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Garlic - the stinking rose - 14 Nov 2008
Elizabeth David swore that swallowing an unpeeled clove of garlic whole before eating any garlicky food would prevent garlic smell on the breath. read more...
Licorice - 2 Nov 2008
Licorice makes a Dutch candy beloved of its countrymen. And they like it salty... read more...
Korean hot pots - 12 May 2008
Cooks in search of low calorie meals that are stimulating to eat could turn to the Korean hot pot. read more...
What is gluten? - 12 May 2008
Gluten is the natural protein surrounding kernels of wheat, barley, rye and oats. It's what makes a dough stretch. read more...
Asparagus - just so much grass... - 9 May 2008
Asparagus, like tomatoes, are a vegetable that really should be eaten only in season and from a pick-your-own supplier. But outside France and England, there aren't too many of them. Still, when spring, it's proper season comes, make the most of it. For starters (forgive the pun), try Todd Gray's recipe for asparagus soup. read more...
Chinese restaurants: Kosher, vegan, organic - 8 May 2008
There aren't many to choose from - just one in each category so far. But that's better than none. read more...
Gastropubs - eating cheap in Britain - 8 May 2008
Britain's pubs are famous. But they haven't always been particularly pleasant places to have a bite to eat. Nor did they offer good beer to drink, until the Campaign for Real Ale in the early 1970s fought to oust big brewery manufactured beers and bring back real ales. Now Britain's chefs are returning well-cooked, seasonal traditional British food to the menus of what have consequently become named Gastropubs. If you're traveling to London and want to stretch that food dollar, here's a list of some to eat at. read more...
Quinoa - 8 May 2008
Quinoa is a grain so ancient it's sometimes called the 'mother' of all grains. read more...
Balsamic vinegar - a sour note - 7 May 2008
If ever there was a food fad that didn't do the original product any good, it's balsamic vinegar. read more...
Americas and Caribbean food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Northern Europe food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Mediterranean food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Greek and Middle Eastern food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
French food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Far North food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Far East & Africa food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Britain & Ireland food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Asia to Australia food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Smoked Haddock - 21 Mar 2008
British breakfasters miss their kedgeree, a staple of the groaning British Raj breakfast sideboard that these days makes a great lunch dish and their Omelette Arnold Bennett. But where to get the key ingredient, smoked haddock? Don't despair, there's a good internet source. read more...
Afghan eateries - 17 Mar 2008
There aren't too many places in the area to find an Afghan menu. But it's not as hard as you might imagine. read more...
Ginger - fresh - 28 Nov 2007
Don't worry if you've bought too large a piece of ginger root. Fresh ginger stores well. read more...
Greek specialties - 28 Nov 2007
Greek specialties are stocked by most Middle East markets. But if you want to shop as though you were in Greece, head for International Market & Bakery on a Saturday. read more...
Greengages - 28 Nov 2007
Greengages are a gloriously-scented golden plum, better to eat than candy. read more...
Guinness on tap - 28 Nov 2007
Ten years ago, you'd have been hard pressed to find Guinness on tap. Now you can get it at pretty much any downtown brewhouse. read more...
Ikura - 28 Nov 2007
The glowing bright orange 'caviar' beads used in sushi called ikura is the roe of the orange shum salmon. read more...
Jamaican burnt sugar - 28 Nov 2007
Jamaican burnt sugar adds a strong depth of flavor when added to sweeten desserts like a creme caramel instead of ordinary sugar. read more...
Japanese candies & snacks - 27 Nov 2007
Japanese candies are amazing - tiny, accurate renditions of a hot dog or a hamburger, in sweetened gelatin. They make the perfect treat to slip inside a party bag or Christmas stocking. read more...
Lychees - 27 Nov 2007
As with the mangosteen, eating a lychee is like eating a sweet scent. It's close to paradise in fruit terms. read more...
Mangoes - 27 Nov 2007
Some mangoes are more heavenly than others. The big fat ones, green and blushing red, tend to leave fibers in the teeth. read more...
