Appliances
Vacuum pumps reduce cooking juices into concentrated sauces, distill essential oils from fruits, vegetables and brew coffee while retaining aromatics that otherwise escape into air
By W. Wayt Gibbs and Nathan Myhrvold
Scientific American 2011-09-04
FDA says studies on triclosan, in dishwashing liquid, other soaps, raise concerns on it as endocrine disruptor or catalyst in creation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria
By Lyndsey Layton
The Washington Post 2010-04-08
For optimum dishwasher performance, read the directions and cut back on the soap
By Alina Tugend
The New York Times 2010-03-10
Design
Granite countertop craze has cost U.S. more than first Gulf War, but installer says it's not sustainable to buy it in South America, ship it here, polish it in China, then ship it back
By Stephane Fitch
Forbes magazine 2010-11-23
Luxury, recycled
High-end kitchen recycler persuades renovating homeowners to donate their high-end, barely used kitchens by talking up environmental benefits of recycling, making the process simple and fast, and making it a tax write-off. He sells the kitchens at a fraction of their original cost, but buyers learn they need a patient contractor for retrofitting.
By Christine Haughney
The New York Times 2008-04-10
Baker's place
Couple in suburban Dallas creates an Italian-style kitchen worthy of delectable baked goods that come from their new ovens, but it was picking the contractor, not the marble countertops that worried them the most.
By Erin Covert
The Dallas Morning News 2007-10-26
"Congress is fighting to keep pizza and French fries on the school menus when we have an obesity problem nationally."
Outdoor Cooking
Opinion/Blog: Camping in style
On a camping trip, there are a few must-haves beyond comfortable boots and breathable socks - namely, a knife that can fold; dishes with lids that can also be used as Frisbees, and a bar blade, the Rolls Royce of bottle openers that can also stir a pot and pull a tent peg out of the ground (click 'See also').
By Charlie Sorrel
Wired 2008-05-05
Mario in Michigan
When Mario Batali wants to get away, he doesn't go to Italy, where he learned the finer points of cooking; he heads to Michigan, where there are four full seasons and his place is on a lake, and the pizza oven is in the back.
By Jennifer Conlin
The New York Times (may require subscription) 2007-08-17
Camp gourmet:
Key to good food on the trail or at the campground is packing light and packing smart, prepping at home before the trip, and then eating the chicken and bell peppers first, and saving hardy potatoes and carrots for the last days.
By AnnMarie Timmins
Associated Press; Springfield Journal-Register (IL)
Tableware
Beyond white:
Keep the main course plates plain, but consider mixing and matching dishes for soup, salad and desserts to enliven table settings and add color to an otherwise bland tableau.
By Marianne Rohrlich
The New York times (may require subscription)
Creativity to cash:
Artists find income source through licensing their work on everything from plates, cups and textiles to popcorn tins, but success requires flexibility and understanding of market needs, experts say.
By Elizabeth Lazarowitz
New York Daily News 2007-08-06
Tools
Submerged cooking - usually under vacuum, called sous vide - yields more precise results than the typical steakhouse chef can provide in 1,800-degree broilers
By W. Wayt Gibbs and Nathan Myhrvold
Scientific American 2011-01-17
Making place for 'salt of the earth' on cookware shelves
Himalayan salt, long popular in Europe as New Age wellness therapy product, moves to kitchens as cookware, grilling and baking surface and meat/fish curing aid - at David Burke's Primehouse in Chicago, meats are dry-aged in room lined with Himalayan salt tiles. Hand-mined from foothills of Himalayans, cut into smooth blocks or molded into reusable salt bowls, primordial ocean salt shimmers like pink marble (click 'See also' for source).
By Nancy Stohs
Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, WI) 2009-06-23
Tooling around
For gadget needs, skip the kitchen boutique and head to the hardware store, where the selection is more varied, the prices are lower and imagination might be needed. A rasp will grate cheese, a flowerpot makes a fine clay pot roaster and a dowel is a French-style rolling pin.
By Leah A. Zeldes
Chicago Sun-Times 2007-11-07