Prepare an ice bath: Set out a very large bowl and fill it halfway with water, then add 2 cups of ice.
Step 2
Boil the shrimp in a large pot of water until pink, about 5 minutes; use a large strainer to scoop them out and into the ice bath to cool. Add the calamari rings to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes; use the strainer to scoop them out and into the ice bath. Turn the heat in the cooking pot down to a simmer, add the scallops, cover, and take off the heat; wait 4 minutes, and then use the strainer to scoop them out and into the ice bath. After 5 minutes, drain the seafood and place in a serving bowl along with the tomatoes and onion rings.
Step 3
Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add the parsley, then pour over the seafood. Toss lightly, taste, and season with pepper and more lemon juice as desired.
Béarnaise Recipe, Spotlight on Austrian Red Wine Vinegar, Who Needs a Dedicated Double Boiler, Shedding Light on Common Allergens and Managing Fitness Setbacks
Every now and then I want an indulgence, and one I find so tempting is the French classic I mastered in culinary school: béarnaise, the 200-year-old sauce said to have been created by accident by the Parisian chef Jean-Louis-François Collinet. It’s as sumptuous today as it was back then. But you don’t have to be a professional cook to make it at home—all you need are the right ingredients and equipment.
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon water
Coarse sea salt to taste
Directions
Step 1
In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, shallot, black pepper, and tarragon to a boil. Lower the heat and cook until the vinegar is reduced by half. Pour into the top of a double boiler (or a metal or heatproof glass bowl that will fit over a saucepan) and allow to come to room temperature.
Step 2
Melt the butter in the microwave or a small saucepan and set aside. Fill the bottom of the double boiler (or another saucepan) with 2 inches of water, bring to a boil, and then lower the heat to a simmer. Whisk the egg yolks and water into the vinegar reduction and place the mixture over the simmering water. Whisk continuously until it doubles in volume. Then slowly whisk in the butter, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Continue whisking vigorously until the sauce becomes thick but is still pourable. Taste and season with salt, if desired.
Step 3
Remove the double boiler/saucepan from the heat. The sauce can sit while you cook your steak. Whisk gently before serving, if needed.
Yields a scant cup, enough for 4 steaks
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Austrian Red Wine Vinegar
Red wine vinegar is a pantry essential, but this one, finely crafted in Austria, is in a class by itself. Rotweinessig is one of the most traditional vinegars in the country—it’s what Austrians use on a daily basis. The Austrian Red Wine Vinegar in my 2026 collection of artisanal vinegars is crafted from fresh wine made from Austria’s own popular Zweigelt grapes. The grapes are grown in the Styria region of the country, which is called the green heart of Austria because of its verdant and hilly landscape and rich agriculture. The wine goes through a second fermentation to convert the alcohol into acetic acid, and then it’s stored for several years in oak barrels, which softens the acidity while maintaining a wonderful fresh taste—mild and harmonious.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
Who Needs a Dedicated Double Boiler?
A double boiler is simply two stacked pots, though the name is somewhat misleading since only the bottom pot holds boiling liquid (water). The top pot is where you place ingredients that could easily burn, like chocolate or butter, or curdle, like egg-based custards, sauces, and curds. The cooking is done by the steam that rises from the boiling water in the bottom pot, which must be filled with only about 2 inches of water. This prevents the boiling water from touching the top pot. The cooking time is somewhat longer, but it’s less risky than placing delicate ingredients over direct heat.
You can easily create a makeshift double boiler by placing a large heatproof glass or metal bowl over a saucepan. The bowl should cover the opening of the pot but not be so deep that it touches the boiling water.
For Your Best Health
Shedding Light on Common Allergens
Sneezing caused by cats, dust mites, or mold may one day be preventable with a flip of a switch. Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder found that UV222 light can alter allergen proteins, reducing allergic reactions without dangerous side effects. Within 30 minutes, airborne allergens decreased by up to 25%, according to their study published in the journal ACS ES&T Air.
“We have found that we can use a passive, generally safe ultraviolet light treatment to quickly inactivate airborne allergens,” said study author Tess Eidem, PhD, a senior research associate in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering. “We believe this could be another tool for helping people fight allergens in their home, schools, or other places where allergens accumulate indoors,” said Dr. Eidem.
If you walk into a room where there’s a cat and you sneeze, it’s not actually the cat you are reacting to. It’s likely airborne flecks of a protein produced in its saliva. The protein spreads when the cat licks itself and sends up microscopic flakes of dead skin that float in the air (aka dander). When we inhale these particles, our immune system produces antibodies that bind to the protein’s unique 3D structure, kicking off an allergic reaction.
Cats, dogs, mice, dust mites, mold, and plants all emit their own unique proteins, with their own unique structure. Unlike bacteria and viruses, these allergens can’t be killed because they were never alive. “After those dust mites are long gone, the allergen is still there,” said Dr. Eidem. “That’s why if you shake out a rug, you can have a reaction years later.”
