food and drink

Marshmallows have two seasons: Rice Krispies treat season, which is around the holidays, and s’mores season, which is now. Unless you’re a true ‘mallow head, you probably don’t go through that many bags of the fluffy white confection each year. In fact, you could have a half-consumed bag of marshmallows hanging out in your pantry…

Photo: Brent Hofacker (Shutterstock)June is coming to an end, which means it’s almost time for fireworks and hot dogs. But after your third cookout, you may be looking for something to eat that isn’t a tube of meat. Fortunately, there are plenty of food deals and freebies this 4th of July weekend. Here are a…

Photo: Milosz Maslanka (Shutterstock)With staffing shortages paired with the highest volume of travelers the country has seen since before the pandemic, experts are expecting air travel this summer to be nothing short of “chaotic.” With long security wait times on the horizon, the Transportation Security Administration is already warning air travelers against accidentally bringing prohibited…

Photo: Rido (Shutterstock)Energy bars—those dense squares of nutrients that bring to mind 1970s dystopian sci-fi movies—offer obvious benefits. They’re convenient, delivering a full serving of calories and nutrition without any prep; they’re shelf-stable; they’re perfect for those busy moments when preparing a more traditional meal isn’t possible. But while many of these bars are reasonably…

Photo: Claire LowerCaviar has been in the zeitgeist lately, thanks to a recent NYT article about “caviar bumps,” or “tasting caviar off the back of your hand,” a weird rich person trick I wrote about over a year ago. (I did not, however, call them “bumps,” because I am not a dweeb who has never…

There are many recipes that call for one to “secure” something with a skewer or toothpick. Things like stuffed chicken breasts, meaty roulades, and bacon wrapped whatever—so many of these little food parcels need to be stabbed with a bit of wood to help them keep their form while they cook. But what if you’re…

Photo: TanyaJoy (Shutterstock)Sure, you can make a parfait with granola and coconut and your favorite fancy toppings, but you can also throw some blueberries into a bowl of Greek yogurt (or, really, any yogurt) and instantly have a nutritious and delicious snack.I use plain Greek yogurt, mixed with protein powder, and I add a drizzle…

Photo: Claire LowerPeople are always trying to make bananas be ice cream, and who can blame them. Ice cream really is that bitch. She’s sweet and rich, cold yet comforting, and one of the first things to go when the diet starts. These approximations aren’t bad—the frozen banana “soft serve” that nearly crashed Pinterest is…

Photo: Africa Studio (Shutterstock)I am a decidedly mediocre baker and an even worst decorator. As someone with a near-constant tremor that gets worse whenever I try to do fine, precise work, it’s just not something I’m going to be good at. But my biggest issue with baking and decorating cakes has little to do with…

With a few noticeable exceptions, such as blueberries, blue raspberry candy, and certain cocktails, blue is not a color you want your food to be, especially if you weren’t planning on it. Blue (or turquoise, or green) garlic is particularly startling. Garlic is supposed to be beige, golden brown, or a deep, sticky black, but—much…