Personal site

KNOW YOUR WHISKEY: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOURBON, SCOTCH, RYE, IRISH

nipara — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 07:52:25 GMT

I can’t tell you how many times someone has asked me "What’s the difference between Scotch and Whiskey”?

At first I thought it was just one person who misunderstood the concept, but after running into this situation multiple times over the last few years I’ve learned that the majority of the people in the world really have no idea what makes whiskey whiskey, Scotch Scotch and Bourbon Bourbon.

WHAT IS WHISKEY?

If we’re going to explain the difference between whiskeys, first you should understand what a whiskey actually is. To keep it simple, whiskey is any booze distilled from fermented grain mash. The only exception to this being some whiskey made from corn, which doesn’t always have to be aged.

All whiskey must be distilled at a minimum of 40% alcohol by volume. The difference between the various whiskeys relies mostly on the type of grain used for the mash.

WHAT IS SCOTCH?

Since all whiskey is made from fermented grain mash, Scotch will obviously be no exception. To qualify as a scotch the spirit must be made from malted Barley, with many scotches using nothing more than barley, water and yeast.

The spirit must also be aged in oak casks for no less than three years, and must have an ABV at less than 94.8%. Finally, you cannot call your drink Scotch unless it was made 100% in Scotland, from Scotland.

WHAT IS BOURBON?

Bourbon whiskey must be made from a grain mixture which is at least 51% corn. The fermentation process for this mixture is often started by mixing in some mash from an older already fermenting batch, a process known as sour mash.

Much like how Scotch must be made in Scotland, Bourbon can only be labeled as Bourbon if it was made in the United States. While the rules are slightly more loose with Bourbon than with Scotch it still has to form to a few requirements.

The spirit must be distilled to no more than 80% alcohol (160 proof), aged in new charred oak barrels. Finally Bourbon has no minimum aging period, but to call your product Straight Bourbon it must be aged for no less than two years (and can have no added coloring, flavor or other spirits added).

WHAT IS TENNESSEE WHISKEY?

For all intents and purposes, Tennessee Whiskey is straight bourbon made in the state of Tennessee. The people who produce this spirit, such as Jack Daniels, don’t want their whiskey labeled as Bourbon, claiming that they are the only type of whiskey which puts the spirit through a charcoal filtering process.

As a result they believe their drink deserves to be distinguished with a separate name. Other than that all Bourbon rules apply.

WHAT IS RYE?

Rye is the trickiest of all whiskey’s to define. The reason for this comes from a historical naming convention for Rye produced in Canada. While you would assume Rye whiskey must be made predominantly from Rye mash, this is not always the case.

Canada has distilled Rye for almost as long as the country has existed, and historically the majority of the mash was comprised of Rye mash. But with no actual rules in place the spirit is now produced with a mash sporting a corn to rye ration as high as 9:1.

The only rule to label your whisky as Rye in Canada is for it to have some rye in it, and to possess the aroma, taste and character generally attributed to Canadian whiskey… whatever that is.

In American Rye whiskey must be made from a mash made from no less than 51% rye. The other ingredients commonly used include corn and barley. Same as Bourbon it must be aged in charred new oak barrels distilled to an ABV less than 80%.

Again, as Bourbon, only Rye which has been aged more than two years may be referred to as Straight. There is only one Rye producer in the world (Alberta Premium, from Canada) which is made from 100% rye mash.

Edit (April 23rd, 2013): There are some more 100% ryes being put on the market lately, but it’s a bit of a lie. Nearly all of these ryes are made by Alberta Premium (or Alberta Springs, which is the same place) and are simply bottled and re-branded. The most famous example of this is WhistlePig.

WHAT IS IRISH WHISKEY?

Irish whiskey is pretty much any whiskey aged in the Republic of Ireland or in Northern Ireland. Like Scotch it must be distilled to an ABV of less than 94.8.

It must be made from yeast-fermented grain mash in such a way that the distillate has an aroma and flavor derived from the materials used. (I copied that line directly from Wikipedia).

Finally, the whiskey must be aged for at least three years in wooden casks.

As you can see, other than Canadian Rye, Irish whiskey has some of the most relaxed rules, which will create a larger diversity in the whiskeys produced.

Quinoa

nipara — Fri, 10 May 2013 10:21:15 GMT

What's New and Beneficial About Quinoa

The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has officially declared that the year 2013 be recognized as "The International Year of the Quinoa." Proposed by the government of Bolivia and receiving strong support from many Central and South American countries, quinoa has now been singled out by the FAO as a food with "high nutritive value," impressive biodiversity, and an important role to play in the achievement of food security worldwide. We realize that quinoa remains unfamiliar to many people, especially in the practical sense of cooking and recipes. But we hope that situation will change, given the remarkable nature of this easily-prepared, nutrient-rich food.
Researchers have recently taken a close look at certain antioxidant phytonutrients in quinoa, and two flavonoid—quercetin and kaempferol—are now known to be provided by quinoa in especially concentrated amounts. In fact, the concentration of these two flavonoids in quinoa can sometimes be greater than their concentration in high-flavonoid berries like cranberry or lingonberry.
Recent studies are providing us with a greatly expanded list of anti-inflammatory phytonutrients in quinoa. This unique combination of anti-inflammatory compounds in quinoa may be the key to understanding preliminary animal studies that show decreased risk of inflammation-related problems (including obesity) when animals are fed quinoa on a daily basis. The list of anti-inflammatory phytonutrients in quinoa is now known to include: polysaccharides like arabinans and rhamnogalacturonans; hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids; flavonoids like quercetin and kaempferol; and saponins including molecules derived from oleanic acid, hederagenin and serjanic acid. Small amounts of the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), are also provided by quinoa.
In comparison to cereal grasses like wheat, quinoa is higher in fat content and can provide valuable amounts of heart-healthy fats like monounsaturated fat (in the form of oleic acid). Quinoa can also provide small amounts of the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Given this higher fat content, researchers initially assumed that quinoa would be more susceptible to oxidation and resulting nutrient damage. However, recent studies have shown that quinoa does not get oxidized as rapidly as might be expected given its higher fat content. This finding is great news from a nutritional standpoint. The processes of boiling, simmering, and steaming quinoa do not appear to significantly compromise the quality of quinoa's fatty acids, allowing us to enjoy its cooked texture and flavor while maintaining this nutrient benefit. Food scientists have speculated that it is the diverse array of antioxidants found in quinoa—including various members of the vitamin E family like alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherol as well as flavonoids like quercetin and kaempferol—that contribute to this oxidative protection.

Alternative Grains – Healthier Rice Substitutes

nipara — Fri, 10 May 2013 10:09:32 GMT

Rice is such an important part of our diet. It is a staple most of the world depends on for sustenance.
India is one of the great rice growing countries of the world. Rice even holds a sacred place in our
culture; a new bride and groom are showered with rice grains as they take their wedding vows to
symbolically bless them with bounty. Rice is a healthy carbohydrate, rich in minerals and vitamins,
yet if you look into most kitchen cupboards you'll find rice that is neither healthy nor nourishing.
Unfortunately, the beautiful grains of white rice that most of us eat on a daily basis are overly
processed, polished in excess and rid of all their goodness.

White rice is nothing but brown rice that has been milled to remove the outer husk. This makes the rice grain look aesthetically pleasing and easier to cook but actually that depreciates its nutritional value. The main reason rice is polished, is to increase its shelf life but in doing so much of the valuable dietary fibre is lost. Brown rice, or rice with the bran helps in weight management and helps control diabetes by stabilizing blood sugar levels. It is extremely simple to cook brown rice and needs no extra effort. The only difference is that brown rice absorbs more water than white rice
and usually takes slightly longer to cook. Once cooked, brown rice can be used in much the same way as white rice. The consistency is a little different; brown rice has a little grainer texture and more of a bite. It perfectly complements coconut based Asian curries or can be used in stir fries, broths and to make porridge. People even use brown rice to make desserts like kheer or payassam.

