Author: John Reardon

Hello my Foodie Friends!   

It has been a long winter this year with plenty of snow and colder days. We are in that time of year where we plan for meals that warm us up during the chilly days and plan for the upcoming snow days. As I glance at the large amount of snow in my yard, I reflect on many winter days that include my fondest childhood memories playing in the snow. Each winter, I enjoy sharing this story with you. 

I grew up during a time when the average household included at least four children and you were literally thrown outdoors to play and told not to come back home until the street lights came on. Playing in the snow included making homemade sleds to slide down the golf course hills, making snowmen, and of course, building the best snow fort in the neighborhood.  In our house we divided up the tasks to ensure that our “fort” could withstand repeated attacks of snowball-wielding elementary school kids. In the creation of our snow fort, my brother Danny was the engineer and he mapped out how high and thick the walls should be. My youngest brother Billy was the builder and shaped the inside of the fort for the chairs, refrigerator and snow TV. The baby of our family, Patty, was the support staff.  Since I was the oldest of the Reardon children’s clan, I was the recruiter and went door to door finding my soldiers and builders. We were not allowed to use the phone back then (adults only), so when I came to the door and knocked you could hear a stampede of children in the house trying to get to the door. To get them to work on the fort I would tell them that my mother was making meatball sandwiches!  My mother’s meatballs were the envy of the neighborhood and far exceeded the bologna and spam the other kids were getting. My first stops were Dave and Karl’s houses, and they lived next door to each other.  They were my age but were already almost as tall as most of our fathers at the age of six. Dave turned out to be 6’8” and Karl is 6’6”. If you want your walls to be the highest, I thought, get the tallest kids.  My mother would grimace when she saw them coming as she knew she would need a lot more meatballs. Our first forts were wrecked at night by teenagers until my brother Dan came up with the idea of putting water on the outside walls and it would turn them into ice.  You could hear the howls of the mean teenagers when they kicked the walls, and they didn’t give so easily.  

To this day, when I talk with some of my childhood friends, they join me in reminiscing about the fun snow forts, and the reward of my mother’s meatball sandwiches. To this day, her meatballs remain unparalleled. However, Paula’s meatballs are on target with them especially since my mother did share her “secret” method with Paula. 

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place, we carry skillets to make your meatballs in, saucepans to make your sauce, baking sheets to pop your meatball sandwiches into the oven with, and other really “Cool Tools for Cooks”. Meatball sandwiches are a great way to deal with these frosty winter days.  The neighborhood kids will love you! Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”.

Take Care, 

John & Paula

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Meatball Subs

Ingredients:

·4(6-inch-long) sub, hero or hoagie rolls, split lengthwise but still attached on one side

·1-egg

·Kosher salt and black pepper

·2 garlic cloves, peeled

·Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing

·1 pound ground beef (at least 15 percent fat)

·½ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

·2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves, plus more for serving

·2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or from a 24-ounce jar)

·4 slices mozzarella or provolone

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1

Heat the broiler to high with a rack no more than 6 inches from the heat source. (See Tip if you don’t have a broiler.) Using a fork, scrape out some of the interior of the rolls until you get about 1 cup bread crumbs. Add them to a large bowl along with ½ cup water, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Finely grate 1 garlic clove into the mixture, then stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Step 2

Lightly grease a large (12-inch), oven-proof skillet with olive oil. To the bread crumbs, add the beef, Parmesan and chopped basil. Stir with your hands until combined, avoiding over mixing. Roll into 12 balls (about 2 heaping tablespoons/2 ounces each) and place them in the prepared skillet as you go. Broil the meatballs until browned and nearly cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 3

Move the skillet to the stovetop. Add the marinara sauce, stir to coat the meatballs, and warm over medium-low heat while you toast the rolls: Place the rolls on a baking sheet, cut-side up, and broil until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Rub the cut sides of the roll with the second garlic clove.

Step 4

Divide the meatballs and sauce among the rolls, then top with mozzarella. Broil until the mozzarella is melted and browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with more grated Parmesan, basil leaves and black pepper.

