Makes 1 serving This cocktail is visually beautiful with deep red wine literally floating on top of the orange-hued blend of sake, sweet vermouth, and orange juice. It is refreshing enough to enjoy during a cocktail party on your back patio, but also transitions beautifully as an aperitif before a […]
Unwind this Labor Day with a Cucumber Spa Spritz
As we near the end of what has been simultaneously the longest and shortest summer on record (2020 is one for the books, folks!), Labor Day is going to have to pull double- or maybe even triple-duty. Most of us need more than a day off and a hot grill. […]
Uova in Purgatorio (Eggs in Purgatory)
Makes 4 servings This simple egg dish is an amazing, flavorful dish as long as you use the very freshest eggs and the best good quality tomatoes. This is no place to use generic canned tomatoes!
Using a Mortar and Pestle
The workhorse of the kitchen, the mortar and pestle is truly an indispensable tool. In many places, like southeast Asia, it’s particularly important because it’s used to make essential dipping sauces and bases. While a food processor may be used for small amounts of chili pastes, for example, it’s easier […]
Using an Ice Cream Machine
Ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sherbet are easy to make with an ice-cream machine. For the best results, let your ice-cream base mixture ripen, or mellow, overnight to be sure it is very cold. An ice-cream machine consists of a canister to hold the ice-cream base and a dasher to […]
Using Candy Molds
Using molds to make hard candies is very easy and requires only the desired molds suitable for use with sugar. There are different types of molds available that can be used with hard candy; metal molds, either heavy cast molds or lighter stamped molds, are the most common variety, and […]
Using Dried Mushrooms
Dried mushrooms are big flavor in a tiny package, and they are one of our go-to pantry staples for adding savory richness (also known as umami) to stews, risottos, sauces, or broths—and more! When shopping for dried mushrooms, look for whole varieties, since they’ll generally hold their flavor better than […]
Using Dried Pasta
A box of pasta in the pantry means you always have something to cook. Be sure to seek out high-quality pasta and remember to cook it properly. It should be al dente (meaning that it has a pleasant “chew” but not undercooked). There aren’t very many tricks to cooking pasta, […]
Using Fresh Fava Beans
If you’ve been lucky enough to venture out to the farmers’ market, you may have found fresh fava beans—one of the most underappreciated spring veggie! Though you can buy dried fava beans all year long, if you haven’t enjoyed them fresh, well, you’ve really barely experienced them. Fresh fava beans […]
Using Leftover Parmesan Rinds
If you are regularly splurging on beautiful craggy pieces of Parmigiano-Reggiano (or, it’s more local cousin Parmesan), you should enjoy every last bit. That includes the rind! As a wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano ages, it develops a natural protective layer that, over time, becomes dry and hard. That layer is full […]
Using Malt in Breading Baking
Malted barley is called for in many of our bread recipes (as malt syrup) because of its impact on the dough. Malt is made by separating the enzymes that break down starch into sugar from cereal grains, usually barley. Many flours are treated with malts at the mill, but organic […]
Using Meringue Powder for Royal Icing
Royal icing is a decorative icing made from egg whites and confectioners’ sugar. In professional bakeshops, it is used to decorate cakes, pastries, and candies, but at home, it is primarily used to decorate rolled out sugar or gingerbread cookies. We explain how to make and use traditional royal icing […]
