In the Kitchen: Fun with dehydrators and Asian pears
Like those of us in the Food section, you’re probably still recuperating from Labor Day festivities, be it all the food you sampled at our annual The Taste festival held at the backlot at Paramount Pictures, or one of the many backyard grilling parties marking the unofficial end of summer. Fall is just around the corner, and we’re looking at one of the classic ways to preserve the best of summer, while also keeping an eye on the seasonal produce just showing up at the markets.
We check out “Tokyo Cult Recipes” in our weekly cookbook review, and present some video tips for buying shrimp, along with a great recipe you can fix tonight. And we also we share some of our favorite photos and memories from The Taste, because looking at pretty pictures of food is almost — almost — as fun as eating it.
WHY CHEFS LOVE THE DEHYDRATOR (AND YOU SHOULD, TOO)
Like so many kitchen trends, the dehydrator has its roots in food preservation: slowly drying something, sometimes for days, to make it last long after harvest. The invention of the modern dehydrator, outfitted with switches, racks, temperature controls and other bells and whistles, is the latest darling of many chefs — and this is one restaurant trend you might consider taking home, as you find out how easy it is to use. We share tips and recipes.
ASIAN PEARS ARE IN SEASON. WE HAVE RECIPES
College football is back on television and Asian pears are showing up in farmers markets — both a sure sign that the seasons are shifting. Also called the “apple pear” there are over 100 varieties of Asian pears, and you can find a number of them on your local market stands. Enjoy the flavorful crisp pears out of hand, or check out a few of our favorite recipes from our Recipe Database.
LOVE TOKYO FOOD? YOU’LL WANT THIS BOOK
With over 100 recipes for your favorite foods from Tokyo, “Tokyo Cult Foods,” is author Maori Murota’s project to bring the dishes of her childhood to a larger audience. In addition to all of the recipes, the book includes handy step-by-steps and fascinating detours through the kitchen — and city. A must-have for the Tokyo food fan in your life.
PRO TIPS FOR BUYING SHRIMP, AND A GREAT RECIPE
“Fresh” isn’t always better when it comes to fish, particularly shrimp. In our Test Kitchen video, we share tips for buying shrimp and other shellfish, along with an excellent recipe for Louisiana barbecue shrimp — have some extra bread ready to mop up all the extra sauce.
PHOTOS AND VIDEO FROM THE TASTE FOOD FESTIVAL
This past weekend, we celebrated Los Angeles’ rich and varied culinary scene with The Taste, our annual food celebration held at Paramount Pictures Studios’ backlot. With five events held over three days, the Times’ Food staff, along with many local chefs and restaurants, got together to share our passion with an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 fellow food fans. In case you didn’t make it to all the events, check out our photos and video.
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