Tip

If you don’t have a broiler, you can make this recipe using a 450-degree oven. The meatballs will take about 15 minutes to cook through (or you can sear them on the stove), and the bread-toasting and cheese-melting will take 2 to 4 minutes each.

Recipe courtesy of Ali Slagle at nytimes.com

Hello my Foodie Friends!   

For many of us, our daily routine can include that morning coffee or tea. Making your coffee is a routine, a way to start your morning. Over the years, I have fallen more in love with coffee. Having a great tasting cup of coffee in the morning is an important start to my day.  Many of us need that cup of coffee in the morning to get us going. There are few things that a coffee fan loves more than waking up to a great cup of Joe. Wake up coffee offers the kick you need to get your day started. Waking up to a good cup of coffee is an American tradition! Just saying the word coffee will make you recall those wonderful aromas that have surrounded our kitchens, local coffee houses and convenience stores forever. Even if you don’t like the taste of coffee, you probably still like the smell of it.

There are many ways to make coffee. Our cups of coffee are very important to us since we start with that “necessary cup”. If you like coffee, you will find that you have many choices that include coffee or espresso or even the delicious variations of each. 

Use of coffee maker, French Press and espresso machines: 

Drip Coffee Maker

Drip coffee makers are very popular, as they are found in so many homes and offices today. Drip coffee makers provide a simple way of making coffee, whether you take it black or with cream. They might not produce specialty coffees or rich espressos, but sometimes all you want is a basic brew. Drip coffee makers are essentially automatic pour-over machines, and with pour-over coffee experiencing a resurgence, now might be the perfect time to try a drip coffee maker. This style of coffee maker usually brews a large carafe of coffee, which is ideal when you have several coffee drinkers in your household. 

French Press

People who use a press know and act like it is their own secret. You can see it in the smile they have when they talk about it as they are purchasing one for a friend.  You can also see it in their frowns when they need one because the old one is lost due to a move, or they are visiting here for an extended vacation and need one now.  My customers have many different passions for their favorite products, but French Press people are knowledgeable loyals. While the drip method may be known for being easy and convenient, using a French press isn’t exactly difficult. Pour coarse ground coffee into the bottom of the carafe, followed by nearly boiling water. Boil your water and then let it cool slightly before pouring it over the grounds to get the perfect temperature. After allowing it to sit and steep for a few minutes (four to five minutes is best), slowly press the plunger down so the water and grounds can separate. What’s left is pure happiness.

Espresso

Espresso is a type of coffee that includes the method of brewing coffee that uses high water pressure and finely ground beans to make a small, concentrated shot. While darkly roasted beans have historically been more popular in Italy, where espresso was invented, any kind of coffee bean from any origin and at any roast level can be used to make espresso. One of espresso’s defining characteristics, aside from its concentrated flavor and more syrupy body, is a top layer of foam known as the crema, which is a by-product of the high-pressure extraction process. Espresso can be combined with milk (or additional water) to make other espresso-based drinks, such as macchiato, cappuccino, latte, americano, and more.-

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery Store located at 33 Railroad Place, we carry espresso machines and offer top end super automatic machines, various models of drip coffee makers and French presses. Our assortment includes incredible espresso and coffee machines by Breville and Capresso,  and the amazing JURA coffee machines that are associated with the best coffee quality, simple operation and stunning design. We also carry pour over accessories if you choose that option. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care, John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends!   

This Saturday is Valentine’s Day. Are you looking for a romantic dish to make for Valentine’s Day? Consider making Spanish Paella and have the perfect romantic dinner. Paella is a Spanish dish of rice, saffron, seafood, chicken, and other items you may consider in your creation.  It is served in a large shallow pan (paella pan).  The dish is filled with rich flavor and provides the warmth of rice in it. Paella is a wonderful dish to make with Valentine’s Day being a perfect excuse for a cooking adventure at home. 

