Author: John Reardon

Hello my Foodie Friends!

As we enter into November, the holiday season is just around the corner. During this time, I have so many stories that I am remindful of. Do you have a favorite family story that you tell during the holidays? How many times have you heard or told the same story over and over again? Story telling is an important part of family tradition and they preserve family history.  The holiday season is a time that we gather around the table and share our favorite stories and moments with each other. It is a great time to reminisce and bring up the stories that are told time and time again. Many family traditions have to do with holidays and holiday food and the stories that soon become part of our traditions. These traditions can strengthen family bonds, contribute to your children’s identity and well-being, and create lasting memories. So, I am going to tell the “Bogie” story that I have shared before – a story we treasure. This is way back many years ago when our one baby was our dog Bogie. He was named after Humphrey Bogart and he loved to roam between our house and our neighbors next door. This was before invisible fences and we didn’t have the money for a regular fence.  Bogie was a German Shepherd/Black Lab mix puppy when we rescued him.  His color was pure black and he grew very fast to 100 lbs of muscle. He was the happiest dog in the world and loved by both our family and our friends next door, Ron and Deedy, whose children were now grown. Bogie could make anyone feel like they were his favorite person in the world. He would go over to visit Ron and Deedy every day. They were passionate foodies and were always cooking something fabulous. Bogie would wander over to their house and always came back carrying leftovers which were usually a big steak or a ham bone.  They loved him as much as we did. Bogie would however, test your love from time to time by taking food that wasn’t offered to him. There was the Halloween party that stopped dead in its tracks as all of our guests watched in amazement as Bogie took an entire pizza down the hallway and quickly devoured it. He never stole food from Ron and Deedy, until one day when his thievery reached legendary status on Thanksgiving 1989.  There was a knock on our door and it was Ron.  He had his head down and in a sad voice he said; “John, Bogie stole two of the mincemeat pies I had baked for Thanksgiving”. I responded to Ron with a mixture of denial and embarrassment; “are you sure, how do you know”?   Ron said he put his pie on the roof of his brand new 1989 Mercury Marquis, which had three miles on it, in the garage to cool. When he opened the garage door to go out he forgot to close it. When he came back, there were no pies. However, there were paw prints on the hood of his beloved Marquis.  Those prints then headed in the direction of our house. Ron and I then found the empty, perfectly cleaned, pie tins.  I apologized and offered to pay for the pies but Ron laughed and told me not to worry.  He said he would have to think of a new place to cool his pies and remember to close the door next time.  Although it has been many years since this happened and Ron has passed away, we can still hear Ron’s voice as he would always tell this story like it happened yesterday.   

Wondering what Bogie did that infamous day after eating the pies and where did we find the dog after his caper?  He was curled up by Paula’s legs in the kitchen sleeping it off.  I think this was “the start of a beautiful friendship”.

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store. We carry everything you need to make your favorite pie or dessert this season; including cooling racks (versus the roof of a Mercury Marquis), pie chains, pie plates, and all of your baking cool tools.  Keep your pies safe! Enjoy the holiday season baking and making forever interesting memories.  Stop by and shop for your traditional holiday season culinary needs at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs. When you get a moment, raise a glass and proclaim: “Here’s Looking at you Bogie!” Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 


Take Care, John & Paula

Hello  my Foodie Friends!  

