Slashfoodhttp://www.slashfood.comSlashfoodhttp://www.slashfood.com/media/feedlogo.gifSlashfoodhttp://www.slashfood.comen-usCopyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Happy Cream Cheese Brownie Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/10/cream-cheese-brownie-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/10/cream-cheese-brownie-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/10/cream-cheese-brownie-day/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: Amanda (slh), Flickr

Happy Cream Cheese Brownie Day!

Though the classic cocoa brownie will never go out of style, an updated version with a cream-cheese swirl adds an interesting visual element, in addition to a richer flavor. Like black and white cookies, these nibbles allow the best of both worlds in one rich bite.

Martha Stewart's simple recipe spoons alternating amounts of the dark, chocolate base, with that of the white, cream-cheese base. Marble the top of the batch with a knife to create the elegant swirled pattern.

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]]>cream cheese browniecream cheese brownie dayAlexa WeibelThu, 10 Feb 2011 13:15:00 EST10 Cooking Techniques You Need to Knowhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/27/cooking-techniques-you-need-to-know/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/27/cooking-techniques-you-need-to-know/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/27/cooking-techniques-you-need-to-know/#commentsFiled under:

how to shuck oystersPhoto: brent_buford, Flickr

So you think you know how to shuck an oyster? (It's all in the wiggle of the knife.) How about roasting a pepper or poaching an egg? Essential cooking techniques don't always come naturally. Sometimes you need a little help from the pros. Our friends over at YumSugar give you step-by-step how-tos for ten skills you absolutely need to master. And they make it look so easy.

Check out all 10 Crucial Cooking Techniques to Know over on YumSugar.

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]]>cooking techniquesthe Editors at YumSugarThu, 27 Jan 2011 14:00:00 ESTHappy English Toffee Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/08/english-toffee-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/08/english-toffee-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/08/english-toffee-day/#commentsFiled under: ,

Chocolate almond buttercrunch toffee. Photo: Come Undone, Flickr

Happy English Toffee Day!

For a simple base of butter and sugar, it's incredible what a decadent dessert toffee forms, with its initial -- but not cloying -- sweetness followed by a pleasantly lingering buttery flavor. One could argue that the only thing holding back this dulcet sweet from perfection is its pesky ability to cling to teeth.

Imperfections aside, we're amazed at how simple it is to make your own tray of the buttery delicacy. Aside from a few ingredients, the main apparatus needed is just a candy thermometer. If you're feeling ambitious on this National Toffee Day, try making some yourself -- and who better to learn from than Paula Deen, the reigning culinary queen of butter? (Heck, in addition to heaping it copiously into the vast majority of her recipes, she's even been known to drink it straight!)

So get cracking on her alluringly simple recipe -- it's divine, y'all.

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]]>english toffeeenglish toffee daytoffeeAlexa WeibelSat, 08 Jan 2011 13:15:00 ESTHappy National Whipped Cream Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/05/national-whipped-cream-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/05/national-whipped-cream-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/05/national-whipped-cream-day/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: Elana's Pantry, Flickr

Happy National Whipped Cream Day!

There's nothing quite like a sugary puff of freshly whipped cream -- yet when it comes to the billowy dollops of cloudy perfection, prepackaged varieties ever seem to fall short. Lucky for us, the homemade version can be whipped up in minutes: Simply beat a bowl of fresh heavy cream, adding in powdered sugar as soon as the cream begins to form soft peaks. (The ratio should be roughly one tablespoon sugar for every cup cream, although it is adjustable according to taste.)

If you really want to elevate your dessert, try adding a variety of additional seasonings to your whipped cream, from spirits (bourbon, Grand Marnier, etc.) to spices (vanilla bean, cinnamon, nutmeg, and the like), to a plethora of possible additions (mint, lemon zest, and more). You may find yourself favoring your whipped cream topping over the dessert itself.

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]]>national whipped cream daywhipped creamAlexa WeibelWed, 05 Jan 2011 13:15:00 ESTHappy National Cream Puff Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/02/national-cream-puff-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/02/national-cream-puff-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/02/national-cream-puff-day/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Chocolate cake. Photo: Timothy Gerdes, Flickr.

Happy National Cream Puff Day!

Much like cupcakes, this heavenly dessert is as precious to taste as it is to regard, with two crispy choux pastry shells enveloping a light cream or custard filling, topped off with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Unique by right of the hollow crust it forms, choux pastry is thought to have originated in Renaissance Italy and France, where it was supposedly dubbed "choux" ("cauliflower") for its bulbous appearance. Catherine de Medici's pastry chef is credited with the inclusion of a moist, creamy filling, but it is Antonin Careme who is thought to have perfected the dessert.

