If you like to cook from scratch, eventually you stop buying packaged condiments. The homemade versions of ketchup, mayonnaise, yogurt, jelly, pickles, and caramel sauce taste so much better than anything you can buy. Still, there are some purchased bottles left in my cupboard. Then, my husband started making his own charcoal from cherry wood [...]

Sometimes a cooking class can change your eating habits. I was never a fan of yogurt; it seemed like boring diet food. Then, Maria Sakellariou taught a class on how to make homemade Greek-style yogurt. Wow. I started making yogurt regularly at home. I find excuses to use my yogurt in foods (homemade yogurt mixed [...]

Fresh, sweet corn is so delicious and versatile in cooking — soups, salads, sauces, side dishes, even desserts are irresistable when made with corn. But good corn can be difficult to find. Corn is usually sold naked in supermarkets. Ears of corn need their protective husks; removing the husk shortens the lifespan of the sugars [...]

Joyce writes, “Favorite recipe – and maybe even the easiest. This is a perfect condiment – Tomato Chutney!!” Everyone loves the tomato chutney recipe, which comes from chef Brenda Vanden Bos, a former manager and teacher at Kitchen Conservatory who moved to New York. Christie Maggi calls tomato chutney “crack cocaine” because it is so [...]

Yes, we all love to eat tortilla chips with guacamole at next Sunday’s party, but how about thinking outside the bag? I like to serve a variety of vehicles for eating party dips. Try some of these new crunchies at the next TV party: Fried Chips (cooking in 350-degree vegetable oil and immediately sprinkled with [...]

The favorite recipe from yesterday’s cooking class was the balsamic sauce on seared salmon. The sweet and sour qualities of balsamic vinegar are a wonderful compliment to many foods. Plus, the capers add saltiness and the raisins add sweetness. I also use this sauce on roasted vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, onions, or any [...]

The tomatoes are fabulously delicious this year. We are growing red Jet Star and yellow Golden Girl, and pick of the crop is available for purchase at Kitchen Conservatory (to accompany our garlic and basil!). A truly vine-ripened tomato falls into your hands when you cup the bottom of the fruit; no tugging necessary to pick [...]

With a combination of sweet and hot flavors, pepper jelly is a delicious condiment on so many foods, including cheese, meats, and breads. The jelly can be made with any kind of pepper — from sweet bell peppers to red hot chile peppers or a combination. The peppers are balanced with fruit, sugar, and vinegar to tingle the [...]

Where to find the best burger? At home, if you make it yourself. A delicious burger is made from freshly-ground meat, lightly packed, cooked on a high heat for a short period of time, and served on a homemade bun with homemade sauce. Yes, you can make this delicious treat. Once you taste your own [...]

An elegant dish to serve for the holidays is duck. Since duck parts are not readily available, I have to buy whole ducks and bone them, which is actually an advantage, because one duck can make four dishes. Make duck stock (and then soup) with the bones. Make duck liver pate with the liver. Make duck confit with the [...]