The answer is no and no. You can buy the choosy wine enthusiast in your life (it me!) something wine-adjacent, cool, and, yes, useful whether it’s their holiday present or just a thank-you gift. “Every wine drinker needs a good corkscrew,” says Lauren Mowery, travel editor at Wine Enthusiast. (Of course, I’ve included one here.) As for bigger gifts, like wine fridges, those are appreciated, too, she says. “Just check with the recipient before sending....

Dear Mrs. Tipton-Martin, Do you know just how much you meant to me as a little Black girl? The very first dessert I ever made was a Lemon Meringue Pie. I was 9-years-old, but I can vividly picture lifting that first slice from the pie plate and watching it flow right back down from where it came. Now, as a much older than 9-years-old woman, I stir the custard base to prepare the Lemon Meringue Pie from your James Beard Award-winning cookbook “Jubilee”, and I can’t help but wonder if you know the impact you’ve had on the careers of so many women who look like you and me....

What Does Yeast Do in Baking? Yeast is a single-celled organism that makes bread rise. Yeast cells feed on simple sugars, which in baking are provided by flour. As the yeast cells digest sugar, they give off carbon dioxide gas, and that’s what makes bread dough rise. The busier the yeast cells, the faster the dough rises. Baking kills the yeast and sets the structure of the loaf. Enzymes and compounds are other byproducts of this digestion, and these change the texture and flavor of bread....

Whoever created the s’more—the lore is vague, but it seems generally attributed to a Girl Scout troop in the 1920s—knew something about magic, too. A century later, the formula is the same: soft Graham crackers layered with bars of chocolate that melt beautifully under a heap of hot, browned marshmallow. A dessert sandwich for the young and young-at-heart. They taste almost unbearably sweet, this mixture of two ancient ingredients squished on staid crackers invented by a depravity-hating Presbyterian minister....

But what is balsamic vinegar, really? How is it made? What’s the difference between white balsamic and regular balsamic vinegar? What makes some balsamic vinegar so expensive? Earlier this year I spent a week in Italy on an intensive educational trip to learn about balsamic vinegar. I visited several commercial operations as a guest of the Consortium of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, as well as smaller traditional balsamic producers, and even an above-the-garage attic where a family has been making balsamic for their personal use for 60 years....

Cream of tartar (also known by its chemical name potassium bitartrate) is a fine, white powder that is used in cooking as well as cleaning. It tends to pop up in baking recipes, especially if whipped egg whites are involved, but it has a number of other uses. Here’s everything you need to know about the pantry staple. What to Know About Cream of Tartar Cream of tartar is a white powder found in the baking aisle that is commonly used to help stabilize whipped egg whites in meringues and cakes and give snickerdoodle cookies their signature flavor and texture....

What is Smoked Paprika? Smoked paprika hails from Spain, which is why you’ll also sometimes see it listed as Spanish paprika or Pimentón de la Vera, which translates to paprika of the La Vera. This is a district in Western Spain that is famous for its drying and smoking red peppers over an oak fire, then grinding them. The result of this unique process is a vibrantly red spice that’s deliciously smoky in flavor....

If July isn’t National Zucchini Month, it should be, right? If you garden, you might be regretting that decision to plant more than a couple zucchini plants, as each one produces enough zucchini to feed a family of four. No worries! We have you covered with dozens of recipes for zucchini and summer squash. Look for tomatoes of all sorts—gorgeously striped and colorful heirlooms, big beefsteak tomatoes for burgers, and bite-sized cherry, Sungold, and pear tomatoes....

But it is a summer rite, so let’s go with the flow. We WILL conquer that crush of zucchini! Easy Vegetarian Zucchini Roll-Ups A bit like cannelloni but using thin slices of zucchini instead of pasta, these roll-ups warrant center stage for a vegetarian supper, especially when you need a break from “everything grilled.” You can also make these ahead! I first made similar roll-ups to these with small eggplants back when I did have a garden, so I set about giving zucchini that role (roll?...

