Maki Yazawa

Los Angeles, Miami

Staff Kitchen Writer at Wirecutter

Articles

I Went to War With Fungus Gnats. This Is the Secret Weapon That Helped Me Win.

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Maki Yazawa

When a flying bug comes my way, rational thought goes out the window. With high-pitched squeals and eyes shut, I’ll bat the air, hoping to hit a line drive with the helpless creature. But more often than not, it’s a swing and a miss. So you can imagine my horror when my indoor plants became infested with hundreds, if not thousands, of fungus gnats in the summer of 2020. My batting average was as low as my mental state as I unsuccessfully feuded against a swarm of tiny flies for weeks.
Know Your Charcoal Types Before You Start Grilling This Summer

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Maki Yazawa

Barbecuing can be polarizing. Some may say it’s sacrilegious to put barbecue sauce on brisket. Others may tell you that the type of wood you use to smoke meat doesn’t matter (unless you’re talking about mesquite). In South Carolina, a pulled-pork sandwich isn’t complete without a slather of mustard-based barbecue sauce.
Your Grilled Veggies Deserve Better. You Just Need the Right Tools.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Maki Yazawa

When it’s boiled, an ear of corn is mildly sweet and tender. But frankly, if you don’t add a pat of butter and a sprinkle of salt, it can also be pretty darn bland. Yet when corn is grilled, it’s the hottest commodity at a cookout. That’s because grilling at high temperatures initiates the Maillard reaction, which transforms previously pale, insipid kernels into toasty, smoky, caramelized delights with enough flavor and depth to be served plain — no butter or salt required.
Wire Grill Brushes Might Leave Behind Errant Bristles. Here’s What You Can Use Instead.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Maki Yazawa |Caroline Mullen

Wire grill brushes are tried-and-true workhorses for cleaning your grates. But they might come with a caveat: If precautions aren’t taken, errant wire bristles could potentially wind up in your food. According to a 2016 study, approximately 1,700 injuries due to ingested grill-brush wires resulted in trips to the ER between 2002 and 2014.
Cast Iron Isn’t Indestructible. Here’s How to Protect It While Grilling.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Maki Yazawa

When a cast-iron skillet is properly taken care of, it can last a lifetime. But cast-iron cookware isn’t invincible. Despite seeming like an indestructible kitchen workhorse, a cast-iron pan can be highly susceptible to fluctuating temperatures, such as when you put a cold skillet on a hot grill. So preventing thermal shock (a drastic temperature change that can wreak havoc on even the sturdiest cast-iron cookware) is crucial.
It’s Grilling Season. Here’s How to Put Out a Grease Fire.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Maki Yazawa

A raging grease fire at a summertime cookout is dangerous. In the heat of the moment, knowing how to extinguish one quickly and safely can make all the difference. There were an estimated 158,400 home cooking fires in the United States each year from 2017 to 2021, according to research from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Cooking materials — such as food, fat, and grease — started two-thirds of these cooking-related fires.
Detecting a Grill Gas Leak Is Hard. Dish Soap Makes It Easier.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Maki Yazawa

Birds are chirping, bees are buzzing, the sun is shining — and you might have grilling on your mind. But before you fire up your gas grill to make some juicy burgers, don’t forget to inspect it for leaks. After you take your grill out of hibernation, you should thoroughly check it for any signs of damage before you turn it on. In particular, you’ll want to look for anything that might cause a gas leak.
Don’t Waste Your Money on a Defrosting Tray. Use a Sheet Pan Instead.

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Maki Yazawa

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more›Michael Hession/NYT WirecutterBy Maki YazawaMaki Yazawa is a writer focused on making cooking fun. She once cooked for Natalie Portman, and her friends won't let her forget it. So you forgot to defrost the frozen chicken … again. Before you let a pound of rock-solid meat ruin your dinner plans, there are many ways to defrost food quickly, even in a time crunch.
I’m Ditching My Gigantic Air Fryer for This Cute, Tiny One

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Maki Yazawa

For nearly a decade, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with my gargantuan air fryer/pressure cooker (an older version of this thing). It weighs a ton—21 pounds, to be exact—and can cook far more food than my two-person household needs. Plus, from an aesthetic standpoint, it isn’t the statement piece I had envisioned for my kitchen.
The Best Gift I Got for My 28th Birthday Was a ... Battery Daddy

Mar 18, 2025 | nytimes.com | Maki Yazawa

I tell my loved ones exactly what I want on special occasions. So when my stepdad went off-script by giving me the Battery Daddy for my birthday, I was a little perplexed. But after hearing my dad gush nonstop about his beloved purchase (as dads do) and how it made organizing and finding batteries a walk in the park, I began to understand the allure of having a battery-dedicated organizer. As my dad’s instinct would have it, he was right.