I love apples. So, what better way to embrace the apple season than going to pick your own? My family and I went apple picking at Crane Orchard in Fennville, Michigan a few weeks ago. We love this ...
I grew up Morel mushroom hunting with my family so my love of exotic mushrooms was formed at an early age. I cherished the experience and time with my family exploring the woods and the healthy ...
If you've read my blog before, you know that I tend to be a do-it-yourself-er. This past spring, I wrote about foraging for mushrooms. While doing a little research, I got struck by a proverbial bolt ...
As I sat in The Chopping Block's beautiful Saffron kitchen this morning, I couldn’t help but notice our copper collection was looking a bit, well, dull. Now I wouldn’t say I’m OCD, but when I get the ...
A student recently asked me whether smoked paprika was actually smoked with wood. I was fairly certain that it was, and decided to explore this subject for my first blog for The Chopping Block.
Now that we are in the middle of holiday entertaining season, you may be busy planning a party. You'll want to consider decor and presentation, as well as the menu itself. I find platter presentation ...
I’ve been thinking a lot about atmosphere and aesthetics these days and how it affects our experience of food and dining. I know most people care about appearance on some level, the most basic being ...
Cooking with wild mushrooms is a delight – there is nothing that adds flavor to a dish quite like them. Every year my mom sends me a bag of wild mushrooms that she has painstakingly collected, ...
