Food Hacks Features
How To: 9 Creative Uses for All Those Holiday Wine Corks
While most people build collections of things with intrinsic value such as coins, stamps, or rare post cards, I collect wine corks—the natural ones, not the plastic kind. Corks are a natural product harvested from the cork oak tree. It takes the better part of 10 to 12 years before a tree can have its bark manually removed for the production of cork. Thankfully, no tree is harmed in the process and in 12 years, the tree bark can be harvested yet again.
News: Don't Let the Frosting Deceive You, This 'Salad Cake' Is Actually Made of Veggies
For generations, parents have been struggling to come up with innovative ways to get their kids to eat their vegetables. They'll cut them into fun shapes, bake them in cheese, batter, and deep-fry them.
Weird Ingredient Wednesday: Durian Stinks Like Hell but Tastes Heavenly
I've known eaters who will fearlessly bite into the hottest peppers, but even they have quailed before durian, the fruit that hails from Southeast Asia and whose smell has been compared to garbage, rotting flesh, and the bathroom post-use. However, this hefty globe with its spiny, prickly outer covering isn't called "the king of fruits" for nothing. According to its many fans, its stench does not correlate to its taste, which has been described in extremely flattering terms. Monica Tan of The...
How To: Upgrade Eggs Instantly with Milk, Beer & Other Creative Poaching Liquids
You can put spices in a scramble or fry an egg in bacon fat, so why poach eggs in just plain water? Water doesn't add any flavor whatsoever, so you're wasting a valuable opportunity to give your poached eggs more oomph—an extra important step if you're not frying your poached eggs afterward.
How To: The Easiest Way to Make Guilt-Free Ice Cream
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. It's a universally loved treat that seems to make everyone who eats it giddy. However, there are two downsides to ice cream, in my opinion.
News: Tiny Food-Based Works of Art to Drool Over
I don't know about you, but visions of pumpkin pie and cornbread stuffing and big, juicy turkeys are constantly dancing through my head right now. I'm sorry, healthy eating habits, but it's Thanksgiving week, and all I can do is think about food.
Ingredients 101: Heirloom vs. Hybrid Tomatoes… Ready, Fight!
If you've been to a farmer's market during tomato season, chances are you know that heirloom tomatoes are pricier (and funnier-looking) than their hybrid counterparts.
How To: Why Blueberries Are the Best Fruit You've Never Pickled
When we think of pickling, we usually think of using veggies like cucumbers, carrots, and peppers. However, with summer upon us, we found ourselves thinking about fancy pickled berries as a novel way to use all those gorgeous gems that are popping up at the market.
How To: Whoa—You Can Make Sprouts from Lentils, Almonds & More!
The sprouts, they're alive! Alive, I tell you—aaaaaaliiiiiive! (Cue dramatic music.) It's true: sprouts are a living food, and they're packed with more nutritional benefits than some raw vegetables. It's easy and fun to grow your own sprouts from seeds, legumes, and grains. Plus, watching them grow is incredibly satisfying—you're bringing new life into the world (and onto your plate)!
Weird Ingredient Wednesday: The Geoduck, a Mollusk as Weird as It Is Phallic
When you think of bivalves, such as manila clams and oysters, you tend to think of the meat as being nicely tucked in the shell. Anything else would be scary, right?
How To: With This Slow Cooker Hack, You'll Never Have to Buy Yogurt Again
Making yogurt at home doesn't sound like an easy task at first. We initially saw it as detailed, hands-on, and precise—a process that required special equipment, specialized (and expensive) live-culture bacteria, and loads of yogurt knowledge.
How To: You Can Make Rice Krispies Treats in the Microwave in Just 5 Minutes
It's no secret that the microwave is a modern-day wonder that, when used correctly, can cook a wide variety of food in a snap.
How To: Make Your Own Sriracha at Home
The possibility of the Sriracha factory in Irwindale, CA being shut down was one of the biggest food stories of 2013. Huy Fong Foods was almost forced to close the plant due to complaints about the factory's smell, but luckily the brand emerged triumphant.
