THE FIVE MOTHER SAUCES You should always remember that when you are making a sauce to be used on a food, it is the first thing to touch the tongue. A sauce is only as good as the ingredients you put into it and the care you take while preparing it. On the other hand, [...]

Braising Once you understand a few simple principles it’s easy to create braises as elegant and flavorful as those you find in great restaurants. As a technique, braising couldn’t be simpler. You just brown whatever it is you’re going to braise (in oil or butter), add liquids like wine, stock or even cider or Armagnac, [...]

Salsa is the Spanish word for sauce, and in Mexico it refers to sauces that are used as an ingredient for a variety of dishes and as a condiment. Salsas have been known for a thousand years in Mexico, most of the ingredients can be attributed to Spain’s influence on Mexico. In the United States, [...]

Serving nutritious meals to your family and friends is not just a matter of choosing the ”right” foods to prepare, but also cooking foods in ways that will retain and even enhance their healthful benefits. With a few careful decisions about ingredients and cooking strategies, you can turn your most popular dishes into a real [...]

Tea Brewing Don’t just toss a tea bag in your cup and hope for the best. A little bit of knowledge can ensure a superb cup of tea.If your idea of a good cup of tea starts with plain tea bags from the grocery store, you are likely missing out on truly superior tea. There [...]

Ask any professional chef and they will tell you. The best equipped kitchens contain a variety of cooking surfaces, cookware shapes and cookware sizes. Pots and pans are two of the most essential cooking elements. There are several various options when it plays a part in both of these cooking must-haves, from stainless steel to [...]

Coffee & Tea Making Making coffee or tea is all in how you prepare it. There are lots of different ways to brew both tea or coffee.There are so many different ways to make your coffee, you don’t have to settle for just one method. Experiment a little! Brewing Basics Coffee can be made many [...]

I have spent most of my career pairing food with wine, and these are some basic rules that I have learned to follow; I think food and wine pairing is best achieved when you find similarities and/or contrasts of flavor, body (texture), intensity, and taste – “Simple wines with complex foods…complex wines with simple foods.” [...]