First, start with a good paella pan—one that’s wide and shallow—to ensure even cooking and the development of the coveted socarrat, the crispy rice crust at the bottom. You have probably seen paella pans before: a paella pan is basically a large, round, shallow pan with slanting sides that curl a bit around the edge, and with two curved handles set symmetrically opposite each other. Pretty simple, however, there is a bit more to paella pans than meets the eye, because technology, even for this “simple” pan, plays an important role.

Paella pans are designed to transmit heat rapidly and cool off quickly when the heat is off, and the kind of metal they’re made of plays a crucial role to achieve this. The size of the paella is an important factor, too. It is worth noting that the depth of the finished dish shouldn’t be more than one to one and a half inches, and therefore the size of the paella pan you use will depend on the number of people that will eat it.

The paella pan is not completely flat, but slightly concave at the bottom. To help the pan maintain this shape, the whole bottom of the pan is pricked with small dimples. Because of the carbon steel material it is made of, this kind of paella pan has a tendency to oxidize, and therefore requires some extra care after each use, as well as an initial priming after purchase. If you decide to purchase this kind of paella, before the first use you’ll have to fill it with soapy water and a spoonful of salt and boil the liquid for a few minutes. After rinsing and drying it well, pour a few drops of olive oil and, with a paper towel, coat the inner bottom and sides of the pan with a thin layer—if you poured a bit too much oil, use another paper towel to remove the excess. After each use after that, and for the lifespan of the pan, clean it by hand like you’d do any other pan, dry well with a cloth, and prime with oil the same way, coating with a very thin layer, before storing the pan. This process, which seems a bit cumbersome at first, will become part of the paella making process in no time, and you’ll do it without even thinking.

There’s something romantic about sharing paella. Maybe it’s the luxury of eating chicken, shrimp, chorizo, and mussels, all in one dish. Maybe it’s the velvety golden saffron-scented rice and vegetables, all intermingled together. Whatever it is, there’s something special about sharing a dinner of paella, Spanish wine, and some candlelight with your love. Enjoy this on a cold winter’s night. 

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs, we have items that can assist with making your Valentine’s Dinner. Finish with something sweet and a goodnight kiss. Show your love through the foods you cook. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care, John & Paula

Hello  my Foodie Friends!   

How many of us foodies have cookware, baking products, or cooking gadgets that have been handed down over the generations? As our children have grown and moved out of the house, we have also moved much of our cookware and cooking gadgets with them. Some of the items have been handed down from prior generations.  Recently, my wife found a loaf pan that was her grandmother’s. It brought back memories of various items that both her grandmother and mother made in that pan.  The loaf pan is a cool kitchen tool and often overlooked for its plain design. It is definitely an indispensable item in the kitchen.  Every kitchen should have a loaf pan to bake a variety of sweet or savory recipes – from meatloaf and lasagna to ice-cream and baked delicacies. A loaf pan is in the shape of a narrow rectangle, a convenient form which enables uniform slicing. 

A loaf pan is great to use when you’re looking to bake a smaller portion of a recipe or are cooking for one or two. This versatile pan is excellent for baking bread loaves, loaf cakes, and zucchini bread. You don’t have to make your own bread, or even bake, to love the loaf pan. Despite their specialized name, these rectangular pans are extremely adaptable to cooking, freezing, desserts, and more. And with all the creative ways you can use them, loaf pans are anything but idle in the kitchen.  

There a many uses for loaf pans. These pans are the ideal shape for the ultimate comfort food, meatloaf. Marinate meats. Keep more of each steak, chicken breast, tofu slice, or veggie skewer in contact with the marinade you made by placing the foods in a loaf pan, then pouring the marinade on top. Cover with plastic wrap, and slip the loaf pan into your fridge for the allotted time. If you have a bit of meat or a few sides of the skewers sticking out, use tongs to rotate them in the marinade for full coverage.

Rectangular pans are perfect for lasagna or baked ziti, especially if you’re only serving a few people. If you cut recipes in half, a square baking dish may be too big. Use a loaf pan instead. Savory pies like shepherd’s pie or chicken pot pie don’t have to be round just because that’s convention. You can bake them in a loaf pan and still have a hearty one-dish meal.

