I really do enjoy baking, but I am much more comfortable on the savory side in the culinary world. I have my go-to desserts that I like to make when we entertain… dishes like fruit crisps, cookies ...
Tuning Out & Plugging In: Crafting Your Music Menu
Cooking and music are two very separate entities that compliment each other in many occasions. As a class assistant at The Chopping Block, crossing back and forth between the back of house and dining ...
If you're in a cooking class or private party that I happen to be assisting at The Chopping Block, you will more than likely hear me say, "The best tools in the kitchen are your hands!"
As an interest in local food and the farm-to-table movement grows, there has been a rise in farmer’s markets and food halls. But in some parts of the country (and the world, for that matter), these ...
I noticed some really good quality white asparagus while visiting Whole Foods the other day. It made me think about how abundant this vegetable is in this country compared to ten years ago.
Recreating my Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwiches in Chicago
Grilled cheese is just one of those things that you just can’t get enough of. It's a comfort food from your childhood that now needs to live up to your adult palate.
Homemade Pizza Dough is Fast and Easy with a Food Processor
Whenever I teach one of The Chopping Block's pizza-making classes, I always demonstrate to my students how easy it can be to make dough using a food processor. They are usually impressed, and I hope ...
While the weather may not be cooperating, Chicagoans are ready for summer! We are pushing through the cold and rain to attend baseball games, concerts, festivals and farmer’s markets. Considering the ...
Sip One of our Favorite Summer Cocktails: Pina Colada
As a pastry chef, sugar is just kind of what I do. Whether it's creamed with butter, spun into sticky clouds of cotton candy, pulled into colorful confections, sprinkled on cupcakes, or burned into a ...
I purchased a house in Michigan last August and have been excited to go morel mushroom hunting like I used to when I was a kid. I have gone out over the years with my brother but haven’t had any ...
Porking Out in the Mile High City after our Whole Hog Class
As I've mentioned before, I spend a good chunk of the summer traveling. My other job takes me all over the country, and one of the things I always try to do is explore the culinary scene of the ...
I have always enjoyed eating Ethiopian cuisine and recently was fortunate to experience a charming vegan Ethiopian restaurant called Bunna Café, in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn. Nestled between ...
Summer is a time for adventures in wine. Gone are the cold days of winter, when we reach for the familiar because we need comfort. When the sun is shining, fresh foods are tempting us in the markets, ...
Some new craft spirits have been making their way onto our shelves here at The Chopping Block. We have painstakingly chosen spirits that are either made locally or have some connection to the ...
Almost three months ago, my cousin sustained a terrible injury to her leg – I’ll just say it involves a double break and massive interior leg burns. Pictures of her injury wouldn’t help with anyone’s ...
Stumped on What to Get Dad? Our Father's Day Gift Guide can Help
Buying a Father's Day gift can be hard. If your dad is like my dad, he pretty much has everything he needs. And if he doesn't, he just goes out and buys it for himself. When we do find what we think ...
“A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one,” is one of the first lessons Chef Hans shares with a full house of 18 students who are curiously comparing knives at their individual stations. Most ...
