How to Make a Perfect Roux — The Foundation of 100 Sauces
The professional kitchen guide to roux — white, blonde, and brown — and how to use it to make perfect béchamel and any of the five French mother sauces.
Chef Techniques
Professional skills — tempering, emulsification, piping, glazing, and more from a luxury hotel chef
How to Temper Chocolate at Home (Without a Thermometer)
I became obsessed with chocolate tempering the way some people become obsessed with sourdough — quietly, then completely. It started when I tried to make chocolate-dipped strawberries for someone’s birthday and the chocolate turned out dull, streaky, and melted at room temperature. That’s when I learned that melting chocolate and tempering chocolate are two very … Read more
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Cooking Seriously
I’ve made every mistake a home cook can make. I’ve burned garlic, oversalted soup, undercooked chicken, and once — memorably — set off every smoke alarm in my apartment trying to sear a steak. These are the cooking tips for beginners that nobody told me, and that I had to learn the hard way. If … Read more