Blog Posts by Zester Daily

A classic bouquet garni of thyme, parsley and bay leaf.

By Sarah Khan

The herbs thyme, bay leaf and parsley are the basis for a classic French bouquet garni. Individually, or as a neatly tied bunch, these delicately scented plants impart a savory flavor and a powerful medicinal punch.

The term "bouquet garni," entered the English language in the mid-19th century. The mixture began to appear in French cookery in the 17th century and grew in popularity. This occurred as part of a move away from highly spiced medieval dishes to the more subtle -- and significantly less expensive -- flavors herbs could provide. The little bundle is most often cooked with various stocks, savory soups and aromatic stews to impart an herbaceous flavor.

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Thyme is often used in combination with several other herbs to

Smart cooks cheat with butter.

By Clifford A. Wright

Ever notice how some cooks' food just tastes spectacular and you can't figure out what the trick is? There shouldn't be any mystery because good cooks cheat. They have little secrets that make their food taste great or at least entice you to believe it is great. These tricks and secrets are not like the magician's because cooks just cook and they want everyone to cook well.

Trick #1 -- Fill the kitchen with an appetizing aroma:

The aroma of sizzling onions wafting through the house will elicit a "smells good" from anyone inside. There's nothing quite as enticing as the smells of onions frying. In a sense, there is something secret in those frying onions. They're so simple, yet offer lots of bang for the buck because the pleasing aroma predisposes the diner to think the meal they accompany is delicious. There are many little cooking secrets that make food so appetizing through such utterly simple means.

From a culinary point of view it's

The perfect blend of herbs and aromatics contribute to a great pot of hearty black beans.By Martha Rose Shulman

Like most Americans, I grew up eating plenty of meat, but not many beans. I discovered the joy of a good pot of beans when I began working with migrant farm workers in Michigan in the late '60s, eventually migrating with them back to the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas, where I lived from 1969 to 1971.

There, and across the border in Mexico, I learned a lot about beans. I learned to cook them with lots of garlic, onion and cilantro, to refry them in a pan of hot melted lard and to mash them in the pan with a potato masher. My friend Alma Canales always added a few strips of bacon to her pot of pintos. Those pintos, or frijoles a la olla, beans in broth, became my touchstone for what a great pot of beans should be.

Related:

>> Get adventurous with some Shanghai-style fava beans.

>> Entertain in style with chick peas simmered in white wine and herbs.

>> Spice up fava beans Sicillian style with artichokes and peas.

In northern Mexico,

Virginia wine country.

By Patrick Comiskey

Let's face it, when it comes to wine, Californians are chauvinists. Oh, we'll grant that they make some pretty good wine in Oregon -- if you like Pinot Noir. And we hear that producers in Washington state make a few Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah bottlings that deign to compete with our own; maybe, just maybe, we'll try one of them one day. When we learn, however, that the rest of the country -- every state, including Alaska -- produces wine, and that some of it is actually very good, eyes tend to roll, and a film of condescension veils whatever faint praise we can muster.

So to grant that Virginia wineries not only can stand on their own but aspire to stand alongside Bordeaux and the Napa Valley; to acknowledge that no region outside of France is more dedicated to the Viognier variety, to concede that with wines from the Finger Lakes these are perhaps the most competent wines on the Eastern seaboard -- well, it's enough to make a California chauvinist

Garden produce headed for the kitchen.

By Zester Daily staff

Now is the time of year most of pore over seed catalogs, eagerly planning the lush garden full of homegrown produce we'll enjoy all summer.

While many first-timers come to gardening when they tire of the poor quality of produce in the store, just as many come from economic pressures. As fossil fuel prices rise, food prices will continue to increase. And when artificially cheap processed foods are more affordable than nutrient-dense whole fruits and vegetables, the only recourse is to take matters into your own hands, and into your own back yard.

A $10 investment in seeds can yield many hundreds of dollars worth of vegetables a month for many months. A few tomatoes easily cost $2 to $3. For the same price, you can get a package of tomato seeds to plant a long row of tomatoes that will provide bushel upon bushel of luscious fruits all summer long. But it's not so much the immediate cost-savings as the long-term investment. Unlike any other investment

Endangered bluefin tuna

By Zester Daily staff

Seafood lovers are bombarded these days with bad news about the fragile environmental state of many of their favorite fish. Overfishing and other threats have made conscientious diners hesitant to order many of their favorite dishes or to forgo some of their favorite meals at home. Here are three suggestions for sustainable substitutions that can make you feel good about eating seafood again.

Norwegian cod

Every year, from January until April, a particular kind of fish comes -- briefly -- into season. This is skrei, the Norwegian Arctic cod, which sets off in massive shoals from the icy Barents Sea in the Arctic Circle, headed for the waters around the Lofoten archipelago off the coast of Norway. The name of this winter wandering cod is derived, appropriately, from the Norse word for a "walker" or "wanderer."

Overfishing of Atlantic cod is a hot topic. The Norwegian Arctic cod from the Barents Sea is another story. Here, the fisheries have

A whole duck can do double duty with a pair of rich recipes.

By Anne Mendelson

Sure, chicken is a great family dinner staple. But aren't you a little bored with your repertoire of tired chicken recipes? If you're feeling poultry adventurous, consider duck.

Don't worry if you've never cooked duck before. For this pair of recipes, you just need to get one whole bird. These are a little more time-consuming than your regular weeknight chicken recipes, but well worth the effort for flavorful meals that will become family favorites.

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Related:

>> Try this Chinese "tea-smoking" technique on both turkey and duck.

>> Sear up some duck on the grill.

>> Braise meat for a perfect slow-cooked tenderness.

>> Find the perfect poultry for any occasion.

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Luckily the whole thing can be done in steps over two or three days. I skin the duck and cut it up first. (Occasionally I add one or two extra duck legs -- skinning them also -- for a larger yield.) The legs and breasts go into the fridge along with

A festive purple, gold and green king cake is the perfect treat for Mardi Gras.By Catherine Lyons

Mardi Gras season is officially in full swing in New Orleans. Purple, gold and green wreaths adorn the doors, and inside homes, a king cake is at the center of each table. As soon as these distinctly New Orleans delicacies hit the bakery racks, the whole city knows it's Carnival time.

Many of the Crescent City's generations-old bakeries claim to have the best king cake, with each putting their unique stamp on the traditional pre-Lenten cake.

"We've perfected it over the past 50 years," said David Haydel Jr., of Haydel's Bakery just outside the city limits on Jefferson Highway. "Our most popular is the cinnamon coffee cake with the white icing and Mardi Gras colored sugar."

Related:

>> Vietnamese influence on traditional New Orleans cuisine makes for great fusion

>> Po' boy sandwiches are so beloved, they get their own festival

>> New Orleans native Chef John Besh shares his best cook-at-home recipes

>> Here's why praise should go to