How To: These 5 Recipes Prove That Tea Is a Delicious Addition to Anything
A cup of ginger tea with lemon first thing in the morning, a pick-me-up cup of green tea (or matcha) to fight off the afternoon slump and a soothing cup of chamomile tea to help me unwind before bed—I would be lying if I said I weren't a major tea enthusiast.
How To: The Trick to Making Opened Wine Last a Whole Week
As crazy as it sounds, there are times when bottles of wine go unfinished. I love a glass or three of vino, but am often guilty of not finishing the bottle. Sometimes I don't have the time to finish it, and other times I like it so much that I open bottle number two and can't finish that.
How To: Quintuple Your Alcohol Options with These Easy Infusions
Unless you're well off, you've probably experienced the hard liquor purchasing conundrum. You know the one: you want to stock your home bar with more than just one spirit, but you don't want to drop $100 or more just so you can have some variety in your alcohol cabinet.
How To: Easily Peel Garlic Using the Twist & Snap Method
Peeling garlic is one kitchen task that every cook, from the newbie to the experienced, is always trying to make easier. Methods vary, from shaking heads of garlic inside a container to using the microwave to help peels slide right off.
How To: Making Reese's Peanut Butter Cups at Home Is Super Simple
Rich, creamy chocolate cups stuffed with smooth, salty-sweet peanut butter in a bite-sized package—yep, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are an amazing fix for your sweet tooth at best, and a guilty pleasure at worst. It's easy enough to buy them on a whim at the local grocery store, but it's even easier than you might think to make them right at home.
Molecular Gastronomy 101: How to Cryogenically Freeze & Shatter Berries
"Cooking" with liquid nitrogen seems like one of those activities that should be strictly limited to pros who are appearing on Top Chef, but it's the only way you'd ever be able to make Dippin' Dots at home. If that isn't enough of a reason for you to get some LN2 for your kitchen, check out this dose of pretty:
How To: Infect Your Friends with Zombie Punch
Halloween is this weekend, so if you're looking for a last-minute big batch cocktail that will keep your guests properly hydrated—and might turn them into mutants—look no further! (Note: This will not actually hydrate anyone, just so we're clear. Priorities, people!)
Weird Ingredient Wednesday: It's Marmite Time!
Marmite: either you love the stuff or hate it. ("Love" meaning you are British and grew up eating it, and "hate" meaning you are everyone else.)
Ingredients 101: The Essential Homemade Chicken Stock
The first written account of "stock" as a culinary staple goes back to 1653, when La Varenne's Cookery described boiling mushroom stems and table scraps with other ingredients (such as herbs and basic vegetables) in water to use for sauces. But really, the concept of stock has probably been around for as long as people have been using water to boil food.
How To: Recreate KitKat's Awesomely Alcoholic Sake Flavor at Home
Listen up, children, pregnant women, and lightweights: this particular KitKat variety is not for you. Well, with 0.8% alcoholic content per 2 KitKat bars, it's highly unlikely anyone will actually get drunk on these things. Still...
How To: This Simple Step Will Take Your Quinoa to the Next Level
Nowadays, it feels like you can't talk about eating healthy without bringing up quinoa. Quinoa (KEEN-wah) has been the "superstar" of the health movement for a while; 2013 was declared the International Year of Quinoa by the United Nations, and has only continued to grow in popularity with both health nuts and culinary experts alike through the past few years. The true testament to quinoa's success has been its eventual integration into our everyday lives. Quinoa is now very accessible to fol...
How To: Keep Your Bowl from Slipping When Mixing Ingredients
Many home chefs are deterred from whisk-intensive recipes such as mayonnaise because they seem to require more than two hands—which is obviously the maximum number we possess. One hand is required to stabilize the bowl, another must be whisking constantly... and a third hand is needed to pour a steady stream of oil.
How To: Turn Your Wok into a Food Smoker
Woks are good for more than just tossing Friday night's chow mien with beef and broccoli. In fact, you can use a wok to impart a deep and delicious flavor into foods through smoking. But how exactly do you smoke foods using a wok? Watch this video from CHOW to find out.
Food Tool Friday: Thermomix, a Mind-Blowing 12-in-1 Kitchen Appliance
When I first heard about the Thermomix, an all-in-one kitchen appliance from Australia, it sounded like an old SNL commercial parody: It slices! It dices! It heats! It kneads! Is there ANYTHING this machine CAN'T do?
