Some people can’t pass a shoe store without buying a pair or three of shoes. Other folks buy sunglasses to match every outfit they own. And whenever I happen upon a great gourmet shop or online source for gourmet ingredients, I have to buy something. Fortunately, this is a very tasty habit so my wife doesn’t grumble when I come home with the latest specialty salt or aged vinegar or truffle oil. I can add just a little of these “gourmet” ingredients to my cooking to take it to a whole new level.
Find articles here on many specialty items, from caviar to finishing salt. Learn how to purchase these ingredients, how to store them and get some great ideas for how to use them to really elevate your cooking.
My wife’s friend Laura from Chicago shared these thoughts that I wanted to pass along, especially since we recently wrote that a good substitute for Golden Mountain Sauce, which we included in our recipe for Roasted Cauliflower Steaks, is fish sauce. Fish Sauce – A Not-So-New Go-To for Chefs and Home Cooks by Contributing Writer […]
Why Is It So Hard To Find Sherry Vinegar? Have you ever had a recipe call for sherry vinegar and when you get to your local food market, you can’t find it. What makes this vinegar so elusive? You go to your local supermarket and you can find 15 varieties of Balsamic vinegar and other […]
I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrew Hillman of Rastelli Direct, a major player in the food-service business providing high end products to consumers and restaurants. Rastelli Direct has been doing some marketing on the Reluctant Gourmet and sent me some of their products to try out and have some fun with. I thought […]
What I Like About Hale Groves As a kid, I remember visiting my grandparents in Florida around Easter time and enjoying fresh oranges and grapefruit that I picked myself from my grandparent’s trees. It is a memory that comes back every time I enjoy a really fresh orange or grapefruit. Now I can get that […]
Interview with The Coffee Couple Every once in a while you meet someone who really knows their stuff and loves what they do so much you can’t help get excited when they talk to you about their subject. In this case, it wasn’t someone, but a couple who call themselves The Coffee Couple and I […]
What You Need To Know About Fresh Pressed Olive Oil A Conversation with “The Olive Oil Hunter,” T. J. Robinson Let me start out by saying this is a long interview but if you are into gourmet products, especially olive oil, you’re going to want to read every word. Who is The Olive Oil Hunter? […]
The Importance of Making Your Own Stocks Contributing Food Writer Mark R. Vogel One of the first lessons of any cooking course is learning how to make stocks. Stocks form the basis of most sauces and soups. A stock is basically the liquid that eventuates from simmering bones and/or meat with vegetables, herbs, & seasonings. […]
The Importance of Cooking Stocks & Stock Reductions Why are stocks and stock reductions one of the first things students at cooking school learn how to prepare? Anyone who wants to be a better home cook, I suggest you learn how to make simple stocks, broths and stock reductions. Once you learn how to make […]
The Diamonds of the Kitchen Contributing Writer – Chef Mark Vogel Truffles are a subterranean fungi that flourish via a symbiotic relationship with the roots of certain trees, e.g., beech, hazel, oak, etc. They are not mushrooms which are a completely different fungi. They are also not to be confused with the chocolate confection that […]
Buying an Espresso or Cappuccino Machine This is one of those luxury items that every kitchen doesn’t need but if you like cappuccinos and lattes, is great to have around. Years ago before I was married, I dated a young lady who loved to go out for espresso. …Well next thing you know I own […]
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
What is Demi Glace? I am a huge fan of demi-glace for preparing classic sauces like mushroom or peppercorn sauce but I have to warn you, it is a huge process to make classic demi glace at home. It is not for the faint of heart but well worth the effort – at least once. […]
Penne Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella
How to Make a Delicious Pasta Meal with Roasted Tomatoes & Fresh Mozzarella In our house we typically have a weekly “What’s On Hand” meal where my wife and I find ingredients in the refrigerator and pantry that need to be used sooner than later and prepare a pasta dish, stir-fry or Mexican fajita. This […]
Pan Roasting—the Chef’s Secret Cooking Technique One of my favorite cooking techniques not talked about in most cookbooks If I could teach you just one chef’s technique that will help you save time in the kitchen and deliver a thick cut of meat to the table with a perfect sear and juicy medium-rare throughout, it […]
