foodanddrink

Technically, National Pancake Week ended on Feb. 26, but tell that to the International House of Pancakes, who will celebrate it on Tuesday, Feb. 28 by giving away free pancakes. Whether they’re doing it on a different day to be edgy, who…

Whether it’s a wedge of snacking cheese or a scoop of “I live alone” ganache, having a small treat available at a moment’s notice is good for everyone. The best treats taste great on their own but also play well with others for an excellent…

Bitter is good. Burnt ends, blackened catfish, crème brûlée, and the giant charred bubble on your pizza pie are just a few examples of how good it can be. The palate can taste five flavors—sweet, salty, bitter, savory, and umami—and the…

It’s easy to point and laugh at the growing sport of competitive hobbyhorse, but maybe you should actually try it before you do. Maybe you should also try asking a Starbuck barista to surprise you, slacking off at work on Mondays, and…

A few years ago, I read somewhere that Italians never use onions and garlic in their marinara; it’s always one or the other. Like so many black-and-white cooking “rules” you come across online, this one didn’t stand up to cursory…

Making really good meatballs isn’t exactly rocket surgery. As long as you season them aggressively and use a light touch while mixing, you’ll be good to go. But I recently discovered an easy way to make an already delicious dish even…

It might look like fluff, but buttercream frostings are delicate emulsions. When chilly temperatures interfere with this fine balance, buttercream can break. The “break” could refer to the state of the emulsion or to your heart, because the…

When faced with the prospect of propelling our stupid bodies through another stupid day, most of us appreciate a little jolt of energy to get us going and help us tolerate all of this. There are endless choices for a morning pick-me-up, but…

Pastas have been used in desserts for some time now, like sweet lokshen kugel or white chocolate orzo pudding, but I confess, I’ve been missing out. All this time, my boxes of macaroni have only been treated to savory dressings, vegetables,…

Cleaning a toaster is more involved than you might think, but one of the most important steps is just getting all the crumbs out. But there’s an easier way to clean out toaster crumbs than turning it upside down or reaching inside to rustle…