9 Mistakes at the Farmers' Market not to make

9 Mistakes at the Farmers' Market not to make

August may be the absolute best time of year to go to the farmers’ market: The stands are overflowing with tomatoes, zucchini, melons, flowers, and fresh herbs. You might feel tempted to buy every good-looking peach or bunch of kale you see, but before you do that, our test kitchen has some advice on how to shop at the farmers’ market—and the mistakes you should avoid.

1. It’s Lunchtime—Let’s Hit the Farmers’ Market!
 If you want the best of the best, go as soon as the market opens, like chefs do. (The crowds usually don’t arrive until late morning or afternoon.) If the afternoon’s the only time you can get there, by all means, go! But if you can wait until the market’s final hour, there’s a different perk to be had. Lots of farmers want to sell their goods so they don’t have to haul their wares back home, and they can do so by slashing prices.

2. All Stalls Are Created Equal
There are a lot of stands at the farmers market, don’t go for the first good-looking produce you see. Doing a lap to see who’s got what, testing the quality by sampling everything you can. You’re going for the best peach or best kale or best apples you can find, and those might not all be at the same stand.

3. It’s 2014—They’ve Got to Take Credit Cards
"Make sure you bring enough cash!", while many farmers are starting to use Square (or something similar) to take credit cards, not all do. Make sure you’re armed with green to pay for those pretty squash blossoms. And when you do pay, have your cash ready and “get off your cell phone and interact,”.

4. It’s All Organic, Right?
Don’t assume everything at the farmers’ market is organic,“It’s not.” For a farm to get certified organic, it takes a long time and a lot of money. While some farms at the market probably do use pesticides, some farms are using alternative farming methods without the use of pesticides or practice integrated pest management (a multi-layer system for controlling harmful bugs). If you’re concerned about that kind of thing, ask your farmer about his or her farming techniques before buying.

5. Socializing Is for Facebook, Not IRL
“Make friends with your farmer!”, they’ll set their best aside for you, or sometimes give you things like an extra bunch of turnips. Bonus turnips? We’re in. Chances are, your farmer’s operation is close to where you live, “If you make friends, he or she might invite you up to see the farm. It’s good to see where your food comes from.”

6. Boneless, Skinless, Farm-Raised Breasts Are Best
 When buying meat at the farmers’ market, consider the off-cuts. “Farmers desperately want to get rid of the byproducts that inevitably come from whole-animal butchering." Think a pound of chicken livers for $1 or a lamb neck for $3. If they have stuff like that, you can most likely get it for cheap. Those chicken livers are great in fried rice (really!) and make a great pâté. That lamb neck will be meltingly tender in a braise. And it’s all less than what you paid for that large cold-brew.

7. The Stands All Have Plastic Bags—I’ll Use Those!
 Actually, it’s better to bring your own canvas bags—and not just to be environmentally friendly. Yes, you’ll probably want to avoid the judgey stares of marketgoers, but ultimately, canvas shoulder bags are roomier and sturdier, allowing you to carry your loot comfortably. It ain’t easy toting around a multitude of small, cheaply made, overstuffed plastic bags while you shop.

8. I Can Eat the Whole Farm
“It’s easy to go overboard when there’s so much great produce,”, sadly, that often leads to waste. Go in with a plan. But be flexible, “If you’re looking for Swiss chard but the kale is looking better, go for the kale.” And when it comes to buying things like beets, carrots—any vegetables with stems—it’ll be in your interest to ask your farmer to cut off the leafy parts if you’re not going to use them. “It’ll make much more room in your bag, and nine times out of ten, that farmer is going to compost those leftovers.” (Although, of course, you can use them: carrot-top pesto, anyone?)

9. Oops! I Spilled Berries. Better Make a Run for It!

It’s inevitable: Your canvas bag full of  fennel will swing the wrong way, and you’ll spill a pint of berries. Or upset a precarious pile of potatoes. When this kind of thing happens, don’t run off to the next stall. “Own your actions,” be apologetic and offer to pay for it. Chances are the produce won’t be that messed up anyway—just rinse it off and use it!

Perfect Biscuits

Make Perfect Biscuits

This time of year, the simplest foods seem to taste the best: bright spring salads, veggie-packed pastas, elegantly dressed fish, and of course, light, flaky biscuits -- smothered in butter, coated in jam, or drizzled with honey. But, as good as we are at devouring them, mastering the art of biscuit making is trickier. With brunch season fast approaching, Here are some tips on making perfectly flaky biscuits from scratch -- and they delivered.

