Why do YOU cook, Vanessa Barrington?

There are lots of books out right now about canning and preserving and making all kinds of things from scratch. So how is D.I.Y. Delicious . different? It's written by Vanessa Barrington , a talented cook and writer, who figured out how to make stuff on her own, in a real home kitchen. It's filled with recipes for everyday things you will get excited to make yourself when you see how easy most of the recipes are. Soon you'll be making mustard, yogurt, pickles, horchata, crackers and more. The book also features recipes for using many of the things you'll learn to make. So after you learn to make Creme Fraiche (pg. 116) you can make Artichoke Soup with Creme Fraiche (pg.119). It also includes lots of cool ideas you probably haven't considered before like Savory Porridge with an egg and cheddar cheese or Pulled Pork Canapes with fig rosemary jam. Vanessa Barrington is creative, socially conscious and just plain fun. She's a talented writer, recipe developer......

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Keys To Good Cooking by Harold McGee: Book Review

I love Harold McGee's classic tome, On Food and Cooking . I turn to it often when doing research for posts or articles I'm writing. But it's not the best book when I'm looking for practical advice. McGee's latest book, The Keys to Good Cooking is a bit like On Food and Cooking, only for dummies. Keys To Good Cooking is nothing BUT practical advice. And there is no book that I know of that answers quite as many questions about selecting ingredients, cooking and food storage. The book is a reference guide, not a cookbook. While it might be good to read the whole book the truth is, you are going to turn to various sections when you are cooking and the book is organized to make that easy. For example turn to the Sauces, Stocks and Soups to learn why you may not want to make mayonnaise with all olive oil or go to the Fruit section to learn why European plums are best for baking. My only quibble is that from time to time I would like a little more information, for exampl......

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Potluck Posts 10/17

If things have seemed a little quiet around here, it's because I've been busy traveling, writing and developing recipes. Since many of you have asked, each week I will be sharing links to recipes and posts I have written. Thanks for your interest and enjoy the Potluck Posts! Last month I was in Switzerland and this month I had a quick trip to Wisconsin to visit cheesemakers and dairies and to eat cheese; my thanks to the trip sponsor, Wisconsin Cheese . You'll be hearing more about the trip and my discoveries soon. For now, let me just say, it was wonderful. Those kohlrabi are from the Dane County Farmers Market in Madison, Wisconsin, and the picture is in honor of one of my new friends, Greg of Sippity Sup , who I met on the trip. In between my trips, I had the pleasure of hearing the very inspiring chef Rene Redzepi of restaurant Noma speak. My post on Rene Redzepi and Noma , is on EpiLog . Also on EpiLog are my posts on Savoring Sichuan Peppercorns , Hot Fresh Coo......

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What I brought home from Switzerland

I'm back from Switzerland and I thought I'd share with you some of my most prized purchases. Not surprisingly my first purchase was cheese. But no ordinary cheese. In fact, it's a cheese I am hard pressed to find at home. It's called sbrinz and if you can find it here, it will cost more than Parmigiano Reggiano, then again, you might find it even more delicious. It's a full fat, hard, dry grating cheese that is used much like Parmigiano. But it's sweeter, creamier and oh so yummy! In Appenzell I discovered this amazing dry, raw, smoked beef called Mostbröckli . I know, I know, it's not technically legal to bring meat into the US, but I couldn't help myself. It is shelf-stable and vacuum packed and it tastes like nothing I've ever tried before. It's leaner than prosciutto and less salty. It's smoky, sweet and beefy. It's also irresistible and literally forced me to break the law. Also from Appenzell I got a little tiny airplane s......

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