Ryan Whitaker

I spent the last three months baking canelé in 8 different mold sets, from authentic French copper to budget carbon steel. After burning through several batches of batter and one very smoky oven, I learned what separates a good canele pan from one that leaves you with stuck, pale pastries. Tin-lined copper canele molds are … Read more

I pulled my first brioche out of a thin metal pan and watched the bottom scorch while the top stayed pale. That was the day I started chasing cast iron brioche molds. After baking 23 loaves across 8 pans over 6 weeks, I finally have answers worth sharing. Cast iron brings something no other material … Read more

I hosted a 40-person graduation party last summer where the mac and cheese went cold in 20 minutes flat. That disaster sent me down a rabbit hole testing every countertop food warmer I could get my hands on. Our team spent three months testing 8 different models, timing how long each held temperature, measuring surface … Read more

Last Thanksgiving, I watched the moment the turkey came out of the oven at 5:47 PM. By the time my mom finished carving it, the mashed potatoes were already lukewarm. The gravy had that thin, cool film on top. We sat down at 6:15 PM and I reheated everything in the microwave between the second … Read more

I have been cooking on cast iron hot plates for over a decade, both in my home kitchen and on camping trips across the country. There is something deeply satisfying about a heavy slab of iron that holds heat better than anything else and lasts for generations. Cast iron hot plates are the most versatile … Read more

I’ve baked dozens of angel food cakes over the years, and I’ll tell you straight up: the pan you choose matters as much as the recipe. A wrong angel food cake pan gives you a dense, sunken, stuck-to-the-walls mess. A right one gives you a tall, tender cloud that slides out perfectly. Angel food cake … Read more

I still remember my first chiffon cake disaster. I used a regular round pan, and the cake collapsed into a sad, dense disk within minutes of coming out of the oven. After that humbling experience, I went down a rabbit hole researching why chiffon cakes need that hollow center tube, and I discovered that the … Read more

I still remember the first canelé I pulled from a copper mold at a tiny patisserie in Bordeaux. The mahogany crust cracked under my thumb, revealing a custardy center that seemed impossible to recreate at home. That single bite sent me down a rabbit hole testing every copper canele mold I could get my hands … Read more

When I switched to unglazed clay pots three years ago, my weeknight stews changed in ways I did not expect. The flavors deepened, I used less oil, and the cleanup felt almost meditative. After testing eight of the best unglazed clay pots for healthy cooking side by side for over 90 days, our team narrowed … Read more

I still remember the first time I pressed masa onto a screaming-hot cast iron comal. The tortilla puffed up like a balloon, the kitchen smelled like toasted corn, and I realized my non-stick skillet had been lying to me for years. If you want authentic homemade tortillas, you need the right comal underneath them. After … Read more