The Kitchn Archive: Jul 2013

Despite the heat and humidity some of us still like to drink red wine throughout the summer. Read on for some useful tips on choosing and serving the perfect refreshing summer red wines.One of the most important aspects of any wine is refreshment. This is especially important as the mercury rises, when many red wines can taste overly powerful, rich and heavy. Over the years I have developed a short set of guidelines, which I adhere to over the summer months to best enjoy red wine.

Sent by SarahEditor: I wonder if experimenting with Tupperware containers might work by leaving the lids cracks and(or) controlling the humidity with damp cloths along the bottom?Readers, what suggestions do you have?

Grilling purists may look down their noses at gas grills, but no one can argue with the fact that grilling over gas is quicker and easier than using charcoal. But you’re giving up taste for convenience, the pro-charcoal argument goes. Is that true? Wired took a scientific look at the differences between grilling over charcoal versus gas and found some good news: the method you favor is probably the better choice.Yes, that’s right.

Sent by Christina Editor: The seeds and membranes are the spiciest parts of the jalapeño. As long as you like spicy, you could try adding the seeds to salsas or soups. Maybe even including them in pickling brines?Readers, what ideas do you have?

It seems like the practice of using noyaux, the intense bitter almond-flavored kernel found inside the pits of many stone fruits, is gaining in popularity this summer, at least in my hyper-DIY Oakland area. Do you use the noyaux or have you been scared off by the fact that it contains a small amount of cyanide? Read on for more about this intriguing, somewhat controversial use of a fruit’s kernel. The jar pictured above is mine.

While living in Japan, I learned to eat almost every type of food with chopsticks. It didn’t take long to realize I had been eating salad like a chump my whole life.Think about it. Spearing a flat, floppy piece of lettuce with a fork is at best a mild challenge and at worst an awkward way to smear dressing over half your cheek. Poking a fork through a rock-hard crouton usually cleaves it into two pieces of rock-hard crouton, which you have to try to scoop onto your fork.

If you’ve an avid pie baker, chances are you already have a designated pie carrier. But for those of us who only make pies every once in awhile, it’s hard to give up precious storage space in the kitchen for something we may only use a couple times a year. So, how does one safely transport a pie without a designated pie carrier? Here are five tips:1. Use a bamboo steamer basket. This is an oldie, but a goodie.

An unfamiliar fruit is a marvelous treat. Though I may not know what it’s supposed to taste like, or even its name, I can never resist the opportunity to try something fresh and new. Such was the case with these mamoncillos. I stumbled upon clusters of these little green drupes while visiting a Latin American grocery store.

Does anyone have any experience matching KitchenAid colors for nicks and dings? AdrianaEditor: Readers, do you have any experience or advice for fixing nicks in the finish of a KitchenAid stand mixer?