These pancakes taste toasty from the white whole wheat flour, gently tangy from the buttermilk, warm and sunny from the cinnamon and lemon, and with lots of crunch from the walnuts. Maple syrup (warmed for bonus points) and a pat of butter are, in my opinion, the perfect accompaniment to these pancakes. A mild, runny honey is a lovely alternative. If you’ve ever wanted a legitimate excuse to eat cake for breakfast, look no further!...

I grew up eating chili, tuna noodle casserole, lasagna, and baked potatoes, but pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup, has become a new comfort food since I moved to Seattle. I look forward to slurping it throughout our cold rainy season. Potatoes are an easy ingredient to transform from a side dish to the main course. In this meal plan they are loaded with broccoli, bacon and cheese, but you could really top them with anything—here are some ideas!...

All it takes is some careful cutting with a long sharp knife to butterfly the roast. Then you spread filling on top, roll it up like a jelly roll, tie it, and roast it. This apple cranberry stuffed pork roast recipe is based on a recipe from Cook’s Illustrated (Sept 07). We absolutely love it! The filling is essentially a sweet sour chutney, made with brown sugar, vinegar, dried apples and cranberries....

That was my idea as I set out to repeat the success we had with our Avocado Tuna Salad. It would be a “sequel” of sorts, hopefully a sequel more like Toy Story 2 (brilliant!) than the second Bridget Jones (yikes). Nailed it! At least I think so. You will be the final judge. The unexpected ingredient in this chicken salad is chopped apple. Apple brings sweetness, tartness, and crunch to the chicken salad, helping to round out the flavors....

Eventually, every home cook will brush up against these conundrums. Often there are no hard and fast answers because every baking dish (or pan or casserole) is a little different. But there are some tricks you can deploy in order to make an educated guess. How to Convert Baking Dishes Be mindful of the baking time any time you do a dish swap. It may very well be a little shorter or longer than the recipe says....

Like any cultural cuisine, Mexican food is vast, varied, and dynamic. Each house, neighborhood, community, and region has its version, and the modern Mexican recipes shared by restaurateur and cookbook author Gabriela Cámara are no different. In both her cookbook and her restaurants, she celebrates local, sustainable agriculture. She believes the quality of the ingredients makes the dish, but that understanding how to balance a dish will make it sing....

These classes fall into two buckets: live and pre-recorded. But what makes or breaks them is the instructor, as engaging and connecting with students online is not the same as doing it in person. Continue reading to learn about the best online baking classes available today. Best Online Baking Classes of 2022 Best Overall: King Arthur Flour Best for Beginners: America’s Test Kitchen Best Free Class: Baker Bettie Best for Bread: MasterClass: Apollonia Poilâne Teaches Bread Baking Best for Pastries: Zingerman’s Bakehouse Best for Vegans: Rouxbe Best for Cakes: Craftsy Best for Couples: Cozymeal Best for Kids: The Dynamite Shop...

It is really quite easy to make! The Key to Braised Short Ribs The key step is after the initial slow cooking, to let the beef short ribs cool and then chill overnight in the refrigerator. This makes it much easier to remove the generous amount of excess fat that ends up solidifying in the chilling process. The ribs also spend the whole night absorbing the flavor of the stock....

Broccoli and cheese is a combo that can even convince picky eaters to eat some vegetables and it pairs extremely well with a buttery pastry. Kids will love them, adults will feel like a kid—basically, everyone wins. They’re flaky, cheesy, garlicky—best of all, they’re easy. If you can remember to stick the puff pastry in the fridge to thaw in the morning, then they’re even quick enough for a weeknight....

This ham is easy, loved by all, and requested every year for Christmas and Easter. That’s a winning recipe in my book! For this version, I added a little ground clove to the sugar, and I skipped the cherries, but feel free to add them if you want to go retro. Video: How to Make Brown Sugar Baked Ham Which Ham Is the Right Ham? Don’t buy a dinner ham....