We're all familiar with the sinking feeling that happens when you cruise through a recipe, only to arrive at an instruction that calls for a tool you don't have. Some of the best food hacks (and my personal favorites) exist to combat that problem. Why spend money on a kitchen ...more
A mortar and pestle is a pair of tools that has been used since antiquity for grinding spices. This tutorial shows you how to turn some raw clay into a ceramic mortar and pestle on a pottery wheel. Make sure to glaze it using non-toxic glaze! Part 1 of 3 - How to Throw clay mo ...more
Simon leach shows us how to throw a pestle and mortar, in this series of videos. Part 1 of 3 - How to Throw a pestle and mortar. Part 2 of 3 - How to Throw a pestle and mortar. Part 3 of 3 - How to Throw a pestle and mortar.
There is very little in this world that tastes as good as a glass of fresh-pressed juice. The flavors in fruit and vegetables are more clean and immediate on your palate, while the chlorophyll and nutrients seem to zip right into your bloodstream. A really great glass of fresh ...more
Icebox cakes are some of the most satisfying, easy desserts to put together. This version made out of ice cream sandwiches takes the cake, literally, because the layers are almost pre-made for you. Simple and pretty when cut and served, it will be love at your first creamy bit ...more
During my time living in dorm rooms and small apartments, I would find myself in need of many different appliances—a food processor for making hummus, a blender for vegetable smoothies, or even a mortar and pestle for muddling mojito-bound mint leaves. Luckily, there was one t ...more
If you haven't noticed yet, there are a lot of new features hiding in your iPhone's Messages app, and some of them are things users have been requesting for a long time. While iMessage is getting a lot of attention by letting us edit and unsend messages, it's only just the sta ...more
I finally got around to trying out another one of Will's mad science experiments and found out that this one was actually more satisfying (and less frustrating) than my slightly uncooperative jar jet. There's something very pleasing about making potassium nitrate at home in th ...more
Fresh herbs can be delicate, and it's not always easy to figure out how to cut, crush, or muddle them to make the most of their flavors. Get too rough, and you have a bunch of bruised and muddy-tasting herbs, which is due to too much chlorophyll being released. Don't do enough ...more
In my opinion, spices are the key to a successful kitchen. With a healthy array of spices and spice mixes, you have the foundation for nearly any dish that you want to make; the culinary world is your oyster. With a depleted cupboard of spices, however, nearly every recipe loo ...more
I have to confess: my egg slicer has been neglected ever since I bought it. I had ambitious dreams of using it to slice perfectly symmetrical slivers of hard-boiled egg into my salads... but the truth is, once I tucked it into a kitchen drawer, I completely forgot about it. Th ...more
A slow cooker can be both your culinary companion and your go-to gadget in the kitchen. That's right: the idea of slow cooking is no longer for Southern housewives or purveyors of the Ladies' Home Journal anymore. The times, they are a'changing! When you need a fuss-free meal ...more
Like cigars and whiskey, Lapsang Souchong tea is an acquired taste. Some people never get over the pungent, tarry flavor and intense smell of the beverage, but using it as a rub, marinade, or other seasoning is totally smart. The tea adds a smoky yet not overwhelming flavor to ...more
Apple's just ushered in a new era for widgets on your iPhone. With the iOS 16 update, each of your lock screens can have up to five widgets. While Apple's apps were the first to get lock screen widgets, third-party developers can code their own ones into their apps — and here' ...more
I have an absolutely wonderful time making projects and writing articles for all of you mad scientists! Today, I will bring you behind the scenes for a look at the workbench, tools, and software that make the Mad Science World possible. Above is my beautiful workbench! My who ...more
Dandruff -- the embarrassing white flakes that end up like snowfall on your shoulders and clothing. There are plenty of dandruff shampoos on the market to choose from, unfortunately, they are all very expensive. If you have ever wondered what ingredients make them so expensive ...more
These are classic stuffed mushrooms with a luxurious twist! This time I'm using Portabello mushrooms with fresh pesto, tomatoes, and a quail egg on top. Ingredients (Portions below serve 2) For the pesto: 2 cups Basil 4 cloves Garlic 1 cup Parmesan Cheese 3/4 cup Olive Oil ...more
"Cooking" with liquid nitrogen seems like one of those activities that should be strictly limited to pros who are appearing on Top Chef, but it's the only way you'd ever be able to make Dippin' Dots at home. If that isn't enough of a reason for you to get some LN2 for your kit ...more
Sriracha has quickly become one of the country's most universally loved condiments. The addictive and affordable chili sauce seemingly goes on anything, and with anything, and never seems to get old. To wit: when I studied abroad, all of our food was boring, pre-packaged Sysco ...more
This authentic green papaya salad is made in a North Thailand way that is sure to keep you coming back for more! No only will you learn this magnificent recipe, but you'll learn how to make sure you have the perfect papaya from the grocery shop, which can be a bit tricky. Emi ...more
Among the many gifts that Italy has bestowed upon the world, culinary and otherwise, pesto stands alone. The exact birthplace of pesto, that herby sauce made of pine nuts and olive oil, is an area of Italy called Liguria, whose microclimate is particularly kind to basil, one o ...more
Live Activities is Apple's hottest new feature for iPhone, but it's not always straightforward. Sometimes you'll trigger one without realizing it, but it may seem frustratingly impossible to start one when you really want it. What Are Live Activities? First appearing on iOS ...more
For most people, New Year's Eve means watching the ball drop in Times Square. It means celebrating the New Year with friends and family. Countdown parties, clocks, confetti... passing out before the clock strikes midnight because you drank too much. But there's one more thing, ...more
