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On this day in 1902, pioneering cookbook author Fannie Farmer, who changed the way Americans prepare food by advocating the use of standardized measurements in recipes, opens Miss Farmer’s School of Cookery in Boston. In addition to teaching women about cooking, Farmer later educated medical professionals about the importance of proper nutrition for the sick.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — General Mills is expanding a flour recall issued over a possible link to an E. coli outbreak after four new illnesses were reported. The recall announced Monday covers several varieties of Gold Medal and Signature Kitchens flour produced on certain dates through February 10. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said flour produced at a General Mills plant in Kansas City, Missouri, is a likely source of the outbreak, which so far has sickened 46 people in 21 states. The CDC says 13 have been hospitalized, and one person has developed a type of kidney...

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Turning your cottage into the ultimate weekend getaway has never been more simple thanks to Adam Holman, as he drums up some easy, quirky and fun DIY projects that you can do next time you’re at the cottage.

Last weekend, I found one of Chef John's new posts, where he did a 'Green Gazpacho'; I thought it might be interesting to those of you who have gardens and access to lots of fresh herbs – it looks like a delightful Summer first course, or accompaniment to a light sandwich for lunch. On his blog, the Chef says that he wanted to call it “Burrata in a Swamp,”; but he says that the 'swamp' bit didn't pass the 'wife test' – so, Green Gazpacho it is. Here is his video of technique, and the ingredients and measurements are on...

With sizzling temperatures claiming more than 300 lives this month in India, officials said they were banning daytime cooking in some parts of the drought-stricken country in a bid to prevent accidental fires that have killed nearly 80 more people. The eastern state of Bihar this week took the unprecedented step of forbidding any cooking between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., after accidental fires exacerbated by dry, hot and windy weather swept through shantytowns and thatched-roof houses in villages and killed 79 people. They included 10 children and five adults killed in a fire sparked during a Hindu prayer ceremony...

Many societies, especially those of the Americas and China, have a history of using cayenne pepper therapeutically. A powerful compound with many uses, cayenne pepper is currently gaining buzz for cleansing and detoxifying regimes such as the Master Cleanse, which uses the spice to stimulate circulation and neutralize acidity. Cayenne pepper has been used for a variety of ailments including heartburn, delirium, tremors, gout, paralysis, fever, dyspepsia, flatulence, sore throat, atonic dyspepsia, hemorrhoids, menorrhagia in women, nausea, tonsillitis, scarlet fever and diphtheria. 1. Anti-Irritant Properties Cayenne has the ability to ease upset stomach, ulcers, sore throats, spasmodic and irritating coughs,...

“For the past 10 years, bread has been under attack.” Professor Zhou Weibiao, a food scientist at the National University of Singapore, isn’t wrong. According to current nutritional thinking, white bread is digested too fast, spikes blood sugar levels and is linked to obesity. In short, it’s the enemy of healthy eaters. Weibiao’s answer to this problem? He’s invented a purple bread. Rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants, digested 20 percent slower than regular white bread and made entirely of natural compounds, it could be the first superfood of the baked goods world. The great bake off A long-time staple food, bread’s...

It's been so cold this week, I come home tired and wanting comfort food. Hot sandwiches are quick and easy, and hit the spot on cold days. I've had a recipe in my collection for many years that was obviously photocopied from a book; but I can't remember which book. I know there used to be a Mealey's restaurant in Maryland, not far from Frederick, and perhaps that's where this recipe originated. Not gourmet food, but it's fast and sticks to your ribs: Mealey's Old Fashioned Club Sandwich Sauce: 2 T. Butter 2 T. all-purpose Flour 1 C. Milk 1...

If you're a white-tailed deer in Milwaukee County, odds are you live in or near the county's park system. The 15,000 acres of parks and parkways provide more than 90% of the deer habitat in the county, according to an assessment by the Department of Natural Resources. That's a lot of land, but not enough for a deer to hide in. Especially if you're a big-racked buck like "Bow Tie." Bow Tie was a very well-known white-tailed deer that was frequently seen in Milwaukee County. Randy Crawford of Wauwatosa is a wildlife photographer and hunter who enjoys viewing and capturing...