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place, we carry several different size loaf pans. Make some memories with the heirlooms that you have collected over the years. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care, 

John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends!   

What new culinary creations are you craving during these colder months? One approach that many of our foodies are using is to stir-fry. Stir-frying is the quintessential weeknight supper! If you have a fridge full of ingredients, and half an hour to put dinner on the table, cooking with a wok is definitely the go-to method. Vegetables retain their bright color and crunch and you can watch meat and aromatics go from raw to crisp in seconds, making stir-frying in a wok a fun way to cook. 

A wok is a wide bowl-shaped cooking vessel with handles used commonly in Chinese and Asian cooking. The types of foods generally cooked in woks are stir frying, stewing, boiling, braising and steaming. At Compliments to the Chef, we carry a large assortment of high quality woks and Stir Fry’s that suit the needs of the Asian cooking enthusiast. Both the carbon steel and non-stick woks spread heat evenly and are easy to clean up. The handles are designed to stay cool on the stovetop, so you can easily remove the pan from the burner without using potholders. The curved sides of a wok diffuse heat and extend the cooking surface, which helps with tossing and stirring. The great depth allows ample room to cook a whole fish, if so desired. Simmering, deep frying, or steaming, are just a few of its multiple uses. Season them with vegetable oil before use and after cleaning.  With the carbon wok, the more you use a wok, the more flavor it will take on, and the better your food will taste. As you cook with the wok, the metal pores open, and the fat you’re cooking with seeps in. 

There are other ways to use a wok that we may not typically think of. 

With its wide top and plenty of room, a wok is great for tossing a salad. Woks are great for making taco filling or any of the rice-and-pea type of dishes like arroz con pollo or paella. Consider a wok for scrambling eggs especially in large quantities. The eggs cook almost instantaneously, with no sticking, even if you’ve pre-cooked some vegetables before adding the eggs to the wok. When cooking a Mexican-style meal, cook on very low heat and use it to keep tortillas warm. Another use can be as a steamer by placing a steamer rack on the bottom with water. A wok is great for steaming lobster.

Whereever your tastes take you, this pan can deliver while you “wok this way”. 

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place for those cool tools to help you with your special dinner. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care, 

John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends!   

During the holiday season shopping, many of our foodie friends talked about the tools they use or need for food prep when they are cooking. So why prep ingredients ahead of time?

1. It’s easier than full-scale meal prepping. If the thought of completely preparing multiple meals in one day exhausts you, then just prep the ingredients.

2. It makes dinnertime prep quicker and easier. Batch chopping vegetables is much more efficient than the cumulative time it takes to chop things before every meal.

3. You’ll make healthier meal choices. Pulling out your cutting board and chopping a bunch of stuff can be a big a hurdle when trying to eat more healthy. If everything is prepped ahead of time, that hurdle disappears.

4. Reduces food waste. Most of the time ingredient prepping reduces food waste because if it’s prepped, it’s more likely to get used. 

Setting up to chop and peel food as you cook involves organizing your station with a sharp knife, sturdy board, and focusing on prepping ingredients in batches (wash, peel, chop) for efficiency, and using proper knife for safety and uniform cuts, ensuring even cooking and faster prep. Tools to consider when setting up your prep station: 

1. Sharp chef’s knife, a stable cutting board, and a peeler. Knife skills are very important. Use your knife safely. The most important point of knife ownership is having a sharp knife. Always wash your knife by hand. Do not place it in the dishwasher. This dulls the blade and can ruin the handle. Sharpen your knife after each use. Use a steel to help keep the edges of your blades aligned.

2. Wash all your produce first, then dry it before cutting for better grip and less mess.

3. Peel vegetables like carrots, potatoes, or garlic (sometimes after a quick smash with the knife).

4. Process ingredients in stages: first wash, then peel, then chop (dice, slice, mince) into uniform sizes so they cook evenly. 