Some varieties of rice have a husk that is reddish in colour instead of being brown. This sort of rice grows abundantly in South India, parts of Bhutan, Thailand, Sri Lanka and parts of Africa. Red rice is also a great healthy alternative to eating white rice. It is almost gluten free, very high in Vitamin B, iron and calcium. In flavour it is nutty, sweet and has a chewy consistency. Just like other varieties of unhusked rice, it needs more water and a longer time to cook. It can be prepared in a pressure cooker, in a rice cooker or on the stove top. Red rice is a perfect accompaniment for
South Indian meat and fish curries. Both red and brown rice can be used to make rice dishes like pilafs and biryanis.

Another great healthy substitute for rice is quinoa. This super-food is slowly gaining popularity in all parts of the world for its versatility and its nutritional value. Quinoa is actually a seed which can be used like a cereal or a grain. When it is cooked with water, quinoa seeds fluff up. They form a light, nutty, mild tasting alternative to white rice. Quinoa responds well to seasoning and takes on the flavour of herbs and spices. It can be eaten along with gravy dishes; it makes a perfect accompaniment as it soaks up liquid just like rice does.

Couscous is a staple Middle Eastern and North African food that is made with semolina. It is much lighter than rice and can also be made with millet. Couscous can either be made with refined or whole grains. Whole grain couscous is usually made with unhusked durum wheat and is pretty low in calories. Traditionally, couscous is eaten with stews or goulash but it can be eaten in several different ways. One can even make upma, sheera and kheer with couscous. It can be cooked along with meat and vegetables to make a pulao-like dish.

Turning to these white rice substitutes is about making a healthier choice. Eating whole grains is one tried-and-tested way of lowering the risk of heart disease, controlling cholesterol, avoiding diabetes and curbing obesity. The best part is you do not have to compromise on flavour and variety!

Basic Dining Etiquette

nipara — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:24:42 GMT

The Most Common Cooking Mistakes

nipara — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:10:54 GMT

Our Most Common Cooking Mistakes

Every cook, being human, errs, bungles, botches, and screws up in the kitchen once in a while. If you have not "caramelized" fruit in salt rather than sugar, you have not suffered the most embarrassing mistake made by one of our editors. We did not have to look much farther than our staff―and their encounters with readers, friends, and relatives―to compile a list of common, avoidable culinary boo-boos.

The creative cook can often cook her way out of a kitchen error, but the smart cook aims to prevent such creativity from being necessary. Here are over 40 ways to be smarter every time.

1. You don’t taste as you go.

Result: The flavors or textures of an otherwise excellent dish are out of balance or unappealing.

For most cooks, tasting is automatic, but when it’s not, the price can be high. Recipes don’t always call for the "right" amount of seasoning, cooking times are estimates, and results vary depending on your ingredients, your stove, altitude…and a million other factors. Your palate is the control factor.

Think that experienced cooks don’t forget this most basic rule? Cooking Light Associate Food Editor Tim Cebula was sous chef in a notable restaurant when he served up "caramelized" pineapple that somehow refused to brown. Turns out Tim had coated the fruit in salt, not sugar. "That’s why it wouldn’t caramelize."

2. You don’t read the entire recipe before you start cooking.

Result: Flavors are dull, entire steps or ingredients get left out.

Even the best-written recipes may not include all the headline information at the top. A wise cook approaches each recipe with a critical eye and reads the recipe well before it’s time to cook. Follow the pros' habit of gathering your mise en place―that is, having all the ingredients gathered, prepped, and ready to go before you turn on the heat.

"Trust me,” says former Cooking Light Test Kitchen tester Mary Drennen Ankar, "you don’t want to be an hour away from dinner guests arriving when you get to the part of the recipe that says to marinate the brisket overnight or simmer for two hours.”

3. You make unwise substitutions in baking.

Result: You wreck the underlying chemistry of the dish.

Substitutions are a particular temptation, and challenge, with healthy cooking. At Cooking Light it's our job to substitute lower-fat ingredients―to change the cooking chemistry a bit while capturing the soul of a dish. When it comes to baking, this is as much science as art.

"I'll get calls from readers about cakes turning out too dense or too gummy," says Test Kitchen Director Vanessa Pruett. "After a little interrogation, I’ll get to the truth―that the reader used ALL applesauce instead of a mix of applesauce and oil or butter or went with sugar substitute in place of sugar." Best practice: Follow the recipe, period.

4. You boil when you should simmer.

Result: A hurried-up dish that’s cloudy, tough, or dry.

This is one of the most common kitchen errors. First, let’s clarify what we mean by simmering: A bubble breaks the surface of the liquid every second or two. More vigorous bubbling than that means you've got a boil going. And the difference between the two can ruin a dish.

"I had a friend serve me a beef stew once that gave me a real jaw workout," says Nutrition Editor Kathy Kitchens Downie. "She boiled the meat for 45 minutes instead of simmering it for a couple of hours. She says she just wanted it to get done more quickly. Well, it was 'done,' but meat cooked too quickly in liquid ironically turns out very dry. And tough, really tough."

5. You overheat chocolate.

Result: Instead of having a smooth, creamy, luxurious consistency, your chocolate is grainy, separated, or scorched.

The best way to melt chocolate is to go slowly, heat gently, remove from the heat before it’s fully melted, and stir until smooth. If using the microwave, proceed cautiously, stopping every 20 to 30 seconds to stir. If using a double boiler, make sure the water is simmering, not boiling. It’s very easy to ruin chocolate, and there is no road back.

Associate Food Editor Julianna Grimes recently made a cake but didn’t pay close enough attention while microwaving the chocolate. It curdled. "It was all the chocolate I had on hand, so I had to dump it and change my plans."

6. You over-soften butter.

Result: Cookies spread too much or cakes are too dense.

We’ve done it: forgotten to soften the butter and zapped it in the microwave to do the job quickly. Better to let it stand at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes to get the right consistency. You can speed the process significantly by cutting butter into tablespoon-sized portions and letting it stand at room temperature.

Properly softened butter should yield slightly to gentle pressure. Too-soft butter means your cookie dough will be more like batter, and it will spread too much as it bakes and lose shape. Butter that’s too soft also won’t cream properly with sugar, and creaming is essential to creating fluffy, tender cakes with a delicate crumb.

7. You overheat low-fat milk products.

Result: The milk curdles or "breaks," yielding grainy mac and cheese, ice cream, or pudding.

If you're new to lighter cooking, you may not know that even though you can boil cream just fine, the same is not true for other milk products, which will curdle. The solution is to cook lower-fat dairy products to a temperature of only 180° or less.

Use a clip-on thermometer, hover over the pan, and heat over medium-low or low heat to prevent curdling. And if it curdles, toss and start again. One alternative: Stabilize milk with starch, like cornstarch or flour, if you want to bring it to a boil; the starch will prevent curdling (and it'll thicken the milk, too).

8. You don’t know your oven’s quirks and idiosyncrasies.

Result: Food cooks too fast, too slow, or unevenly.

Ideally, every oven set to 350° would heat to 350°. But many ovens don't, including expensive ones, and some change their behavior as they age. Always use an oven thermometer. Next, be aware of hot spots. If you’ve produced cake layers with wavy rather than flat tops, hot spots are the problem.

SaBrina Bone, who tests in our kitchen, advises the "bread test:" Arrange bread slices to cover the middle oven rack. Bake at 350° for a few minutes, and see which slices get singed―their location marks your oven's hot spot(s). If you know you have a hot spot in, say, the back left corner, avoid putting pans in that location, or rotate accordingly.

9. You’re too casual about measuring ingredients.

Result: Dry, tough cakes, rubbery brownies, and a host of other textural mishaps.

In lighter baking, you're using less of the butter and oil that can hide a host of measurement sins. One cook's "cup of flour" may be another cook's 1¼ cups. Why the discrepancy? Some people scoop their flour out of the canister, essentially packing it down into the measuring cup, or tap the cup on the counter and then top off with more flour. Both practices yield too much flour.

"Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, then level with a knife," advises Test Kitchen Director Vanessa Pruett. A dry measuring cup is one without a spout―a spout makes it difficult to level off the excess flour with the flat side of a knife. "Lightly spoon" means don’t pack it in.

