The Chopping Block Cooking & Wine Blog

Crossroads Diner at Smyth: “Come As You Are” Dining in West Loop

To start off this edition of Crossroads Diner: At the Intersection of Hospitality & Community, I wholly and unabashedly admit to huge bias towards the restaurant featured in the ensuing piece. I ...

Dinner and a Show at Alinea

The past few months have been a whirlwind of epic meals: birthday dinner at Le Bernadin; Nashville Hot Chicken at its birthplace, Prince’s; rabbit and truffles in a cave in Rome; and salsiccia ...

First Encounter with a Purple Pig

It has been a while since I have ventured out to try a new restaurant, so last weekend I made plans with my girlfriend to stay downtown and try something different. We decided to visit The Purple Pig ...

A Recipe Revival: Prosciutto Cups with Corn Custard

by Andrea 5/30/25 10:30 AM

When I first started working at The Chopping Block almost 23 years ago, our class...Read more

It's Easy Being Cheesy: Homemade Mozzarella

by William 5/29/25 10:30 AM

Now you might say it’s because I was raised in Wisconsin, but I claim there are few things...Read more

A Wedding Cake Tale

by Karen D 5/28/25 10:30 AM

I love to bake, and I’m frequently asked to bake cakes and cookies for all sorts of...Read more

Franks and Beans from Scratch

by Drake 5/23/25 10:30 AM

I'm back with another bean blog! It’s been a while since I’ve had the canned...Read more

TCB Chef Wins America's Test Kitchen: The Next Generation

by Andrea 5/22/25 10:30 AM

If you watched America's Test Kitchen: The Next Generation you already know the great news: our...Read more

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Crossroads Diner at Smyth: “Come As You Are” Dining in West Loop

Dinner and a Show at Alinea

First Encounter with a Purple Pig

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