Poach an Egg Without the Fancy Tools

Fill a pot with water. Add a splash of vinegar. Crack an egg into a small bowl. Swirl the water […]

Freeze Lemon Juice and Zest for Months of Fresh Flavor

I throw away more lemons than I care to admit. A recipe calls for half a lemon. I use the […]

Why You Should Never Throw Away Pasta Water

I watched my Italian grandmother pour pasta water down the drain exactly once. She was ninety-two and had arthritis, and […]

Do Not Throw Away Banana Peels — Try These Uses

You eat a banana. You throw away a third of its weight in peel. Multiply that by your household’s banana […]

Keep Carrots From Going Soft With a Simple Water Bath

Buy carrots. Put them in the crisper drawer. Forget about them. Find them two weeks later, limp and bendable, with […]

Never Cook Dry Chicken Breast Again

I ruined chicken breast for years. Every single time. The outside would be done, the inside would be dry enough […]

Stop Oil From Splattering When Deep Frying

I once spent an entire Saturday scrubbing oil droplets off my kitchen ceiling. Every cabinet door. The range hood. The […]

Season a Wok the Traditional Way for Non-Stick Cooking

I bought a carbon steel wok three years ago, used it once, and put it in the back of a […]

Store Onions the Right Way So They Last a Month

I once found an onion in the back of my pantry that had grown a six-inch green stalk through the […]

Smooth and Silky Steamed Eggs Without Bubbles

I chased smooth steamed eggs for two years. Seriously. Two years of ugly, pockmarked bowls that tasted fine but looked […]