How cute are these fruit-shaped wooden serving boards? They're perfect for small appetizers, with just the right amount of whimsy. (Take note of the painted edges.) And they're made in Vermont!

I absolutely love the smooth chicness of anything matte black, particularly in the kitchen. With so much that's already bright and shiny in that room — stainless steel appliances! Shimmering tile! Glossy ceramic plates! — I find matte textures a welcome diversion. They're understated yet still glamorous. Here are a few matte black kitchen and dining things I've had my eye on lately, from a simple faceted vase to a mind-blowing Bertazzoni range. (Guess which one I will not be purchasing anytime soon.)

As I was spooning my way through a bowl of strawberry-rhubarb ice cream this past weekend, I got to thinking. Strawberry and rhubarb are old pals, of course, and rhubarb is definitely great all on its own — but there are so many late-summer fruits that totally miss out on the rhubarb party! Rhubarb-peach? Blackberry-rhubarb? I want these combos in my pie! The best solution is to start freezing.

I'm married to a scientist, so that fact that I haven't thought of this until now is kind of embarrassing. I currently have a 1000ml Pyrex beaker (well, technically a flask) that I brought home from a wedding. (The bride and groom — also scientists — used them as flower vases at the reception.) I'd been using it as a vase, too, when suddenly it dawned on me. These are actually perfect prep tools for cooking! They're non-porous, heat-, cold-, and crack-resistant, have easy-to-read measurements on the side, and a spout for pouring. So why aren't more people using them in the kitchen? Here are 3 reasons why we should all start: 

While watching the movie The Naked Gun the other night, my husband and I were distracted by the scene of Frank Drebin and a fellow cop sitting in a car eating a mountain of pistachios, their mouths smeared lipstick-red. Red pistachios! They were a staple of my childhood, but I never see them anymore. Whatever happened to them?

What do birthday cake, chocolate chip cookies, and animal crackers all have in common — besides, of course, all being desserts that we grew up loving? Answer: they each have a long and venerable history that started way before our own memories of those first sweet bites. As Jesse Oleson Moore, creator of Cake Spy and self-proclaimed dessert detective, puts it in her new book The Secret Lives of Baked Goods, "...recipes are not necessarily invented — they evolve."

Q: I have a little tub of duck fat in my fridge — about a cup and a half. What should I do with it?

Sent by Julia

I am so obsessed with whisks. I have, at last count, seven whisks — including one spiral sauce whisk that is still buried in our moving boxes and I miss rather desperately. I use my whisks of varied sizes and shapes all the time for dressings, sauces, and yes, puddings, so this plethora of wire is not just for show. I'm always looking for an excuse to buy a new whisk, and so this incredibly clever design caught my eye — do you see what it does? 

Chiffonade is a very pretty word for the very simple process of slicing basil or any other delicate herb into very thin ribbons. The word sounds as light and airy as the spirals of basil themselves. A chiffonade of basil is also an easy way to add a bright touch of green — and the fresh taste of basil — to your spring and summer dishes. If this is technique is unfamiliar to you, this guide will take you through each step.

Most Americans are familiar with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall through his well-received River Cottage Meat Book, so it may come as some surprise that he has penned a 400-page vegetable-centric tome devoted to the appreciation and cooking of vegetables.  But it makes a lot of sense that this passionate, out-spoken pioneer of local food has finally turned towards vegetables. River Cottage Veg is a lovely book, a love song to the many inspiring things you can pluck from your vegetable patch and bring into the kitchen.