When researching bitters, youโll discover that these palate-punching liquid spices have been critical libation components from the inception of the word cocktail in 1806. That year, the editor of The Balance, and Columbian Repository, a New York newspaper, defined cocktail (at the time cock tail) as โa stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters.โ
Nothing balances the cold season better than the sweet-and-spicy warmth of a traditional, homemade pumpkin pie.
Thereโs nothing quite like the briny, refreshing bite of a freshly shucked oyster. But if youโve ever wrestled with one at home, you know they can be intimidating.
When I was growing up, my aunts would serve turkey for the holidays along with traditional sides, including a small dish of cranberry sauce.
Parsnips, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips, celery root, beets, carrots, and sunchokes are cozy winter favorites that bring earthy flavor and can shine on the holiday table.
In the memorable Christmas dinner scene from the โ80s film A Christmas Story, the Parker family gathers around a magnificently roasted Chinese duck, a funny and improvised solution to the unexpected loss of their turkey.
For countless families across our community, tamales hold special meaning, especially around the holidays.
When you bite into a perfectly ripe, juicy, fragrant pear, your mind tends to wander, regardless of the circumstances, reminding you of the pleasure that something so simple can bring. Maybe thatโs because life is complicated, and a dreamy pear is hard to come by.
Foundational to Korean cuisine and culture, kimchi brings an unmistakable zing to any dish. Its global popularity has sparked countless variations and creative uses.ย
Itโs maybe the funniest sketch of the extremely funny sketch comedy show Portlandia: Bryce Shivers and Lisa Eversman (played for ironic earnestness by Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein) say โEverything should be pickledโ โ as they proceed to pickle literally everything, including worn Band-Aids, plastic CD jewel cases, traffic tickets, a broken shoe heel.