If you ever wanted an excuse to start talking about yourself in the royal "we," here you go: we humans are not just human — we're also made up of about 100 trillion microbes that live on our skin, in our mouths, and in our guts. In fact, Michael Pollan says that when you count them all up, we're really only 10% human. What's more, studies are finding increasing evidence that we need these microbes for everything from helping us digest our food to feeling less stressed at work.

TW Salt Mill by William Bounds

• $24
• Amazon.com

I ate last night at The Jugged Hare, a lively and tasty gastropub in London. The salt mills on the tables caught my eye; I turned mine upside down and discovered it was a William Bounds mill -- made in the USA, actually. The top handle is smartly designed and easy to turn. A great little mill.

You may have heard that Taco Bell recently began testing a breakfast Waffle Taco at a few locations in Southern California. I haven't tried it and — being an admitted fast-food snob — probably never will, but I can understand the appeal. Hot, crisp, chewy waffles aren't just made for maple syrup or fruit. Pair them with cheese, chives, fried chicken, a runny egg, or even chili, and you have a plate of waffles ready for a savory brunch or even dinner.

I've been so inspired by Small Cool 2013 that I've even begun visiting the archives to get more ideas. Here are some of my favorite small space tricks, drawn from last year's Small Cool entries. 

• Designs Tips for Small Spaces
  Apartment Therapy

It might not seem like Korean food and Southern cuisine would have much in common — or even be able to share the same plate. Especially once you add a splash of classic French to the mix. But with Chef Edward Lee at the helm, these seemingly strange bedfellows start to make perfect sense. With this book, Smoke & Pickles, he's bringing his unique cuisine straight into our kitchens.

Not every meal is a fresh new recipe or an exciting twist on an old classic. Many, many meals are grab-what-you-can endeavors or thrown together affairs using up leftovers from the refrigerator. In these instances, it's nice to have a well-rounded pantry to supplement and build a meal from not a whole lot. Here are 10 of our own low-budget pantry staples. More

This week at The Forest Feast, I needed to use up some chard from the nearby farmer's market, so I cooked up a big skillet Tortilla Espanola. This dish is usually made with just potatoes and onions, but I like to add some greens — it becomes almost like a crustless quiche. The addition of the colorful chard lightens the dish a bit, but is still quite filling. I like that this meal is made in a single pan and works well for breakfast, lunch or dinner! 

Want to make pasta, but lack the motivation to do all that mixing and kneading by hand? No problem. If you have a food processor, you can have a batch of pasta dough ready in about two minutes flat. 

This is a very exciting spring for books here at The Kitchn! A couple weeks ago we told you about my new book, Bakeless Sweets, and this week we're turning the spotlight to another book from our team: True Brews, by Emma Christensen, our very own recipe editor. Emma has written about beer for The Kitchn for many years, and she has become a knowledgeable expert in brewing it as well — and her new book shows you how you can make it for yourself. But she doesn't stop at beer —  wine, kefir, kombucha, and fizzy sodas show up in True Brews too! 

Today we have an interview with Emma, talking about her new book. Come read all about brewing in small apartments with minimum equipment, the most surprising things she learned while writing the book, and the most refreshing drink for summer!

Eileen and her husband Mark live about a block from the beach in Venice, California. The proximity to the ocean and access to bountiful fresh produce year round also informs her cooking style, which she explains as "simple, healthy and interesting." Her 250-square-foot kitchen space fits this description as well — come take a tour of this modern, cozy space!

This six-ingredient salad right here has been my lunch for the past week — and it's looking highly likely that I will have it again next week! Made with a simple lemon-miso vinaigrette, this combination of tender kale, chewy farro, and nutty chickpeas holds up very well for several days in the fridge. All I have to do come lunchtime is scoop a portion into a bowl. With some orange segments and a slice of toast on the side, this easy lunch keeps me happy all afternoon.