Artichokes, man. I really want to like them. And I do...mostly. I just didn't grow up with artichokes and so never developed a taste for them — either the big globes that are in season right now or the trimmed hearts that can be found in the freezer or canned food sections. So help me out: what are your most beloved dishes with artichokes?

We're all about sourcing, prepping, cooking and eating good food here at The Kitchn, yet there's one area we seldom think about: using food plants as dye. But now that I have the beautiful poster pictured above hanging in my kitchen, I'm inspired to take another look at my food scraps and consider what color they might produce on a t-shirt, or a napkin. Take avocado pits, for instance. Depending on the mordants (used to help fix the color) an avocado pit will produce anything from a pale mauve to a deep grey. 

If you have ever been to Seattle, then surely you went to Pike Place Market. And if you went to Pike Place Market, then surely you have stood under the awning near the fish market and waited eagerly for one orange-trousered gentlemen to yell, "HALIBUT!" and toss a ginormous glittering fish over the counter to another orange-trousered gentlemen. And if you haven't, you need to turn around and go back. My point is: this book. This book captures that experience better than a snapshot — plus you get recipes!

It sometimes seems that big name chefs like Alex Guarnaschelli spring onto our favorite food TV shows fully-formed, already successful and possessing some inherent and unwavering internal cooking compass. Not so. Alex Guarnaschelli, for instance, comes by her culinary chops through a combination of genetics (daughter of a cookbook editor) and sheer determination. Old-School Comfort Food takes a step back from the big smile we all recognize and shows us where this bright chef came from.

Item: Vitamix 32-Ounce Dry Grains Container
Price: $144.00
Overall Impression: Not essential but extremely useful

A Vitamix is a hefty (yet worthy!) investment and if you've taken the plunge, you might now be wondering whether you really need to spend more on an additional Dry Grains Container. How different is it from the Vitamix's Standard/Wet Blade Container? Here's what we found... 

Q: We had an unopened bottle of extra-light olive oil in a cool dark place. When we went to use it, we noticed many small white beads clinging to the inside of the bottle. Does this mean the oil had gone bad or is this just fat deposits from sitting so long? There is no expiration date on bottle.

Sent by Kathy

Get ready for a sneak attack. This one looks all warm and malty, but with a name like Evil Twin and from a West Coast brewery like Heretic, you know you're going to be in for a tour of Hop Town. My suggestion: just sit back and enjoy the ride.

How do you take your water? Straight up? With a lemon twist? Maybe strawberries are your thing. Yes, water is always refreshing on its own, but it enters ahhhh-inducing territory when you throw in some fruit or herbs. These pitchers make it easy. They all have a special compartment to hold the fruit, which means you just lift it up and out when you're done infusing. Say hello to summer sipping on the porch!

I'll grant you that we've become a little coconut obsessed lately, what with the coconut chips and the coconut cooking spray and all the reasons we love coconut water. But before you declare coconut overload, you have to give this coconut sugar a try. For starters, I bet you'll never guess what part of the coconut it's made from!

I made a spontaneous purchase during an IKEA trip last week. The place kind of has that effect on people.

Sadly, though, I was struck with a bit of regret when I got it home.