The Kitchn Archive
2015
May

The Kitchn Archive: May 2015

15 Dining Benches That Will Make You Want to Be a Bench Warmer
Whether you have a formal dining room or a small eat-in kitchen, adding a bench instead of individual chairs can be a great choice for many reasons. Not only can it be more economical (depending on how large your table is, the cost of your chairs can really add up!), but it can also make for a more versatile seating arrangement. Plus, you can often tuck the bench under the table and out of the way if you need more floor space. Here are 15 of our favorite takes on dining tables with benches.
Kristin Appenbrink
May 29, 2015
Cloth vs. Paper Towels
(Image credit: David Dines) From Apartment Therapy → The Great Debate: Cloth or Paper Towels?
The Kitchn
May 29, 2015
I Spent $30 on a Window Fan for My Rental Kitchen, and It’s Made a Huge Difference
A while ago, I wrote a post about how to ventilate a kitchen when you don’t have a range hood or vent. A number of Kitchn readers recommended installing a reversible window fan which, when put on the exhaust setting, can effectively draw smells, steam, and smoke out of your kitchen. I don’t have a hood in my rental kitchen, and for a long time I just ran the ceiling fans in other rooms when I cooked something particularly smelly or smoky. It worked okay, but wasn’t ideal.
Cambria Bold
May 29, 2015
DIY Coffee-Filter Flowers
(Image credit: Ashley Poskin) From Apartment Therapy → How to Make Paper Flowers with Coffee Filters
The Kitchn
May 28, 2015
Why Sharpening Your Knives Is Like Going to the Dentist
The words dentist and knives together in the same sentence don’t sound very pleasant, do they? Don’t worry, they have nothing to do with any painful dental work, but instead are a good way to think about knife honing and sharpening! We have talked about how a honing steel doesn’t actually sharpen knives, but actually just realigns the edge of the knife back to the center. One extremely wise comment came in from our reader: This analogy is absolutely perfect.
Christine Gallary
May 28, 2015
5 Times to Splurge and Use Nut Oils
Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest differences. So, the next time you want to treat yourself to a meal or snack that’s just a little more special, consider opting for a flavorful nut oil in place of your regular olive or coconut oil. Nut oils have a flavorful and very distinct taste, along with the ability to really make a dish shine. Whether you go for walnut, hazelnut, pistachio, or almond oil, you really can’t go wrong.
Kelli Foster
May 28, 2015
Want Soft, Scoopable Homemade Ice Cream? Booze Is the Answer
Did you know you can add hard alcohol, beer, or wine to your homemade ice cream base? Not only will it taste deliciously boozy, but it will also make for a softer scoop of ice cream. Cue the daily science lesson! By adding booze to your homemade ice cream recipe, you’re essentially lowering its freezing point. As Max Falkowitz explains on Serious Eats: “By adding alcohol to ice cream, you increase that proportion of liquid syrup to solid fat and ice, which makes for a softer scoop.
Ariel Knutson
May 27, 2015
20 Accessories for Picnic Perfection
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → 20 DIY Picnic Blankets, Baskets & Al Fresco Accessories
The Kitchn
May 27, 2015
Does Soaking Brown Rice Really Help It Cook Faster?
Brown rice is an ideal side dish for stir-fries, curries, and just about any cut of meat. The big drawback, though, is its lengthy 45-minute cook time, especially if you’re trying to get dinner on the table fast. I recently came across a tip that mentioned soaking brown rice could cut the cook time by more than half. Talk about a dinnertime game-changer! Obviously I had to test this tip for myself. The original tip comes from Marion Burros in a 1991 article from The New York Times.
Kelli Foster
May 27, 2015
Why Is Cardamom Scandinavia’s Favorite Spice?
If I had to choose one spice that sums up Swedish baking, it’s definitely cardamom. Some of the most classic fika recipes involve cardamom in some way, from yeast cardamom buns to cardamom cake. The same is true for the rest of Scandinavia; cardamom is a spice that’s widely used in Scandinavian baking. In fact, a woman recently told me Finnish cardamom is the best to buy, which I thought was puzzling since, of course, cardamom isn’t produced anywhere near Finland.
