cooking

Garlic Zoom prevents dreaded garlicky fingers

Dicing garlic is, obviously, not my forte. Otherwise I would have been a chef extraordinaire instead of dishing out literature on Crave Asia.

Not too long ago, I played a tiny role in preparing homemade steamed mussels with garlic and tomato broth. The shellfish dish was cheap, easy to prepare, and delicious, but there was a tiny problem. The garlic left a pungent smell on the fingers. Sure, the condiment's great for flavoring, but the lingering odor negates any after-dinner plans.

Which is why I think the Garlic Zoom is a brilliant kitchen accessory. Pop a peeled clove in … Read more

Craigslist to sheriff: Federal law protects site

Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster has responded to the lawsuit filed this week by the sheriff of Chicago's Cook County against the Web classified publication.

Buckmaster suggested that the suit is a waste of time. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart called Craigslist one of the country's largest sources of prostitution in the complaint he filed in federal court and asked the court to force Craigslist managers to remove their erotic services section.

Buckmaster said in a statement late Friday that Craigslist wrote Dart in 2007 and explained that the law is pretty clear and favors Craigslist.

"As our … Read more

Is Craigslist the world's biggest bordello?

Update 7 p.m. on Friday: Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster issued a statement. You can read the story here.

Catherine is a 35-year-old sex worker in San Francisco who relies on Craigslist to reduce the physical risks often faced by a woman in her line of work.

"Craigslist is important to helping us avoid violence," says the woman, who is originally from Europe. "Craigslist is a way to filter out that kind of person...and with Craigslist there is no need for pimps."

For people in her trade, she adds in a thick accent, "Craigslist … Read more

The Craigslist prostitution prosecution seems kinky

It seems like a case of biting the hand that feeds you and then pinches you in that little place you've never told your wife about.

Today's announcement that Illinois' Cook County Sheriff is suing Craigslist for being the largest source of prostitution in America, seems extremely odd.

I just called a couple of people who know about these things and they tell me that one of the easiest ways for police to round up a few workers of the Paid Sex Sorority is to wander along to Craigslist and take down some of the advertisers' particulars.

So … Read more

Cook County: Craigslist's 'erotic' section must go

Updated at 1:55 p.m. PST to include quotes from Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, who was interviewed by CNET News.

Updated at 12:13 p.m. PST to include demands made in civil complaint filed by Cook County sheriff.

Updated at 12:13 p.m. PST to include comments from Craigslist.

The sheriff of Illinois' Cook County, which includes Chicago, filed suit in federal court Thursday against Craigslist, alleging that the Web's largest classifieds publication is "facilitating prostitution."

Sheriff Tom Dart has asked the court to force Craigslist to remove the Web publication's erotic … Read more

Keep the home fires burning with cooking irons

Nothing beats sitting by a nice, warm fire when it's cold outside. That is, nothing except sitting by a nice, warm fire while cooking food. We have our grills for outside use, but options are limited for harnessing flames indoors. Luckily, the common fireplace can easily be used for cooking up some goodness. All you need are the right tools.

The Fireside Cooking Irons are perfect for stoking the comfortable flames associated with food and fire. The irons are constructed from heavy cast iron and feature stay-cool wooden handles. Simply place your food in the iron and nestle it … Read more

Apple shareholder meeting, sans Jobs, dull affair

CUPERTINO, Calif.--Apple's first annual shareholder meeting in more than 10 years without founder and CEO Steve Jobs was largely uneventful, as COO Tim Cook and board members stepped in to handle questions regarding Apple's disclosure of Jobs' health.

Five shareholder proposals were considered, and only the one approving the re-election of Apple's eight existing board members was approved in preliminary voting. As in past years, the informal question-and-answer section was by far more interesting, although without Jobs' usual acerbic replies to institutional shareholders on soapboxes, a little duller.

For the record, Apple shareholders rejected proposals that … Read more

Keep juicy roasts juicy by keeping the juice

Cutting boards are an essential item in any kitchen. There is no denying any cook needs a good place to safely cut meats and vegetables. Anybody who is doing any amount of cooking will have to be doing some cutting too. Cooking and cutting simply go hand in hand. The problem is not only finding the perfect spot to set up your prep station, but finding the perfect cutting board too. I know when I prep foods, often more than what should ends up on the floor. When it comes time to carve things that are a bit trickier, say … Read more

Apple's Jobs to skip annual shareholder meeting

Apple has confirmed that CEO Steve Jobs will miss Wednesday's annual shareholder meeting for the first time since he returned in 1997 to the company he co-founded, Bloomberg has reported.

Jobs is currently on a medical leave of absence until the end of June to deal with unspecified health issues that have caused him to lose a significant amount of weight over the last year, so his absence is not a total surprise.

Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook is running the show in Jobs' absence and will likely serve as master of ceremonies for the meeting Wednesday morning at … Read more

Kitchen scale takes the heat

It's always nice to find an appliance that merges one necessity with the other. It saves time, effort, and money when you can use one thing to do multiple tasks. Learning how to cook can be a daunting challenge, but with the proper tools and accessories, anyone can cook. Having the capability to properly weigh foods and monitor temperatures goes a long way in the kitchen. As cooks experiment with kitchen tools, eventually they find some items that are indispensable. Many would be lost without the aid of a kitchen scale and a thermometer.

The Breville ikon Kitchen Scale … Read more