The number-one job for a blender is crushing ice to make smoothies, milkshakes, and other frozen concoctions. But most blenders cannot handle ice. And most kitchen electrics offer no more than a one-year warranty. Then there is the Vita-Mix, an extraordinary machine with a seven-year warranty. The two-horsepower motor can easily handle ice everyday. The [...]

After the Day in the Kitchen: Fish cooking class, the participants said their most favorite dish was fish tacos. After the four-part Culinary Skills class, the participants said that their most favorite dish was fish tacos. At a recent Iron Chef competition, the chef who made fish tacos was the winner. Fish tacos are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, [...]

The most popular day of the year for a party is the first Saturday in December. Here are a few tips for successfully hosting a cocktail party: 1. Small, pre-cut morsels of easy-to-eat food are more popular than a hunk of cheese or meat that require the guests to cut and then place on a cracker. Great appetizers do not [...]

Stop by on Sunday, November 23 for our annual Champagne Stroll from 12 to 5 pm. We will have delicious holiday goodies and, of course, our favorite champagne punch available. Kitchen Conservatory and the other merchants on Clayton Road between Brentwood and Hanley roads all participate in a scavenger hunt. The winner gets a gift [...]

Summer may be over, but Indian Summer is still to come, so a cool and refreshing drink is in order. Everyone knows sangria — red wine, sugar, sliced fruits — but several customers have requested these particular sangria recipes: Traditional Sangria 1 cup rum 1/2 cup superfine sugar 1 orange, thinly sliced 1 lemon, thinly [...]