The Chopping Block Cooking Blog | Cooking Techniques

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin 101

When I went shopping last weekend, pork tenderloin was on sale so I decided to pick up a couple. I had no idea what I was going to do with them at the time, but after some serious brainstorming, I ...

Methods for Cooking Rice

I graduated from culinary school in 1986, and one of the essential cooking skills I learned was how to cook rice. Cooking rice was formula driven which made it incredibly simple to understand and ...

Saying I Do to Cooking Together Forever

Over the 24 years The Chopping Block has been open, we've seen a lot of people find love in our kitchens. I know of several couples who met during a cooking class who are still together today. Former ...

Sous Vide 101

I am so excited to announce that The Chopping Block is finally offering a sous vide cooking class! It never really made sense for us in the past to offer this type of class in person due to the ...

Building Blocks: Past and Present

When I first started working at The Chopping Block nineteen years ago, I was an assistant to our chefs (aka dishwasher) for cooking classes at our original location in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Some of ...

Candied Orange Slices

For those of you who don’t know, we announce a cooking challenge each week in The Chopping Block's private Facebook group. If you aren't already a member, it’s a great way to connect with others ...

Perfect Popcorn Every Time

Before I write a blog, I like to see what videos, recipes and overall content is available online. I was surprised to find how little information there is on popping popcorn, especially since I ...

How to Roast Garlic

I absolutely love moderating our virtual classes. It’s been so much fun for me to see The Chopping Block's virtual business evolve over the past year. What I love most about our virtual classes is ...

Risotto Rules for an Impressive Dish

Risotto is always a popular dish in our cooking classes, and I love making it for dinner parties and giving tips to my friends. Knowing how to make a good risotto is something I think every home cook ...

All Rise for Yeasted Doughnuts

You can’t get very far in America without running into a donut shop. We have embraced the history of this dessert found all over the world and made it into our own. Of course, doughnuts as we know ...