The Kitchn

Question: Do You Let Pets "Clean" Your Dishes?

2009-01-06T15:00:00+00:00

At home over the holidays, we'd just finished a big meal and set our plates on the floor for the dog while we recuperated for a few minutes. Gazing fondly down at our dog as she licked up every last crumb and smear from our plates, her belly flat on the floor for maximum licking advantage, the thought crossed my mind, "Huh. That's...kinda gross."

Now, my family has been letting our dog "clean" our plates for years (of course, we wash all the dishes with soap and water later!). And even after having this thought, I continued to let her lick my plate for the rest of my vacation without much more consideration of the matter. But I can definitely see how some people might, well, want a little more of a boundary between themselves and their pet. Where do you stand on the matter? Are there specific "do's" and "don'ts" when it comes to letting your pet eat human food? Related: Recipe Round-up: Homemade Pet Treats (Image: Flickr member aopho licensed under Creative Commons)

In Praise of the Really, Really Big Pan

2009-01-06T14:30:00+00:00

I promise that this post is not just an excuse to show off the new All-Clad sauté pan my husband bought me for Christmas. It was the big gift, the one wrapped in a really large box. It was also a wisely chosen gift: he bought it through Cookware & More for much less than the usual price, and now that it's here it hasn't been put away in the cupboard once. See, it's a big, big pan, and I've wanted one of these for a long time.

The largest sauté pan in my cupboard, before Christmas, was a 3-quart version. It is a nice pan, but it's not big enough to brown a batch of beef for a whole pot of beef stew, or to cook a whole bag of kale. It would steam meat instead of browning it, and it was always overflowing greens or rice onto the stove. (Well, cook's error, I do admit; I would get impatient!) A 6-quart sauté pan, on the other hand, is big enough for any number of jobs. I braised two whole heads of fennel the other evening, and had room to spare. I browned pounds of beef for a spicy curry, and didn't have to break it into batches. I've cooked a lot of things in this pan already, and it's barely January! When Elizabeth argued that bigger is better when it comes to frying pans, it made sense. It's easier to brown meat and vegetables with more surface area, and sauces reduce faster in a giant pan. So, while most of the time we look for small appliances and minimalist gadgets for our little kitchen, I am also coming out in favor of the big pan. The bigger the better. I haven't reached for my 3-quart pan once in the last two weeks; it's the big one all the way. More on All-Clad: • Good Question: Why Are All-Clad Pots and Pans So Expensive? • Good Product: All-Clad Petite Roti Pan • All Clad's New French Skillets And here is our post on Cookware & More, a great outlet for All-Clad seconds. • Cookware & More: Great Deals on All-Clad

Food Science: Calling All Questions!

2009-01-06T14:00:00+00:00

It's a new year and we're starting to compile a brand new list of food science mysteries that need some explaining! Is there something in the kitchen that's always confused your sense of logic or made you scratch your noggin? If so, let us know!

Here's a look at some of our favorite food science posts from the past year: • What is Cream of Tartar? • Why do Crustaceans Turn Reddish-Orange When Cooked? • The Anatomy of a Pie Crust • How Popcorn Pops • What is Buttermilk? • What Makes Chili Peppers Spicy? • Nitrites and Their Role in Preserving Meat • On Resting Meat We're curious folks here at the Kitchn. Lucky for us, there's plenty of fodder for our curiosity when it comes to food and cooking. Let us know what gets you curious! (Image: Flickr member nickwheeleroz licensed under Creative Commons)

Another Dinner Party Under $100 Delicious links for 01.06.08

2009-01-06T13:30:00+00:00

We noticed this great post from Penny Plastic over the break. She threw another under-$100 dinner party (inspired by this one), to see if she could do better. Go see how it turned out, and if she made budget! Plus some great pantry storage and recipes for light eating below.

Today's Delicious Links

• Can You Host A Dinner Party For Under One Hundred Bucks? at The Adventures of Penny Plastic. You can also find the recipes she used here. • Heart of Celery Salad - Easy and good winter salad. • Fava Bean Soup with Mint at the New York Times. • Great pantry design at Midwest Cabinet Design.

