"times" news and stories

Meats are great dishes to serve cold, especially at a picnic, on a hot day, but because they seem to loose some of their character during overnight storage, make sure to up the flavor to begin with. Marinades and rubs are great choices and result in less mess than sauces do. Serve them with easy summer salads.

Don't bring your Blackberry to a dinner party. Sitting at the table and using it is simply rude, even if the food is awful.

Up and coming chef Andrew Weissman is setting a new standard for french food (pictured) - from San Antonio, Texas.

Some NY wine lovers still have issues with California wines, but the chardonnays seem to get better all the time. Try pairing them with a great salmon dish.

Learning how to cook when you shop exclusively at a farmer's market can be challenging, since it is so different and so seasonal. But when you live above NYC's Greenmarket, there isn't much choice and once you've eaten food that is "fresh off the farm" in the middle of the city, how could you go back?

Barley is good for you and full of fiber. It also tastes great in summer dishes like Corn and Barley Salad and Chilled Yogurt and Barley Soup.

The Shake Shack lets you get a look at the line, which will be a long one, via its webcam before you even get there.

The minimalist, Mark Bittman, tackles tomatillos.

Frank Bruni gives the new Mr Chow a "satisfactory" rating. You might want to opt for Daisy May's BBQ U.S.A., which is a Times "Top Pick."

 

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"What quenches your thirst depends on who you are" and New Yorkers are so diverse that there is an almost endless number of refreshing summer drinks to choose from, from sweet Greek frappés and Mexican agua fresca to strong African ginger beer and the bubble teas favored by Chinese students.

The recipe for refreshing in a summer cocktail comes down to a few key points, the most important being the inclusion of ice. Ice not only lowers the temperature of the drink, but helps the ingredients to blend together and, since it results in more water in your system as it melts, helps you stay hydrated in the summer heat.

 "The Cuke" (recipe below) wins the NY Time's summer cocktail contest, as it is light, refreshing and not too boozy for sipping in the hot sun.

Prosecco might be the ultime summer sipper, though, as it is refreshing, stylish and soothes the heat better than "the gentle cooling of a rippling breeze."

People are starting to get a taste for cachaça, the national spirit of Brazil, which is made from fermented sugar cane juice.

Frank Bruni eats at Degustation and gives it two stars, while giving Jewel Bako one star.

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In Sunday's New York Times Magazine, there was an interesting article by Mark Bittman about the franchising of great chefs. The article covers how world renowned chefs, including Alain Ducasse, Joël Robuchon and Daniel Boulud, are expanding into restaurateurism, trading on their name and the cooking that is represented by that name.

It is not that there is anything wrong with the branding that the chefs are doing because it is financially a good move for them and, in some cases, good for diners who have world-class cuisine more readily accessible. For the chefs, opportunities like these are outstanding.

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