Stories from the Kitchen
Technique, tradition, and the stories behind the food we love.
A dark roux is the soul of Cajun and Creole cooking. It can take 45 minutes of constant stirring over medium heat, and the moment you walk away is the moment it burns. We break down the three stages of roux -- blonde, peanut butter, and chocolate -- and show you exactly what to look for at each stage. Once you've made a proper dark roux, you'll understand why gumbo tastes the way it does.
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The food of New Orleans is unlike anything else in the United States. It draws from French haute cuisine, West African tradition, Native American ingredients, Spanish influence, and Haitian cooking in a way that is entirely its own. From the street food of the French Quarter beignets to the home kitchens where red beans cook every Monday, we explore what makes this cuisine a living, breathing art form.
Walk into any serious New Orleans kitchen and you'll find the same collection of spices: smoked paprika, cayenne, file powder, dried thyme, bay leaves, white pepper, and more. We explain what each one does, when to add it during cooking, and how to build your own house Creole seasoning blend that will transform everything from scrambled eggs to whole roasted chicken.
Both cast iron and enameled cast iron have passionate advocates, and both have real limitations. Bare cast iron demands seasoning and careful drying but costs a fraction of the price and can go screaming hot for searing. Enameled is non-reactive, easy to clean, and beautiful on the table. We break down exactly which one to buy based on what you cook most, and make the case for eventually owning both.
Why does hollandaise break? Why does carbonara turn into scrambled eggs? Why does your vinaigrette separate? The answer to all of these questions is emulsification -- the delicate process of suspending fat droplets in water (or water in fat). Understanding the science behind this process will not just fix your broken sauces but will give you the confidence to improvise new ones.
Louisiana smoking tradition produces some of the most flavor-packed cured meats in the world. Andouille sausage, coarsely ground and heavily smoked, is the workhorse of gumbo and jambalaya. Tasso, a cured and smoked pork shoulder, adds an almost sweet depth to gravies and red beans. We profile each one, explain how they are made, and suggest substitutes if you cannot source the real thing.
A sharp knife and the confidence to use it will make you faster, safer, and more precise in the kitchen than any appliance or gadget. We cover the seven fundamental cuts -- julienne, brunoise, chiffonade, bias cut, oblique, mince, and chop -- with clear instructions and the specific dishes where each cut matters. Plus, our guide to honing and sharpening so your edge always performs.
The difference between a home cook who makes good food and one who makes extraordinary food often comes down to the pantry, not the fridge. We reveal the ten pantry staples that punch well above their price -- fish sauce, miso paste, smoked paprika, anchovy paste, dried porcini, and more -- and show you how each one adds depth, umami, or complexity that you simply cannot get from fresh ingredients alone.
For months our subscribers have been asking about the shrimp and grits recipe that anchors our Southern collection. Today we are pulling back the curtain completely. The key is stone-ground white grits from Anson Mills, a rich tasso cream sauce, and Gulf shrimp that have never been frozen. We explain every decision, every substitution, and the two steps you absolutely cannot skip if you want the real thing.