10. You overcrowd the pan.

Result: Soggy food that doesn’t brown.

Food releases moisture as it's cooked, so leave room for the steam to escape. It's easy to overcrowd a pan when you're in a hurry, particularly if you have to brown a large amount of meat for a beef stew. But the brown, crusty bits are critical for flavor, particularly with lower-fat cooking.

A soggy batch of beef going into a Dutch oven will not be a beautiful, rich, deeply flavored stew when it comes out, even if it does get properly tender. This browning principle applies equally to quick-cook foods like crab cakes and chicken breasts. Leave breathing room in the pan, and you'll get much better results. If you need to speed things up, use two pans at once.

11. You mishandle egg whites.

Result: The whites won’t whip up. Or, overbeaten or roughly handled, they produce flat cake layers or soufflés with no lift.

Properly beaten egg whites are voluminous, creamy, and glossy, but they require care. First, separate whites from yolks carefully, by letting the whites slip through your fingers. A speck of yolk can prevent the whites from whipping up fully.

Let the whites stand for a few minutes―at room temperature they whip up better than when cold. Whip with clean, dry beaters at high speed just until stiff peaks form―that is, until the peak created when you lift the beater out of the bowl stands upright. If you overbeat, the whites will turn grainy, dry, or may separate.

12. You turn the food too often.

Result: You interfere with the sear, food sticks, or you lose the breading.

Learning to leave food alone is one of the hardest lessons in cooking; it’s so tempting to turn, poke, flip. But your breaded chicken or steak won't develop a nice crust unless you allow it to cook, undisturbed, for the specified time.

One sign that it’s too early to turn: You can't slide a spatula cleanly under the crust. "It'll release from the pan when it’s ready," says Assistant Test Kitchen Director Tiffany Vickers Davis. "Don’t try to pry it up―the crust will stick to the pan, not the chicken."

13. You don’t get the pan hot enough before you add the food.

Result: Food that sticks, scallops with no sear, pale meats.

The inexperienced or hurried cook will barely heat the pan before adding oil and tossing in onions for a sauté. Next comes...nothing. No sizzle. A hot pan is essential for sautéing veggies or creating a great crust on meat, fish, and poultry. It also helps prevent food from sticking.

Associate Food Editor Tim Cebula was once advised: "If you think your pan is hot enough, step back and heat it a couple more minutes. When you’re about ready to call the fire department, then add oil and proceed to cook the food."

14. You slice meat with―instead of against―the grain.

Result: Chewy meat that could have been tender.

For tender slices, look at the meat to determine the direction of the grain (the muscle fibers), and cut across the grain, not with it. This is particularly important with tougher cuts such as flank steak or skirt steak, in which the grain is also quite obvious. But it’s also a good practice with more tender cuts like standing rib roast, or even poultry.

15. You underbake cakes and breads.

Result: Cakes, brownies, and breads turn out pallid and gummy.

Overcooked baked goods disappoint, but we’ve found that less experienced bakers are more likely to undercook them. "You won't get that irresistible browning unless you have the confidence to fully cook the food," says Associate Food Editor Julianna Grimes.

"Really look at the food. Even if the wooden pick comes out clean, if the cake is pale, it’s not finished. Let it go another couple of minutes until it has an even, golden brownness." It’s better to err on the side of slightly overcooking than producing gummy, wet, unappealing food. Once you've done this a few times and know exactly what you’re looking for, it'll become second nature.

16. You don’t use a meat thermometer.

Result: Your roast chicken, leg of lamb, or beef tenderloin turns out over- or undercooked.

Small and inexpensive, the meat thermometer is one of the most valuable kitchen tools you can own. Using one is the surefire way to achieve a perfect roast chicken or beautiful medium-rare lamb roast, because temperatures don’t lie and appearances can deceive.

We love digital probe thermometers, which allow you to set the device to the desired temperature. A heat-proof wire leads to an external digital unit that sits outside the oven and beeps when the meat is ready. This eliminates the frequent opening and closing of the oven door to check the temp―during which you lose valuable heat―and that speeds the cooking.

17. Meat gets no chance to rest after cooking.

Result: Delicious juices vacate the meat and run all over the cutting board, leaving steak or roast dry.

Plan your meals so that meat you roast, grill, sear, or sauté has time to rest at room temperature after it’s pulled from the heat. That cooling-off time helps the juices, which migrate to the center of the meat, to be distributed more evenly throughout.

The resting rule applies equally to an inexpensive skirt steak or a premium dry-aged, grass-fed steak, as well as poultry. With small cuts like a steak or boneless, skinless chicken breast, five minutes is adequate. A whole bird or standing rib roast requires 20 to 30 minutes. Tent the meat loosely with foil to keep it warm.

18. You try to rush the cooking of caramelized onions.

Result: You end up with sautéed onions, which are nice but a far cry from the melt-in-your-mouth caramelized ideal.

If you want real, true, sweet, creamy caramelized onions to top your burger or pizza, cook them over medium-low to low heat for a long time, maybe up to an hour. If you crank the heat and try to speed up the process, you’ll get a different product―onions that may be crisp-tender and nicely browned but lacking that characteristic translucence and meltingly tender quality you want.

19. You overwork lower-fat dough.

Result: Cookies, scones, piecrusts, and biscuits turn out tough.

Recipes with lots of butter are more likely to stay moist and tender because of the fat, even if the dough is overkneaded. But without all that fat, you absolutely must use a light hand. That’s why many of our biscuit and scone recipes instruct the cook to knead the dough gently or pat it out (instead of rolling), and our cookie or piecrust recipes say to mix just until flour is incorporated.

20. You neglect the nuts you’re toasting.

Result: Burned nuts, with a sharp, bitter flavor.

Toasting intensifies the flavor of nuts. But the nut is a mighty delicate thing―in an oven it can go from perfectly toasty to charred in seconds. This has happened to every one of our Test Kitchen cooks.

Arrange nuts in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet, and bake at 350° for as little as two minutes for flaked coconut to five or more minutes (for dense nuts like almonds); shake the pan or stir frequently so the nuts toast evenly―they tend to brown on the bottom more quickly. They’re done when they’ve darkened slightly (or turned golden brown for pale nuts like pine nuts or slivered almonds) and smell fragrant and toasty.

21. You don’t shock vegetables when they’ve reached the desired texture.

Result: Mush.

Toss green beans, broccoli, or asparagus into boiling water for three to seven minutes, and they’ll turn vibrant green with a crisp-tender texture. But if you don’t "shock” those vegetables at that point by spooning them out of the boiling water and plunging them into ice water (or at least rinsing under cold running water) to stop the cooking process, the carryover heat will continue to cook them to the point that they turn army-green and flabby. This is not a concern if you intend to serve the vegetables immediately.

22. You put all the salt in the marinade or breading.

Result: Fish, poultry, or meat that’s underseasoned.

Healthy cooks try to keep sodium levels in check and only allocate a small amount of salt to a recipe―so they need to maximize the salt’s impact. For example, chicken marinating in citrus juice and salt will only absorb a tiny amount of the marinade. When you toss out the marinade, you also toss out most of the salt and its seasoning effect.

It’s better to use a little salt in the marinade, then directly sprinkle the majority of the salt on the chicken after it comes out of the marinade. The same goes for breaded items. Sprinkle salt directly on the food and then coat it with the breading.

23. You pop meat straight from the fridge into the oven or onto the grill.

Result: Food cooks unevenly: The outside is overdone, the inside rare or raw.

Meats will cook much more evenly if you allow them to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes (depending on the size of the cut) to take the chill off.

A roast that goes into the oven refrigerator-cold will likely yield a piece of meat that is overcooked on the outside and undercooked at the center. As you slice the roast, you’ll see a bull’s-eye effect: The middle is rare (or even raw) while the outside is well done. This is less of a problem with smaller cuts like chicken breasts―though even those benefit from resting at room temperature for five or 10 minutes before cooking.

24. You don’t know when to abandon ship and start over.

Result: You serve a disappointing meal. And you know it’s disappointing!

