Best Tricks From Melissa Clarke’s Kitchen Tour
The NYT Cooking Tour ofMelissa Clark ‘s Cuisine is a fun and warm ride. Clarke’s spice boxes are a real miracle, as are her impressive salt collection, her oversized jar of homemade vanilla extract, and her two (2) spezle makers. But video is not just 11 minutes and 14 seconds “look at my stuff!” Clarke also treats the film crew and has two very nice kitchen receptions.
The first is simple: keep a paper bag in the bread crate on your heels. This, friends, is your crumb bag. Clarke demonstrates how to use the bag by taking the “great heel” from her husband’s loaf of bread, cutting it into small pieces, placing them in the bag, then placing the bag in the drawer and letting them dry. When the bag is full, she tosses the chunks into the food processor to make fancy homemade bread crumbs. Elegant.
Then there are the chopping boards. As Clarke explains, only three of her cutting boards can be used for garlic and onions. At first I thought it was a little expensive, but considering how the smell of both bows pervades everything they come into contact with, I changed my mind. It is not expensive; this is genius. Tasting or even sniffing garlic while you’re trying to enjoy a bite of fresh fruit is not a good thing, and having at least one cutting board designed for more odorous foods can protect you and your family from such an experience.
Finally, there is an appetizer – perfectly made anchovy toast with butter, tomatoes and more from the bread her husband made. She also explains how to choose the perfect anchovies for toast, which is instructive. (I had no idea that there are so many different species!) Watch the video, here’s what I’m talking about. You will learn a lot about anchovies.
Inside Melissa Clarke’s home kitchen | NYT Cooking