Cooking
As you may be able to tell from reading along, I love doing research. Just the other day I was asked to name a fruit or vegetable that started with an "H". Don't ask me why, I'm sworn to secrecy. But I knew just where to look to find out.
The New Food Lover's Companion is a definitive guide to all things culinary. It includes nearly 6,000 definitions of food, drink and culinary terms. Needless to say, it lives on my desk. Even when I think I know what something is, it can be helpful to look it up and see for sure. And if I need even more information, the appendix includes a list of food information sources that ranges from alligators to yeast. I can also view a directory of additives to find out what polysorbates are doing in my food. And I can check out the pan substitution list to see if the 9" x 9" x 1 1/2" square pan is equivalent in volume to the 8" x 8" x 2" square pan (it is exactly the same).
You can look up most of the definitions from the book on Epicurious but if that's not good enough for you, I highly recommend buying this book. It is unbelievably comprehensive and will answer questions and settle disputes. Best of all you can figure out what varaq is and impress your foodie friends.
By the way, there are only two fruits listed that begin with the letter "H". Can you name them?
- The Visual Food Lover's Guide
The Visual Food Lover's Guide is a terrific resource that I can't stop leafing through. In fact, it has taken up residence next to my bed along with a few other treasured tomes. It has the basic information on how to buy, prepare, cook, serve...
- Bedside Reading For The Culinarily Inclined
What do you consider a good beach read? Something entertaining? Light and fluffy? What about a bedside book? I like a vacation read that I can completely lose myself in, but next to my bed I need something I can pick up and put down endlessly. Right now...
- Zagat Survey
It's that time again. If you register with Zagat, then rate three or more San Francisco restaurants, you will receive a free copy of their popular guidebook. The survey has been streamlined this year and it's much easier to fill out. This year...
- San Francisco Food Lover's Guide: Review
You might have noticed all my caveats about the Zagat Survey the other day. I have none to report for the fourth edition of Patricia Unterman's San Francisco Food Lover's Guide. As the last edition did, this one shall sit right next to the Zagat...
- Book Review: The Oxford Companion To Wine
Most people aren't wine geeks. Most people shouldn't be: That way lies madness. But even casual wine enthusiasts enjoy learning a bit about the bottle they're drinking. For the bulk of the wine-loving population, Karen MacNeil's The Wine...
Cooking
The New Food Lover's Companion
As you may be able to tell from reading along, I love doing research. Just the other day I was asked to name a fruit or vegetable that started with an "H". Don't ask me why, I'm sworn to secrecy. But I knew just where to look to find out.
The New Food Lover's Companion is a definitive guide to all things culinary. It includes nearly 6,000 definitions of food, drink and culinary terms. Needless to say, it lives on my desk. Even when I think I know what something is, it can be helpful to look it up and see for sure. And if I need even more information, the appendix includes a list of food information sources that ranges from alligators to yeast. I can also view a directory of additives to find out what polysorbates are doing in my food. And I can check out the pan substitution list to see if the 9" x 9" x 1 1/2" square pan is equivalent in volume to the 8" x 8" x 2" square pan (it is exactly the same).
You can look up most of the definitions from the book on Epicurious but if that's not good enough for you, I highly recommend buying this book. It is unbelievably comprehensive and will answer questions and settle disputes. Best of all you can figure out what varaq is and impress your foodie friends.
By the way, there are only two fruits listed that begin with the letter "H". Can you name them?
- The Visual Food Lover's Guide
The Visual Food Lover's Guide is a terrific resource that I can't stop leafing through. In fact, it has taken up residence next to my bed along with a few other treasured tomes. It has the basic information on how to buy, prepare, cook, serve...
- Bedside Reading For The Culinarily Inclined
What do you consider a good beach read? Something entertaining? Light and fluffy? What about a bedside book? I like a vacation read that I can completely lose myself in, but next to my bed I need something I can pick up and put down endlessly. Right now...
- Zagat Survey
It's that time again. If you register with Zagat, then rate three or more San Francisco restaurants, you will receive a free copy of their popular guidebook. The survey has been streamlined this year and it's much easier to fill out. This year...
- San Francisco Food Lover's Guide: Review
You might have noticed all my caveats about the Zagat Survey the other day. I have none to report for the fourth edition of Patricia Unterman's San Francisco Food Lover's Guide. As the last edition did, this one shall sit right next to the Zagat...
- Book Review: The Oxford Companion To Wine
Most people aren't wine geeks. Most people shouldn't be: That way lies madness. But even casual wine enthusiasts enjoy learning a bit about the bottle they're drinking. For the bulk of the wine-loving population, Karen MacNeil's The Wine...