Middle East cooking classes & eateries - 27 Nov 2007
Learn to cook - or eat - the way of the Middle East. read more...
Mochi - a Japanese dessert - 27 Nov 2007
Mochi, a Japanese ice cream covered in dough, has developed a broad fan base. read more...
Mozzarella with the mostest - 27 Nov 2007
There's mozzarella and mozzarella. (And then there's bufala mozzarella, made in the authentic fashion of Southern Italy from buffalo milk.) read more...
Mushrooms - fresh - 27 Nov 2007
If you are traveling to or through Pennsylvania, include Chester County in your tour. Kennett Square is the self-styled 'Mushroom Capital of the World'. read more...
Oriental cooking lessons - 27 Nov 2007
If you'd like to learn how to cook Oriental food, there are a number of options. read more...
Pears - eating & cooking - 27 Nov 2007
Pears aren't limited to the Conference and the Bosc. read more...
Pistachios - 27 Nov 2007
If you want to go a taste stage further than the nuts you can buy at the Giant and Safeway loose or in cellophane sacks, try the range of different flavored pistachios for sale at Middle Eastern markets. read more...
Pizza - 27 Nov 2007
It hardly seems necessary, with all the home-delivery possibilities available, to make suggestions for pizza sources, but if you want to ignore those stuffed-crust, soft dough or crunchy crust confections with exotic topping combinations and tuck into the simple open sandwich style of the original Napolitan snack, there are some good home-made versions around. read more...
Lemons - 27 Nov 2007
When buying a lemon for its juice, choose those whose skin feels thin - the ones that respond to a slight squeeze in the palm of your hand. read more...
Pomegranate & other scented juices - 27 Nov 2007
Pomegranates are such a beautiful fruit to look at, but difficult to eat. The juice is high in antioxidants but it is also good to deglaze a roasting pan and give a certain sharpness to a rich sauce or jus. read more...
Pumpkin patches - 27 Nov 2007
Pumpkins are a focus of Hallowe'en front porches. But they're also good to eat, the pulp stewed in butter with onions and a grating of fresh ginger, or nutmeg, stock added and the whole cooked then whizzed into puree for soup. read more...
Saffron - 27 Nov 2007
Though saffron is a quintessentially Spanish flavoring, it also shows up in the tajines and stews of parts of the African continent. It's one of the world's most expensive spices. This is because each stigma of Crocus sativa, the saffron crocus, has to be removed by the agile fingers of women and children, who can separate the three stigmas from each flower without bruising them. read more...
Saltenas, empanadas & South American eateries - 27 Nov 2007
It seems every country in the world has its portable, pastry-wrapped snack, from England's Cornish Pasty to Jamaica's patties, with tiropitakia from Greece, Indian samosas, Russian pierogi, and pork shui mai buns from China in between. read more...
Samosas, sambusas - 27 Nov 2007
Some of the best foods come in small packages, from the Cornish pasty and Russian pierogi, to the sambusas of Ethiopia and samosas of India. read more...
Scandinavian specialties - 27 Nov 2007
Here are a few suggestions of where to find some Scandinavian treats aside from fish. read more...
Sushi ingredients - 27 Nov 2007
It's hard to avoid boxes of sushi at every supermarket. But some is better than others and some boxes don't have quite the assortment you want. read more...
Turkish restaurants - 27 Nov 2007
Washington has a wide range of Turkish restaurants, from the casual cafe to fine dining. read more...
Vegan bakery - 27 Nov 2007
Sticky Fingers is an all vegan bakery downstairs off the street at 1904 18th St NW. Hard to imagine egg and dairy-free pastries being achievable, but the goodies are goody. read more...
West Indian Black Cake - 27 Nov 2007
At Christmas time in Jamaica, a traditional black cake is baked in which the dried fruits and peel have been soaking in alcohol since the previous Christmas. It's a far more intense cake than traditional fruit cake, and covered in a dark, dark frosting. read more...
