Lauren Braun Costello
Occupation: Chef
Specialty: Catering, Food Stylist, Cooking Instructor
Education: Colgate University, French Culinary Institute
Lives: New York City
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From Russia With Love
One of summer's great pleasures is vacation. I just returned from my summer vacation of two weeks in Europe. My husband, sister, grandfather and I finished our trip in Moscow, a city conjured in our...
Souperb Ideas For Summer
Summer is the perfect time for soup. Chilled soup, that is. Most of us think of soup as the start to a meal, or a single hearty helping to warm our bodies from the winter chill. Soup can be equally...
French For Foodies
All over the world culinary professionals speak in the secret code of the kitchen. Historically used as the language of diplomacy in the political sphere, French is equally ubiquitous gastronomically speaking....
Green With Envy
"It's not easy being green." These are familiar words from a familiar frog, but completely untrue when it comes to vegetables. So many people, though, make the unfortunate mistake of overcooking their...
A 4th of July Fried Chicken Tradition
On the Fourth of July, millions of us will celebrate America's birthday with a festive picnic. Red white and blue decorations will fill the streets as we try to enjoy that extra day of rest and relaxation....
Sweet Inspiration
I just returned from a quick jaunt in southern Florida where I enjoyed a few days of sunshine and rest with my sister, Nicole. Nothing relaxes my soul or feeds my senses like a soft sea breeze, the ocean’s...
A Father's Day Thank You
Father’s Day is this Sunday, so it’s time for me to thank that man in my life who had such a profound culinary influence on me: Grandpa Ted. From as far back I can remember, my grandfather and I have...
The Ultimate All-American Creation: the Chocolate Chip Cookie
Chocolate chip cookies are as American a treat as you can bake. Most likely you have tasted hundreds of them over the years. But some of our nation's most heralded figures, like George Washington, Abraham...
Cooking in a Flash: How to Reheat Food without Overcooking It
It’s Saturday night and friends are coming for dinner. You have just one oven. Four dishes need to be cooked in that oven and served hot at the same time. There is no way you can roast a chicken,...
Memorial Day Marinades
Break out the barbecue! Gas up the grill! Summer is finally here, and there is no better way to celebrate the official kick-off to America’s fun season than with a Memorial Day feast. Intense flavors...
Knives 101: What to Have and How to Keep Them
If there were room in the world for only one kitchen tool it undoubtedly would be the knife. Conceptually, knives have been around for at least two million years, dating back to a time when a sharp-edged...
Ginger and Its Roots
Nostradamus made a magic love potion from it. Confucius professed to have never eaten a meal without it. The Irish concocted a rich, dark ale marked by its flavor. Ginger has been a cherished spice...