A molcajete is a stone mortar and pestle from Mexico. They're great for grinding spices and making salsa and guacamole because they give everything a nice coarse and rustic feel. I've never collected anything, but I think I might start collecting these because each one is decorated differently.

Go vegetable heavy. Reverse the psychology of your plate by making meat the side dish and vegetables the main course.

Cooking is a subject you can never know enough about. There is always something new to discover.

I think New York has the most diverse and best quality representation of so many different cuisines at all levels.

I think cookies are sort of the unsung sweet, you know? They're incredibly popular. But everybody thinks of cakes and pies and fancier desserts before they think cookies. A plate of cookies is a great way to end dinner and really nice to share at the holidays.

An instant-read thermometer is your best bet for making sure that meat and fish are cooked to the proper temperature.

I'd love to visit Thailand just for the street food and the energy of a city like Bangkok.