Lobsters live from Maine - 26 Nov 2007
Lobsters arrive fresh from Maine weekly in the Washington area. read more...
Coconuts, coconut milk & cream - 25 Nov 2007
While you'll find coconut milk in most regular supermarkets, there are a range of other coconut products at most Oriental supermarkets. read more...
Eggplant - 25 Nov 2007
There are so many different varieties of this beautiful vegetable. Which kind to use in which recipe? read more...
Christmas - dreaming of a different one - 25 Nov 2007
"Christmas comes but once a year and when it comes it brings"...Uncle George (who'll take over the single malt whiskey if no-one stops him), Aunt Mavis (who's just decided to turn vegetarian), and all their dreadful children. It's enough to drive you crackers.
Give Christmas a new sparkle and celebrate someone else's - with Britain's Christmas crackers, Italy's Omino di Neve, Switzerland's Zimststerne, Jamaica's West Indian Black Cake and more... read more...
Feta cheese - 25 Nov 2007
Feta is often overlooked as a cheese. But with its relatively low fat content and range of flavor from mild to forceful, it's worth paying it some attention. True feta cheese, low-fat and healthy, is a far cry from the plastic-packaged sour, salty and pungent packaged cheese from supermarket dairy aisles. read more...
Crabs & clams - 25 Nov 2007
Crabs and clams are a local treat worthy of serious foodie consideration. Where to observe - and experience the treat. read more...
Chocolate suppliers - 24 Nov 2007
If you're making a chocolate recipe, you cannot cook with Hersheys. read more...
Kosher Chinese food - 24 Nov 2007
A small suggestion... read more...
Vegan eateries - 24 Nov 2007
Here are two suggestions for vegan food. read more...
Chinese sausages - 24 Nov 2007
Lap cheung - Chinese sausages - are worth having a packet of in the refrigerator. They are cured, not unlike a salami. So they will keep. read more...
Chinese mushrooms - 24 Nov 2007
Several varieties of Chinese mushrooms are sold dried in Chinese script packages. But which should you use for what? read more...
Pork roasts - 24 Nov 2007
Pigs have been intensively farmed to produce a lean white meat. But in an effort to reduce its fat, pork has been turned into a meat that's tasteless and dry. Seek out a cut from a heritage breed, however, and you will have a different experience - pork as it should be. And it's a better life for the pig. read more...
Rijstafel - 24 Nov 2007
Rijstafel is an Indonesian feast of different dishes to eat with rice popularized by Dutch colonials in Indonesia. read more...
Vietnamese coffee - 23 Nov 2007
Vietnamese iced coffee is more a dessert than a drink. What's the coffee they use? read more...
Tea explained - 23 Nov 2007
Tea is made by steeping processed leaves, buds, or twigs of the tea bush, Camellia sinensis, in hot water for a few minutes. read more...
Indian cooking utensils - 23 Nov 2007
For some Indian recipes, you need a strong wrist, a pestle and mortar, and patience. Or more modern cooking equipment. read more...
Indian & Sri Lankan markets - 23 Nov 2007
The cooking of the Indian sub-continent is complex and following a recipe can seem daunting. But take your questions along to these markets and ask advice. read more...
Goat's meat - 23 Nov 2007
According to the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation in Rome, goat's meat is the world's most widely consumed red meat. read more...
West Indian, African, Jamaican, Caribbean markets - 23 Nov 2007
These are worth seeking out for their particular food treasures. read more...
Kwansaa cakes to order - 23 Nov 2007
Kwansaa cakes, made and decorated to order. read more...
Kola nuts - they're the real thing - 23 Nov 2007
Kola nuts are 'the real thing.' read more...
Banana flowers - 23 Nov 2007
An ingredient in Indian dishes, they can add an unusual crunch to Western salads. read more...
Afghan melons - 23 Nov 2007
The kharbuzeh is a large Afghan melon, not unlike a honeydew in flavor and texture, that can grow as heavy as 25 lbs. read more...
