Author: John Reardon

Hello  my Foodie Friends!   

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. There is so much to do to gear up for the holiday season. It is time to start the preparations of items needed to create your fabulous feast. At Compliments to the Chef, we have some gadgets which can make your Thanksgiving prep and serve a little easier. Good tools are essential to good cooking just like good tools are helpful to a carpenter building a house. One tool I think a lot of foodies don’t have or know how to use is the thermometer.  It is one of my must haves in a kitchen.  Undercooked turkey is a recipe for Salmonellosis!  Your turkey should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees for 15 seconds.  You should check the temperature in at least two places and in the thickest part of the turkey. Do not discount how much this tool means to not just you but your whole family. Our recommendation is a simple Bi-Metallic stemmed thermometer.  There are others, such as digital but this is the simplest, easiest and most cost-effective choice. It’s easy to calibrate and if you stop in, I’ll personally teach you how. One of our favorite instant-read thermometers is the Thermo Pop by Thermo Works. 

The second recommendation for a must have is a Flavor injector and there are many types.   Adding some flavor can really set your Turkey apart from Mom’s recipe. 

Our third recommendation is either an open roaster or a roaster with a lid. Roast meat, poultry, and vegetables to perfection with a large roaster. Open roasters can hold up to a 20-lb. turkey. The heavy-duty stainless-steel roasting pan features tall, straight sides, which help prevent splatters and spills, while its upright handles ensure a secure hold when transporting the pan to and from the oven, even when wearing thick oven mitts. The open roaster comes with a V-shaped nonstick roasting rack that elevates large cuts of meat to promote even cooking.

Another cool tool for your feast is a gravy/fat separator. There are various sizes and styles of gravy separators. Among the types is a 1 ¾ cup gravy separator that is made of FDA-approved, BPA-free polycarbonate and plastic. This gravy separator strains out fat, seasonings, and lumps for flavorful gravy, broth, soup stock, au jus, and sauce with lower fat and calories. The BPA-free polycarbonate and plastic structure resists breakage and is heat-safe to 248-degrees Fahrenheit. It has a large handle that allows for a safe grip. The pierced lid strains out lumps and larger food bits with a low-set spout that pours flavorful liquids without the fat; drip-free spout for easy, mess-free pouring.  The fat separator also has a wide-mouth opening and markings in milliliters and cups (from ½-cup) makes straining and measuring easy; microwave safe for easy reheats. The fat separator is easy to use and is great for everyday or holiday meals and is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning

These are just a small list of what can help you this season. Getting ready for the holidays doesn’t have to be a struggle. Cherish your moments together. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place. Let us assist you with your holiday culinary needs. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care, John & Paula

Hello  my Foodie Friends!   

Many of our foodies may be traveling to visit family or friends this holiday season, or may be hosting a holiday breakfast or dinner. Often times we are not sure what to bring to add to the meal that is being made. One item that is always welcomed is Popovers. When it comes to holiday dining, a special place is held at the table for popovers. But aren’t they difficult to bake? Not at all. In fact, you could even consider them the easiest – and perhaps tastiest – item on your menu this holiday season.

Twisted, warm, light and buttery, popovers are muffin-like pancakes, popovers are baked in melted butter. They are delicious served beside a roast, and are also divine slathered with butter and jam, filled with a poached egg, or dusted with cinnamon and sugar.

Most people fall into a rut when it comes to bread options. However, popovers can be a deceptively simple item that will impress your guests and tickle their taste buds. Not only are popovers cost effective, they’re also a breeze to make as long as you follow a few simple rules: make sure the pan is hot before pouring in the batter, don’t fill the cups more than half full, and no opening the oven while they’re baking.

Having the correct pan is important to making airy popovers with golden domes. The secret is how the batter lies in the pan. Popover pans are used for making popovers. They are specially constructed to convey the heat directly to the batter, which needs to be added to a hot pan, similar to the way Yorkshire puddings are made. Popover pans are also made with tall, narrow cups, which create a distinctive shape. This creates steam that helps the popovers expand and become light and hollow on the inside. Then you can stuff them with things. A popover pan is deep with steep-sided wells.  This forces the batter upwards creating puffy domes and crispy sides. Investing in a real popover pan eventually starts to feel quite justifiable. These tins are really only useful for making popovers, but oh, what beautiful popovers they make! The trick is to make sure the pan is very hot before you add the butter and the batter.

At Compliments to the Chef, we carry popover pans from Nordic ware and USA Pan.  Both the Nordic Ware pan and USA pans are made in the U.S.A. These pans are designed to allow maximum airflow so popovers reach their full height. 

This holiday season, if you are not sure what to pop on over with to visit a friend or a family member, think about a creative popover to serve with the meal. Come visit your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place, where we have cool tools for cooks! Have fun with family and friends. Remember, “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care, John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends! 

The sounds of cooking can be kitchen music to our ears with the sounds of beeps, pans, clinging, clanging, and thuds in your kitchen.  Having the right cookware is important to the entire culinary experience. As you are beginning to think about what to get for your special “foodie” this holiday season, cookware can be that special gift.

