The Kitchn Archive
2014

The Kitchn Archive: 2014

Kitchn Archive - 2014
Page 2
Here’s Nearly Everything You Need to Know About Chocolate
Chocolate comes from the Aztec word “xocolatl,” which means bitter water. Luckily, the chocolate we now know and love is a far cry from the unsweetened drink the Aztecs used to imbibe. Chocolate is craveable, comforting — and confusing. All the different percentages and labels, like milk, dark, and white chocolate — what do they mean? Let’s take a deep dive into the world of chocolate production and all the kinds of chocolate out there.
Christine Gallary
Dec 10, 2014
Recipe: Syrian Herb and Meat Latkes (Ijeh B’Lahmeh)
In my recent interview with cookbook author and magazine editor, Janna Gur, she described a recipe so delicious that I just had to share it. The recipe is for Syrian herb and meat latkes, called ijeh b’lahmeh. They’re shaped into patties, bound with eggs, and fried in oil just like Hanukkah latkes. But instead of the grated potato most of us are used to, these latkes are made with ground beef and a delightful mess of chopped mint, parsley, cilantro, and scallions.
Leah Koenig
Dec 10, 2014
Exploring Bottle No. 10: Campari
In the column this month, we’re musing about what would become of your cocktail repertoire if you were to inch our self-imposed bottle limit up one notch, into the double digits. Absinthe, as we discovered last week, appears in many a classic cocktail, and thus brings a lot to the liquor cabinet. But when it comes to mingling (with other liquors), can absinthe compete with a vivacious Italian, dressed in stunning red?
Roger Kamholz
Dec 10, 2014
10 Tips for Better Meal Planning During the Holidays
Meal planning is such a great tool to help you shop smarter, cook smarter, eat smarter, and even spend less on groceries. But even in the best of times, it can be tough to stay on top of keeping it organized. Now add the busy holiday season to the mix, and all of a sudden keeping your meal plan on track is a whole lot harder. We want to help you stick with it, so we’re sharing 10 tips to keep your meal planning going strong during the holiday season.
Kelli Foster
Dec 10, 2014
8 Small, Easy Ways to Decorate Your Kitchen for the Holidays
Ah, it’s the most wonderful time of the year — a time for making holiday wreaths, homemade edible gifts, and Christmas cookies, of course! So why not take a little time to make your kitchen look as festive as it smells? Here are eight small, easy ways to spruce up your kitchen for the season. Gingerbread garland, via Donna Hay: How cute is this? Donna Hay provides a recipe and tutorial for this garland, so you can hang these little men anywhere in your kitchen.
Cambria Bold
Dec 10, 2014
18 Cookie Recipes for Your Holiday Cookie Exchange
Apartment Therapy
Dec 9, 2014
Maxwell’s Top 2014 Flatware Picks
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → Maxwell’s Top Flatware Picks: Very High to Very Low Don’t forget that your flatware can express who you are, so if you’re in the market to change up how your dinner table looks, check out Maxwell’s picks!
The Kitchn
Dec 9, 2014
7 Questions for Janna Gur, Author of Jewish Soul Food
With Hanukkah around the corner and Christmas coming soon, holiday cookbook season is in full swing. Among the piles of recently published, glossy tomes, the book I’m most excited about is Jewish Soul Food: From Minsk to Marrakesh by Janna Gur. Gur is the longtime editor of Al Hashulchan, a popular food publication in Israel.
Leah Koenig
Dec 9, 2014
A Complete Visual Guide to 11 Different Kinds of Sugar
Apartment Therapy
Dec 9, 2014
10 Stylish Black Kitchens
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → For Your Inspiration: 10 Beautiful Black Kitchens
The Kitchn
Dec 9, 2014
Real-Life Owner Reviews of IKEA Kitchen Cabinets
(Image credit: Faith Durand) From Apartment Therapy → IKEA Kitchen Cabinets: Pros, Cons & Real Life Owner Reviews About to renovate and considering IKEA kitchen cabinets? Apartment Therapy’s gathered reviews from their readers and compiled them into one report so that you’ll be well-informed when you make your decision.
The Kitchn
Dec 8, 2014
Here’s Why Delicata Squash Is the Cool Vegetable in Town
I’ve been noticing recipes starring Delicata squash infiltrating Pinterest, Foodgawker, and numerous food sites and blogs. Each time I see a photo featuring this trendy ingredient, it’s painfully obvious why it’s rising in popularity: It’s gorgeous! When cut into long segments, the squash looks like delicate orange lace on a dinner plate. Delicata has softer skin than its rival butternut squash, so it’s easy to all your winer salad, side dish, and curry recipes.