Anchovies - 23 Nov 2007
One of the most unpopular fishes, anchovies are nevertheless the culinary equivalent of the Wonderbra. They add body to any dish and most opponents don't even know they're there if they can't see them. read more...
New Year celebrations - something different - 23 Nov 2007
New Year traditions in other parts of the world. read more...
Olive oil - 23 Nov 2007
Olive oil is expensive enough that it should be chosen with care and properly looked after. read more...
Tuna ventresca - 23 Nov 2007
Tuna ventresca is the Ferrari of canned tuna to the jalopy of regular canned tuna. read more...
Risotto - the grains of truth - 23 Nov 2007
You can't make risotto from any old rice. Certainly not from a Carolina short grain. That'll just make a rice pudding. If you buy the right rice, turning out a perfect risotto is not hard. read more...
Prosciutto & other cured hams - 22 Nov 2007
Prosciutto di Parma from Italy and Jamon de Serrano from Spain are among the most seductive of cured meats. read more...
Fish - smoked, cured & pickled - 22 Nov 2007
Washington isn't short on sources for the cured, smoked and pickled fish popular in Europe's colder countries. read more...
Russian dumplings & more - 22 Nov 2007
The 'babushkas' (grandmothers) of Europe's far northern climes have long been famous for their home-cooking of sustaining dumplings and more. read more...
Russian dairy products - 22 Nov 2007
Tvorog is a Russian cream cheese that makes a sweet alternative to mascarpone, but thicker. And look for ryazhanka and prostokvasha. read more...
Shrimp - 22 Nov 2007
Shrimp are ubiquitous, in every stage and form from fresh to cooked, whole and beheaded. read more...
Ricotta - 21 Nov 2007
Not so long ago in Italy, ricotta was delivered twice a day along with the milk. read more...
Crème Anglaise in 6 minutes - 20 Nov 2007
Crème Anglaise is such a seductive, soothing vanilla sauce, it's tempting to ignore the dessert it coats and just eat this perfect custard. Cookbook writer and regular New York Times food pages contributor Barbara Kafka has a brilliant short cut to perfect Crème Anglaise that you don't need to stand over fearfully to prevent it from curdling. It's one of two good reasons to invest in a microwave. (The other is heating milk to froth for coffee...) read more...
Sausages, plain and fancy - 20 Nov 2007
The humble sausage can now be bought in all international variations, filled with flavors representing every part of the globe. read more...
Pepper - 20 Nov 2007
Pepper, piper nigrum, comes from the tropical piperaceae family of climbing plants or shrubs. read more...
Chili - cook-offs and more. - 20 Nov 2007
Chili is an American dish that pits serious enthusiasts against each other, everyone swearing by their own secret recipe. read more...
Swedish fil mjolk - 18 Nov 2007
Swedish fil mjolk is a healthy yogurt drink not unlike Russian kefir that's not difficult to make yourself. read more...
Duck & goose - 18 Nov 2007
Duck and goose, full of dark flavor, make a sumptuous change from chicken and turkey and their carcasses provide a rich soup stock. read more...
Dried fruits & nuts - 18 Nov 2007
The packages of dried fruits and nuts in general supermarkets are perfectly serviceable. But if you want to offer them as sweetmeats or elevate your fruit cakes to a higher level, buy them loose at a Middle East grocery. read more...
Derma & Kischkes - 18 Nov 2007
Derma, or in Yiddish "kischkes", is a traditional dish often served at bar mitzvahs and weddings. read more...
Cuban sandwiches - 18 Nov 2007
A genuine Cuban sandwich is a far cry from any other kind of meal between two slices of bread. But they're hard to find. read more...
Cancha - 18 Nov 2007
Cancha - a different and bigger popcorn. read more...
Bubble tea & shaved ice desserts - 18 Nov 2007
Bubble tea and shaved ice desserts - a change from regular milk shakes and ice creams. read more...
