Of course, the key to all good cooking is to start with good ingredients. And I think that it is a big part of our job - to provide people with the knowledge to make good choices when they buy ingredients.
Freshly peeled zest can be steeped in hot olive oil for a quick flavor fix or in rice vinegar to add to salads.
Comte (pronounced con-tay), is the most popular cheese in France, and when I tasted it, I could understand why.
Comte is the cheese for fondue. In France, they make these fabulous broiled open-faced sandwiches with half a baguette covered with locally made ham and thick slices of Comte. It's so simple, but the quality of the bread, cheese and ham, make it exceptional.
It's the secret for beautiful guacamole or fruit salad. Also potatoes, cauliflower and turnips stay white when you add lemon juice to the cooking water.