Ilene Smith

New York

Journalist at The Daily Meal

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Articles

The Old-School Salad Dressing With A Recipe That's Nearly Impossible To Pin Down

6 days ago | yahoo.com | Ilene Smith

Retired pastry chef Helen Fletcher says she and her husband used to buy the dressing by the pint. One woman craved it so much during her pregnancy that she made her husband take her to the hotel that made it once a week for dinner. A local blogger fondly recalls her mother and her "gourmet group" making trips into the city to stock up. Why have people gone to such great lengths to hoard Mayfair salad dressing? It turns out the full recipe for the Caesar-like blend has been somewhat elusive.
How Long Are Potatoes Really Good For?

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Ilene Smith

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. For the most part, potatoes are a pretty hardy vegetable. Farmers like growing them because they essentially act as a perpetual crop that comes back year after year, they withstand cold climates, and are inexpensive to grow. People enjoy them not just because they are delicious, but also because they are nutrient-dense -- packing in vitamin C, potassium, protein, fiber, vitamin B6, and iron -- and are satiating as well as satisfying.
The Fine Dining Etiquette Rule You Should Never Break, No Matter How Hungry You Are

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Ilene Smith

The waiter places a plate of glistening oysters onto the white linen tablecloth. When this happens at your local seafood shack, you don't hesitate. You pick one up by its ridged shells, squeeze a bit of lemon on top, perhaps spoon on a bit of cocktail sauce, and slurp it down, relishing the briny sweet flavor. But, this time, you are in a fine dining restaurant, and you pause, wondering if you are supposed to use one of several forks lined up like soldiers alongside your plate.
The Best Cuisine To Cook To Beat Bobby Flay, According To Data Science

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Ilene Smith

Bobby Flay is probably best known for the Southwestern cuisine served at his first restaurant, Mesa Grill -- "the restaurant that set my career on fire," he said on The Today Show -- but his cooking expertise spans the globe.
The Safest Cooking Method For Ultra Rare Tuna Steaks

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Ilene Smith

Cooking ultra rare tuna steak can be tricky. It needs to be cooked just so — slightly browned on the exterior and beautifully pink in the center — or you'll end up with a dry, gray steak that looks and tastes more like canned tuna than the bright, fresh, tender fish you expected.
Cracker Barrel Sells More Than 11 Million Of This Menu Item Each Year

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Ilene Smith

There are lots of things to love about Cracker Barrel. There's the opportunity to sit on the porch on one of its famous rocking chairs, the ability to buy anything from candy to quilts and household goods to hard candy, and the chance to view the beautiful antiques that adorn the walls. Some may even come for the old soda cracker barrels that gave Cracker Barrel its nostalgic name.
Save Money By Making Your Favorite Iced Mocha At Home With Instant Coffee

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Ilene Smith

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. When temperatures warm up, even some of the most hardened coffee drinkers switch from a hot mug to a refreshing, ice-cold version, even better if it has a hint of chocolate. But, with a mid-sized iced mocha at some chains costing nearly $7, why not make it at home?
5 Fun Fast Food And Wine Pairings You Need To Try At Least Once

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Ilene Smith

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. You come home from the drive thru, open the bag of food you just ordered from your favorite fast food joint, and before unwrapping your burger, tacos, nuggets, or fries, you head to your wine fridge to select a red or a white. If that scenario seems odd to you, it's no surprise. Wine is not something we usually think of drinking with a fast food meal.
The BBQ Rib Competition That Led Sweet Baby Ray's To Fame

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Ilene Smith

If it wasn't for the Mike Royko Ribfest, brothers Dave and Larry Raymond and longtime friend Mike O'Brien — the founders of Sweet Baby Ray's — likely wouldn't have built their successful barbecue sauce business or the two restaurants Dave started with Larry's son, Duce. But, after entering in 1985 with a barbecue sauce recipe Larry created especially for the contest, they turned their second place status into a winning business.
Why So Many Restaurants Are Closed On Mondays

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Ilene Smith

If there's a day of the week that people generally despise, it's Monday. After all, Fats Domino called it "Blue Monday," the Bangles deemed it "Manic Monday," and the Boomtown Rats clearly confessed, "I Don't Like Mondays." The first day of the workweek is so dreaded that there's even a term for how we feel the afternoon and evening before, the Sunday Scaries. But restaurant workers and owners may disagree given that it is often the only night of the week a restaurant is closed.