Cook's Country December 2022/January 2023

MY IMAGINATION BEGAN filling in the contours of Emily Meggett’s life story the minute I heard the rumors about a legendary South Carolina cook and her phenomenal red rice recipe 30 years ago. African American woman. Descendant of the Gullah Geechees, a proud people who protect their cultural traditions from outsiders seeking to exploit their ancestral ways. Beloved by her community. Probably follows an old “receipt” passed down orally through her family. If she does record the formulas, they are probably simple lists of ingredients with a few lines of instruction, written in neat cursive on yellowing index cards or odd-size pieces of paper. No one beyond the island’s borders knows her name, at least no one that I know. Fast-forward to 2020. I thought I’d died and gone to…

MY IMAGINATION BEGAN filling in the contours of Emily Meggett’s life story the minute I heard the rumors about a legendary South Carolina cook and her phenomenal red rice recipe 30 years ago. African American woman. Descendant of the Gullah Geechees, a proud people who protect their cultural traditions from outsiders seeking to exploit their ancestral ways. Beloved by her community. Probably follows an old “receipt” passed down orally through her family. If she does record the formulas, they are probably simple lists of ingredients with a few lines of instruction, written in neat cursive on yellowing index cards or odd-size pieces of paper. No one beyond the island’s borders knows her name, at least no one that I know. Fast-forward to 2020. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when…

America’s Test Kitchen has been teaching home cooks how to be successful in the kitchen since 1993. Our mission is to empower and inspire confidence, community, and creativity in the kitchen. Millions watch our two shows on public television; read our two flagship magazines (Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated); and rely on our books, websites, videos, podcasts, and educational products for children. America’s Test Kitchen is located in a state-of-the-art Boston facility with 15,000 square feet of test kitchen and studio space. Learn more at AmericasTestKitchen.com. FIND THE ROOSTER! We’ve hidden a tiny version of the rooster above in a photo in the pages of this issue. Tell us where the rooster is hiding, and we’ll enter you in a random drawing. The first correct entry drawn will win a…

HOW TO BUILD A CHEESE BOARD Hosting a gathering this holiday season? A cheese board is just what your party needs. Here are some tips for making a well-balanced cheese board from Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings (2022) by our colleague Elle Simone Scott. The book offers much more than cheese boards—it will open your mind to what a “food board” can be. The way you slice cheese impacts the flavor and texture. Cut wheels of soft cheese into single-serving wedges. For larger precut wedges of soft cheese, cut slices that angle out from the tip of the wedge (like slicing a piece of pie into slivers). For semisoft and hard wedges, make parallel slices through the rind. For large firm and semifirm cheeses, cut slices across the width…

America’s Test Kitchen has been teaching home cooks how to be successful in the kitchen since 1993. Our mission is to empower and inspire confidence, community, and creativity in the kitchen. Millions watch our two shows on public television; read our two flagship magazines (Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated); and rely on our books, websites, videos, podcasts, and educational products for children. America’s Test Kitchen is located in a state-of-the-art Boston facility with 15,000 square feet of test kitchen and studio space. Learn more at AmericasTestKitchen.com. FIND THE ROOSTER! We’ve hidden a tiny version of the rooster above in a photo in the pages of this issue. Tell us where the rooster is hiding, and we’ll enter you in a random drawing. The first correct entry drawn will win a one-year multisite…

HOW TO BUILD A CHEESE BOARD Hosting a gathering this holiday season? A cheese board is just what your party needs. Here are some tips for making a well-balanced cheese board from Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings (2022) by our colleague Elle Simone Scott. The book offers much more than cheese boards—it will open your mind to what a “food board” can be. The way you slice cheese impacts the flavor and texture. Cut wheels of soft cheese into single-serving wedges. For larger precut wedges of soft cheese, cut slices that angle out from the tip of the wedge (like slicing a piece of pie into slivers). For semisoft and hard wedges, make parallel slices through the rind. For large firm and semifirm cheeses, cut slices across the width of the…