There’s no shame in making a mistake; we all do. And while it may feel a bit wasteful to throw food in the trash, tossing out burned garlic, charred nuts, or smoking oil is the right thing to do. Start again fresh (if you have extras of the ingredients). Of course, there is a no-turning-back point, too. If you’ve overcooked a chicken because you didn’t use a meat thermometer, you’re bound to serve an overcooked chicken. At that point, the best practice is to 'fess up, apologize, pass the wine, and move on.

25. You use inferior ingredients.

Result: Sigh.

This is an important point because it’s the linchpin of great cooking: Good food begins and ends with the ingredients. The dishes you cook will only be as mediocre, good, or superb as the ingredients you put in them. As a rule, we recommend using high-quality ingredients whenever available and affordable.

Always shop for the best ingredients. They’re the foundation of good cooking and why we strive not to make the mistakes described here. Choose top-notch produce, meats, and cheeses, and protect them as you would anything else precious―handle with love, respect, and care so you can be a steward of the joys of great food. Your cooking will invariably turn out better.

26. Your poached eggs aren't pretty

Result: The typical botched poached egg is tentacled, scary, tough, overcooked.

First, fill a wide saucepan or sauté pan with water to about two inches. Bring it to a gentle simmer—not a rolling boil, which toughens and twists the whites. Add a few teaspoons of vinegar, which does help eggs keep their shape. Crack eggs (fresher ones won't spread as much) into small ramekins or custard cups. The cups let you gently pour the eggs into the pan so the whites stay in a tight circle, and ensure that you won't crack a broken-yolk dud into the water. Cook three minutes (the whites should be set and the yolks still creamy), then remove carefully with a slotted spoon. Drain them for a few seconds, or blot with a paper towel. Voilà: no more poor poaching. You can now perch your perfectly poached gems atop a dish like Two Potato and Beet Hash with Poached Eggs.

27. Your gravy is lumpy

Result: Lumpy gravy. Next time, whisk wisely. Meanwhile, here's a fix.

One cause is the direct dumping of dry flour, cornstarch, or other thickener into the hot stock or broth. Another: adding broth too quickly into a roux—the flour-fat mixture that some gravy recipes start with—which can cause clumping or a gluey layer on the bottom of the pan. Hot spots in a large pan can complicate things, as well. In any starch-based sauce, the thickener needs to be gradually introduced to the hot liquid it's supposed to thicken. The easiest way, as with our recipe for the Mushroom Gravy, involves whisking a flour slurry into the broth mixture, then stirring until the gravy comes together.

If lumps happen, pass gravy through a sieve or strainer, or puree it (with an immersion blender or, very carefully, in a regular blender). If the gravy originally contained sautéed mushroom slices, well, the guests needn't know that, and it will still be delicious.

28. Your mashed potatoes are gluey

Result: Gluey mashed potatoes. Next time, watch the cooking time and drain well.

Gluey mashed potatoes are more than just unfortunate—they're usually a lost cause. Overcooked or insufficiently drained potatoes can become sticky, as can the wrong kind of potato. But the main problem is overworked spuds. The science is simple: Boiled potatoes develop swollen starch cells. When ruptured during mashing, the cells release starch. The more cells are ruptured, the gummier the mashed potatoes. So if you use an electric mixer or food processor to mash your potatoes, you'll probably beat them mercilessly and end up with wallpaper paste. Instead, use a potato masher, or even better, pass the potatoes through a ricer or food mill before mixing them with butter and hot milk—these devices are gentler on the starch cells, and they'll also prevent lumps.

Low-starch (or waxy) red potatoes hold their shape well after boiling, so they require more effort to mash. Hence, you're likely to overwork them. Try mashing them just partway, as in our Herbed Smashed Potatoes. By contrast, high-starch (mealy or floury) baking potatoes, also called russets, break down more readily, yielding light and fluffy mashed potatoes (or, with a little more milk and butter, smooth and creamy).

29. You Burn the Brown Butter

Result: Dark and bitter butter. Next time, pay attention to the visual cues.

Browning butter is a sure way to suffuse a dish with a great deal of nutty, buttery flavor without using a lot of fat. Example: Sautéed Chicken with Sage Browned Butter. But the process is a little tricky because once the butter begins to brown, it can race right into burnt. Then nutty becomes bitter.

Success depends on visual cues, so use a stainless steel pan—you can see the butter change color better. Use no more than medium heat so that the browning proceeds gradually. First the butter will foam in the pan: The milk solids are separating from the butterfat, and the water is evaporating. Then the foam subsides and the milk solids begin to brown. Now the butter gives off its characteristic nutty aroma (the French call brown butter beurre noisette, or hazelnut butter). Some recipes call for adding lemon juice at this point; the tartness complements the sweet butter, while the juice cools it and slows the browning. Either way, when the butter turns amber-brown, take the pan off the heat. If you're not using it immediately (say, drizzling it over steamed vegetables), get it out of the hot pan and into a bowl so the residual heat doesn't continue to push the butter from brown to burnt.

30. Your bacon is burnt and crinkly

Result: Burnt and crinkly bacon. Next time, bake your bacon.

Pan-frying is the standard way to cook bacon, but it has drawbacks. Only a few strips fit flat in most skillets—any more than that will slope up the sides, cooking unevenly. And bacon strips can shrink more than they need to in a hot pan. (Starting them in a cold pan helps, but you'll still need to flip often.)

Take a cue from chefs—bake your bacon. Heat hits from all sides, cooking more evenly. The result: consistently flat strips.

Line a jelly-roll pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper to make cleanup easier. Set a wire rack on the pans so the bacon doesn't sit in fat. Place bacon slices in a single layer on the rack, and bake at 400º for about 20 minutes (depending on bacon thickness and how crispy you like it).

Unless your oven has major hot spots, you don't have to flip the bacon or turn the pans. You can even put the bacon in while the oven preheats—the gradual temperature increase will render the fat more slowly and won't shrink the meat as much.

31. Your Green Veggies Turn Brown

Result: Drab veggies. Next time, baby them and they will stay vibrant.

When vegetables take a sad turn from bright green to khaki drab, it conjures memories of grade-school cafeteria food and the ruined texture of canned asparagus. The most common culprits: overcooking and acidic dressings. A cook has to know how to care for the delicate source of the green: chlorophyll.

Vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, and asparagus lose their bright color—and crisp texture, for that matter—after six or seven minutes of cooking. If you know you'll be eating them immediately, just remove, drain, and serve. But if you'll be busy assembling other dishes, consider blanching and shocking. Cook for two minutes in salted boiling water, then remove vegetables immediately and plunge into ice water. The ice back halts the cooking process and helps set the color. Later, the chilled vegetables can be quickly reheated—by sautéing in a bit of olive oil, for instance—without losing their green.

But blanching won't keep veggies vibrant if you dress them too soon with an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice. Wait until just before serving (as we do with our SuperFast asparagus sides).

32. Your Salad Goes Limp

Result: Soggy salad. Next time, consider three important factors.

A soggy pile of wilted greens makes for a sorry salad indeed. Tender greens like Boston lettuce, mâche, and arugula are delicate little things that perish at the mere rumor of mistreatment (tearing or roughly handling lettuce bruises it), but even crisp, hearty lettuces like romaine need to be treated with care. To keep them at their best, you need to consider three factors: time, volume, and temperature.

Only dress your greens just before serving, particularly when using vinaigrette: Oil quickly permeates the waxy surface of leafy greens, turning them dark green and droopy. If you've washed your greens, use a salad spinner or blot them delicately with paper towels to dry them. Water clinging to leaves will repel oil-based vinaigrettes and thin out creamy dressings, leading to bland salad.

Put dry greens in a salad bowl. Add less dressing than you think you'll need (to avoid overdressing), and pour it down the sides of the bowl, not onto the greens—you'll dress them more evenly this way. Gently toss, adding dressing as needed, until the greens are lightly coated. If you do overdress them, a quick whirl in the salad spinner will shake off any excess.

Finally, follow the lead of professional chefs and serve your salad on chilled plates to help keep the greens crisp as you enjoy them.

33. You Incinerate Chicken on the Grill

Result: Charred skin and rare meat in the thickest part of the breast.

