FOOD 101: The History Of Peanuts For National Peanut Day

September 13th is National Peanut Day. January 24th is National Peanut Butter Day, and PB&J lovers can look forward to April 2nd. A bit of history about the peanut, also known as a groundnut and goober. First, it isn’t a nut, but a legume. The difference: A legume is a pod with multiple seeds. A…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Frozen Herb & Olive Oil Cubes

Freeze leftover fresh herbs in olive oil (photo courtesy Pre Brands).   What do you do when you have leftover chopped herbs and minced garlic? Some people place them in a small container, to be used the next day in eggs, on salads, or to garnish other foods. Some people freeze them, but they become…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Add Crunch To Your Foods

When chefs create a recipe, they include elements of salt, acid, fat and heat (and sometimes, a pinch of sweetness). It’s all about flavor: Salt enhances flavor; acid balances flavor; fat delivers flavor and mouthfeel; and heat (pepper, chiles, etc.) is a counterpoint. But what about texture? Good recipes take time to add texture as…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Beyond Ants On A Log

[1] Ants On A log have friends: like these caterpillars and snails on a log (photo courtesy Woman’s Day: photo Steve Giralt; prop stylist: Megan Hedgpeth; food styling: WD Food Dept). [2] Hummus logs, with either celery, fennel or cucumber logs (photo courtesy Cava). [3] Classic Ants On A Log, given a classy treatment: angled…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Spices For Meat

Recipes for simply-cooked meat or poultry—roasted, grilled, sautéed—typically advise: season with salt and pepper. You can do better than that! Chef Sarah Russo of Pre Brands beef suggests additional seasonings that work for almost all meat and poultry. Her technique for maximum flavor is to use at least three spices plus salt. For example: Chile…
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