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Articles from Chef Todd Mohr | Selfgrowth.com
- How To Make Homemade Sauces Like The Pros - by Submitted on Aug 29, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrProfessional Chefs know how to make homemade sauces using basic cooking methods, not written instructions. That’s why you won’t see a truly skilled cook run for a recipe when they need a sauce. Empowered with HOW to make a sauce, they don’t need a recipe to say WHAT to put in it. A good ...
Views: 1125 - How To Make Homemade Sauces Like The Pros - by Submitted on Aug 29, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrProfessional Chefs know how to make homemade sauces using basic cooking methods, not written instructions. That’s why you won’t see a truly skilled cook run for a recipe when they need a sauce. Empowered with HOW to make a sauce, they don’t need a recipe to say WHAT to put in it. A good ...
Views: 1212 - Stock vs Broth Makes All The Difference - by Submitted on Aug 23, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrThe best soups and sauces are made from intensely flavored liquids. The question of stock vs broth must be considered when making either of these kitchen staples. What is the difference between the two? Why are they different? What effect will either have on my cooking? A stock is a ...
Views: 1352(1 vote) - How To Cut Vegetables Using The Tip Fulcrum Method - by Submitted on Aug 16, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrI know how to cut vegetables. Trust me, I do. Early in my career I was a lowly prep cook. I was part of a very large system, at a very large kitchen, that fed 15,000 people TWICE a day! My job was to cut vegetables, all day every day. I did this for months! From six in the morning to five ...
Views: 2477(2 votes) - The Real Facts About Eggs Say It IS The Perfect Food - by Submitted on Aug 10, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrExquisitely simple, yet enormously complex, the egg is one of nature’s marvels. The real facts about eggs have been scrambled in recent years, as they’ve gotten a bad rap for being high in cholesterol and fat. This singular view has ignored the enormous benefit of fresh eggs to the human body ...
Views: 1268(3 votes) - Beware That Different Potatoes Cook Differently - by Submitted on Aug 03, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrDifferent potatoes DO cook differently. Most people think a spud is a spud; one is no different from the other. But this isn’t true; all varieties of potato are not the same. Using the correct type for the dish you’re making is important for excellent results. In today’s culinary college ...
Views: 1412(2 votes) - Why Poaching Fish is Better Than Boiling - by Submitted on Jun 01, 2012 from Chef Todd Mohr“What has less flavor than water?” I pose the question to my cooking college class. Nothing! Nothing has less flavor than water. If you’re thinking about poaching fish, chicken, or eggs, why not ADD flavor to the final result by cooking them in a flavorful liquid? That’s the first rule of ...
Views: 4192 - The Eight Steps of How To Braise from Culinary College - by Submitted on May 23, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrKnowing how to braise is a cooking skill that’s widely misunderstood. Knowing WHAT to braise is even more confusing to most home cooks. Now, it’s time to end any confusion about this ignored way of cooking because I’m presenting the information to tomorrow’s chefs at culinary college. Our ...
Views: 1067(1 vote) - This Chicken Kiev Recipe Was Invented in Culinary Arts School - by Submitted on Apr 12, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrMost home cooks would begin searching cookbooks for a Chicken Kiev recipe that met their tastes, cooking skill, and ingredients on hand. This is most often a time consuming task. Actually, it takes MORE time just to find the recipe that it would to cook this stuffed chicken entrée. In ...
Views: 2214 - How to Steam Food in Culinary College - by Submitted on Apr 06, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrWelcome back to culinary college! Today’s lesson is How To Steam Food. I’m glad you are punctual to class because you’ll want every minute of this four and one half hour lecture and laboratory class. The students at Stratford University in Baltimore aspire to careers as professional ...
Views: 1132(1 vote) - Are You Missing The 5 Benefits of Simple Cooking? - by Submitted on Mar 15, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrSimple cooking is the best cooking. There, I said it for the 1000th time! No matter where I travel, no matter to whom I speak, those people and cultures that know good food say the same thing. In Paris, the spice store shared his incredibly simple secret to eating healthy, “Simple things are ...
Views: 1119(1 vote) - How To Cut Onions Without Buying A Chopper Device - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrIf you want to know how to cut onions and aren’t easily fooled by late night TV commercials, I’m about to save you a tremendous amount of time and money. I have a neighbor that owns every kitchen gadget and appliance available. She must have the QVC shopping network on speed-dial. These ...
Views: 1225 - Mahi Mahi Recipes You Can Do in 15 Minutes - by Submitted on Feb 24, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrMahi mahi recipes are no different than any other recipe. I’m sure you know by now how I feel about recipes. They have inherent flaws that make them very difficult to duplicate consistently. If you’re going to get varied results from the same recipe, why even follow it in the first ...