Grilling bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts feels like it should be simple enough. Even experienced grillers often try to cook them entirely over direct heat, figuring it's just a matter of timing. At which point dripping fat causes flare-ups that engulf the breasts, charring the skin while the meat remains rare deep within. Yet perfectly grilled chicken—with crisp, browned skin and juicy, succulent meat—is relatively simple if you learn to manipulate the heat.

First, establish two temperature zones: Set one side of a gas grill to medium-high and the other to low, or build a fire on one side of a charcoal grill. (Make sure your grate is clean and oiled to prevent sticking.) Start the chicken skin-side up on the low- or no-heat side, and cover the grill. After a few minutes, when the chicken fat starts to render, flip the meat, skin-side down. Point the breasts' thicker ends toward the hot side to help them cook evenly. Cover and grill for about 25 minutes. When the meat is done (165° at the thickest part of the breast), crisp the skin on the hot side for a minute or two, moving it as needed to avoid flare-ups. Wait until the last few minutes to brush on barbecue sauce: The sugars in the sauce will char quickly.

34. Your Hard-Cooked Eggs Are Icky

Result: A rubbery, chalky, green-gray hot mess! Next time, heat slowly and cool quickly.

We’ve all puzzled, after following someone’s can’t-fail advice, over less-than-perfect hard-cooked eggs—the eggs with rubbery whites, chalky yolks, and that tell-tale green-gray film between yolk and white. The cause? Temperature differential: The white of an egg dropped into boiling water cooks much faster than the yolk at the center, and that’s trouble. By the time the yolk sets, the white is tough. And if the egg stays over high heat too long, or isn’t cooled quickly after cooking, sulfur in the white will react with iron in the yolk, creating that nasty off-colored ring.

Here’s the fix: To keep the temperature of the egg white and yolk close, heat the eggs gradually. Place them in a saucepan, cover them by an inch or two with cold water, and set the pan over high heat. When the water reaches a full boil, remove from heat, cover the pan, and let the eggs stand for 10 minutes. This cooks them gently and keeps the whites from toughening. Peel the eggs immediately under cold running water; or, if you’re not using them right away, set them in an ice water bath. This lowers the eggs’ temperature and minimizes the pressure that causes sulfur rings to form.

35. Your Turkey Burgers Are Parched Pucks

Result: A dried out burger that sticks to the grill. Next time, add a little heart-healthy fat to help the meat stay moist and juicy.

A well-made turkey burger is a delicious, lower-fat backyard grill treat, but if you don't compensate for the leanness of the meat, you could be eating turkey-flavored particleboard. Mostly it's a matter of getting the patty off the grill before it dries out (or sticks and falls apart)—a job made trickier by the need to cook poultry to 165°. So, to avoid sawdust syndrome, add a little fat to the meat. Yes, add fat. This might seem counterproductive, but it's not if you use a fat that's heart-healthy.

The fat in question? Olive oil. Stirring in two tablespoons olive oil per pound of ground turkey keeps the burgers moist and juicy and also helps them form a nicely browned crust on the outside that won't stick to the grill.

Even better: Sauté 1 cup diced onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil until nice and tender, let cool slightly, and then mix the onion and oil from the pan into a pound of ground turkey to form four patties. The oil-coated onions do a marvelous job of adding both moisture and flavor to lean poultry burgers, and you get a hit of that nice, oniony sweetness, too.

36. Your Rice Gets Gummy

Result: Sticky, gummy goo. Next time, use more water.

Rice is the great staple grain of much of the world, but it can strike fear in the hearts of some American cooks who have learned that the famous 2:1 water-to-rice ratio is not reliable in many cases or for many varieties. And stovetop prep can be tricky (rice cookers are reliable, so if you love rice, consider buying one). Slightly undercooked rice can sometimes be fixed with more water and time, but the dreaded gummy rice is a dead loss.

When rice is cooked in the traditional way—simmering in a lidded pot—the close-packed grains rub together and release starch, often leading to stickiness. The solution is blessedly ratio-free, though it may seem counterintuitive: Use more water. Lots more, so you cook the rice like pasta until it reaches the proper consistency, then drain. The pasta method keeps rice from rubbing together too much as it cooks; draining ensures it won't suck up more water than it needs.

Check brown rice for doneness at around 25 minutes. You can also sauté brown rice in olive oil after it's drained, to evaporate excess moisture. For white rice, which absorbs water more readily, try sautéing the grains before boiling, for about two minutes in a tablespoon of oil. Then add roughly four times as much cold water as rice to the pan, and boil. Check for doneness at around 15 minutes (timing starts when water boils). The oil forms a protective layer around the white grains during boiling—and sautéing lends the rice deliciously toasty flavor.

37. Your Caramel Meets a Burnt, Bitter End

Result: Burnt, bitter caramel. Next time, a little water—and patience—goes a long way.

Caramel is a one-ingredient recipe for experts, two for more cautious cooks who add water to the sugar—but either way it can quickly turn into a chemistry experiment gone wrong. The problem is a rapid acceleration of browning, which can quickly move your sugar sauce into bitter, burnt territory.

Sugar behaves differently from other foods when it's cooked. While most ingredients absorb heat from the pan, sugar actually generates its own heat as it breaks down. This causes the temperature to rise fast—about one degree per second. When you remove the pan from the heat as the caramel reaches the perfect light-amber hue, it can still burn because residual heat from the pan keeps the action going.

The key is watchful, hands-off cooking, as slow and even as possible. Adding ¼ cup of water per cup of sugar dissolves the sugar uniformly and slows boiling, providing more control as you look for that honey-gold color. Use a light-colored stainless steel or enamel saucepan and a candy thermometer.

To make the caramel, cook the sugar and water, without stirring (or absolutely minimal stirring, if you must), over medium-low heat until golden and fragrant, about 335°. With experience, you'll learn to trust color more than temperature.

The hands-off approach works best because stirring can cause hot caramel to crystallize when it hits the cool sides of the pan, and that can set off a chain reaction that ruins the sauce.

Set the pan in an ice bath for two to three seconds to stop the cooking (any longer and the caramel will seize), then use immediately.

38. The Turkey Hack Job

Result: Your turkey platter resembles a crime scene.

On turkey day, it's your well-earned right to parade that magnificent roasted bird around the dining room. But carving is best done where there's elbow room and a large, stable cutting surface. You'll need a well-honed knife; have it professionally sharpened before the big day.

Now, as the pros say, "break" the bird down in the right order (this is where many cooks go wrong—trying to slice meat directly off a big, hot bird). Leg quarters come off first, then breast meat, with the tucked-under wings serving to stabilize as you cut. Set the big pieces onto a cutting board where you can deal with them properly.

Take the breast meat off the bone in one piece, then slice crosswise, which ensures uniformity and allows for slightly thicker slices that are juicier and less fibrous than thin portions. Cut the thigh meat into large chunks. Reserve room on the platter for legs if you have a Henry VIII in the family.

Oh, and remember—in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, you can always practice your technique on a nice roasted chicken: same configuration of bird parts, no game-day pressure.

39. Your Cookies Gain Unwanted Holiday Width

Result: Sad gingerbread men.

Baking holiday cookies can go from a labor of love to an exercise in frustration when your gingerbread men come out more bloated than a Macy's parade float. The problem is too much heat—but not at the baking stage, at the mixing stage: Your butter is too warm.

The solution: Keep your butter cool, right until baking. Butter starts to melt at 68°, and once that happens, its water-fat emulsion breaks and there's no getting it back. Cold, emulsified butter helps give baked goods structure by taking in air when mixed with sugar. For cookies, you want butter well below room temperature; between 50° and 65° is optimal. Cut the butter into chunks, and let it stand at room temperature to soften (nix the microwave idea entirely).

If the butter is still cold to the touch but spreadable, you can start creaming. Butter and sugar need only be mixed (or "creamed") for about 30 seconds—much longer and the butter warms up. Chill the dough for 20 to 30 minutes before you bake. Lastly, don't put the cookies on a hot pan. If you're working in batches, cool the used pan for a few minutes, then run it under cool water before reloading (don't do this while it's hot, though, or you'll risk warping the pan).