• Don't break up the butter too finely when you work it into the flour, Just like with pie dough, small chunks of butter help make flaky layers.
• Some swear by substituting leaf lard in place of butter to achieve the ideal biscuit texture. 
• Try using crème fraîche instead of buttermilk, its higher fat content and helps enhance other fragances and flavors that are incorporated into the dough.
• The dough should be "so wet that it sticks easily to your hands and the board or counter, unless you flour them first. Don't use too much bench flour -- just enough to keep the dough from sticking." 
• Check the expiration date on your baking powder, if the recipe calls for it. Leavener loses its strength over time, and you don't want to waste your breakfast on a stale box.
• When in doubt, follow Julia Child's advice: "Pat the dough out into a rectangle and give it a couple turns like you are making puff pastry. Then, I usually make a rectangle, fold it in thirds, pat it out again, fold it in thirds again, pat it out one last time, and cut my biscuits. The turns will make your biscuits flakier and rise higher."
• For the tenderest biscuits, use low-protein ("Southern") flour. If you can't find it, or don't want to buy it, you can reduce the protein content of regular all-purpose flour by adding some cake flour to it. 

Make Your Own Bacon

How to make your own Backon

Just buy a first-rate slab of pork belly, trim it into a rough rectangle, rub in a salt cure, and wait. A week later, you'll have the most delicious, versatile, long-lasting hunk of meat your fridge has ever known, ready for thin-slicing, chopping into lardons, or even roasting for a main course. To get a belly of mind-blowing deliciousness, track down a local operator raising heritage breeds with healthy feed (check out eatwild.com to search for a hog farmer in your area, or order direct from heritagefoodsusa.com). The only specialty item you'll need is curing salt, which you can also find on the Web ($2; butcher-packer.com).

Ingredients

• 1 lb kosher salt
• 2 oz pink salt
• 8 oz brown sugar
• 12 oz cracked black pepper
• 3 oz cracked juniper
• 20 bay leaves, crushed
• 1.2 oz nutmeg
• One 3–5 lb slab pork belly, skin on
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 10 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled

Step One Mix all the dry-rub ingredients
(everything above except the thyme, garlic, and the belly itself) in a bowl and set aside. You'll have more than you need for one belly.

Step Two
Trim the belly into a rectangular slab. Put 2 cups of the dry cure and the thyme and garlic into a one-gallon Ziploc storage bag, add the belly, close the bag, and then shake and rub until you've massaged the cure into the entire belly.

Step Three
Refrigerate for seven days, flipping over the bag every day or two. After a week, poke the belly with a finger: If it feels firm throughout, it's cured. If it still feels a little squishy in parts, put it back in the fridge for a couple more days, or until it does feel firm.

Step Four Rinse off the cure and dry with paper towels. You now have what's called fresh bacon, and if you want, you can skip the

smoking and just slice it up, slap it in a skillet, and fry it crisp.
Step Five

To smoke, soak 2 cups of hickory wood chips in water for 30 minutes, place in a pouch made of aluminum foil with holes poked in the top, and set over a gas-grill burner on low. When the chips begin smoking, place belly over a nearby unlit burner. Close lid and keep heat around 200?.

Step Six
Once the belly reaches an internal temperature of 150 F, remove it from the grill and let it rest overnight. Then, after slicing it, panfry or crisp in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 F. Homemade bacon will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for two months.

How to Soften Butter FAST

How to Soften Butter FAST

When you need softened butter for baking, or to make herb or garlic butter, or just for easier spreading, you can leave the stick on the counter and wait forever (it seems) or you can tempt fate in the microwave and end up with melted butter instead.

There is a better, faster way.

If you have a rolling pin and a smooth, cool marble, granite, ceramic tile, or corian counter or slab (wood is okay but will take slightly longer), you can produce marvelously pliable, chilled butter in less than 1 minute or soft butter at room temperature (or anything in between) in less than 15.

Here’s how:

1. Set an unwrapped stick of cold butter on a piece of plastic wrap on the counter or slab. Cover the butter with another piece of plastic, and start whacking it with a rolling pin to flatten it somewhat. Flip the butter and plastic wrap over, and whack until the butter is about 1/2 inch thick all over.

If all you need is pliable butter, stop after step 2. For softened butter at room temperature, continue on through to step 3. -- but don't forget to read the fine print below.

2. Continue whacking the butter. Uncover and fold it in halves or thirds, then cover again and either knead it with your fist or continue to whack, repeating until the butter is suitably pliable. It will still be quite cool.

3. Roll the butter -- already whacked to a 1/2-inch thickness -- gently with the rolling pin to make it flat on both sides and slightly thinner, about a generous 1/4 inch. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Flip it over to a new spot on the counter and let it rest another 5 minutes. Put the butter into a mixing bowl now. If it's not quite at room temperature yet, it will be in a matter of minutes; if you were to leave it on the counter, it would get too warm.

The Fine Print
Old-fashioned pound cakes and butter cakes often call for room temperature butter (68 to 70° F) -- so that it can form a perfect emulsion with other ingredients, also at room temperature. The butter is beaten or “creamed” for several minutes with sugar before the other ingredients are added in two or three parts, alternating with each other. If the butter is too cold, it will not form an emulsion with the other ingredients and the batter will curdle. If the butter is too warm it will not be plastic enough to survive a lengthy beating without breaking down (so to speak!); the batter will not trap air and the cake will not have a beautiful crumb. In these very finicky types of recipes, both the temperature and texture of the butter are very important.

Take a Bite Out of Your Grocery Bill

 Take a Bite Out of Your Grocery Bill

If you haven’t taken coupons to the supermarket lately, you’re not alone. According to ShopSmart Magazine, 28 percent of shoppers say they can’t be bothered with coupons, while only 15 percent say they’re a necessary evil. But even if coupons are not your thing, there are other ways you can take a bite out of your grocery bill. 

 

“You don’t need coupons to save big,” says Lisa Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart. “You just have to know the secret saving strategies and be consistent about using them.” 

Some of these strategies: 

Look for the bags: You can save as much as 36 percent buying produce like apples, oranges or onions by the bag instead of individually.

Buy fresh from the deli: Some brands of meat sliced to order can be up to 18 percent cheaper and some cheeses may cost 30 percent less than the prepackaged deli meat and cheese in the refrigerator case.

Check out the dollar store: “It’s not just weirdo brands,” said Freeman. More dollar stores now stock up on brand names you’ll recognize. They’re even stocking fresh staples and beating the prices at chain grocery stores often by more than a dollar.

Once you experience the savings these strategies can bring, Freeman said, you may never shop the same.

10 Salts to Know

From religion and folklore to wars and economics, salt has played a vital role in human history. An ancient mineral cultivated for thousands of years from the northern province of Shanxi, China to the medieval town of Guérande in Bretagne, France, salt is an essential part of our diets.

With so many different types of salt, knowing how and when to use each one can be a bit daunting. There are baking salts, cooking salts and finishing salts. There are rock salts and sea salts, and salts that have been smoked or seasoned. And, of course, there is the much revered Kosher salt.

Here, we take a look at 10 salts you're likely to encounter in recipes and at the grocery store. For a more extensive guide on salts, check out Mark Bitterman's book Salted: A Manifesto on the World's Most Essential Mineral, with Recipes.

Table Salt: Refined salt mined from underground salt deposits, table salt contains more sodium chloride (97% to 99%) than sea salt. This is what you usually find in salt shakers at dining tables and at restaurants. Most table salts contain additives such as anticaking agents and iodine, an essential nutrient.

Kosher Salt: Kosher salt, which originates from either the sea or the earth, is so named for its use in the preparation of meat according to Jewish dietary guidelines. However, not all Kosher salt is certified Kosher. Kosher salt dissolves easily and quickly, making it a good all-purpose salt. Popular brands include Morton and Diamond Crystal.

Sel Gris: Harvested from salt evaporation ponds, sel gris -- "grey salt" in French -- is also known as Celtic sea salt and is a coarse sea salt that is raked once salt crystals have sunk to the bottom of the ponds. Moist, granular, and chunky, sel gris is used as both a cooking salt and finishing salt. While it's ideal for fatty meats and roasted root vegetables, Mark Bitterman also suggests using this mineral-rich salt in baking. Try it in a rustic tart crust, for instance.

Gros Sel: Another sea salt, gros sel is made up of large-grained crystals -- hence its name in French, "large salt." Keep it in a salt grinder for freshly ground sea salt, use it to create a salt crust on meat or fish, or use it to season pasta water.

Flake Salt: Produced by boiling or evaporating brine, flake salts have varying crystal structures and lower trace mineral content than other salts, including fleur de sel and sel gris. Used as a finishing salt for fresh foods such as salads, flake salt pops, giving a pleasant crunch to every bite.