Previous Delicious Links

Recipe: A Proper Chicken Giblet Gravy

2009-01-06T13:00:00+00:00

Tossing out that baggie of vitamin- and flavor-packed giblets inside your chicken is kissing goodbye the opportunity for a proper chicken giblet gravy. What would grandma say? Mine would say tsk-tsk. Sure, it's almost considered criminal if a Thanksgiving turkey doesn't have a gravy on the side, but... Click through for a simple recipe for a chicken giblet gravy, just in case your grandmother didn't pass one down to you.

This recipe requires the drippings from a roasted chicken. It is assumed that if you're making gravy, you're also making chicken and from that chicken you will get drippings; I usually get about 1/4 cup from a 3-4lb chicken. A Proper Chicken Giblet Gravy makes about 1 cup 1 tablespoon butter 1 celery rib, chopped 1 small carrot stick, chopped 1/2 small onion, chopped a couple cracks of pepper giblets from a roasting chicken (neck, liver, gizzard, sometimes heart) couple sprigs thyme drippings from a roasted chicken 1 tablespoon flour In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the celery, carrot and onion for 1-2 minutes, until onions are soft and beginning to color. Add a few cracks of freshly ground pepper. Add the giblets, thyme and enough water to cover. Raise heat and bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about an hour. Turn off heat and set aside to cool. Strain broth into a bowl, set aside the cooked giblets and discard what remains. Remove as much meat from the neck as possible, then discard bones and neck fat. Chop neck meat and giblets into very fine pieces. Set aside. In a medium skillet, heat pan drippings from roasted chicken over medium low heat. Add cooked giblets and sauté for a minute. Add enough flour to make a thick roux, a teaspoon at a time . Allow the roux to cook for a minute. Add prepared broth, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly with a whisk into a roux. Continue adding broth as gravy cooks and thickens. If necessary, add additional water to bring gravy to proper consistency. Related: How to Roast a Chicken Zuni-Style

Eating Light: Citrus Recipe Roundup

2009-01-06T12:30:00+00:00

What's the best way to stave off post-holiday melancholy and face another dreary winter morning? For us, it's bright, juicy citrus. Now that we're eating light again, we've been devouring as much citrus as we can get our hands on – oranges, tangerines, clementines, grapefruits, pomelos – we're craving them all. Citrus is a great way to start a day of healthy eating, but why not incorporate it into your lunch and dinner, too? We've rounded up a few recipes below.

For many of us (especially here in Chicago) citrus is not a local crop, but it's not something we're keen to give up either. Especially when it's in season in, say, Florida. Speaking of the Sunshine State, The Orlando Sentinel reports that Florida grapefruit is having a good season thanks to cold weather in November, helping the fruit hold its own against the more popular orange. We've certainly been enjoying it. Here are a few recipes for more healthy citrus eating: From our Archives

Other Recipes

101 Cookbook's Citrus Parmesan Farro Salad, Lemon-scented Quinoa Salad, and Roasted Beet and Blood Orange Salad with Spicy Greens
Simply Recipe's Cardamon Citrus Fruit Salad and Orange and Beet Salad
Chocolate and Zucchini's Fennel and Orange Peel Soup
Epicurious Eateries' Heart of Celery Salad with fresh orange juice
Elana's Pantry's Cabbage Orange Salad

More

Related: Tip from Gourmet: Slice Citrus Lengthwise, Get More Juice (Image: Flickr user Ichibanto, licensed under Creative Commons)

The Homies 2008: 8 Hours to Go!

2009-01-06T12:00:00+00:00

Polls close tonight at 8pm. Today's the last day to vote for your favorite home blogs, check out one's you've never seen and spread some link love. Click on any of the five links below. Trouble logging in or voting. Sorry! We're working on it and we have some fixes below the jump.

