You Say Sweet Potato…

By Andrew Hunter
For The Family Table, a blog for busy families

...I say yam! There’s so much confusion about which one is which, I’m not sure anyone truly knows the difference anymore, or that the difference much matters. Part of the confusion is that both tubers come in different shapes, sizes and colors, and often look very similar in their diversity.

So whether I’m right or wrong, the tuber I call a yam is misshaped and gnarly with a dark red skin. I always pick the ones that are about the size of my fist because I think they’re sweeter and less fibrous than their bigger kin.

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Winter Salad

By Lori Powell
For One or Two Bites, a blog for singles and couples

Yes, salad can be a year-long feature! It’s not just relegated to summer anymore.

I think most people think of salad as being a cold dish. But the best pasta salads are actually served warm – you combine the hot drained pasta with the rest of the ingredients so that the pasta absorbs all of the other flavors more easily.

Winter salads can be served on the slightly cooked and warm side. The greens and vegetables that are available at this time of year are hardier and can stand up to heat and a stronger and sweeter vinaigrette to balance out their earthy flavors.

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A Simple Sweet and Sour

By Ben Mims
For Cooking Newbie, a blog for beginner cooks

One of my favorite dishes to make and eat is sweet and sour pork. I love that interplay of, well, sweet and sour in a savory context. But many of us, including myself, never think to go beyond that Chinese take-out staple when craving that flavor profile.

In comes one of my best standby meals to make when I can’t think of anything to cook, and I don’t have the time, energy, or money for a big meal. I learned this dish from Lidia Bastianich years ago, and it’s easily the most satisfying meal I make that requires virtually no energy to prepare, but pays off big in flavor. And best of all, it plays off that sweet and sour flavor marriage I love so much.

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A Luncheon First Course

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

Wouldn’t you love to spend a week working with a leading winery, caterer or a specialty farmer for hands-on learning and mentoring? Each year, a few professional women who have had a minimum of four years of work experience are selected for this invaluable opportunity as winners of Les Dames d’Escoffier’s (LDEI) Legacy Awards.

The mentors, women who are tops in their fields, are all distinguished members of LDEI who volunteer for this program to give back by sharing their knowledge. The award program is supported by a donation from The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, which was created by Julia Child in 1995 to support non-profit organizations sharing her commitment to educate and encourage others.

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Egg Drop Soup – for What Ails You

By David Hu
A new video for Video Friday

At this time of the year when more people succumb to colds and flu, it’s good to know how to make a restorative chicken soup. Mine is really simple, taking just a few minutes, so you can haul yourself out of bed to make it yourself if you don’t have anyone to nurse you at home.

This soup is nourishing and delicious. It’s the kind of soup that will perk up sluggish appetites.

But this soup isn’t just for when you’re sick. Increase the quantities and make it as a first course for a dinner party. It’s a good start to a Chinese New Year feast.

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