to mush thanks to the moisture from the filling. Sound familiar?
For so many of us, bakeware is bakeware. As long as it's oven safe and able to tolerate the high heat, it's fine to bake in, right? Wrong!
In-N-Out Burger uses only quality, fresh ingredients, and that means no frozen, prepackaged, or over-processed anything in sight. Because of this, their food is exceptionally tasty, and one of the first things tourists flock to when they visit the West Coast.
Nowadays, it feels like you can't talk about eating healthy without bringing up quinoa. Quinoa (KEEN-wah) has been the "superstar" of the health movement for a while; 2013 was declared the International Year of Quinoa by the United Nations, and has only continued to grow in popularity with both health nuts and culinary experts alike through the past few years. The true testament to quinoa's success has been its eventual integration into our everyday lives. Quinoa is now very accessible to fol...
Smelly foods are what make my culinary world "go 'round," so to speak. I grew up with fish sauce, learned to cook with and love fermented beans and veggies, and am one of the biggest garlic advocates I know... other than my husband, who thankfully shares the same smelly food sensibilities. (Let's put it this way: anyone that can stomach stinky tofu can handle anything I could possibly cook up.)
Pop-Tarts are a pretty iconic breakfast food. And while I'm more of a bacon, eggs, and toast person myself... sometimes a sweet, gooey, artificially-flavored treat is just what you need in the morning. Yet, despite the fact that I do enjoy Pop-Tarts, I've always found them a little bit bland. Therefore I decided to make them better—by cooking with them.
A classic French omelet is supposed to be completely cooked through with no brown edges. This is a delicate balance to strike, though. I always find that the moment I flip an omelet, it completely falls apart—unless it's so well-done it's rubbery, of course.
A perfectly ripe avocado half is a lovely snack, and a creamy bowl of homemade guacamole can make a meal. But the following ten ideas take green-eating up a notch by stuffing avocado halves with your favorite salads and ingredients, turning them into a snack or side dish fit for a king.
Baking used to be a fun, relaxing hobby and a way to make treats for friends and family. These days, this hobby has become a creative battleground among out-of-work graphic designers with Pinterest accounts. People everywhere are now upping their baking game by adding interesting ingredients or daring designs. Presentation has become just as important as taste.
Oatmeal isn't the most glamorous breakfast, but it's definitely one of the best. It's healthy, filling, delicious, and easy to personalize. And, if you have instant packets, oatmeal is also a very quick and easy breakfast.
When I was younger, my best friend's dad would always give us a lollipop on long car rides. I remember three things about those lollipops: they were bright green, tasted delicious, and had a cricket in the center. You know, like a Tootsie Roll Pop... only instead of a Tootsie Roll, a cricket.
