John Cox

Blogs · @wyome

Tagged cooking · everything

www.foodandwine.com

Why Pasta Tastes Better at Restaurants, According to Chefs

Food & Wine explores why restaurant pasta often tastes superior, tracing the difference to small, intentional steps chefs make: using high-quality ingredients like [[00 flour]] and [[Parmigiano-Reggiano]], fresh eggs and generous finishing fats such as [[butter]] or [[olive oil]]; cooking in lots of well-salted water; pulling noodles slightly underdone so they finish in the sauce; and rescuing starchy [[pasta water]] to bind and silkily thicken sauces. Chefs also transfer pasta directly from pot to pan, toss it with sauce to let flavors marry, and plate by twirling for a composed presentation. The article gathers practical tips from cooks and cookbook authors — including advice in [[The Pasta Book]] and observations from restaurants like [[Heirloom Fine Foods]] — so home cooks can replicate restaurant-quality results.

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www.thekitchn.com

A Home Cook’s Guide to All the Cuts of Beef

This guide breaks down the eight primal cuts of beef—chuck, brisket, shank, rib, plate, loin, flank, and round—explaining which parts of the cow each comes from and how that affects tenderness and flavor. For each primal, it describes the specific retail cuts available, their taste characteristics, and the best cooking methods, helping home cooks match their cut selection to appropriate preparation techniques. The overarching principle is that heavily-used muscles are tougher and benefit from slow cooking with liquid, while tender, expensive cuts from less-active areas are best prepared with dry heat methods.

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www.tastingtable.com

15 Fruits You Need To Start Air Frying Right Now

TikTok users have popularized cooking various fruits in air fryers, and this guide demonstrates that nearly any fruit—from apples and bananas to more unexpected options like mangos, grapes, and star fruit—can be air-fried to create quick snacks or desserts with appealing textures. Each fruit requires different temperatures and cooking times, with options ranging from basic preparations (tossing with sugar and cinnamon) to more elaborate finishes (dehydrating for trail mix, making blueberry pie, or creating candied citrus garnishes). The technique works because air fryer circulation creates crispy exteriors and soft interiors while reducing or eliminating the need for oil, making it a convenient alternative to traditional baking or frying.

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www.tasteofhome.com

Gyros

This recipe shows how to make Greek gyros at home without a rotisserie by processing ground lamb and beef into a paste, baking it in a water bath, pressing it with weight, then slicing and pan-searing the meat until crispy. The detailed instructions cover everything from ingredient selection (emphasizing well-marbled meat to prevent dryness) through assembly with traditional toppings like tzatziki, tomatoes, and lettuce, plus storage and freezing tips for make-ahead meal prep.

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www.simplyrecipes.com

The 20 Best Chili Recipes Ever

This roundup presents 20 of the best [[chili]] recipes, showcasing everything from classic [[beef chili]] and Texas-style con carne to milder [[white chicken chili]], vegetarian and pumpkin-infused variations, and regional twists like [[Cincinnati chili]]. The guide highlights quick methods (pressure cooking in an [[Instant Pot]]), slow-simmered stovetop versions, and measure-and-dump conveniences for busy cooks, plus creative hybrids such as chili mac and chili-topped [[hot dogs]] and a copycat [[Wendy's chili]]. Practical tips include serving suggestions — especially a slice of [[cornbread]] — and advice for leftovers and batch cooking. Recipes accommodate different proteins (ground beef, turkey, chicken, rotisserie chicken), beans-or-no-beans preferences, and slow-cooker or Instant Pot timelines so cooks can pick a version that suits their taste and schedule. Each entry links to a full recipe with ingredient lists, step-by-step instructions, and suggestions for toppings and garnishes, too.

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www.outdoorlife.com

25 Best Camping Food Ideas

This comprehensive guide offers practical camping meal recipes for every daypart, organized by cooking method (simple prep, gas stove, or campfire cooking) and ranging from quick breakfasts like bagels to elaborate dishes like chicken and waffles or foil-packet Reuben dinners. The article includes detailed ingredient lists and instructions for several complete recipes, along with shorter suggestions for lunch, dinner, desserts, and snacks that can be adapted to different skill levels and available time. Beyond recipes, it addresses food safety concerns like not storing food in tents and offers practical advice on meal planning based on how much time you want to spend cooking versus exploring.

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www.nytimes.com

Everything You Want (and Need) to Know About Salt

This guide explores the surprising diversity of salt varieties and their distinct culinary applications, moving beyond the uniform industrial table salt that dominated the 20th century. The author traces how chefs like Ferran Adrià and Alice Waters rediscovered traditionally made salts—fleur de sel, flake salt, sel gris—and found that their delicate crystals and mineral complexity transformed dishes in ways granular salt couldn't. The piece breaks down the key differences between common types (table salt's metallic harshness, kosher salt's coarse grains, flake salt's pyramidal structure) and explains when to use each, from finishing dishes with fleur de sel's briny complexity to cooking pasta with coarser sea salt.

