• Last updated 4/3/13 by Jim

The cantankerous cook behind many of ChefTalk's educational pieces and book reviews got his start at the ripe, old age of 15 at a small fishing club on the Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada. After several failed, ill-fated attempts at following through to study economics in New York and Pittsburgh, Jim reluctantly gave in, dropped out and dove headfirst into the murky waters of cooking. He worked in Santa Fe and migrated back east to settle, for now, along the shore of the Delaware River. Here, Jim has worked on opening a colonial restaurant, in various capacities in... read more

• Last updated 6/5/12 by Jim

  Cantaloupe Ice Cream The fifth in a series on ice creams, custards and sorbets Jim Berman CCI Cantaloupe ice cream is a tough gig. There are variables that need addressed; the sweetness of the cantaloupe is a biggie. The ripeness is another. And when pondering a frozen dessert with cantaloupe, it is even a tough call to go the ice cream route or the custard path. Of course, a sorbet would be an easy option. The seasonality of this melon makes for interesting fodder for the frozen churner. Color is a consideration, as well. In this fifth installment on... read more

• Last updated 1/7/12 by Nicko

Discovering the Deli: Chapter 6 - How to Make Matzo Balls by Jim Berman     There is mysticism that surrounds that cute, bulbous ball of nearly flavorless matzo in a chickeny swap of carrots, celery and onions. What makes some matzo balls so airy and flavorful while others are rocks of blandness? Okay, mysticism is an overstatement. How about an air of familial superiority? Call it matzo ball envy. Whomever’s home housed the bubbe with the best matzo ball chops, reigned supreme. And more importantly, wasn’t the object of ridicule on the way back home after... read more

• Last updated 2/22/12 by Jim

How to Make Vanilla Ice Cream The first in a series on ice creams, custards and sorbets Jim Berman CCI     Making ice cream is as richly rewarding as baking bread. It may be heresy, but there it is! I said it! There is no kneading, but there is churning. There is no waiting for yeast to do its thing, but there is waiting for the freezer to do its thing. There are no instant results with the two. And both instill guilt for the waist-conscious. There are artisanal approaches for the duo as well and, ultimately, creating the two is edible therapy.   We... read more

• Last updated 1/14/12 by margcata

  Written By: Margaux Cintrano - Margcata.   At the junction between The Mediterranean and The Atlantic, The Iberian Peninsula enjoys its exquisite variety of fish, shellfish and seafood products. Additionally, The Western Atlantic, The Eastern Atlantic and Southern Atlantic have a diversity of species and uncountable names in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, Catalan and French. Here is a Mini Guide to assist in Menu Reading.   1) Herring ( This variety is absent in Iberian waters. )   Spanish: arenque Portuguese: arenque German:... read more

• Last updated 1/7/12 by Nicko

Quote:Discovering the Deli Some time ago, I decided my long-term goal would be to open my deli. I grew up on deli food and miss it so - the soft, seeded-rye; stinky chopped chicken livers; the dew on the windows from the corned beefs… corning; the grease-glazed knishes; mountains of yellow potato salad. Delaware is not a haven for such gastronomical delights beyond chicken ‘n dumplings and steamed crabs. My very indiscriminate love of good food was born of my experience with really good deli food. So, in seven years, I want to open a deli. I have never been good with... read more

• Last updated 10/14/12 by Jim

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream The seventh in a series on ice creams, custards and sorbets Jim Berman CCI       Fall. Halloween. Pumpkin. And ice cream is always on the calendar. This installment in the series on frozen desserts covers a genuine fall staple. Pumpkin shows up in everything as of late, but I have always been a fan of pumpkin pie ice cream. From back in the day as a wee, curly haired chubby kid causing general mayhem on the streets of Pittsburgh, I used to wander in to Baskin Robbins and ask for a sample of their Pumpkin ice ice cream. And ask for... read more

• Last updated 4/18/12 by JackBlack

  “Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.” –Louis P. De Gouy   A few weeks ago as I left my sister's house on Thanksgiving's eve I carried with me not only a very full belly but also a picked-over turkey carcass. Safely enclosed in a plastic bag, I placed it in the rear of my small pickup truck and that's where it stayed for the night. In the morning while still in my pajamas and with coffee cup in hand, I stumbled with a tryptophan hangover outside... read more

• Last updated 9/23/12 by Jim

Edamame-Ginger Frozen Custard The sixth in a series on ice creams, custards and sorbets Jim Berman CCI   A recent event in Wilmington, Delaware pressed into service a partnership between local farmers and thirty of the area’s restaurants in a down-home culinary throw-down. Set to push the thinking of using local produce as well as kickstarting the egomaniacal competitive spirit of neighboring chefs, there would be no ‘just get it done’ in this affair. Rather, shock and awe would be the prescribed approach by this crew. An abundance of young soybeans stirred... read more

• Last updated 1/22/12 by Nicko

This tutorial is to demonstrate how to add a new "Cooking Term" to ChefTalk.com. A cooking term is added to the site to help define,explain and demonstrate a cooking technique or preparation. Some examples of a cooking term that often needs clarification are:   Render Saute Ballentine Sous Chef Brigade Beurre Blanc   When adding a cooking term you must include the name the term and the definition at the very least. Feel free to add a demonstration photo or video along with a recipe if appropriate. Here are the steps to add a cooking... read more