Ariel Knutson
Dec 8, 2014
Waiting for the Bus
I heard a wonderful story on WNYC’s Radiolab the other day. It was about how Alzheimer’s patients who live in nursing homes can sometimes get disorientated and agitated. They want to leave the nursing facility and go ‘home’ — occasionally, home can even mean the home of their childhood. This is a very stressful situation and can lead to the patient being locked behind closed doors in order to keep them from wandering off and getting lost, or worse.
Dana Velden
Dec 7, 2014
What to Put in a Used Furniture Cleaning Kit
(Image credit: Lydia Brotherton) From Apartment Therapy → The Ultimate Used Furniture Cleaning Kit If you’re headed to a flea market or antique fair, it’s worth putting together this used furniture cleaning kit so that you’re ready to clean off the grime and spiff up your new purchases!
The Kitchn
Dec 5, 2014
5 Ways to Make a Holiday Wreath
I’m a bit obsessed with holiday wreaths at the moment, particularly because there are so many beautiful ways to make one. Have you ever tried it? My favorite designs are those that weave in herbs and seasonal fruit. Practical and pretty? Sign me up! Here are five of my favorites. Clementines, eucalyptus, and baby squash, via Style Me Pretty: We adore how Molly of En Fleur Event Design uses clementines and baby squash in her holiday wreath.
Cambria Bold
Dec 5, 2014
How Do I Clean the Stains Off My Nonstick Baking Sheets?
Q: I received some of those great nonstick baking sheets for our wedding last year: Three of the “gold” kind from Williams Sonoma and one large one from Sur la Table. I was repeatedly assured by friends they were “the best,” and they have been. But now they have all started to get orange-colored stains. I cannot seem to get them off with regular sink washing and elbow grease.
Emma Christensen
Dec 5, 2014
5 Unique and Chic Ways to Fold a Linen Napkin
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → The Well-Dressed Table: 5 Ways to Fold a Linen Napkin
The Kitchn
Dec 5, 2014
Polish Silver With Aluminum Foil & Baking Soda
(Image credit: Ashley Poskin) From Apartment Therapy → How To Polish Silver With Aluminum Foil & Baking Soda Think you need to buy actual silver polish? Think again! With just a few pantry ingredients, you can make your silver beautiful and shiny again!
The Kitchn
Dec 4, 2014
Here’s What a $5,000 Sink Looks Like
Warning: do not fall in love with this sink unless you have a cool five grand burning a hole in your pocket. Whoever decided to take “everything but the kitchen sink” clearly did not own this sink, because leaving this sink behind anywhere would just be wrong. So, so wrong. Who makes this beauty, you’re wondering?
Cambria Bold
Dec 4, 2014
On Drinking Coffee Vietnamese-Style in Da Lat, Vietnam
Here’s an understatement: I love coffee. Hot, cold, milky, black — just no sugar, please. Whenever I travel to a new place and learn bits of a new language, I know my priorities: the first word I learn is “hello” and the second is “coffee.” Dutch? Koffie. French? Café. Arabic? قهوة (pronounced qah-huah). And in Vietnamese, it’s cà phê. I’m a little shaky on the pronunciation, but I’m getting by so far.
Lisa Pepin
Dec 4, 2014
Partner
Secret Holiday Weapon: Sister Schubert’s Sausage Rolls
The holidays often bring a revolving door of overnight guests and unexpected visitors, and a Southern hostess knows you can never be too prepared. That’s why Sister Schubert’s Sausage Rolls are a mainstay in my entertaining arsenal — they are always ready at a moment’s notice, be it an impromptu party or an early morning arrival. In fact, Christmas isn’t Christmas at the Dozier’s without a basket of these heavenly pigs-in-a-blanket.
Sponsored Post
Dec 4, 2014
What’s the Sticky Residue on My Cast Iron & How Do I Get Rid of It?
Q: I attempted to re-season my cast iron pans. I washed and dried them, and then I put Crisco shortening on the inside and out. I put them, upside down, in my preheated oven at 350°F for one hour. I turned the oven off and let them cool. When they had cooled completely, they had this very sticky, gummy coating all over them. I can’t get it off. What can I do to correct this and what did I do wrong?
Emma Christensen
Dec 4, 2014
An Easy and Effective Way to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances
(Image credit: Leela Cyd) From Apartment Therapy → The Crazy Easy (and Effective!) Way to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances
The Kitchn
Dec 4, 2014
5 Ways to Become More Confident in the Kitchen
Outside of skill, money, and time, I find that confidence is the biggest barrier between new cooks and putting dinner on the table. Confidence in cooking is more than just having the right equipment and necessary ingredients for a recipe. What are the steps you can take to trusting yourself in the kitchen? The obvious answer to gain confidence at anything is just to do it more, but I’ve never found that advice particularly encouraging or helpful.
