Build a Brick Oven

I am writing this quick post in response to the recent earthquakes and tsunamis that are affecting Japan. As soon as the news broke, and we began to hear of tsunami warning for our area, I immediately realized how under prepared I was for a natural disaster. The thing that dro ...more

After stumbling across an interesting article by Hanne Blank—(apparent) hobbyist chef and widely known activist on the issues of weight, bisexuality, and sexuality—I've become even more fascinated by kitchen shortcuts. Former Microsoft CTO Nathan Myhrvold's recently released M ...more

Ingredients 3 quarts water 1 cup kosher salt 1 cup granulated sugar 1 3 to 4 pound pork roast 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon fresh sage 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons extra v ...more

Ingredients 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped, and more to dust the cake pan 9 large eggs, separated 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar, divided, and more to dust cake pan 2 large egg whites 1 tablespoon water 1 pinch table salt 1/3 cup unbl ...more

Ingredients 1 4 to 4-1/2 pound chicken, rinsed and patted dry 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 lemon, cut in half 2 cloves garlic, smashed b ...more

Ingredients 10 ounces fennel bulb 1 teaspoon olive oil pinch kosher salt 1-1/2 pounds fresh salmon, preferably wild, skin removed (one whole piece or cut into individual fillets 1 teaspoon olive oil ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper Instructions Prehea ...more

Ingredients ½ teaspoon active dry yeast ½ cup + 2 tablespoons warm water 1 ¼ cups unbleached, bread flour, plus more for dusting ½ cup whole wheat flour 2 tablespoons rye flour 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup golden raisins, o ...more

When I was a kid, there was just pizza. You ordered from whatever nationwide chain was near you and they made your pizza in an oven. There certainly weren't these highfalutin pizza subsets that have more choices than a cheese shop. Wood-fired, brick oven, artisanal, make-your- ...more

How to build an outdoor, homemade fire pit out of an old washing machine drum! It looks great and works fantastic. Fire pits are conventionally made from stone or bricks and as the name suggests, are made into a pit in the ground. The fire pit that l have just built is a littl ...more

Summer cookouts and barbecues come with a lot of delicious foods, but to me, there's nothing better than dishes heaped with avocados. From guacamole to simply eating an avocado right out of its skin, I devour this fruit constantly—but it's one that can be tricky to find perfec ...more

Sometimes it's hard to remember that lasagna, pizza, cannoli, and other dishes are actually Italian in origin; they're so much a part of the American culinary landscape at this point. Wherever they come from, Americans of all kinds love to eat 'em. This guy was released from a ...more