Ingredients

Granulated sugar adds sweetness and structure to many of our favorite foods. Does it matter which type you buy?

Store-bought chicken broths vary drastically from one brand to another. Which is best?

Umami-packed gochujang, a fermented red chile paste, is a central ingredient in Korean food. We tasted supermarket and artisan brands to explore its flavors, textures and uses.

Spicy and smoky, this beloved and versatile Mexican condiment packs a plethora of flavors and textures.

We tasted a broad array of honey from all over the world: from Oregon’s meadowfoam and Florida’s tupelo to New Zealand’s mānuka and California’s orange blossom. Here are 15 honeys that offer far more than just sweetness.

You’re standing at the grocery store in front of a million olive-oil choices. So what should you buy and why?

Should you spend a bit more and use premium extra-virgin olive oil in your kitchen? We tasted more than a dozen products to find out.

Hoisin sauce is one of the most iconic ingredients in Cantonese cooking. We delved deep into the history and usage of this ingredient. Here’s what we found.

Fish sauce has deep flavor—and deep historical roots around the world.

This handy product can be the difference between a successful dish and a sticky disaster. Which one you use matters.

Tired of greasing and flouring pans before baking? Baking sprays replace that fussy process with one simple step.

We want to help you better understand the vast array of vinegars from around the globe.

Soy sauce is essential in many culinary traditions—and no two styles are the same.

Crunchy, salty, and corn-forward, tortilla chips are beloved. But which brand is best?

It’s a sticky-sweet American classic. But how did it become one of the country’s favorites?

When using bread crumbs, a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work.

Packaged mixes are convenient, but are any worth making?

For extra texture and a pleasant crunch, reach for one of these mustards instead of your go-to Dijon or yellow mustard.

The sweet heat of this popular condiment adds zip to sandwiches and snacks. We also love it as a dip.

A single style simply won’t cut it. From sweet and spicy to bright and tangy, these are the five mustards we always have on hand.

Louisiana-style hot sauce is a staple for soul food and Southern cuisine. But this simple condiment has a deeper history and more variation in flavor than you might know.

We tasted nine brands of garlic powder. Here’s what you need to know about this versatile seasoning.

Love capers? Make some more room in your fridge.

This bold ingredient is a secret weapon of cooks and bakers. Does it matter which one you use?

Boxed cake mixes are convenient and reliable. But do any of them yield cakes with the intense chocolate flavor and moist, delicate texture of homemade versions?

Bone broth is considered a superfood among the online wellness community, but what exactly is it, and is it worth all the hype?

Nutty and fragrant, a good-quality toasted sesame oil can enhance all kinds of dishes, but bad ones just taste oily or burnt. How do you guarantee great flavor?

With so many products and so many different names, shopping for white chocolate can be confusing. We sampled six to find a versatile winner.

Lentils are the perfect pantry staple: inexpensive, elegant, and packed with nutrients. Which are best?

Milk chocolate bars are often dismissed as candy for kids, but we found some that even the pickiest chocolate connoisseur could appreciate.

These delicate buckwheat strands are one of Japan's most popular foods. We tasted six products to see how they differed.

Is familiar better than newfangled? We tried eight products to find out.

Mild but not dull, this ballpark and backyard classic punches up everything from hot dogs to salad dressing.

American cans versus Italian tubes: We find out what's really important when it comes to buying this flavorful pantry staple.

Plain-Jane unsweetened chocolate may not inspire the same passion as our favorite candy bars, but it's one of the best tools in a baker's arsenal.

Cyclones, theft, petrochemicals, market swings—vanilla is anything but boring. We delve into this fascinating world and find the best products for your kitchen.