Fun with Grapefruit

By Lori Powell

Grapefruit or Pomelo?

Well, the real difference is in the size of the fruit and the taste. The pomelo is the largest of the citrus fruits. It comes from Asia and is milder and sweeter than the grapefruit. It also has a much thicker rind than the grapefruit with a pale yellow flesh as opposed to a Ruby Red grapefruit that has a bright pink interior.

Pomelos are great for segmenting and eating just as it is but I do prefer the sprightly acidic flavor of grapefruit, especially the Ruby Red variety that is not only pretty to look at, but I believe is slightly sweeter than the regular kind. Ruby Red or regular grapefruit works well in both sweet and savory dishes.

Click to read more ...

Get a Jump-Start on Cooking your Thanksgiving Feast

By Lori Powell

So I’m still trying to remember to breathe… I am obsessed with helping everyone around me manage the greatest food holiday of the year that often requires jumping through not one, but several hoops, on so many levels.

If you haven’t read my prior post featuring my Thanksgiving tips, I suggest you start with that one. Today I am going to give you some tips on how to make ahead items on your menu and how to tackle the Thanksgiving feast.

Happy Turkey Day and remember, what happens in the kitchen stays in the kitchen….

Click to read more ...

One or Two Bites (but not today)

By Lori Powell

The biggest food holiday is almost here. Ten family members will be arriving at my house in Pennsylvania next Wednesday so I am in countdown mode.

Don’t get me wrong. I am super- excited but the love of it is in the planning and details. Not only will they be here for the big feast day but they will also be lodging at my house for several days.

I feel like Robert Irvine in Dinner: Impossible times four days. Do I even have enough bath towels for 11 people (counting myself of course)?

Click to read more ...

Tools that Deliver

By Lori Powell

There is nothing more satisfying than a kitchen tool that delivers...both in design and function. We are inundated by all sorts of must-have gadgets for our kitchen.

My personal requirements are that a tool must have several functions: be sturdy, be easy to clean and easy to store. Most of all, the tool must live up to its advertised promise of making my cooking tasks easier and quicker in order for me to be sold.

I have many food styling tools that I adore but only a handful of kitchen tools. Below are just a few of them:

Click to read more ...

Short Ribs in a Slow Cooker

By Lori Powell

On Sundays, I like to roast a chicken, brisket or something that cooks for at least a couple of hours in the oven, perfuming the whole house. I make many a meal during the week from the leftovers.

One of my favorite appliances for the weekend is a slow cooker. It’s great for cheaper cuts of meat that require slow and low cooking.

So while at the green market on Saturday morning I stopped at Fleisher’s meat market and picked up four pieces of short ribs. Short ribs are sublime and result in meltingly tender nuggets of meat, due to all of the layers of fat. And then there is the added flavor from the bone.

Click to read more ...