Vote in all 5 Categories:
Home Design • Home Cooking • Green Design • Home Technology • Children's Design

Trouble Voting? For people who've had voting problems -- there was a bug in the "superlogout" code that made logging out of thekitchn (and unplggd, re-nest and ohdeedoh) impossible. If you've had trouble voting, please try the logout link again and let us know if it works. www.apartmenttherapy.com/superlogout Also, if the "answer survey" button is grayed out, try holding down shift and reloading the page. Sometimes the survey form gets stuck in the browser cache in the "not logged in" state and that should clear it out. For AT voters, who want to register to vote, go to our AT community page to sign in. community.apartmenttherapy.com/com/Home To contact us directly: support @ apartmenttherapy . com

The Cheesemonger: All About Manchego

2009-01-06T11:00:00+00:00

It's one of the most widely recognized names in the gourmet cheese marketplace. And for good reason. Here, all you've ever wanted to know about this Spanish cheese warrior, which has dominated the modern day cheese frontier for a much shorter period of time than it's actually been around.

Characterized by a mildly gamy (think lamb choppy) flavor and a hazelnutty sweetness, Manchego is everywhere. I remember the first time I tasted a firm, fatty piece: at the Dean & Deluca cheese counter, when I quickly committed its name to memory. Since then, thousands of consumers have done the same, and it continues to dominate sales worldwide. It's arguably Spain's most well-known cheese, made in La Mancha with the whole (full-fat) milk of Manchega sheep. Younger versions are aged for about 3 months, but you can find wheels aged for 9 months or longer, at which point they become drier and punchy, with a longer, more resilient finish. You'll find examples that are bland and innocuous, but when you've happened upon a great producer, you'll taste only round, meaty flavors and a distinct, creamy bite. Another traditional way of aging the cheese is in olive oil, which produces a rindless, super-dense, and much too often, very greasy (go figure) end product. You'll see Manchego made with pasteurized or raw milk. With regards to its ultimate quality, it's a point about which you could argue indefinitely, so it's hard to judge the cheese solely on whether or not its a pasteurized version. It's easy to spot Manchego from afar because of its rind. It's inedible and waxy with a cross-hatched, herringbone pattern that it gets after being drained and molded in a plastic patterned basket. Traditionally, it's served with membrillo and marconas, or maybe some Serrano ham. A glass of sherry is an obvious choice to spotlight its nutty notes, or some Crianza Rioja wouldn't hurt, either. But don't fear straying from Spanish territory. Manchego, with its fullness and fatty backbone, is a versatile pair for many red wines and fuller bodied whites. Since it's made with 100% sheep milk, it will be higher in fat, and can actually leech out its butterfat as it comes to room temperature. It's for this reason that a wedge may look shiny or greasy on a cheese plate. More and more, we've been seeing it used in cooking, with suggestions for its incorporation into mac & cheese, sandwiches, salads, and even hand pies. Manchego makes an excellent melter and works wonders with all types of egg dishes. But somehow, there's nothing quite as memorable as trying it on its own, perhaps on a simple piece of deli paper, passed over the top of a cheese counter. You can find Manchego at Murray's Cheese for $20/lb and at igourmet.com for $11.99/ .5 lb or at Zingerman's for $11.50/ .5 lb. Related: Twist on Tradition: Hand Pies (Images: BBC Good Food and Iberian Foods)

Kitchen Tech Survey: Do You Own an Electric Kettle?

2009-01-06T10:30:00+00:00

We are on the record as loving our electric kettle. It boils water in a fraction of the time needed to heat water on the stove or in the microwave, and it's earned precious countertop space because we use it at least three times a day. We're curious about your kitchen tech setup and whether an electric kettle has earned a spot there too. More about electric kettles and our favorite model, after the jump.

