From SAVEUR Issue #156
Soon after my family and I left Russia and moved to Brooklyn in 1990, my language arts teacher asked our sixth-grade class to practice writing instructions. When I went to my mom for advice, she suggested a recipe for syrniki, literally "little cheeses." These tangy, tender pancakes made with tvorog (a type of quark), sugar, eggs, and flour were a staple of my childhood in St. Petersburg, where Mom would make them in our cozy kitchen on frigid winter mornings. Keep reading »
Credit: Todd Coleman
From SAVEUR Issue #156
Strips of pizza dough are fried and then tossed with oregano, arugula, and fresh tomatoes with their juices in this Neapolitan salad. See the recipe »
Credit: Todd Coleman
When it comes to drinks for Cinco de Mayo, we've got too many favorite Mexican-inspired cocktails to serve just one. From a classic frozen margarita, to the Chico—a blackberry liqueur and tequila cocktail popular in Texas/Mexico border towns in the 1950s—to the refreshing combination of sweet and tart that is the grapefruit-based Paloma, these drinks keep the celebration going. See the gallery »
Credit: André Baranowski
• There's a lot to chew on in Slate's review of Alison Pearlman's new book Smart Casual, which takes an academic longview of contemporary high-end dining. In just 145 pages, Pearlman, an art historian, takes on the conspicuous consumption hidden in our obsession with ingredient sourcing, to the labor and class dynamics of the open kitchen, to the self-denying cultural capital that modern deconstructivist cooking calls on us to possess. I can't wait to get a copy of the book and dive in deeper. —Helen Rosner
• I've long followed the experiments of Berkeley-based Cultured Pickle Shop on Twitter, and their recently-launched blog offers an even more complete look into their processes and production. Detailed, insightful explanations are studded with lots of colorful, funky-looking pictures of fermented things: Images of vibrantly golden, bubbling saffron kombucha [pictured] and its culture are fascinating snapshots of their mad-scientist kitchen. —Anna Perling
• What if you had learned the basics of chemistry through cooking instead of sitting in a lecture? Writer Michael Thomsen makes an interesting case for the abolition of grades over at Slate.com, citing several successful schools where student-directed programs have changed the way we learn. —James Oseland
See more links »
Credit: Cultured Pickle Shop
We're blown away by the talent, passion, and intelligence of this year's Best Food Blog Awards winners, and learning the stories behind their blogs—how they became interested in baking, travel, and craft beer; what inspires them to write, photograph, and create delicious original recipes—makes us appreciate their work that much more. Get to know Phil, Kim, and Terri of Behind the Food Carts, winner of Best Travel Blog »
Credit: Behind the Food Carts
For some people, the Kentucky Derby is a day of horse-racing. For others, it's a day of hat-wearing. For me—and, I imagine, for far more than belong to those other two categories—it is a day of mint juleps, the iconic Derby drink of strong bourbon and sweet mint over crushed ice, a sophisticated snow-cone served, classically, in a frost-covered silver cup. Keep reading »
Credit: Helen Rosner
From a zesty seafood cocktail to thick tortillas bathed in two types of salsa and garnished with shredded chicken, these eight recipes for small bites and first courses are party-perfect. See the gallery »
Credit: Todd Coleman
From SAVEUR Issue #156
It happens all the time. We're developing a recipe in our test kitchen, and someone yells, "Hey, I need some galangal root, stat!" That's when we put in a call to Melissa's, the largest distributor of specialty produce in the United States. Bill Gerlach, Melissa's director of research and development, tells us what it takes to ensure that when we need something obscure, even if it's halfway around the world, it will arrive in midtown Manhattan within days. Keep reading »
Credit: Tina Zellmer/ Anna Goodson
From SAVEUR Issue #156
I'd always thought of French mandolines, those precision slicing tools, as torture devices—bulky and burdensome with poor-quality blades quick to dull or rust. Their moveable parts made them hard, and even dangerous, to clean. I had all but given up on mandolines when I found the Kyocera Slicer. Beautifully simple with no moving parts, it's basically a lightweight, easy-to-wash plastic board with a comfy, slightly angled handle. Best of all, its double-sided ceramic blade lets you slice your carrots, potatoes, or cucumbers in both forward and backward motions, and is immune to rust and dulling.
Kyocera Slicer, $25 at kyoceraadvancedceramics.com
Duck legs are crisped in a skillet, braised, and then crisped again in this entrée from Off the Shelf, a film catering company. Udon noodles, oyster mushrooms, and bok choy round out the dish, while Thai chiles and a soy-ginger sauce strike a perfect balance between heat and sweetness. See the recipe »
Credit: Landon Nordeman
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