Views: 1575 - Top 10 Eating Healthy Tips for 2012 - by Submitted on Jan 13, 2012 from Chef Todd MohrEating healthy is not just a fad. It’s not just for hippie granola types, it’s not something to practice only under a doctors direction. Carefully choosing the foods you eat has an impact on every aspect of your life, happiness, social interactions, and overall well-being. However, eating ...
Views: 1105(13 votes) - Diagnose Your Cake Problem with Dr. Bakegood - by Submitted on Nov 03, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrIt’s time to solve that cake problem once and for all! You know the one I’m talking about. It’s the dark crust on your layer cake that you carve away with a knife. It’s the chewy or dry texture that you’ve tried to overcome so many years now, but haven’t. Stick out your tongue and say ...
Views: 1271(4 votes) - At Home or In Baking Classes, Study Your Ingredients First - by Submitted on Oct 28, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrWhen I was a student at Baltimore International Culinary College many years ago, the chef who taught one of my baking classes blew my mind. “All of baking is 5 basic ingredients,” he said. “Butter, milk, eggs, flour, and flavoring, they make everything from pound cake to crepes. HOW you ...
Views: 1456(3 votes) - At Home or In Baking Classes, Study Your Ingredients First - by Submitted on Oct 28, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrWhen I was a student at Baltimore International Culinary College many years ago, the chef who taught one of my baking classes blew my mind. “All of baking is 5 basic ingredients,” he said. “Butter, milk, eggs, flour, and flavoring, they make everything from pound cake to crepes. HOW you ...
Views: 1456(3 votes) - Baking-How-To Answers Are In The Mixer, NOT The Oven - by Submitted on Oct 28, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrI get more baking-how-to questions about oven temperatures than any other query. Home bakers have been duped into thinking that somehow oven temperature and baking time are the keys to successful baked goods. It’s not true. The greatest amount of baked good worry from home bakers comes from ...
Views: 819(2 votes) - Great Sauces Always Start With Roux - by Submitted on Sep 16, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrGreat sauces can save a badly cooked piece of chicken. However, a bad sauce will ruin the best cooked meal. Being able to consistently create flavorful and smooth sauces is one of the best skills to have in the home kitchen. When you can make a variety of sauces, you multiply the number ...
Views: 764(1 vote) - Avoid Destroying the Color Texture and Nutrients in Vegetables! - by Submitted on Sep 14, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrNutrients in vegetables usually wind up in the green colored water you’ve just cooked them in. Have you ever noticed that if you cook carrots in water, you’ve got orange colored liquid and carrots that taste like water? Where do you think the nutrients go? If you want to avoid destroying ...
Views: 949(2 votes) - The Only 4 Cooking Knives You Need - by Submitted on Sep 08, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrThere are plenty of cooking knives for sale on late night TV. You’ve seen the info-mercials. These amazing knives cut aluminum cans and shoes! I’ve been cooking for a long time, and I’ve never had to cut a can or a shoe. What makes this the test of a great knife? I saw a TV commercial ...
Views: 802(1 vote) - Food TV Won’t Teach You To Cook - by Submitted on Sep 06, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrWatching Food TV won’t teach you to cook. Perhaps you shouldn’t believe or attempt everything on your flat screen that’s designed for entertainment value, not educational value. Neither will you learn to cook from a cookbook. Written recipes won’t teach you to cook any more than sheet music ...
Views: 791(1 vote) - Making Pierogi is no Polish Joke - by Submitted on Sep 02, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrThe taste of pierogi is still on my mind as I’ve returned from the Polish Festival in Riverhead, New York. That thought brings me back to my Grandfather who made the stuffed dumplings by the hundreds when I was a child. I had a Polish Grandfather, so we made Pierogi. But if he were Italian, ...
Views: 1172(1 vote) - The 9 Steps of Basic Saute Are Not Only For Bourbon Chicken - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrThey asked me to make Bourbon Chicken for the Beer Bourbon BBQ Festival this year. The mistake they made was asking me to send the recipe. They should know better than to ask the guy famous for burning recipes to write something down. That’s just the point, I don’t use recipes. Bourbon ...
Views: 1806(1 vote) - Cook Simply and Easily with Fresh Ingredients Delivered to Your Door - by Submitted on Aug 17, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrDo you want to cook simply and still ensure that your kitchen is only producing healthy meals? Then you are going to love the idea that I'm going to share with you today. I just received my first produce box! This produce box is filled with healthy, fresh ingredients that practically guarantee ...
