John Boos for a Functional and Beautiful Kitchen

Posted by Chef on 8/24/2011 to Kitchen Furniture

When you think of a kitchen, the center of a home, then products from the John Boos company are a must. John Boos has tradition going back to its founding in 1887. The initial product was a Butcher block made from Sycamore wood and it was a hit with butchers. John Boos has never looked back since then. They have gone from strength to strength by a dint of hard work, innovative and competitive product range, superb quality and a totally satisfied customer base. What more could one ask for in a manufacturer who has a reputation as solid as it's kitchen island products?

Holiday Roasting Tips

Posted by Chef on 8/12/2011 to Cooking Tips

Roasting Steps
Always preheat the oven, you want to start cooking at the correct temperature.

The Most important part of roasting dinners is getting the golden brown crispy crust, while keeping the meat moist. You can do this when cooking with high heat. Most cooks will roast at over 400°F from start to finish this helps insures all around browning, To increase the overall browning of meals try using oil first. Then heat the pan for 5 min before adding the meat and vegetables.

The trick to perfect roasting is cooking all sides evenly. Air must be allowed to flow all around the pan. Center the roasting pan in the middle of the oven keeping the same amount of space between the top of the pan and the bottom as well as the sides. As the meal cooks try turning the meat at least one time in the pan to prevent burning. Vegetables may be stirred throughout the process. Always check temperature of the meat or poultry.

Saving Time in the Kitchen With Convection Ovens

Posted by Chef on 6/28/2011 to Appliances

Convection ovens are a great way to improve the quality of your food while saving time in the kitchen. Unlike conventional ovens, convection ovens are designed to facilitate a faster and more even cooking process. By using convection ovens for your cooking you'll be able to reduce cooking times and spend less time in the kitchen.

Convection ovens work by quickly moving hot air past food and circulating it evenly around the food and the heating element. Inside a convection oven you'll find fans that force air around the cooking area. The movement or circulation of the air allows food to cook more quickly and evenly. This includes the elimination of hotspots which may cause food to brown or cook too quickly in certain areas of a conventional oven. the elimination of hotspots also means you won't need to spend as much time in the kitchen peeking in on dishes nor opening the oven door to rotate or adjust foods that are cooking unevenly. Many restaurants use convection oven technology as a way to quickly produce food of a uniform quality.

Baked Meatballs

Posted by Chef on 6/25/2011 to Recipes

How to make baked meatballs....

How the French coffee press works

Posted by Chef on 6/22/2011 to Information

Simple method:
Put ground coffee, coarsely ground beans work best and at least 1 rounded tablespoon per cup, into the french press, add hot water, let the coffee steep for 3-4 minutes, then put the lid on and push the plunger down. This pushes the grounds to the bottom and the coffee is ready to pour.

Connoisseur method:
Put the ground coffee in the french press, add a small amount of cold water to dampen the coffee, stir and allow the beans to expand while the water is heating in your kettle. Just prior to boiling, pour half the water you will use over the coffee in the french press and return the kettle to the stove. Stir the mixture of water and coffee for several minutes, then add the remaining water and allow the coffee to steep for several minutes more. Put the lid on and push the plunger down.