15 Reasons Why We Do Things a Certain Way (And Why You Should, Too)

Years of cooking, writing, reading, and being a part of the food community have taught us a thing or two about what works best, and why we now do something this way instead of that way. Part of the joy of writing for The Kitchn is being able to share what we’ve learned —our personal experiences, tips, techniques, likes and dislikes. Here are 15 “reasons why” from our editors and writers this year, from why you should sucks on mango pits to why you should always cook with a bar mop towel.

• 1 Why I Bring My Own Knife on Vacation
• 2 Why I Use Chopsticks To Do Almost Everything in the Kitchen
• 3 Why I Rent Apartments When I Travel
• 4 Why I Stopped Drinking Almond Milk and Went Back to Regular Milk Instead
• 5 Why I Became a One-Gallon Homebrewer
• 6 Why I Secretly Suck on Mango Pits (And So Should You)
• 7 Why I Clean Out My Kitchen Every Fall
• 8 Why You Should Always Cook With a Bar Mop Towel
• 9 Why You Should Drink Beer From a Glass
• 10 Why You Should Bother with Whole Spices
• 11 Why You Should Start Using Lab Beakers in the Kitchen
• 12 Why You Should Try Making Yogurt with Heirloom Starter Cultures
• 13 Why This Is the Best Steak I’ve Ever Had
• 14 Why This Is My Favorite Cake Pan
• 15 Why Panna Cotta Is the Perfect Dessert

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From December 21 through January 3 we are rounding up our favorite (and your favorite) posts from the past year. We’ll also share guest posts, special holiday features, and a sparkling Winter Glam Cocktail Party, the final installment in our
2013 Gatherings from The Kitchn
. Happy Holidays!