Where to get British groceries? - 18 Nov 2007
Missing Marmite? Pork pies? Or Bird's Custard? Need to lift the spirits with a nip of ginger wine? Where can you buy them? read more...
Herbs to grow - 18 Nov 2007
When it comes to herbs, you can grow many of them yourself. Or buy them from someone who does. read more...
Brioches - 18 Nov 2007
Make a breakfast change from croissants, try a brioche with good sweet butter and a fruity jam. read more...
Stocks & jus - 18 Nov 2007
Good chefs know that the basis of a rounded sauce, jus or soup is a rich stock or glâce. read more...
Free range chickens - 18 Nov 2007
Looking for a real chicken? Free range chickens, which have a more developed flavor than battery-farmed because they've scratched about in the earth as they are supposed to, are becoming increasingly available in supermarkets. read more...
Coffee - home-brewed - 18 Nov 2007
Despite the purist view that ready-ground coffee is not worth buying, there are a number of makes commonly found in cans in supermarkets, sometimes in the 'International' aisle, that produce an excellent espresso-style flavor of coffee. read more...
Vegetables to grow - unusual ones - 18 Nov 2007
If you have even the smallest plot, think about growing vegetables. There are some interesting possibilities around. read more...
Frogs' legs - 18 Nov 2007
A kind of comic French joke among the faint hearted, frogs' legs do taste a bit like chicken and certainly look like chicken wings. read more...
Offal - the funky bits - 18 Nov 2007
Country cooks across Europe and Asia respect and use every part of the animal. With meat costs soaring, it's time to learn to love offal. Great dishes have come from elements that can fill more delicate constitutions with horror. read more...
Home brews - it's in the bag! - 18 Nov 2007
The British like their tea milky orange in color and very strong in taste. Where to find the prime ingredient for the classic cuppa, the best tea, in bags or loose. And the bickies on the side... read more...
Afternoon tea in town - 18 Nov 2007
You can get afternoon tea all over the place in Washington, for grown-ups, for children, hungry people and for serious tea drinkers. read more...
Tomatoes - much ado about nothing - 17 Nov 2007
If there's one vegetable that should be eaten in season and gathered from the garden or fields, it's the tomato. Here's a cooking tip to get maximum flavor from those red balls masquerading as tomatoes in our supermarkets. read more...
Chinese noodles & curd - 17 Nov 2007
While the argument rages over whether the noodle came from China or Italy (with the balance weighing for Marco Polo bringing it back from his travels), food historians actually contend it was introduced into Europe by the Arabs of Sicily and Spain. Whatever the truth, it's worth getting to know the different Oriental noodles, their properties and best uses. read more...
Chinese vegetables & fruits identified - 16 Nov 2007
Don't miss out on the cooking possibilities of Chinese fruits and vegetables just because they are unfamiliar. Use this list below to ask for help in looking for them. read more...
Home-cooking Restaurants - 16 Nov 2007
Nostalgic for restaurants of the 50s? That time before fusion when food was simple but wholesome and plentiful? There are still some diners, restaurants and lunch counters around, cooking food as mother made it. read more...
Butter - a good fat if it's good butter - 16 Nov 2007
Good butter is sometimes worth paying more money for. read more...
Phô - 16 Nov 2007
One of the best meals-in-a-bowl is the Vietnamese soup Phô. Pronounced 'fur' or 'feu', like the French word for fire, it's satisfying, simple and healthy, a Vietnamese breakfast dish that makes a great lunch for Westerners. read more...
Flour - 15 Nov 2007
Which flour bakes the best bread? First, know that a grain of wheat has three parts: the endosperm which is the central source of the starch, accounting for 85 percent of the grain. Next to it lies the germ, accounting for only 2 percent. But it's the most positive element. It's the 'seed' that grows new wheat plants and it contains most of the whole grain's protein, vitamins and oil. Plus, pretty much all the flavor lies in the germ. Both of these are covered by the protective outer layer of bran. read more...
