Food and Recipes

Yes - it could happen to you, good person. KABOOM! It's fairly rare, but a potentially catastrophic rind failure lurks under the green-striped shell of every seemingly innocent watermelon in the produce aisle.

By Carrie Tatro

Size is the most obvious difference between king and snow crab, but the distinctions don't end there. We'll tell you what makes each crab special.

By Stephanie Vermillion

Carmine, a natural red dye also known as cochineal extract, is indeed made from the crushed bodies of the cochineal bug. And it provides the color for many of the foods we eat.

By Katie Carman

In the 18th century, gin was considered as addictive as crack. Then it became part of a cure-all for tropical ailments. Oh, and let's not forget its starring role in Prohibition. Bathtub gin, anyone?

By Dave Roos

It takes up to 170,000 individual flowers to yield just 1 pound of saffron, and each individual strand, or stigma, is painstakingly picked from the flower by hand.

By Jeremy Glass

While many home bakers, including most Americans, measure out flour and other ingredients with a cup, experts say you should ditch that cup for a scale. Here's why.

By Alia Hoyt

Vanilla is probably the most popular flavoring out there, but most of what we consume is the imitation variety as the real extract is pricey. What accounts for the high cost? And is it worth it?

By Alia Hoyt

Sometimes referred as the 'queen of fruit,' the mangosteen has a soft white interior, a mild taste and is notoriously difficult to find in the U.S. Here's why.

By Alia Hoyt

Both are essential fats for baking, but they bring different flavors, textures and even appearances to the end product. So is one better than the other?

By Stephanie Vermillion

You don't have to go out to have a killer cocktail if you have a killer bar setup at home. We'll tell you exactly what you need to make it happen.

By Stephanie Vermillion

Those leftover cheese rinds can be valuable ingredients that you can harness into new recipes. We'll show you simple ways to use them as flavor enhancers.

By Stephanie Vermillion

The gin and tonic, that cool, fresh, citrusy summer delight, has a long and romantic history, beginning with its use as a "cure" for malaria.

By Jeremy Glass

Don't know your cake flour from all-purpose? The difference is subtle but the end result is huge.

By Jeremy Glass

All butters are not created equal. We take five different butters, including "plant-based butter" and explain what makes them different.

By Stephanie Vermillion

If you've taken up baking, and don't know AP flour from self-rising we'll explain the difference. Because the final product is only as good as the flour you put into it.

By Jeremy Glass

Matcha tea has roots in Zen Buddhism and Japanese tea ceremonies. So how did this ancient tea end up on the menus of hip tea houses and even Dunkin' Donuts?

By Maria C. Hunt

In an effort that would have made Marcel Proust proud, our writer goes into the kitchen in search of the perfect hump on the perfect little confection, the madeleine.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Since its introduction in 15th-century Yemen, Turkish coffee has served as a cultural touchstone in Middle Eastern, Eastern European and north African countries, its brewing infused with magic and myth.

By Katie Carman

No yeast to bake bread? No problem. You can start baking sourdough bread in about a week once you've made your own sourdough starter. We'll tell you how.

By Stephanie Vermillion

A Michigan physician's video about using a sterile surgical technique to unpack groceries at home during the coronavirus pandemic went viral. We talked to him and have more of his advice.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

How much does the shape of your wineglass really affect the taste of your favorite pinot noir? Probably more than you realize.

By Stephanie Vermillion

Our scotch connoisseur says that what makes a whiskey 'scotch whisky' comes down to the legalities of where it's from and how it's made. Oh, and scotch whisky doesn't have an 'e' in its name.

By Jeremy Glass

Worried about running out of fresh vegetables? Stock up now and freeze them for later. It's easy and they'll retain all their taste and nutrition.

By Jeremy Glass

A smooth, South American brandy, Pisco is experiencing an American renaissance after centuries of popularity - and disputed history - in Peru and Chile.

By Katie Carman

A lot of us use it every day, but what is actually in half-and-half and where did it come from?

By Jeremy Glass