This brings me back to the time my father and his friends went on their yearly hunting trip to Vermont. I have shared this story before, yet I love telling it. Every year four dads got together for a week of deer hunting. After about four years in a row of not bringing back a deer, my mom got wise and had a meeting with the other moms. They gave each dad a condition they had to fulfill if they wanted to go.  They were required to bring all their children over the age of five. The negotiations went on for months and my Dad, who was the ring leader, gave in. Therefore, there were some very excited little boys and girls who got to go with their Dad on a weekend long vacation.  Dad’s cookware at the “Cabin” was not the best and the first night of the trip, the dads had a great time laughing and enjoying their “refreshments” (as they referred to them) while we ran around endlessly.  It started getting dark and I asked my dad when we were going to eat?  He told me to go ahead and cook something up.  I replied: “Dad, I’m seven.” There was literally no food.  My Uncle Cass found some cans of beans and first looked at the other dads then to all ten of us kids and with a very loud and enthusiastic voice said: “Hey kids, how about some BEANS!”  Then all the dads started yelling, “beans, beans beans”, and then the kids started yelling “beans, beans, beans!” Cass started pouring six cans of beans into a wooden handled sauté pan while singing made up songs that we all joined in on. He kept stirring and singing while we assembled at the table peacefully.  I must admit he had me more excited to eat a plate of beans than I have ever been for a meal. “Ok”, he said “here it is kids” and we cheered. As he turned around, the wooded handle came loose and the pan spun around multiple times and the beans went flying. Hot beans hit like little bean pellets bouncing off every child at the table.  No one was hurt because all of us were laughing so hard we couldn’t talk.  Cass thought he killed us. A good plan would have prevented this disaster. However, it is to this day one of all our favorite times with our dads.  Dad had a tense moment explaining to mom why her three boys had red dots on their foreheads. 

So many of our customers come in and state that they want good cookware. They are tired of going through generations of cookware that does not last or is not providing them with the heat conduction or distribution they are looking for in cooking.  Good pans are worth their price because they manage heat better. Being a “good conductor” and “heavy gauge” are the key features of good cookware. 

Here’s how these characteristics affect cooking. You get responsive heat. Good heat conductors, such as copper and aluminum, are responsive to temperature changes. They’ll do what the heat source tells them to do—heat up, cool down—almost instantly. You get fast heat flow. Heat flows more easily through a good heat conductor, assuring a quick equalizing of temperature on the cooking surface. You get even heat diffusion. A thicker pan has more distance between the cooking surface and the heat source. By the time the heat flows to the cooking surface, it will have spread out evenly, because heat diffuses as it flows. You get more heat. Mass holds heat (heat is vibrating mass, so the more mass there is to vibrate, the more heat there will be). The more pan there is to heat, the more heat the pan can hold, so there’s more constant heat for better browning, faster reducing, and hotter frying.

Buying good cookware could be a wonderful gift to give your culinary enthusiast. Stop by Compliments to the Chef – your neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place. We have a large assortment of cookware. Make sure you have the best cookware to do the job right. Make music in your kitchen with the sounds of stirring, pots and pans clanking. Play some music while you cook. Dance and embrace those who make those creative dishes that say “I love you”. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen!”

Take Care, John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends! 

Thank you to all of our foodies that read my stories every week. I sincerely appreciate how you enjoy me sharing my stories of my family and food.  It’s that time of year for me to share my annual Halloween memories. Halloween is tonight with the little chefs out there having been building excitement over the past weeks. Friday night Halloween is always so much fun and a very busy night for the treaters!  In looking back on my childhood on a certain Halloween night; the five Reardon children; John 8, Danny 7, Billy 6 and Patty 5, would be almost too excited to eat our dinner before we went trick or treating. My mother knew she had to prepare something we would all like and it was always her homemade pastina chicken broth soup that we could not resist. We would get our little bodies fueled up and were ready to take on the neighborhood.  Also in my childhood, it was a big thing to have homemade costumes and our moms worked overtime to have the cutest kids.  Store bought costumes were a sign of no imagination.  On Halloween evening, the four of us were off with orders to stay together or else.  I was told that since I was the oldest it was my job to keep a count on my brothers and sisters or I would lose my candy.  My sister Patty was always the first to run out of gas followed by my brother Billy. So, we would have to get them back home and Dan and I would start out again. My brother Dan could outlast us all but my problem was that he always had to stop and admire someone’s car or truck. The Dads of these houses were always impressed that a seven-year-old knew more about his car than they did.  We did manage to fill our pillow cases with lots of candy and then with tired feet head home. The next two weeks were spent dipping into our stash of candy.  

As I think of those childhood Halloween nights, I can still taste and smell the soup my mother made. Chicken broth is a staple in most Italian households. You can rest assured that there will be a few quarts in the freezer at all times. You need a really good homemade broth to make pastina, vegetable soups, risottos, sauces, and chicken dishes. Fill up your trick or treaters with something that will keep them warm during the chilly Halloween evening this year.  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 soups.  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 leaves 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 leaf 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 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 comes 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 to use 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 cabinet. 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

Hello my Foodie Friends!   