Fleur de Sel: Hand-harvested from the same salt evaporation ponds as sel gris, this sea salt is collected by scraping salt crystals from the water's surface before the crystals sink to the bottom of the evaporation ponds. Fleur de sel -- "flower of salt" in French -- is traditionally, though not exclusively, harvested in Guérande, Brittany. The delicate, irregular crystals gently dissolve, making it a great finishing salt. Try it on fish, pork and vegetables. If you can afford it, Bitterman suggests using fleur de sel as your go-to all-purpose cooking salt.

Hawaiian Sea Salt: This fine or coarse grained sea salt can be either red or black. Red Hawaiian sea salt gets its color from a natural mineral called Alaea, a volcanic baked red clay, while black Hawaiian sea salt gets its color from the addition of charcoal. Full of trace minerals, Hawaiian sea salt complements pork, seafood, ceviche and more.
Smoked Salt: This salt is slow-smoked over a wood fire to infuse the crystals with a deep, smokey flavor, making it ideal for grilled meats and heartier vegetables such as potatoes.

Seasoned Salt: Salt can be seasoned with a variety of different flavorings, including truffles, lemon, herbs and more. Truffles impart an earthiness to sea salt, making it an ideal flavoring for risottos, red meats, and egg dishes. A seasoned salt such as lemon flake salt, on the other hand, is great for cocktails or grilled vegetables.

Himalayan Salt: Hand-mined from ancient sea salt deposits from the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan, Himalayan salt is rich in minerals and believed to be one of the purest salts available -- hence its frequent use in spa treatments. It ranges in color from pure white to shades of pink and deep red. Hand cut into slabs, Himalayan salt is frequently used as a surface for serving food. Due to their ability to hold a specific temperature for an extended period of time, these slabs can be used for anything from serving cold ice cream to cooking fish, meats, and vegetables. Himalayan salt can also be used as a cooking or finishing salt. Or use it to rim the edge of a glass for a warm-weather cocktail.

7 Mistakes with Olive Oil

7 Mistakes with Olive Oil

We all know that extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is one of the Seven Wonders of the Food World. It contains antioxidants and heart-healthy fats galore—and, of course, it tastes amazing. EVOO is one of the most common kitchen staples, but most home cooks don’t know much about it, says Lauren Winstead, a buyer for Whole Foods Market's exclusive brands who recently underwent extra virgin olive oil savant training (kind of like the olive oil equivalent of sommelier training). Here, Winstead share the top mistakes you’re probably making:

Mistake #1: Buying Plastic or Clear Glass
The two biggest enemies of EVOO quality are oxygen and sunlight, says Winstead—so if you're buying plastic or clear glass, your oil's in trouble. "Once [air and light] touch the oil, it can begin to go rancid," she says To preserve EVOO's pristine quality, opt for glass bottles that are dark green or dark brown.

Mistake #2: Storing Your Oil Near Heat
Heat exposure—whether from the stove or direct light through a sunny window—is also a no-no. "When EVOO is exposed [to heat], it can cause the polyphenols [a.k.a., a type of antioxidants] to degrade and lower the flavor or sensory profile," says Winstead. "You want to store it your pantry, not on a windowsill or above the stove."

Mistake #3: Judging Oil by Its Color
"Consumers mistake color for indication of quality," says Winstead. "Color is only an indicator of when the olive was harvested and when oil was pressed." Quality EVOOs can range from anywhere from vibrant green to soft golden yellow—so don't discount an one just because the color's a little different than what you were expecting.

Mistake #4: Believing One EVOO Fits All
When confronted with six shelves of olive oils, do you grab the cheap store-brand option or the fancy bottle that costs more than a tank of gas? The fact is, most people go with a middle-of-the-road pick and use a one-size-fits-all approach. While Winstead says there's definitely a place in your pantry for an everyday olive oil, she recommends also selecting a premium oil with a more robust flavor profile for when the oil needs to shine through, such as in homemade salad dressings and atop pasta dishes. Naturally, Winstead loves the new line of Whole Foods Market Oils, which range from peppery to fruity.

Mistake #5: Cooking Over High Heat
High-temperature cooking methods can destroy the antioxidants in EVOO and alter the flavor, says Winstead. You shouldn't use olive oil for any cooking method that requires temps above 360° F. So by all means, sauté veggies and poach fish in the oil—just don't fry anything with it.

Mistake #6: Cooking with Delicate Oils
More delicate olive oils—those with milder flavors—shouldn't be exposed to heat at all to protect their aromatic properties and flavors, says Winstead. Instead, use them as finishing oils to bring out the flavors in a pasta dish, bruschetta, or cold salad.