Standard methods of reducing allergens, like vacuuming, washing walls, using an air filter, and regularly bathing pets, can work OK but are hard to maintain, long-term studies show. Instead of eliminating the proteins that cause allergies, Dr. Eidem and coauthors Mark Hernandez, PhD, a professor of civil, environmental, and architectural engineering, and Kristin Rugh, a microbiologist in the lab, sought to change their structure, much like unfolding an origami animal, so the immune system wouldn’t recognize them. “If your immune system is used to a swan and you unfold the protein so it no longer looks like a swan, you won’t mount an allergic response,” explained Dr. Eidem. UV light, their study suggests, can do that.
UV222 lights are already commercially available, mostly for industrial antimicrobial uses. Dr. Eidem envisions a day when companies could engineer portable versions for people to switch on when they visit a friend with a pet or clean out a dusty basement. UV222 systems could also potentially protect workers frequently exposed to allergens, such as those who work around live animals.
One in three adults and children in the United States have allergies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Eidem hopes her research, and more to come, can provide some relief or even save lives. “Asthma attacks kill about 10 people every day in the United States, and they are often triggered by airborne allergens,” she said. “Trying to develop new ways to prevent that exposure is really important.”
Fitness Flash
Managing Setbacks
Roadblocks on the route to better fitness are common for almost everyone. Maybe you started off strong, but then, little by little, other responsibilities got in the way and your motivation began to wane. Or maybe you were too ambitious at first and got hurt and sidelined, or you’re simply impatient with the pace of your improvement. Setbacks can be discouraging, but you can overcome them and achieve your goals, say the experts at the American Council on Exercise. Here’s what they suggest:
View setbacks as part of your journey rather than as failures.
Keep a progress chart to remind yourself of how far you’ve come.
Break big goals into smaller, more attainable steps. If you hope to run a 5K, start by aiming for a 1K or 2K.
Pair new habits with existing ones, like doing calf rises while brushing teeth, to help them become permanent.
Build the mental strength needed to navigate challenges and stay committed to goals. This could be through guided meditation or mindful workouts like yoga and tai chi.
Try a fitness app that offers daily reminders, progress tracking, and motivational tips.
Celebrate all achievements, even the smallest ones, like every pound lost.
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon water
Coarse sea salt to taste
Directions
Step 1
In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, shallot, black pepper, and tarragon to a boil. Lower the heat and cook until the vinegar is reduced by half. Pour into the top of a double boiler (or a metal or heatproof glass bowl that will fit over a saucepan) and allow to come to room temperature.
Step 2
Melt the butter in the microwave or a small saucepan and set aside. Fill the bottom of the double boiler (or another saucepan) with 2 inches of water, bring to a boil, and then lower the heat to a simmer. Whisk the egg yolks and water into the vinegar reduction and place the mixture over the simmering water. Whisk continuously until it doubles in volume. Then slowly whisk in the butter, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Continue whisking vigorously until the sauce becomes thick but is still pourable. Taste and season with salt, if desired.
Step 3
Remove the double boiler/saucepan from the heat. The sauce can sit while you cook your steak. Whisk gently before serving, if needed.
Tabbouleh Recipe, Spotlight on Condimento Bianco Menta, Why How You Cut Foods Matters, Hold the Fries and Taking a Global Perspective on Exercise
I love a do-ahead dish like tabbouleh that can also be a grab-and-go lunch. My version is enhanced by the subtle mint notes in my Condimento Bianco Menta, a unique vinegar in my brand-new collection of artisanal vinegars from the T. J. Robinson Curated Culinary Selections. Sweet, fragrant, and infused with real mint leaves, it’s crafted in the style of a fine Italian balsamic (and read below to learn why there’s actually no such thing as “white balsamic”). Get ready for it to be your new favorite.
Also in this issue, you’ll read about the risk of French fries when eaten too often (they have the opposite effect of potatoes roasted in olive oil!). I’m also sharing research on how much exercise is optimal as we get older, based on a new global consensus.
This salad features bulgur, a versatile whole grain that’s made from cracked wheat and packed with protein and fiber (it’s also great folded into just-roasted vegetables). This zesty dish can be a side or a meatless meal.
Ingredients
3/4 cup uncooked bulgur
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
2 ounces shelled walnuts
2 large ripe tomatoes or 2 cups cherry tomatoes
Directions
Step 1
Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil and add the bulgur. Simmer, according to package directions, until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes, watching carefully toward the end to avoid scorching. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Step 2
In a large bowl, make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Step 3
Roughly chop the parsley, mint, and nuts and add to the bowl with the dressing. Coarsely chop the tomatoes (if using cherry tomatoes, halve them) and add along with the bulgur, folding them in well. Taste and add more salt and pepper as desired. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil.
Yields 4 servings
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Condimento Bianco Menta
Last year, when I introduced my Condimento Bianco Senape, a white wine vinegar with mustard seeds, I knew it would be a hard act to follow. But lightning can strike twice. This year, I created a mint-infused vinegar for the new collection, Condimento Bianco Menta (which means “white condiment with mint”). It’s reminiscent of a fine balsamic because it’s crafted in a sweet style, but it’s called a condimento and not a “white balsamic” because that is not a recognized type of vinegar in Modena, Italy, the birthplace of balsamic vinegar. A true balsamic vinegar is made solely from grape must, which is the result of cooking down all the parts of Lambrusco and Trebbiano grapes.
