Blog Posts by Epicurious.com

I look at dozens of recipes every day. Some catch my eye because they sound so delicious. Others force a double-take thanks to the name alone. "Ugly but Good" cookies? What's the advantage of making that? Below, a top 10 list of strange recipe names, all from the Epicurious recipe database. Feel free to add your own odd recipes in the comments field below.

1. Shaking Beef

2. Spiny Lobster In Crazy Water

3. "Ugly But Good" Hazelnut Cookies

4. Wacky Chocolate Cake

5. Festive Nuts

6. Super 'Shrooms

7. Spam Sushi

8. Broiled Double-Thick Lamb Rib Chops With Slicked-Up Store-Bought Mint Jelly Sauce

9.Anything Rice

10. Pink Cuts

James Oliver Cury is the executive editor of Epicurious.com. He is a member of the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee and has been a judge at the Culinary Institute of America, the Jack Daniels World Barbecue Championship, and the Food Network's Iron Chef show. He's written for dozens of magazines, Read More »from Top 10 weirdest recipe names

The word "pepper" refers to members of the genus Capsicum, which includes hot varieties, also known as chile peppers, and sweet varieties, such as the bell pepper. Up until the arrival of Spanish and Portuguese explorers in the New World, peppers grew only in Latin America. Along with corn, tomatoes, and beans, the Europeans brought back some of the peppers and on their travels introduced the plant to the rest of the world, where it took off like wildfire. Truly international in their appeal, peppers have become integral to cuisines across the world, from Mexico to Thailand, the Congo to India, and from Hungary to Tunisia. To see when these may be in season at yourlocal farmers' market, check out our interactive seasonal ingredient map. If you are unable to find fresh or dried chiles in your local grocery store, try an online source like pepperfool.com.

The heat of a pepper is measured using Scoville units: The relatively mild poblano weighs in at about 1,500 SCU, while the

Read More »from Know your sweet from your spicy: a visual guide to peppers

With their strange shapes and dark, damp growing environments, mushrooms sometimes seem to be shrouded by a veil of mystery. Because they propagate through spores instead of by seeds, certain varieties are hard to grow commercially and can only be foraged in the wild. This is a job best left to the professionals, however, as many types of mushrooms are inedible and in some instances even poisonous.
Note: This visual guide is not meant to be an authoritative source for foraging in the wild.

High in fiber and vitamins, mushrooms are also fat- and cholesterol-free. They're popular around the world due to their versatility as well as their meatlike heft and texture. To see when these may be in season at your local farmers' market, check out our interactive seasonal ingredient map. If you have difficulty obtaining certain varieties in your local grocery or specialty stores, try an online source like Far West Fungi.

Portobello
Alternate Names: Portobella, field

Read More »from Get to know your fungi: a visual guide to mushrooms

If luxuriating in summer's last days over a plate of prosciutto piled with juicy fresh figs is your idea of high living, we're with you. But so many dishes benefit from the fruit's singular sweetness and trademark texture that we often look beyond this classic combo. Here are our favorite ways to be creative with figs.

Recipe Tips:

Dried Versus Fresh
Winy, chewy dried figs are delicious but taste very different than the fresh fruit, which has a luscious, juicy texture and brighter flavor. Take this into account before simply substituting one for the other.

How to Spot a Ripe Fig
Choose unblemished figs that give slightly when pressed but are not mushy.

Cool Storage
Ripe figs are very delicate and highly perishable. Store them in the refrigerator in a shallow Tupperware bottom lined with paper towels and loosely covered with plastic wrap for no more than three days.

Main Courses
Grilled Lamb and Fig Skewers with Mint-Pepper Glaze and Grilled

Read More »from 12 Ways to get creative with figs

There will be no chow at chow time.

Out of respect for Western dining mores, man's best friend will not be offered at Olympic-connected restaurants, and Chinese officials are trying strongly to convince other eateries to follow suit.

If a patron requests "fragrant meat," as the Chinese refer to dog meat (that is, meat from dogs, not meat for dogs), the server is supposed to politely but firmly recommend another dish. ("Anyone for spaghetti Bolognese with a tossed "Bijon" frisee and washed down with cold lassi?")

Of course, it's not the first time dogs, the Olympics and exotic eating traditions have collided.

In 1988, for the Seoul Olympics, the South Korean government similarly asked restaurants to put the kibosh on canine cookery. Nevertheless, the subject was the source of much ribbing on Western broadcasts of the games, which many Koreans took as a slight against the entire nation. Twelve years later, when South Korea hosted the World Cup, the controversy erupted

Read More »from Not on the menu at Beijing Olympics: dogs

Not everyone has access to a big back yard or even a community garden, but that doesn't mean you can't be a green thumb and grow some of your own fresh food. There are a growing number of people that are starting to grow their own vegetables and fruits in pots, hanging baskets, and planter boxes on their patios, balconies, or porches in cities across the country. If you are interested in having fresh tomatoes, beans, and more to add to your meals, check out the tips and links after the jump.

Here are five tips that will help you get a container "garden" growing in your small space:

1. Know how much light you have available. Most all garden crops will manage full sunlight, but some things such as lettuce, cabbage, and other greens will handle the shade a little bit better. If you really want to tackle something like tomatoes, cucumbers, or peppers you will need to make sure you have more sunlight available.

2. Choose your containers wisely. For some smaller things like

Read More »from Five tips for a garden on your porch, patio, or balcony

Anything that can bring a smile to my face while I am doing prep work is welcome in my kitchen.

This is why I love the Animal House line of utensils and gadgets for Boston Warehouse. Scrubbing potatoes with this cutie makes the chore a little more pleasurable. Use the parakeet to chirp through the task of mincing garlic or let the piranha cutter take a bite out of divvying up pizza. There's also a swordfish knife that'll slice through bread with ease. And remember there's no monkeying around when skinning veggies with this peeler.

Hey, they may be a little corny, or maybe I am, but they're cute and quirky and most important, they work.

Veggie Brush, $7

Parakeet Garlic Press, $15

Piranha Pizza Cutter, $15

Swordfish Knife, $12

Monkey Peeler, $8

For stores, visit bwtc.com.

Gina Provenzano has worn many hats, including that of a stylist, producer, writer, and editor. With experience both on staff at national consumer magazines such as Bon

Read More »from Five animal house gadgets

Though noodles are popular around the world, from Japan to Hungary , Italy seems to have cornered the market with more than 300 different types of pasta; we chose the nine most common, shown below. Each shape has a story, one that usually reflects its place of origin. The shape also indicates what kind of sauce works best: Thin strands such as spaghetti are especially good with thinner sauces; tube-shaped pastas are well suited for thicker sauces, as are pastas with deep ridges. Looking to enliven your standard pasta dish? Try colored and flavored pastas such as those made with squid ink, spinach, lemon, or beets or, for a healthier option, use whole-wheat pasta. For specialty shapes and flavors that may be harder to find, try an online source like igourmet.com.

Lasagna (lasagne, pl.)
Characteristics: These flat noodles are typically about 2 inches wide and 13 inches long. Their long sides can be either flat or wavy. The word "lasagna" refers to both the noodles themselves and

Read More »from Get to know your noodles: a visual guide to pasta