But have you ever heard of the French martini? Put your vermouth down, this isn’t a dry, stiff-collar cocktail. Instead, the French martini is a sweet-tart concoction made from vodka, black raspberry liqueur Chambord, and pineapple. Although an eyebrow-raising list of ingredients at first, the resulting drink is actually very tasty, and it’s worth mixing up as your pre-dinner cocktail tonight. Adding a Splash of Pineapple Juice into Your French Martini The French Martini is made up of only 3 ingredients: vodka, Chambord, and pineapple juice....

The trick is to embrace the whole omnivorous experience, layering up ingredients to maximize the wow factor and flavor hit of your dishes—here’s how I do that at home. Learn the Difference Between Indirect vs. Direct Grilling With a little fire-knowledge you can literally cook anything on your grill. One key skill is learning the difference between direct and indirect grilling. It’s the linchpin to success. With direct cooking you put your food directly over the fire so it cooks hotter and faster, and with indirect cooking the food is off to the side of the heat, cooking more gently for longer....

For me, it’s thick, fluffy consistency makes it my preferred icing for sheet cakes and cupcakes, as it lends itself well to piping, decorating and filling pastries. What is German Buttercream? During my six years of living in Germany I never heard the term “German Buttercream,” being used. However, the custard base for this recipe is similar to the Bavarian custard used in many desserts from that region. Shirle O....

With its festive topping of toasted almonds and a honey glaze, this grain-free cake is pretty enough to serve at any gathering, but easy enough to whip together at a moment’s notice. This apple cake is not only grain-free, it’s gluten-free and dairy-free, too. The magic ingredient here is almond flour. This is made from finely ground, blanched almonds and it makes a fantastic substitute for flour in a dense, moist cake like this one....

I love having solid, standard recipes that I can return to and tweak to match my mood or inclination on any given day. A margarita is one of those drinks, and it’s always in rotation, albeit in different manifestations. My family recently moved to an area that used to be covered in citrus groves, and many of the yards here are home to some gnarly old citrus trees. We lucked out with two in our backyard....

It used to be pretty popular in the 70s and 80s when I first encountered it. If I’m not mistaken it was one of the usual dressings for a typical California salad with mixed greens, alfalfa sprouts and sunflower seeds, that one could order at the aptly named Good Earth restaurant in Palo Alto. Green Goddess sounds like a dressing right out of Marin County central casting, but apparently it was invented in the 20s, by the chef at the Palace Hotel (beautiful hotel, still there) in San Francisco, to commemorate the actor George Arliss and his play, The Green Goddess....

Our version includes a ham hock and smoked andouille sausages, but you can leave them out to make a vegetarian gumbo. The tradition for gumbo z’herbes is to include many different kinds of greens in the gumbo—and to always include an odd number. Why? Apparently for every different green you add, you will find a new friend in the coming year. Why and odd number? Not really sure, although I bet it has to do with old West African or French folklore....

This version adds a smoky element with the grilled chicken and the grilled garlic croutons. The Ingredients for Caesar Salad This salad comes together quickly and easily with simple ingredients, many of which you probably already have on hand. I’m using boneless and skinless chicken thighs, which stay juicier than chicken breasts and cook very quickly. You can prepare the chicken ahead of time, either by marinating it up to 24 hours in advance or by grilling the chicken up to two days before and serving it as a cold salad....

This one cart always a line stretching out in front and around the corner with people waiting to get their mitts on classic street tacos, burritos, and grilled Mexican street corn (elotes) slathered in sauce. When we are far away from the lively celebrations of his hometown, my husband and I can relive the fun by grilling corn on the grill and making our own version of Mexican street corn in just a few minutes....

Many of the ingredients that I find essential in everyday Asian cooking are items that I also use in dishes that originate from many different cultures. These ingredients add umami, spice, and deep resonant flavors that allow you to create satisfying, comforting meals with minimal effort. Here are the essentials in my Asian pantry: Chili Sauces, Oils and Crisps A trip to the Asian grocer will reveal countless varieties of chili sauces and oils, with each country or region in Asia offering their own unique variety....

