CHOW Tips

Anita Lo, chef/co-owner of Bar Q and Annisa, is known not only for beating Mario Batali in Iron Chef, but also for her amazing mastery of pan-fried proteins. She shares her most important tip: Make sure the oil is hot.

CHOW Food Editor Aïda Mollenkamp moves cakes from place to place using a cardboard box and a drawer liner.

Laura Werlin, author of Laura Werlin's Cheese Essentials and noted cheese expert, shares her take on the question of the rind. Our first CHOW Tip on this topic was hotly debated on Chowhound, so we look forward to hearing thoughts on this one.

Far West Fungi manager Ian Garrone says that you want a firm stem and cap, as well as a pink gill structure on the underside of the portobello. And he always warns people not to overmarinate: Portobellos may be the hamburger replacement, but they're not as durable as meat.

Far West Fungi manager Ian Garrone describes what you should be looking for when buying a truffle.

Far West Fungi manager Ian Garrone describes what you should be looking for when buying a shiitake mushroom. Just what are those white spots on the top of the cap?

Anita Lo, chef/co-owner of Bar Q and Annisa, is known not only for beating Mario Batali in Iron Chef, but also for her amazing mastery of pan-fried proteins. Don't salt too early, she warns here.

Far West Fungi manager Ian Garrone warns people not to sample raw mushrooms in a grocery store. Stores don't like it, plus mushrooms are far better cooked.

Far West Fungi manager Ian Garrone suggests a simple sauté to preserve mushrooms.

Far West Fungi manager Ian Garrone uses sexy adjectives when describing oyster mushrooms: delicate, firm, and velvety. Here, he shows how to extend their shelf life.

Willie Benedetti of Willie Bird Turkeys was born into a turkey-raising family, and has been cooking and carving turkeys all of his life. His free-range birds get a thorough endorsement from Chowhounds. Before you carve your turkey, Willie recommends that you let it rest and don't forget to remove the stuffing.

Chowhound fayehess, also known as Faye Delicious of Blip.tv, puts whole cloves and heads of garlic into her sauté pan to extract the flavor.

Samuel Merritt of Civilization of Beer demonstrates a way to get effervescent hefeweizen (say that three times fast) from bottle to glass with no foaming over.

The cheesemonger and owner of the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills helps us face our fears.

Ian Garrone, manager of Far West Fungi, recommends trying the lobster mushroom, which is actually one fungus on top of another. Oh, and lobster mushrooms are a pain to clean.