Cooking with Geeks

The Caffeine Database

Want to know how much caffeine is in a Starbucks Short Caffe Americano? How about a Snapple Lemonade Iced Tea? Here's a master list.

Smirnoff Fire - A Mini Review

According to their web site, Smirnoff Fire is so hot it's cool. Can anyone tell me what that means?

How to sharpen a knife

While my preferred method involves an actual knife-sharpening device, here's a page with a great tutorial on how to do it with a sharpening stone, a sidewalk, a piece of glass, some sandpaper and your leg.

Snacksby - A recipe site that works with you

"Tell us what's in your pantry and we'll tell you what you can make."

So says the form at the top of Snacksby, a site that proclaims to give you cooking options based on what you have on hand. Nice design, easy to read, easy to use, tags, I declare it geek-worthy!

Wine Recommendation: Wyndham Hill Bin 555 Shiraz

I had some of this a couple of weeks ago at a friends, and unfortunately because I was driving I had to limit myself to one glass. But I quickly grabbed myself a bottle for my next stay-at-home occasion (ok, who am I kidding, I drank it all in front of the computer on a Saturday night). Awesome. Smooth, no bite, it's my new favorite red.

Frickin' Awesome Pork Tenderloin Marinade

3 Tbsp dijon mustard

2 Tbsp liquid honey

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 clove garlic minced

Good for 2 pork tenderloins, 375 g each.

Coffee Makes You More Open-Minded

According to a new study, "The coffee you drink as a pick-me-up in the morning could also make you more open to persuasion". Apparently caffeine doesn't only improve attention and enhance cognitive performance. Coffee drinkers are also more likely to be persuaded to change their point of view.

The Ultimate Cooking Book for Geeks

I picked this book up a short while ago: On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, by Harold McGee. In one word? Awesome.

From dairy products to herbs, this 800+ page book will likely answer any question you can possibly ask in the kitchen.

Available at Amazon.com, or click below to read my full review.

Kitchen Myths

Searing meat seals in juices. Cold water boils faster than warm water. Don't salt meat before cooking. Right? Wrong! This site exposes some of the most well-known kitchen myths, backed up by credible research.