Posts for December 5th 2012

Sugar Shout Out Dec 05, 2012

Sugar Shout Out: See the Most Adorable Pet Friendships

Unlikely but adorable pet friendships Get perfect holiday waves in 10 minutes A healthy hors d'oeuvre alternative for the holidays Frequently asked questions about Kate Middleton's pregnancy The most stylish celebrity pregnancy moments of 2012 How to become an online shopping pro Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, and more stars at the Les Misérables premiere Favorite moments from the modernism project photo challenge Try a new twist on your recipe for latkes Who is the best TV villain of 2012?

by Michelle Manning

gift guide Dec 05, 2012

Care For a Spot of Tea?: Gifts For the Tea Enthusiast

Whether she's a casual sipper or a whole-leaf tea devotee, the gift of exotic teas or ingenious brewing gear is sure to add a touch of luxury to her everyday.

by Nicole Perry

Whether she's a casual sipper or a whole-leaf tea devotee, the gift of exotic teas or ingenious brewing gear is sure to add a touch of luxury to her everyday. Keep reading for gift ideas from the practical (an electric tea kettle) to the whimsical (a Death Star shaped tea infuser) and beyond.

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recipes Dec 05, 2012

A Classic With a Luxurious Twist: Latkes Fried in Duck Fat

Any way you slice it, latkes and other fritters are an indulgent affair.

by Nicole Perry

Any way you slice it, latkes and other fritters are an indulgent affair. With this in mind, I thought I may as well take them over-the-top and fry them till lacy and crisp-tender in rich and pleasantly gamy duck fat.

Put simply, this wound up being a very good decision. The complex flavor of the duck fat is subtle, but it makes its presence known, adding a savory note that plays off sweet applesauce and tangy crème fraîche as if they were old friends.

This Hanukkah fry up crisp-tender duck fat-larded latkes.

Best of 2012 Dec 05, 2012

What Was Your Favorite Food Trend This Year?

2012 saw a resurgence in classic American foods that stem back to our country's roots like Jewish deli cuisine, pickles, and wild game.

by Anna Monette Roberts

2012 saw a resurgence in classic American foods that stem back to our country's roots like Jewish deli cuisine, pickles, and wild game. However, there are a few new revolutions on the rise, including desserts-on-a-stick and savory cocktails with unorthodox ingredients like green juice and foie gras. Tell us which food trend you found most delicious, and explain why in the comments below.

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cooking tips Dec 05, 2012

Roasting vs. Baking: What's the Difference?

Living in a small, city apartment, I've learned that I can go without a lot in the appliance department while still managing to create delicious food.

by Lizzie Fuhr

Living in a small, city apartment, I've learned that I can go without a lot in the appliance department while still managing to create delicious food. The oven, however, is not one of those things; in the modern kitchen, it's the king.

Two cooking methods — roasting and baking — are nearly synonymous with the concept of the oven itself, yet they are seemingly identical techniques. They both take place in the oven; they both use dry heat. So what's the difference? Keep reading to learn the difference between roasting and baking.

recipes Dec 05, 2012

Our Best Recipes From November

We were busy bees this past November simmering up soup, shaking cocktails, and tackling comfort-food favorites like chicken pot pie.

by Nicole Perry

We were busy bees this past November simmering up soup, shaking cocktails, and tackling comfort-food favorites like chicken pot pie. Take a look (and glean some kitchen inspiration) at everything we cooked last month (aside from Thanksgiving fare).

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Food News Dec 05, 2012

Link Time: Latkes and Doughnuts For Hanukkah

Mouthwatering latke and sufganiyot recipes for Hanukkah — Chow Why you should own a pressure cooker — HuffPost Taste Sneak peek at Range, Bryan Voltaggio's new restaurant — Zagat The latest controversy?

by Susannah Chen

Mouthwatering latke and sufganiyot recipes for Hanukkah — Chow
Why you should own a pressure cooker — HuffPost Taste
Sneak peek at Range, Bryan Voltaggio's new restaurant — Zagat
The latest controversy? Easy-Bake ovens should be gender-neutral — Delish
A guide to drinking during every Christmas activity — Grub Street New York
Expect to see 1,500 new Starbucks stores in America next year — Eater
Bartenders share what booze to buy for the best deal — Serious Eats

fast and easy Dec 05, 2012

Make Italian Party Appetizers This Holiday

We've long known that just about anything tastes better on a stick, and Italian antipasti are no exception.

by Susannah Chen

We've long known that just about anything tastes better on a stick, and Italian antipasti are no exception. If you're hosting for a crowd, skip the Italian appetizer platters and go straight for these light yet flavorful finger-friendly kebabs of Italian sausage, roasted peppers, basil, artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes. Serve them on colorful toothpicks with a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Watch the video to see how it's done.

Vegetarian Dec 05, 2012

12 Days of Edible Gifts: Garlic Confit

Low-effort yet luxurious, garlic confit (garlic stewed in fat — in this case, olive oil) is my favorite sort of edible gift.

by Nicole Perry

Low-effort yet luxurious, garlic confit (garlic stewed in fat — in this case, olive oil) is my favorite sort of edible gift. In addition to its ease of preparation, it's also a welcome respite from the deluge of holiday sweets — though I'm certainly not denouncing fudge, truffles, or holiday cookies. To top it off, garlic confit is the gift that keeps on giving, thanks to its highly adaptable nature.

Creamy and mellow, garlic confit shines wherever one might use roasted garlic. Try mashing it into butter (or the garlic oil it's packed in) and spreading it on a crusty baguette for extra-special garlic bread, add it to compound butter to top sizzling steak, whip it into mashed potatoes, blitz it with its oil for a pungent salad dressing, or tuck the cloves under the skin of roasted chicken. Its uses are near infinitesimal.

Keep reading for the recipe.