Easy

Be sure to pat the snapper fillets dry with paper towels to remove as much moisture as you can before slicing.

Think of this fried rice recipe as a template, not a dictum. If you don’t have beef jerky on hand, use leftover short ribs or spareribs, try some Chinese sausage, or skip the meat altogether. The technique is what is key here, not the specific ingredients.

A knife-and-fork situation, with plenty of crunch and gooey, melty textures going on.

Puffed and pulverized wild rice is the new breadcrumb, coating any meaty white fish you like in a nutty, crispy exterior.

Slicing the scallion greens and chile at an extreme diagonal makes for a pleasing presentation.

We love this shrimp mixture piled inside of Kindred’s house-made rolls, but you can use your favorite brand of split-top buns if baking isn’t your thing.

Feel free to try whatever toppings you’d like; if it goes well with chocolate, it will go well with these.

When you put an egg on eggplant, you get a veg main course.

Store honey in a cool, dark place (like the fridge!) to slow oxidation and make it last a while. Then use it on pretty much everything.

The secret to removing the pin bones from black cod is to wait until after it’s been cooked.

Cutting the cauliflower into florets means the brine will absorb faster.

Don’t pass over slightly bruised or extra-ripe tomatoes for this soup recipe; they’re often the most flavorful and especially good here.

This raw tomato sauce gets texture from zucchini and body from toasted nuts that are blended into the base. You can sub almonds for hazelnuts.

Last night’s steak, whatever it is, will do. Rib eye, porterhouse, flank, and strip are all excellent the next day.

Banish flashbacks of bland zucchini with this crunchy, cheesy, salty, citrusy salad.

Spritzes use mixers and ice, so skip pricey Champagne.

Store infused boozy fruit in a cool, dark place to slow oxidation, kinda like aging your own wine!

Store infused booze in a cool, dark place to slow oxidation, kinda like aging your own wine!

Slightly underripe plums? Add a touch more honey.

If your jam mixture is still runny after the gel test, simmer a few minutes longer and try again. Just be careful: It's possible to overcook jam. If subjected to too much heat, pectin loses its setting power.

In this dill pickle recipe, always trim off stems and ends before pickling veg; enzymes in both can lead to mushy pickles.

Crème de cassis is most well-known as being an ingredient in Kir and Kir Royale cocktails, but if you're feeling brave, try it on its own as an after-dinner drink.

Shrubs also make for fabulous nonalcoholic drinks—just add soda for a tart, gulpable fruit drink.

Our warm-weather drinking philosophy in a nutshell: When in doubt, add bubbles.