Rachel Cericola

Your questions about ceramic knives, answered.

Never put your knife in the dishwasher again.

This time of year, the proper cooler can be just as important as the right bathing suit, beach chair, or pair of shades. It can make or break a summer gathering. After all, no one likes a sweaty beverage. But one cooler most definitely does not fit all. Luckily, coolers come in different shapes, sizes, and colors; some even include their own special accoutrements. No matter what style you pick, keep in mind that how you pack that cooler and what you pack it with is just as important.

Diners are magical places. They serve Reubens, fried chicken, French toast, patty melts, and pancakes. They can whip up eggs in ways you never knew possible, and have rotating cases packed with pies. They’re typically open all hours and will serve you breakfast whether it’s 1 a.m. or 1 p.m. And the atmosphere is just as memorable, from the vinyl seats and flickering fluorescents to the laminated menus and napkin dispensers.

It’s hard not to celebrate foods that encourage you to add butter. And while some people love eating corn like a caveman, this is the time of year to dig those corn holders, butterers, and other items out of the back of the kitchen drawer and display them with pride. To properly honor this corn-tastic time of year, don’t settle for a just a set of standard yellow picks — feast your eyes on this collection of 12 of the corniest corn tools. 1.

When it comes to chef’s knives, you can pay basically anything you want, from $10 to $1,000 (or more) — and there are cases to be made for both ends of the spectrum. Budget knives can get the job done and they’re basically worry-free. On the other hand, spending more will get you one that will last forever and is probably a work of art, too. Still, our cutting board experts agree that the sweet spot is somewhere in the middle, around $50 to $100.

Ceramic knives may look like fancy plastic utensils, but your produce and fingers know otherwise — these blades are sharp! And the good news is, they keep that edge for a very long time. The bad news? These tools can’t take the same type of abuse as their stainless steel counterparts. They’re more brittle and more likely to chip or break if you don’t treat them with special care. Here are five tips for taking care of these fierce but fragile blades.

Asian grocery stores are a great resource for all sorts of spices, sauces, and gummy candies. They’re also filled with all sorts of kitchen tools, many of which are offered at a deep discount. While some finds may seem as foreign as the jars of kimchi and bags of shrimp chips, others are just like those expensive gadgets you’ve ogled at high-end kitchen stores — except at the Asian market, they’re downright cheap. So, what should you buy?

This is the time of year when we all love to get away — from work, from school, from paying the electric bill. We don’t really care where we go, as long as we’re away. And if you’re escaping the heat en famille — whatever family may mean to you — a rental house can’t be beat. It allows you to sprawl out, have personal space, and not have to endure a 30-minute wait for the bathroom.