Blog Posts by Epicurious.com

Looking for a quick and easy way to get a delicious dinner on the table? Try slow cooking. It seems illogical, but slow cookers and similar countertop appliances offer terrific time-saving ways to make simple, satisfying dishes. Plus, slow cookers can be used to make a remarkable array of dishes, from braised meats to irresistible desserts.

Using these devices couldn't be simpler -- just fill them up with all your yummy ingredients, select the appropriate setting, and let them work their magic for the next several hours. In other words, you pretty much can't mess it up. That said, we've come up with a list of helpful tips, as well as new additions to our slow-cooker recipe collection.

From Lynn Alley's two-part series, Gourmet Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the World and Gourmet Slow Cooker, Volume II: Regional Comfort-Food Classics, we're featuring two slow-cooker classics as well as two very unique ways to use this versatile appliance. We also have

These books that span the culinary spectrum, from traditional Ashkenazi to Sephardic, from New York to Israel, including baking and healthy specialties.

Breaking the Fast: Kugels, blintzes, and more delicious Yom Kippur recipes

When I think of Jewish food, I think of brisket and latkes. To someone else, the words may evoke lamb tagine and rice with lentils, while to others -- even the most observant -- it could include foods as varied and unexpected as beef jerky, eggplant Parmesan, and chicken tikka masala. We tend to divide Jewish cooking into two categories: Ashkenazic from Middle and Eastern Europe, and Sephardic from the Mediterranean and stretching eastward to the Middle East (including Spain, Portugal, and North Africa ). But in truth, there are as many varieties of Jewish cooking as there are places in the world where Jews have settled, from Buenos Aires to Shanghai to Brooklyn, New York . The only requirement is that the dishes follow the rules of kashruth ("kosher" in

By now, wild mushrooms have pushed through the forest floor and been gathered by foragers. The first stop for these fall treasures is the market; the next -- pans sizzling with butter. Yet this basic preparation is just one of many ways to serve mushrooms. For more of our favorites, read on.

Tips:

Hold the Water

Mushrooms absorb water like sponges, so don't clean by soaking them in water or holding them under the faucet: That makes mushrooms soggy and flavorless. The best way to wash them is to rub them gently with a clean, damp paper towel or cloth.

Use our interactive ingredient map to see what's fresh in your area!

Avoid Overcrowding

Mushrooms release a lot of moisture during cooking, so avoid crowding the pan when sautéing. Otherwise, they'll steam.

Store Properly

Refrigerate mushrooms in a paper bag or on a tray covered loosely with damp paper towels. They are best if used within three days.

Recipes:

Rice and Pasta Dishes

Baked Penne

You can save a barrelful of euros with these red wines from what's already being dubbed "the vintage of the century."

The 2005 vintage of Bordeaux set record prices for name-brand bottles from Pétrus, Margaux, and Haut-Brion, but excellent alternatives abound. Note: All Bordeaux wines are varying blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.

Château Landat 2005
(about $18)

Landat is an un-pedigreed -- but always available, affordable, and reliable -- standby from the middle of the Médoc, the primary wine region on the Left Bank. The Médoc has dozens of these "petite châteaux," good-value properties from out-of-the-limelight communes such as Moulis, St.-Laurent, Listrac, and, in this case, Cissac, wedged between Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe. This blend leans heavily on Cabernet and displays hints of dark fruit, edges of fresh herbs, and a touch of licorice in the finish.

Meaty Pairing:
Lamb Burgers with Red-and-Green Tomato

Herbs like mint, basil, and tarragon have long been prized throughout the world for their curative properties (mint for indigestion, basil for kidney problems, and tarragon for snake bites). This guide focuses on their culinary applications.

Consider growing your own herbs if you can. Having fresh herbs available minimizes waste, since there is no rush to use all of the herbs immediately. Visit your local nursery garden for seeds, seedlings, and other garden supplies. For some of the more obscure varieties, consider online catalog companies such as Cook's Garden, Burpee and Park Seed.

For advice on buying and preparing fresh herbs, check out our tips.

Cilantro

Alternate names: Coriander leaf, Chinese parsley, koyendoro, Mexican parsley, pak chee, yuen-sai, green coriander, coriander green, dhania
Characteristics: You either love cilantro or hate it. Its leaves look like flat-leaf parsley's, but note the smaller leaves and lankier stem. Cilantro's flavor is described by

October is Vegetarian Awareness month. I tried complete vegetarianism out for awhile and it wasn't for me (my omnivore cravings were just too strong). But I still believe there are a lot of advantages to even a partial vegetarian diet: Eating less meat can be healthier, easier on the environment, and more economical. Plus, since I don't buy meat every day, when I do buy it I can afford to pay extra for meat from animals that were raised humanely on a natural (vegetarian!) diet. Let me share a few of my favorite veggie recipes because, of course, eating vegetarian can also be delicious.

Spicy Soba Noodles with Shiitakes and Cabbage

Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini, Garbanzo Beans, and Cumin

White Beans with Roasted Tomatoes

Curried Red Lentil Stew with Vegetables

Also, be sure to check out our feature on vegan musician Moby.

How often do you go a day without meat? What are your favorite vegetarian and vegan foods?

Megan O. Steintrager is a senior editor at

Even if you don't have a hungry family waiting for your next brilliant meal every evening, you probably wonder from time to time (like when the Dow drops) how to save money when shopping, cooking, and storing food. We see discussions on these topics all the time in our forums. In the Family Meal Solutions section, for example, one poster recently inquired:

"It seems like the prices of many foods, especially our favorite, meat, have skyrocketed lately. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can make good quality meals (with meat!) for less money?"

She got 14 excellent replies. Here are some of the solutions:

1. Stock up on meat and freeze it.

2. Have "meatless Mondays."

3. Load up on "buy one/get one free" deals.

4. Consider making noodle casseroles.

5. Two words: meat sauce.

6. Braise a tough and cheap cut of meat.

7. Slice meat onto a pasta dish once in a while.

8. Make soups, stews.

9. Experiment with turkey thighs; they're

Photo courtesy: Como Shambhala Estate at Begawan GiriAt the Como Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri, the approach toward meals reflects the spa's overall holistic approach: Food should be valued for its ability to nourish the body. There's no set meal program, but every guest is invited to schedule a complimentary consultation with resident nutritionist Amyjo Johnson or Deepak Deginal, an Ayurvedic doctor. Some guests are simply looking to learn how to make better choices, others want to head right into a few days of raw food followed by a juice fast. Johnson reviews each of the menu items, making sure they're balanced and have enough "mass appeal" to satisfy clients from all different countries. "But I'm also a foodie, so I want them to have a great time at the table," she says. "Because sure, people can choke things down, but that's not what this is all about."

Dine and travel with Epicurious.com's culinary visitors' guides from around the globe.

Johnson and Executive Chef Chris Miller also teach joint cooking classes, where students