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www.mentalfloss.com

It’s Grilling Season, Which Means It’s Also Clean-Your-Grill Season—Here Are the Best Ways To Do It

Regular grill cleaning prevents buildup that degrades flavor, reduces heat efficiency, and risks foodborne illness, with a practical approach involving quick cleanups after each use plus deeper monthly maintenance. The guide recommends scrubbing hot grates with a brush or aluminum foil, vacuuming out ash and debris, scraping the grease trap, wiping the exterior with mild cleaners, and soaking removable parts seasonally, with an optional trick of using a halved onion to break up stubborn gunk.

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www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

17 Simple Food Swaps For When You Run Out Of Ingredients

This quarantine-focused guide provides practical ingredient substitutions for common baking and cooking staples, recognizing that grocery shopping becomes difficult during lockdowns. The substitutions cover basics like butter, eggs, dairy, flour, and sugar, as well as aromatics, herbs, and proteins, with specific measurements to help maintain recipe integrity. While acknowledged as imperfect flavor matches, these swaps allow home cooks to continue cooking with ingredients already on hand rather than abandoning recipes mid-preparation.

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www.foodandwine.com

27 Delightful Recipes with White Wine

This roundup of 27 recipes shows creative ways to use leftover [[white wine]] to elevate everyday meals, from bright, citrusy preparations to rich, creamy sauces. The collection runs the gamut — simple one-pot pastas and risottos, shellfish-forward plates like [[mussels]] and baked clams, elegant preparations such as [[Lobster Thermidor]] and Coq au [[Riesling]], and weeknight-friendly roasted or pan-seared [[chicken breasts]] finished with wine-based pan sauces. The recipes explore how different varieties — including [[Sauvignon Blanc]], [[Pinot Grigio]], and [[Riesling]] — interact with ingredients like mushrooms, shallots, herbs, and cream, and teach techniques such as deglazing, braising, and poaching. Notes on substitutions, wine choices, and pairing suggestions make this a practical guide for home cooks seeking to add depth and acidity to savory dishes without wasting a partial bottle. It also highlights vegetarian options.

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www.bhg.com

37 Cheap, Healthy Meals That Cost Less Than $3 Per Serving

[[Better Homes & Gardens]] article presents affordable, heart-healthy dinner ideas that make it easy to eat well without overspending, focusing on budget-friendly proteins, whole grains, legumes, and vegetables; it offers simple recipes, swaps and meal-planning tips to reduce saturated fat, sodium and added sugars while boosting fiber and healthy fats. Recipes feature pantry staples and versatile ingredients like [[salmon]], [[beans]], [[lentils]], [[quinoa]] and [[sweet potatoes]] alongside vegetables and whole-grain pasta, with suggestions for batch cooking, one-pan preparations and slow-cooker meals to save time and money. The piece emphasizes portion control, flavoring with herbs and spices instead of salt, and adaptable formulas so cooks can use what they have on hand; it aims to help readers make sustainable heart-healthy choices that suit varied tastes and tight budgets for everyday eating.

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www.eatingbirdfood.com

Air Fryer Tofu

This recipe provides a method for cooking crispy air fryer tofu in 10 minutes by pressing the tofu thoroughly, coating it in oil and arrowroot powder with simple seasonings, then air frying at 400°F while flipping halfway through. The post emphasizes not overcrowding the basket to achieve optimal crispiness and includes storage instructions for meal prep (4-5 days refrigerated), plus several flavor variation suggestions and serving options.

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www.eater.com

The Way You’re Making Fresh Pasta Is Needlessly Fussy

The article argues that the traditional "well method" for making fresh pasta—creating a flour mound with an egg-filled center—persists largely because it looks photogenic and romantic rather than because it's actually the best technique for home cooks. While pasta authorities like Marcella Hazan defend the method for its ability to control flour absorption, the author points out that many professional chefs now acknowledge bowl-mixing works just as well, especially for smaller home batches, and that the well method's association with Italian tradition has been partly invented to serve nationalist identity-building rather than culinary necessity. The piece suggests a practical compromise: mixing eggs and some flour in a bowl first, then transferring to a floured counter to knead, which gives you control without the yolk-explosion disasters most home cooks experience.

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www.apartmenttherapy.com

We Tried 8 Ways to Cook Bacon and Found an Absolute Winner

Food writer Ann Taylor Pittman tested eight methods for cooking bacon—including skillet, microwave, oven-baking, air fryer, sous vide, and cast iron—to determine which produces the best results. Baking bacon on parchment paper at 400°F emerged as the clear winner, delivering evenly cooked, consistently crisp or chewy strips with virtually effortless cleanup and the ability to save drippings. Cast iron and sous vide methods also performed well for specific uses, while quicker methods like the microwave sacrifice texture control and drippings preservation.

