Stir fried food is healthy and awesome, but people sometimes sweat the technique. It’s sort of ironic because this ancient method of tossing some veggies or protein in a hot pan was practically invented for simple, quick cooking. With these three basics in mind, a perfect stir fry is a very do-able thing.

The perfect pan-sear can seem elusive; that caramelized, crisp-brown texture can be hard to repeat without the right know-how. A great sear is not black, definitely not gray, but a deep, rich brown color. The meat releases from the pan (even a non-non-stick pan – is that a word?) easily and naturally, and gets a lot of really great flavor and texture from the heat. Here’s how to do it right every time.

Making a reasonably good crepe at home is not only possible, it’s not even all that difficult. You’ll just need a skillet with shallow sides, basic ingredients, and some patience when you inevitably screw them up once in a while.

When we came back from the farmer’s market a few days ago with a box of the reddest, ripest strawberries we had seen for months, I knew crepes were going on the menu. I also thought it would be a good opportunity to post about how to make your own crepes at home.

Your knife will be your closest co-worker as a cook. Treat it with care and respect, and it will serve you well. Treat it badly, and it will turn on you.

I believe it was Anthony Bourdain who gave that comforting and gentle advice to new cooks; “If you are incapable of demonstrating pride in your tools, you are incapable as well of making food you can be proud of.” And that, when you do cut your finger wide open with a dull knife that has slipped, you will richly deserve it.

Warning!  This post contains material that may be harmful to the gluten-free.

Bread.  It’s the chewy, crusty, essence of life – an ancient and timeless staple.  When we make bread, it puts some part of us in touch with those countless generations that came before us. After all, entire civilizations have been fed by and built upon bread.

What I like about this bread recipe is the simple, rustic preparation.  It just feels, smells and tastes so natural.  It’s also easy and satisfying to make, requiring just a cast-iron pot, a few basic ingredients, and an oven.

Garlic is such a widely-used ingredient.  It’s present in almost every cuisine around the world.  And, in my opinion, it’s just like butter; the more garlic in a dish, the better.  Simmering garlic in oil like this makes it so tender and ready for use in many dishes, especially Bistro-style, that call for confit.  You not only get tender, flavorful cooked garlic for use later on, but you also get wonderful garlic-infused oil to use on breads, etc.

Cooking with wine is one of the most basic kitchen skills and one that I personally enjoy a lot.  There is something just so right about pouring a shot of wine into a hot pan or smelling a red wine stew bubble for hours.  Wine can do some pretty amazing things to a dish, and is responsible for many of your favorite meals.  It can turn a tough piece of meat into a tender roast or brown, dried up bits into a delicious pan sauce.  Cooking with wine the right way is basically food magic.