Mistake #7: Hanging On To Your Oil Too Long
Ever bought one of those gas can-sized jugs of olive oil and saved it for years? Never again! Winstead says that the shelf life on EVOO is about 24 months, so toss those old bottles before they overstay their welcome. A rancid EVOO—which you can spot by its obviously unpleasant taste—has lost its health benefits, as well as its flavor profile.

Beef Ribs W/ Sriracha BBQ Sauce

Beef Ribs W/ Sriracha BBQ Sauce



I can't even begin to describe these ribs. Holy cow. They're UH-MA-ZING. Smoky, crispy, sweet, juicy, gobble-orious. Gobbleorious. It's a fake word made up just for these ribs. If you don't like ribs, now you do. If you do like ribs, you may explode. Just saying.

Ingredients

6 lb beef back ribs

½ onion, chopped

¼ cup honey

4 oz beer

¼ cup barbecue sauce

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp sriracha

1 Tbsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp black pepper

½ Tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp chipotle chile powder

2 tsp powdered ginger

Directions

1. Prep 4-8 hours in advance: In a bowl, mix together Worcestershire, soy sauce and 1/2 tablespoon sriracha; rub over ribs.
2. In a separate bowl, combine salt, garlic powder, black pepper, brown sugar, chili powder and ginger; rub over ribs. Cover and let marinate in fridge for 4-8 hours.
3. Preheat grill (or oven) to 350F.
4. Cook ribs for 1 hour and 15 minutes over indirect heat.
5. Remove ribs from heat and place in the foil pan. Add onion to the pan. Drizzle honey and beer over the ribs. Cover with foil.
6. Reduce heat to 325F and cook ribs (covered in the foil pan) for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
7. Remove from heat. In a bowl, combine 1/2 tablespoon sriracha, barbecue sauce and drippings from the pan. Place ribs directly on the grill (out of the pan); baste with sriracha-barbecue sauce. Let cook for 20 minutes or until ribs are black and crispy.

Note: You'll also need a large foil pan and tin foil.

The Best Way to Cook Bacon

Why you should bake your bacon

No, we're not trying to deprive you of one of life's greatest pleasures: cooking bacon in a hot cast iron skillet, watching it curl into crimped little ribbons, smelling it waft up in fierce, meaty clouds, hearing it sputter and stutter like a seventh grade boy asking a girl to the movies.

We are trying to help you cook bacon better.

Because as glorious as cooking bacon on the stove can be, it's also a mess. There is grease all over the kitchen, and all over you. And because a pan is only so big, making a heaping plate of bacon is something that takes a while -- and will leave you smelling like a high-end dog toy.

Instead, you should bake your bacon.

Heat your oven to 400° F. Put your slices of bacon on a baking sheet -- as many as you'd like, just make sure they fit into one layer -- and slide it into the oven. The bacon will sizzle in its own rendered fat, cooking it evenly. And fifteen minutes or so later, you will have those perfect little ribbons -- with minimal cleanup.

Bonus points: Carefully pour the hot bacon fat into a jar, and store it in the fridge. Use as you would lard or butter. 

4th of July Punch

4th of July Punch


It’s time to start thinking about the perfect 4th of July cocktail and that means red, white, and blue! That also means a big time get together with friends and a big cocktail to match. The easiest way to be a bartender at a big get together is to make a punch! Punches are so much fun to make because they are super convenient and super boozy!

Recipe:

Ingredients
1 cup of moonshine
1 bottle of champagne
5 cups of lemonade
1 lemon, sliced
1 cup of blueberries
Ice cubes (I used 15-1 ounce cube trays)
5 blueberry juice ounce
1.5 ounces of grenadine
3 ounces of soda
5 ounces of coconut milk
Garnish: American flag toothpicks and paper straws

Instructions:
Ice cubes:
 For the ice cubes you need to freeze each layer individually
     Layer 1: Divide 5 ounces of blueberry juice evenly over the 15 ice cubes. Freeze
     Layer 2: Divide 5 ounces of the coconut milk over the 15 ice cubes. Freeze
     Layer 3: Mix grenadine and soda together and divide mixture over the 15 ice cubes. Freeze

In a punch bowl or pitcher mix moonshine and lemonade together
Add blueberries and lemon slices
Top off with champagne
Add ice cubes to a chilled ice bucket
Guest should fill mason jar glasses with ice cubes then top with punch

Garnish with American flag toothpicks and paper straws Serves