If you find yourself in this position, and you love tomato juice, V8, Bloody or Virgin Marys, I highly recommend making your own tomato juice. My father announced the other day that he was going to make some tomato juice with some of the garden tomatoes that were overflowing our kitchen counter and I thought nothing of it. But after one taste, wow! This is how V8 should taste....

Relax. Cast iron care is simple. Here are the two biggest things to remember. Easy, right? If want to learn about seasoning cast iron, or why cooking tomatoes in a cast iron skillet would even be problematic, keep reading. What Is This Mysterious “Seasoning”? Seasoning is what makes cast iron black. The blacker a skillet, the better it is seasoned. “Seasoning” refers to a finish, and also to the process of applying that finish....

If you are reading this, I’m guessing your household is the latter. And we’re here to help! There is no magic when it comes to cooking white rice. Just a few helpful hints. This recipe gives you the total scoop on how to cook long-grain white rice, that lovely pantry staple. Seriously, all you’d ever want to know is contained in this post, like a rice-making kit wherein you provide the rice and water....

Ready to tackle your spaghetti squash? Here’s what to know. What to Know About Cooking Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti squash tastes like the slightly sweet nuttiness of summer squash with a hint of the winter squash flavor you’d expect from a pumpkin. The long treads almost pop when you bite into them and maintain an al dente quality when roasted. Spaghetti squash easily takes on the flavors of the recipe you are using it in, which means that sauces, seasonings, and dressings all work well....

What Does a Papaya Taste Like? The inside of a ripe papaya ranges from deep peach to bright orange and contains a crevice with round, black seeds which need to be scooped out and discarded before eating. The flesh is tender with a smooth, almost creamy texture, similar to an ataulfo or Champagne mango, but firm enough to be cut into bite-size cubes. How to Tell When a Papaya Is Ripe On the outside, the papaya isn’t a very attractive fruit....

Sometimes gadgets can be barriers to experimentation in the kitchen. But a small kitchen or a lack of funding shouldn’t prevent anyone from making delicious homemade food. I find that most meals can be made with just a few simple tools that serve multiple purposes. In the case of my homemade pasta, my rolling pin doubles as my pasta roller. Video: How to Make Homemade Pasta Also, head over to YouTube to watch our Senior Editor Summer Miller make this recipe with her kids as part of our Simply Kids Cook YouTube series!...

The process doesn’t take long—or much of your attention—and it’s so pretty! Give fresh salmon a sprinkle of salt, sugar, and herbs and a few days in the fridge, and it will transform into a beautiful, flavorful dish ready for the brunch table. The Difference Between Lox and Gravlax Gravlax is a Scandinavian specialty. It’s very similar to lox, the deli counter favorite, but gravlax is usually cured with spices and fresh herbs (unlike lox, which is left plain)....

Hard-core ‘cue mavens buy or build special smokers with custom-made rotisseries and fireboxes in order to precisely control the level of heat and smoke needed for each type of meat or fish. Most of us aren’t ready to drop several hundred—even several thousand—dollars on a special smoker. But you can ‘cue at home, even with that simplest of grills—the “egg” or kettle grill Weber made famous in the 1950s....

Lots of us have chicken bones from rotisserie chickens or from cutting up chicken pieces. Freeze those, and make a batch of stock when you have enough. It’s so easy—washing up is the hardest part. Instant Pot Chicken Stock If you are using an electric pressure cooker like an Instant Pot, all you have to do is throw everything in there and program it. You can even leave it on overnight because the “keep warm” setting will keep the temperature in the safe zone without cooking it any more....

Also, Italian subs are SO big that my kids are overwhelmed by them. So, by downsizing the layers a bit and making it into a gooey, crispy-on-the-outside grilled cheese, you kind of get the best of both worlds. For serving kids, I cut the sandwiches into wedges for even easier eating. What Kind of Meat and Cheese Goes on an Italian? A classic Italian sub has at least three kinds of cured meats in it....