• All Choked Up - Artichokes are neither medicinal or an aphrodisiac but they are delicious and versatile. (Added: 28-Apr-2004 Hits: 1430 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• All You Can Eat - Last night my wife and I went to a lovely buffet at a well known German restaurant....The buffet featured sauerbraten, oxtails, pheasant, venison, duck a l'orange, a pork-loin carving station, salmon, braised red cabbage and a decadent, buttery spaetzle. In the center of the smorgasbord stood the chef, graciously greeting patrons, readily answering questions, and eagerly serving his multi-splendid delights. (Added: 29-Oct-2008 Hits: 0 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Almond Joy - The almond is one of the most popular nuts, not only in modern times but throughout history. Man has been consuming them since at least 10,000 BC and inevitably before. (Added: 11-Jan-2006 Hits: 944 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Any Port in the Storm - Port is a wonderful wine for blissfully sipping in a relaxed manner after a good meal. If you are a cigar smoker it makes a perfect accompaniment. Or pair it with walnuts, chocolate, or strong cheeses like cheddar, or even better, bleu cheeses like Stilton or Gorgonzola. (Added: 20-Sep-2006 Hits: 446 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• As Time Goes By - A few towns away from me is a restaurant that I used to frequent. It certainly wasn't the best one around but the food was decent and reliable. Then, for no particular reason, I didn't go there for a few years. Recently I returned looking forward to recapitulating some of the old taste sensations. Sadly, I was egregiously disappointed. The quality of the food had clearly deteriorated. The fact that my wife and I were the only patrons in the place should have tipped me off... (Added: 10-Apr-2008 Hits: 130 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Asian Sauces - Asian cuisine is extremely multifaceted. Indeed, Asia is the world's largest continent and home to more countries than any other land mass. To make things exponentially more diverse, most countries have manifold cuisines, each emanating from varying geographic locations. China, Thailand and India are just a few examples of nations with heterogeneous culinary profiles. (Added: 17-May-2010 Hits: 0 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Asparagus: The Herald of Spring - ...Asparagus is quite versatile. It can be cooked by virtually every cooking method. It can be boiled, steamed, simmered, grilled, roasted, sautéed and fried.... (Added: 25-Feb-2004 Hits: 2654 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Autumn's Ambassadors - The envoys of fall arrive to greet us well before the autumnal equinox. Gourds, which include pumpkins, winter squash, and those warty, odd-shaped decorative miniatures, begin showing up in supermarkets and roadside stands in late summer. (Added: 7-Sep-2005 Hits: 791 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Avocados: The Fruit of the Conquistador - Avocados are a rather unique fruit, having a rich, buttery texture. There are many varieties but the two most common are the Fuerte and the Hass. The Fuerte is larger, green colored and smooth skinned. The preferred Hass is smaller, dark green to black, and pebbly skinned. The Hass is the only variety available year round. California produces over 90% of the world's avocados and is a leading consumer as well. (Added: 6-Dec-2006 Hits: 697 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Balsamic Vinegar: The Angel's Share - Balsamic vinegar, originally from Modena, Italy, but also made in Emilia-Romagna, is a highly-prized, labor intensive and delicious vinegar made from Trebbiano grapes. (Added: 25-Mar-2009 Hits: 0 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Barolo: Hail to the King! - Barolo has been touted as the king of Italian wines. Indeed, few would deny the merits of such a regal distinction. Barolo is made from the Nebbiolo grape from the hilly vineyards of the Cuneo province in the Piedmont region of Italy. It is eponymously named for a village in the same area. The Nebbiolo grape flourishes in calcareous (involving calcium carbonate) and marly (lime and clay), soil in somewhat cooler weather. It is almost exclusively planted in northwest Italy. (Added: 21-May-2007 Hits: 129 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Basil: Saint or Sinner? - Basil is a member of the mint family. There are dozens of varieties, most of which are annuals. The most common species is sweet basil. Its flavor is similar to licorice and/or cloves yet somewhat sweet. There's lemon and cinnamon basil which contain different amounts or combinations of certain essential oils and produce a flavor reminiscent of their respective namesake.... (Added: 18-Oct-2007 Hits: 156 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Beauty is in the Taste Buds of the Beholder - Studies have shown that people eat more when the food is visually pleasing. This is not to say that if you were served designer dog biscuits on a pretty plate that you would devour them with glee. (Added: 8-Sep-2004 Hits: 672 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Black-Eyed Peas - Black-eyed peas can be utilized much like any other legume. A simple and popular approach to enjoying them is to saute them with onion, some kind of pork product, and seasonings. But if you add rice to that you will produce the quintessential black-eyed pea dish... (Added: 21-Oct-2008 Hits: 0 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Blanching 101 - Blanching is a cooking technique whereby food, usually vegetables or fruits, are briefly immersed in boiling, salted water, and then submerged in an ice water bath, (known as "shocking"), to halt the cooking process. (Added: 11-May-2005 Hits: 861 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Bordeaux - Bordeaux, (Bor-DOH), is one of the world's best wines. But Bordeaux's geography, nomenclature, grape varieties, and outdated classification system is confusing enough to drive you to drink. Hmmmm. Maybe that's the plan? Let's see if we can make this wonderful wine more mentally palatable. (Added: 18-May-2005 Hits: 490 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Born to Roast - Part I - Roasting is a dry-heat cooking method originally performed over an open fire with the target food impaled on a spit. Nowadays it is inevitably accomplished in an oven. Although there are a myriad of nuances and considerations, quite simply it involves placing the food in a hot oven until it is done. (Added: 27-Mar-2008 Hits: 311 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Born to Roast - Part II - OK, so our roast is ready to be cooked. What do we put it on? A good roasting pan naturally. It is absolutely imperative to have a high quality roasting pan. Spend the money now or rue every roast for the rest of your life. (Added: 3-Apr-2008 Hits: 679 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Braising - I am not a winter person. But I must admit, there's nothing like a hearty winter meal followed by a good brandy or a hot cup of tea in front of the fireplace.... (Added: 31-Dec-2003 Hits: 1019 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

• Bread & Batter - The purpose of breadings and batters is threefold. First, it adds flavor. Can you even imagine the dreadfulness of crust-less fried chicken? In a similar vein, coatings also furnish a textural element. The contrast between a crunchy outside and a tender, moist inside is generally pleasing to the human palate. Finally, coatings also provide a thermal buffer between the hot oil and the food. They allow the food to heat sufficiently without becoming overly charred. (Added: 20-Feb-2008 Hits: 252 Rating: 0 Votes: 0)

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