The Chopping Block Cooking Blog

Butterscotch Pudding: An Oldie but a Goodie

Way back when I started working at The Chopping Block in 2002, we used to run a series of classes called the Building Blocks. There were 24 classes in all, and each one focused on different ...

Apple Fest 2018: Bigger than Ever

Nothing will get you more in the fall spirit than Apple Fest. The upcoming festival that celebrates all things apple in Lincoln Square has continued to grow over the years.

Red Beans and Rice with Fried Chicken

After returning from New Orleans on a Monday morning, I decided to make red beans and rice that night. Everyone knows Monday is red beans and rice day!

The Future of the Food Market

This is my family’s grocery store in Springfield, IL circa 1934. Those ambitious, hard-working young men in the picture are four of my great-uncles, struggling to run a Depression-era business ...

How to Brine

I am a somewhat recent convert to brining, considering my almost 40 years of professional cooking. I think it was about 10 years ago, brining started getting popular with home cooks as a technique ...

End of Summer Bounty: Easy Tomato Sauce

Tomatoes bursting on the vine? Herbs going to flower? Is overabundance wreaking havoc in your garden? Whip up an incredibly simple tomato sauce and hold onto Summer’s bounty for a little longer.

Food Comics: Deconstructed Croque Madames

We are pleased to introduce Food Comics from The Chopping Block where our resident Cartoonist Tom O'Brien illustrates his cooking adventures. Here, he shows us how to deconstruct a classic French ...

Pinot? More Like PinYes!

Our staff has some pretty strong opinions on wine, and that's never been more evident than when we begin to change up the wine list. I'm no exception to this of course, and I do plenty of grumbling ...

PB&J Cobbler

I was recently in South Carolina for a reunion with some old gal pals from high school. We stayed at the home of one of the women and while we ate out one night, this gave us the luxury of being ...

Protein FAQs Part 2: High Ratio Protein Sources

This post is the continuation of a multi-part article about protein. If you missed part one, be sure to check it out here. What are good sources of protein? “I’ve heard quinoa, nuts, and beans are ...