The trick of the cream puff is in the pastry, not the pudding. For a detailed recipe, we suggest that of the Food Network, who pairs it with a promising -- if untraditional -- chocolate whipped cream center.

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]]>cream puffcream puff recipenational cream puff dayAlexa WeibelSun, 02 Jan 2011 13:15:00 ESTHappy National Brandied Fruit Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2010/10/20/national-brandied-fruit-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/10/20/national-brandied-fruit-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/10/20/national-brandied-fruit-day/#commentsFiled under: ,

Boozy fruit salad. Photo: You Can Count on Me, Flickr

Happy National Brandied Fruit Day!

Consider brandied fruit a simpler way than canning to preserve fresh summer fruits for the cold of wintertime. The process involves little more than clean, chopped fruit sitting in a sugared brandy bath, with alcoholic sweetness permeating the entire syrupy concoction.

Depending on what fruits you decide to use -- a medley is great too! -- brandied fruit is surprisingly versatile, pairing well with savory dishes (cheese, cooked poultry) as well as a variety of desserts (topped with ice cream or whipped cream or topping cakes and other baked goods).

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]]>brandied fruitnational brandied fruit dayAlexa WeibelWed, 20 Oct 2010 13:15:00 ESTHappy "Snack a Pickle Time!"http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/13/snack-a-pickle-time/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/13/snack-a-pickle-time/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/13/snack-a-pickle-time/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: Stephen Moudry Photography, Flickr

Happy "Snack a Pickle Time!"

Often mistakenly interpreted to include only the green, cucumber variety, the term "pickle" actually refers to any "food that has been preserved in a seasoned brine or vinegar mixture," according to The New Food Lover's Companion. The most pickled food products include cucumbers, cauliflower, pearl onions, baby corn, watermelon rind, herring and pig's feet (!), but the variety of things that can be pickled range as much as the possible pickling flavors, namely sweet, sour or hot.

A plethora of pickling spices are also often used to season pickles, with blends often including allspice, bay leaves, cinnamon, clovers, cardamon, mustard seeds, ginger and peppercorns -- but you can get creative, with everything from fresh herbs like dill to exotic condiments from your refrigerator (Sriracha pickles!). If you're looking for an all-inclusive guide to making your own pickles, we recommend that of The Joy of Pickling: 250 Flavor-Packed Recipes for Vegetables and More from the Garden or Market. But if you're seeking to satisfy an instant craving, we recommend placing an order for some whiskey sour pickles or fennel beets from the pros at Brooklyn Brine company.

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]]>picklepickle recipessnack a pickle timeAlexa WeibelMon, 13 Sep 2010 13:15:00 ESTWorld Cup: South Africa on a Platehttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/06/10/world-cup-south-africa-on-a-plate/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/06/10/world-cup-south-africa-on-a-plate/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/06/10/world-cup-south-africa-on-a-plate/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Pap and Boerewors. Photo courtesy of Madiba Restaurant


You may not be able to watch the World Cup Soccer tournament in South Africa, but that doesn't mean you can't get a taste of that country's munchies (snacks), meals and drinks.

South Africans have nicknamed their food "Rainbow cuisine" to encompass the melting pot of cultures who have joined the indigenous people since the Dutch built a half-way stop in Cape Town for the Dutch East India Company. Next came the French Huguenots who planted vines that were the beginnings of the Cape Winelands. Sugar farmers in Durban brought laborers from India, others came from Malaysia. The British arrived looking for gold, as did Germans (though they staked their claim on South West Africa, now Namibia). Plus, the Portuguese, who colonized nearby Mozambique, brought the flavor of spicy peri-peri to South Africa on chicken and prawns (large shrimp).

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]]>south africasouth african foodworld cupWorld Cup 2010Nadine RubinThu, 10 Jun 2010 12:00:00 ESTMolecular Gastronomy Starter Kit - I Tried It!http://www.slashfood.com/2010/06/07/molecular-gastronomy-starter-kit-i-tried-it/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/06/07/molecular-gastronomy-starter-kit-i-tried-it/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/06/07/molecular-gastronomy-starter-kit-i-tried-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Red fruit caviar. Photo: Courtesy ThinkGeek.com


Perhaps the largest breakthrough in cooking in the last decade, molecular gastronomy -- or "playing with powder," as David Lebovitz puts it -- is an art form that has some diners widening their eyes in wonderment and others shaking their heads in disbelief.

