Vacation Rental: Haviland House in Hudson, New York
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Price: Starting at $450 per night; 3-night minimum
Why We Wanna Cook Here: Look at those dreamy windows!

When we travel we believe in staying in real homes as much as we can; to really taste a place means cooking local food in a local’s kitchen. And if you’re traveling to the Catskills (check out our Bite-Sized Guide to the Catskills) here’s a vacation rental to love.

What’s not to love about this chic country kitchen in a historic row home in Hudson, New York? From the French windows flooding the space with morning light to a spice drawer that would make Marie Kondo proud, not to mention a Miele dishwasher — and you know how we feel about Miele — this is a place that inspires culinary greatness.

Or, at the very least, a good cheese plate, provisioned with our favorite upstate triple creme and crusty bread from the bakery down the road.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/we-wanna-cook-here-a-dreamy-rowhouse-in-upstate-new-york-238110′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Who: Hannah Black and Carla Perez-Gallardo, owners and artist-chefs of Lil Deb’s Oasis
Where: Hudson, New York

Hannah Black is one half of the duo behind Lil Deb’s Oasis, a vibrant-hued, neon-lit restaurant in Hudson, New York. She and her partner, Carla Perez-Gallardo, are both artists, rather than classically trained chefs, who arrived at food as an outlet for their creativity — and this fact is clear from the minute you step into their fanciful spot.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/in-the-kitchen-with-the-chef-owners-of-lil-debs-oasis-237700′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Where I live in the Catskills, in upstate New York, there is a glut of exceptional, specialized food. And if you have a cooler and a car, I could easily fill it 10 times over. But these picks are designed to be slightly more travel-ready.

Some are edible, some are not, but they all deliver some small taste of the area I call home.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/what-to-take-home-from-the-catskills-238112′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Wish you could eat carrot cake for breakfast? Muffins make it possible. Start with our basic, built-for-customizing recipe for muffins and then add a few key ingredients like shredded carrots and raisins to get you there.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/instantly-upgrade-basic-muffin-mix-with-shredded-carrot-and-raisins-236509′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Are you sick of the Pumpkin Spice Latte yet? There’s a new limited-edition Starbucks drink that you need to know about. For the second time in a row, for just one week, Starbucks will be releasing a vampire-inspired drink.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/get-ready-for-starbucks-limited-edition-halloween-frappuccino-237980′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

There’s no question that the standard oven temperature of 350°F gets the job done for baking up muffins and quick breads. But you don’t want baked goods that just “get the job done.” No, you deserve better — and for that, you need two temperatures.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/for-quick-breads-and-muffins-two-temperatures-are-better-than-one-236762′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Sometimes the nutty, hearty chickpea needs a little contrast — and for that, there’s creamy, tangy yogurt. You might even say it’s the bean’s number-one fan. The beans provide the bulk and the chew, while the yogurt provides the cool, luscious mouthfeel that rounds things out. No matter how they are combined in the kitchen, it’s a match that always works.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/y-is-for-chickpeas-and-yogurt-235277′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

I love a big bowl of soup for dinner, but often I find that I need a salad and some crusty bread to really call it a meal. Thicken that soup up a bit and make it creamy and suddenly it feels like it can hold its own on the dinner table. Here are five quick and easy ways to thicken any soup and make it a meal in a bowl.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/5-ways-to-thicken-your-soup-and-turn-it-into-a-meal-236761′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

It’s that time of year: the nights are getting darker earlier, the temperatures are dropping, and Oktoberfest is happening at a bar near you. On one such recent evening, I was joined at a German-themed bar, Loreley, in New York’s Lower East Side, by Alex Gallafent, a British friend (whose latest one-man show, The Dilletante, will be performed on November 20 at the PIT Loft in New York).

We were there to sample beer — that’s what one does when it’s dark and cold out, right? — and this is our report on what we drank.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/what-do-brits-know-about-german-beer-236740′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

When it comes to making a beautiful Bundt, the decorating portion of this job is a total piece of cake. Forget what you know about dolling up layer cakes — none of that is necessary here.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/this-is-the-easiest-way-to-decorate-a-bundt-cake-236763′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>