Ariel Knutson
Dec 3, 2014
Exploring Bottle No. 10: Absinthe
With last month’s coverage of aromatic bitters in the books, we’ve explored all nine bottles that make up the small-yet-mighty 9-Bottle Bar — putting us now into extra innings. During the final weeks of the year, we’ll look into a few optional bottle No. 10s and explore how they would further round out your home bar. First up: Absinthe, a centuries-old spirit with a complicated past that plays a part in numerous classic cocktails.
Roger Kamholz
Dec 3, 2014
Everything You Wanted to Know (But Were Afraid to Ask) About Coffee from Weasels
Who: Me Linh Coffee Garden What: Coffee and weasel coffee Where: Da Lat, Vietnam Weasel coffee, kopi luwak, ca phe chon. Whatever you call it, let’s not mince words: we’re talking about brewed poop, coffee that travels through an Asian palm civet’s digestive tract and then into your mug, for the price of up to $700 per kilogram.
Lisa Pepin
Dec 3, 2014
5 Renter-Friendly Kitchen Upgrades
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → Instant Improvements: Easy Renter-Friendly Kitchen Upgrades
The Kitchn
Dec 3, 2014
We Asked 6 Baking Experts Whether Pure Vanilla Is Worth It
As you ready your pantry for holiday baking, you’ve got a choice to make — splurge on fragrant, yet pricey pure vanilla extract, or stick with less expensive imitation vanilla extract. Is there really a difference between the two? And is pure vanilla really worth its higher price tag?
Kelli Foster
Dec 2, 2014
Why You Should Clean Out Your Freezer in the Winter
Thanksgiving may be over, but the holiday baking season has just begun. If you haven’t already, now is the time to clean out your freezer to free up space for cookie dough logs and all the soups you’re planning to make with that turkey stock. (I’ve got my eye on this one.) But besides making space for holiday cooking, there’s another good reason to clean out the freezer this time of year. You can put all the frozen stuff outside while you clean. It’s pretty simple.
Cambria Bold
Dec 2, 2014
How Coffee Is Grown at the Me Linh Coffee Garden in Vietnam
Who: Me Linh Coffee Garden What: Coffee and weasel coffee producer Where: Da Lat, Vietnam Let’s do an experiment: think about coffee. Maybe you’re drinking a cup right now. Let’s follow that brew backwards. Let it jump out of your cup and back into the bag. From the bag, go back to the roaster. Let the bean fade from deep roasted brown to raw tan. Pack the beans up by the sackful and send them back to the grower.
Lisa Pepin
Dec 2, 2014
Partner
Nostalgic Winter Recipe: Sister Schubert’s Cinnamon Toast
Can you believe Thanksgiving is over and we are now officially into the holiday season? We want to know – how was your Thanksgiving celebration? Tell us in the comments! But first I want to share the perfect treat for these chilly December mornings. Or afternoons. Or evenings. When was the last time you made cinnamon toast?!
Sponsored Post
Dec 2, 2014
5 Fun Ways to Spice Up Apple Cider
The scent of sweet apple cider mulled with cinnamon and other warm spices is a sure sign of fall and the winter holiday season. And while you can buy apple cider any time of year, it just seems appropriate to drink more of it after the apple harvest. Apple cider takes well to fun flavor additions and preparations — here are five ways to personalize and make it more interesting!
Christine Gallary
Dec 2, 2014
5 Unusual Uses for Yellow Mustard That Actually Work
(Image credit: Ashley Poskin) From Apartment Therapy → 5 Weird Uses for Yellow Mustard (That Totally Work!)
The Kitchn
Dec 2, 2014
What’s the Difference Between Pork Loin and Pork Tenderloin?
Have you ever made the mistake of reading a recipe incorrectly and bringing home a pork tenderloin instead of a pork loin, or vice versa? While these two tasty cuts of pork share a few similarities, you can see from the photo above that they have a bunch of differences too. Read on to learn about these two popular cuts!
Christine Gallary
Dec 1, 2014
Check Out These White Fixtures in the Kitchen
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → White Fixtures in the Kitchen: Inspiration & Sources There’s a new movement in modern, minimalist kitchens: white fixtures! Check out this post if you’re looking for something fun and unusual for your kitchen.
The Kitchn
Dec 1, 2014
12 Pantry Items That Will Last Nearly Forever
Whether you’re preparing for a major pantry clean-out or you’re about to load up on essentials for holiday baking and entertaining, there are quite a few items where an expiration date doesn’t apply. When stored properly — in an airtight container, kept in a cool, dry place — there are a number of pantry staples that can last just about forever. We’re not talking until the end of time forever, although some of these staples just may hold up that long.
