The winter cooking class schedule at Kitchen Conservatory is now posted online. There are 160 brand-new classes to choose among! We welcome several new cooking instructors, including Francophile Karen Mitcham-Stoeckley of the Eagle’s Nest, chef Pete Slay of Fu Manchu, Frank McGinty of Kaldi’s with a coffee-flavored menu, and Aysha Sadikovic with a Mediterranean menu. […]

In a participation cooking class the other night, the chef-instructor (Cary McDowell of Revival) repeatedly asked the student to “aggressively season” the meat. What a great phrase! Don’t just sprinkle on a little salt, but aggressively season — meaning, coat the meat with flavor. Seasoning — especially salt — may be the biggest difference between […]

“I’d like to get my grand-daughter a sushi-making kit. Do you have one?” a customer called to ask. Yes, we have the sushi mat and rice paddle available. “I want a kit that has everything in it,” the grandmother said. To make sushi, all you really need is the wooden mat for rolling up the ingredients. […]

Yes, there is still availability for hosting a holiday party at Kitchen Conservatory. Cooking with friends or co-workers is great fun and the food is really delicious. We offer enormous flexibility on the menu. Plus, everyone gets a copy of the recipes. Cooking parties can be scheduled any time of day, any day of the week (subject to kitchen […]

“Where’s the microwave? This chicken isn’t done!” I went over to help the lady who presented me with a beautiful chicken thigh — tender and succulent meat oozing with juice. There was the faintest trace of pink at the bone. Sigh. So many people are so scared of the horrors of undercooked chicken that they insist […]

It’s 6 pm and I’ve done nothing about dinner. My husband has a one-word answer: risotto. Twenty minutes later, dinner is served. Really. Risotto is our favorite fast-and-easy dinner. Sometimes we even serve it to guests, but it seems too simple. What’s the best aspect of risotto? Creaminess. It’s so creamy that I have serve it in a […]

I am not fickle over fickles; I absolutely love my new-found treat: a pickled fig. The fig season is just ending, but run to make these delectables. Why? Fickles are delicious on a roasted beet-poached egg salad or as a condiment with lamb, pork, or chicken or with any gooey cheese. I’m sure they would be fabulous […]