I own two copies of Jacques Pépin’s Complete Techniques—one in English and one in the original French. Neither was enough when I wanted to turn a whole Atlantic sole into filets. Instead, I turned to YouTube. Nowadays, when I want to learn a new cooking technique, Vimeo is my first stop. I’m a fan of videos made by cooking duo Mia Chambers and Terri Dien of Dear Martini (the name is an anagram of Mia and Terri). The San Francisco-based chefs started teaching in the classroom and took their techniques to the Internet in 2011. Videos frequently include tips to help you grasp a technique—how to make pie crust, or remove the ribs from kale—with guidelines for every level of culinary know-how.
Dear Martini
Mia Chambers and Terri Dien
FREE: vimeo.com/dearmartini
Amy Scheuerman
Amy Scheuerman—culture's former web director—spent eight years in North Carolina where she developed a love of barbecue and biscuits before moving up north to get a degree in nutrition. She now works at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