Anna Brones
May 27, 2015
When to Use a Light-Colored Pan, and When to Use a Dark One
Most of us have more than one baking sheet, and probably almost none of them match because we tend to build up our arsenal of bakeware over the course of several years. They come in varying shades of silver, gray, and even black, which can be confusing when you want to bake a sheet cake or roast a pan of Brussels sprouts. When should you opt for a lighter or a darker pan, and why?
Janice Lawandi
May 27, 2015
5 Tips for Living with a Small Kitchen
(Image credit: Marie-Lyne Quirion) From Apartment Therapy → 5 Essential Rules for Surviving in a Small Kitchen
The Kitchn
May 26, 2015
Faith’s Marble Countertops: One Year Later
Apartment Therapy
May 26, 2015
DIY Moth-Repellent Sachet
(Image credit: Ashley Poskin) From Apartment Therapy → How To Make a Moth-Repellent Sachet
The Kitchn
May 25, 2015
What Is Fika? An Introduction to the Swedish Coffee Break
Ever hear mention of fika? Maybe you’ve heard of the cafe chain in New York City, or maybe you’ve heard a Swedish friend make a fika reference, or maybe you once watched that silly Gevalia video. But when it comes to fika, do you really know what it is? Three years ago my friend Johanna Kindvall and I set out to write a book on the topic of fika, the almighty Swedish coffee break. For Swedes, fika is nothing revolutionary; it’s simply part of everyday life.
Anna Brones
May 25, 2015
Recipe: White Chocolate Birthday Popcorn
Apartment Therapy
May 25, 2015
In Defense of Dessert for Dinner
The beginning of my sophomore year in college, I had a moment that was both mundane and packed with meaning. It was around 6 or 6:30 p.m. on a Tuesday; I’d gone to the grocery store to get food for the next few days. Making my way to the produce section, I was hit hard by the sweet, buttery smells floating from the bakery’s gleaming glass cases. I was routinely assaulted by their tempting scents, and almost as routinely, I’d yield.
Jennifer Kornegay
May 24, 2015
5 Tips to Make Dinner Quicker & Easier
Getting dinner on the table sounds simple enough, right? And in theory, it should be — but it doesn’t always play out that way. Between meal planning, grocery shopping, prep, and making an effort to vary the meals you put on the table, dinnertime can be tough. Here are five tips — from staple foods and tools, to meal templates and a tip for finding new inspiration — to help make getting dinner on the table a little easier for you.
Kelli Foster
May 24, 2015
What’s Cooking This Weekend, Leela Cyd?
This week we visited the quirky cottage kitchen of Leela Cyd and David Kilpatrick. We got to know why they love their cheap storage solution and Leela’s favorite summertime breakfast. So there’s only one question left to ask: Leela, what’s cooking this weekend? After living in India a few years ago, lassis of every variety are now a part of my regular repertoire. I’m going to whip up a batch of pineapple lassis to have with brunch.
Faith Durand
May 22, 2015
This 2-Ingredient Chicken May Be Another Contender for the Best Chicken Recipe of All Time
It really is hyperbole to call any recipe the best — and yet we still quest after that singular experience, that recipe that will make us go yes! that was amazing! Contenders come across my radar rarely; when it comes to chicken, just one other recipe exploded off the page into hyperbolic category (remember that Jamie Oliver chicken in milk?). But here comes another chicken recipe, swaggering into the ring and asking for serious respect. The catch, here? It only has two ingredients.
Faith Durand
May 22, 2015
5 Tips for a Dinner Party Buffet at Home
I love having friends over for dinner, and I’m lucky enough that I have the space to have six people around the table in my Brooklyn kitchen. But six people can still be a tight squeeze, so I almost always set the food up buffet-style. It gives everyone a little more room at the table, and it makes it easier for me to clean up later. We’ve shown you how to plan a buffet for a large gathering, like a wedding, but I have a few tips that are important for smaller dinner parties.
Kristin Appenbrink
May 22, 2015
5 Conditions That Afflict the Reluctant Dishwasher
When it comes to doing the dishes, I will give my husband this: he’s better than he used to be. When we first met 15 years ago, he purposely wouldn’t wash the backs of plates, claiming “they don’t get dirty,” a lazy plea that was so easily disproven he couldn’t keep it up for long.
