By TERRY TOMALINFriday, November 21, 2008Cool fall evenings are made for chili. Why not throw a little wrinkle in the American classic and make it with fish, instead of meat...

By ANDREA WEIGLFriday, November 21, 2008With the holidays approaching, I want to offer a suggestion: homemade liqueurs as presents. If that intrigues you, consider picking up a copy of A.J....

By LYNNE ROSSETTO KASPERFriday, November 21, 2008Dear Lynne: No canned version, please, or the new streamlined model. I want to make chicken broth like my great-grandmother's. It's trite, but true:...

Friday, November 21, 2008Fresh vanilla beans, though expensive, add intense flavor to your baked goods. Don't waste the pod once you've scraped the seeds free. Store it in sugar to...

Friday, November 21, 2008Q: How do I skim the fat from gravy or sauce? -- Helen Black, Custer, S.D. A: Freezing or cooling is certainly the easiest way to skim...

By JOAN OBRAFriday, November 21, 2008Anyone who has tried the dried Sichuan peppercorn knows of its effects: Chew on the cracked, brownish-red pods, and a citrus flavor floods the mouth...

By CHINA MILLMANFriday, November 21, 2008The 2008 fall cookbook season is dominated by a number of star players that make even Thomas Keller's "The French Laundry Cookbook" (previously known among...

By LYNNE ROSSETTO KASPERFriday, November 21, 2008Dear Lynne: Does size matter ... in baking? If my pumpkin-pie recipe says large eggs, would extra-large or jumbo (which I usually have) be...

Friday, November 21, 2008Q: How do you get the most garlic flavor out of a clove of garlic? -- Ralph Maple, Eugene, Ore. A: Garlic is a member of the...

Friday, November 21, 2008While poached pears are a classic dessert, roasted pears double the pleasure. Not only do you have a delicious final product that is excellent with blue cheese,...