Author: Bill Daley

Condiments may seem simple, but, as chef Marcus Samuelsson writes in “New American Table,” “they reflect who we are more than any other food.”Not only do condiments offer flavor, they contribute color, texture and aroma to any dish. And they can speak of culture and history. Take ketchup, that all-American dunk. It was created in…

“This is a teenage wok,” declared Grace Young, glancing up from the mottled surface of the pan cradled in her hands. The wok’s splotchy complexion — not the shiny cast iron of infancy or the mocha-colored sheen of adulthood — sent a clear message: A “facial” was needed. Fast.“This wok is at the awkward stage.…

Look below story for: • more about choosing and using shrimp • recipes   America’s favorite seafood? Shrimp. It’s easy to see why; shrimp are available fresh or frozen, shell-on and peeled, raw and cooked. Shrimp lend themselves to countless dishes, from curries to gumbos to kebabs to stir-fries.“Mom and I loved shrimp,” celebrity chef…

“Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh”By Emeril LagasseHarperStudio, $24.99 What it is: A quieter, kinder and greener Emeril is on view in this book, a collection of kitchen-friendly recipes emphasizing local, seasonal ingredients.Praise and quibbles: There’s always been a serious side to Lagasse, of course. One doesn’t become a successful businessman with 13 restaurants,…

Grilling a leg of lamb can be a lengthy chore; cooking times can reach two hours, and you can’t wander off too far in case you need to turn the lamb or extinguish flare-ups. Once the meat is cooked, you have to figure out how to carve the lamb.Switch to a boneless, butterflied leg of…

Relish: It’s more than just a topping for ballpark hot dogs. A spoonful or two can spark almost any meal. And don’t think all relishes are made from pickled cucumbers; relishes today are made from tomato, corn, eggplant, and many more seasonal vegetables and fruits.Nor does making a relish mean being chained to the kitchen…

A jar of martini olives, a tin of cocktail peanuts and a bottle of vodka stashed in the freezer are all essential tools for the socially ambitious man about town. Face it, though, these days you are going to have to deliver a lot more to earn your entertaining cred.You don’t have to turn your…

Classical Greek literature is not the first source most North Americans would turn to in making an analogy about grilling, but then how many of them have ever seen Argentine grilling in action? Steven Raichlen has.“Argentine grilling is the most heroic grilling, in the Homerian sense,” said the Miami-based grill expert and author. Homer, of…