Tom Maxwell
School
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
Expertise
Southern American Cuisine, Food History, Home Cooking
- Tom has worked for three James Beard Award-winning restaurants across the country.
- He won Al Jazeera America's vaguely prestigious "World Cup of Food" competition in 2014, refereed by renowned food and drink writer Rosie Schaap.
- Tom's "A Really Strange and Wonderful Time: The Chapel Hill Music Scene 1989-1999" will be published by Hachette in 2024.
Experience
Tom began writing professionally at the tail end of a successful music career. He has contributed to The Oxford American, The Bitter Southerner, Longreads, and AARP. While writing a piece for North Carolina's Indy Week, Tom coined the term "historic locovorism" when encouraging a local chef to resurrect the classic Chatham Rabbit dish. Tom is also the co-creator of Shelved, an upcoming Audible music podcast produced by Gunpowder & Sky.
Education
Tom has a bachelor's degree in communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Stories By Tom Maxwell
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If you're a novice tequila drinker, the differences between the varieties of the distilled, agave-based drink may have you confused. We're here to help.
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If you love crawfish, there's a good chance you've been to a crawfish boil and for the absolute best experience, here's the time of year to plan one.
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There are a lot of things to consider when buying seafood, such as freshness and sustainability. But what about color? Are those pink female scallops any good?
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If you want your steaks to look as good as they taste, impressing anyone who sees them (including yourself), there is one trick you must add to your arsenal.
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The least desirable part of meal times is probably the cleanup afterward, even when it comes to grilling. But here's a tip that could make the job easier.
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It can be awkward to find a spot to brine large cuts of meat while observing food safety protocols. Luckily, your fridge crisper drawer is just the right size.
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Many can't get enough of horseradish, the pungent substance that gives your dishes a little kick. But there's a difference between the fresh and dried variety.
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It's actually a doddle to get hardened sugar off your thermometer: Here's how to do it. And the good news is that you can clean your pan at the same time.
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Beyond the usual applications for aluminum foil, it makes for a surprisingly effective sink cleaner. And there's a science behind why it works so well.
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Brining meat is a game-changing technique that can yield juicy, tender meat, but make sure you're striking the perfect balance in brine time for smaller cuts.
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If you're making Kansas City's famous burnt ends at home, you can have all of the flavor for less of the cost by switching brisket with chuck roast.
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A cast iron skillet is almost indestructible. Almost. But, a certain reaction could reduce the life of this otherwise sturdy cookware (and it's not rust).
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This "berry" looks a lot like a strawberry, except that it's white. So how are they alike and how are they different? Let's find out.
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Toaster ovens are for more than just toasting and reheating. As it happens, they are just the right appliance to fix up some perfectly roasted asparagus.
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Celebrity chef, host, author, and producer Andrew Zimmern is one of the most recognizable names in the food world, yet his success still surprises him.
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It's hard to imagine anyone telling Andrew Zimmern not to cook something. But in this Daily Meal exclusive, he told us what his family doesn't want at Passover.
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For barbeque beginners, it can be daunting to tackle the task of smoking meat for long periods of time. Enter pulled pork: the perfect starting point.
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Cooking steak in a cast iron skillet gives a caramelized crust that is the key to beefy happiness, but make sure you add herbs the right way at the right time.
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If you live on the East Coast, you may already be familiar with Lidl. For everyone else, here's what it is and its connection with a similar outlet: Aldi.
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The modern toaster's design hasn't changed much in the last 100 years. But toasters pre-date the pop-up, and early incarnations worked much differently.
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Bacon, eggs, and a side of toast is a classic breakfast. How did this come about? There's an origin story of the modern-day breakfast that's quite fascinating.
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Deciphering the labels on food packaging: Organic vs. Natural. We unveil the true meaning behind these terms so you can make better, more informed choices.
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As it turns out, blueberries are not actually blue. But the science behind this trick of the light -- and its potential applications -- is very fascinating.
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If you're in the mood for baking some banana bread but you only have unripe bananas, add an egg yolk to quickly ripen them before adding other ingredients.
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Sock it to me cake has been around since the '70s. But, arguably more interesting than where the sponge hybrid came from is how it came to be named.
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Some wines have what it takes to age well, where they can attain extraordinary complexity and nuanced character. So how well do sparkling wines typically age?
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Whether you're thinking about redoing your kitchen or are really into home improvement wisdom, there's a thing or two you should know about quartz countertops.