The Best Ways to Reuse Your Old Kitchen Tools
When it comes to kitchen tools and other household items that are past their prime, people typically fall into one of two camps: Those who throw something away as soon…
You Need to Know Where You Fall on the Happy-Productive Worker Scale
The commonly-held belief is that there’s a correlation between your happiness at work and your productivity. And while this assertion has been borne out in decades of research studies focusing…
Set These Boundaries With an Overly Affectionate Child
My youngest son tells me and his mother he loves us—a lot. Then he expects a hug after his verbal declaration of affection. Should we forget to embrace him, he…
Whether Money Can Buy Happiness, Once and For All
The claim that “money doesn’t buy happiness” has always been contested, and for good reason: If you don’t have the money to meet your basic needs, then it’s lack will…
Three Ways to Make Your Instant Pot Dishes More Flavorful
As you have probably heard, Instant Pot—or the company that owns Instant Pot, rather—has declared bankruptcy amid declining sales. I don’t have a head for business, but my gut reaction…
Here’s How Much Money You Save by Installing a Clothesline
Clotheslines have recently undergone a renaissance. Once considered gauche, line drying has benefited from country-chic marketing and support from environmentalists. But while it’s not all white sheets softly blowing in…
You Should Pick and Pickle Green Strawberries
I hate picking strawberries. I love the berries themselves, and I romanticize picking them every year until I’m there, crouched on the ground, reminded of my age and proclivity for…
How to Get Back Into Your Favorite Childhood Hobby
The word “hobby” has a lot of unfair connotations. When someone describes an activity as a hobby, they’re implying that it’s not serious, or it’s not “professional” work. But many…
Charbroil Buttery, Garlicky Oysters Over Your Charcoal Chimney
Oysters are like grapes: The best ones come from rough homes. A grape from a warm, comfortable climate is fat and happy but watery and bland, and I’ve found the…
The Difference Between Wet Brines, Dry Brines, and Marinades (and How to Use Them)
In this week’s installation of The Grown-Up Kitchen, we’re diving into the open waters of seasoning meat. Whether you’re firing up the grill for the first time this year (or…