Fondue is a semi-liquid sauce dish that typically consists of melted cheese, chocolate or oil where diners will dip bread or other small cut items  into the sauce. Fondue is derived from the French verb, “fondre” which means to melt. Despite fondue’s origin of name, it is actually categorized as a Swiss dish.
Fondue is heated and served in a metal or ceramic bowl with flame underneath to keep the sauce warm and liquid. Common ways to heat a fondue are with a gel flame (like Sterno cans) or tea light candles.
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So you’re not a wine connoisseur but you do enjoy it on occasion, especially the “bubbly.” But as you’re walking down the isle, searching for a good bottle, you notice different words on the label for what appears to look like two similar products (minus the price, of course). One says “champagne” while the other says “sparkling wine.”
Hm. I’m not a rocket scientist but isn’t champagne just wine that’s carbonated?
Pretty much. Champagne is sparkling wine made in a region called, Champagne, France. Dating back from the 1700s, creating sparkling wine …

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A basic ganache is a very sweet and decadent mixture made with heavy cream and chocolate that can be used as a frosting or filling for baked goods and candy.  Butter can be added to produce a glossy shine, while liquers or extracts can be blended in to impart unique flavors.
The process is simple: the chef will bring heavy cream to a boil and will next add in chocolate to make the basic ganache. The ratio between heavy cream and chocolate will determine the …

Brining (the verb) is the act of soaking a food into a water and salt mixture (called brine, the noun). Brines always consist of water and a large amount salt but may also contain seasonings to impart more flavor to the item being brined.
Brining is an old method of preservation (before refrigeration) and pickling. However, today the purpose of brining is more than just for preparation. When brining meats such as chicken or turkey, the result is a tender and juicier, moist bird. Although brining is very popular for poultry …

Caviar (aka fish roe) is fish eggs that have been salted/brined (processed) and run through a sieve to remove impurities. It is considered a delicacy and is typically eaten as a spread or used as an edible garnish. The most popular caviar is the sturgeon (black caviar) and salmon (red caviar). Today, almost all caviar is produced in Russia, Iran and Rumania
Photo Credit star5112. CC BY-SA 2.0

Pancetta is Italian salted, cured pork belly, which is then air dried. It is usually likened to bacon or even referred to as “Italian bacon.” The difference between bacon and pancetta is the process in which they are made (bacon is cured then smoked). Additionally, pancetta is normally seasoned with pepper, fennel, nutmeg, garlic and dried peppers. Pancetta is popularly used in pasta dishes.
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No real wood is contained in chocolate bark (kidding)! However it is very decadent and scrumptious nonetheless. Chocolate bark is simply chocolate with any kind of nuts, candy, fruit etc, embedded within. This is done by melting chocolate, spreading it out, adding the “toppings” then allowing the mixture to solidify. The sheet of chocolate is then cut or broken into pieces. A popular type is peppermint bark.
Image used under Creative Commons from LittleMissCupcakeParis. CC BY-SA 2.0

What is kosher salt anyways and how’s it different from regular salt?
Kosher salt (also known as koshering salt, coarse salt, or rock salt) is named “kosher” not because it is kosher (food prepared according to Jewish dietary law) but because it is used to extract blood from meat, therein making the meat kosher. Kosher salt is a coarse salt (large crystals) that typically does not contain additives like iodine which can be found in regular table salt. The flavor of kosher salt is typically described as more “pure” and stronger …

Gelato (literal Italian translation is “frozen”) is the term for Italian ice cream. The main differences between gelato and regular ice cream are the fat and sugar content. Gelato is made with lower fat and higher sugar content than traditional ice cream. The result is a dense (gelato has less air due to freezing times) and more intense flavor.
Image used under Creative Commons from anne.oeldorfhirsch. CC BY-SA 2.0

My mom used to only buy white eggs but I also know some people who only buy brown eggs. Have you heard anyone state the reason for their preference? Perhaps brown eggs were more healthy, more flavor? Or was that white eggs. Nevermind. I hate to break the news to you die-hard white egg/brown egg only people but…
There is no difference between white and brown eggs other than the egg shell color! The color of the egg produced is purely genetic, depending on the breed of hen — essentially, a …