“I’ve looked for this tool for years!” The customer was so excited that everyone else in the cooking class bought the new tool also. What is it? Odd size measuring spoons. These spoons are especially helpful when doubling or cutting a recipe in half. The stainless steel set includes 1/16 teaspoon, 1/8 teaspoon, 2/3 teaspoon, […]

What I learned from attending the Slow Food Trivia Night this weekend: Pop culture sells better than slow culture. The event may raise money for “slow” foods, but the questions reflected fast foods. Topics included corporate jingles, corporate logos, and corporate cereals. Kraft and McDonald’s and Betty Crocker and KFC were well-represented. Success at a trivia night depends […]

Today, we planted two rows of potatoes: red pontiac and yukon gold. Our garden is almost full; yesterday we put in green peas, spinach, and arugula. The garlic (on the right in the picture) was planted last October and is now ready to be weeded. Still to come are the tomatoes and basil, but the […]

What temperature do you like your meat? Rare, medium-rare, medium, or well-done? And just what do those words mean? One person’s rare can be another person’s medium. In cooking classes, I have seen students react on both sides of the spectrum even in the same class; the meat considered both overcooked and undercooked. Nothing else in the […]

I have never sought the attention of clams, but never minded them when they appeared. I have scoffed at bottled clam juice, but understand that it has a purpose. When three dozen fresh clams presented themselves, my response was, maybe I should try out spaghetti with clam sauce. Wow. This dish seems to come out of […]

There are generally two reasons why people do not cook: “I love to cook, but I don’t have time” or “I live alone and I can’t cook for one person.” Here is a recipe to solve both dilemmas. This stir-fry is fast to make; start by cooking the rice and the rest of the meal […]

With the thermometer hitting 70 degrees and the first taste of spring, it must be ice cream weather! Here is my all-time favorite ice cream recipe. Yes, you do need an ice cream maker to make homemade ice cream; the custard must be continually stirred as it is frozen. There are two types of electric […]

Dear Anne, I want to thank you for my wonderful session with you on Friday. We had such fun and learned a lot. Even the little tricks like how to cut an onion and let meat stand are invaluable — and I’m practicing cutting out heart shapes! Fondly, Lenore She took a two-hour cooking tutorial […]

What’s for dinner tonight? Do you want beef, pork, or chicken? It’s easy to get in a food rut. Recently I had an extra pound of tuna that needed to be eaten. The response was, let’s put tuna in the regular rotation! Nasi goreng is an Indonesian dish that compliments any meat, chicken, or fish. […]

A customer walked into Kitchen Conservatory and asked about cookware. “What kind of stove-top do you have?” I asked. “What do you mean?” “Gas or electric?” She had a blank look on her face. “I’m not sure.” “Is the top of the stove smooth or is there a grate?” “I’m really not sure,” she answered. […]