Popularized by Ferran Adria's soon-to-be-shuttered El Bulli in Spain and, later by Wylie Dufresne at New York City's WD-50, the avant-garde cuisine takes the ordinary to extraordinary levels. As Frank Bruni put it in 2005, the "sci-fi cooking" has been known to "toy with unusual textures, play with wildly unlikely flavor combinations and generally venture in directions that might turn out to be silly, but then again might not." Pondered Lebovitz, "Just like Matisse was widely-panned for painting a woman's face with a green stripe down the middle, I think we're going to have to let time tell us if this is just a passing fancy or if it's something that's here to stay."

And though the still-kicking buzz of molecular cooking has died down - quite likely as a result of the prohibitively high cost of restaurants embracing it as their specialty - it may now create another stir, as it is released in a user-friendly form to the general public.

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]]>featuredmolecular gastronomymolecular gastronomy kitwd50wylie dufresneAlexa WeibelMon, 07 Jun 2010 13:00:00 ESTOrder Thai Food Like a Nativehttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/05/20/order-thai-food-like-a-native/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/05/20/order-thai-food-like-a-native/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/05/20/order-thai-food-like-a-native/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Photo: lookslikeamy, Flickr

Have you ever sat down in a Thai restaurant and found yourself confused by the menu and so went with the most seemingly innocuous item? However adventurous or timid an eater you might be, there are certain cultural differences that once explained, would enlighten your ordering.

Pailin Chongchitnant, a culinary student and guest writer at the San Francisco Chronicle, first noticed the drastic differences between Thai and North American culture when she moved from Thailand to Canada. Having been hit with this culture shock, Pailin offers her personal guide to ordering Thai food, to enable you to venture beyond curry and partake in a more authentic Thai dining experience.

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]]>featuredrestaurant etiquetteseattle post-intelligencerthai foodthailandLindsay DamastThu, 20 May 2010 16:00:00 ESTCheese and Beer Pairing 101 - Cheese Coursehttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/03/23/cheese-and-beer-pairings-101-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/03/23/cheese-and-beer-pairings-101-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/03/23/cheese-and-beer-pairings-101-cheese-course/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: ibison4, Flickr

Beer isn't necessarily the first beverage that comes to mind when thinking of what to pair with cheese. Wine is the obvious choice. But at a beer and cheese workshop at the recent Salon de Fromage, we discovered the culinary (and economical) advantages of pairing cheese with beer. But we still had more questions, so we also consulted beer enthusiast Alex Brown, co-founder of the food blog Hot Knives and Jean Michel de Riveau, from the Brewers Association of France. Here's what we learned:

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]]>beerbeer and cheeseBeerAndCheesecheesecheese pairingCheeseCourseMax ShremTue, 23 Mar 2010 17:00:00 ESTGreen Food Recipe Ideas for St. Patrick's Dayhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/03/11/how-to-make-food-green/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/03/11/how-to-make-food-green/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/03/11/how-to-make-food-green/#commentsFiled under: ,

Wheatgrass. Photo: oklo, Flickr

St. Patrick's Day cooking is easy if you're a food-coloring addict. Green milk, green oatmeal, green butter, green cottage cheese -- these and everything else can be greened up with a few flicks of that little plastic jar. But what if you don't like using artificial stuff from little plastic jars? Then you need to turn to nature. Luckily, nature seems to favor the Irish: There are tons of healthy green-ifiers out there.

To make green mashed potatoes (that taste exactly the same as regular potatoes): Stir in half a cup of green peas that you've puréed with a tablespoon of milk. If you use frozen peas, they should be defrosted but don't need to be cooked.

Green bread crumbs for chicken: In a food processor, pulse 4 slices of toast with 1/2 cup chopped parsley until you've got, yes, green crumbs. Toss this mixture together with 4 ounces grated fresh Parmesan and 1 crushed garlic clove.

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]]>green foodhow to make food greenst. patricks dayAnn HodgmanThu, 11 Mar 2010 12:00:00 ESTPicking Out Avocados - Tip of the Dayhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/02/15/picking-out-avocados-tip-of-the-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/02/15/picking-out-avocados-tip-of-the-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/02/15/picking-out-avocados-tip-of-the-day/#commentsFiled under: ,

Avocados are at their peak right now, so take this opportunity to use them in a variety of salads, sandwiches and even baked goods.

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]]>avocadoavocado tipsavocadosAvocadoTipsguacamoleAdeena SussmanMon, 15 Feb 2010 09:00:00 ESTPerfect Hard-Boiled Eggs - Tip of the Dayhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/02/11/perfect-hard-boiled-eggs-tip-of-the-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/02/11/perfect-hard-boiled-eggs-tip-of-the-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/02/11/perfect-hard-boiled-eggs-tip-of-the-day/#commentsFiled under: ,

A perfect hard-boiled egg is a thing of beauty, one that needs little adornment other than a sprinkling of salt and pepper before enjoying.