Kelli Foster
Dec 1, 2014
Corrin’s Furniture Hacks for Entertaining
(Image credit: Andrew Forcier) From Apartment Therapy → Maker Talk Video: Corrin’s Furniture Hacks for Entertaining
Andrew Forcier
Dec 1, 2014
The Best Way to Clean Your Dishwasher
(Image credit: Ashley Poskin) From Apartment Therapy → How To Clean Your Dishwasher
The Kitchn
Dec 1, 2014
A Teeny-Tiny Thanksgiving
We ended up with a much smaller Thanksgiving this year due to the unexpected injury of our host and main cook. A cozy, thrown-together meal was served up on the kitchen table which had been moved into the living room to be closer to The Patient who was convalescing on the couch. Brined heritage turkey, sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, honey and thyme carrots, and cream roasted fennel. And cranberry sauce.
Dana Velden
Nov 30, 2014
Bless Your Food Today with One of These Graces from Around the World
Every year at Thanksgiving I write about this book — an inclusive and beautiful collection of prayers and blessings from all over the world, gathered thoughtfully from many eras and traditions of belief. It’s a rich volume of 160 poems, prayers, and songs that express gratitude for the table and the life it brings. If you’re in want of a quiet moment today or a special grace to say over your feast, I highly recommend downloading it and spending a half hour in its pages.
Faith Durand
Nov 27, 2014
Here’s Your Thanksgiving Dinner, Made Out of Balloons
Are you cooking up a storm in the kitchen tonight? Well, we thought we’d inspire you with a very accomplished Thanksgiving meal just coming out of the oven. And if you think it’s tough making a full-blown Thanksgiving dinner, well then. You just haven’t seen a turkey made out of balloons. And it doesn’t stop there — want to see our new favorite turducken? Meet the best turducken of all time.
Faith Durand
Nov 26, 2014
We All Make Mistakes in the Kitchen, Even Food & Wine Editor Dana Cowin
The book: Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen by Dana Cowin The angle: Tired of feeling defeated in the kitchen, Food & Wine editor-in-chief Dana Cowin has turned to the top restaurant chefs for help — and you can learn right along with her. Recipes for right now: Pork Meatball Sliders, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Caper-Raisin Sauce, Broccoli Rabe Pizza, Halibut with Red Coconut Curry Who would enjoy this book? Cooks who secretly bury their cooking mistakes beneath the potato peels.
Emma Christensen
Nov 26, 2014
Here’s a Tip for Cleaning Up Every Last Shard of Broken Glass
From Apartment Therapy → Quick Tip: How to Easily and Safely Clean Up Every Last Shard of Broken Glass Miniscule, hard-to-see pieces of broken glass are difficult to clean up, but with just a roll of masking tape, you can pick up every little piece safely and easily!
The Kitchn Editors
Nov 26, 2014
Listen to NPR’s Feel-Good Thanksgiving Playlist This Year!
When the meal is done, the candles are lit, and everyone is ready to sit down at the table, the only thing left to do is put on a little background music. But what to play? Let the music minds at NPR show you the way. NPR’s ‘Songs for Stuffing’ playlist is totally food-focused, and comes to you with a little wink and a smile.
Cambria Bold
Nov 26, 2014
A Felt Thanksgiving Dinner
(Image credit: Carrie McBride) From Apartment Therapy → Play Food Felt-A-Long Week 3: Dinner’s Served!
The Kitchn
Nov 26, 2014
Peychaud’s Bitters: A New Orleans Take on Aromatic Bitters
In the past, we’ve written about aromatic bitters and covered some brands to fit your budget. But one well-known bottle was noticeably absent from the mix: the storied New Orleans original, Peychaud’s Bitters. The omission was intentional. Yes, Peychaud’s belongs to the broader category of aromatic bitters — of which Angostura is a member, too.
Roger Kamholz
Nov 25, 2014
Here’s What You Should Do with Your Turkey Immediately After Dinner Today
Yes, that leftover Thanksgiving turkey, carcass and all, is going to be staring you in the face on Thursday night. Do you know the best way to take it apart and store it? Or do you just loosely drape some plastic wrap or foil on top, shove it into the fridge, and plan to deal with it another time? Let’s walk through the best ways to take apart and store your leftover turkey! The first thing you have to ask yourself, before you even touch the turkey, is what you plan to do with it.
Christine Gallary
Nov 25, 2014
Long & Low Holiday Centerpieces
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → Style Secrets: 4 Ways to Create Long & Low Thanksgiving Centerpieces Long, low centerpieces add color and drama but don’t impede conversation at the dinner table. Here are five tutorials to help you put one together!
The Kitchn
Nov 25, 2014