Pork meats & cured sausages - 15 Nov 2007
Cured and smoked pork meats are central to German and other Northern European cooking and wonderful in winter with mashed potatoes and red cabbage. read more...
Bottarga - 15 Nov 2007
Bottarga is the salty, fishy, compressed dried roe of the mullet, a Sardinian specialty. read more...
Bosnian specialties - 15 Nov 2007
Bosnia is not a part of the world whose foods are familiar to most. But there are a few markets and places to eat in the area selling their specialties. read more...
Bialys - 15 Nov 2007
While you can hardly move for bagels, Polish bialys, named not after a character in The Producers but after Bialystok near Poland's north east border, are a rarity. They are baked without prior boiling, and their indent only goes half way through. read more...
Berries - ripe for picking - 15 Nov 2007
Berry picking is one of the highlights of summer, with different fruits following each other through the season, even the rare blackcurrants and gooseberries. read more...
Beer - 15 Nov 2007
Beer in America is no longer limited to that uniform golden liquid that froths out of cans. The number of microbreweries nationwide producing 'boutique' beers with their own highly distinctive flavors keeps growing. read more...
Banana leaves - 15 Nov 2007
Banana leaves, like corn husks, are cooking wraps supplied by nature not the supermarket. read more...
Figs - fresh - 15 Nov 2007
One of the best treats of the fall, they don't come cheap. So it's a disappointment when you open your wrapped box and find some of them rotten. read more...
Salamis & charcuterie - 15 Nov 2007
In 1927, Italy suffered a dreadful outbreak of swine fever. Since then, by law, imported salamis, cotecchinos, even some cured hams must be pasteurized. Europeans would argue that this diminishes their flavor quite considerably. read more...
Baguettes the French like - 15 Nov 2007
A bad baguette is almost as bad as that Kleenex bread. But there are some good ones around. read more...
Bacon - 15 Nov 2007
Proper bacon is not that stuff that leaks puddles of grayish water into the pan. read more...
Bacalao - 15 Nov 2007
Reconstituted dried salt cod may not sound like much in English, but call it, in Spanish, bacalao, in Portuguese bacalhau, or bacalà in Italian, and you have a highly prized dish. read more...
Apples - a Magnolia day... - 15 Nov 2007
While some supermarkets are becoming a little more adventurous in their selection of apples, there are many more interesting varieties than Goldens and Granny Smiths and out there. read more...
Ice creams & gelati - 14 Nov 2007
In Russia, even in the depths of winter, queues of people form around the ice-cream carts stationed on street corners and down the iced-over paths of Moscow's Gorki Park. The world over, it's a seductive cold comfort. read more...
Greek cooking - home & away - 14 Nov 2007
The closest large Greek community is in Baltimore, with its markets and restaurants. But Middle East markets stock plenty of Greek ingredients, and you can learn to cook it yourself. read more...
Chinese restaurants - 14 Nov 2007
They're everywhere. And this is not a restaurant review web site. But these are some of the place the Chinese eat at. read more...
Breakfasts - a good start - 14 Nov 2007
The Italians and Greeks drink a thimble of strong coffee. The Vietnamese eat Phô, the Chinese congee, and the Irish, English, Welsh and Scots a heart-burning fry-up. It's all breakfast to them. read more...
Caribbean eateries - 14 Nov 2007
Cafe Atlantico and Red Ginger are well-known informal prime dining restaurants with a Caribbean twist. But there are others. read more...
Turkish restaurants - 14 Nov 2007
This web site doesn't cover many restaurants. But the following come highly recommended by a number of Turkish eatWashingtonians. They should know. read more...
Parmigiano-Reggiano & Grana Padano - 11 Nov 2007
Never buy 'Parmesan' ready grated in those cardboard tubes. It tastes like vomit. read more...
Toddy coffee - 11 Nov 2007
Toddy Coffee is a method of making good coffee from cheap grounds, according to several eatWashingtonians. read more...