Views: 1173(1 vote) - Fresh Cooking Starts With Finding Out Where Your Food Comes From - by Submitted on Aug 09, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrAre you looking for fresh cooking ideas for your family? You may need to start paying more attention to where your food comes from. Fresh cooking starts with fresh ingredients and the fresher your ingredients, the more "gourmet" your cooking is going to taste. Where my food comes from is of ...
Views: 890 - Learn How to Saute For Countless Quick Dinners - by Submitted on Aug 05, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrWhen you know how to sauté, then you have power over your food choices. It’s quick, easy, and you can sauté almost anything! Most cookbooks concentrate on the list of ingredients and forget to tell you HOW to cook. When you can repeat one cooking method, then the ingredients don’t ...
Views: 798(1 vote) - How to Make Sauces Quickly - by Submitted on Aug 04, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrKnowing how to make sauces is a necessary kitchen skill. The best sauce can make up for a dry piece of chicken, but the worst sauce will certainly ruin any dish. There are three basic ways to thicken liquids, but they all have to do with gelatinization of starches, the point at which starch ...
Views: 850 - Cutting Vegetables Blindfolded is Still Easier - by Submitted on Aug 03, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrCutting vegetables is so much easier when you don’t have to take out your chopper/dicer device. You might think that the electric gadget is quicker and easier than your standard chef’s knife, but you’d be wrong. Let’s have a race. Ready, go! Get your chopper appliance down from the ...
Views: 858 - The 5 Skills You Need To Cook Better - by Submitted on Aug 02, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrI can cook better than I ever have because I don’t follow recipes anymore. They’ve let me down too many times. However, if I don’t have written instructions, how do I create amazing meals at home? There are 5 elements, or necessary skills that I use to be able to cook the way I want, with ...
Views: 917(1 vote) - Boil Corn On The Cob and You Lose - by Submitted on Jun 24, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrBoil corn on the cob and you’ll notice the corn tastes like water and the water like corn. If you think about it, you can make a flavorful vegetable broth by simmering onions, carrots, and celery in water. So, are you trying to cook your corn or make corn broth? Boiling is a moist ...
Views: 1019(1 vote) - Whats the Best Way For Cooking Brown Rice? - by Submitted on Jun 17, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrCooking brown rice can be very confusing if you pay attention to a written recipe or package instructions. There’s more than one way to cook brown rice, just like there’s more than one way to cook chicken, beef, or vegetables. Brown rice is whole-grain rice that is less processed than white ...
Views: 1071(1 vote) - Dig Deep For The Best Clam Chowder and Stuffed Clams - by Submitted on Jun 10, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrClam digging is a tradition in my family. I grew up on the water, and had my own boat shortly after my first bicycle. It’s an activity that not only yields fantastic fresh ingredients for cooking, but a family activity that everyone enjoys. It’s one thing to buy fresh fish; it’s another to ...
Views: 1528(1 vote) - Top 15 Fathers Day Presents From The Kitchen - by Submitted on Jun 02, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrFathers day presents from the kitchen are a great idea for the dad that cooks. Men and women cook differently. Men need gadgets, men like tools, and some of the best new dishes he’ll create may be because of the new device you’ve given him. Today, I’ll go through my kitchen drawers and ...
Views: 971(2 votes) - Top 15 Fathers Day Presents From The Kitchen - by Submitted on Jun 02, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrFathers day presents from the kitchen are a great idea for the dad that cooks. Men and women cook differently. Men need gadgets, men like tools, and some of the best new dishes he’ll create may be because of the new device you’ve given him. Today, I’ll go through my kitchen drawers and ...
Views: 1016(2 votes) - Grilling How To: New Ideas From Cleaning Your Grill to Non-Stick Fish - by Submitted on May 27, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrI’m inspired to create this “Grilling How To” because outdoor cooking season is now upon us! It’s my favorite cooking time of the year, but before I actually get grilling, I’ll have to inspect my barbeque and decide whether it will survive another summer. My poor, poor barbeque grill, it ...
Views: 1154(2 votes) - 3 No Recipe Uses For The Season’s Best Strawberries - by Submitted on May 23, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrNo recipe will tell me what to do when it’s strawberry season. It’s one of the great seasonal joys in fresh food, and I take full advantage of the short time. The best strawberries come from your local farm, local farmer, local rain and soil. I celebrate the beginning of strawberry season ...
Views: 1115(2 votes) - How To Create a 6 Course French Dinner Without Recipes - by Submitted on May 13, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrWould you break into a sweat if you had to create a 6 course French dinner for friends? Most people would, it can be intimidating cooking for other people. What makes this cooking stress even greater is trying to follow written recipes. Cooking is fun. Referring back-and-forth to written ...
