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Navy Beans Vs Great Northern Beans: What's The Difference?

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By Annie Epstein•Aug. 4, 2024 9:45 am EST


Staring down bags and cans of white-ish, small-ish beans at the grocery store can be intimidating. You may wonder what the difference is between popular options like navy and great northern beans. After all, they look similar, and you can use both of them interchangeably to make polenta with white beans and spinach.

As you may have guessed, the answe...
Food Republic •

Pro Tips For Cooking Lobster And Shrimp On The Grill

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By Annie Epstein•Aug. 3, 2024 9:45 am EST


Don't be scared, throw some shrimp — and lobster — on the barbie. The aromatic smoke and a hint of bittersweet char will highlight the sweetness of the succulent meat. The high heat may be intimidating for some cooks preparing the delicacies, but that's no reason to avoid grilling. The shellfish is easier to prepare than you think, especially when you heed the...
Food Republic •

What Does It Mean To Order A Well Drink?

Chances are, if you've been to a dive bar or spent time with drinkers on a budget, you've come across the phrase "well drink." Although bartenders and more knowledgeable customers throw the order around, it's more than possible you never quite figured out what it means. There's no time like the present, as this insight can help you navigate your next happy hour — where well drinks are often offered at a discount — with ease.
Well drinks, to put it simply, are made with more affordable liquor bot...
Food Republic •

How Is Decanting Different With Whiskey Vs Wine?

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By Annie Epstein•July 30, 2024 8:15 pm EST


For those who are new to the term, decanting means pouring a liquid from one container to another. In many cases, aficionados decant wine or whiskey by tipping their bottles into a glass or crystal vessel of their choice.

The point of this practice can vary depending on the alcohol. Doing so can encourage oxidation, which impacts the aromas o...
Food Republic •

The Best Frosting For An Ice Cream Cake Isn't Whipped Cream

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By Annie Epstein•July 30, 2024 7:15 am EST


If you're a seasoned ice cream cake maker, you may already have heavy whipping cream waiting in your fridge for your next project. A straightforward whipped cream frosting is a classic choice, and might do a beautiful job replicating your favorite store-bought ice cream cake. However, if you're preparing your dessert for a long stint in the freezer, we u...
Food Republic •

Cornbread Is The Unexpected Base For The Ultimate Ice Cream Sandwich

The best corn cobs are so sugary, they almost beg for a spot in your dessert lineup. Their intriguingly fresh, vegetal taste toes the line between sweet and savory. It's no surprise, then, that we can't stop thinking about criminally underrated foods like sweet corn ice cream. The fresh vegetable already has our vote when it comes to frozen desserts, so why not embrace the sunny yellow ingredient in other applications? Consider using cornbread as the foundation for an ice cream sandwich (corn-fl...
Food Republic •

The Right Way To Hold A Stemless Wine Glass

When you request a glass of wine at an open bar, a trendy new restaurant, or a friend's backyard gathering, there's a high chance someone will hand you a stemless glass full of your grape of choice. There's nothing wrong with that — the pared-down wine glasses are pleasantly casual, there are no stems to break, and they take up less storage space. However, for all their charms, the glassware's shape can instill panic among drinkers when they contemplate holding the chalices without warming up th...
Food Republic •

What Does It Mean To Order A Drink 'Down'?

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By Annie Epstein•July 27, 2024 7:15 pm EST

Learning how to order with confidence at a bar is a rite of passage for many. Yet somehow, no matter how much you study or how frequently you chat with your bartender, there's always more to discover. One word to add to your lexicon is "down." 

If you're wondering if this term relates to ordering a drink "up," you'd be on the right track. Despite sounding like o...
Food Republic •

The Canned Ingredient You Should Add To Fried Eggs

Fried eggs have a satisfying richness that feels like the result of hours of cooking, rather than mere minutes. They taste even better — their browned edges sweeter, and their yolky centers even more luxurious — when paired with a sweet, umami-rich ingredient, particularly one that might otherwise go to waste. We're talking about canned tomato paste, a powerhouse pantry item that we usually have on hand and rarely finish in one cook.
To put it to work, use olive oil rather than butter for crispy...
Food Republic •

Are You Using Your Citrus Reamer Wrong?

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By Annie Epstein•July 26, 2024 10:15 am EST

There's a question dividing households and causing ongoing fights between partners. No, this debate has nothing to do with politics or career choices. This is a quandary that pops up each time you take out your citrus squeezer, juicer, or reamer: What's the right way to use this gadget? It's about time you had a definitive explanation to share with your lo...
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The Country That Produces The Most Potatoes

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By Annie Epstein•July 24, 2024 1:15 pm EST

Looking at cuisines around the world, you might assume that potato-loving countries like Russia or the United States are neck-and-neck when it comes to production. After all, spuds account for a $100.9 billion industry in the U.S. (per the National Potato Council), and mashed potatoes are practically our national side dish come Thanksgiving. Or m...
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The Plastic Fruit Cup Hack That Makes Meal-Prepping More Convenient

After finishing the last bites of a cup of mandarin oranges or peaches, you probably put the plastic container in the recycling bin and move on with the day. But what if we told you that you're missing out on a surprisingly simple meal prep hack? You can hold on to and repurpose your fruit cups to store chips, pretzels, crackers, popcorn, and so much more.
The opening at the top of your plastic container is roughly the same width as the opening of a wide-mouth mason jar, which means the two can...
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What Is Sweet And Sour Mix Made Of?

