I talk a lot to students about the importance of using fresh spices. So many people have little plastic jars of ground spices in their pantries that could be half a decade old or older. At that age, ...
If you have read any of my past blogs you may know I am from a little town in Iowa, Fort Dodge to be exact. Growing up in a rural area, in a small Midwestern town in the 70’s, I had little exposure ...
Being a chef instructor at The Chopping Block is by far the best job I have ever had. I love food, I adore cooking, and I am passionate about teaching. Given those facts, every time I come to work I ...
First things first... no, we are not talking poison sumac! Secondly, it is extremely easy to tell the difference between poison sumac and Staghorn Sumac, Staghorn Sumac being the edible version. We ...
Open up your spice cabinet right now and take a good long look. How old are your dried herbs and spices? Have some followed you from one apartment to the next? Unless your jar of oregano has ...
As an advisory board member of the World Food Travel Association, I’m fortunate to travel to many countries around the world to work with local chefs and explore different culinary cultures. Whether ...
One of the most common thing students at The Chopping Block say they want to master is the ability to not have to follow a recipe. They want the confidence to throw flavors together and be able to ...
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 ...
I don’t know about you, but my spice collection is one part of my kitchen that I would rather not think about. Most of my kitchen brings me so much joy; I love my wire fruit basket, shelf of baking ...
