Category Archives for "Food and Recipes"

The Rational Kitchen’s 2018 Ultimate Gift List for Cooks and Food Lovers

Kitchen items don’t always make the greatest gifts. They can be seen as too practical and unromantic to be gift material. So before you buy a loved one a kitchen-themed gift, make sure it will be appreciated.  Having said that, there are a ton of really wonderful kitchen items that can make fabulous gifts. If you’re going […]

Thinking of Getting Someone a Coffee Pod? Go Old School Instead (And Love Your Coffee Again!)

If you’re thinking about buying a pod coffee maker for yourself or as a gift for someone, please read this first. There are better ways to go–no matter what your priorities are! Coffee pods have taken over the market. According to this article, coffee pods accounted for 35% of coffee sales in 2017. This translates to […]

Temperatures of Baked Goods Infographic

Do you bake? Have you ever been frustrated because you weren’t sure when your baked goods were done?  Baked goods are tough. When you’re solely reliant on visual cues, it’s so easy to get it wrong. How frustrating to have all your efforts be ruined by going 5 minutes too long in the oven? There’s a better […]

Easy Ways to Increase Your Food’s Shelf Life (Plus a Few Handy Gadgets to Help)

​Easy Ways to Increase Your Food’s Shelf Life (Plus a Few Helpful Gadgets) was first published in March, 2018. It’s true: we Americans waste a lot of food. More than a third of what we buy, according to ReFed, a nonprofit group committed to reducing food waste in the U.S. This amounts to 63,000,000 tons of […]

Sous Vide Time and Temperature Tables for Proteins

The following sous vide time and temperature tables are adapted from the Modernist Cuisine Kitchen Manual. Here are a few general tips on cooking proteins sous vide:​​Add seasonings as desired and small amount of fat (butter, olive oil) to bags before cooking.Use small amounts of salt (if any) for long cooks (more than 12 hrs).Use probe thermometer […]

The Secret Shelf Life of Food: What Food Freshness Labels and Expiration Dates Really Mean

This article, The Secret Shelf Life of Food: What Food Freshness Labels and Expiration Dates Really Mean, was last updated August, 2018. Contents Why Is Food Waste a Problem?​What Do Food Labels Mean?The 3 Main Causes of Foodborne IllnessHow Do You Know When to Throw Food Out?The Nose Knows​Mold and Slime Is Bad…But Just About […]

Is Sous Vide Cooking Safe?

TThis article, is Sous Vide Cooking Safe?, was last updated August 2018. Table of Contents First of All, What Is Sous Vide?Concern #1: Low Temperature CookingWhat Is The Danger ZoneHow Do I Make Sure My Sous Vide Cooked Food Is Safe from the Danger Zone?Concern #2: Vacuum SealingWhat Is Botulism?​Botulism and Vacuum Sealing​Concern #3: All […]

How to Make a Grocery List

You may think you know how to make a grocery list, but I’ve got news for you: there’s probably room for improvement. Do you throw out food regularly? Do you have too many leftovers in your fridge that you’re sick of eating? Do you have too much fresh food but lack the pantry staples–like grains, […]

Waste Less Food by Stocking Up!

This article, Waste Less Food By Stocking Up, was last updated August, 2018. Table of Contents ​Why Worry About Wasting Food?​How Does Stocking Up Help You Waste Less Food?Stock Up On the Right StuffSo, What Should I Stock Up On?Pantry StaplesFreezer StaplesRefrigerator StaplesWhat Should I Not Stock Up On? ​Keep a ListKeep an Inventory​Final Thoughts […]

How to Save Time, Money, and Food With Your Sous Vide + Vacuum Sealer

This article, How to Save Time, Money, and Food with Your Sous Vide + Vacuum Sealer, was last updated August, 2018. Table of Contents Sous Vide’s Institutional HistoryHow It WorksStep One: Buy Your Meat in BulkStep Two: Freeze It With Seasonings and Cooking OilStep Three: Pop It Into the Sous Vide PotTake It a Step […]

3 Easy Things to Try With Your New Sous Vide Cooker: Proteins, Desserts, and Leftovers

Got a new sous vide cooker–circulator or water bath? Here are a few things to try–some basic, some you may not have thought of. This is by no means a complete list. But sous vide does all of these things particularly well.1. ProteinsProteins–meat–are usually the first thing associated with sous vide cooking. And for good […]

Can Modernist Cuisine Work for Home Cooking? Absolutely!

This article, Can Modernist Cuisine Work the Home Cooking? Abolutely!, was last updated August, 2018. Modernist Cuisine, a 5-volume set plus recipe book. When Modernist Cuisine came out in 2011, Michael Ruhlman wrote a mixed review of it for the New York Times. He was daunted by the task, and for good reason. The 5-volume set had […]

23 Things to do With Melted Chocolate (Most Don’t Need a Recipe)

What Is Melting Chocolate?Mmmm….melted chocolate. Are you familiar with melting wafers? It’s the type of chocolate that’s used for candy making, the kind that you dip truffles and other candies into when melted, but which will have a soft, satiny sheen after it’s hardened. You might also hear it called dipping chocolate or candy-making chocolate. […]

50+ DIY, Super Easy Homemade Holiday Gifts for the Culinarily Challenged

Table of Contents A Few TipsAnd the Categories Are…Drop CookiesHand-rolled CookiesBarsShortbreadQuick BreadsCandySignature Seasoning BlendsInfused SugarsFlavored PopcornsHot Cocoa MixBoozesThese Should Get You Started! Every year, when you get that great bottle of homemade liqueur, fragrant bar soap, or that plate of exquisitely decorated cookies, you think, “I’m gonna do this next year!” And every year, by […]

Farm-Raised Salmon: Is It Safe to Eat?

This article, Farm Raised Salmon: Is It Safe to Eat? was last updated August, 2018. Table of Contents How Salmon Is RaisedHow Do I Know If I’m Buying Farm-Raised Salmon?​Is Farm-Raised Salmon Genetically Modified?Nutritional Value and ContaminantsSo, Should I Eat Farm-Raised Salmon or Not?Final ThoughtsBonus: Hungry for Salmon? Check Out These Recipe Links! The salmon […]