Our current favorite kettle is Adagio's UtiliTEA kettle (pictured above on the right), which gives some control over the temperature. We like to heat water just under boiling for coffee and some teas, so this control is nice. We would love a kettle, though, that gave more precise control and that had an actual temperature display somewhere. The pretty glass kettle pictured above on the left is this one: • Capresso Electric Kettle, $59.95 at Sur La Table. Here are some of our past discussions and reviews on electric kettles: • Best Product: UtiliTea Electric Kettle • Buying an Electric Kettle • Home Cooking: How Do You Boil Water? Do you own an electric kettle? This is one place where Americans and Europeans seem to differ markedly; nearly every European home we've visited has had an electric kettle. Americans, on the other hand, seem to use them less. If you have a model or brand that's worked well for you, tell us!

Editor's Choice: Kathryn's Favorite Posts of 2008 Best of 2008

2009-01-06T10:00:00+00:00

Here is just one more roundup of favorite posts from last year. These are from Kathryn, who just returned from a long trip to Japan. (We're looking forward to seeing those vacation pictures!) What were Kathryn's favorite posts from 2008? Read on and see...

• My Use Caution When Eating Escolar post here on The Kitchn. Because it cracks me up that I could have written that kind of post on a food blog. • Faith's Lamb Ragu post. I made this recipe twice this year, and have portions of it in my freezer. It's wonderful. • Sara Kate's Cipollini and Mushroom Tart, which impressed the guests of a dinner party I threw. • Elizabeth's Pickled Cocktail Garnishes for Bloody Marys, because I love pickles and love learning to make my own things. • Cornmeal Fennel Cookies - my new favorite cookie.

Watch This: Rachel Maddow Makes a Jack Rose Cocktail

2009-01-06T09:30:00+00:00

When she's not on the radio or hosting her show on MSNBC, Rachel Maddow likes to mix drinks; we've read about her love of old-fashioned cocktails and mixology. On New Year's Eve, New York Magazine posted this video of Maddow making a Jack Rose cocktail in her Air America studio. Read our favorite tip and get a link, below...

The Jack Rose is a mixture of applejack liquor, grenadine, and lime juice, although Maddow notes you can substitute calvados for the applejack. It's a bright, bubblegum-pink drink, perfect for dreary winter days. And her commentary throughout the video is pretty entertaining. For example: "There's a reason shakers are built to ballistic standards.... Keep shaking until it's too cold to hold. And then keep shaking a little while longer, until it really hurts." • Watch the video: Rachel Maddow, Mixologist, from Grub Street at New York Magazine Related: Straight Up: Simple Cocktails with Fresh Apple Cider (Images: New York Magazine)

Good Food with Evan Kleiman: Vinegar That You Drink?

2009-01-06T09:00:00+00:00

We had never heard of drinking vinegar until Elizabeth blogged about Toby Cecchini's article on vinegar "shrubs" last November. And now wouldn't you know, Toby Cecchini himself was on Good Food this past week! The interview was so intriguing, we thought we'd give these drinkable vinegars another look...

Cecchini says that people have been drinking vinegar throughout history. Sometimes you'd drink it as a straight shot, particularly in the case of aged Italian balsamics and Japanese black vinegars. Raw vinegars were also be mixed with water and a sweetener like honey or molasses to make a refreshing, non-alcoholic alternative to simple water. Drinking vinegar is technically called a "shrub." To make it, you take straight vinegar and macerate fruit and sugar (or other sweetener) into it. Cecchini talks about making his own shrubs using apple cider vinegar and seasonal fruits like sour cherries and apricots. He says drinking vinegars are definitely sour despite being sweetened. However, they have an interesting complexity and cleanse the palate in a way that sodas and fruit drinks alone cannot. If anyone has any leftover holiday partying to do, we think this would make a good beverage to offer anyone not drinking alcohol! Have any of you tried making your own shrub since Elizabeth's post? • To hear the whole interview and get a recipe for DIY Shrub, visit the Good Food website. • Take a look at Toby Cecchini's article on drinking vinegars in the New York Times Magazine that sparked this interview. • If you're not up for making your own, commercial drinking vinegars are available through sources like chefshop.com and Tait Farm Foods. (Image: Flickr member Lori-B licensed under Creative Commons)

Open Thread 189

2009-01-06T08:00:00+00:00

New year, new week. Welcome back to The Kitchn. What are you cooking tonight, and how can we help? To Previous Open Thread 188

Cooking Resolutions for the New Year! What Are Yours?