It’s that time of year for me to share my annual Halloween memories. Halloween is this weekend, and for the little chefs out there the excitement is building.  How many of us remember going apple bobbing during festivals or when attending a Halloween party? Bobbing for apples is no easy task. Bobbing for apples is a classic Halloween game where you are challenged to take a bite out of an apple that is floating in water while your hands are behind your back – with the task of getting as many apples as you can. Many readers stop into my store and ask how Paula and I met and we both always say that it was working together in a restaurant. However, the real first time we met, was at a church Halloween Dance a few years before. My church knew how to throw fun events. Everyone came dressed in costume.  I dressed as a gangster and my brothers were dressed as my henchmen.  There were many events at the dance and one particular event was bobbing for apples which I was known as a pro. The nuns who spent the better part of their school days, trying to keep the boys and girls apart, wanted to pit the boys against the girls in the apple bobbing contest. My brothers convinced all of the other boys that I should go last in case it was close and then I would seal the expected victory. We were all then paired off against our female opponents. I was paired with a beautiful young lady who was dressed as Pocahontas. She had her hair in what is called a French Braid (I had to ask my daughter, Aubrey, what that hairstyle is call before I wrote this article). She also had something on the end of her braid called a scrunchie? (Aubrey also had to tell me what that was). It finally came down to the last couple to decide who walks away as the “Victor”.  There was a lot of cheering my brothers knew how good I was at this as we grew up every fall playing this game. My Dad had said I had a big mouth so that is why I was so good. I always thought that he was giving me a compliment. Now if realize maybe not, hmmm?  When I looked across the bucket of water, Pocahontas had a big, beautiful smile and I felt something strange. When the Nun’s said go we both plunged our heads into the bucket of water for our apple. The first one to get an apple wins the event. I found my apple and was coming up out of the water when something struck my eye and when I winced in surprise the apple fell out of my mouth. Pocahontas was up and out with a huge apple and the girls cheered and the boys groaned.  When I looked into the eyes of my opponent, I swear there were sparks and fireworks coming in my direction. I never saw her again and never forgot that look. A few years later a beautiful young woman in a French braid hair due was at the restaurant and I was asked to train her. When we looked at each other I realized it was Pocahontas! Her real name was Paula. Of course, she didn’t recognize me so I said, Pocahontas do you like apples. She squinted at me and then smiled and said “it’s you”! That, my Foodie Friends, was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

As you bob for apples this season, there is a very cool tool to help you with your apple desserts; the apple peeling machine. This machine is made of metal and not only peels apples but cores and slices them too. Just suction the peeler to your countertop (some models affix to a work surface with a vice), fit the apple on the skewer and crank away. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place to assist with your heartwarming treats. We carry the supplies you will need to make your chilly night meals and desserts.  Remember my Foodie Friends that “Life Happens in the Kitchen!” 

Take Care, John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends!

The heart of autumn brings back memories of my childhood and the chaos of getting five children to do their homework, eat dinner, brush their teeth and get to bed every school night. I often reminisce about the work my parents had in raising three boys and two girls. During the autumn months, with the leaves changing and falling, we loved playing outdoors after school. We were often given the chore of leaf raking, which would quickly become leaf jumping, burying, leaping, and then trying to collect the leaves back into piles. Somehow, the leavers never did manage to get raked (something our dad would remind of of). We spent as much time as we could outdoors. I smile thinking of the mischief we created in our yards. 

During those autumn days, all of our neighborhood front and back yards, became loads of fun with tossing footballs, playing with a frisbee, and then ultimately falling into a pile of leaves. One of my favorite things to do was to collect the most beautifully colored leaves bringing my treasures back into the house to share with my mother. Usually, my mother would be busy making dinner for us, but would stop and share in looking at the vibrant colors and unique patterns that each leave displayed. 

The house always smelled of pies, cinnamon, or hot chocolate. On chilly nights, my mother would make those “stick to the bones” hearty meals that would include a cooked stew or split pea soup. As an adult, when I eat these foods now, I am transported back to a time and memories of sitting at the dinner table with my four other siblings. We would make sure we ate everything on the plate, because we knew there was some type of pumpkin themed dessert waiting for us to devour.  

As we continue to enter into the holiday season, I am reminded that every season brings something new to enjoy and create memories with those around you. I cherish my family memories of growing up. Create those memories with your family. Play in the falling leaves, make something unique, explore new foods that have come into season, and bake something wonderful for the chilly nights. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place for those tools you need to make your favorite autumn meals. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care, John & Paula

Hello  my Foodie Friends!   