Anjali Prasertong
May 22, 2015
The Golden Rule of Washing Dishes: Do You Follow It?
From The Kitchn → Do You Believe in the Golden Rule of Washing Dishes?
Apartment Therapy
May 22, 2015
Make a Bouquet of Paper Roses
(Image credit: Ashley Poskin) From Apartment Therapy → How To Make Paper Flowers: Spray Roses
The Kitchn
May 21, 2015
The Correct Way to Respond to a Dinner Invitation
When it comes to party and dinner invitations, I blame Facebook and its much debated “maybe” option. But I think the art of responding to an invitation was disappearing before Facebook. As with most etiquette dilemmas, the real question is how something should be done in a way that makes others feel comfortable, even happy. And the answer is simple: Wait. That was two rules, wasn’t it? And there are a few more, but responding early and unambiguously are the most important.
Anne Wolfe Postic
May 21, 2015
5 Strategies for Getting Your Partner to Wash the Dishes for You
Scenario: You and your partner made dinner, devoured the whole thing, and now there’s a pile of dishes sitting in the sink. You know it’s your turn to tackle the dishes, but you really don’t want to. Not even a little bit. So, how do you convince your sweet, loving, adoring partner to do them for you?
Ariel Knutson
May 21, 2015
How Starches Thicken Sauces and Fillings
Are you making a traditional lasagna filled with layers of creamy béchamel? Maybe you are cooking a quick beef and Chinese broccoli stir-fry for dinner with a sauce that’s loaded with ginger and garlic? Or perhaps you’re considering making a sweet, thick vanilla pastry cream to fill a fruit tart this weekend? In most cases, the secret to a thick sauce (or filling) that coats food evenly is starch, whether plain flour, cornstarch, tapioca starch, or even arrowroot starch.
Janice Lawandi
May 21, 2015
Recipe: Slow-Cooker Korean Short Ribs
Back when I was working graveyard shifts as a hospital pharmacist, cooking dinner was the absolute last thing I wanted to do when I got home. Fortunately, I learned that I could quickly toss some ingredients into my slow cooker and pass out, confident that I’d wake up when things started smelling good — like these slow-cooked, Asian-spiced ribs.
Michelle Tam
May 21, 2015
5 Secrets of the Best Dinner Party Hosts
Apartment Therapy
May 21, 2015
DIY Terrarium Tutorial
(Image credit: Ashley Poskin) From Apartment Therapy → How To Make a Terrarium
The Kitchn
May 20, 2015
5 Ways to Use Worcestershire Sauce
I’ve always found Worcestershire sauce such a funny ingredient — how exactly do you pronounce it? And did you know it’s not vegetarian Regardless of its funny quirks, it always has a place in my refrigerator door, especially since it’s one of the key ingredients in my husband’s grilled steak marinade. But what else can this fermented, pungent condiment be used for?
Christine Gallary
May 20, 2015
10 Dinner Table Discussions Beyond “How Was Your Day?”
Apartment Therapy
May 20, 2015
A Tip for Cooking with Cast Iron on an Electric Stove
Do you worry about cooking with your cast iron skillet on a flat-top electric stove? It’s actually perfectly fine, but it can take a little bit of adjustment to learn how to get the best results from this thoroughly useful pan on an electric stove. Here’s a discussion about overall cast iron skillet care Do you have other tips for using a cast iron skillet on an electric stove?
Faith Durand
May 19, 2015
It’s Wedding Shower Season!
(Image credit: Faith Durand) From Apartment Therapy → A Wedding Shower Public Service Announcement
The Kitchn
May 19, 2015
The 5 Cookbooks That Taught Me to Cook (and I Still Use Today)
When I have guests over for dinner, some of them have read my website and also know I write for The Kitchn, and this naturally leads to the assumption that I am a fairly good cook. The conversation leads to cookbooks, of course, and as I have many of them open or stacked about in my kitchen, people are always nosing around in them and asking me for recommendations.
Michelle Peters-Jones
May 19, 2015
How We Improved Our Kitchen with a Tool Cart & Vertical Storage
Who cooks and eats here: Leela Cyd & David Kilpatrick Where: Santa Barbara, California See their kitchen: Leela & David’s Quirky Cottage Kitchen This kitchen was challenging in its lack of pantry and the fact that there are very few walls, and the existing walls are met with doors to other rooms (bathroom and tiny office), so a large shelving unit wasn’t practical.
