The Chopping Block Cooking & Wine Blog

Shelley

Shelley has been teaching people to cook since she opened The Chopping Block in 1997. She spent 17 years as a professional chef, working in busy restaurants and private homes but realized her calling was to get other people to cook. Shelley’s unique concept of a recreational cooking school, gourmet kitchen store and private event business provides Chicago with over 300 cooking classes and private events each month. Shelley loves to garden and entertain for family and friends in her Lincoln Square home.

Happy and Healthy Chinese New Year Glass Noodles

For many of us, a new year is a time to reset our habits and commit to new healthier ones. It’s a time to get out the bucket list and review all the skills we have wanted to develop and get to work. ...

Get the Party Started with an Interactive Cheese Board

If you are in any way connecting with the civilized world during the holidays, you are bound to be spending more money than usual. Holiday gifts for the kids, the folks, the partners, the friends, ...

The Anatomy of Pie Crust

My passion for pie started at a very young age. My grandmother Ruby was a pie aficionado - her chocolate pie was hands down the best I ever tasted, somehow intense with chocolate, yet light as a ...

Real Caramel Apples

Caramel apples have come a long way since I was a kid. Back then, caramel apples were for Halloween and nothing else.

Celebrate with Cider Cocktails

We are at the height of apple season, and The Chopping Block celebrates apple season in a big way, namely at the annual Lincoln Square Apple Fest. We serve our famous Apple Pie by the slice at this ...

Copycat Luxardo Cherries

Cocktails are back in popularity and here to stay. Our cocktail classes and wine classes are proof of that - people love to drink but not just because of the effect of the alcohol. Our students love ...

Strawberry Memories Inspire Mascarpone Cake

Strawberries must be one of the most popular fruits. It is a rare occasion when we have a student who says they don’t like strawberries. If we put a strawberry-focused recipe or class on our class ...

Zucchini Pie (aka Mock Apple Pie)

Zucchini season is just around the corner and with that comes the inevitable mass quantities of it. If you are a gardener, you know exactly what I am talking about. Us gardeners are coupled with the ...

Asparagus Every Which Way but Steamed, Roasted or Grilled

It is that time of year again: asparagus season! Perhaps this time of year has lost some of its luster, some of its connection with the long-awaited Spring in the Midwest, since we can get asparagus ...

How to Make Authentic German Krapfen

Every once in a while, I get a call for help from my dear friend Carol Himmel and when she calls, I jump. Carol is always helping others, donating her time, energy, resources and attention so when ...

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Travel	Wine
Vegetarian	Gluten-Free
Kids	Baking & Pastry
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Shelley

Recent Posts

Happy and Healthy Chinese New Year Glass Noodles

Get the Party Started with an Interactive Cheese Board

The Anatomy of Pie Crust

Real Caramel Apples

Celebrate with Cider Cocktails

Copycat Luxardo Cherries

Strawberry Memories Inspire Mascarpone Cake

Zucchini Pie (aka Mock Apple Pie)

Asparagus Every Which Way but Steamed, Roasted or Grilled

How to Make Authentic German Krapfen

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