The Guide | Cookinghow.com

eye candy: bodum

Before I decided to go to culinary school in Paris, I worked for a defense company, where I sat in front of the computer all day either in my office or down in the basement labs, which I always lovingly refer to as the dungeons. Needless to say, life wasn’t exactly all sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows, but there was something at work that always brought a smile to my face… my darling, little Bodum Chambord 12-ounce Coffee Press =) It brews a deliciously smooth cup of [...]

food finds: wines @ tj's

Trader Joe’s is definitely the place to go to try out new wines since their bottles are so reasonably priced and they always have a great selection on hand! They’re also the exclusive distributor of Charles Shaw brand of “extreme value” wines, which include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and White Zinfandel. Since these wines sell for a mere $1.99 at TJ’s across California, they’ve been dubbed the ‘Two Buck Chuck’. Quite suitable, don’t you think? They’re great if you’re really on [...]

favorite things: maldon salt

Oh, how can I express my love and devotion for this pure, flaky sea salt? It’s nearly impossible to put into words, but the late, great Pablo Naruda somehow managed to depict these feelings beautifully in his ‘Ode to Salt’:

This salt
in the salt cellar
I once saw in the salt mines.
I know
you won’t
believe me,
but
it sings,
salt sings, the skin
of the salt mines,
sings
with a mouth smothered
by the earth.

….

checklist: global chef's knife

Up until last year, the only chef’s knife I used was my mom’s old cleaver that I took from home when I left for college. I can’t imagine how long that cleaver has been in the family, but it has definitely been around for at least two generations. I sharpen it every couple months and it’s still versatile enough to slice tomatoes and cut through cartilage. It even doubles as a scraper to transfer chopped vegetables from the cutting board to the pan.

I [...]

checklist: silpat

Whenever a recipe calls for a lined baking sheet, I always turn to my trusty Silpat. It turns any pan into a non-stick surface without having to be greased down. Made in France by Demarle, these fiberglass-silicone baking mats are used by professional pastry chefs everywhere to make anything from cakes, cookies, and breads, to candy, like super sticky, yummy, salted caramels =) Back in culinary school, we brought them out to help us pull sugar since they can withstand ultra high temperatures… up to [...]