Blog Posts by Food52

Given how much we all love firing it up in the kitchen and cracking open a cold brew, why not double your pleasure and cook with beer while you drink it? We've found that the friendliest brews for cooking tend to be dark, like brown ales, porters, or stouts. Here, we're running the gamut of recipes: bread, breakfasts, soup, sides, mains, and even a dessert. So, what are you waiting for? With one bottle for you and one for your dinner, that leaves four more in your six pack to talk your friends into becoming your kitchen helpers. Cheers!

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• 9 Braises for the Weekend
• 11 Ways to Use Maple Syrup
• Got a question in the kitchen? The Food52 Hotline is here to help!

Brought to you by the spirited home cooks' community at Food52.

We'll come right out and say it: there are a lot of words in the titles of these recipes that make them sound fussy. But we promise, you can do it. The payoff! Oh, the payoff. A creamy carrot soup, golden and comforting. A hearty treat of a sandwich, rich but lightened by the brillant addition of a crunchy kale slaw. Yes, this one takes a bit longer than the usual hour we aim for at Dinner Tonight HQ, but you'll have leftovers galore, and ones that you'll actually want to eat!

The Menu

Chinese Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Kale and Apple Slaw by vvvanessa

Serves 4

Chinese Pulled Pork

2 tablespoons olive oil
2.5 pounds boneless pork shoulder/butt, cut into large cubes
1 small onion, peeled and sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
3 slices of peeled ginger, roughly 2 inches long
1 piece star anise
1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms (pre-sliced)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup water or

While we love our winter squashes, our root vegetables, and our sturdy greens, let's face it: by the beginning of March, winter produce feels a bit tired. A bit old. A bit, well, boring! Citrus fruits -- especially citrus desserts -- are the liveliest foods of winter, the things that brighten up our plates and mealtime moods. Soon, we'll trade sweet potatoes for strawberries -- but for now we'll gladly hold onto our citrus.

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• 11 Ways to Cook with Maple Syrup
• 10 Winter Comfort Foods
• Got a question in the kitchen? The Food52 Hotline is here to help!

Brought to you by the spirited home cooks' community at Food52.

Braises are perfect projects to warm up your kitchen during wintry weekends and convince your friends to brave the cold and come over. These slow-cooking recipes yield tender results that are sure to impress. Plus, they improve over time, making them great for leftovers. We've included a few takes on the usual suspects -- short ribs and chicken -- along with some heavenly vegetable sides, all of which are certain to stick to your ribs as you power through these last, lingering days before spring.

More from Food52:
• The Best French Onion Soup for Late Winter
• 10 Seafood Dishes for Lent
• Got a question in the kitchen? The Food52 Hotline is here to help!

Brought to you by the spirited home cooks' community at Food52.

Many of our food and travel fantasies center around crystal seas, sunny days, and simple meals enjoyed while languishing on the coasts of Greece or Italy, those Mediterranean Shangri-Las whose residents seem to have mastered the art of living. And now, we have science on our side.

New research decisively shows that the Mediterranean diet -- full of fish, olive oil, beans, nuts, and fresh produce -- decreases the risk of heart disease. This is great news for our hearts and palates alike. In celebration of these findings, we've compiled a list of simple, flavorful recipes that embrace healthy fats and plenty of fruits and vegetables. We've even got dessert, too. Ciao, bella!

More from Food52:
• Get more fish on your table with these 10 recipes.
• Add Mediterranean flair to any dish with preserved lemons.
• Got a question in the kitchen? The Food52 Hotline is here to help!

Brought to you by the spirited home cooks' community at Food52.

We're in that funny in-between moment. It's still pretty darn cold outside (some people even have lots of snow!) and we know in our minds that winter isn't through with us yet. At the same time, we begin to see glimpses of spring. We want to lighten things up, but we still need something warming and a bit hearty to keep us going after a long day. Enter two wintry vegan comfort foods: Gena Hamshaw's lentil shepherd's pie tiptoes down that line, and an indulgent avocado chocolate mousse pushes the meal into pretty exciting territory.

The Menu

Vegan Shepherd's Pie with Parsnip and Potato Mash by Gena Hamshaw

Serves 6-8

2 1/2 pounds (about 4 large) russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup almond, soy, rice, or other non-dairy milk
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided into 2 tbsp and 2 tbsp
1 large onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large

Each season has a sweetness attached to it: something to love, something to savor, something to look forward to -- or to miss when the weather starts changing. In the winter, it's maple syrup. Because what's sweeter in cold weather than the warmth of a pork shoulder, rubbed with it? Or crispy French toast, drizzled with it? Or popcorn, or duck, or pound cake, or ice cream... Get out that jug and take advantage.

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• Can't get enough sweets? Check out these 9 Chocolate Cakes.
• Drizzle maple syrup on these 9 Ways to Do Breakfast in Bed.
• Got a question in the kitchen? The Food52 Hotline is here to help!

Brought to you by the spirited home cooks' community at Food52.

Here at Food52, food is always on our minds. So, as we ate our popcorn and sipped our martinis at our Oscar viewing parties, our commentary was less snark, more snack: who is smuggling cookies in their purse? Is that white dress just a red wine stain waiting to happen?

Now that the show is over, let the fun begin! Who wore what when, and what did you think of it? We thought everyone looked shiny and fabulous, of course, but a few looks in particular caught our eye. We'd like to hand out a few awards of our own -- tell us your favorites in the comments!

Best Dress in Which to Hide Many Snacks: Jennifer Lawrence

Worst Dress to Go Wine Tasting In: Charlize Theron

Best Dress to Grate Nutmeg On: Jessica Chastain
(See all those little sparkles? Don't they seem ... abrasive?)

Best Dress to Throw On and Cook a Batch of Tomato Sauce: Sally Field
(You won't even need an apron!)

Worst Dress to Roll Out Dough In: Brandi Glanville