As nearly all store shelves are teeming with cleverly-marketed, highly-processed “foods,” and media-savvy children are bombarded from all angles with ads for sugar-coated-what-nots, it’s more important than ever to teach the next generation to make real food a priority. Most parents will agree that children can be pretty tough food critics. Preparing school lunches becomes…
Category: Tips & Tricks
He’s Crusty & Cheesy, But You Will Love Croque Monsieur
Let’s talk about Croque Monsieur, essentially a grilled cheese sandwich with the addition of ham, and a very French name. Oh, and a blanket of creamy béchamel sauce with melted cheese. Sound intriguing? It’s easy to make a great version of this classic sandwich at home. Beloved by brunchers all over the world, this sandwich…
Top Tips for Making Gorgeous, Gooey Gratin
If words like “creamy,” “cheesy,” “crunchy,” and “bubbly” make your mouth water, then you are most likely a gratin lover. Simply put, a “gratin” is any food with a golden brown crust on top, usually involving cheese and breadcrumbs. The word comes from the French, gratter, “to grate.” This is serious comfort food. Read our…
The Gorgeous, Gooey Gratin
If words like “creamy,” “cheesy,” “crunchy,” and “bubbly” make your mouth water, than you are most likely a gratin lover. Simply put, a “gratin” is any food with a golden brown crust on top, usually involving cheese and breadcrumbs. The word comes from the French, gratter, “to grate.” This is serious comfort food. Read our…
Duck Wing Cravings
Florence Fabricant is all about duck wings! In today’s New York Times she dishes about her obsession, and shares tips from our friend Chef Justin Smillie, who has perfected the duck wing at Upland in NYC (yes, those are D’Artagnan duck wings). With chicken, I covet the wings. With duck, not really; they tend to be…
How to Cook Your Easter Ham
Looking for tips on making your Easter ham? Read on for ham recipes and simple tips to achieve a glorious holiday ham. Heritage-Breed Smoked Ham Our fully-cooked and ready-to-heat ham is handcrafted from antibiotic-free, heritage-breed pork, smoked over real applewood and seasoned with just the right touch of brown sugar and salt. Since it’s already…
Kitchen Skills: Get the Maillard Reaction
Maillard (my-YAR) reaction is a culinary term for something you have no doubt been enjoying your whole life. The dictionary defines it as, “a nonenzymatic reaction between sugars and proteins that occurs upon heating and that produces browning of some foods (as meat and bread).” And we all know that’s where the flavor is. When…
In the Kitchen with Ariane: Cassoulet
With cold weather comes the irresistible urge to enjoy a hot bowl of the ultimate comfort food: cassoulet. Watch Ariane making cassoulet with Jake Cohen at the Tasting Table kitchen, and learn the principles (and rules) of cooking this classic dish. Once you understand the basics, it’s easy to improvise and create your own version of…
How to Open a Bottle of Champagne
On New Year’s Eve you may find yourself with a bottle of champagne in hand and all eyes on you. Do you know the right way to open a bottle of champagne? Do a little homework with these helpful videos. You can look like a pro (don’t shake it!) and keep more of the champagne…
The Charcuterie Board: An Instant Party
Charcuterie (shahr-cute-uh-ree) is a French word for any smoked, dry-cured or cooked meat. This category includes favorites like bacon, ham, pâté and sausages. More esoteric items like terrines, rillettes, galantines and duck confit are also considered charcuterie. Although this is not a uniquely French culinary tradition – every culture has methods for preserving meat –…
Favorite Charcuterie? The Winner Is …
Our staff was recently polled about their favorite charcuterie … and the overwhelming majority voted for duck rillettes (pronounced ree-yet). What it is about duck rillettes that has everyone craving them? We will let staffer Adeline answer that: They’re meaty and satisfying, but not too heavy. They’re a crowd-pleaser and a unique addition to a platter,…
Save the Turkey Bones!
Surely you are making turkey stock with the bones left after your Thanksgiving feast? If not, read on for a few compelling reasons to do so. Seven Reasons to Make Turkey Stock Bone stock is packed with gelatin which supports skin, hair, joint health and many processes in the body. It has lots of minerals,…
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