Most people quail at the thought of making their own bread from scratch–it’s complicated, they say, it takes a long time, and the outcome is so uncertain. It does take time, but 85% of that time doesn’t involve any work at all on the baker’s part. And while the process may seem complicated [...]
Many times, recipes call for tomatoes that have been peeled and seeded. Canned diced tomatoes come in handy here, but if you want to take advantage of summer’s full-flavor fresh tomatoes, you’ll have to hone your DIY kitchen skills. It isn’t difficult, though–even if you don’t have a food mill (a device that removes the [...]
I can’t remember where I got this, but my little “Kitchen Equivalent Chart” of measures and amounts is one of the most valuable things in my kitchen. It is magneted front-and-center on my fridge for easy reference. If you want to reduce or increase a recipe, you need to know how to split measurements–for example, [...]
We all learn from our mistakes, as they say–I thought I might as well share some wisdom I’ve gained from my oops-es:
Never, ever wear your best clothes while cooking; it’s better to stain a shirt you’re not overly attached to. Or you could use an apron–even Jacques Pepin wears one when he’s cooking!
Read all the [...]