40. Your Flapjacks Flame Out

Result: Blotchy, burned pancakes

Too often, pancake cooks put up with a few poor specimens at the beginning—splotchy and greasy—and a few more duds at the end; the latter can be scorched from a too-dry pan yet perversely underdone within. This is not a heat problem or a batter problem: It's a pan-prepping problem.

The solution: Don't pour oil directly into the pan. Hot oil will spread, pooling in some areas, leaving other parts dry. Just a scant amount of cooking oil creates a smooth, even cooking surface throughout, so pancakes cook evenly from start to finish.

If you're using a pristine nonstick pan, you may not need oil at all. Otherwise, here's how to apply it: Heat a skillet (any variety) over medium heat, then grasp a wadded paper towel with tongs and douse it with 1 tablespoon canola oil. Brush the pan with the soaked towel. You could also use cooking spray, except for nonstick pans: It leaves sticky residue on Teflon surfaces.

Add batter, flipping only when bubbles form on the surface of each pancake, about two to three minutes. Resist the urge to peek, which breaks the seal between the pan and the batter; that seal is what ensures even cooking. Swab the pan with the oiled paper towel between batches to keep it properly greased.

41. Your Oven Fries Fizzle

Result: Pale, soggy spuds or dried up and burnt fries.

Great oven fries can mimic, if not entirely duplicate, the best qualities of their deep-fried cousins—golden, with a crisp exterior and fluffy middle—yet remain much lower in fat. Bad oven fries, however, can turn out pale and soggy, or dry up and burn, sometimes achieving both states in the same batch.

The solution: It seems counterintuitive, but you need to presoak. Nearly half a potato's weight is accounted for by water. Soaking pulls out starch, which reduces the water content of the potatoes: less water, less steaming in the oven.

Start with baking potatoes (russets): They're drier than waxy varieties. Cut each peeled potato in half lengthwise, halve again, and slice each quarter into ¼-inch-thick strips (a mandoline is nice but not essential). Even thickness and wide surface area prevent burning and give you more crispy real estate. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes, then dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Toss with olive oil, and then spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Don't overcrowd the fries, or it will be a steam bath in there. Bake on the bottom rack at 400° for 35 minutes. Flip once halfway through.

42. Your Lettuce is Lifeless

Result: Withered and shriveled lettuce.

Nice lettuce is a mighty pretty thing, until it shrivels and withers 'twixt store and salad bowl—or, worse, rots and blackens around the edges. Once opened, even relatively shelf-stable bagged lettuces suffer this fate. And lettuce leaves are prone to nasty bruising when roughly handled. This is among the most delicate of foods.

The main storage problem is usually too much moisture. Wet lettuce spoils faster as water condenses on the leaves and suffocates them. More moisture also means more gases, like ethylene, which speed up ripening and spoilage in fruits and vegetables. But here's the rub: Lettuce needs some water to stay crisp—otherwise leaves dry out and droop.

The solution: Keep lettuce moist, but just barely. Loosely wrap a head (or the contents of bagged lettuce) in slightly damp paper towels, and seal in a zip-top bag. This will absorb excess water without dehydrating the leaves. Store in your crisper drawer—the best spot for consistent, controlled humidity. Don't wash lettuce until you're ready to use it.

43. Your Guac Gets Icky

Result: Brown guacamole.

Guacamole is a surefire and healthy party pleaser, at least for those who arrive at the party early. Stragglers know they're late by the muddy brown shade the dip has assumed in the bowl. Obviously, oxygen is the enemy of guac, as it is for sliced potatoes and apples. The question is, can you delay the oxidation process? (Leaving the pit in the dip, an old myth, doesn't help.)

The solution: A two-part strategy involves using acid to delay oxidation, then doling out the dip as needed from an airtight container. The antioxidant property of ascorbic acid, plentiful in lemon or lime juice, is your first line of defense. Toss cubed avocado in citrus juice, about 3 tablespoons per avocado, then drain before mashing, reserving the juice. After you've mashed all your ingredients, add some juice back to taste. Still, your dip will brown eventually if you serve all at once, so serve in small batches, with the rest stored in the fridge like so: Rub a little olive oil onto a sheet of plastic wrap, then press the wrap, oil side down, onto the surface of the dip—the thin film of oil creates an impermeable barrier, with plastic as a reliable backup. And the dip stays green.

44. Your Blueberries Take a Dive

Result: Sunken berries.

Nothing brightens a bite of a summertime muffin quite like the burst of a fresh-baked blueberry, unless you discover the poor things have sunk to the bottom, where they have congregated into a mush.

The cause of sinkage is in a sense the season itself: In the heart of the summer, fat, ripe berries may be more dense than batter, causing them to drop.

The solution: A dash of flour will help blueberries defy gravity for the very simple reason that the flour makes them stick to the batter and stay put. Just toss blueberries with a tablespoon of flour before folding in. But use flour from the recipe—don't add extra; that will keep your ingredient ratios even.

As always, be gentle when mixing the muffin batter. As batters are overbeaten, they can thin out, exacerbating the problem and producing a poor crumb as well. If your batter does seem a bit thin, try sprinkling some of the berries on top just before baking.

45. Your Fish Sticks to the Grill

Grilled fish makes for a delicious, healthy summertime meal, but many backyard chefs give the seafood counter a wide berth for fear of disastrous results: fillets that cling to the grill rack and break into little pieces when you try to flip them. A grimy grill, insufficient heat, and the wrong fish are all often to blame.

The solution: Stickage prevention is a process, and it starts at the store. Skip delicate, flaky fish like tilapia, cod, or flounder, and go with firmer-fleshed fish, such as salmon, tuna, or swordfish. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels before grill time.

Now prep the grill. Set the rack over a hot fire for five minutes to burn away lingering debris, then scrub thoroughly with a grill brush. Carefully lift the rack and coat with cooking spray. Don't spray into the fire; if you can't remove the rack, swab it with oil using wadded paper towels held with tongs. But don't use the tongs for the fish: A spatula is less likely to tear the fillets. Let the fillets cook undisturbed for a few minutes. When they're ready to flip, they'll release cleanly.

46. Your Thawed Berries are a Mushy Mess

Freezing fresh-picked berries lets you preserve a delightful dose of summer flavor for months after the season is over. But when thawed fruit becomes a squishy clump with juice spilling out, it's barely fit for smoothies. The freezing method is the culprit: If you're putting raspberries, blueberries, and the like in bags to freeze, you're doing it wrong.

The solution: The longer it takes food to freeze, the larger the ice crystals will be. These big ice chunks destroy cell walls inside the food, so when it thaws, it loses structural integrity and turns mushy. Big frozen-food companies use special equipment to flash-freeze berries individually. This makes for small crystals, so the thawed product better retains fresh taste and texture.

To approximate an industrial quick-freeze at home, spread berries in a single layer (not touching) on a baking sheet, and place the sheet in the back of your freezer. The extra space allows more exposure to the cold, freezing the fruit faster and preventing it from clumping. Then transfer frozen berries to large zip-top bags.

47. Your Pudding Looks Like Porridge

So you undertake the decidedly oldschool but comforting job of making a pudding. You carefully stir the beaten eggs into the hot milk mixture, but soon you see the dreaded signs of mixture separation. And when it breaks, it breaks fast—and now you’ve got a watery pile of scrambled eggs suspended in a milky broth. The problem is a failure to temper, the critical heat-control technique that basically acclimates eggs to higher heat.

The solution: Slowly whisk a thin stream of the hot milk mixture into beaten raw eggs in a bowl. Tempering will heat the eggs gradually without cooking them completely. The milk-egg mixture can then be returned to the pan and cooked as the recipe requires. Be patient cooking, though: If you crank up the heat after tempering, you can still wreck things, even with the inclusion of flour or cornstarch helping to stabilize. A small jump in the pudding’s temperature can lead to coagulation.

