Culinary Know-How

A Cast Iron Cooking for Beginners (a basic FAQ)

August 9, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 3 Comments

Cast-iron cooking is making a roaring comeback to kitchens everywhere. Learn how to season, cook, and care for cast iron cookware in this beginner’s crash course.

WHY SHOULD I COOK WITH CAST IRON?

Cast iron cooking is by no means a new phenomenon. It’s a centuries-old practice dating back to the 1700s. Vintage cast iron skillets await a new season of cookery while more and more people grow disenchanted with non-stick pans. Have you ever heard of perfluorooctanoic acid before? It belongs to a carcinogenic family of chemicals called PFAS (that stands for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances), and it puts the non in non-stick pan. The FDA just published their findings on PFAS, which you can read here. I also enjoyed this article summing up the FDA’s report.

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11 Frugal Kitchen Rules to Waste Less & Save More

August 6, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 17 Comments

Frugal kitchen rules for wasting less and saving more. Learn how to maximize what you have and create less kitchen waste with these 11 simple rules. Are you up to the challenge?

HOW TO BE MORE FRUGAL IN THE KITCHEN

I’ve heard it said more than once at work, “Sylvia, you’re so frugal, teach me your ways!”. This always baffles me because the only thing I’m doing at the office is bringing my own lunch. While I enjoy eating out as much as the next person, I also like putting my money towards things I care about, like books and gardening. It’s the same thing in my kitchen.

I enjoy challenging myself to stretch my groceries so that I can afford to spend more on local produce and building my vegetable garden. Not only am I saving money with my frugal kitchen, but I’m also reducing plastic waste in the process.

There’s so much I could have learned from my grandparents when it comes to running a frugal kitchen–there’s nothing like wartime rationing to teach you how to stretch the food you have. These are some of the tips I’ve come up with on my own.

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Broth from Scratch with Scraps

July 30, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 5 Comments

Who said making broth from scratch had to be complicated? Save your hard earned money and learn how to make something from nothing.

make your own broth from scratch with kitchen scraps

WHY SHOULD I MAKE MY OWN BROTH FROM SCRATCH?

I get it. We all have busy lives. Who has time to make their own broth when you can pick up a carton for three or four bucks? If you pay anything less than that, I promise you it’s not a steal. Take a good look at the label the next time you want to put it in your shopping cart and tell me what you see. It’s going to be packed with sodium!

HOW TO MAKE STOCK WITH FOOD SCRAPS VIDEO

If this is your first time visiting the kitchen, you’re about to find out why I call my kitchen vintage… If you like my style, please consider subscribing to the Vintage Kitchen Vixen YouTube channel!

This article may contain affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to purchase something after clicking on one of the links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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How to Grow Your Own Sprouts at Home

June 21, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 1 Comment

Growing your own sprouts at home is a reward all on its own. Learn everything you need to know about sprouting these nutrient-rich shoots right on your kitchen counter!

Believe it or not, sprouts used to be a treat for me.

I grew up in a small town, so finding alfalfa sprouts in the local grocery stores wasn’t an easy task.

I always appreciated them when my mom was able to get her hands on a little plastic container, but I never really gave them much thought.

When I was living near Montreal’s Jean-Talon Market (a magical place) sprouts became a regular thing, but I wish I had known then just how simple it really is to grow your own…

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