Strawberries and rhubarb are now in season, which means that the summer canning season has begun. Preserving the bounty of fresh fruit is so satisfying, especially when you open a jar in the dead of winter and smell the freshness of summer. Kitchen Conservatory sells all of the necessary canning jars and equipment. Our Recipe [...]

Although the extra-cool Spring has been frustrating to gardeners (we lost our tomato plants last night due to an unexpected frost), the time is right to plant herbs. No plant is as satisfying to grow as herbs, since they generally grow like weeds. Every cook appreciates a bunch of fresh herbs readily available by the [...]

A critical job in any kitchen is the clean up. Ten conscientious and hard-working people work as Kitchen Assistants at Kitchen Conservatory and they make sure that the cooking classes run smoothly and that the kitchen is cleaned up and ready for the next class. Our fringe benefits include delicious food and everyone who works [...]

By request, here are our all-time favorite dishes for Thanksgiving from the staff of Kitchen Conservatory. We wish you a happy and blessed and delicious Thanksgiving Day. Our store will be closed on Thursday, but we are open on Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. Sweet Potato-Chipotle Gratin from Dawn Meyer 4 [...]

Hummus — a puree of chick peas from the Middle East — is now a staple food for young adults. Yes, you can easily buy packaged hummus in many different flavors, but homemade hummus from dried (not canned) chick peas is infinitely superior. It may sound funny to take a cooking class on how to [...]

A customer recently asked, “What does it mean when a recipe says to cream the butter?” Well, it does not mean to add cream — as he then asked, “the recipe doesn’t say how much cream to add.” To “cream” means more than just mixing together. To “mix” or to “stir” means to just blend [...]

Need a make-ahead appetizer that people can’t stop eating? This creamy, flavorful Mediterranean torte is both pretty and delicious. Several tips for making this dip even more flavorful: Dried fruits, such as raisins or sun-dried tomatoes, taste much better if they are softened and rehydrated. Place the dried fruit in hot water for about 5 [...]

Many people suffer from fear of pie — not eating pie, but making pie crust. I have encountered bakers who will gladly bake cakes, bread, cookies, cupcakes, and even French macarons, but are afraid to tackle a simple pie crust. Let’s drive these pie demons out of the kitchen! Pie is a short pastry, which [...]

For many farmers, this year’s growing season was terrible: early warmup, late frost, heat wave, and punishing drought. But the tomato plants loved the hot weather and the drought meant that the tomatoes were not overwatered. Too much rain and the tomato plants mold. The tomatoes this year are the best I have ever tasted. [...]

Cooking Asian-style often means stocking your pantry with jars of brown and yellow powders. Sometimes these pre-made blends are useful, but often they don’t have much flavor — perhaps because the spices were ground years ago and taste dusty. Yes, you can toast and grind your own blend, but Kitchen Conservatory now sells a wonderful [...]