Years of cooking, writing, reading, and being a part of the food community have taught us a thing or two about what works best, and why we now do something this way instead of that way. Part of the joy of writing for The Kitchn is being able to share what we’ve learned —our personal experiences, tips, techniques, likes and dislikes. Here are 15 “reasons why” from our editors and writers this year, from why you should sucks on mango pits to why you should always cook with a bar mop towel.