With the weather changing, days getting shorter, and the weather getting cooler, a nice cup of tea can be a great companion to the beautiful autumn mornings or an afternoon break. Over the years, we have seen an increase in customers using electric kettles to boil water. Using an electric kettle to boil water has become fashionable since they are efficient and will help you boil water in a short period. Most electrical kettles are highly efficient and will deliver instant results. Have you ever boiled water on the stovetop and then walked away and forgotten about it? With an electric kettle, you won’t have to worry about that happening anymore. An electric kettle heats water faster and more efficiently than boiling water on the stovetop and automatically shuts off when the water begins to boil.

The kettle comes with an element that allows it to heat water fast and does not require that it be placed on a stove top to boil. All you need to do is to plug it into an outlet and place it on the counter and allow it to boil your water. The kettle allows the water to boil fast and come with additional security measures that allow it to turn off automatically. The fact that it turns itself off after the water has reached its boiling point means that it cannot boil dry and get damaged in the event you forget to switch the power off.

There are many reasons for convenience in using the electrical kettle being that it is specifically designed to be used to heat water. The kettle can heat more water in a matter of 2-4 minutes, making this an ideal appliance when it is used in homes. An electrical kettle can safely be used in the dormitory or a hotel room.  It is important for students who would prefer to make a cup of tea fast and catch up with a lesson early in the morning. It is portable and can easily be kept in the cardboard. You can use an electric tea kettle to heat water for French press coffee.

At Compliments to the Chef, we have various brands of electric kettles to assist with brewing tea or coffee.  Drinkers who love white and green tea will find it rewarding once they buy it. The electric kettle is designed to prevent incorrect brewing that often leads to unpleasant harshness and bitterness. It is sensitively designed to allow the tea to boil to a correct temperature that meets the needs of tea takers. 

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place for the tools you need for your autumnal delights. Enjoy your quiet time having a cup of tea. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

Take Care, John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends!   

Let’s talk about desserts, a confectionery course that completes your meal or maybe more than that, brings joy to everyone’s face after a delicious bite. There is no denying the fact that desserts bring us some level of happiness. My father-in-law’s favorite part of the meal was the dessert. Although he would always finish everything on his dinner plate, he would have room for the anticipated dessert that was to come. I have to admit, that I have a bit of a sweet tooth as well. 

Among the plethora of baking items that our customers have been coming into the store for; the cooking torch has become a must-have kitchen accessory for any gourmet home chef. The cooking torch lets you achieve that crunchy, caramelized layer of sugar on top of your custard. The cooking torch is not limited to just crème brûleé, though. You can use it for bread puddings, baked Alaska, and even for melting cheese on top of soup. Here are some other ways to use your cooking torch: Although we love adorning fiber- and protein-packed oatmeal with fun and healthy toppings, some mornings need a little more than a drizzle of honey. Torching your toppings is the perfect way to give your oats an exciting new makeover. Not to mention, it’ll totally wake you up. Top your bowl with fat-blasting unsweetened cocoa powder and cinnamon, and torch away to lend the spices some smokiness. For those with a sweet tooth, make a simple bananas foster oatmeal by mixing a few drops of vanilla extract into the oats and then garnishing with sliced bananas, cinnamon, and honey. Then, allow the torch to caramelize the toppings. Whether you’re layering slices on sourdough or sprinkling the good stuff on a bowl of homemade French onion soup, perfectly melted cheese can be achieved in minutes with a kitchen torch. For meat that’s best served a little undone—like lamb, prime rib, and roast beef—lightly char the surface with your torch before popping the protein in the oven. This method also works well with fish. Just scald the skin on your salmon fillet for that extra bite. And for a crowd-pleasing appetizer, wrap grilled asparagus in turkey bacon and set it aflame to up the flavor factor and impress your guests before dinner is even served.

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place, to get the tools you need to make delicious desserts and when you are asked to “carry the torch”.  Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”.

Take Care, John & Paula

Making someone special their favorite meal can be one of the nicest gifts to give someone. Gifting a meal takes the experience – both for you and the recipient – to the next level. What better way to acknowledge exciting news than with a gourmet dinner experience? Gifting a meal is a unique way to show your appreciation, whether it’s for a special occasion, new baby, birthday, sympathy, or just because you want to show someone you care – making a special meal can be an invaluable gift that the recipient will surely love. Food is wonderful because it is involved in nearly every part of our lives. We celebrate by eating; we welcome people into our lives by eating and inviting them to share a meal with us. We begin new relationships often over meals and drinks. People display their love and care for others by giving them the best they have of their food and inviting you to participate. 

