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

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

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

What was popular in July 2012? Four little words: Sparkling white peach sangria. (Which may be the most-Pinned recipe ever on The Kitchn!) Plus, how to make mozzarella at home, perfect guacamole, and delicious no-bake desserts. More

The wonderful thing about a community like The Kitchn is the wealth of information spread out among our readers. So when we ask for your best kitchen and renovation advice, your favorite brands of liquor, or your tips for better weekly meal planning, you, our readers, respond with terrific insights, tips, and advice. Here are the best Reader Intelligence Reports (as we call them) of the year, along with a few post topics that generated the most reader response! Make sure to read through the comments for all the feedback. More

Have you ever wondered who thought up the whisk? Or how chicken came to dominate the dinner plate? What about the origins of cellophane packaging, or who invented soft serve ice cream? If your curiosity is piqued, check out these 15 quick glimpses into food history, including a look at meat market playsets in Victorian times (yes!) and history's 20 most significant food and drink inventions. More

This past July we took a week to reminisce over our favorite family recipes, and to talk a little about preserving (and even improving!) the foods that our families cherish. Here's a look back at a few of my own favorite posts from that week, from Emma's interview with her mom, to Sara Kate's recipes for baked beans with pineapple and bacon. Nealey shared a recipe that actually went very wrong (and you helped solve her problem!) and we offered some tips for documenting recipes that aren't written down yet. More