If you've ever walked by an electric yellow bottle of sweet and sour mix at the liquor store, you may have wondered what's in there, exactly. These premade cocktail bases are a common addition to margaritas and drinks with "sour" in the name — or, at least, they were. Sweet and sour mix had its heyday in the latter half of the 20th century, from roughly the '70s to the '90s, but you still have your pick of a wide variety of brands today, and ingredients vary a lot from bottle to bottle.
The most...
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Canned Tuna Is A Must-Have For A Flavorful Pasta Salad

It's time to allow pasta and tuna salad to combine forces to create the ultimate pantry staple, budget-friendly lunch. The seafood offers a creamy contrast to the chewy noodles, adds a welcome savoriness, and both tuna and pasta salads are endlessly adaptable, so a combo allows you to have even more fun with channeling cuisines from around the world. Plus, a 4-ounce serving of canned tuna in water offers 24 grams of protein, nudging this classic picnic side into "filling main dish" territory.
Wh...
Food Republic •

The Best Cocktail To Pair With Vodka Sauce

When biting into a plate full of spaghetti with vodka sauce, you ideally get a mouthful of creamy, sweet, and acidic pasta. In part, that's thanks to the alcohol, which can draw out fruity aromas and even add a hint of heat to the meal. You may wonder, then, with a vodka-heavy sauce, if your best bet is to use the same alcohol in an accompanying cocktail.
Since the meal features robust ripe tomatoes, you may also be tempted to pour a bold red wine. Based on the advice of Nathan Grunow, Wine Dire...
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Start Grilling Pickles This Summer For Incredible Smoky Notes

It's amazing how a few minutes on the grill can transform even the most familiar foods into something new. We're used to applying smoky magic to our proteins and produce, but there's another cookout-friendly food that could use a touch of heat. Pickles, when given a caramelizing char, taste smoky but don't lose the nuanced flavors of their brine.
There are tons of approaches to making them at home. You can either grill cucumbers before you move on to making a quick pickle, or place fermented spe...
Food Republic •

The International McFlurry Flavor That Is Making A Jump To US Stores

The wait is over, America! McDonald's popular international treat, the Kit Kat McFlurry, is hitting stores nationwide starting July 10. The U.S. version does the dessert one better though, adding in the flavors of a tried and true ice cream shop staple. Called the Kit Kat Banana Split McFlurry, the new launch features the company's beloved soft serve blended together with real banana, crunchy strawberry-flavored clusters, and Kit Kat bits. And, of course, it's thick enough to eat by the spoonful...
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Store-Bought Pie Crust Is The Gateway To Easy Homemade Pop-Tarts

Breakfasters of all ages can find a certain joy in ripping open a silver package of Pop-Tarts. For some, it's nostalgia, and for others, it's the delightful start of a sweet meal. As eaters get older, though, they begin to ask an enduring question: Why doesn't the frosting cover the entire pastry?
We can't settle this ongoing dispute, but we can suggest the next best thing. Make your own Pop-Tarts with little effort and a handful of store-bought ingredients. The DIY breakfast is as easy as buyin...
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The One Ingredient Ree Drummond Adds To Upgrade Store-Bought Saltines

Saltines are the white sneakers of the food world: They're simple, versatile, and go with pretty much anything. These salted, crispy bites have a retro feel — in part because commercial production of the crackers dates back to the 1800s — but they remain a favorite in modern households. No matter how much you like them plain, though, you might find that The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond's elevated saltine recipe is even better.
Drummond knows how to transform these soup or salad buddies into a zing...
Food Republic •

The Important Tip That Could Make Or Break Your Grilled Pineapple

Grilled pineapple is sweet, tender, and a touch smoky. Or, at least, it should be. The best version of the charred fruit heightens its natural caramel notes and sugars, but only when it's prepared the right way.
The secret is not in the way you chop pineapple or its marinade, but in the fruit itself. For the best possible grilled pineapple, you need to use the freshest, ripest produce possible. If it tastes delicious when you slice into it, it'll taste even better after a brush with some flames....
Food Republic •

The Best Whiskey Cocktail To Sip Alongside Barbecue

Whiskey, smoke, and an open yard sound like the start of a country song, but you don't have to be a cowboy to appreciate the combo of strong brown liquor with backyard barbecue. While it may be classic to pair beer with barbecued ribs and brisket, a more robust and aromatic spirit better complements the char of the grill. All sorts of whiskeys, from blended to bourbon to rye, offer notes of smoke, caramel, pepper, and warm spices, which can open up your palate to the deep flavors of spice rubs a...
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