ming tsai

When a slightly hungover Ming Tsai fixed himself a melon mojito at his cooking seminar in Aspen, Chef Ming also revealed a tip that he'd discovered that weekend.

"One trick I learned from [Chef] Jasper White's prep cook is to use tongs to juice lemons and limes," he revealed, placing half a lemon close to the fulcrum of his stainless steel tongs. He used the tongs to get a better and more powerful grip on the citrus before squeezing.

This tip is a great way to juice without a citrus juicer or reamer, and makes even more use out of those multipurpose kitchen tongs. What's your foolproof method of getting the most juice from citrus?

We spotted Ming Tsai at a late-night party in Aspen for the Food & Wine Classic Friday evening — so it wasn't a surprise to find the chef roughing it a little at his early-morning cooking demo the next day. Still, the Next Iron Chef contestant and Blue Ginger proprietor managed to bring his best when it came to wit and cooking skills.

Ming made a number of dishes from his new cookbook, Simply Ming One-Pot Meals, but my favorite was his demonstration of a dish called Clams, Pork, and Jicama, in which he offered up a number of helpful tips that I wasn't familiar with. Follow these bivalve suggestions next time you cook at home, and you'll be happy as a clam. To see them, keep reading.

Today's seen news from Bravo's Top Chef, Food & Wine magazine, and now, the James Beard Foundation, with word that it's nailed its podium with Tom Colicchio, Ming Tsai, and (Top Chef Masters contestant!) Traci Des Jardins.

The hosts — all past James Beard Award winners themselves — will run with this year's "Ultimate Melting Pot" theme. They'll spearhead the May 9 gala reception as nominees and guests enjoy provisions from the likes of José Andrés and Jose Garces. Stay tuned for the announcement of James Beard Award finalists, which will come later this month.

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With their scrumptious eats, entertaining demos, and celebrity chefs, it's hard not to enjoy a food festival. However, what I love most about attending culinary events are the little details and unforgettable moments. For example, at the Food and Wine and Rum festival in Barbados, while waiting to speak with Chef Tim Love, I looked down at the grilling demo he was setting up and noticed his knife. Isn't it hysterical that Tim Love's knife is from Guy Fieri's Knuckle Sandwich line?!

To take a look at more fun photos from the weekend, browse my gallery after the break.

After he shared his thoughts on molecular gastronomy and the Next Iron Chef, Ming Tsai got to cooking at the Food and Wine and Rum festival in Barbados. He made three dishes, tuna Nicoise, pasta with pork and broccoli, and mussels, from his new cookbook, Simply Ming One-Pot Meals, while sharing a plethora of food knowledge with the small crowd. To learn Ming's advice on how to become a better home cook and more adventurous eater, keep reading.

Before his demo at the Food & Wine and Rum Festival in Barbados, the likable chef Ming Tsai sat down for a quick one-on-one interview. Although Tsai was at the tail end of a whirlwind book tour promoting his first cookbook in five years, Simply Ming One-Pot Meals, he wasn't tired of talking about the important message in what he considers his "most timely of all books." To see what Tsai had to say about One-Pot Meals, The Next Iron Chef, and more, keep reading.

Hot off the heels of Aarti Sequeira's win on The Next Food Network Star comes announcement of new contestants slated for season three of The Next Iron Chef, and the lineup is a little surprising.

Those hoping to become the next Kitchen Stadium superstar include none other than Ming Tsai, who is already an established television personality on PBS, as well as Food & Wine Best New Chef Bryan Caswell. Another notable participant is Marco Canora, owner of New York hotspots Hearth and Terroir. See all 10 chefs who will be competing — as well as my thoughts on the roster — when you keep reading.

• America's regional nostalgic candies are a dying breed. — Wall Street Journal
• Safeway stores have partnered with seafood organization Fish Wise to develop a sustainable seafood program. – San Francisco Chronicle
• Mark Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day, which land on the same date this year, with an East-West dish from Ming Tsai. — Chicago Tribune
• Is the end near for Napa's pricey cult Cabernets? — Los Angeles Times
• Where to eat in Vancouver during the Olympic Games. — New York Times
• Perfect with Super Bowl chili: cornbread with cheddar and chiles. — Boston Globe
• Liquor wholesalers are to blame when you can't find the brand of booze you're looking for. — Washington Post

• How Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi spends a lazy Sunday. — New York Times
• Live shows have become a serious revenue generator for celeb chefs. — Wall Street Journal
• Ming Tsai explores the best street food Tokyo has to offer. — Boston Globe
• Yet another cupcake has set the Guinness record for world's largest. — Palm Beach Post
• Nine creative ways to use Old Bay Seasoning. — Washington Post
• California wine country's 2009 harvest promises to be a smashing success. — San Francisco Chronicle
• Marry tacos with pasta, and you've got a winning dinner bowl. — Chicago Tribune
• Fall foods call for cozier white wines. — Los Angeles Times