sauces

If simple syrup's a very regular part of your bar repertoire, then you might want to consider adding honey syrup into the mix.

Honey lends a grassy, floral flavor to drinks, but it doesn't pour well and can crystallize. Honey syrup offers the same flavors but makes the nectar much easier to use: it pours smoothly, incorporates well, even in ice-cold drinks, and stores for up to a month.

Use the basic recipe to sweeten everything from tea to sorbet to mojitos, or infuse it with different herbs if you're in the mood to go crazy. For the no-recipe recipe, read on.

For an elegant but relaxed approach to tonight's dinner, serve grilled steaks with a sauce vierge.

This light and pungent sauce, which literally translates to "virgin sauce," is the Frenchman's rendition of Italy's salsa verde. Although the traditional elements, like capers, parsley, olive oil, and garlic still play a starring role, so do Provençal ingredients such as cornichons and Dijon mustard. As you allow all of the elements of the sauce to commingle, start heating up the grill to work on the steaks.
If you need to accommodate pescetarians, serve the fresh sauce on top of seared tuna or swordfish steaks for an equally tasty supper. Ready for the recipe? Then keep reading.

There's no better time than a massive heat wave to embrace salsa. It's a no-cook appetizer that's ideal for last-minute Summer entertaining, and makes use of the cornucopia of farm-fresh seasonal ingredients at your disposal. Eschew classic tomato salsa for a Mediterranean riff that incorporates cured green olives, oregano, and hot pepper relish — a topping that would taste great not only on pita chips, but also white meat or grilled fish. But salsa doesn't have to be salty: Take it for a sweet spin by incorporating mango and kiwi with a hint of brown sugar and ginger. Try either, or both, when you read more.

Does the notion of using anchovy paste in cooking sound fishy? If so, perhaps it's time to reconsider your stance: Anchovy paste is a versatile, convenient method of enhancing flavor in everything from soup to nuts.

Widely available in specialty stores, anchovy paste is a potent, salty paste made from ground anchovy fillets, water or olive oil, vinegar, and sugar to mellow out the ingredient's fish flavor. (It can also be made from scratch by mashing cured anchovies with a drizzle of olive oil until smooth.) Because the paste can have an overwhelming taste and smell, it's best used in small doses. For this reason, it's often sold in multiuse tubes, which, once opened, keep for up to several months.

A touch of anchovy paste can be used to add a savory, umami quality to dishes — one that's not so much briny as it is piquant. Use it to boost stews, soups, and braises, or to perk up tomato sauce or a meat rub. Personally, I love using the ingredient to up the quotient in a Caesar salad dressing. What do you use it for?

Blueberry season is in full swing, and I love finding new ways to appreciate the fruit. But before long, these blue beauts will have come and gone, too — so I always try to preserve Summer's bounty now for later down the line. For Summer veggies, it's quick pickling; for berries, I love a basic syrup or sauce.

This blueberry compote has become a fast favorite. It takes less than 15 minutes to make, and livens up everything from pancakes and waffles to ice cream. I used it in an original vodka cocktail and even stirred some in to basic bread pudding! Or, like I did with caramel sauce, bottle it in a pretty container and give it away as an edible gift. For the recipe, read on.

Every Summer I like to experiment with different homemade barbecue sauces. While I've made sauces that require hours to simmer and others that call for finely minced vegetables, I've never come across a barbecue sauce as easy and delicious as this one. The recipe says it's a Kansas City barbecue sauce, but being as I'm a California girl, I really know nothing about the regional differences of barbecue sauces (if you do, please share with me below!). What I do know is this sauce is really easy to make and absolutely scrumptious slathered on ribs and chicken. There's no chopping or heating involved, all you have to do is measure a bunch of spices into a bowl, stir in the liquids, and you've got homemade barbecue sauce. I love the addition of curry powder, it provides a subtle exotic-ness to the sauce. Want to learn how it's prepared? Just keep reading.