The Kitchn Archive: 2014

Is there a most important bottle in the 9-Bottle Bar? One that turns up in essential recipe after essential recipe, and bridges gaps between disparate ingredients? Is there one bottle that, like the Dude’s cherished rug, really ties the metaphorical room that is the 9-Bottle Bar together? While I don’t play favorites, a strong case could be made for preeminence of the ninth and final bottle to be covered in the series: aromatic bitters.

While it’s easy to get caught up with winter squash at the farmers market right now, keep moving along. There are even more exciting things happening. Like orange and purple cauliflower! Here’s what you should know about these vibrant vegetables! Colored cauliflower started popping up at farmers markets about ten years ago, and it’s become increasing popular and more widely available in the last few years. No, they’re not painted or dyed!

It’s a little embarrassing to admit how long it took me, culinarily speaking, to get around to roasting a turkey for the first time. I had written two cookbooks and was well into a third before I actually attempted to roast a full-sized, naked turkey in all its glory. (Neither cookbook, I hasten to add, had much to do with poultry.) Are you a turkey novice too? Looking on from the side dish sidelines? Let me pull you into the game. A turkey may be big, but it’s not a big deal.

After the bounty of summer berries and stone fruits, it may seem that fall and winter are relegated to only apples, pears, and citrus, but don’t forget pomegranates! The hidden little sweet-tart jewels inside pomegranates can brighten up any rainy or wintry day. Pomegranates are one of the world’s oldest cultivated fruits. Native to Iran and India, archaeological findings show that they were grown and harvested by the Persians as far back as 2,000 BC.

Scrambled eggs are one of the most basic and comforting dishes, and, in fact, they were likely one of the first foods many of us learned to cook. But are you really doing it right? While everyone has their own favorite cooking method for scrambled eggs, there are a few rules that remain constant. We’re sharing five common mistakes that are made when cooking scrambled eggs, plus our best tips on how to avoid them!

It’s hard to imagine any condiment shelf without a bottle of soy sauce — this intense sauce gives instant rich flavor to stir-fries, enhances sushi, and can add a quick punch of flavor to sauces and soups. But there are so many types of soy sauce out there it can be a bit confusing. Here’s our guide to the most common types of soy sauce and other sauces that are in the same family!