When I’m organized I cook tomato sauce ahead of time. It’s insurance against too-busy-to-cook nights. It’s amenable to small portions and saucing pasta practice. The general principle is disaggregating cooking. The more cooking I’ve put in the fridge, the easier…
Month: January 2013
How to sauce pasta
This is a follow-up to my earlier post on pasta sauces. Pasta sauced correctly is a beautiful thing. Learning the proper technique makes a world of difference. Here’s an instructional video from CHOW.com: Here’s another clip from a Food Network…
A short course in pasta sauces: Tomatoes and aromatics
It’s easy to coast. I cooked one pasta sauce for seven years. That sauce still makes people happy. But I’ve finally gotten enough cooking under my belt that expanding my pasta sauce range makes sense.
Prices in cacao
From Oaxaca Journal, by Oliver Sacks.
*Farm City*, by Novella Carpenter
I liked this book. That was unexpected. I still don’t understand the gushing blurbs on the back cover. But a fair reader should like the book however he or she feels about the author’s lifestyle. Borrow it from your library…
Asian-style pickled cucumbers
I’ve learned to use pickles to add texture, flavor, and contrast. The pickle recipe below — based on David Chang’s recipe in Momofuku — is very easy to make.
Mythbusting: Myths of Onions and Vampires (or, the Flu)
While clicking around on Facebook today, I spotted a post on a friend’s wall that claimed that leaving an onion out will absorb germs (e.g. the flu virus) like a magnet, and prevent you from getting sick. This is a…
Facebook Myth: Onions Absorb and Trap Germs
I recently saw this post on a friend’s Facebook page, and I address the (possible) validity of the claims in an article here: http://cookonthebias.com/?p=444 ONIONS! I had never heard this!!! PLEASE READ TO THE END: IMPORTANT In 1919 when…
Forming hamburger patties
Bobby Flay’s way works for me. The relevant part starts at 39 seconds.
A pot of beans
All my children will learn how to cook beans. Beans are economical, healthy, and delicious. They’re a great platform for trying out new flavors. Here’s my approach to beans.