In preparing that special meal, there may be some cool culinary tools you need to help.

One tool that has become a “must have” in the kitchen drawer is the bench scraper. A bench scraper, which is also called a pastry scraper or dough scraper, is also used in working with pastry, bread, and other doughs. But even if you don’t bake regularly, it can still be a worthy investment for general cooking prep. It’s also space-efficient and easy to stow away in a prep drawer, and is a crazy-easy-to-clean, dishwasher-safe tool that can last you for decades.  A bench scraper is one of those inexpensive utensils that lasts a lifetime and has a million uses. 

When chopping vegetables, a bench scraper makes short work of transferring the veggies from the cutting board to the skillet or soup pot without losing half the veggies onto the floor during the transfer. Think of that flat piece of metal as a wide extension of your hand. Imagine the joy you would feel by only making ONE journey from your cutting board to your soup pot instead of your usual six trips as you balance those diced veggies on your knife or in your hand. You can also use your trusty scraper to smash whole cloves of garlic or to smash boiled potatoes before frying them.

I have to admit, I love a home cooked meal. Bonding and showing love during a delicious meal is a great example of food bringing people together. We cook with our hearts as much as with our hands, because usually when we cook, it is for other people, to make them happy and content.

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place to find those cool tools that can help you as you plan out your menus and get chopping. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen”.

To Everything There is a Season”

Hello  my Foodie Friends!

This is the time of year we reap the harvest of our hard work from planting, watering, and fertilizing over the spring and summer months. 

The seasons of our lives can be much like a harvest in that we have distinct periods of farming, nurturing, and experiencing the outcomes of our hard work. reminding us of the natural progression of family, transition, and the blessing of a growing family and groups of friends. Watching your children or family members grow can be a powerful moment in that you celebrate how much they have grown. Much like a farmer prepares the soil, plants, seeds, and tends to the crops, we spend our lives guiding those we love and instilling values, teaching life skills to prepare them for their lives ahead. 

As we harvest crops, we get a chance to work with an entirely different group of ingredients. Fall acorn, butternut squash, pumpkin, parsnips, brussels sprouts and corn are among the late season harvest. Each offering a cook flavor profiles that include hearty, traditional, robust flavored foods that replace the lighter fare of spring and summer. Now is the time for braising, roasting, and grill meats that include sauces and gravies. Harvest making includes making apple/peach/ pear butters, making tomato sauce and putting pureed pumpkin in the freezer. From turning cooked apples into wholesome applesauce, freshly stewed tomatoes into a classic marinara, or steamed potatoes into a mash, the food mill proves its standing by being masterful with ingredients that are notoriously fussy to prep. Think of a food mill as being the low-tech version of a food processor—there’s no plug or motor, just a hand-crank that moves with a little help from you and your biceps. What can a food mill do that a processor can’t? Just ask any homesteader or canning enthusiast what their favorite time-saving tools are and you can bet the food mill is right up there at the top of the list. This is because a food mill can simultaneously purée and strain foods so efficiently that it renders the once tedious task of peeling fruit and vegetables obsolete.

A standard food mill consists of three parts: a bowl, a perforated plate that sits at the bottom, and the aforementioned hand-crank that is responsible for moving the metal blade that pushes the food through the plate. The result of this old-timey churning is a smooth purée without a seed, peel, pit, or stem in sight. The Food Mill is a tool that allows for fine and coarse milling.  The changeable bottoms give you the ability to seed your harvest by the bushel. The food mill is a cross between a food processor and a sieve. You turn the handle and an angled blade presses the contents of the mill through a perforated disk, keeping any remnants like seeds or skin safely out of your puree.  Unlike a food processor or a blender, a food mill does not incorporate air into the puree altering its texture.  The result is a denser puree that is ideal for foods like applesauce or tomato sauce.  Many of today’s food mills are designed to fit snugly over a vessel that catches the puree allowing you to mill in place with one hand while simultaneously cranking with the other.

