Brisket Fat. The (new) New Fat
Bacon fat? Been there, done that. Schmaltz? They say it's the new thing, but I've been doing that for a decade already. But what about brisket fat? I love brisket and it's a regular menu item for me. If you get a whole brisket, as opposed to just the 1st cut, you get...
Farmer’s Market Haul
We're fortunate to live in a great food city that has a farmer's market four days a week. The Saturday one is arguably the best. I buy 95% of my meat & produce for home use there, as well as product for my personal chef business. Today's haul included: Chorizo,...
Edamame
Edamame just picked from my garden. Real food means real work
Grilling. A Good Start
Yesterday we were playing with grilled fruit. While this is nothing new, we looked at the grilled fruit as only the first step. With the pineapple, after it was grilled it was put in a bowl with rosemary stalks. The rosemary was lit on fire with a torch, then the bowl...
Culture
A recipe for Mahon Grit Croquettes with Pecan Romesco Sauce. This recipe by Frederick, Maryland chef Chris Spear was featured in Culture Magazine
Cochon 555 Epic 2013 (In Pictures)
If you like what you see, please consider hiring me for an in-home dinner or cooking lesson. I run a personal chef business based out of Frederick, MD. Get more information here. Thank you. Chris Spear
The Crouton Test
All chefs have different ways of testing a cook’s abilities in the kitchen. You hear a lot about egg cookery. I think you can tell a lot about a cook or restaurant by how well they make croutons. No, seriously. How much care do you take in making something that many...
Tea
Habibi Spice Bazaar Tea. In rotation for today's culinary tinkerings
An Ode to the Manhattan (and My Mom)
Is there a more perfect cocktail than the Manhattan? If my mom were alive, she would be 70 today. She was a lifelong Manhattan drinker, consuming one every evening. There was no measuring or straining. You threw about 2 parts of cheap American whiskey and 1 part of...
An Ode to the Manhattan (and My Mom)
Is there a more perfect cocktail than the Manhattan? If my mom were alive, she would be 70 today. She was a lifelong Manhattan drinker, consuming one every evening. There was no measuring or straining. You threw about 2 parts of cheap American whiskey and 1 part of...