After every meal at The Chopping Block when entree plates are cleared and dessert is dished, I can hear the intervals of conversation between family or friends and sometimes perfect strangers who ...
The Perfect Recipe for Picnic Fare under the Stars
Some friends and I recently went to a free concert at Chicago’s beautiful Millennium Park. The forecast was for a gorgeous night with great picnicking weather! It was a perfect night for laying down ...
When I was a little girl, my father would often take my siblings and I fishing during the summer. We usually would go to my Uncle Paul’s pond in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Uncle Paul had a catfish bait ...
I’ve always been a total learning junkie. Even back in the day I was a Class A nerd, taking classes like Etymology and Philosophy in addition to my usual high school course load. I’ve continued my ...
Just because I am a chef doesn’t mean that I am absolutely comfortable preparing every type of food. For instance, I certainly cannot claim to be an expert when it comes to making sushi.
Just recently in a class I was teaching at The Chopping Block, a question was asked about how to finish a risotto without parmesan. To which I responded, why wouldn’t you want to finish your risotto ...
What do you do when you discover a small patch of sandy beach on the shores of Lake Michigan that looks essentially untouched? You channel memories of your favorite beaches in the world and begin ...
Back in seventh grade home economics class, I learned a classic way to prepare eggs: dropped into a piece of bread with a hole in it on a frying pan! Over the years, I have learned from various ...
When I talk to home cooks, many share with me that they are afraid of trying things in the kitchen because they will make a mistake. They are worried they will create a “disaster” of some sort and ...
The Building Blocks of Cooking: Spices, Vinegars and Oils
Is your pantry stocked well so that you are set up for success in the kitchen? Or do you find yourself running to the store for last-minute ingredients all of the time? If you are a newer home cook ...
