Crystal Zaragoza is a Class Assistant at The Chopping Block. She grew up in Nebraska and also lived in San Francisco before landing in Chicago. Crystal has a deep-seated appreciation for food styling and presentation. Her favorite cuisines are Japanese and Thai. She loves throwing together a hodge podge of ingredients on the fly to create new, unexpected combinations. Crystal also greatly enjoys exploring the cuisines and food traditions of other cultures. When she isn't in the kitchen, Crystal can be found carrying out her passion for teaching in another avenue, as a coach for a high school color guard. She can also be found hanging out in local coffee shops or trying out new restaurants and brewpubs with her husband.
Recent Posts
A Flavor Boost When You're in a Pickle
One of the beauties of cooking is that even a simplistic dish can be a flavor-filled pleasure. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly enjoy making those dishes which have two million elements to them and ...
When it comes to the use of herbs and spices, many of us think we’ve got it down pat. I know there was a time when I thought I was doing it right by shaking in some chili powder and dried oregano ...
It is said that your hands are your best tools in the kitchen. I believe this to be true with every ounce of my being, but what about the second best tools? Not all tools have to be one-trick-wonders ...
A Look into the History of Spam and Why You Should Try It
With Memorial Day now behind us, a long weekend that many take advantage of for quick, mini-vacations, I found myself reflecting on some of my past travels. Sometimes it can be difficult to choose a ...
Coconut Macaroons: An Easy and Elegant French Dessert
French food gets a bad rap oftentimes for being an unapproachable and difficult-to-cook cuisine at home, only to be enjoyed in expensive, upscale restaurants. I am here to tell you that some of those ...
Whipped Cream: A Versatile and Easy Complement to Any Dessert
There are many things in life we take for granted. For example, I will eat the same beloved foods time and time again, but don’t always ask myself the question, “How is this made”? It’s an important ...
A pantry can sometimes be both a blessing and a curse. We have been finding this out since we moved into our new condo last April and have had the cursed blessing of a pantry. The blessing side of it ...
I feel the need to pre-empt this blog post by letting you know a little bit about what kind of person I am. I am one of those people who is honest and can’t even tell the tiniest of white lies ...
An Untraditional Pancake for a Christmas Morning Tradition
Christmastime is finally here, and I am among the many that are thrilled by this fact. I love so much about this time of year. I really enjoy all the traditions that come along with the holidays – ...
I am now back from a three-week long venture in Australia and New Zealand, and of course discovered some amazing food along the way and just have to share one of my favorites with you. One of my ...
