What Is The Difference Between a Roux and a Slurry? by my daughter, Nell Jones November is an important month for citizens of the United States. Nope, not because of elections. Thanksgiving. Do you ever wonder how your mom got the Thanksgiving gravy so thick? She probably has some support. Thickeners Sauces thicken when a […]
My Favorite Restaurants While In Rome by Nell Jones, my oldest daughter This year I was fortunate enough to spend a semester in Rome, Italy. I had studied some of the language and the culture but what I was most excited for was the Italian food. It was almost as if this was a semester […]
How to Make Restaurant Quality Stocks at Home Could you imagine having to create a singular sauce with singular ingredients for every dish on the menu? Long ago, European chefs realized that it was a much more efficient way to run a kitchen to have sauce components on hand that could be altered or made […]
And What NOT to Eat When You Have a Cold by Nell Jones Wasn’t it nice to stay home from school and have someone serve you soup in bed when you got sick as a child? Well those days are over and now you have to cook for yourself and use sick days sparingly. As […]
What Does Organic Food Mean & Is It Worth It by Nell Jones, my oldest daughter The great thing about most grocery stores today is the array of options. There are at least ten different kinds of chickens and eggs you can choose from. One of these choices is whether or not to choose the […]
How Much Sauce Should You Put On Food? At restaurants, where food cost is king, the difference between 1 ounce and 3 ounces of sauce on a dish translates to cash for the restaurant. No matter what type of restaurant, portion control is a key to quality, consistency and revenue. At McDonald’s they have a […]
Popular Food Trucks Around the USA by Nell Jones, my oldest daughter A tiny restaurant with no seating and a different location every day. Sounds like a hassle, but these establishment are popping up everywhere, in the form of food trucks. Food trucks always served a purpose on city streets and large events but now […]
Having the Right Equipment Makes a Difference Saucier A saucepan whose sides curve up gently from the bottom as opposed to having a completely flat bottom and straight sides. This makes it much easier to cover the entire bottom of the pan when stirring a sauce with a wooden spoon or a whisk. And the […]
Important Techniques for Making Great Sauces at Home Now that we have looked at some of the important ingredients used for restaurant quality sauces, let’s look at a few of the important cooking techniques associated with sauce making. This is not a complete list. There are some great saucing cookbooks that go into much more […]
More Ingredients for Great Sauces at Home Part 1 of The Secret to Successful Sauces – Ingredients Cooking with Flavor Enhancers One of the differences between restaurant chefs and home cooks is that chefs are familiar with a wide variety of specialty ingredients that can subtly or not-so-subtly enhance a sauce. They understand the diner’s palate, […]
I'm a work-at-home dad who enjoys cooking, learning everything I can about the culinary world and sharing it with you. To learn more about me... Read More
How to Make the Best Beef Wellington This Beef Wellington recipe has become a tradition in our house. We prepare it every couple of years for Christmas and made it again this year. If I’m lucky, we will have it next year and the year after that. My wife originally found a recipe in Fine […]
Christmas Standing Rib Roast Thanksgiving is a holiday in which turkey really shines. Many of you would rather not deal with another turkey just four weeks after Thanksgiving. Some of you might still have some frozen leftovers. The Christmas meal is a celebratory meal, and as such, celebration food is a natural at the Christmas […]
How to Bake A Ham For Christmas
Baked Christmas Ham Recipe Would you like to serve a wonderfully flavorful and juicy ham for the holidays? Here’s a can’t-go-wrong recipe that will have your guests asking for seconds, and for a plate of leftovers, as well. Be sure to read about the history of serving ham on Christmas and the various types of […]
