The Chopping Block Cooking & Wine Blog

Low Waste Cooking: Veg Stock and Carrot Ginger Soup

Trying to minimize waste in a home kitchen can be a difficult task. As we prioritize convenience in our daily lives, we end up disposing of plenty of usable and delicious ingredients. And the kicker ...

Cozy up to a Bowl of Soup this Season

If you live in Chicago like me, you have to admit we have been pretty lucky with the weather so far this fall. That's been great news for all of the outdoor grilling classes we've hosted on our ...

There’s No Bone Broth In This Chicken Soup

I am currently watching football, snow has recently fallen, and I am cuddled up on the couch with my fiancé. This is it. This is what I’ve been waiting for - soup weather! When it’s 60 degrees ...

10 Tips for Making Sauces Part 1: Velouté

Leave it to the French to assert that there are really only five sauces, the Mother Sauces. The idea is that the five Mother Sauces are base sauces, and by adding additional flavorings or modifying ...

What’s the Difference between Stock, Broth and Bone Broth?

One of the questions that seems to perplex both culinary professionals, avid and novice cooks alike is: “What’s the difference between broth and bone broth?” For most of the 22 years The Chopping ...

Broth, Stock, and Bone Broth

Stock is the foundation of so many classical dishes that chefs spend years perfecting their perfect, clear flavorful stock. But what really is it? And how does it differentiate from its younger, ...

How to Make Consomme

Soups and sauces have long been my favorite aspect of cooking, so I had a lot of fun when I recently taught the Soups and Sauces portion of The Chopping Block's Culinary Boot Camp. One of the soups ...

Back to Basics: Brown Stock

One of the highlights from my holidays was a meal I made with a standing, bone-in, rib roast with a sea salt and black pepper crust. I got this beautiful cut of meat from my new favorite butcher shop ...

Soups and Stews and One Somewhere In Between

There are few dishes that I crave constantly and enjoy more than a delicious bowl of homemade soup.

French Onion Soup Done Right

I recently had the worst French onion soup ever! I know this statement is pretty extreme, but I am not exaggerating. It was thin, greasy, lacked seasoning, and had the sorriest excuse for a crouton ...