James P. DeWan

The last time we talked about whipped cream, George Bush was in the White House. And if we didn't mention it then, we're mentioning it now: it's not enough simply to take cream and whip it.

So the good news is that today's topic, dashi, is a deliciously savory, versatile stock. The bad news is, you probably don't have the ingredients at home. The good news is, there are only three of them, and one of them's water. The bad news is, the other two are dried seaweed and flakes made...

What if you met someone who'd never heard of, say, french fries? Or salad? Or, gulp, pizza? Sweet Pharaoh's chariot! Can you imagine?

Fess up: When was the last time you used a shallot? Ever? Well, unless you're Asian or French, or just particularly adventurous or well-versed in the kitchen, you may not have used them at all. If that's the case, you're not alone. Shallots have never been a "must-have" ingredient in most...

Tostones, the plantain dish of Latin America, makes the most of the starchy fruit

Seasoning food properly makes all the difference in taste

It's all about getting the components right: the crab, the binder and the flavorings

Getting it right requires practice and a certain trust in your own observations