Cooking Basics
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A Parting Gift
Story about a memorable meat loaf and the recipe.
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Tea, Part 2 - Herbal, Chai, Flavored
Definition and description of herbal tea, tisanes, chai, flavored tea. Includes recipes for making chai and green tea sorbet
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Tea, Part 1 - Classic
Description and definition of classic black, green, oolong, and white tea, with brewing and icing instructions and list of common types.
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Beer Season
A description of beer types.
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Sugar, Part 3 (Artificial)
Part 3 of a series of articles about sugars; this describes available artificial sweeteners, both their uses and drawbacks.
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Sugar, Part 2 (Liquid)
Part 2 of a series of articles describing and defining sugars - this article concerns liquid sugars.
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Sugar, Part 1 (Dry)
First of three articles describing different types of sugar; this article concerns dry sugars.
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Want Really Fresh Vegies?
A discussion of farm food buying clubs, also called "Community Supported Agriculture". Describes how they work and what are the benefits. Lists resources to find out more, as well as to find a CSA near you.
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Martinis - A Personal Approach
A discussion of the martini - including such variations as the Gibson, vodkatini, cosmopolitan, appletini - as well as resources, and personal preferences.
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Party Tips
Ten top tips to having a great party.
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Stuffing vs. Dressing
The pros and cons of cooking stuffing inside the turkey vs. baking separately. Includes a master recipe to creating a stuffing, with alternative flavor suggestions.
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Tuna - Earning New Respect
How to choose canned and fresh tuna, with cooking tips.
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Totally Tomatoes
A primer on tomatoes with two classic recipes, roast tomato sauce and fried green tomatoes.
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Absorbing Rice
Definitions of types and varieties of rice, with advice on which to choose and how to cook.
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Liqueurs
Definition of liqueur, description of the most common ones, sources for information and supplies to make your own, and a recipe for Star Anise Liqueur.
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Loving Lobster
Lobster facts including how to store, choose, and cook them.
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Vermouth
Description of vermouth with an emphasis on culinary uses.
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Pork Updated
How to cook great, healthy pork without drying it out and with great flavor.
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Chocolate Simplified
Description of chocolate - how to choose which type and common cooking problems.
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Glazing Mastery
Techniques and recipes for icing glazes, fruit glazes, ganache, and glazed vegetables.
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Cream Indulgence
How to choose the right cream and prevent common errors in whipping and cooking with cream.
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Flour Confusion
Clarifying all the different types of flour now available in the market.
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Sparkling Wines
champagne, sparkling wine, brut, prosecco, cava
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Commonsense Food Safety
Practical advice on how to keep food safe during storage and cooking.
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Cranberries Are Tartly Satisfying
Cranberry Information, including history and cooking tips.
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Salmon - King of Versatility
Cooking salmon, with some background on salmon types and recipes for a quick saute with sauce and gravlax.
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Playing Onions on the Mandoline
How to make French onion soup, including how to choose and handle onions and use a mandoline.
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Of Mincemeat and Plum Pudding
Description, history, and some fun recipes for mincemeat and plum pudding.
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Legendary Garlic
How to handle garlic and create the desired intensity for different dishes. Instructions on roasting, as well as a recipe for Pasta with Oil and Garlic
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Port Adds Easy Style to Desserts
A primer on Port including some ideas on combining Port and desserts.
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Fun With Filo (Phyllo) Dough
How to cook with Filo (Phyllo) dough.
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Effective Breading
How to apply crumbs to food so that the crust will stay on, be crispy, and the food cooked thoroughly.
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A Pasta Primer
The fundamentals of pasta: types, selecting, cooking, and storing.
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The Packet Cooking or En PapilloteTechnique
A description of the classic "en papillote" or packet cooking technique, which general advice and a descriptive recipe.
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Lemons Sweeten any Kitchen
A description of lemon types and their culinary uses, along with storage advice and recipes for limoncello, preserved lemons, and candied lemon rind.
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Understanding Chiles
A description of chili peppers and advice on selecting, cooking, and storing them.
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Three Noteworthy Food Authors
A tribute to three great food authors: M.F.K. Fisher, Laurie Colwin, and Ruth Reichl.
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The Potato - Humble But Cherished
Potato advice - which types to choose for a specific cooking technique, advice regarding baking, boiling, and roasting, some general types.
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Freezing Guidelines
Freezing guidlines, including general advice and more specific rules regarding vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, casseroles, and a list of foods which do not freeze well.
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Vanilla - Worth its New Price?
An explanation of why vanilla price is increasing, a description of vanilla types, a comparison of natural and artificial vanillas, and a summary of vanilla's cooking benefits.
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The Gentle Art of Poaching
Description of poaching techniques, including specific information regarding poaching fruits, eggs, chicken, and fish.
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Overlooked Bulgur
A description of bulgur, including how to cook it and several recipes.
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Making Vinaigrette - So Easy and Rewarding
How to make Vinaigrette from scratch, and expand its possibilities.
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Cooking with Cheese
How to cook with cheese in general, especially preventing the cheese from forming a tough stringy mass.
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Making the Most of Recipes
A guide to determine whether a recipe will work well, and how to follow a recipe to ensure success.
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Easy Food Presentation Tips: How to Garnish and Decorate Your Meals
Description of simple food presentation ideas and tips.
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Braising Warms the Winter Soul
A description of braising, including the appropriate food to use, general instructions, and a class recipe using braising, ossobuco.
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Frodo's Favorite: A Mushroom Primer
A description of the most popular mushroom types found in markets along with advice on preparation and usage.
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Choosing Specific Fats and Oils In Cooking
A discussion of the key qualities of commonly used fats in cooking, and how to choose an appropriate fat.
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Fats in Cooking
The importance of fats in cooking, and what to consider when choosing a fat.
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Matching Food with Wine
A discussion of wine in cooking, and matching wine and food flavors.
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Stocking Stuffer Kitchen Tools
Stocking Stuffer Kitchen Tool Suggestions with a recipe for Candy Foam.
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The Comfortable Egg
Tips and techniques about eggs including easy ways to hard cook, fry, and scramble eggs. Also tips on purchasing, storing, handling, and safety and health issues.
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Cast Iron: A Tribute
A discussion of cast iron's advantages, care, and some cooking tips.
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Searing and Quick Pan Sauces
Description and instructions for searing and making quick pan sauces.
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Season to Taste II: Demystifying Salt & Pepper
Basic information of the different kinds of salt and pepper, and a discussion of when to use each.
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Season To Taste: A Defense of Salt
Between cookbook authors who throw away the instruction "season to taste" and health alerts, we've developed a fear of salt. Yet proper seasoning can make the difference between a merely competent and a really good cook.
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A Knife Primer
A welcome to the site and a discussion about knives, including choosing them, using them, and some good sites for illustrating how to sharpen them.
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