My condiment has the perfect ratio of cooked white grape must (from only Trebbiano grapes for the light color) to white wine vinegar. I chose to use classic Italian mint—an important distinction because the peppermint used in holiday cooking can be so overwhelming—and to have the leaves added right at the time of bottling. Unlike vinegars misleadingly labeled “white balsamic” on shelves in the US and containing all sorts of colorings and flavorings, nothing else goes into this naturally sweet vinegar.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
Why How You Cut Foods Matters
Whether you’re cutting up vegetables for a salad, like tabbouleh or Cobb, or for roasting in the oven, it’s often important to cut the different ingredients into pieces of the same size. Uniform cuts enhance the flavors of the foods and help different vegetables cook uniformly, provided the ingredients have similar density—so they should be all root vegetables, such as carrots and beets, or all high-water-content vegetables, like zucchini and eggplant, to name two examples. The prep does take longer and requires careful knife skills, but the finished dishes will taste—and look—even better.
For Your Best Health
Hold the Fries
French fries may be more than just a guilty pleasure—they could raise your risk of type 2 diabetes by 20% if eaten three times a week, according to a study published in the journal The BMJ. While eating the same amount of boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes doesn’t appear to have that effect, replacing any form of potatoes with whole grains seems to lower diabetes risk, and swapping them for white rice was linked to an increase!
Potatoes contain several nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, and magnesium, but they also have a high starch content and are high on the glycemic index. They have been linked to a higher risk of developing diabetes, but whether that was influenced by the cooking method used was unclear, as was which food swaps were better or worse.
To address these questions, a group of researchers from various institutions analyzed data from three important US studies: Nurses’ Health Study (1984-2020), Nurses’ Health Study II (1991-2021), and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2018). In all, more than 205,000 health professionals were represented.
During almost 40 years of follow-up, 22,299 people were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. After adjusting for lifestyle and dietary factors related to diabetes risk, the researchers found that for every three weekly servings of total potatoes, the rate of type 2 diabetes increased by 5%, and for every three weekly servings of French fries, the rate increased by 20%. However, a similar intake of specifically baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes was not associated with a significant increased risk.
Replacing three weekly servings of potatoes with whole grains lowered the type 2 diabetes rate by 8%. More specifically, substituting baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes with whole grains lowered the rate by 4%, and replacing French fries lowered the rate by 19%. In contrast, replacing potatoes with white rice was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
This is an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, and the researchers say they couldn’t rule out the possibility that other unmeasured factors may have influenced the results. Most participants were also health professionals of European ancestry, so findings may not apply to other populations. Nevertheless, the researchers concluded that their “findings underscore that the association between potato intake and type 2 diabetes risk depends on the specific foods used as replacement. The findings also align with current dietary recommendations that promote the inclusion of whole grains as part of a healthy diet for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.”
Fitness Flash
Taking a Global Perspective on Exercise
An international group of health experts recently authored the paper “Global Consensus on Optimal Exercise Recommendations for Enhancing Healthy Longevity in Older Adults” published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging, to encourage health professionals to stress the therapeutic value of exercise to their patients. Their core point is this: Staying active and getting exercise can help counteract age-related declines in physical, cognitive, and psychological health, extending the health span and improving people’s quality of life; being sedentary is linked to a range of age-related health issues, including obesity, sarcopenia (muscle loss), frailty, disability, and numerous chronic illnesses.
Exercise has long been called free medicine. Building on that premise, the researchers suggest we look at activity as a form of treatment, with people getting exercise prescriptions tailored to their specific goals, from disease prevention to enhanced fitness and function. But they point out that the value of exercise is rarely addressed or turned into an action plan by doctors during health visits, stating, “This cautious approach to exercise counseling appears to stem from an unfounded fear of exercise-related injuries or the perceived risks of more vigorous activities for older adults, whereas, in reality, the greater danger lies in sedentariness. Integrating evidence-based exercise programs that are comprehensive and adaptable to individual health conditions is crucial across all healthcare settings, including community and institutional settings. By doing so, healthy aging can be promoted, and the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases associated with inactivity can be addressed.”
They noted that evenmodest activities like balance exercises or strength training can pay huge dividends in mobility and independence, and going to fitness classes can reduce isolation and provide people with a sense of community.
With all that exercise can do, you might want to bring it up with your healthcare provider and not wait for them to initiate the conversation. Here are some talking points mentioned in the consensus: Ask for a program individually tailored to you, one that takes into account your abilities, preferences, and any medical conditions you have. Ask that the program include a combination of strength training, aerobic activities, balance exercises, and cognitive challenges for the most benefits. And ask for help setting realistic short-term goals. Ask your doctor to monitor your progress, if possible, and acknowledge when you meet goals because this instills confidence and will encourage you to stick with the plan.
