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Don't Miss these February Classes:
Upcoming March Classes:
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Mark Your Calendar
Rub shoulders with Chicago chefs and support the poverty-stricken in Peru. Coprodeli USA will host "Local Focus, Global Impact" on March 21 from 2pm-5pm at The Chopping Block at the Mart. Enjoy appetizers, cooking classes from chefs from Branch 27, Carnivale and more, plus wine & beer tastings.
Click here for tickets.
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Kitchen Confidential:
It's all about Meat & Potatoes at this month's Green City Market. Shelley showed her "Love for Spuds" on Valentine's weekend by whipping up Potato Pancakes for the crowd. Her secret? Add turnips for flavor.
Watch Shelley's demo full of cooking tips here.
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Stuff We're Into
Our new line of Viking appliances look razor sharp and give you professional performance in your kitchen.
Food Processor (12 cup): $334.95
Stand Mixer (5 quart): $444.95; (7 quart): $549.95
Hand Blender with Whisk & Chopper: $119.95
Want to see how they stand up in our kitchens? Take a class at the Mart to try them yourself.
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Dear Friends of The Chopping Block,
March Madness here means movie fun, cookbook sales, a brand new wine curriculum and cooking for kids.
I'm excited about this month because once again, we're having fun with our classes by changing their titles to reflect our favorite Oscar-winning movies. Don't miss our Bourbon, BBQ and Two Smoking Barrels as we usher in grilling season on our Lincoln Square patio.
I'm happy to welcome back Diana Hamann from maternity leave. Diana has cooked up a bunch of new classes focused on making wine fun. Plus, we've lowered the price to make these classes even more affordable to you.
 On March 1st, I'll be teaming up with the best chefs in Chicago for the annual Common Threads World Festival at Soldier Field. This multicultural event has always been the bread and butter for the organization focused on teaching low-income children the importance of wholesome food. This year, I'll be serving German fare: Kasseler (German Cured and Smoked Pork Loin) with Braised Red Cabbage and Homemade Pretzels with Caraway Malt Mustard. Click here for a peek at the recipes we'll be cooking up for the event.
My good friend and founder of Common Threads, Art Smith, will be celebrating his 50th birthday at the festival, so it's sure to be a party!
Visit Common Threads to purchase tickets.
Happy Cooking!
Shelley Young, Founder
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Sizzling Savings Ends Soon
 It's your last chance to stock up on our Sizzling Savings card. Get a $150 gift card for just $130 through February. Got a gift to give later this year? This card is good year-round for classes, food-friendly wine, tools or gourmet ingredients.
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March at the Movies
 We're inviting you for a walk down the red carpet in March. For the second year in a row, all of our class titles pay homage to Oscar-worthy movies. Don't miss classics like Big Fish: Sushi and As Good as it Grits: Southern Brunch plus newcomers such as Date Night: Tropic Thunder and Inglorious Baking.
 Who can enjoy a movie without popcorn? Our Truffled Popcorn has long been a star of the show, so stop in our stores all month long to taste our favorite treat. While  you're in, grab some Truffle Salt to try our recipe in your own home theatre.
We're celebrating one of our favorite cooking movies by giving it away! Purchase at least $175 of Le Creuset on Oscar weekend (Saturday 3/6 and Sunday 3/7) and receive a free DVD of "Julie & Julia". Offer good while supplies last at each store. |
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Our Chosen Cookbooks
March is time to hit the books! We're offering big discounts on our favorite cooking tomes throughout the month. Buy any two cookbooks and receive 15% off. Buy any three cookbooks and get 30% off.
Our staff scoured our shelves for their favorite cookbooks. Watch what they're reading here.
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Wine Goddess Serves Up New Classes
 Wine Goddess Diana Hamann returns to us in March with a new lineup of classes that make wine even more approachable…. with a lower price tag. Beginners can enjoy a revamped class on tasting basics, while those considering a career in the wine business get an insider's scoop. Learn how wine makes it from the vine to your glass and how to decode unfamiliar wine jargon. All classes are just $45/person.
Click here for March class descriptions and dates. |
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Young Chefs Get Cooking
Let the summer scheduling begin! Our new lineup of Kids & Teens Cooking Camps at Lincoln Square is now available. Your child will learn fundamental cooking skills while making friends and working as a team in the kitchen. View dates and topics here. Ready to sign up? Click here.
Plus don't miss our special Spring Break camp Monday, March 22 thru Thursday, March 25 from 10:30am-12:30pm at Lincoln Square. Click here to register. |
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In Season:
 Curly endive, also known as chicory, can have a bitter flavor on its own, so it's often blended with other varieties of lettuces. Soak in cold water for about 10 minutes to ease the bitterness of the green. In this salad, that bitterness is balanced with crispy pancetta, sweet & spicy candied nuts and rich camembert cheese.
Endive Salad with Pancetta, Apples & Candied Nuts
Cauliflower, a cruciferous vegetable, is in the same plant family as broccoli, kale, cabbage and collard greens. The milk, sweet, almost nutty flavor of cauliflower is at its best from December to March. In this recipe, we mix cooked cauliflower with a bubbly batter to create light, tasty fritters with an Italian flare.
Tuscan Cauliflower Fritters with Shaved Pecorino Romano |
www.thechoppingblock.net |
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