How to Cook – Page 3

6 Kitchen Staples Max Nelson Can’t Live Without

As home cooks, we at Food52 think a lot about grocery shopping—which types of produce we’re gravitating towards, what ingredients we’re willing to splurge on, and (perhaps most importantly) which pantry staples we lean on each and every day. The answer…

As home cooks, we at Food52 think a lot about grocery shopping—which types of produce we’re gravitating towards, what ingredients we’re willing to splurge on, and (perhaps most importantly) which pantry staples we lean on each and every day. The answers vary wildly depending on who you ask, and they can reveal a ton about someone’s cooking—and eating—style. So, we’ve decided to start asking some of our favorite chefs, creators, and members of our team to tell us the kitchen staples they couldn’t live without. First up is Max Nelson, also known on Instagram as Chillguyinbrooklyn, whose videos you’ve likely seen on our social feeds. Here are six things you’ll always find in his kitchen.

1. High Quality Olive Oil

“A little drizzle on almost anything with good olive oil is going to be a great finishing touch,” says Max, who is currently using a bottle of Brosius Family Farm Spanish Duo. We couldn’t agree more.

Hosting Thanksgiving? This Timeline Will Help You Plan Your Feast

As part of our 52 Days of Thanksgiving, we’re giving you all the tools and tips to pull off the best Thanksgiving ever, from setting a stylish table to curating the ultimate menu. Sign up for emails here to unlock the secrets of planning the most memor…

We’re still two-ish months away from Thanksgiving, but for many holiday hosts, planning has already begun. The biggest question? How to manage several dishes—and guests—at once. To ease some of that anxiety around planning and executing this major feast, we asked two experts—Food52’s Food Stylist Anna Billingskog and Resident Erin Jeanne McDowell —for their best Thanksgiving hosting advice. Based on their tips, we created the following timeline to help you tackle planning, prepping, and cooking for the big day.

How to Perfect Your Apple Crisp This Fall

It’s officially apple season—and that means it’s also apple crisp season. Though September might be too early in the year for apple crisp’s more formal, buttoned-up relative, apple pie (we’re saving those for Thanksgiving), there’s no reason all that seasonal fruit should go to waste. Crisps (and their oatless counterpart, crumbles) are an ideal, low-maintenance fall dessert. But, just because they’re simple and straightforward, it doesn’t mean there aren’t a few tricks that can turn a very good apple crisp into an excellent one. Here are five of our favorite tips for perfecting this classic fall dessert.

From Our Shop

Sale!

Staub Enameled Cast Iron Traditional Deep Skillet, 11″

$249.99–$386

$179.99–$386

More Colors

exclusive

Dansk Købenstyle Baker

$135

More Colors

Bamboo 7-Piece Nested Mixing Bowl Set

$60

More Colors

1. Use the right apples

You won’t get very far if you don’t start with the right ingredients. “I love a Granny Smith,” said Food Editor Emily Ziemski, “but any mix of heartier apples (such as Mutsu and Honeycrisp) will hold up nicely to baking.” You’ll want to avoid anything too soft, like a Red Delicious or McIntosh, she added, as those risk disintegrating and becoming mealy during baking. If you’re uncertain, you can’t go wrong with using a mix: Choosing a variety of apple types will yield a range of textures and flavors in each bite, from tart and firm to sweet and jammy.

From Our Shop

Sale!

Staub Enameled Cast Iron Traditional Deep Skillet, 11" $249.99–$386 $179.99–$386

More Colors

exclusive

The Best Way to Baste a Turkey, According to Our Test Kitchen

The number one Thanksgiving turkey tip promoted every year is basting. You know it, you’ve seen it, or you’ve personally done it—tediously standing in front of an open oven radiating heat while trying to navigate a basting tip into the rich pan juices of the turkey, and then somehow getting those juices on top of the turkey without splashing yourself or burning yourself on the hot edges of the pan and the oven. The internet consensus is that this is the number one way to end up with a moist, juicy Thanksgiving turkey.

I’m going to be super transparent with you (and this may have already been apparent): I don’t do this, and neither does most of the Food52 Test Kitchen. But, if this is a method you want to try, or you love tradition, read on for how to do it and how often to baste; our best tips for if you must baste; and also why we don’t—and what you can do instead.

Our 41 Best Gifts for Cocktail Lovers

Similar to our philosophy on the best chef gifts, we believe the best gifts for cocktail enthusiasts are ones they will regularly use when making drinks. We’re high on the timeless basics—shakers, glassware, and juicers—and the playful accessories like mixing glasses that make fun cocktail gifts. With that in mind, here are our best gift ideas for your favorite mixologist or friend who’s always shaking, stirring, and sipping something.

Shake & Stir: Beautiful Shakers & Mixing Glasses

Why You Should Season Your Soy Sauce

This article was updated in June 2024 to include more of our favorite products.

As a condiment, soy sauce should not be consumed straight from the bottle. This isn’t because drinking condiments is strange (there are barbecue sauces worth downing by …

This article was updated in June 2024 to include more of our favorite products.

As a condiment, soy sauce should not be consumed straight from the bottle. This isn’t because drinking condiments is strange (there are barbecue sauces worth downing by the pint), but because soy sauce—by itself—carries an aggressive umami flavor that is completely out of balance. The good news? According to Food52 Resident Lucas Sin, we can rectify this imbalance (and generally improve the condiment’s potential) by seasoning soy sauce at home. Here’s how.

Why Are We Throwing Away the Best Parts of the Tomato?

There may be perfectly good reasons for coring or seeding or peeling a tomato—sometimes.

Maybe you want a supersmooth sauce. Maybe that unpredictable pool of juice could throw off the ratio in your nkrakra or pudding. Maybe you’re in French culinary s…

There may be perfectly good reasons for coring or seeding or peeling a tomato—sometimes.

Maybe you want a supersmooth sauce. Maybe that unpredictable pool of juice could throw off the ratio in your nkrakra or pudding. Maybe you’re in French culinary school and it’s tomato concassé day (when you’ll learn to strip away everything but small cubes of flesh—and then form your own opinions).

The Single Most Genius Thing You Can Do to a Ripe Tomato

There are heaps of inarguably perfect ways to eat a ripe tomato—on plain-jane sandwich bread with a cushy swipe of mayo, blistered hot and fast in a skillet till the skins peel back and the oil swirls with juice, cherry babies squished behind your seal…

Molly Wizenberg's Slow-Roasted Tomatoes with Sea Salt & Ground Coriander

From Our Shop

Sale!

Five Two Essential Kitchen Knives $39–$49 $24.99–$44.99

More Options

our line!

Five Two Airtight Silicone Lids $40

More Colors

Sale!

Five Two Ultimate Apron with Built-In Pot Holders $45 $24.99–$45

More Options

But the one way to make a tomato taste its most tomatoey, to become a fully actualized, out-loud version of itself, is to very verrrry slowly remove that which isn’t tomato. And the part that isn’t pulling its weight as tomato is the 94% of it that’s water.

Category: How to Cook

6 Kitchen Staples Max Nelson Can’t Live Without

1. High Quality Olive Oil

Hosting Thanksgiving? This Timeline Will Help You Plan Your Feast

How to Perfect Your Apple Crisp This Fall