Other tools to consider are tongs needed for flipping meat, removing items delicately and stabilizing food for cutting. The use of a whisk is also another tool to use for food prep. Whisking is a way to combine dry or wet ingredients while infusing air; whisks also emulsify sauces; and lastly whisks are your friend when you need to get lumps out. 

Don’t’ forget about wooden spoons and using spatulas. 

Every kitchen needs a Microplane grater, famous for its precise, fine blades that effortlessly zest citrus, grate hard cheeses (like Parmesan), mince garlic/ginger, shave nutmeg, and even create delicate curls from chocolate, making it an essential, versatile tool for adding intense flavor and texture in food prep. 

This year, 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 prepping.  Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care, 

John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends!   

The hangover of the holidays is over and it’s time to get back to eating right and using great tools to make that happen. It’s a new year and a fresh start so let’s make some delicious food together. My older sister CarolAnn, is a master with mandoline slicers while using them frequently in her food prep.  Since she is eight years older than I am, when I was very young, I thought she was the smartest person in the world. When she taught me something it always stuck with me. I was a terrible listener with everyone except for her. I remember when I was young and allowed to visit her at her new house after she had gotten married, I would sit in her kitchen and watch her make the best salads.  She would include many ingredients in her salads so that you were as full as if you had eaten a plate of Italian food. CarolAnn’s secret weapon in her prep was the mandoline slicer. She would peel and make cuts to cucumbers and many other vegetables, then would run them through the mandoline slicer to make the perfect bite sized pieces. As she was doing all of this, she would explain every step and how to be safe. She would also add in words of wisdom about life and work.  

As I reminisce on these times, I learned that food creates a home, connections, celebrations, and embraces family and friends. In creating meals, we are creating homes and a nurturing environment. The meals do not have to be fancy or gourmet. It isn’t about how special the recipe is. It is about being conscious of an important part of life and honoring that importance. By elevating the importance of food in our family’s lives, you pass that importance on to them. Families connect around the dinner table, all sharing the meal they know is just for them. Whether I’m making a salad or a meal, CarolAnn’s teachings are always on my mind. As she is now very ill, and she is fighting for her life, I feel and appreciate those learning’s even more.  

Do you have a mandoline slicer hiding in the back of your pantry, just begging to be used? Essentially, you can accomplish much of a mandoline’s work with a steady hand and a sharp knife. However, when slicing up zucchini ribbons, slicing eggplant or shredding brussel sprouts, mandolines cut prep time down significantly and promise consistent, even results. And they’re fun to use; especially when you need to create consistently thick or thin slices for your favorite recipe. At Compliments to the Chef we carry several different brands of mandolines. The OXO Good Grips mandoline is a perfect tool for home chefs. It is a trusty tool through thick and thin (produce). Slice or julienne cucumbers, potatoes and more with a turn of the comfortable dial on the Chef’s Mandoline Slicer.  Each mandoline includes a food holder that protects hands and the stainless steel blade quickly makes even slices. All blades store safely on board and are removable for easy cleaning. With this easy-to-use mandoline hands and fingers stay away from sharp blades at all times. Most mandoline’s come with three or four slicing blades beyond the basic blade. These allow you to slice paper thin, a little thicker (think potato chips), thick julienne (think french fries), and thin julienne. If you’re not sure how your blades will slice, invest in a few potatoes and try each setting out. It’s usually a good idea to have a few extra veggies on hand when you’re learning to use your mandoline slicer as well so you can get the hang of the whole process. 

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, we have items that can assist with making your meals. Show your love through the foods you cook and if you have a big sister give her a hug. Stop by Compliments to the Chef located at 33 Railroad Place and let us know how we can help you with your culinary needs. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. Happy New Year! May 2026 bring you health, happiness, and hope. 

Take Care, 

John & Paula

Zucchini Salad with Burrata

Ingredients

 · 2 tablespoons lemon juice

 · 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

 · 2 teaspoons honey

 · 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

 · 1/4 teaspoon grated garlic

 · 1/4 teaspoon salt

 · 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pink or black peppercorns, plus more for garnish

 · 3 large zucchinis (about 9 ounces each), stem ends trimmed

 · 2 tablespoons torn fresh basil

 · 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish

 · 1 (4.4-ounce) ball burrata cheese, torn into 1/2-inch pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the broth:

1. Whisk lemon juice, oil, honey, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper together in a small bowl until emulsified.