Dim sum explained - 11 Nov 2007
Dim sum - 'bits that touch the heart ' - are an ancient snack. read more...
Eggs better for you and the hen - 10 Nov 2007
Think hard about buying Cage-Free Hen eggs instead of regular eggs. There's not a massive amount of price difference. But there is a massive difference for the hens. read more...
Vanilla - extract & sugar, home-made - 9 Nov 2007
It's astonishing how many desserts that may be starring a strong flavor like chocolate or coffee call for a touch of vanilla to round out the taste. Good vanilla extract and vanilla sugar are both so expensive, it's tempting to leave it out of a recipe that it isn't starring in. But you can reduce its cost by making your own. read more...
Cheeses unpasteurized - forbidden gems & others - 6 Nov 2007
The FDA prohibits the import and sale of raw milk cheeses under 60 days old, to the chagrin of Europeans. Trying to protect us from the very real ravages of E.coli and other bacteria means we're unable to taste some real gems from other countries.
Are the French and Italians falling like flies from their consumption of young unpasteurized milk cheeses? Click the link to my article for The National Interest and find out where the dangers really lie. read more...
Cinnamon - 5 Nov 2007
Cinnamon is the spice that provoked Columbus's search for the Spice Islands. read more...
Chilies - the hot stuff - 4 Nov 2007
Chilies are addictive. Hilary Clinton apparently had hot sauce added to her food at the White House, while NPR political analyst Cokie Roberts apparently travels with a bottle in her purse. read more...
Latino menus - what's is that stuff? - 4 Nov 2007
Que? Some of the terms on Latin American menus may be confusing enough to discouraging ordering. And you'd miss a treat. read more...
Latino produce - what is it all? - 4 Nov 2007
Supermarkets now carry increasing numbers of vegetables from Latin America and the Caribbean. But how should you use them? read more...
Chocolate - dark secrets - 4 Nov 2007
Think of chocolate and you think of Belgium, Switzerland, France. Or your thigh. But chocolate originated with the Aztecs and Mayans, to whom it was the nearest thing to a standard currency. read more...
Barbecuing - do you smoke? - 4 Nov 2007
Barbecue is not just a grilling technique, it's a whole philosophy. (And, some women might say, an excuse for men to get out of cooking at any other time of year.) read more...
Chesapeake crabs - shell shucked - 4 Nov 2007
The 2,300 square miles of the Chesapeake Bay make an exceptional breeding ground for fish and crabs. read more...
Bourbon unburbled - 4 Nov 2007
What is Bourbon? A dark American whiskey originating in Bourbon County, Kentucky. read more...
Baked beans - the musical fruit - 4 Nov 2007
Beans, beans, the musical fruit, the more you eat, the more you toot. The more you toot, the better you feel, so let's have beans at every meal! read more...
Lemongrass - how to grow - 4 Nov 2007
If you are a keen cook of Thai food, you may want to grow your own lemongrass. It's easy and a pleasing plant to have around the kitchen during winter when it should be brought inside.. read more...
Oriental fruits identified - 4 Nov 2007
Oriental markets are full of unfamiliar fruits. It's a shame to pass on them because you don't know what they are. read more...
Sushi and sashimi explained - 4 Nov 2007
Confused about the difference between sushi and sashimi? This is it. read more...
Chinese drinks with food - 4 Nov 2007
While tea is commonly drunk in the West with Chinese meals, in China it is served only once the meal is over. read more...
Oriental products explained - 4 Nov 2007
Without a working knowledge of Chinese, most of the treasures in a Chinese or Asian supermarket will remain out of reach, on the shelves. Here's a phonetic translation so you can ask what's what. read more...
Rice - the long and the short of it - 4 Nov 2007
There are around 10,000 varieties of rice, though only some half dozen reach general stores. Which is best for what? Rice unraveled. read more...
Lentils & dhals unravelled - 4 Nov 2007
Which dhals are which? And which lentils, pulses and dhals are best for which dish? read more...