How To: Put Leftover Champagne to Good Use with These Brunch Dishes
The words "leftover champagne" cause us to shudder slightly because, frankly, we are loathe to leave bubbly in the bottle. But in the event that we do have some left over, we put it to use in two egg-cellent ways: baked eggs and scrambled eggs.
How To: Turn Salami Slices into Crispy, Savory Snack Chips You Can Dip
Baking thinly sliced salami in the oven changes it to an awesome and savory crispy snack. They're dippable, crowd-pleasing, and healthier than your average slice of salami —the amount of oil that drains from each slice is a little scary!
How To: Grill a Whole Pineapple for Dessert, Cocktails, Burgers & More
A whole grilled pineapple is the perfect party dessert. It's beautiful, provides a natural centerpiece before you eat it, and can be sliced right on the spot and served with a dollop of ice cream. (Fresh mint leaves and a splash of liqueur on top taste pretty good, too.)
How To: Hot Damn! 10 More Epic Popsicle Flavors
The freezer section at your local grocery store may have plenty of popsicle flavors, but they're mostly going to be the same old fruit-flavored varities you've been shoving in your mouths for years. None of those will truly get your tastebuds rolling like some creative homemade versions will. We've already shown you some crazy sounding ones made with Oreos, veggies, and coconut flakes, but now we're back with some more chilling ideas. Just wait until you get down to the corn one!
News: Amazing Things Happen When You Burn These 5 Everyday Foods
No crème brûlée is worth its custard without the crackled, caramelized crust it's famous for. For this reason alone, many cooks have a brûlée torch sitting somewhere in their cabinets.
How To: Can't Find Choco Chip Oreos? We've Got You Covered
Back in July, Oreo released their newest, limited-edition flavor, Choco Chip. These one-of-a-kind cookies are made up of golden, vanilla chocolate chip wafers with a chocolate chip creme filling.
How To: Sushi Cakes Look Too Delicious to Be Real
I'm a sucker for sushi, both in its traditional forms and its modern fusion creations. When the infamous sushi burritos surfaced, I'm not ashamed to admit that I waited in a ridiculously long line for what is essentially an uncut sushi roll. (As for whether it was worth it or not, well... that's another story.)
Weird Ingredient Wednesday: Would You Risk Your Life to Eat This Deadly Fish?
Sushi aficionados and Simpsons fans alike know all about the joys of fugu. Known also as blowfish, it's reputed for being tasty if sliced from the correct part of the animal and many even say they experience a "fugu high" after eating the fish. Alas, if you have an unskilled chef, fugu is famous for being deadly.
How To: Make Fudge in a Flash with Just Your Microwave
When chocolate cravings strike, indulgent fudge makes everything in the world right again. And while plain fudge will do the job just fine, add-ins like walnuts and Oreos elevate this dessert to new levels.
How To: Brighten Up Your Baked Goods with DIY Sprinkles
Sprinkles are a gateway to excitement, whether it's a birthday party with friends or an ice cream sundae by yourself. It may seem like these colorful creations can only come from the grocery store, but it's actually pretty easy to make beautiful sprinkles in your own kitchen.
Nature's Food Hacks: How Honey's Magical Qualities Make It Indispensable
Only a handful of food products are impervious to spoilage—dried rice, salt, sugar—but even among those, honey is unique in that it remains edible without any preparation necessary. It's like this: if you came across honey in an Egyptian tomb, as archaeologists have, you could taste it and never guess it was thousands of years old.
How To: One Versatile Cupcake Recipe... Three Fruity Variations
We like to have a variety of cupcakes on hand when we're entertaining, but we don't want to spend too much time making separate recipes. No one has the time or the money for that—especially when you're hosting and you've got a bevy of other dishes to prepare.
How To: 10 Delicious Ways to Eat More Cauliflower
It's no secret that cauliflower is good for you—but not nearly enough people know that the best part about cauliflower is its insane versatility. Because its cooked flavor is so mild, it can be incorporated into a crazy amount of dishes and preparations.