Views: 886(1 vote) - How To Create a 6 Course French Dinner Without Recipes - by Submitted on May 13, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrWould you break into a sweat if you had to create a 6 course French dinner for friends? Most people would, it can be intimidating cooking for other people. What makes this cooking stress even greater is trying to follow written recipes. Cooking is fun. Referring back-and-forth to written ...
Views: 2428(1 vote) - Don’t Leave Shirred Eggs Off Your Menu For Brunch - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrIf you’re writing a menu for brunch, don’t forget Shirred Eggs. They’re extremely simple, can be made well in advance, and make a great table presentation. People love foods in individual serving dishes. In my many years of Catering, I’ve seen the trends come and go, but high visual appeal ...
Views: 1284 - Crepes Are an Easy and Elegant Brunch Menu Idea - by Submitted on Apr 22, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrCray-pe or Creh-pe, no matter how you say it, the simple French pancake makes an easy and elegant brunch menu idea. They’re incredibly simple to make, and flexible enough that they can be breakfast, lunch, dinner, or late night snack. However, their delicate nature makes them perfectly ...
Views: 932(1 vote) - Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution IS The War On Drugs - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrI’m not sure why Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution has returned to television. Does the former Naked Chef want to cure obesity? Does he want to reduce diabetes? Does he want to remove additives from our food? Is it fat? Is it sugar? Is it children? Is it adults? Is it a war on drugs? Why ...
Views: 1223(3 votes) - 9 Steps to Great Low Carb Cooking From Home - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrYou don’t need a written recipe to achieve great low carb cooking from home. One basic cooking method and the ingredients YOU desire are all it takes. Earlier this week, I showed you a low carb chicken recipe using sauté method. Today’s inspiration will follow the same procedure with ...
Views: 1253(2 votes) - Do it Yourself -4 Steps to Copycat Restaurant Recipes. - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrI have a friend that plays guitar. He can hear a song and figure out how to play it. This has always impressed me. I watch him intently listening to the song, nodding his head, humming a bit, and then his fingers go to work. The left hand forms chords, the right strums or picks at the ...
Views: 1138(1 vote) - Poaching is the Path to More Quick Dishes - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrI’m so happy to share more quick dishes for everyday cooking with you. Earlier this week, I caught a Taco Fish and helped you discover the simplicity of a basic breading procedure you can use on any ingredient in your pantry. In the time it takes most people to just FIND the right recipe, I ...
Views: 1047 - Catch a Taco Fish, One of the Quick Dishes for Everyday Cooking - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrIf you could cook like me and create quick dishes every night of the week, you’d never need a recipe book. Without a recipe book, you’d never need to stress about dinner. It’s the written recipe that causes so much anxiety about preparing family dinners. Are you always trying to figure out ...
Views: 1189 - Easy Family Dinners Are Closer Than Thailand - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrEasy family dinners can come from your own kitchen but have the flavors of far away. I mean that you don’t need to cook like the greatest Italian Chef to make an Italian inspired meal. You don’t need to study in Thailand to use the characteristic flavors in a simple cooking ...
Views: 1147(6 votes) - Fast Dinner Ideas From Your Kitchen Cabinet - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrFast dinner ideas come from the combination of quick cooking methods and the ingredients you have on hand. Planning and cooking meals for your family can be frustrating when you depend on written recipes that command specific ingredients. Sometimes you have the items, sometimes you don’t. ...
Views: 1323(4 votes) - A Quick Dinner Recipe Frees You From the Kitchen Faster - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrStir Fry is the best way to create your own quick dinner recipe using ingredients you have on hand. It’s also a great way to create healthy meals using fresh ingredients and free yourself from the kitchen faster than following a written recipe would ever allow. In the video that accompanies ...
Views: 1163(10 votes) - 10 Romantic Dinner Ideas From a Chef Who Loves His Wife - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrIt’s easy for me to share 10 romantic dinner ideas with you, because I cook this way almost every night. I only cook what I’m inspired to create, and my wife, Heather has always been the muse behind my creativity, from culinary college until today. The most romantic meals have three ...
Views: 1912(16 votes) - Ethnic Profiling Is The Key to Cooking With Spices - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2011 from Chef Todd MohrCooking with spices is an aspect of cooking that frustrates many people. The questions I receive all highlight a confusion over which spices to buy, how to use them, and how much of them to use. All of those questions can be answered with a simple change in thinking. Use ethnic ...
Views: 1281(5 votes)