Wheat State's August 2020 Newsletter

Cornerstone Group © 2020 Are you doing more cooking at home now? Whether you’re an accomplished cook or a novice, these online options are available to help you— in the words of chef Emeril Lagasse—“kick it up a notch!” Serious Eats (seriouseats.com ) More than just a recipe repository, this free site includes videos and articles with expert tips to help you become a better cook. Visit the Techniques section to learn about skills like braising or working with a knife. Handy ingredient guides help you pick just the right bottle of olive oil and more. Skillshare ( skillshare.com/browse/cooking) Great for beginners, this site offers dozens of videos about everything from cooking basics to homemade marshmallows to “make-ahead breakfasts that will change your day.” The friendly featured cooks take you through everything you need to know, step-by-step. Skillshare is a paid service, but you can try it out for free for 14 days. America’s Test Kitchen ( onlinecookingschool.com) This site offers a wide range of cooking resources including courses, discussion boards, and instructors who help you under- stand not just the how but the why of each technique. ATK features over 200 cooking courses, and instructions are broken down into manageable steps. ATK is a paid service with a 3-week free trial. Allrecipes Cooking School ( cookingschool.allrecipes.com/p/overview) Allrecipes offers “a lifetime of cooking confidence.” This cooking school takes the Allrecipes recipe site several steps further with easy-to-follow lessons — tips and tricks that can make the difference between a good dish and a great one. Sign up for a free month and pay a low monthly fee for access after that. Instructables Cooking Class (instructables.com/class/Cooking-Class ) Here you can pick up the fundamentals of cooking, ranging from which pots and pans are essential to the proper ways to bake, broil, and roast. You’ll be feeling like a chef in no time and serving delicious meals to your family. Better Homes and Gardens ( bhg.com/recipes/how-to ) To become a better cook, learn from the pros at the Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen. You’ll find cooking charts, the basics on key cooking techniques, and instructions on the best ways to cook meats, vegetables, grains, and beans. Find Your Inner Chef with Online Cooking Lessons Voice Calls Make a Comeback During Pandemic There’s value in the sound of some- one’s voice, as more people are realizing while social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is why after years of decline in voice calls — largely replaced by texting and messaging—voice call volume is up significantly. In March 2020, Verizon reported a 25% increase in total voice use on its networks, driven primarily by more people accessing conference call services while working from home. 1 Personal calls, most of longer dura- tion than average, also contributed to this increase. For many people, text messages’ brief content was perfectly fine while running around town on busy days. But during the slower pace of today’s isolation, they crave the comfort of a familiar voice and the deeper con- nection of a leisurely conversation. Written communication has its place, of course. But we encourage you to take this opportunity to rediscover the power of a voice call. Friends and family members who only wanted to text before may be thrilled to get a call from you now. Visit www.wheatstate.com to learn about the phone services we offer. 1 www.techrepublic.com/article/data-and -voice-usage-spike-as-more-people-work- from-home-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic