Don't Miss These August Classes:
Upcoming September Classes:
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Mark Your Calendar
If you'd like to savor more sabor Latino than the usual taco and hola!, climb aboard Multilingual Chicago's Logan Square Latino Culinary Tour on Saturday, September 25, 11am-3:30pm. A one-hour Spanish lesson kicks off the day then travel to six area restaurants that feature culinary tastes of Columbia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador Panama and Puerto Rico. Qué rico, ¿no?
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Kitchen Confidential
Slim down your waistline by making your condiment choices count! Dietician Dawn Jackson Blatner discusses how to add flavor to your food with diet-friendly toppers on CLTV.
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Stuff We're Into
Turn peanut butter into a college education! By entering Jif's Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest, your kid has a shot at winning a trip to New York City and a $25,000 college scholarship fund. Parents can get in on the action too, by entering another Jif competition about making the best choices for your family.
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Dear Friends of The Chopping Block,
 We asked for your support and boy, did we ever get it! The Chopping Block has been named Chicago's Best Cooking Store in Time Out Magazine's First Annual Shopping Awards. We always turn to TOC for the latest openings/closings in the restaurant world and pay close attention to their annual Eat Out Awards. But, this is the first time they've turned to their readers for their favorite shops for jeans, shoes, chic designers and more.
You recognized that at The Chopping Block, we really put a lot of thought behind what stocks our store shelves. We carry a small selection of the best culinary products. That way, you don't have to do the research yourself. We've already done it for you! And I personally test all of our core cooking products and ingredients myself. Did you know I tested the Shun knife line for over a year at home before deciding to carry them in the stores? I never want a customer to open up a drawer in their kitchen and see a tool purchased from us and ask themselves: "Why did I buy this?"
A lot of people assume since we are a small business that our prices are higher than the "big guys". Actually, we charge the same amount as those larger stores and you can actually save more by buying locally because we offer a discount when you take a cooking class.
Ultimately, our retail selection should inspire you to cook at home. Thanks so much for your support.
Happy Cooking!
Shelley Young, Founder
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 Hitting the Books
It's back to school in September so it's time to crack open our favorite cookbooks. Save 20% off all culinary page turners in September. If you are looking to bulk up your library, buy three or more books and save 30%. Brand new titles like BBQ 25 ($19.99), a collection of 25 recipes that we cook 95 percent of the time and United Cakes of America ($29.95), a cross-country cakewalk, await you on our shelves. |
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 Wooden It Be Nice
Treat yourself to wood this month. Save 20% off all cutting boards from John Boos, Epicurean and Totally Bamboo, plus wooden utensils such as spoons, serving pieces, salad hands and bowls. All special order butcher blocks and kitchen islands from John Boos are discounted, as well as knife blocks and wine storage crates. |
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Global Wine
 Spanish wine and cheese are exploding past the country's border right now, and not just in Spanish restaurants. In the  Wine & Cheese of Spain, Wine Goddess Diana Hamann will show you that it's not all just about Rioja and Manchego anymore.
Our favorite Spanish wine expert is crossing the Mediterranean Sea to give us a look at one of the world's foremost wine treasures: Italy. Join Robert Houde, former Charlie Trotter's sommelier, as he guides us through a viticultural tour of "the boot" in Master Wine Class: Italy.
Check out our complete menu of September wine classes. |
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German Day Fest
 Break out the lederhosen and beer steins, German Day Fest is right around the corner. Admission is free for the annual event featuring live music, dancing and authentic German food that goes from Friday, September 10 thru Sunday, September 12 in Lincoln Square.
Want to try your hand at cooking your favorite German specialties at home? Our Taste of German Fest is a feast served with German beer: Homemade Pretzels with Assorted Mustards, Wiener Schnitzel with Herbed Spaetzle, Braised Red Cabbage and Apple Strudel. Sign up here. |
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In Season
 Summer is defined by the sweet juiciness of a vine ripened tomato. Although tomatoes are fruits in a botanical sense, they don't have the dessert quality sweetness of other fruits. They do have lycopene, which has antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties. In this recipe, we combine tomatoes with caramelized onions to create a modern Tart Tatin.
Tomato Tart Tatin with Arugula Salad
The peach often plays an important part in Chinese tradition and is symbolic of long life. We're celebrating longevity with this recipe featuring peak of the season peaches in a salsa that's spiked with what else? Bacon!
Bacon, Peach and Avocado Salsa |
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