• Last updated 2/28/10 by Nicko

by: Chef Jim Berman When I pondered this article, this tackling of creating fresh pasta, I was as nervous as a school boy on prom night; So many questions, so much anticipation for a fulfilling experience. Everyone does it, Would I live up to the expectations that, undoubtedly, were had of me? Would I be able to capture the right combination of movement and genteel touch that would pay off with visceral and guttural satisfaction? How would I compare to those that have tried before me? Due diligence wins, here. This is not a lexicon on the idiosyncrasies of 'all things'... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by JackBlack

To look in any dictionary under the word "roast" will most likely yield a definition such as "to cook foods using dry heat in a contained oven or near an open flame". Sounds simple, right? As with anything though, a roast can be made as uncomplicated or elaborate as one decides. I personally like to keep things simple. Once, while taking a course on French Cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, I witnessed a chef roasting three capon. As simple as it sounds it was one of the most beautiful yet laborious roasts I had ever seen. First he slid the thinnest slivers of black... read more

• Last updated 3/8/10 by Nicko

Written By Chef Peter Martin In Part I of this series on food thickeners we looked at a variety of different items that can be used for thickening.  In this part we will be focusing exclusively on flour, as a thickener, as that is what most people turn to when something needs thickening.  As stated in Part I, flour is not the thickener of choice for everything.  Fruit sauces, clear soups, certain meat glazes, and many pie fillings are just a few examples of items that do not do well being thickened with flour.  On the other hand gravies, many sauces and a whole variety... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by Pete

How Do I Thicken My Soup?We rarely think when it comes to thickening soups and sauces.  We usually just reach for that box of cornstarch are whip up a quick batch of roux, never really thinking of what we are doing.  But do you really understand when to use one thickening agent over another?  Why do most gravies use flour or a roux and why do many fruit desserts use cornstarch, arrowroot or tapioca?  In part I of this series we will examine the myriad of varieties of thickeners out there and when you should use each.  In part II we will focus completely on the use of... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by mvogel

Braising can take the chill out of winter I am not a winter person.  But I must admit, there’s nothing like a hearty winter meal followed by a good brandy or a hot cup of tea in front of the fireplace.  Historically man consumed rich and robust fare in winter to counter the cold and add some thermal padding.  Culinary anthropology aside, I simply love spending a cold winter Saturday or Sunday preparing soul warming fare that fills the house with its embracing aroma. It starts with a technique called braising.  Braising refers to cooking food, often meat with... read more

• Last updated 3/8/10 by Nicko

Written By Chef Peter Martin Let's face facts; we have all had our fair share of kitchen disasters, even us “professionals”, though we might not admit it.  From food being too salty, to scorched soups, to broken hollandaise, disasters do, and will, happen.  The good news is that many of these so-called “disasters” can be fixed relatively easily, with only a few that are beyond salvaging.  Below is a list of some of the most common kitchen disasters and how to fix them. Too Salty From thinking the recipe said tablespoons instead of teaspoons, to being distracted and... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by mvogel

Historically, feasting on lamb was a traditional means of ushering in the spring season.  The natural breeding cycle of sheep produces lamb in the months of March and April; hence the term spring lamb.  This however, is an informal definition.A lamb is a sheep less than one year old.  A baby lamb is six to eight weeks old while a spring lamb is three to five months of age.  After a year it is referred to as a yearling and once it reaches its second birthday it becomes mutton.  As the sheep ages its meat will become darker colored, develop a stronger, gamier taste, and be... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by jdraz

Sweetbreads, the Supreme Offal We've seen everything good today ...... we even ate pancreas! - Ferris Beuller Sweetbreads are the ultimate organ meat, highly prized by chefs and connoisseurs for their mild flavor and velvety texture. They are the most versatile of offal meats and can be prepared using virtually any cooking method. They can be sautéed, braised, poached, grilled, fried, and even roasted. In addition to center of the plate entrees, sweetbreads can figure prominently in hot or cold appetizers, stews, salads, pates, terrines, and sausages. These tender... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by JackBlack

Stuff ThisThere is something almost irresistible about sausage. Maybe it's the aroma it creates as it sizzles and sputters in a hot skillet. Or possibly the way its distinctive flavors permeate the most meager soup or stew, turning an otherwise simple meal into something sublime. It's like haute cuisine for the masses. The mere thought of it is enough to make one salivate. But, unfortunately, sausage is often a misunderstood food. It seems to have a bad rap, and is sometimes viewed as unhealthy and thought to contain certain "mystery" ingredients.  While it is most... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by ckoetke

Welcome back to class! Hopefully you have had a month of successful grilling! What have you grilled that was really great? Today, we are going to turn our attention from dry heat cooking methods (sautéing and grilling) and begin looking at moist heat cooking methods. Moist heat cooking methods use liquid or steam to transfer heat, thus cooking the product. In this class we will focus on one particular type of moist heat cooking--poaching. Poaching is certainly less practiced today than the methods covered in previous classes, sautéing and grilling. But poaching is... read more