Though James Beard passed away in 1985, he is still remembered as one of the founders of American cuisine. His book about bread is just that–it contains recipes for various types of yeast breads, quick breads, breakfast breads, and more. Though not oversized as most modern-day cookbooks are, his unassuming volume contains very useful information [...]
The full title of Paul Gayler’s beautiful vegetable-based cookbook is A Passion for Vegetables: Simple and Inspired Recipes from Around the Globe. There are plenty of ethnicities represented here, from Thai to Moroccan. And don’t be fooled–though you might think that this is a vegetarian cookbook, it isn’t; rather, vegetables are the main part of [...]
Christine McFadden and Christine France have presented a stunning book that is both encyclopedia and cookbook. “The History of Chocolate,” “Cultivation and Processing,” and “Taste, Quality and Presentation” are all lushly illustrated. “A World of Chocolate” takes us around the globe with a historical tour of the major chocolate producers. After we’ve returned to the [...]
Continue reading about The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Chocolate
You may have heard of the magazine “Cooking Light,” but did you know they compile their recipes and release them as a hardcover book every year? It has a three-way index: one is listed by main ingredient, one by the month in which it originally appeared, and one by the name of the dish. Recipes [...]
THE definitive guide to cooking. Not only does it have all the tried-and-true recipes, it has tons of original ones and new favorites. The sections on “know your ingredients” are particularly invaluable for any cook who wants to understand her final dish. Don’t know what a rambutan is? Look at the “exotic” fruits section and [...]
I admit, I have very strong feelings about margarine, and they’re all negative. Margarine/shortening is hydrogenated oil plus yellow dye. Hydrogenation occurs when the oil is forced to bond with the water, thus becoming semi-solid..and far more stable than the original fluid oil, which is why the food industry uses hydrogenated oil so extensively in [...]
For the first time in my life, I like coffee. This is how I made it:
Using a French press, add a pinch of cardamom and a bit of allspice to the coffee grounds. Make coffee as usual. Fill your coffee cup halfway with coffee and halfway with vanilla-flavored hazelnut milk. Add a cinnamon stick for [...]
This makes a very refreshing smoothie when mangoes are in season. When choosing your mango, make sure you get one that is soft but not squishy (avoid ones with indentations and browning–that indicates bruising) and do the sniff test: a ripe mango should have a strong fragrance. Also look for one with a trail of [...]
If you want to make your dishes higher in nutritional value, consider using these healthy substitutions in your recipes (especially in baked goods). Sometimes I substitute the full amount called for in the recipe and sometimes I only substitute half. It really comes down to texture, sweetness, and your personal tastebuds. You’ll have to experiment [...]
Have leftover ingredients sitting around? Here some common ones and ways to use them:
Extra grapes that you won’t be able to eat before they spoil? Freeze them! Frozen grapes are great on a hot summer day.
Extra bread? Grind it into fine crumbs in a food processor and then freeze it. Homemade breadcrumbs are much better [...]
Continue reading about Waste Not, Want Not: Thrifty Kitchen Ideas
