Ideas & Tips

Food industry experts agree: the days when ketchup, mustard and mayo were the only sauces you were expected to provide are long gone. According to Food Product Design magazine, incorporating more complex "gourmet" sauces into home cooking is becoming more popular, and therefore, "chefs and product developers are showing [condiments] as much respect as they do anything else they put on the plate." For a more compelling condiment experience this holiday season, consider serving up some of these less-common sauces: Chimichurri: A tangy, zesty, sweet-and-sour sauce from Argentina made with chopped parsley, vinegar and red pepper flakes, this sauce is...

It's the middle of winter, your garden is frozen, and the herbs you can get in the grocery store just aren't cutting it anymore. What's an herb lover to do? You might think you would need an elaborate indoor lighting setup to grow herbs indoors during the winter, but fortunately, all you really need is a spot that gets a good amount of light and the right knowledge and techniques. Here are some tips to get you started: Start out with a strong plant. If the plant you choose already has brown or wilted leaves before you even bring it home,...

If there was to be only one rule for appropriate utensil placement it is that everything has to be neat or, more specifically, geometrically spaced with the centerpiece consummately controlling the center and the placements sitting at equal distances from each other. So long as this rule is recognized, it is difficult to create an unsightly dinner presentation.  There are several other general decrees. The knives are always situated with the cutting edge pointing toward the plate. Dessert spoons and forks are catered in with the dessert. Also, never place more than three of any utensil. If there are more than...

Making your own soap is a great way to be creative and thrifty at the same time. Throughout its long and colorful history, soap making has taken on a life of its own as a sub-culture with numerous enthusiastic participants. Ann Bramson, a handmade soap pioneer and author of Soap, writes in her book, "Where the hard pastel-colored bars sold at the drugstore are anonymous and indifferent, homemade soap has character. It charms…it smells good…feels good…is comforting in ways which manufactured soap can never be." When the process is broken down to its most basic elements, soap is merely the outcome...

Tea parties aren't just for kids! Next time you host a gathering for a group of women — perhaps a bridal or baby shower, book club or luncheon — throw a grown up tea party. Here are some tips for sipping in style:  Encourage hats: Be sure to send out traditional invitations on pretty stationery. Encourage your guests to wear their favorite tea party attire, including pretty, Kate Middleton-inspired hats.  Make dainty sandwiches: Sandwiches make great tea party fare, especially if you remove the crusts and divide them into tiny, bite-sized pieces. If you're feeling especially creative, use cookie cutters...