Kittens in the kitchen? Puppies in the pantry? Okay, so maybe it's not so unexpected that those posts were popular this year. But we did see a few out of-the-blue hits, including a post about black chickens, an idea for a picnic table with a gutter, and a clever tip to help you determine whether or not an avocado is perfectly ripe. More

Roasted Vegetable Soup with Herb Dumplings

Soup Week! Now that's a week we look forward to all year long, and we had an especially good time talking soup this past October. Here are a few favorite posts, from vegetable soup with dumplings, to tips for better soup from the slow cooker, to Cuban black bean soup (silky and rich). More

Is it necessary to refrigerate eggs? How can I eat more whole grains? What kinds of meals are good to freeze? These were just a few of the questions addressed in our readers' favorite posts of September 2012. Read on to see them all... More

We dove into kitchen materials this year for all our readers embarking on a major kitchen project. Are you wondering about marble vs. quartz countertops? Cork or linoleum floors? Curious if butcher block countertops are really as hard to maintain as people say? We list the pros and cons of the most common countertop and flooring materials and share reviews and insights from Kitchn readers who've lived with it firsthand, so you'll have all the information you need to make the right decision for your kitchen. Read on for more!

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When the Kitchn editors and writers travel abroad, it's clear what our focus will be: the food. We can't resist the local markets and grocery stores, the specialty ingredients, dishes, and experiences that give us a sense of the area's cultural and culinary history. From Mexico to Israel, from Argentina to China, here's what we saw and tasted on our travels abroad this year: More

Dress Up Your Hard-Boiled Egg: Japanese Soy Sauce Eggs (Shoyu Tamago)

This past September we took a whole week to focus on our favorite little package: The wonderful egg! Here's a look back at some of the tips and recipes that emerged that week, from a discussion on whether you really have to refrigerate eggs, to a recipe for smoked trout deviled eggs, and a quicker egg salad. More

Hot posts in August included Cookie Monster's very own recipe, plus tips for storing fruits and vegetables and our best tips for freezing food. Read on for these and more — our readers' favorite posts of August 2012. More

Hankering for Happy Hour? Whatever the season or occasion, we've got a cocktail for you. This year we loved the simple pleasure of summer's Gold Rush, while the Pomegranate and Prosecco Spritzer was perfect for Fall dinner parties. Oh, and don't forget about our three Downton Abbey cocktails! Get all these and more in our roundup below: More

Maureen's Maximized & Upgraded Kitchen

Last summer we ran the Small Cool Kitchens contest — our big yearly event to showcase and celebrate small(er) home kitchens. Here's a look back at a few of the winners and most memorable kitchens. More

A beautifully set table is a lesson in balance, the shaping and bringing together of both the practical and the decorative. Our tabletop and dining posts this year focused on that delicate balance, with recommendations on everything from our favorite no-fuss serving dishes to pretty polka-dot table linens, from classic carafes to gorgeous gold flatware. We also had a shopping guide to colorful dinnerware, a roundup of nautical-inspired tabletop, and a few creative ways to display all your tabletop collections! More