Leela Cyd
May 19, 2015
10 Questions to Ask Your Partner at the Dinner Table
“How was your day?” Every couple sharing an evening meal together has asked this question. It’s a fine question; you care about each other, after all, and are genuinely interested in what happened that day! But sometimes, especially for couples who’ve been together a long time, dinner conversations can settle into the same grooves night after night — work talk, complaining about the subway, what’s new with the kids.
Cambria Bold
May 19, 2015
The Real Reason I Don’t Want You to Help with the Dishes
You probably think I’m rude when I sneak away from the table, taking a few plates to the kitchen, trying and failing to go unnoticed. You probably think I won’t let you help because I’m too uptight about the way things are done. (You would have been right about that 10 years ago, but I’ve recovered, and will happily let other people clean these days.) Worst of all, it might seem like I want the party to end, and for you to go home. But none of that would be true.
Anne Wolfe Postic
May 19, 2015
How Familiarity with Your Grocery Store Can Save You Money
Does it matter where you grocery shop? I mean, aren’t all stores basically the same? No, they aren’t. In fact, there can be a huge range of pricing for the very same item in a number of stores. Where you shop can save you money. But did you know that shopping at the same store can also reduce your grocery bill week after week? Familiarity can breed contempt — but I prefer when it saves me some coin.
Jessica Fisher
May 19, 2015
Recipe: Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice with Kalua Pork
Adopting a Paleo lifestyle doesn’t mean that fried rice is forever off the menu. You just have to get creative. Years ago, when I went Paleo, I experimented in the kitchen until I developed an Asian cauliflower fried “rice” that easily trumps the greasy, soy-drenched stuff peddled by your local Chinese restaurant. As long as you prep the veggies the night before, it’s a cinch to throw this one-wok meal together on a weeknight.
Michelle Tam
May 19, 2015
What Can an Egg Poacher Be Used for Besides Poaching Eggs?
Q: How else can Calphalon Kitchen Essentials 4 Cup Egg Poacher be used besides poaching eggs? Can you please share some recipes and tips? Sent by Millie Editor: Readers, any advice on how to make this unitasker more useful in the kitchen?
Christine Gallary
May 19, 2015
10 Tips for a Better-Running Dishwasher
Apartment Therapy
May 19, 2015
Vertical-Gardening Resources
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From Apartment Therapy → The Best of Vertical Gardening: Inspiration, DIY & Resources
The Kitchn
May 18, 2015
Leela & David’s Quirky Cottage Kitchen
Who cooks and eats here: Leela Cyd & David Kilpatrick Where: Santa Barbara, California Rent or Own: Rent We’ve lived in this little downtown cottage for about two years, and although the kitchen has its quirks (no dishwasher, very little built-in pantry storage), we’ve made it work with several DIY fixes. I’ve tested an entire cookbook in this space, experimented with new and old recipes, and have daily breakfast dance parties here.
Leela Cyd
May 18, 2015
5 Lessons Learned From a Totally Tiny Kitchen
Apartment Therapy
May 18, 2015
7 Gardening Essentials
(Image credit: Jennifer Hunter) From Apartment Therapy → Get Garden Ready: Our Springtime Gardening Picks
The Kitchn
May 15, 2015
The Best Place to Thaw Frozen Food
There are lots of ways to thaw frozen food: you can put it in the refrigerator, run it under cold water, leave it out on the counter, or even use the defrost setting on your microwave. Which method is the best and safest one to use? The refrigerator is the safest method of thawing food because it keeps the food out of the “Danger Zone” (temperatures between 40°F and 140°F, where bacteria multiplies rapidly) the whole time it is defrosting.
Christine Gallary
May 15, 2015
5 Lessons I Learned from My 10-Square-Foot Kitchen
It was a happy day when I moved into my first studio apartment in New York City. I was thrilled to have an apartment filled with a constant stream of natural light, a beautiful exposed brick wall, and most of all, a space that was all mine. There was one little hitch though: the kitchen. I’m being generous when I tell you it was 10 square feet. It was probably smaller. One person could comfortably stand and work in there, though there was no room for anyone else.
Kelli Foster
May 15, 2015