:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Cook-Mode-FT-BLOG0924-daa08bd00a574608b0b912ac3f82938c.jpg)
Like most cooks these days, I rely heavily on my phone and computer when I’m following recipes. In the past, that meant I had to stop what I was doing mid-recipe to wake my screen up — not ideal for handling raw meat, or for messier projects like breading chicken cutlets or rolling out pie dough. It turns out crumb-coated keyboards and flour-dusted screens don’t hold quite the same charm as sauce-splattered cookbook pages.
So, I was thrilled when I heard about Food & Wine’s intuitive new “Cook Mode” feature. To use it, you simply turn on a button, located above the ingredients list of each recipe, that will keep the screen active while you’re prepping ingredients or cooking — no plug-ins or toggling with your settings needed.
Here’s a screen recording that shows you what to do:
Now I can prop up my device, turn on “Cook Mode,” and cook in peace. Here are some of the recipes that make this feature worth it.
Crispy Sesame Chicken Cutlets with Tomato Salad and Tahini
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox
Breading chicken cutlets using a Standard Breading Procedure is easier than you might think, but it’s hard to avoid getting eggs and breadcrumbs all over your fingers. I’ll use “Cook Mode” as I dredge these cutlets in a seasoned panko texture, dip them in egg, and fry them.
‘The Bear’ Chocolate Cake
Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Making cake is messy business, especially a stunner like this fudgy cake from Chicago baker Sarah Mispagel-Lustbader, who served as a culinary producer for The Bear and created this recipe for the show. The cake includes layers of chocolate mousse, moist chocolate cake, and icing — it’s a project. I want to be able to lick the frosting from my fingers, not smear it all over my phone. “Cook Mode” to the rescue!
Sourdough Country Bread
If you too have found flour lurking in every nook and cranny of your phone after baking bread or pie, you’ll appreciate “Cook Mode.” This classic recipe from food editor Paige Grandjean calls for just flour, water, salt, and patience.
Italian Wedding Lasagna Soup
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox
Filled to the brim with Italian pork sausage meatballs and broken lasagna noodles, this creamy soup combines two comfort-food favorites. I plan on using “Cook Mode” while I’m chopping the mirepoix and measuring out spices so I can easily throw my prepped ingredients into the Dutch oven once they’re ready to go.
Pork Chops with Apples and Bacon
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
Handling raw meat while using my phone has been a pain point in the past, so I’m extra excited to make this one-pan wonder that was on the cover of our September issue. Bone-in pork chops are seared in a skillet, then finished off in a luxurious pan sauce made with bacon, apples, and shallots.