2. Using a vegetable peeler or a mandoline, shave zucchini lengthwise into thin ribbons; discard seedy centers. Transfer to a large serving dish. Add 2 tablespoons of the dressing, basil and dill; toss until fully coated. Top with burrata and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Garnish with additional dill and pepper, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of eatingwell.com

Hello my Foodie Friends! We are entering into those final days of looking for that special gift to give that “foodie” this holiday season. Tis the season of giving, and there is no better time to spread happiness and kindness than during the holiday season. The holiday season is my favorite time of the year, and gift giving is one of my favorite things to do with having the opportunity to shower those I care for with gifts. Everybody knows that giving gifts is a great way to express your appreciation for others. Not only does it make the gift receivers happy, but it makes the gift giver happy as well. Giving gifts during the holidays also promotes greater connections with your loved ones. Many believe that it is important to know what they want to receive, but that is not always the case. Gift-giving is something that comes from one’s heart. It does feel great to be on the receiving end, but there is a feeling of satisfaction when you are the one giving the gifts. 

During my childhood, Christmas at my house was always a big event for our family. My mother’s family was very big, and we all traveled to each other’s houses for the holidays. Christmas day would always begin at our house opening gifts, and afterwards traveling to each cousin’s house. We all lived within five miles of each other, so it was not a long drive to get to each one. As I remember, there would be six stops that ultimately ended at my Uncle Woofy’s house. My mother’s family started in Sicily with the birth of my Aunt Ma’am Ma, who was ten years older than my mom (who was born in the USA). My Aunt was the self-appointed head of the family, and my mom wasn’t happy about it. To me she was a wonderful Aunt because I was her favorite. To my mom she was a bit bossy. Every Christmas, my mother nervously awaited the arrival of her sister. There was a bit of a cooking competition between the two sisters. If you have been reading my articles, then you’ll know that my mom’s meatballs were legendary. All the cousins and other Aunts and Uncles’ families would stop over on days she made meatballs. However, this would not go over well with my Aunt Ma’am Ma. She would arrive with a lot of fanfare and people helping her carry in the gifts for the kids and a 30qt stock pot full of her meatballs. On the stove was my mom’s 30qt stock pot of her meatballs. When my Aunt Ma’am Ma would arrive, she would proclaim to everyone, “here, get these heated up”.  She would take my mom’s pot off the stove and put her stock pot in its place. As you can imagine my mom, by now was gritting her teeth and rolling her eyes. What was my Irish truck driver Dad doing at this point during the meatball competition? He would have a huge grin on his face every year and divert the focus to opening the gifts for the children. I was always first and I can still remember the first year of my Aunt Ma’am Ma’s special gift for me. It was an Avon aftershave cologne glass car! Remember the company Avon? As I opened the gift, I would excitedly say “wow, it looks so cool”. I was six years old at that time, and my aunt said I can shave. I immediately found a mirror and began my shaving gestures splashing the Avon cologne all over myself. Every Christmas for six years in a row, my aunt would give me a new Avon Cologne car. She would say, “hold on to them Johnny, they’ll be worth something someday”. 

Are you still looking for that unique gift idea? The best gifts for foodies often involve a gift that they would not oftentimes splurge on for themselves. If you need help on what to wrap up for the holidays, we’ve got some ideas that will please even the most discerning gourmands on your list.

Ideas: 

Knives: Give the gift of high-quality knives during this holiday season to someone special. Choose the best sharp knives that make a memorable attachment to each other. Gifting knives isn’t just about cutting; it’s about creating lasting memories in the kitchen. Whenever they use it, they will remember you with a smile. Surprise your loved one by gifting some amazing knives. A knife set is truly the ultimate gift for a friend or loved one. Barbecue and home-cooking aficionados alike can make use of a lovely, hand-forged knife set as a treasured kitchen tool for many years. From smaller chef’s knives to massive meat cleavers, we have a variety of beautiful options for the loved one who you want to honor with something special this year. 

