all things food
We love to call our double-sided bamboo cutting board a workhorse.
One side is ready for everything from carving a turkey to slicing up an extra-juicy grapefruit. The other side is totally flat (so you can chop a million onions), save for a phone slot…
We love to call our double-sided bamboo cutting board a workhorse.
One side is ready for everything from carving a turkey to slicing up an extra-juicy grapefruit. The other side is totally flat (so you can chop a million onions), save for a phone slot (for reading that recipe that asks you to chop a million onions). Because if we're in the kitchen, odds are we're using our cutting board for one thing or eight.
Entertaining has always required organizational finesse. Accommodating guests, finalizing a menu, and even figuring out a playlist takes planning, and that’s probably why at a gathering, the host often resembles an orchestra conductor, pulling together…
Entertaining has always required organizational finesse. Accommodating guests, finalizing a menu, and even figuring out a playlist takes planning, and that’s probably why at a gathering, the host often resembles an orchestra conductor, pulling together various facets. Add on a global pandemic, and well, the job to host even the smallest gathering is that much harder.
In the summer, people could gather in small and socially-distant groups in outdoor spaces that were either as comfortable—or for those of us without air conditioning—more comfortable than an indoor setting. But now that temperatures have cooled, a new challenge has presented itself: hosting outdoors without turning guests into walking coat racks. We spoke to two designers to ask how they would host an open-air gathering so that it’s both fun and budget-friendly.
Kitchens have always been my favorite room in a home. I grew up in the US, but my oldest childhood memories take me back to summer vacations spent in our family’s mountain farmhouse tucked away in the Pyrenees. The house, especially at mealtime, was al…
Kitchens have always been my favorite room in a home. I grew up in the US, but my oldest childhood memories take me back to summer vacations spent in our family’s mountain farmhouse tucked away in the Pyrenees. The house, especially at mealtime, was always filled with people—neighbors, friends from nearby villages, and lost hikers. There were often as many as 20 people gathered around the table, sharing locally-sourced ingredients that we’d cook over an open wood fire. Everyone took part in the meal, whether by suggesting a recipe, setting the table, or foraging wild flowers and branches to decorate the space.
Memories from those summer days have made me who I am today—they are also why our kitchen is the heart of our family life today.
We’re big fans of thinking outside of the (gift) box when it comes to wrapping presents. But it can be hard to get the creative juices flowing when faced with wrapping something as basic as a book. Luckily, with a little thought given to your own perso…
We’re big fans of thinking outside of the (gift) box when it comes to wrapping presents. But it can be hard to get the creative juices flowing when faced with wrapping something as basic as a book. Luckily, with a little thought given to your own personal style and the kind of book you’re gifting, as well as a couple of expert tips to guide you, you can make a book the best-looking present on the pile (even if you’re mailing it to an out-of-town recipient).
Lisa Fu of NYC Gift Wrapping shared her favorite tips for wrapping a book—regardless of style or genre, paperback or hardcover—with us below.
A Full Plate is a column about family life and the home by contributing writer Laura Fenton, who explores the intersection of sustainable living and home design through a mother’s eyes.
I keep a tidy and organized home, but the actual cleaning has a…
A Full Plate is a column about family life and the home by contributing writer Laura Fenton, who explores the intersection of sustainable living and home design through a mother’s eyes.
I keep a tidy and organized home, but the actual cleaning has always been something that I’ve needed to summon the energy to tackle. So I really had to muster up my cleaning courage when my home started getting dirtier a whole lot faster this year, with us at home more and eating most of our meals in, instead of out.
There comes a time in every home cook’s life when they realize they can no longer survive on a single dull, hand-me-down knife alone: It’s time to upgrade, toss that old workhorse of a blade, or invest in a decent sharpener. If you’ve recently come upo…
There comes a time in every home cook’s life when they realize they can no longer survive on a single dull, hand-me-down knife alone: It’s time to upgrade, toss that old workhorse of a blade, or invest in a decent sharpener. If you’ve recently come upon this realization in your own cooking, you’ve come to the right place.
While a single chef’s knife can tackle plenty of cutting and chopping on its own, a few additional (and some would argue: just as essential) knives will round out your collection and make you feel all the better prepared to tackle whatever task a recipe may call for. So, in addition to the ever-versatile chef’s blade, a paring knife, serrated knife, and carving knife, to name a few, deserve a spot in your arsenal as well.
Even if you’re not big on home cooking, the kitchen is one of the most important places in your home to keep organized—especially if there are other people in the house. It’s inevitably a hub of activity, because our lives at home tend to revolve aroun…
Even if you’re not big on home cooking, the kitchen is one of the most important places in your home to keep organized—especially if there are other people in the house. It’s inevitably a hub of activity, because our lives at home tend to revolve around eating. Says organizing expert of 13+ years, Rachel Rosenthal: “It’s not about pretty bins—it’s about saving time grabbing breakfast in the morning, cutting down on food waste, and aiding in accurate grocery shopping.”
The pictures on Pinterest and Instagram are always staged, she stresses, so it’s important not to get hung up on getting your own space to look just like the ultra-minimalist photos you see, and instead focus on what works for you and your family. Here, Rachel walks us through the best way to organize your kitchen, whether you’ve just moved into a new home, or want to take a fresh approach in a long-time residence—minus the pressures of perfection.
I didn’t grow up imagining what my wedding would look like. But I did always assume I would get married.
I was lucky enough to have had a happy, fairly conventional childhood. I grew up in a small town in upstate New York in a traditional family of fo…
I didn’t grow up imagining what my wedding would look like. But I did always assume I would get married.
I was lucky enough to have had a happy, fairly conventional childhood. I grew up in a small town in upstate New York in a traditional family of four, with parents who’ve now been married for 36 years. From my limited perspective, that’s just what adults did: they got married.
Fall weather is fleeting. Peak foliage is even more ephemeral. That’s why I love preserving precious foraged leaves so they retain their red, yellow, and orange, and can be admired all year long. Leaves (sadly) tend to dry out, curl up, and break apart…
Fall weather is fleeting. Peak foliage is even more ephemeral. That’s why I love preserving precious foraged leaves so they retain their red, yellow, and orange, and can be admired all year long. Leaves (sadly) tend to dry out, curl up, and break apart after a few days in human hands—but by preserving them you'll be able to ensure they keep their color and seal in moisture to avoid cracking.
Preserving leaves works best if you start with already tidy specimens—leaves that are relatively flat (fewer bumps) and "healthy" (without tears or insect damage) or recently harvested to begin with—and is most effective if undertaken before the leaves are pressed flat. But if you've already pressed leaves in the past, or choose to press them before preserving, it's not too late! Preserving can also be done once they're pressed.
For many, this year has forced a decision to move homes—a need to downsize, a desire to escape from cities to the suburbs, or a yearning to move closer to family. As a newly minted college graduate, I recently decided to move out of my tiny Boston apar…
For many, this year has forced a decision to move homes—a need to downsize, a desire to escape from cities to the suburbs, or a yearning to move closer to family. As a newly minted college graduate, I recently decided to move out of my tiny Boston apartment back home to South Florida. It wasn’t until I actually began packing up that I realized I’ve never moved out of a fully stocked apartment before.
Standard practices of packing and moving have traditionally involved a slew of eco-unfriendly purchases. According to the EPA, paper and cardboard—trusty helpers during a move—were the largest component of municipal solid waste in 2017, while 69.9 percent of plastic containers and packaging in the same period were landfilled. Knowing what I did, one of my first questions to myself was: How can I make this move both efficient and more sustainable?