cooking – In Good Taste

4 Reasons Why You Might Think You’re a Bad Cook

Maris Callahan — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 01:43:48 +0000

There are plenty of people out there who don’t enjoy cooking. That’s A-OK, because I don’t enjoy golf or race car driving. There is a difference, though, between people who choose not to cook because they find it mundane or tedious and people who don’t cook because they think they aren’t good at it. There are a lot of people out there who think they’re terrible at cooking when actually, there are perfectly reasonable explanations as to why those pesky recipes never turn out properly. So, it’s time to ditch the excuses and dispel some of the biggest myths out there convincing unsuspecting home cooks that they’re better off calling for a pizza. There are lots of reasons why you think you’re a bad cook when you are more than capable of pulling off deliciousness. You try to tackle complicated recipes with long ingredient lists I am about to say something incredibly sexist, but in my experience, women take a markedly higher interest in cooking during the early days of a relationship when they suddenly have a significant other to impress. My friend Allison couldn’t make so much as a box of macaroni and cheese, but when she moved in with her now-husband, she was suddenly […]

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How-To: Shuck Oysters at Home

Maris Callahan — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 17:00:22 +0000

Like knowing the how to crack and cook a whole lobster, shucking an oyster is a skill that you might not need every day, but it’s a very handy trick to have up your sleeve when the opportunity arises. It’s a skill that we’re still working on honing, but master shucker Matt Balikov, who posts behind the oyster bar at Chicago’s seafood mecca Pearl Tavern, has perfected the craft quite impressively. Though there is an old adage dictating that we should only eat oysters in months that have the letter “R” in them, that rule no longer applies. Balikov says that this rule comes from a time when we did not have strong and efficient means of refrigeration for transportation. Since we can now send oysters from coast to coast in a matter of hours after harvest, they are generally considered to be available year round. There are some types that can only be purchased in certain time periods for reason such as ice sheet formation, accessibility to harvest locations and individual farmers preferences,but in general, seasonality is no longer a major issue for oysters. With the widespread availability of oysters from coast to coast, we taped Balikov to give us some tips […]

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How-To: Prepare to Cook Thanksgiving Dinner

Brianna Plaza — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 18:43:18 +0000

With only a few days left until Thanksgiving, it’s crunch time in host kitchens everywhere. Whether you’re hosting a dinner, organizing a “Friendsgiving,” or simply preparing a dish to bring to to dinner, it’s essential to be prepared ahead of time to ensure everything goes smoothly. Working at a premium kitchen store has really opened my eyes to the idea of creating a “game plan” as a way to prepare for a night of cooking, service and cleaning. Each night before a class begins, the chef and assistants go over a game plan: what is happening when, who is cooking what, and what utensils will be needed and when. Without it, it’s easy to get lost, off-pace, and confused when preparing a large number of dishes. Below is our recommended game plan for cooking any holiday meal. Account for a few simple elements and your holiday dinner will go off without a hitch. Timing Work backward from the time you want to eat so that you aren’t faced with a fully cooked turkey and seven side dishes that need oven space. As you prepare, take notes on when recipes should be started, when they can be paused, and when they can be brought to the […]

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Gluten Free Quinoa With Pomegranate & Pistachio

Maris Callahan — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 08:00:02 +0000

There are a lot of milestones that we hit during our twenties that prove to our parents and grandparents that we’ve actually become real, live adults. For some, it’s the acquisition of a first job and or the purchase of a first home. For others, it’s the ability to contribute something edible to Thanksgiving without creating a fire or giving someone’s second cousin food poisoning. If you’re in the latter category and you want to contribute to your family dinner, gluten-free quinoa with pomegranate & pistachio is not only a safe bet, but an instant crowd-pleaser. This recipe comes to us from the October/November issue of AARP The Magazine, which, while not a daily read over here (at least not for another 20 years or so…), has some pretty excellent ideas for family gatherings. In this specific issue, Stanley Tucci shares his wife’s gluten-free quinoa with pomegranate & pistachio recipe that makes a perfect side dish to complement the traditional offerings at this year’s Thanksgiving meal. Healthy and full of flavor, the recipe is ideal for parents and kids alike who are following gluten-free diets or simply want to eat a little lighter at this year’s Turkey Day feast. It can easily be customized to add favorite cheeses (feta, goat, etc.) and/or spices. […]

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How-To: Season a Cast Iron Skillet

Maris Callahan — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 21:00:23 +0000

If there is one thing every cook, beginner to advanced, should have in their kitchen, it’s a cast iron skillet. It’s one of my most used kitchen tools and is as perfect for stovetop cooking or frying as it is for baking a batch of brownies or a skillet chocolate chip cookie. You can use a cast iron skillet for most anything as long as you take the time to maintain it and keep it in good condition. Before you begin to use it, you must “season” your cast-iron skillet, which makes it super easy to clean. You can take your cast iron from stovetop to oven because it can withstand the super-high temperatures. How To Season A Cast Iron Skillet Step 1: Gather Your Materials To season a cast iron skillet, you need a few materials that you probably already have in your kitchen: dish soap, a sponge or stiff dishwashing brush, a kitchen towel (paper towels will work too) and vegetable oil or shortening. I’ve used olive oil for this step, but there is no reason to use your highest quality, expensive oils here. Store brand shortening or vegetable oil will do just fine. Step 2: Preheat Your Oven […]

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