Ingredient Explainers and Swaps

When the holidays finally roll around, one thing you know you’ll be doing is eating a lot of really delicious food. Amidst all of the honey-glazed ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole, you’re sure to have your fair share of roasted turkey come Thanksgiving. One feeling many of us are familiar with is post-Thanksgiving dinner fatigue.

Now you know.

Don't worry, it is still delicious.

Pepitas and pumpkin seeds are frequently used interchangeably, but are they really the same thing? Well, not exactly. With a crunchy bite and a nutty, slightly sweet flavor, pepitas and pumpkin seeds do indeed share some similarities, but they are not the same thing. Read on to learn more about what exactly makes pepitas different from pumpkin seeds and when it matters most!

Whether you’re shopping on a budget or with a particular dish in mind, it’s helpful to know how many apples are in a pound. After all, most grocers price apples by weight, and recipes call for a certain number of pounds of apples (in that case, four).One pound of apples is about three medium-sized apples. To qualify as medium, each apple must be about the size of a tennis ball or something you can hold comfortably in the palm of your hand.

This is the best way to keep them fresh and prevent them from sticking together.

For all of your cherry-pie-making needs!

First things first: They're not always interchangeable!

There's a daunting number of cardboard pints and quarts of different cream varieties at the grocery store. Which is which?

You might be familiar with matzo ball soup and see the packages of matzo around your grocery store, but many people don’t know what matzo really is or why it’s eaten. Here’s a quick introduction to the star of the Seder!

Plantains are hearty, flavorful, and grow in abundance in many countries of the world.

Maror is one of many traditional components of the Seder plate.

Here's everything you should know about their differences and similarities.

The technique is the basis for making soft, fragrant masa and more.

Its texture can be hard to replicate, but it isn't entirely irreplaceable either.

It’s more than just chocolate! Learn more about the classic dessert’s rich history.

Soba noodles are favored for their texture, taste, and nodogoshi.

Noodles are not only food, but also an essential part of Japanese culture.

Chinese noodles have become an integral part of Chinese regional cuisines, and they have evolved over the years.

Pomelos and grapefruits are both in the citrus family, but they have their own unique attributes.

Cara caras aren't like your standard orange, they're special in their own right!

These varieties make the creamiest and most comforting risotto.

All your questions, answered.

Keep your cooking oils and fats from burning with this handy guide, including a chart of the different smoke points of various cooking oils and fats.

The more you know, the better your morning cup of Joe!

Our primer on choosing and buying Dungeness, king, and snow crab legs.

It's amazing in blondies, traditional haystack cookies, and so much more.

These tangy little buds are a pantry staple when it comes to jazzing up a weeknight pasta or adding the perfect finishing touch to a plate of cured salmon. Just a spoonful of capers can make a whole dish sing. Do you ever cook with them?Capers are actually the immature flower buds of the caper bush, a shrub-like plant that hails from the Mediterranean region. The buds are picked just before they reach ripeness and pickled either in a salt brine or in vinegar.

Here's how to eat these tasty (and pricey!) little fish eggs the right way.

For starters, one is a roast and the other is a steak.

Here's how much it costs, what it tastes like, and a guide to the different types.

Stock your fridge with these cheesemonger-approved picks.

Here's the difference.

Learn all about this warm spice, including the different types, plus how to use it in sweet and savory recipes.

Oils, applesauce, and yogurt will all work in a pinch.

Load your shopping basket with these delicious fruits.

They're not always interchangeable.

Despite their similar names, what sets these winter veggies apart is the plant family they belong to.

Here's everything you need to know about these ghostly gourds.

They're as tasty as they are pretty.

Arroz rojo is as beloved as it is delicious. Pati Jinich tells us all about the dish and how to get it right every time. Plus, the best way to store and reheat it.

Here's everything you need to know about these two types of sugar, plus how to substitute one for the other.

Choose a mix of sweet and tart apples from this list for the ultimate apple pie.

There's a lot to know about the unique fruit.

Learn the differences between winter squashes like butternut, kabocha, and more in this guide.

I grew up thinking that mashed potatoes came from the dehydrated flakes in a box. When I finally made my own from scratch, the result was such a revelation that I haven’t looked back since. But transforming a potato into the delicious, comforting magic of mashed potatoes really starts at the grocery store. You need to pick the right potato so you end up with light, fluffy mashed potatoes. There are three basic categories of potatoes: starchy, waxy, and in-between.

The savory fifth taste can enhance almost anything you eat.

Learn about the tastiest grapes for eating, adding to salads, and cooking.

Yes, it's real chocolate.

Cassava, manioc, and yuca are all names for the same starchy tuber grown throughout South America, Africa, and Asia. You might be more familiar with it in its dried and powdered form: tapioca. This root is a dietary mainstay in many parts of the world and forms the carbohydrate base for many excellent meals. Do you ever cook with cassava?

You probably know nori best as the paper-like dark green wrapping that keeps pieces of sushi neatly — and deliciously! — contained. Crisp sheets of this mild grassy-tasting seaweed last forever in the pantry and can come in handy when you just need “a little something extra” to perk up a weeknight meal. Nori is made by shredding edible seaweed and then pressing it into thin sheets — much like the process for making paper.

If you actually hail from Canada, may just think of this meat as bacon. If you’re from other parts of the world, you may know it as Irish bacon, English bacon, or back bacon. No matter what you call it or where you’re from, I think we can all agree that thick slices of this bacon make a mighty fine addition to breakfast, especially in eggs Benedict, perhaps its most common use in the U.S. But what’s the difference between this good stuff and American bacon?

Have you eaten your oatmeal today?

The leafy green doesn't just come in one shape or size.

Plus the best sauce to pair with each.

When tomatoes are at their peak, they're irresistible. Learn about heirloom varieties, beefsteak, Sungold, San Marzano tomatoes and more in this visual guide.

They'll be good as new even weeks later!

Learn all about these tender young shoots, flowers, leaves, and tops used in Mexican cuisine.

While both flours are 100 percent whole wheat, the difference is in the variety of whole wheat.

Do you know where your favorite cut falls?