Season 4

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  Sunday Brunch

  Some days you don’t mind spending the morning preparing eggs or baking muffins. But rubbery omelets and dry, hockey puck muffins can make you wonder why you bothered. These brunch recipes are special enough to make you long for Sunday mornings.

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  Tea Time

  In the test kitchen, we think afternoon (or morning) tea is an excellent excuse to whip up a batch of scones or a golden loaf of lemon pound cake. Making these baked goods at home certainly yields better results than what you can buy. We’ll show you how.

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  French Food in a Flash

  Preparing favorite French dishes such as cassoulet or tarte Tatin calls for a lot of patience and time. We wondered if we could find ways to simplify these recipes without sacrificing the qualities that make them classics.

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  Favorite Italian Classics

  When prepared correctly (and authentically), most Italian dishes are light, simple, and quick. Italian cooks know that simpler is better, especially if you are starting with good ingredients. Here we demonstrate how to make three appealing Italian dishes that make sense for the American home cook.

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  Asian Noodles

  Say goodbye to bad Americanized versions of pad Thai and sesame noodles. We decided to take matters in our own hands in the test kitchen. We figured that authentic ingredients would be part of the answer, and we were willing to make special shopping expeditions to Asian markets to find the pantry staples we needed.

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  Stir-Fry 101

  Once in a while, those little white cartons deliver tasty morsels of stir-fried meat and vegetables in a lightly thickened, potent, and savory sauce. Unfortunately, the typical experience is something quite different. We think the best stir-fries are made at home, and our foolproof guidelines guarantee success.