Hog Wild Chopsticks for Kids

My chopstick collection began innocently enough, just a bag of cheap restaurant-style wooden chopsticks to use and reuse at home, but I had long admired the heights of functional artistry that some chopsticks achieve: the sleek design of metal chopsticks, the colorful surface of lacquered chopsticks, the Zen feeling of carefully smoothed wooden chopsticks. They are the perfect blend of form and function.

I remember spotting these children’s chopsticks in a small toy store. They were in a simple display near the check out counter, and a bright purple camel begged to go home with me. Read more

The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving

In a moment of weakness I snagged this book off a table at Costco a few weeks ago, as if I really needed another book on canning and preserving. I blame the title for luring me in because many home cooks make jams, jellies, and other preserves in small batches, unless you are like my friend Sean who canned 200 pounds of tomatoes this year. I believe that amount is more than most of us have time to tackle, but kudos to Sean and his crew for a job well done!

The book explains the basics of high-acid canning (the boiling water method) then presents over 250 pages of recipes from all the standard categories plus a few extra: jams, jellies, butters, marmalades, conserves, curds, low-sugar spreads, pickles, relishes, salsas, chutneys, savory sauces, oils, vinegars, and mustards. Read more

Andrea’s Reviews Is Moving

Andrea’s Reviews is moving to a new location at http://www.andreasrecipes.com/reviews. The old address www.andreasreviews.com will redirect to the new location, but the process will take about 24 hours to complete. Thanks for your patience and remember to update your bookmarks!

Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker

My parents had one of those old-fashioned ice cream makers where the large metal canister sat inside a wooden bucket. Dad would bring home dry ice and we knew Mom was going to make ice cream, often banana, which was our favorite. Mom and Dad had to mediate the arguments between all of us kids on who got to lick the dasher, and sometimes Dad won and got the dasher all to himself.

The memories of homemade ice cream tugged at me when we started having children, and I’m glad to carry on the tradition in our home. Read more

The New Portuguese Table

My love for authentic regional foods prompted me to accept an invitation to review David Leite’s new cookbook, The New Portuguese Table. Though I have eaten Portuguese food, I never made it until now, and I somehow managed to miss the Iberian Peninsula on my trip through Europe in the mid 90s. Leite’s book has inspired me to learn more about Portuguese cooking and refueled my longing for an excursion to the region.

Leite starts by taking the reader on a gastronomic tour of Portugal, highlighting the specialties of each region, including wines. Though I am not an expert on wine, I can declare without reservation that my two favorite Portuguese exports are port and Madeira, and Leite provides helpful introductions to both wines. If you have never tasted either wine, this is an excellent opportunity to try them with some of the recipes from the book. I did find myself longing for some specific suggestions for wine pairings with the recipes, particularly for those making their first foray into Portuguese cuisine. Read more

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