by Buck Reed Good People Cook One thing every American can agree on is that we don’t all agree. As for me, I am more concerned with whether you are a good person or not. In my opinion, an excellent way to tell if you are a good person is this question: “Do you cook?”…

In the Beginning by Buck Reed My writing career started at Culinary School when I submitted articles to the school newspaper, and, much to my surprise, they actually got published. Eventually, I was made editor, mostly because nobody wanted to do it. My spelling and grammar left a lot to be desired, but I did…

by Buck ReedChips on Sandwiches In almost every measure, our society is at the top of the world. Okay, let’s leave politics and nuclear superiority out of this; instead, let’s look at the grocery store, where we can find a whole aisle—and sometimes more—loaded with the widest variety of chips ever. I doubt anyone in…

by Buck Reed The Heart of a Cook I originally wanted to write about the life of a chef, but I got too depressed and had to scrap it. Instead, we can hopefully find inspiration in what drives a cook. It doesn’t really matter if you are a professional cook in a kitchen brigade, a…

by Buck Reed Vegetables You Are Not Eating But Should Be As summer is firmly here, it is time to explore the farmers markets and the produce aisle of your local supermarket. Really look this time, though. It’s easy to just grab the vegetables that you know and are familar with, along with a bunch…

by Buck Reed The Art & Science of Picnicking So, summer is here. This is a time when a person’s attention might turn to picnicking. Nothing piques someone’s interest quite like packing some carefully planned foods into a basket and traveling to a not-too-crowded park or riverbank. From there, a nice meal Alfresco can be…

by Buck Reed Cooking Fish It’s Good For You After being assured that we made it to another spring with summer around the corner, it’s time to revisit the cooking that will be favorable to this time of year. I like fish. Not only does it taste great this time of year, but it can…

by Buck Reed .André Soltner,the Greatest Chef You Never Heard Of André Soltner died in January. I only met him once when my class at the Culinary Institute of America visited his restaurant in New York City, Lutèce. He came out and talked to us for a bit before we ate, and he gave us…

by Buck Reed . New Year’s Resolution in the Kitchen A new year means a new beginning for some of us. The rest of us tend to meander along doing the same thing we did last year. How many times have we made resolutions that have us bettering ourselves or promising ourselves to try new…

by Buck Reed Working the Dining A Cruise Ship Tale Going on a cruise ship can be a mixed bag of experiences. On one hand, you have a multitude of service personnel who are dedicated to you having a wonderful vacation, one that is not only memorable but also safe. On the other hand, you…

by Buck Reed Cobblers, Crisps, and Buckles This is one of those desserts that can be a game changer for your holiday feast, but you need to do a bit of planning and execution to pull it off. Make a splash this holiday season, and create your own cobbler, crisp, or buckle. It may not…

by Buck Reed The Snackle Box (Patent Pending!) Is your lunch bag getting a bit boring? Or is lunch in a sit-down restaurant getting too expensive? Let’s face it, even fast food is putting a dent in our wallets! So, why not give a Snackle Box (Patent Pending) a chance? Put a little variety and…

by Buck Reed Mead Maker . “When Odin drank of the song-mead he composed poems which for sweetness and grandeur have never been surpassed. He was the first poet and knew well the magic of the mead. For the source of it was secret, and was discovered only by Ivalde, the watchman of the primeval…

by Buck ReedThe word “mycology” refers to the study of fungi, which is another word for mushrooms. You don’t really need to study mushrooms to appreciate them or enjoy what they bring to the culinary world. But in case you need to know, or are ever on Jeopardy and the category comes up, below are…

by Buck Reed Old Bay…It’s a Maryland Thang, Hon Maryland and, more importantly, the Chesapeake Bay has firmly established itself as a kingdom of seafood. We are known for our oysters, shrimp, and, of course, our Maryland crabs. And, what real Marylander doesn’t know that crabs are firmly linked to Old Bay seasoning? I would…

by Buck Reed Food Rants. PERIOD.F Okay, I have been writing this article for a while now, and I normally am a pretty happy-go-lucky kind of guy. For well over six years, I have been sharing my thoughts on a variety of food topics without any malice or thought toward any specific subject and usually…