Vinegar shrubs. Even Gaucho has one on their list. However, I’ve been drinking them for years without alcohol. I make my own fruit juices to mix with unpasteurized vinegar and usually add an herbal tea to the mix for good measure.





Cake pops/cupcakes. I cannot tell you when I have had a good cake pop, or how many times the cupcake I purchased for $4 was worth it. I think they’re a lazy answer to the pastry chef’s hardest task: making a great, simple cake.





Bacon. Yes, it’s versatile and a great practice of curing meats that is amazingly delish, but it doesn’t need to be so over-hyped that it’s on Band-Aids, duct tape and iPhone covers. Just let it be what it is—another great use of pork. Maybe I can start making rillette t-shirts to get ahead of the times…. E

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