The Chopping Block Cooking Blog

Shrimp Diavolo: The Perfect Weeknight Meal

This recipe is packed with flavor and uses very simple cooking techniques. Shrimp Diavolo is a classic, slightly spicy Italian dish (where you control the heat by determining how much chili ...

Study Scrutiny: Critical Thinking Part 2

In my previous post, I went over some of the ways that information can be bastardized from person to person or in the media’s (mis)representation of academic studies. Today we’re going to look at ...

Food Comics: New and Improved French Onion Soup

We are pleased to introduce Food Comics from The Chopping Block where our resident Cartoonist Tom O'Brien illustrates his cooking adventures. Tom used to make Alton Brown's version of his favorite ...

Aromatics from around the World: Mire Poix, Soffritto, Refogado, Holy Trinity

Growing up homesteading in Iowa in the 60’s and 70’s gave me tremendous exposure to fresh food. We didn’t really eat frozen or packaged food, in part because we couldn’t afford it but also because ...

Sparkling Cocktails with a Shining History

Maybe you need a new way to enjoy all your bubbly leftover from the holidays. Maybe you have just one bottle to lubricate 10 guests. Or maybe your favorite sparkler has just a few ounces left in the ...

Chocolate Mousse, the Cheffy Way

As a professional chef, I love throwing (and attending!) dinner parties, and I’m not shy about going back for seconds. But I’m also not one to skip dessert, so when it comes to the sweet stuff, I ...

What is a Santoku Knife?

When I first started culinary school, one of the first things I did was pick up my school-assigned “Chef’s Kit.” I could barely contain my glee as I took my bounty home. I started familiarizing ...

10 Tips for Sauce Making Part 3: Tomato Sauce

In part 3 of this series, we will focus on the third Mother Sauce: tomato sauce. Tomato sauce is one of the Mother Sauces that many people actually do make at home, and it's also one of the few ...

Drinking Beer From the Oldest Brewery in the World (Maybe)

I've noticed several trends in how chefs pair wine for our classes, but the one that makes me laugh the most is when they choose beer. I find this funny because there's always a small amount of ...

DIY Dining Experiences to Try with a Group

Food brings people together. Nothing rings truer than that statement. While heading to the newest and hottest restaurant in town can be deliciously fun, there are plenty of ways to gather friends ...