Cookware: Cookware might not seem like a glamorous gift but to anyone who loves cooking a well-made, artfully designed piece of cookware is a dream gift. Cooking with exceptionally well-made tools is a transformative experience in every way; they speed up cooking time, cook things evenly and are endlessly durable. Treat the chef in your life to one of our cookware gems; you’ll reap the tasty rewards later.

Just a love for gadgets: Can’t decide on a gift for your favorite foodie? Perhaps a needed gadget such as a Microplane zester, a peeler, a whisk, mixing bowls, electric tea kettle, pepper and salt mills, mortar and pestle, cutting boards, BBQ tools, thermometers, and the list goes on.

Not sure what to give this holiday season? Let us help you find that unique, unexpected gift for the person who already has everything at Compliments to the Chef; your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs. We have a great assortment of kitchen accessories to get your young Foodies started. It is a gift worth giving. Stop in and ask me any questions you may have.

Oh, and I checked online what my aunt’s gifts are going for these days, and they are selling for $29.99 but to me they are priceless. Also, I finally got the courage to ask my dad why he didn’t stick up for my mom’s meatballs when my aunt brought her meatballs knowing that my mom already had them. He said, “Son, who was number one and who was number two didn’t concern me because you never come between two Sicilian sisters when there is food involved. Besides, I was looking at 60 quarts of meatballs!”.  Each year when we froze the leftover meatballs, I ate like a king all winter. 

Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. Take care and Happy Holidays: John and Paula. Treasure the memories. 

Hello my Foodie Friends! As my wife and I exchanged childhood memories of making cookies, Paula shared that one year as a teenager, she made 72 dozen cookies. My stories were a bit more adventurous (due to five siblings trying to share a kitchen and help make cookies). Each year around this time, my mother would stock up on bags of flour and sugar to begin the process of making her treasured holiday cookies and goods. They were always a special treat in our family. Many of her recipes were handed down through generations before. Worn index cards have been handed down and shared with my siblings with recipes written in her perfect cursive, I am reminded of the winter days where we would watch her drop heavy balls of dough onto the floured counter in the kitchen and vigorously roll out the sticky batter until it was thin enough for cookie cutters. She would role out the dough and try to give the five of us equal amounts that we could squeeze through our hands and attempt to help make shapes with. In an effort to keep each of us focused, my mother would give each of us a specific duty that ultimately created the end result of a cookie recipe. My sisters were given the task of gathering, measuring, and putting the ingredients into a bowl; my youngest brother would stand on a chair and help my mother mix the ingredients. I was the keeper of the rolling pin and had the responsibility of scooping the dough (based on what recipe we were making), while my other brother would select which cookie cutter we were going to use. The assignments did not always result in a well-oiled machine. Usually, heated words over who gets to stand closest to the mixing bowl would end with powdered sugar poofing all over the floor. Power struggles would occur between each of us on who would crack the egg, who got to hold the rolling pin, and who would do the dough-scooping (just try to pry that cookie scoop out of my hands). Santa’s, candy canes, Christmas trees, holiday bells, reindeers, snowmen, gingerbread men and women, and stars were our favorite shapes to create with cookie cutters. Decorating the cookies was always the most fun with sprinkles and icing. 

By the time the first batch came out of the oven, my bothers and I would wander off to play, while my excited sisters stayed around to help sprinkle sugar on warm cookies. How my Mom put up with us, I’ll never know. However, the cookies were so good that five children would be very quiet in order to receive a child’s handful of warm cookies. Our creations may not have been the most artistic, but they sure were delicious. 

This holiday season, use the secret weapon of cookies to win over your family. Stop in to see us at Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place, Saratoga Springs. We have a large assortment of baking supplies to help with making everyone happy. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. Take care, John and Paula. Have fun baking and sharing your delights with those you love.