For the harvest season, Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, located at 33 Railroad Place to pick up the essentials you need for your culinary delights. Have a thrilling time milling and enjoy your harvest. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen!” 

Take Care, John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends!   

There are a few food items and food groups that have stayed with me my entire life and become like old friends. My love affair with French fries began with my mother creating ways to keep five kids happy with what was served at dinner. With its golden exterior, fluffy interior, and tantalizing aroma, this culinary masterpiece has captivated my taste buds and cemented its place as one of my favorite foods (especially when made right). During my childhood, going out to eat was rare. Sometimes, we would get the treat of going to a local restaurant to have hamburgers and fries. I loved the hamburgers. However, what I really wanted were the fries.  Taking us kids out to eat was not fun for my parents. Often times, my brothers and I would play games with our French fries: One game we loved was building structures. We would stand fries up to make log cabins, fences, or tiny campfires on the plate. Or we would use long fries as magic wands, swords, or little people marching across the table. And of course, was the dipping ritual of stirring ketchup into intricate patterns or burying fries in a mountain of salt and sauce before taking a bite.

With five kids demanding French fries, my mother soon learned to master making French fries at home.  A tool that has made making home made fries easier is the French fry cutter. Whether hosting a burger night or prepping snacks for a crowd, the use of a French fry cutter brings fun and efficiency to your kitchen. Its lever action arm and sharp blades make easy work of potatoes and other firm vegetables, so you can serve up restaurant-style fries in minutes and switch between thick or thin cuts. Nothing goes better with just about anything than a nice batch of salty, crunchy, greasy, hot French fries! One of the greatest strengths of French fries is their incredible versatility. They can be enjoyed as a standalone snack, a side dish to complement any meal, or even as a topping for salads and sandwiches. Whether you prefer them plain, seasoned with herbs, or smothered in cheese and bacon, French fries have the ability to elevate any culinary experience.

So, what’s for dinner? Consider adding homemade fries to your plan. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place, for the tools you need to make your food gatherings that bring your family together. Have fun with cooking and eating your creations. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care, John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends!   

For many of our foodie families, school is back in session. Bake sales, carnivals, fairs, and overall appreciation time may call for us to make some of our favorite baked goods. The back-to-school season may mean a few extra hours back to yourself during the day, but little ones still get out of school pretty early, and you could find yourself racking your brain for something to keep them occupied besides digital entertainment. Cooking together is a great learning experience, plus it’s interactive and hands-on. Out of all the dishes you can cook with kids, baking something sweet has to be the most rewarding. There’s so much warm-fuzziness to be felt as you watch their eyes light up when they crack their first egg, press the mixer button, stir the batter, decorate with icing, and watch the treats rise through the oven window. They might be experiencing some of this for the first time.

How many of us have memories of baking as a child? I have to give my mother credit. Having five children running around the house and trying to get us all to join in to make an afterschool treat was not always a successful feat. Her methodology would include giving each of us an assigned duty with a designated spot in the kitchen. One thing to realize when baking with kids, is that it will be messy…it’s ok! My mother would take a deep breath and carry on as flour went flying or an egg hit the floor or the wall. Selecting which recipe to make included having to use some argumentation skills. What my mother did instead was to let us select two or three recipes, and then put on the calendar when we would make them. When the final product came out of the oven smelling delicious, the five of us would be so proud of what we accomplished. The best part of the experience was sharing what we made with friends in the neighborhood or bringing it to visit another family member, or even just taking about the experience at the dinner table that evening. My mother would smile, even if the experience made her crazy. 

Cook up delicious recipes with your children. Take you taste buds on an adventure. Plan a good time to bake. Anticipate a child wanting to help. Keep on hand some easy mixes or ingredients for some easily made recipes. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutler store located at 33 Railroad Place, to help with the baking supplies you will need to have fun making your creations from baking pans, to rolling pins, measuring cups, spoons, spatulas, whisks, bowls, cookie cutters, scoops…you get the idea! Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”.

Take Care, John & Paula