48. Your Soup Sports an Oil Slick

When a bowl of soup leaves lips as slick as if they'd just been slathered with balm, it's a bummer. This problem occurs most often with brothy, meaty soups, such as chicken noodle and beef barley. Fat from the meat—along with oil or butter used to sauté the veggies—rises as the broth simmers. The problem comes when this fat isn't removed. But even if you stand with your skimming spoon at the ready or try the messy and potentially scalding trick of dabbing the surface with a paper towel, you may still leave enough grease there to annoy.

The solution: Skim smarter. Move the soup pot halfway off the burner every 15 minutes or so, and skim from the edge that's tilted off the heat. Impurities and fat gather at the coolest spot—in this case, the side of the pan off the burner. Tilt the pan slightly as you skim to avoid taking off too much broth. Simmer the soup gently, and never boil: That just churns fat into the broth, making an oily, unappetizing emulsion. If time allows, chill the soup overnight. Fat will solidify on top; simply spoon it off before you reheat.

49. Your Apple Pie Is Too Puffy

A just-baked apple pie with a mountainous golden crust is nice if there's a mountain of perfectly cooked apples under the hood, but often there is, instead, a yawning gap between crust and filling that makes each serving seem skimpy and sad. The cause is often the steam slowly given off by thick apple slices as they bake; steam pushes the crust up as the fruit cooks down.

The solution: The examples above show that thinly sliced apples, rather than wedged or cubed fruit, deliver a trimmer pie profile. Because sliced apples cook quickly, steam is allowed to escape without lifting the crust. Arrange slices tightly in the pie shell, layering by hand as you would when making a tart, to minimize air pockets than can also produce an uneven pie. With nicely packed fruit you don't need to overfill; a good ratio is about 3 pounds of apples per pie. Remember to vent the crust: Three large slits across the top will expel steam during baking, leaving the filling even and juicy throughout.

New Year in Georgia

nipara — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:27:02 GMT

New Year

People in Georgia love their holidays and what is most important, know how to organize them so beautiful, delicious and joyfully, that you enjoy every minute of the festival, and then look forward to the next one.

The chain of celebrations is opened with the New Year. The world's favorite holiday, in Georgia found its national traits and wonderful traditions. For example the main New Year's attribute is the Christmas tree. In Georgia, in addition to the Christmas tree each family decorates chichilaki - a homemade wooden Christmas tree out of wood, the crown which replaces the wood chips. Chichilaki are decorated with dried fruit and traditionally burned after the New Year that, they believe that together with its smoke all troubles will be gone.

The New Year's table in Georgia should be not just beautiful and richly covered, but literally burst with all sorts of dishes. Here you have satsivi, juicy pork, and spicy marinades, melting in your mouth khachapuri, several kinds of homemade cheese, and sweet churchhella. There are courses in Georgia, without which any New Year's table can not do. They are roasted young pork that symbolizes wellbeing, honey gozinaki (roasted nuts), for life to be sweet as honey. In general, the more sweets on New Year's table - the sweeter will be the year.

The main on the table is of course a wonderful wine that flows just like water this night to the clink of glasses and eloquent toasts. And of course, what a meal without songs and dances! Georgian multi-voice is the culmination of the holiday. And who knows who gets more fun: the audience or performers themselves, inspiredly singing out their vocals. Georgian dances… Hot like a hot Georgia sun, swift like mountain streams...

Right at midnight in the sky are flashing multicolored fireworks. Someone might say that this custom is quite modern but by the Georgians it has an ancient origin. They believe that every shot hits the evil spirit, and in the New Year good will conquer evil.

And there are a lot of such interesting Christmas traditions. Here is another very curious one. It's called "Mevkle" and still popular in the Georgian villages. "Mevkle" - is the man who first crosses the threshold of the house in the New Year. He can bring both happiness and unhappiness. Villagers already know who are the people with "happy feet" and invite them into the house in advance, and those people present the hosts a basket with wine, sweets and boiled pork, wishing them happiness in the coming New Year.

Tbilisoba

nipara — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 06:20:04 GMT

Tbilisoba (Tbilisi City Celebration) as a celebration was first marked on October 28, 1979 and since than it has became the tradition. At the weekend the meeting of the present and past occurs in the city and the old Tbilisi is livened up once again. You will still meet Karachoghelis, water sellers and Kintoes in the street.

The first established Tbilisoba was held in the renovated districts of the city in the form of the fancy dress carnival: Tbilisi noblemen and Kneinas dressed in the Georgian traditional dresses were looking out from the balconies on the rafts drifting on the Mtkvari.
Even at present as soon as the celebration is started the phaetons appear in the streets, the sad rhymes of the arghani is sounded in the air and the songs by the ashughs takes us to the old Tbilisi as if the inhabitants of the medieval centuries are brought to life.
In Tbilisoba not only Tbilisi residents but also the population of the whole Georgia take part.
People from the different regions of Georgia try to represent their part and arrange the fair of the harvest. That’s why the second name for Tbilisoba is "Autumn celebration.”
Marking the celebration day of the ancient city means itself the mixing with the past. And At the first Tbilisoba celebration the Georgian folk plays Kochaoba, Derby, Riktapela were presented.
Didube was considered to be the place for such game holding in the old Tbilisi and even today the Akaki garden is the meeting place for the Georgian wrestlers.
Annually as soon as Tbilisoba celebration comes closer lots of cultural and sport events are planned, that go further than the exhibition and concert halls , stadiums and come out in the streets. The celebration is always interesting ,the famous people from different spheres are granted the title of honorary citizens.

Regardless to the fact that Tbilisoba is not thirty years old yet it has became a fixed tradition, as for Tbilisi residents so for the guests the city turns into a different shape and Asia and Europe meet each other under the balcony of Darejani palace,at the foot of Metekhi, in Kala or in Isani. During the Tbilisoba days Tbilisi acquires its previous old colors and charm.

Georgian Cheese

nipara — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 10:29:35 GMT

Sulguni

Sulguni is the most popular cheese in Georgia, and is enjoyed in many of its neighbouring countries. It is a stretched curd cheese which has been produced in Georgia for centuries, and comes in many different varieties, from fresh and mild to aged, dried and smoked, and often quite salty. It is closely related to Italian pasta filata cheeses such as mozzarella, provolone and caciocavallo. Sulguni is among the favourite ingredients used in Georgian cuisine, most commonly in the famous Georgian cheese-bread called khachapuri, although many prefer to eat it simply as a table cheese.

At the moment, we make three variations of sulguni -

Fresh sulguni - though none of our cheeses are technically aged, we call the fresh one 'fresh' because that is the way we recommend you eat it. When newly made it resembles the classic Italian pasta filata cheeses such as mozzarella or bocconcini, though its characteristic taste is more sour, tangy and acidic than its Italian counterparts. It is soft yet springy and its layered texture gives it a distinctly succulent mouthfeel. It is delicious eaten simply as a table cheese or added to salads, antipasto, marinades with oil and herbs, and can be added to practically dish which requires a mild melted cheese. Its delicate flavour makes it a perfect accompaniment to just about anything, and it is the ultimate pizza cheese! It won us a gold medal at the 2009 Cuisine Champions of Cheese Awards.

Semi-hard sulguni - the very aptly named semi-hard sulguni differs from the fresh in that it is harder (though not hard enough to be considered a hard cheese) and saltier, with a richer, more buttery flavor, but otherwise can be used exactly the same way, though because it is firmer it actually holds its shape better when melted. It was awarded a silver medal at the 2010 Champions of Cheese Awards.

Smoked sulguni - a naturally smoked version of the semi-hard sulguni, smoked in our own little smokehouse with a mixture of manuka and applewood chips, with a lovely rustic flavour and a pleasant aftertaste. This year it got a silver medal at the Champions of Cheese Awards.

