Blog Posts by Epicurious.com

One thing I learned in restaurant school is the power of words: What you call a dish is half the sales appeal. And so when I decided to try to get away with a meatless, fishless dinner the other night, our entree could not be a casserole. It would be rice pizza. And it was actually pretty great.

Years ago I had come across a recipe for pizza using rice for the crust, and while the clipping is long lost, the idea lodged in my cranial sieve. In a hurry to get food on my family after squandering another day at the computer, I realized I had everything on hand to give it a try at last: I boiled half a cup of basmati rice and an ear of corn for extra protein, mixed the rice and the kernels with an egg and pressed it into an oiled gratin dish. Slices of my last tomato went over the top, then some chopped olives and fresh basil, and finally the fresh mozzarella left over from a tomato salad. As it baked, the rice got crusty, the topping melted together luxuriously. My consort ate it

Biting into a sweet, juicy pear brings a burst of pure autumn. Yet eating the fruit out of hand is just one way to enjoy it. We've assembled recipes to help you incorporate the season's harvest into your dinners and desserts.

Recipes:

Savory

Purslane, Meyer Lemon, and Pear Salad with Kaffir Lime Vinaigrette

Pear and Duck Confit Salad

Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Pears and Pear-Brandy Cream Sauce

Fig Balsamic-Glazed Duck with Pearl Onion and Pear Hash

Paired with Cheese

Pears with Herbed Ricotta and Honey

Pears Stuffed with Roquefort and Walnuts in Pastry

Wine and Citrus-Poached Pears with Triple-Creme Cheese

Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pear

Sweet

Pear Croustade with Hazelnut-Brown Sugar Topping

Pear and Almond Tart

Pear Cake with Lemon-Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

Pear, Chocolate, and Hazelnut Crostata

Click here for many more recipes

Tips:

Peel First

Peel pears before cooking them,

Although May brings darling buds to grapevines, it's September that renews wine lovers.

Autumn reinstates hearty dishes; it invites dinner parties and offers us holidays, religious and secular. Our subliminal excitement in revisiting September's pleasures may be partly rooted in back-to-school days, when new pencils' wood-and-graphite aromas (and, for chewers, flavors) nurtured our hunger to learn.

September's first-sipped Cabernet Sauvignon, especially from Bordeaux, with its pencil-box characteristics, connects yesterday to today. The first Champagne "pop!" stirs appetites, culinary and social. Our first off-dry Mosel Riesling's intricate interplay of fruit, sweetness, and refreshing acidity brings a smile -- and soon a request for another full glass. Our first matured Sauternes, all textural velvet and golden color, reminds us comfortingly that, as Edgar says in King Lear, "ripeness is all."

The crisp crunch of leaves underfoot has a near-counterpart in the crackling

While there are thousands of different apples in the world, we've rounded up 11 that represent the diversity found in today's marketplace. Some, like Red and Golden Delicious, are tried-and-true favorites in the United States ; others such as Cameo and Fuji are relative newcomers to the apple scene.

The fruit has been evolving for centuries: "Modern" apples have been cultivated for qualities such as shape, taste, and high production yield, but also for their resistance to pests and disease. In 1892, there were about 735 different varieties; now fewer than 50 are mass-grown. Because of renewed interest in older -- and sometimes regional -- varieties, "heirlooms" such as Northern Spy, Gravenstein, Canadian Strawberry, and Newtown Pippin can be found at farmers' markets or local orchards. To grow your own apples, visit the local garden nursery or purchase the trees from online purveyors such as Trees of Antiquity, Fedco Trees, and Century Farm Orchards.

For apple buying and

These healthy recipes from Southern France will bring a sunny spirit to your dining room.

Tomatoes, olives, fresh herbs, garlic -- the iconic ingredients of the South of France can turn a meal into something magical simply by showing up. "The flavors of Provençal food tend to be direct and uncomplicated, reflecting the sharp clarity of the light and the landscape," writes Richard Olney in his classic cookbook Simple French Food.

Without the distractions of heavy sauces and elaborate preparations, health-minded cooks can find endless opportunities in such a cuisine. We can't fly you to Avignon, but with these inspired recipes from our database, we happily offer a taste.

Dress to Impress

You've chosen the juiciest vine-ripened tomato, gorgeous greens and herbs -- don't undermine them with a second-class dressing. For a simple vinaigrette, choose the best vinegars and oils, and mix well: "A good ratio," according to Olney," is about one part of vinegar to four or five parts

It only took one meal to convert me into a lifelong fan of Vietnamese cuisine. It was 2002, and I was just beginning a month-long tour of the country when I stepped off Hanoi 's narrow, crowded streets into a tiny noodle shop. I ordered the restaurant's namesake, and only, dish: bun bo, rice vermicelli noodles with beef. Five minutes later, an aromatic bowl, heaped with a profusion of raw greens, was placed in front of me. I dipped in my chopsticks. My first bite contained crunchy fried shallots, cool strips of lettuce, sharp mint and other fresh herbs. Dipping further, I found hot, razor-thin slices of just-cooked beef and crisp mung bean sprouts, all nestled on a bed of temperate, al dente noodles.

That one dish held an intoxicating mix of temperatures, flavors, and textures: hot and cool, meaty and vegetal, tender and crunchy. It was a lunch experience so fulfilling, I returned for breakfast the next day. Back in New York and years later, I'm still chasing that perfect bowl of

Need a break from the rice rut? Tired of plain old pasta? Why not audition some of the world's other great grains? Couscous, bulgur, and quinoa -- grains that are relatively easy to find -- often can stand in quite nicely for rice in more familiar dishes. Think of this recipe collection as inspiration: Before you know it, you'll be spending time with spelt, barley, farro, wheat berries...

Couscous

This pastalike semolina product with North African roots is as versatile as rice and even better for rush-hour cooking: Just add boiling water, cover, wait a few minutes, fluff with a fork, and serve. Look for increasingly available whole-wheat versions, too.

Bulgur

Tabbouleh is how many of us got to know bulgur, the nutty-flavored wheat grain. But bulgur is so nutritious -- it is high in fiber and has plenty of protein -- that it would be a shame not to experiment with it a little. Since it is precooked, it is a snap to prepare.

Tiny, delicate-tasting quinoa is a

Popular cooking methods for pears include poaching (in wine, syrup, fruit juice, water) and baking. Pears shine in baked goods like tarts, piesand cakes. And because they are related to apples, it's generally understood that if a recipe calls for apples, pears can be substituted. For centuries, cooks have also made jams, preserves, and chutneys. Like many fruits, pears are also used to produce liqueurs. One of the most popular is the eau-de-vie de poire, a pear-flavored brandy. Belle de Brillet, a French Cognac, uses 22 pounds of Williams pears for each bottle! Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger complement the fruit in both edible and drinkable recipes. For more pear-centric drinks, click here. And be sure to check out our visual guide to pears.

Tips:

Pick a winner

Choose pears that are firm to the touch and don't have bruises or cuts. Some pears are wrapped in paper, which protects the pears and helps keep them unblemished.

Touch and go

Not sure if your