We love food
In Maine, the whoopie pie isn’t just a dessert—it’s cultural heritage, legislated tradition, and a source of fierce regional pride. Since 2011, when the Maine Legislature officially designated it the state’s treat (distinct from the state dessert, which is blueberry pie), the whoopie pie has held a special place in the heart of New England […]
Everything you need to know about the world’s most versatile ingredient – its origins, varieties, flavor science, and how to use each type There’s something almost absurd about how thoroughly tomatoes have infiltrated our kitchens. Walk into any grocery store in January and you’ll find them piled in the produce section – sometimes mealy, often […]
Everything you need to know about Italy’s most iconic food – the grain, the culture, the science, and the technique There’s a specific sound that good pasta makes when you drain it – a rush of starch-clouded water hitting the sink, steam billowing up, and if you listen closely, the faint creak of al dente […]
Walk into any New England farmhouse kitchen from a hundred years ago and you’d find grains everywhere—cornmeal in the pantry for johnnycakes, wheat berries soaking for porridge, rye flour for dense, dark bread that could last through a hard winter. Our ancestors understood something we’re just remembering: grains are the foundation of human civilization, the […]
If you’ve ever wondered why Cajun gumbo tastes so complex, why French sauces have that silky texture, or how a simple flour-and-fat mixture can transform into everything from béchamel to étouffée, you’re about to discover one of cooking’s most fundamental and versatile techniques. Understanding roux will change how you approach sauces, gravies, and soups forever. […]
Alcohol has been a cornerstone of cooking for millennia, transforming ordinary dishes into extraordinary culinary experiences. From the wine-soaked stews of Burgundy to the beer-battered fish of British pubs, from the sake-infused broths of Japan to the brandy-flambéed desserts of France, fermented beverages bring complexity, depth, and nuance that water or stock simply cannot replicate. […]
I’ll never forget the first time I saw Ina Garten drop a Parmesan rind into a pot of simmering soup on her Food Network show. I actually stopped what I was doing and rewound it, thinking I’d misunderstood. She was cooking with the rind? The part I’d been throwing away my entire life? That moment […]
When it comes to cooking, few ingredients are as fundamental—or as misunderstood—as fats. From the butter melting in your morning pan to the olive oil drizzled over tonight’s salad, fats are the workhorses of the kitchen. They carry flavor, create texture, enable browning, and transform raw ingredients into the meals we love. Yet despite their […]
There’s something profoundly satisfying about pulling a perfect sourdough loaf from the oven. The deep golden crust crackles as it cools, the interior reveals an intricate web of holes, and that unmistakable tangy aroma fills your kitchen with the promise of something truly special. Sourdough isn’t just bread—it’s a craft, a science, and yes, a little bit of magic…
If you’ve ever wondered why restaurant soups, sauces, and braises taste so much richer than homemade versions, the answer often lies in a deceptively simple technique: mirepoix…