2009-01-05T17:00:00+00:00

We make resolutions for things like keeping a clean house, biking to work, and spending less money - why not throw a few cooking resolutions into the mix? Think about trying a new food, mastering a new recipe, or even redecorating your kitchen! Hear a few of our resolutions and tell us yours after the jump...

Like most resolutions, these are things that we've been meaning to do for a while, but just haven't gotten around to it or made it a habit: • Make pasta from scratch! We inherited a pasta roller a few months ago and it's remained woefully dusty ever since. Time to remedy that situation! • Master the frittata. Yes, the frittata has been our nemesis for too long. We're ready to make nice and become friends with this "easy" dinner dish. • Throw one dinner party every season (i.e., spring, summer, fall, and winter) with the goal of taming down our cooking perfectionism and confronting our hostessing anxieties. • Try one new wine every time we buy wine or eat out, and keep a notebook of wine names, vineyards, and tasting impressions. • Make an effort to cook recipes from our cookbook collection. We realized a while back that we get most of our new recipes from around the internet and we tend to forget about all the great recipes in our cookbooks! That's enough, don't you think?! What resolutions, goals, or declarations do you have for the new year? Related: Weekend Project: Make Your Own Mozzarella (Image: Flickr members kiloindiatango, Paul Goyette, and Marc_Smith licensed under Creative Commons, and Emma Christensen for the Kitchn)

The Homies: Best Home Cooking Blog of 2008? Vote for one...

2009-01-05T16:30:17+00:00

Voting closes tomorrow,Tuesday, at 8pm Eastern. Thanks to all of you who sent in nominations for this year's best Home Cooking Blog. We received 43 amazing nominations and whittled the field down to six based on your comments and a few other factors including how often they posted, if they were a standalone blog, how new long they'd been around and/or how closely they spoke to home cooking as a category (yours didn't make it this year? There's always next year). You can check out all the nominations below the jump and then vote on your favorite of the top six here. Nominations here. All prizes & info here. • veganexplosion.com • simplyrecipes.com • thepioneerwoman.com • smittenkitchen.com • lottieanddoof.com • hungrycravings.blogspot.com

Vote in all 5 Homies Categories!
Home Design • Home Cooking • Green Design • Home Technology • Children's Design

2008 Best Home Cooking Blog Nominations* Finalists: • veganexplosion.com • simplyrecipes.com • thepioneerwoman.com • smittenkitchen.com • lottieanddoof.com • hungrycravings.blogspot.com Other Great Blogs: • yeahthatveganshit.blogspot.com • veganyumyum.com • summerandalice.com • orangette.blogspot.com • jugalbandi.info • breadandhoney.com • thursdaynightsmackdown.com • spicysaltysweet.com • mattbites.com • Homesicktexan.blogspot.com • goodthingscatered.blogspot.com • endlesssimmer.com • elise.com • Chezpim.com • bakeanddestroy.com • 101cookbooks.com • whiteonricecouple.com • whippedtheblog.com • wellfed.typepad.com • tribecayummymummy-cate.blogspot.com • tipsybaker.blogspot.com • thirtyaweek.wordpress.com • testkitchenette.wordpress.com • tazadechocolate.blogspot.com • syllabub.blogspot.com • simmertilldone.com • nataliecakes.wordpress.com • lavieinenglish.blogspot.com • lafujimama.blogspot.com • jenyu.net • hotandbuttered.typepad.com • fanaticcook.blogspot.com • coconutlime.blogspot.com • blissfulglutton.blogspot.com • almostvegetarian.blogspot.com • adinnerparty.blogspot.com *Note: this year's winner is ineligible to be one of next year's finalists.

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Home Design • Home Cooking • Green Design • Home Technology • Children's Design