Articles
How to Store Wine, Beer, and Other Beverages
Most unopened drinks sold at room temperature should be kept in the pantry or in a cool, dark place. Items from the refrigerator cases should be refrigerated at home, even if they’re labeled shelf-stable: Fluctuating temperatures can compromise flavor. Beer, bottles and cans Pantry: 9 months (unopened) Refrigerator: 1 day (open bottles) Champagne and sparkling wine Pantry: 1 year (unopened) Refrigerator: 1 day (open) Iced tea, bottled shelf-stable Pantry: 2 years (unopened) Refrigerator: 1 week (open) Juice, bottled shelf-stable Pantry: 1 year (unopened) Refrigerator: 10 days (open) Juice, boxes Pantry: 6 months (unopened) Refrigerator: 10 days (open) Juice, freshly squeezed Refrigerator: 5 days (unopened); 3 days (open) Juice, pasteurized refrigerated Refrigerator: 3 weeks (unopened); 1 week (open) Liquor Pantry: Indefinitely (brown spirits, such as whiskey and scotch); 2 years (clear spirits, such as gin and vodka) Soda, bottles and cans Pantry: 6 months (unopened) Refrigerator: 2 days (open bottles) Wine, red and white…
The Ultimate Guide to Freezing Summer Produce
Sure, most supermarkets carry berries and tomatoes even in the heart of winter—but they pale in comparison to the heavy, juicy jewels in stores and farmer’s markets right now. Freeze them at their peak season, and enjoy their deep flavor later in soups, stir fries, and even pies. Know Your Freezer When fruits and vegetables freeze, the water inside turns into ice crystals, which rupture cell walls and make for watery, brown thawed produce. The quicker produces freezes, the smaller the crystals—and the less damage they cause. Read: the colder your freezer, the better. Set your freezer to the coldest setting. Most dials have a range of numbers that correspond to power level. The higher the number, the higher the power, and the colder the freezer. Most come set on a mid-level power. Keep produce away from vents…
The Only 12 Spices You Really Need
1. Black pepper. Yes, freshly ground pepper really does taste better. So buy some peppercorns that come with a built-in grinder (which can be refilled repeatedly, by the way) and play restaurant waiter at home. 2. Cayenne pepper. Some say this hot, spicy pepper can help your body detox. And maybe that’s true. But Master Cleanse aficionados aren’t the only ones who benefit from this staple—so do lovers of barbecue rubs and veggie dishes with a kick. 3. Chili powder. Sure, you could mix up your own blend of dried chilies, cumin, coriander, and oregano before the next Super Bowl party. Or you could just buy a jar. 4. Cinnamon, ground. Mmm—this aromatic staple adds warmth to cookies and cakes and earthiness to stews. 5. Cumin, ground. A mellow, intensely flavorful spice, ground from a small seed. Delicious in Mexican, Middle Eastern, and…
How to Fix 17 Basic Cooking Mistakes
1. Boiling Pasta in a Pot That’s Too Small Why it’s bad: For starters, if you use long noodles, they might not fit unless you break them first. But regardless of the pasta’s shape or size, it will probably end up sticky and gummy. “When you add pasta to a small amount of water, it lowers the temperature of the water substantially more than if you added it to a large amount of water, so the water will take longer to return to a boil. In the meantime, the pasta will sit at the bottom of the pot and start to clump up and become mushy unless you are vigilant about stirring,” says chef Michael Symon, the owner of five restaurants in Cleveland and an Iron Chef on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America. Also, your ratio of pasta starch…
The Secret to Cooking Three Grains at Once (With Perfect Results)
I used to be big into meal prepping. On Sundays, I’d typically make a big batch of farro, toss it with a Greek-style chopped salad, throw a handful of arugula on top, and divvy it up into five to-go containers for lunch. On Mondays, I’d be ecstatic. Come Fridays, I’d be suffering from farro fatigue. So I set out to create my own grain medley—a combination of multiple grains that could cook together for a more interesting base to my lunches. I found success with brown rice, farro, and quinoa for a blend that’s nutty, chewy, and utterly satisfying. Though many recipes (and package directions) ask you to cook grains in a specific amount of water, I find it easiest to cook them using the “pasta method:”—boil in salted water until al dente, then drain and serve. It’s much less…
How to Pit Olives Like a Pro
This week on RS Cooking School I showed you how to pit olives. But because the show was 99% focused on cooking potatoes you may have missed it. It’s a trick so simple I was sure I had already taught it. But when I looked up to see jaws on the floor, I knew it was worth reviewing. Yes, you can find lots of different types of olives already pitted but, unless I’m drinking a martini, I like to pit my own. I find the rough edges and irregular shape of a home-pitted olive more aesthetically pleasing which makes my brain think they taste better: you eat with the eyes first, they say. Plus, un-pitted olives tend to stay firmer and juicier than their pitted counterparts. Here’s how to pit olives like a pro: 1. Working with one at a time (you can build up to…
How to Cook Asparagus
While it’s great grilled, roasted, and boiled as well, we love sautéed asparagus for its crisp-tender texture (which you can achieve in just six to seven minutes). Save any extras for tossing into omelets or quiches, layering onto a goat cheese pizza, or tossing into pasta. Asparagus can also be processed into pesto (which tastes great with grilled steak!). When choosing asparagus at the grocery store or farmer’s market, look for firm, bright stalks with plump, tightly closed tips (fading color is a sign of deterioration). The diameter of an asparagus spear indicates when it was harvested, and both thick and thin spears can be sweet and tender, as long as they’re fresh. Thick spears are generally harvested at the beginning of the season—the stalks get thinner as the season wears on. Uncooked asparagus will stay fresh for three…