The Chopping Block Cooking Blog

Kladdkaka: the Swedish, Chocolatey, Sticky, Gooey, Thin Cake with the Coolest Name

Sometimes I search for desserts that challenge me but that are still quite simple to make. Kladdkaka was that type of dessert for me. Plus for me, the name alone screamed, “bake me!”

Apple-Bacon-Caramel Croissant Bread Pudding

It’s not fall in my mind until Apple Fest happens in Lincoln Square. This year we baked over 800 of our famous Apple Pies, and we had Lincoln Avenue smelling amazing for the better part of a week. ...

Crossroads Diner: At the Intersection of Hospitality & Community - L.A. Edition, Part 2

Returning to the scene of the criminally delicious, this month's edition of Crossroads Diner delves back into my recent Los Angeles eating and drinking spree. I would be remiss, however, if I were ...

Mussel into Fall

Last weekend a good friend of mine decided that we should have dinner at one of her favorite spots. I hurried and threw together an outfit, and raced out the door to make our reservation at Moe’s ...

Chilly Outside? Then Make Chili Inside

Despite the fact that the weather has not actually cooled off very much yet, Autumn is here and so is the typical fare of that season. Thick, creamy soups, meaty, luxurious stews, and savory, ...

The Recipe for Real Chicago Style Giardiniera

Even if you are a Chicago native, you may not realize that Chicago has its own version of Giardiniera. My father-in-law who was born and raised in Chicago recently moved out west and went into shock ...

Expand Your Knowledge of Beef Cuts

My thirst for knowledge definitely drives the curriculum here at The Chopping Block. Recently, I’ve been craving to learn more about using underutilized cuts of beef... not only for my own ...

Here's the Tea

Every now and then it can be good for a person to take a short hiatus from drinking highly caffeinated coffee every morning. Like, for instance, if you find your entire body vibrating like a tuning ...

The Benefits of Salmon Skin

While the world seems to be always looking for the next big health trend and hidden nutrient gems, one thing that seems to stick around are Omega-3s. As we start moving into the cooler weather here ...

For Goodness Sake! A Very Basic Guide to Japanese Sake

What do I know about sake? We sell the stuff, and people seem to enjoy it, but for me it just tastes like an awkward college attempt at being cultured. I don't remember much about the first time I ...