Beef: it's what for dinner. And if you really like the taste of it, it can be what you season the rest of your dinner with, too. My favorite food hacks are the ones that not only make cooking easier or cooler, but more flavorful as well. That's why I was pretty excited when I ...more
Nothing signals the end of fall and the start of winter like hot, seasonal drinks. And while pumpkin spice lattes may be the flavor of the day, and eggnog the Christmas favorite, one seasonal drink stands apart in my eyes: mulled cider. Homemade mulled cider is perfect: sweet ...more
You can make a rocket at home using these items found around the house. Icing sugar, measuring tape, a PVC pipe, black marker, hammer, flat headed bolt around 18 millimeters wide , mortar and pestle, drill, drill bit size 5 millimeter, potassium nitrate and kitty litter. You ...more
We're year-round pesto eaters. We eat pesto outdoors in the summertime on a light pasta with a glass of rosé. We eat pesto in the wintertime by the fire atop a bowl of soup with a warm mug of tea. We eat pesto with scrambled eggs for breakfast, pesto-slathered sandwiches for l ...more
Cut cardboard into 8" long x 3" wide strips. With cardboard down on a cutting board, place 1 AA battery on one end. Roll once so the battery is covered. Hold in place. Spread a light coat of Craft Glue in thin sections on the rest of the cardboard. Roll the battery up. Using e ...more
Milana from Tap Tap in South Beach, Florida, demonstrates making a cane sugar mojito. After explaining the history of mojitos, she pours 1½ ounces of rum into a large glass that has already been filled with ice. Then, she puts fresh mint and raw sugar in a large mortar. She u ...more
This video demonstrates the making of mango pickle without using oil. Take a few raw mangoes and peel them, cut them into small pieces and remove the seeds. Do not throw away the peels as these can be used crushed in mint chutney. In a bowl, mix table salt, red chili powder (m ...more
In this video, learn how to make an old classic favorite, the apple crisp, with a healthy "ayurvedic" twist. Ayurveda is an Indian form of alternative medicine. In this recipe, instead of white flour, you will be using whole wheat grains and organic apples, making for a health ...more
To make Arabic coffee, first grind Arabic spices with a mortar and a pestle. Next, add the spices and the coffee to a single serving sized can. Pour water into the can and add a bit of granulated sugar. Stir the coffee, the spices, the sugar and the water together. Place the c ...more
Alice Waters and The Green Kitchen So what, yes I admit it I am drawn to all things Alice Waters. So sautee me. A new discovery was made today while walking through my local bookstore. I found a sweet looking cookbook with Alice on the cover. Naturally I stopped. The item of ...more
If you like empanadas, then this plantain version is sure to hit your recipe box. Fried foods aren't generally good for you, but you can't exactly not fry empanadas. And don't try to substitute bananas for the plantains. Otherwise those would be banana empanadas and not planta ...more
Facebook will let you do pretty much anything via a text message, but unless you still have a flip phone, it's more of a novelty than actually useful. However, one thing that would be useful for smartphones is being able to update your status via a phone call, particularly wh ...more
Milana from Tap Tap in South Beach, Florida, demonstrates making a raspberry mojito. After explaining the history of the Haitian drink, she starts the drink with fresh raw mint and raw sugar. Placing those ingredients in a rather large mortar, she uses a pestle to crush the mi ...more
First, cut through the pomegranate horizontally with a knife. Then, cut small divots between every section of seeds on the fruit. Then, hold the pomegranate so that your palm is facing your work surface. Take a pestle and lightly hit the back rind portion of the pomegranate ov ...more
This street vendor cooking how-to video demonstrates two very simple, different versions of Pad Thai, but that's not all. The possibilities are endless when it comes to Pad Thai--you can use your imagination to tweak the recipe to your own taste. Here, the first version uses b ...more
This episode of ThaiFoodcast demonstrates how to prepare a green papaya salad also known as a som tam. For the preparation you will need green papaya, lime juice, chili peppers, palm sugar, garlic, tomato, fish sauce, roasted peanuts and green beans in the mentioned amounts. C ...more
Modern Indian cuisine expert Manju Malhi shows here how to make her delicious Lamb Kebabs. These melt in the mouth kebabs are made with finely ground mince, and a perfect blend of spices. These are great on the grill at home, or on a barbecue. You will need lemon, minced lamb, ...more
In this video, you'll be learning how to make a delicious guacamole. Not just any guacamole, though. This guacamole is crunchy, and it's made with a tool called a molcajete, which is the Mexican version of a mortar and pestle.
The secret to making a delicious Thai soup, according to Prime Minister Samak, is pounding together Thai pepper powder, corriander seed and fresh garlic in a mortar & pestle. This paste he calls "Thai MSG" and you can add it to any soup for good results. See below for the corr ...more
The national drink of Brazil, the caipirinha is the perfect partner on a sultry summer night. You Will Need: * A whole lime * 1 tsp. sugar * 2 oz. cachaça * Ice * A tumbler * A muddler Step 1: Wash and cut lime Wash the lime and slice it into wedges. Step 2: Muddle the sug ...more
Matildo Nieva and VideoJug demonstrate how to make a Batida Mango cocktail. When you order a cocktail like this at a bar, it takes forever - so save time and make this mango treat yourself in a matter of minutes! Firstly crush the ice with wooden pestle. Then add the cachaca, ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to grind your own spices. Spices grow all over the world, which can give them all unique tastes. Start off by grabbing the spices that you want to mix together. Use your favorite spices to make your own unique tastes. If you are roasting, you sho ...more
Coarsely crush peppercorns in mortar with pestle. Season steaks with salt. Sprinkle peppercorns over both sides of steaks, pressing to adhere. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-ra ...more