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www.allrecipes.com

15 Greek Recipes So Good They'll Make Your Yiayia Swell with Pride

Yiayia’s Favorite Greek Recipes gathers a selection of comforting, home-cooked dishes inspired by family kitchens and traditional flavors, spotlighting time-honored preparations like [[moussaka]], [[spanakopita]], [[tzatziki]] and [[baklava]]. The gallery emphasizes fresh, straightforward ingredients — abundant [[olive oil]] and tangy [[feta]] — and recipes for soups, salads and pastries that travel easily from weekday suppers to festive tables. Readers find classics such as [[Greek salad]], lemony [[avgolemono soup]] and stuffed vine leaves like [[dolmades]], alongside tips for flaky phyllo and balanced seasoning. Photographs and short recipe notes make each entry approachable, encouraging cooks to recreate these Mediterranean flavors while honoring the warmth and practicality of a yiayia’s kitchen. Suggestions for ingredient substitutions, make-ahead strategies and pairing ideas with wine or simple sides help modern cooks adapt recipes to dietary preferences while preserving authentic flavor.

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www.nytimes.com

Padma Lakshmi Says Trying New Things in the Kitchen Is Like Learning Music. Here’s How to Play.

Padma Lakshmi shares her working kitchen philosophy from Padma's All American, built around freshness and confident improvisation: buy spices in small batches, dry-roast and hand-grind them warm for maximum flavor, and use neutral dishes like eggs or mashed potatoes to learn an unfamiliar spice one at a time. She also champions yogurt as a near-universal base for sauces and dips, and finishing tools—microplanes, flaky salts, Kashmiri chili powder, and tasting spoons—as the small touches that elevate a dish. The piece is really a practical, personality-driven set of kitchen habits rather than a recipe roundup, worth keeping for the specific product picks and technique tips tied to her own cooking history.

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www.esquire.com

30 Best Gifts for Anyone Who Loves to Cook

This roundup from [[Esquire]] showcases curated gift ideas for home cooks, focusing on tools, appliances, and ingredients that actually get used. Highlights range from outdoor gear like the [[Ooni Koda 16 Pizza Oven]] and the cult-status [[Yeti 45 Hard Cooler]] to countertop helpers such as the [[GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker]] and the [[Whynter Compact Upright Automatic Ice Cream Maker]]. Practical picks include precision items like the [[Meater Pro wireless meat thermometer]] and magnetic knife storage, alongside pantry upgrades like premium [[Brightland olive oil]] and [[Kosterina balsamic vinegar]]. The guide balances splurge-worthy splurges and small stocking stuffers—herb garden kits, spatulas, spice sets, and elegant servingware—so you can match gifts to skill level, kitchen space, and personality, ensuring memorable, usable presents rather than clutter.

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psyche.co

If you don’t fancy mindfulness, then try cooking instead

A freelance writer who dislikes conventional anxiety fixes like meditation makes the case for cooking, especially baking, as an alternative mindfulness practice that engages the senses and induces a flow-like, childlike playfulness. Drawing on her own habits plus insights from psychoanalyst Todd Essig and cooking coach Emmanuelle Turquet, she argues cooking uniquely bridges past (memory), present (sensory grounding), and future (nourishment), making it a legitimate, individualized alternative to sitting-still relaxation techniques.

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food52.com

Our 5 Best Skewer Recipes

A grilling roundup that makes the case for metal skewers over wooden ones (no soaking, no splintering, no catching fire) and argues charcoal grills give skewered food its best flavor. The bulk of the piece is a curated list of five recipes—Abruzzese arrosticini, yakitori with shishito peppers, quick salmon kebabs with radish raita, community-loved squid skewers, and chicken satay with peanut sauce—meant as a practical starting kit for skewer night. Worth keeping as a shopping-and-cooking cheat sheet before a barbecue.

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food52.com

What Can I Cook in a Dutch Oven? Everything.

A Food52-style roundup celebrating the Dutch oven as the ultimate one-pot workhorse, pairing personal Le Creuset enthusiasm with a curated list of 22 recipes spanning no-knead sourdough, braised brisket and pot roast, chicken stews, chili, bolognese, and vegetarian mushroom or bean stews. The through-line is practical persuasion: whatever brand you own, the piece argues cast iron's heat retention makes braises, soups, and slow-cooked meats genuinely better than slow-cooker or casserole-dish alternatives. Worth keeping as a go-to recipe index for justifying (and using) an expensive pot.

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