In kitchens throughout the world, there is one piece of technology that has been the same since the Stone Age: the mortar and pestle. You place ingredients in a bowl usually made of stone or ceramic and then pound them with a tiny club. 

Why should every good cook—and everyone who loves herbs—own and use at least one mortar and pestle? Several reasons include, from history, the ceremony of using ancient tools and the joy of knowing the rhythm of how they work. For celebration: food feeds both body and soul, and the act of preparing it should be a pleasure, not a chore. And finally, for quality: there is a depth of flavor to spices and fresh herbs prepared this way that you just can’t get from a food processor. Mortars and pestles have been used for crushing and blending seeds, roots, herbs, and other foods. This dates back to prehistory, although information on their origins is hard to find. It’s only logical that early man and woman picked up the nearest rock and used it to crack open the nuts they gathered. Eventually they found similar tools to grind seed or grain into a powder, so that they could mix it with water to form a gruel and grind herbs and roots to flavor it.

Here’s a list of cooking tasks you can accomplish with a mortar and pestle:

• Grind your own peppercorns and spices including cinnamon sticks, coriander, and cloves.

• Remove cardamom seeds from their pods and then crush to use in Indian cooking.

• Grind sea salt to the fine texture of popcorn salt and season your movie night treat.

• Crush whole dry chilies into flakes.

• Crush capers to use in homemade tartar sauce recipes.

• Smash fresh peeled ginger to use in Asian recipes.

• Crush some flax seeds to release their benefits and add to yogurt for a nutritious breakfast or snack.

• Crush lavender to use in baking or potpourri.

• Crush herbs and seeds to make medicinal teas.

• Make fresh, homemade nut butters.

• Turn fresh garlic cloves into a paste and spread on Italian bread with olive oil for some intense garlic bread.

• Crush some fresh basil, garlic and pine nuts together in the larger sized units. Then mix in some olive oil to make super fresh and flavorful pesto.

The mortar and pestle varieties include various sizes and can be found made of ceramic, glass, porcelain, wood, metal, granite, marble or bamboo. The advantages of using a mortar and pestle rather than an electric grinder or food processor include easier (as in no) assembly required, less noise and easy cleanup — no small parts or sharp blades to wash.

One of the most classic uses of the mortar and pestle is for pesto.  Combining the flavors of basil, pine, nut, Parmesan, garlic, and olive oil can make a wonderful pesto to add to pasta, spread on a sandwich, or eat by the spoonful.  When it comes to making pesto, you can’t go wrong with a pestle and mortar. You could make it in a food processor, but you just won’t get the same flavors as when you’re pounding and crushing all that lovely basil by hand. 

Cooking can be fun! No matter how long you have been cooking, there is always something new to learn. The mortar and pestle may take a little elbow grease, but it is the tool that will not fail you.  Go back to the old grind for a while, stepping away from modern technology and use the mortar and pestle for your incredible culinary creations. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place to get your “cool” tools for cooks. Remember; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care,

John & Paula

”Pie is…the secret of our strength as a nation and the foundation of our industrial supremacy. Pie is the American synonym of prosperity. Pie is the food of the heroic. No pie-eating people can be permanently vanquished.”

— The New York Times, 1902

Hello my Foodie Friends!

Having the right tools to bake a pie is important. Virtually all pie-making equipment will prove useful for other baking chores as well, so each piece will be sure to earn its keep. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to level up, these are the pie-making essentials. It is difficult to make a great pie without a great pie plate. Pie plates come in a variety of styles, and the differences aren’t just aesthetic—a pie plate’s material, thickness, and color all affect the final product.

A pastry brush is the easiest way to apply a thin, even egg wash over pies with a double crust, like a classic apple pie. Choose between the natural (or thin nylon) bristles or the thicker silicone style.

After you’ve rolled out pie dough, a sturdy bench scraper will make quick work of any mess. It will scrape up all the flour and stubborn dough scraps left behind, helping you clean up in a few easy swipes. Plus, it’s handy for dividing blocks of dough without scratching the counters.

If you’ve always felt anxious about rolling out pie dough, it’s worth playing the field to find a rolling pin that makes you feel confident in the kitchen. While choosing the best rolling pin is a highly personal process, I love the simplicity of a French pin, which is lighter and more maneuverable. 

Here is a recipe for a dessert that bursts with apple flavor from two different varieties of the fruit and a sweet, nutty crunch from the streusel topping. This is so yummy. Perhaps, even put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place. Pick up the cool tools for cooks to help you with your fall festivities recipes. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”.

Take Care,

John & Paula

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. 

Today is also a time of change in our lives personally recognizing the cyclical nature of time and life. We are honored to celebrate the marriage of our daughter to a wonderful son-in-law. Today reminds us of the natural progression of family, transition, and the blessing of a growing family. 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. Watching your children get married 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 our children through 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 grilling 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