Kvevri Wine

nipara — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:16:26 GMT

Bio or organic wine is almost the same as traditional Georgian wine made in qvevri, for the wine made in qvevri does not need neither preparations and admixtures allowed in bio-industry nor any other admixtures and their use is an extra cost. Traditional Georgian wine can not be made without qvevri! Qvevri is a phenomenal vessel the origin of which dates back to the ancient Georgian history. Qvevri making and generally the qvevri is an integral part of traditional Georgian wine making. In past, qvevri was used for storage of grains, boiled butter, cheese, eau-de-vie de marc or other kinds of vodka, marinades, etc. Though its origination is related to the development of wine making and is specifically designated for wine. Hence, its creation is connected to the development of wine making in Georgia as well. Obviously, large ceramic vessels had been made not only in Georgia but in other countries too for the use in various purposes. However, we may assuredly say that qvevri making as a vessel making branch used in wine making was best developed in Georgia. This is evidenced by many historic sources and rich archeological materials. Since the creation, qvevri experienced some changes, though generally, it remained almost the same. It should be noted that methods of wine making in qvevri has not been changed either. The latter has such an unique content that it can not be subjected to development. However, very few qvevri makers remained in Geirgia. This is boosted by the fact, that qvevri making and especially large qvevri making requires great knowledge, experience and is costy. Therefore, the followers of this branch become fewer and fewer. Though, qvevri making was one of the leading branch out of five main branches of pottery.

Qvevri making is very difficult and this is approved by the fact that e.i. a brick maker could easily make tiles as well and vice versa; vessel maker could easily make a clay oven for baking bread, only qvevri maker needed deep knowledge. Therefore, qvevry making was always a separate subject in Georgian pottery.

Wine made in accordance to certain rules is typical, naturally stable, has great potential of aging, natural brilliance and transparency, exclusive taste and aroma, high concentration of tannins, alcohol and extracts and other positive properties. Natural balance of temperature maintained in qvevri excludes the needs of using mass produced yeasts. It is presumed that the use of dry yeasts applied by majority of large and small wine enterprises decreases aging potential of wines. in case of Kakhetian wine, it is often left on husks of grapes until early spring. Naturally, there comes a question to our minds - how it is that deposit, stems and pits do not affect the wine.

This is due to unique and exquisite shape of qvevri. As you know, qvevri has a sharpened coned bottom. In the very early stage of alcoholic fermentation pits are separated from grapes, go down and accumulate on the bottom of qvevri. Due to pressure effect, grape pits are covered by deposit that lays quite heavily upon them. Thus, pits and wines are isolated. When the fermentation is finished, husks of grapes that had not gone down to the bottom due to carbonic acid gas formed in alchoholic fermentation process, begin going down. This is preceded by depsit's going down. Therefore, wine is in connection only with husks of grapes and takes healthy substances from them as much as possible. It is considered that there are more healthy substances in Kakhetian white wine than in European type wines. The fact that wine made in qvevri is naturally stable and does not need admixture of various chemical substances for its stabilization is explained by its richness of tannins. Tannin restricts proteins in wine and prevents turbidding.

Therefore, Kakhetian wine is not inclined to such type of turbid. This is explanation to the natural stability and brilliance of Kakhetian wine. In this type of wines, when fermentation porcess is over, the temperature is being reduced gradually that has positive impact on wine refining process and extracting cream of tartar. In qvevri, wine may be stored for quite a long time provided that there are met all conditions of wine storage, winery arrangement and qvevri hygiene. In past, wine was stored in qvevri even for thousands of years. Obviously, it is allowed to control quality and condition of wine and involve in the process in some periodicity.

Hangover

nipara — Fri, 06 May 2011 11:28:01 GMT

Sundays are for fun. Waking up on Sunday morning subconsciously knowing that it’s a day off feels just nice. Most people I know try to relax on Sundays. They go out of town, fishing, sailing, spending the day with the family. Sunday's sun feels different because you know you will feel the sun on your skin, as opposed to looking at it from the office window. This is a very usual Sunday morning for a lot of people. But not all.

The typical Sunday morning for a lot of people starts with a headache, thirst and crushed body. It’s not flu, it’s a hangover.

People of the world, regardless of their age, wait for the weekends. Kids are happy not to have to go to kindergarten or school and get to spend the day with mommy and be taken to McDonald’s or go to the park. They feel that their parents’ world rotates around them. Teenagers most likely go to the movies with the friends and are allowed to stay out later than usual. When it comes to adults – they save money, make plans, buy outfits, make arrangements, look at the entertainment listings to find out where to go and have as much fun as they can after a tiring, busy (often stressful) week. We don’t really care about resting on Saturday nights, we are hungry to get tired by having fun. Seeing all those smiling faces on friends feels fantastic after looking at your co-workers 6 days a week.

But fun only lasts this long. In most cases what comes after a night of fun is a nasty hangover.

Being born and raised in Georgia I have witnessed the phenomenon of the hangover since quite an early age. Georgians like to drink, and getting over a hangover has become some kind of ritual. It’s almost part of the culture. I was introduced to different Georgian ways of fighting one. Every single Georgian who wants to help you with your hangover will offer you a shot of yet more alcohol, or at least advise you to have a couple. When you explain that you can’t drink, they encourage you by saying that you only feel nasty when you see the shot, but after you take one, this feeling just flies.

Georgians getting up with a head the size of a phone booth (that’s a very Georgian way of describing a hangover) head to restaurants where they can eat Khinkali and drink vodka with it. They usually spend a couple of hours there and then head home to get some sleep. Unless of course, it doesn’t turn into another celebration we call the Supra. After another Supra comes another hangover come they have to defeat. I have noticed that the older generation goes to eat Khashi (it’s a kind of a stew made from cattle hoofs and guts. It is served with a lot of garlic. It has a very distinctive smell and taste and is, let me tell you, delicious) and of course drink more vodka. There are other people who drink beer in the mornings and that’s quite enough for them. I was told that beer has a "velvety” kick that drags you back into a drunkenness where you don’t feel drunk. They call it a "velvety high”.
For me personally a bottle of a mineral water and a good sleep is the ultimate method of combating a hangover. In the USA, where I could not get Khinkali or Khashi, I substituted Miso soup. I went to a Japanese restaurant as soon as I woke up, had some Miso soup and was ready to sleep all day long. Since I could not have a bottle of Likani (Georgian mineral water), San Pellegrino sparkling water did just fine.

The city famous for producing the most outrageous and often dangerous hangovers is (I would say) Las Vegas, NV. In Las Vegas the most common hangover comes with a wedding ring. I believe this city has more weddings and marriage annulments than any other in the world. The only reason people go to Vegas (a city which has no history, but has a sight from every other significant city, or era) is to have fun. Some gamble, some party, some get married (on purpose or by accident), but in going to Vegas every person takes a subconscious risk of tying the knot. Even the most unbelieving in, and unprepared for, marriage propose in Las Vegas. Weddings are always in the air in Vegas. People go there to forget themselves and often come back married or already divorced. They should actually develop some kind of a programme, or attraction, or meal for (accidental) newlyweds, as this process does not merely give you a headache but a lot of paper to fill in, and oftentimes money needs to shared out.

What is interesting about accidental Vegas weddings is that they're actually not the way they show them in the movies. It doesn’t take just drinking to get married, you need to get an actual marriage licence. The couple has to appear together at the Marriage License Bureau. You will need ID and proof of age if you are under 21, plus your Social Security number (if you have it. A foreigner you still can get married, even if they are an illegal foreigner). You must be 18 to legally marry without your parents' consent. The Marriage License Bureau is open daily from 8am to midnight (including holidays). For a spur-of-the-moment ceremony, there are wedding chapels that are open 24 hours a day; some even have drive-through windows.

This sounds quite fun, but I can’t help wonder how drunk people must be to go through getting a marriage licence (there may be a queue at any time of the day), picking a chapel (there may also be queues) and still saying "I do”. I guess they simply get in the groove of a spontaneous yet (supposedly) lifelong experience that often times ends the very next day. Well, at least they will have a fun hangover story to tell their grandkids. This will not be a partying or a drinking story, since they are drunk enough not to remember the beginning of it, but they will sure remember waking up with a head the size of a telephone booth and a ring on their finger.

You may wake up with a ring or a headache, but what you should never do while having a hangover is drink sweet juice or water. They feel good at the time but don’t do you any good. A good sleep and sparkling mineral water – nothing can beat that.

But trust me; despite the listed options for how to beat a hangover, nothing feels better than waking up Sunday morning feeling fresh. That’s what I know for sure from my own experience.

By Tako Agarashvili