TIP OF THE DAY: How To Ripen Bananas

Ripe bananas. If you have more than youcan use, freeze them. Photo by Sanja Gjenero | SXC.   Some people like their bananas on the green side, before the skin becomes flecked with brown. We don’t. Our perfect banana looks like the ones in the photo (which shows the visual standard of ripeness). The flesh…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Passionfruit For Easter

Australian passionfruit is small and purple-skinned. Photo by Brybs | SXC.   You may have assumed, like many people, that passionfruit was named for the passion it inspires in those who consume it. But the name actually comes from a religious source, rather than any aphrodisiac properties. The fruit is named for the plant’s flower,…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Mustard In Your Vinaigrette

Dijon mustard atop mustard seeds. Photo by Saidi Granados | THE NIBBLE.   You may have seen mustard listed as an ingredient in vinagrette. It adds delicious flavor, but it also serves as an emulsifier, so the dressing doesn’t break back into separate oil and vinegar layers. You can use prepared Dijon mustard, or–if you…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Keep Fruit From Browning

Even though our pears ended up baked toa brown color, we didn’t want them tooxidize before baking. Photo by LouisHiemstra | IST.   When we received a generous gift of juicy Royal Riviera Pears from Harry & David, we were excited to explore all kinds of pear recipes: pear tarts, pickled pears, pear sorbet, and…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Why You Need An Oven Thermometer

If you’ve noticed that your baked foods are overcooked or undercooked—and you’ve followed the instructions to the letter—you need an oven thermometer. Just like a piano needs tuning, an oven needs to be calibrated to the correct temperature. While calibration is set at the factory, ovens easily lose their calibration over time and will run…
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