“Chef” has pretty much replaced “gourmet cook” to describe anyone who cooks well. I must confess that the growing use of the word bothers me.

The kitchens in “French Country Kitchens” are like older French actresses: their age is visible and celebrated.

Hearing someone cook for you is the culinary equivalent of a bedtime story, but the charms of the kitchen symphony wear thin if they go on too long.

These colorful silicone cooking utensils for children have bendable arms and legs, and can be suctioned in place on a table or countertop. But they are not toys. The whisk, mixing spoon, brush, spatula and measuring cup (half- cup and quarter-cup calibrations) from Head Chefs by Fiesta Products can be...

Rice cookers are gaining in popularity in the United States, and many cooks often find them indispensable and surprisingly adaptable.

Lisa Underwood has turned her office and test kitchen into a rustic little shop and cafe called Simple Kitchen.

Melissa Chmelar, who owns Spoon NYC catering, has expanded her retail counter into a larger, adjacent space with a more generous counter and seating at tables.

These days there is less talk in cutting-edge kitchens about burners and B.T.U.’s: cold is the new heat and it’s an underexploited asset in the kitchen.

Entertaining is often the main reason for having a weekend or vacation home, and for many people that all but requires outdoor cooking.

This efficient and sturdy plastic paddle beater by New Metro Design can be used with most KitchenAid, Cuisinart, Viking and DeLonghi standing mixers.