Category Archives: Cooking

Here you’ll find everything about cooking that isn’t actually a recipe. Tips, techniques, gripes, whatever.

Time to plant the shiso!

Posted on June 14, 2024 by Burnt My Fingers

We have two nice pots of shiso which reseed themselves every year, but if you’re not so fortunate it’s (past) time to plant the shiso for a summer harvest. What is shiso you ask? According to this excellent Australian food … Continue reading →

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Is Santa Maria style barbecue a thing?

Posted on June 11, 2024 by Burnt My Fingers

We ran into a good deal on tri tip roasts on a trip to San Francisco. This cut is rarely seen on the East Coast, so it was a no brainer to grab a couple of roasts and stuff them … Continue reading →

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Taste test: marinated mushrooms

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Burnt My Fingers

I hoovered some delicious marinated mushrooms from the charcuterie board at a recent event and resolved to make them myself. Researching online recipes, I found a surprising variety of methods and even definitions of what “marinated mushrooms” implies. As executed, … Continue reading →

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Making Maagchi’s japchae

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Burnt My Fingers

After our toasted sesame oil taste test, of course we had to make some japchae, the iconic Korean dish with glass noodles and various vegetables and meat. Making japchae is a simple process but it has many steps, which is … Continue reading →

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Toasted sesame oil: taste test

Posted on March 2, 2024 by Burnt My Fingers

There’s no mistaking the taste of toasted sesame oil: sweet, nutty, caramelized like the aroma of a slice of bread just out of the toaster (some say the smell is the most important aspect, vs how it feels on your … Continue reading →

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Breaking down a duck

Posted on February 24, 2024 by Burnt My Fingers

For a brief moment, my local upscale market had frozen Pekin ducks for 6.99 a pound. My previous experience with frozen ducks was not satisfactory; the Maple Leaf Farms product at Hannaford was “just” $4.99/lb but included a pound of … Continue reading →

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What to do with a jar of oysters?

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Burnt My Fingers

My local Walmart (and probably yours) has a pint of shucked oysters in its small seafood area for a little over $13. This is a bargain in an era when the price of a happy hour oyster has climbed from … Continue reading →

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Food for Thought: Acme Bread

Posted on February 12, 2024 by Burnt My Fingers

I don’t know how long Acme Bread has had a website, but here it is and it’s quite a robust reference for home bakers who want to emulate their products. We learn, for example, that Acme’s preferred flour is from … Continue reading →

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Pizza dough with sourdough discard

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Burnt My Fingers

I have been craving a Hawaiian pizza and, since no one is going to serve me one, I knew I would have to make it myself.  I was inspired somewhat by this King Arthur recipe though my dough was closer … Continue reading →

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Japanese aquaculture at Winter 2024 Fancy Food Show

Posted on January 30, 2024 by Burnt My Fingers

Japan had a powerful presence at the 2024 Winter Fancy Food Show, including a large booth offering examples of Japanese aquaculture for tasting. The highlight of my experience was a 90 minute demo by Chef Hiroo Nagahara, a renowned kaiseki … Continue reading →

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