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Kitchen Shrink: How do you decide which cornmeal to use when a recipe doesn’t tell you?
I recently got this question from John: “Every recipe that I read that includes cornmeal never states what grind to use. How can I determine which grind to use? Should it be Coarse, Fine or Corn flour?” Until the last decade, it was very difficult to find anything but steel-ground…
Kitchen Shrink: What is the best way to melt chocolate?
One of the most frequent questions that come in to the Kitchen Shrink is, “How can I melt chocolate without the risk of it scorching or suddenly getting firm.” Chocolate is very sensitive to heat and it is best to melt it slowly. I like to melt it in the…
Kitchen Shrink: What is the easiest way to roast peppers?
There are a number of ways to roast peppers; all are easy. I have used roasted red peppers in all of my books and here are the instructions include to help readers make them: If you have a gas stove, turn on one burner to a low flame for every four peppers you want…
On the Road: Our Anniversary Cruise on the Rhone River
I just took a river cruise in Provence with The Husband for our 35th Wedding Anniversary and it turned out to be the perfect way to celebrate the occasion. Come along as we explore this area of France and discover some amazing food. Hello from Lyon: We are excited to be in Lyon…
Kitchen Shrink: How can I get more orange flavor and color in my Orange Cake?
A few weeks ago I got a question from Rebecca asking about the different options for adding citrus flavor to her orange cake. She said, “I have tried adding extract to make an orange cake from scratch and it did not have much orange flavor and no orange color, where…
Braised Brisket with Flying Disks
Serves 8 to 10 For the brisket: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil One 4 to 5 pound beef brisket, preferably flat cut with a 1/4-inch layer of fat left on kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 large onions, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons minced garlic ¼ cup tomato…
Hope you will look for my monthly Washington Post Magazine column!
In the fall, I started writing a monthly column for The Washington Post and wanted to remind you to check it out. It’s called “Sunday Suppers.” Here is a link to one of my recipes from the column, Pasta and Meatballs, beyond the Red Sauce . . .
This Friday and Saturday you’ll find me at the Charleston Wine and Food Festival.
This Friday and Saturday you’ll find me at the Charleston Wine and Food Festival in Charleston, SC. On Friday afternoon from 2 to 3:30 I will be doing a demo at the SieMatic VIP lounge and on Saturday from 1 to 1:45, I am judging the biscuit battle. Come join me!!! The…
CreateTV’s 2017 Cooking Challenge has just started and I will be one of the judges.
Calling all professional chefs and home cooks interested in winning a web series on CreateTV.com! The Create Cooking Challenge 2017, sponsored by American Public Television, has just launched and you have until March 1st to submit online a short, original YouTube video featuring your best culinary project, recipe, or tip. This is…
Grilled Shrimp in Lettuce Wraps
For the shrimp: 1 lb. shrimp, 16-20 size or bigger, peeled and deveined 4 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil salt and black pepper 1 tablespoon sriracha BBQ sauce, optional 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions For the salad: 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber 1 cup finely diced…