Michael Ruhlman's Blog, page 76

Announcements: Charcutepalooza and OpenSky

This week, two enthusiastic cook-bloggers, Cathy Barrow, of Washington, DC, and Kim Foster, of New York City, put a name to their joint efforts in curing duck breasts for duck prosciutto, hashtagging it on Twitter #charcutepalooza.  Their aim, one Charcuterie challenge per month.  A splendid idea, I thought.  The more cooking and curing that people [...]

Don't Fear the Microbes: Yeast Basics

When I used to read bread recipes, I feared yeast for good reason: Bad bread recipes.  So many instructed me to heat the water to specific temperatures, between 110 and 115 degrees F., and bloom the yeast.  Some wanted sugar in the water.  Some told me to wait till I saw bubbles.  Or they were [...]

Bread Baking Month: Multigrain Boule

A multigrain bread recipe will open the new year for a reason.  Will Turnage (aka @wubbahed), Donna and I finished and submitted to Apple last week a bread baking app for iPad.  It's time finally to act on a fascinating email I got from a baker in North Carolina about bagel making.  And Shuna privately [...]

Happy New Year and Best Wishes To All!

I'm not one for New Year's resolutions, but I am for  recognizing good fortune when it comes my way.  In a career blessed with good luck, high on the list are the people I'm able to work with.  The above card lifted my spirits when I received it. It was created by Joleen Hughes, who, [...]

Hoppin' John—Recipe for New Year's Day

Hoppin' John is a dish from the American south featuring black-eyed peas, often included in southern food recipes and soul food recipes, traditionally served on New Year's Day by those angling for good fortune all year long. I make Hoppin' John every year for this very reason (also, it's inexpensive, easy, nutritious and satisfying).  There [...]

Favorite Tools Giveaway

As some readers know, I and my buddy Mac have begun to manufacture new cooking tools that we love, and we're already getting great feedback. We love The Spanker, above (photo by Donna, thanks hon!)—the big paddle for stirring big pots. There's simply nothing out there like it that we could find. I'll be using [...]

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to all!

To those who celebrate Christmas, merry Christmas!  To all, my best wishes and hopes for great celebrations, being together with friends and family, and a festive and bountiful holiday. Thanks for reading this blog and to those who take the time and care to comment, thanks for the great conversation all year long!

English Pork Pie

I've published this photo and this link in the past but it bears reposting, especially as today I will begin the annual Christmas morning pork pie and think about my Uncle Bill. From England with Love, published a few years ago in O magazine, is not only an ode to my Uncle Bill and his [...]

Holiday Cookie Challenge Results

Congratulations on the holiday cookie recipe challenge to Bryony DuPont of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, whose spice cookies wins the drop cookie category, and to Robin Cohen of Arlington, Massachusetts, author of the dovesandfigs blog, who's Rugalach wins the cut cookie category.  I assure you that my affection for Cleveland Heights and my affection for people [...]

Introducing Ruhlman.com Kitchen Tools!

Who would have thought I'd have a future with the man showing off his new Scooby Doo underwear in my kitchen at a New Year's Day celebration?  Yet here we are!  Mac Dalton and I have conspired to create a small number of cooking tools that were either hard to find, non-existent or that we [...]