ShelleyWiseman
Shelley Wiseman, NY, USSenior Food Editor
Contributions
Halve Tomatoes and Peppers for Easy Peeling
Cutting and broiling tomatoes and peppers makes it easy to peel them.
Use the Right Strainer for the Job
There are no standards for coarse-, medium-, or fine-mesh sieves, so how do you know which is which?
Chill Out
Hot weather calls for cold soup.
Test Salad Dressing with a Leaf
Trying to get the right balance in your homemade salad dressing? This is one time you don't want to use your hands.
A Workhorse Drain Rack that Looks Good, Too
We’ve tried a number of drain racks over the years and this is the first one we’ve really liked.
A Peeler Hulls Strawberries, Too
Vegetable peelers are an effective strawberry huller.
Taste Peas Before Buying
Whether you’re buying peas shelled or in their pods, the important thing is to get a taste to ensure that they’re sweet.
A Mexican Lime Juicer is Perfect for Key Limes
Key limes are too small for most citrus squeezers, so when we need to squeeze a lot of them, we reach for a hand-held Mexican lime juicer for easy juicing.
How to Make a Better Burger
Rather than flattening the burgers with a spatula, which presses out all their lovely juice, try forming your burgers a little differently.
Why Flour a Cake Pan?
Many cake recipes instruct you to butter a cake pan and then flour it. We all know the butter stops the cake from sticking, but what does the flour do?
Use Your Rolling Pin to Transfer Pie Dough
Once you’ve rolled out the dough for a pie or quiche crust, your next task is to transfer it to the pie plate. The best way to do this is to roll it around the rolling pin and then unroll it over the plate.
How to Test Fish for Doneness
Restaurant chefs have an ingenious way of checking whether a piece of fish is properly cooked without having to cut it open, and it’s something home cooks can easily do, too.
Choosing Kitchen Towels
Cloth kitchen towels aren't just for drying dishes; they're often used for handling food, too.
Why You Need a Bench Knife
A bench knife, also known as a pastry scraper, is a straight-edged metal rectangle with a handle along one side.
Separating Eggs Successfully
Here are a few tips for separating egg whites from yolks.
Want to Gauge a Chile's Heat? Follow Your Nose
You don’t have to set your mouth on fire to find out how hot your chile is.
Our Favorite Mandolines
If you need to slice a lot of vegetables, a mandoline can come in handy. Here are our top three picks for home use.
Six Great American Blue Cheeses
Here are six of the many excellent blue cheeses produced across the United States.
What to Do with Leftover Buttermilk
Ideas for using leftover buttermilk.
Pure Vanilla
In Pure Vanilla, Shauna Sever elevates vanilla from plain-Jane status to something sublime.
A Compact Vacuum Sealer That's Easy to Use
Whether you’re refrigerating fresh fish or freezing steaks, vacuum packing helps the food stay in top condition longer.
A Better Way to Cut Limes
Here's a quick tip on how to cut limes.
Fine Cooking's Secret Weapon: The Wooden Spatula
For many of us in the test kitchen, the wooden spatula is a low-tech secret weapon.
Treat Your Feet
Attention, cooks with sore feet! Finally, someone made an incredibly comfortable mat for those cold-weather bake-athons.
How to Unmold a Tart
Learn how to unmold a tart baked in a fluted pan.
How to Line a Tart Pan
Learn how to make high, double-thick sides for a filled tart.
Drawer Chic
Silicone mats and small silicone dividers make finding the right kitchen tool a snap.
How to Cut Julienne Strips
"Julienne" is a French cooking term for thin strips of vegetables (or meat or fruit). In this post, I'll show you how to make this cut.
A Piecrust Shield Protects Against Burning
Here is a great tip on how to protect your piecrust against burning.
Grilling with a Mop and a Sauce
Many recipes for long-cooking grilled meats call for a mop as well as a barbecue sauce. Learn the difference between the two.
With Shrimp, Size Matters
We're taking the confusion out of how to buy shrimp and giving you a visual so you'll know what to buy if the recipe you're using doesn't give a count as well as a quantity per pound.
How to Choose the Right Whisk for the Job
Here’s the lowdown on three of the most common types of whisks.
French vs. Italian vs. Swiss Meringue
There are three types of meringue; their differences lie in when and how the sugar is added.
For Smooth Slicing, Try a Ceramic Vegetable Cleaver
Super sharp ceramic knives have been on the market for several years, but the vegetable cleaver is a relatively new style that’s not very well known.
How to Peel Carrots in Double Time
Here is a speedy way to peel carrots and other long thin vegetables.
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New in Cooks Talk
Join Fine Cooking at SF Chefs 2013 in San Francisco!
DMickelsen | May 15th, 2013
Old-fashioned Buttery Boston Cake with Sherry
BakeThisCake | May 13th, 2013
Culinary School: Croxetti (Pasta Coins) with Pine Nut-Butter Sauce
FC_Editors | May 9th, 2013
Minty Melon Granita: Desserts 4 Today
FC_Editors | May 9th, 2013|
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