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]]>eggshard-boiled eggsAdeena SussmanThu, 11 Feb 2010 09:00:00 ESTRoasting Nuts - Tip of the Dayhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/02/10/roasting-nuts-tip-of-the-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/02/10/roasting-nuts-tip-of-the-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/02/10/roasting-nuts-tip-of-the-day/#commentsFiled under: ,

Many recipes call for lightly toasted nuts, which are generally browned one of two ways: in the oven or in a skillet on the range.

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]]>roasted nutsroasting nutstoasted nutstoasting nutsAdeena SussmanWed, 10 Feb 2010 09:00:00 ESTCheese Plates and Cassoulet: The Louisville Courier-Journal in 60 Secondshttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/07/cornbread-cassoulet-cheese-plates-and-breakfast-strata-the-lou/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/07/cornbread-cassoulet-cheese-plates-and-breakfast-strata-the-lou/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/07/cornbread-cassoulet-cheese-plates-and-breakfast-strata-the-lou/#commentsFiled under: , ,

cheesePhoto: Getty Images.


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]]>cassouletcheese boardcheese selectioncornbread cassouletLouisvilletapasHanna RaskinThu, 07 Jan 2010 12:00:00 ESTHow to Host a Cookie Swaphttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/23/how-to-host-a-cookie-swap/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/23/how-to-host-a-cookie-swap/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/23/how-to-host-a-cookie-swap/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Photo: Steve Adams

by Julie M. Usher

While cookie swaps are synonymous with Christmas time, they are easy-to-plan parties year-round. The traditional cookie swap is a specialized form of potluck, where guests share in the baking and cost burden by bringing their favorite cookies to the party (they're made ahead of time). The hostess provides the space, sends out the invitations, sets up the cookies and provides the beverages. Guests bring two or three batches of their favorite recipe (5-6 dozen) and then they are swapped with other guests cookies. The advantage of a cookie swap? Multiple cookie varieties without the prep time and mess.

More recently, people have started to participate in baking exchanges, where guests bring their ingredients to the hostess's home and they bake together. With more interaction at this type of party, it's great for people less savvy in the kitchen. This concept is also a great way to get kids into the kitchen by encouraging them to help in prepping and decorating stages. Kids can get their hands dirty while learning how to cook and take pride in what they make.

The Rules of Cookie Swapping and Party Planning Tips after the jump.

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]]>christmas cookie exchangecookie swap ideascookie swapscookiesCookieSwapshost a cookie swapSlashfood EditorWed, 23 Dec 2009 11:00:00 ESTFour Wine Pairing Rules to Breakhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/17/wine-pairing-rules-to-break/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/17/wine-pairing-rules-to-break/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/17/wine-pairing-rules-to-break/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

wine glassPhoto: Marco Veringa, Flickr


When pairing wines with edibles, there are rules. Or so we've been told.

Sometimes it's OK to snap those rules in half and come up with your own adaptation.

Here are four rules you can turn on their head during the winter holidays.

Drink white wine with fish.
Red wine goes with meat, white marries well with fish, blah blah. Yet if the sauce or spices served with the fish are bold and heavy, by all means pull out a Zinfandel or a Shiraz. These two full-bodied, luscious reds will enhance nuances in the fish.

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]]>Kristine HansenThu, 17 Dec 2009 16:00:00 ESTHomemade Vanilla Extract - Tip of the Dayhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/17/homemade-vanilla-extract-tip-of-the-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/17/homemade-vanilla-extract-tip-of-the-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/17/homemade-vanilla-extract-tip-of-the-day/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Learn how to make your own vanilla extract -- it's as simple as set, shake and let sit.

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]]>homemade vanilla extractvanillavanilla beanvanilla extractAlexa WeibelThu, 17 Dec 2009 09:00:00 ESTFallen Leaves - LeNell It Allhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/03/fallen-leaves-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/03/fallen-leaves-lenell-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/03/fallen-leaves-lenell-it-all/#commentsFiled under: , ,

fallen leaves cocktail by lenell smothers

Photo: LeNell Smothers

While packing up to move to Baja, I got rid of many winter clothes with the sweltering summer heat still fresh on my mind from closing on purchase of Casa Cóctel in the hottest part of the year.

Now the fall chill has finally hit even La Paz. This week had me scrambling for sweaters and blankets. The cool air stiffens bones while the dark spirits loosens them back up again.

Fall seems to be the perfect season for apples. Fermented apples turn into cider. Distilled apples turn into brandy.

Get my Fallen Leaves cocktail after the jump.

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]]>apple brandyAppleBrandycocktailsfallen leavesFallenLeaveslenell smothersLenellSmothersspiritsLeNell SmothersThu, 03 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST