Ken Albala is the co-author of two of my favorite cookbooks, The Lost Art of Real Cooking and The Lost Arts of Hearth and Home. What I found in these books, and also with talking with him in person, is an overflowing enthusiasm and delight for the world of cookery. "This is what happens when you really love every food on earth," he confessed recently on his blog. Along with that enthusiasm comes a kind of bravery that I find very inspiring. Ken dives completely into his kitchen projects with a wild curiosity that is also grounded in his deep and thorough knowledge of the kitchen arts. Read on for a little more about Ken and his 5 suggestions for the home cook. More

Did you notice that all three of our previous Expert Essentials posts mentioned working with dried herbs and spices? That's because spices are an absolutely foundational ingredient for every cook the world over, whether you're working in a shiny new kitchen high on the hill or on a simple wood fire and packed-dirt floor. Today's expert, John Beaver, knows a thing or two about herbs and spices. Read on for his tips and recommendations! More

I am building a new kitchen in the house that my husband and I are renovating, and there is a rather overwhelming array of choices to be made. Tile has been one of those. We're choosing a lot of tile (for baths as well as the kitchen). Subway tile is obviously a terrific and classic choice, and since it can be less than $3/square foot, very economical too. But can inexpensive tile go beyond subway tile? What are some other options for those of us on a strict budget? I took my questions to Kirsty Froelich, the corporate designer of The Tile Shop, a nationwide tile retail chain. Here's some of her advice on choosing tile when you're on a budget. More

Getting to know your farmer is always a good thing, and never more so than in the case of raw milk. It's not enough to say the cows are grass-fed, organic, or raised humanely on a small, local farm. Unpasteurized milk can be risky, with bacterial contamination occurring in/on the animal or during processing, storage, and transport. We asked Amanda Rose, author of the Raw Milk Consumer Guide, to describe some of the most important safety concerns, along with questions to ask your dairy farmer. More

Artisan. Artisanal. What do these words really mean, especially now they've been co-opted by big companies like Domino's Pizza? We asked some of our favorite local food producers what they think of when they hear the term "artisan" and hope you'll join in the conversation, too. More

David Lebovitz, acclaimed pastry chef, cookbook author and blogger, welcomed me into his almost-renovated Parisian kitchen (see his original kitchen here). He was as delightful in person as he is on the page and screen, even amidst ongoing construction. Join me for a brief interview and catch-up session with one of our favorite bon vivants. More

A little while back during Reader Request Week, we had several folks ask about herbs. "How should I be pruning them?" "How do I plant them?" "How can I get the most out of them so there's plenty to cook with?" We went straight to the source with Tara Heibel from Sprout Home in Chicago to get our facts straight. Here's a video from Tara speaking directly to you, our Kitchn readers, with her best tips on getting the most out of your herbs.
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Do you own a wok? If you listen to Grace Young talk about stir-frying for long enough, you'll certainly start wanting one! The beauty of a carbon-steel wok is it heats quickly and evenly. When you stir-fry it sears meat and chicken perfectly, imparting wok fragrance. While the high sides of the wok are perfect for stir-frying meat and vegetables without crowding the pan or dumping ingredients over the side, a wok is also more than a stir-fry pan. You can pan-fry, braise, deep-fry, steam, boil, poach, and smoke with it. Carbon steel woks also become naturally nonstick the longer you use them, meaning less oil needed for cooking.

Ready to take the plunge? Here's how to pick a wok and season it for the first time. Also, Grace shows us how to give an adolescent wok a "facial" to keep it looking good as its true patina develops. More

Scrolling through artist Lili Chin's We All Scream website, one is greeted by a parade of joyful lemons, dapper chocolate bars, and mojitos with maracas, to name just a few of the charming characters in her ice cream recipe illustrations. If there's anyone who can capture the giddy joy of making and eating ice cream, it's Lili. More

According to the American Diabetes Association, 25.8 million people in the United States have diabetes, and 79 million people are considered prediabetic. With those staggering numbers, it's no wonder many cooks are in search of healthy meal ideas for those living with diabetes. Registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator Angela Ginn gave us some tips for satisfying, diabetic-friendly meals, as well as her recipe for tasty tri-color lentil soup. More