Coffee - grounds for debate - 4 Nov 2007
Before 1000 AD, the nomadic Galla tribe of Ethiopia realized that their daily ration of a certain local berry ground up and molded into a ball with animal fat was giving them an energy charge. What they were eating was the coffee bean. read more...
Festival foods - 3 Nov 2007
Easter is the most important festival of the year in Greece, with music and communal feasting of whole lambs roasted in the baker's oven or on spits. read more...
Olives - 3 Nov 2007
All olives begin life green. After that, it gets complicated. With so many varieties available, here's a breakdown of the most common to help you avoid the pits... read more...
Mushrooms - mycological mysteries - 2 Nov 2007
More and more unusual mushrooms are reaching Washington's supermarkets and farmers' markets. But what are they? And what to do with them? read more...
Caviar - heavenly pearls - 2 Nov 2007
Poaching at extreme levels along with the effects of pollution have forced a moratorium on the import of caviar from the Caspian Sea. But U.S. caviar makes a good alternative. read more...
Foie gras and confits - 2 Nov 2007
Foie gras - food for the rich out of torture? Confits - food for the poor? read more...
Cakes - to order or make beautiful - 2 Nov 2007
Baking cake for a party, cupcakes for school or work? Or need someone else to do it for you? Here's all you need to keep you in cake. read more...
Potatoes - earthy delights - 2 Nov 2007
Potatoes get such a bad rap. But they're one of the world's most versatile and nutritious ingredients. Here are some spud, tatty and tater facts. read more...
Smoked salmon - 2 Nov 2007
There's more to smoked salmon than some of those coral-pink plastic packets provide. read more...
Yeast - 2 Nov 2007
Fresh yeast makes a better home-baked loaf than dried. But where to find it? read more...
Breads - a good chew - 2 Nov 2007
Not so long ago, the only bread available in Washington came sliced in cellophane packages. Now you can't move for choice among breads studded with everything from olives to cheese. But where can you get a plain brown loaf? read more...
Tea for two, ch'a, ch'a - 5 Oct 2007
Ch'a is the Chinese word for Tea but even in Russian - chai, Japanese - ocha, or English slang - char, afternoon tea is a thoroughly British institution. The court of Charles II of England was introduced to the drink in 1662 by his new wife, Catherine of Braganza, a century after the Portuguese had brought it back from Macao. The cuppa at once became the fashion. read more...
Tea tidbits - 5 Oct 2007
The difference between English tea and High Tea. read more...
Cream tea - 5 Oct 2007
A cream tea needs a good fruit jam and thick clotted cream to spread on a warm, freshly baked scone straight from the oven. Whether you spread the cream first or the jam first depends on whether you come from Devon or Cornwall. read more...
Bird's Custard - 5 Oct 2007
Bird's Custard - what's so great about vanilla powder heated up and thickened with milk? read more...
Marmite mad - 5 Oct 2007
Marmite is a shiny tar-like spread made out of the residues that come from brewing beer. Brits love it. read more...
Salty tale - 5 Oct 2007
In the 1920s, table salt manufacturers in the U.S. began to add iodine to their product to prevent thyroid deficiency problems in the mid-West. These days, purist (or pretentious?) foodies like their salts unrefined and in a myriad of mineral colors. read more...
Jamie Leeds is rare among chefs. First, she owns two Hank’s Oyster Bars, one in Dupont Circle and the other in Old Town, Alexandria, with CommonWealth, a gastropub set to open in summer 2008. Plus, she’s a woman. And then there’s the fact that she has no formal culinary training.
Garlic - the stinking rose
Licorice
My favorite markets: Thai Market
Korean hot pots
Korean markets
What is gluten?
Sticky Pecan Buns
Farmers' markets - food for health and flavor
Share Our Strength chefs' cook out!
Asparagus - just so much grass...
Chinese restaurants: Kosher, vegan, organic
Gastropubs - eating cheap in Britain
Phyllis Richman
Chew on This: Chicken abuse
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