I've recently discovered a new way of cooking potatoes. We've already done a thread this year on the Potato; but it's a very satisfying and versatile food - sometimes only the Egg seems more so - and I thought we'd revisit it. I had never heard of these before, they seem to be more well-known in Europe: Fondant Potatoes: There appear to be two ways of doing Fondant Potatoes: entirely on top of the range, or fried and browned first, and then put into the oven to finish. Here are links to the two methods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOatJPocjDohttp://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/fondantpotatoes_93087Another fancy potato dish is...

I'm always looking for new and different things to do with vegetables in a low-carb way. I found a recipe and tinkered with it the other day, and the result was very good: Summer Squash Casserole 1 lb Yellow Squash, or mixture of Yellow squash and Zucchini ( 2-3 med) in 1/4 inch slices (can use frozen) 1/2 onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 cup shredded cheese, plus extra for topping 1 egg Beau Monde seasoning, Season-All, or seasoning mix of your choice 1/4 to 1/2 Cup chopped Pecans Steam squash onion and garlic together until...

Americans don’t understand the concept of the starving goose of socialism who was kept pacified and faithful by feeding her one kernel a day, just enough to prevent starvation People have asked me why I never really enjoyed gourmet cooking nor was I interested in developing such talents beyond feeding my family an inexpensive meal. As a woman, mother, and wife, that is anathema to a failed human being. How can you not be interested in providing the most delicious, appealing, and nutritious meals for your family? To understand where I come from, you must walk in the shoes of...

I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving, and is now enjoying plenty of leftovers! We took the advice of 'boatbums', and did a dry brine for the first time - just salt. It turned out wonderfully, despite a near disaster. We began with a fresh turkey, and my husband salted it a few days ahead, dried the turkey naked in the fridge overnight, and started it in the oven at 450 degrees on The Day. A couple of hours later, the probe thermometer went off, and we stared at each other: something was wrong, and there was no way the...

The first dish I recall making when I began helping with the family Thanksgiving dinner, was my Aunt's recipe for Sweet Potato Souffle. If you don't like marshmallows (V K Lee, I'm talking to you!) they can be left out; but I think it would be tragic to leave out the raisins :-) I usually cheat on this: I don't whip the whites separately and fold them in - too much work for Thanksgiving, and it's wonderful even if you just throw it all together and mix it up. I also make the sweet potatoes the night before and refrigerate...

When I was a kid, the holidays seemed to extend for more than a month - from the moment we awoke on Thanksgiving morning, smelling the turkey already in the oven and yeast rolls rising over steaming pans of hot water - until we finally, reluctantly, took down the dried-out tree in early January. (To make things even more fun, I was born just a couple of days after Thanksgiving, and have nearly always celebrated it on Turkey Day.) Everything was somehow different during those weeks - the house had been cleaned within an inch of its life and decorations...

Is your deer meat tough, dry and gamey-tasting? It shouldn't be. Check out this list of 12 deer-butchering sins to find out why your venison tastes bad — and how to make it better I'm often amazed at the people, deer hunters included, who tell me they just don't like venison. That statement is usually followed by a qualifier: it's tough; it's gamey; it's dry. And so on. I've eaten a lot of good deer meat. But I've eaten some really bad deer meat, too. I'm only a self-trained butcher, but I process five or six animals each fall,...

I used to work near a little 'hippie' co-op food store, and would frequently buy my lunch there. My favorite lunch was a sandwich of whole grain bread, a shmear of hummus, slice of cheese, tomato slices, mayo - and a big blob of alfalfa sprouts. At the time, I had no idea how nutritious those sprouts were, I just liked the freshness and crunch of them, and alfalfa sprouts remained a favorite addition to sandwiches. Since then I've learned that sprouts - and microgreens - are among the most nutritious things that we can eat, and that they are...

Cooking one of the tougher cuts of deer meat to tenderness, osso-bucco style, in a mushroom sauce with pasta.

It is Labor Day Weekend, the last gasp for some before the soup/stew/casserole season comes. So, I am interested in knowing how many of you are going to, or already have, enjoyed a 'good hot dog', made the way that 'is the norm' in your region, (and believe I know there are particulars, as per region)? Or have you just 'winged it', and created a new way to enjoy your hot dog? Whether it is grilled, boiled, fried, or steamed, with a flat-cut bun, or a New England style bun, or even just plain slices of white bread, with anything...