melissapellegrino
contributing editor
Contributions
Big Buy: Roasted Red Peppers
In winter, the tastiest peppers come from a jar, so stock up on roasted red peppers and check out these party-worthy recipes.
Big Buy: Celery
Making the most of celery, a favorite food find from a warehouse store.
Pear Season
The fruit of the moment, pears, are an amazingly versatile ingredient in recipes both sweet and savory.
Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook
Medium Raw is the latest culinary manifesto from opinionated chef Anthony Bourdain.
Squash Blossom Fritters
As a child, one of my favorite recollections is of my mom frying up some zucchini blossom fritters. The recipe is handed down from my great grandmother, but like my mom, I've tweaked it to my own...
Big Buy: Buffalo Mozzarella
If there's one cheese we can't resist, it's creamy buffalo mozzarella. Typically expensive, buffalo mozzarella is a versatile ingredient you might not expect to find at the warehouse store. But we did.
A Blog That's Got Me Thinking Twice About Rhubarb
I found a enticing recipe in a post on Lara Ferroni's blog that's got me thinking twice about an ingredient I normally overlook.
Strawberry Soup
What's better than a creamy, tangy strawberry soup?
Sunday Suppers Herbed Flatbreads
Sunday Suppers featured an herbed flatbread that's so simple yet elegant, I have to share it.
How to Measure Strawberries for Recipes
Some recipes call for strawberries by the pint or quart. Trouble is, strawberries aren’t always sold that way. Say you need a pint of strawberries, but your market sells them by the...
Removing Garlic Germ
Here's a handy tip for knowing when you should remove the germ from your garlic clove.
Making Quenelles
Traditionally, the word “quenelle” refers to a small, oval-shaped dumpling of poached fish or meat, but today, chefs form everything from ice cream to mashed potatoes into this distinctive dumpling shape.
How to Make a Lemon Twist
A lemon twist is more than just a pretty cocktail garnish; the aromatic oils in the lemon peel add flavor to the drink, too.
Zucchini Blossoms
What do you do with these bright orange blossoms?
Maraschino Liqueur, Hold the Cherries
Discovering the differences between the liqueur and those sweet, ruby-red sundae toppers...
Seasoning Out of Whack? Check Your Broth
Two different store-bought chicken broths yield dramatically different results in a risotto.
The Inside Scoop on Testing Recipes
Why we test recipes more than once...
Cilantro: Love it or Hate it?
What is it about cilantro that inspires such strong feelings? Weigh in with your opinion: love it or loathe it?
Leifheit Cherrymatter: A Cherry Season Essential
Cherry season is upon us and we are working on some fantastic cherry recipes for next year. When I saw the amount of cherries I’d have to pit, I was a little overwhelmed. Then Jen, my...
A fine tool for the kitchen
One of my favorite kitchen gadgets
Got buttermilk?
In search of Bulgarian buttermilk
Who said tomatoes were just for eating?
Sliced tomatoes provide instant burn relief
Grill Surface Thermometer
The grill surface thermometer from CDN is small and easy to read.
Asian chicken noodle soup for your soul:
Recreating a restaurant favorite at home
A Cheesy Bundle of Joy
Adventures in babysitting feta
Two Tools for Shaving Fennel
Raw fennel adds great flavor to salads and other dishes.
For Perfect Custard, Draw the Line
A handy trick to cook your custard just right, without scrambling the eggs.
Onion Goggles
Something that finally puts an end to my onion-induced tears.
How To Get Crispy Duck Skin
As cold-water creatures, ducks are well insulated, which is a nice way of saying that they have a lot of fat. Without proper attention to that fat, duck skin can cook up flabby. To avoid this, you...
Big Buy: Fingerling Potatoes
Making the most of a favorite food find from a warehouse store.
New in Cooks Talk
What to Do with Your Leftover Superbowl Beans
alex_tillotson | February 9th, 2012_sqs.jpg)
Crab Cakes with Mango-Lime Sauce: Easy Valentine Recipe
JPSavoringToday | February 9th, 2012
Super-Fast Pressure Cooker Lemon Marmalade
pazzaglia | February 8th, 2012
Recent comments
Re: La Bella Italia!
Hey Jules,
posted: 5:54 am on November 10thGlad you like our blog and the almond croccante! I was so excited to see this today. Hope all is well.
Re: S'mores Cookies
These cookies look delicious, and I love the idea behind them.
posted: 11:11 am on June 22ndRe: A fine tool for the kitchen
The one that we have in the test kitchen is Kyocera and it works great. Oxo also makes a good one.
posted: 9:55 am on June 9thRe: Cracking the Boiled Egg Mystery
I too peel my eggs under cold running water - it is the only method i found that works everytime!
posted: 3:54 pm on June 4thRe: Tong Song
I use tongs for everything either here in the test kitchen or at home, they are my favorite kitchen accessory.
posted: 3:52 pm on March 13th