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Hey everyone. Sorry we've been so quiet! Time just kind of got away from us. In the end, we decided to take an official break from the blog. This post kind of explains it all: http://thepauperedchef.com/article/paupered-chef-update

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A Paupered Chef Update | The Paupered Chef
As many of you have noticed, it's been quite a while since we posted on the site. For that—and mostly for the lack of any news—we apologize. The story of our absence isn't as exciting as we'd like it to be. Basically, due to new jobs for the both of us, we've been busy. Really busy. So we took a lit...

After some testing, we have to admit that freezing chicken stock in ice cubes is really handy.

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Weekend Project: Freeze Chicken Stock in Ice Cube Trays | The Paupered Chef
I, Nick Kindelsperger, wholeheartedly endorse the practice of freezing chicken stock in ice cube trays. Doing so allows one to crack them into zip-lock bags and stash them in the freezer for safe keeping. It is convenient, fairly easy to do, and downright practical (in a slightly embarrassing way). ...
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This week we're celebrating the un-simple pleasures of life. Check out this chicken and sausage gumbo with its nearly 30 ingredients and time-consuming procedure. But the result is completely worth it.

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For the Love of Un-Simple Things: Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo | The Paupered Chef
The older I get, the more I appreciate the un-simple things. Sure, I admire the shining brilliance of singularly perfect foods — like the best summer tomatoes or a properly aged steak — but I'm far more interested in dishes that combine dozens of components into a complex and bewildering whole. I sp...

Our 2nd post in the "Repertoire" series with The Midwestyle about an important question: what to eat for lunch? An argument for grains and vegetables, or how to cook a healthy dish that doesn't taste like cardboard!

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Repertoire | The Working Lunch | The Paupered Chef
I’ve worked enough days in my life, from my desk at home to mind-numbing office temp gigs, to have developed some theories on lunch. To me, the working lunch is a series of balances: it should be fast, yet not fast-food; it should be a break from work, but not so indulgent you can’t get moving again...

We're excited to be working with the young pups over at The Midwestyle on a 4-part series of recipes to have in your repertoire. First up: the proper French omelet. This is one to master.

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Repertoire | The French Omelette | The Paupered Chef
The French omelette, unlike our American counterpart, isn't about the filling. In its pure state, there's nothing but eggs, salt and pepper. Done right, it's tender, elegant, understated, charming…everything you wish you were as a conversationalist. Making one requires technique. A bunch of gooey ch...

http://www.thepauperedchef.com/article/making-andouille-home

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Making Andouille at Home | The Paupered Chef
This didn't start off as a gumbo mission, though I did end up there (more to come on that front soon.) No, the saga began simply: about three weeks ago I needed andouille for a Dinner Tonight. All I could find at the grocery store was a product that claimed to be the right stuff, but had all the cha...

http://thepauperedchef.com/arti…/how-brew-perfect-cup-coffee

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How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Coffee
So many things can go wrong brewing coffee. So many ways to go right off the cliff: the beans, the water, the tools, the process, all a thin line between greatness and mediocrity. The Pour-Over Technique may just be the answer.
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The Tomato Sandwich: Why You Don't Always Need Bacon to Be a Glutton | The Paupered Chef
Most people return from the beach with tans; I returned with tomatoes. It was a half-bushel, to be exact, and they were stashed in the back of a car as it wound its way from North Carolina, through the Great Smoky Mountains, and, some 16 hours later, finally to Chicago. Why such extravagant measures...

Our explanation of how to cook the best barbecue chicken ever: low and slow, then hot and fast. It's never too early to get ready for the weekend!

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How to Make Proper Barbecue Chicken | The Paupered Chef
There's a lot of misconception when it comes to "barbecue." The problem is the word itself. It's used as a synonym for grilling, refers to the grill itself, or to the meat being grilled; it also has a sauce named after it; and sometimes it's just the word for the party itself held outdoors in somebo
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How to Enjoy Hotel Bars and the Seelbach Cocktail | The Paupered Chef
I have a thing for hotel bars. It helps if they are opulent old ones, designed to comfort the wealthy traveler from a 100 years ago. Sure, the drinks aren't necessarily the best, and the service can be uninspired and overly corporate, but I feel immediately relieved when I walk into some grand old s

Blake raves about Italian Bean Salad and the Dose Market!

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Italian Bean Salad with 'Loadsa' Herbs and Tuna | The Paupered Chef
The Italian bean salad has been with me a long time, and for good reason. I've made some variation of beans, herbs, and olive oil dozens of times over the past few years and I never get tired of it. When it comes to the relationship between deliciousness and effort, this one gets it exactly right.

Bringing people together with Baja fish tacos!

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How to Throw a Baja Fish Taco Party | The Paupered Chef
Mexican food is made for parties. The construction of tortillas, fillings, salsas, and toppings; the spicy, rich flavors; and above all, the fact that it tastes so darn good. This was our guiding principle on a recent Saturday when, with the help of a handful of talented friends, we threw a Baja Fis

Nick looks back at the chili of his youth!

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In Praise of Cincinnati Chili | The Paupered Chef
"Cockaigne was the name of the family home...Any time there's a recipe with this in the title, it means it's an old family favorite." — 'Joy Of Cooking': 75 Years Young, CBS

The perfect beginning of summer drink!

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Homemade Ginger Beer and the Dark 'n' Stormy | The Paupered Chef
A week or two ago, my wife tore out a couple pages in the New York Times Style magazine about a shop in Melbourne, Australia that combines style, bespoke fashion, and great food under one roof called Captains of Industry (here it is as an interactive online feature). Besides all the cool ideas and

Givin' rhubarb some love!

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Homemade Rhubarb Syrup and the Rhubarb Daisy | The Paupered Chef
"I hate rhubarb." That was the first sentence uttered by my local butcher after I described this sauce I wanted to make to pair with some pork chops. To be fair, rhubarb is a much-maligned spring vegetable. I was just convinced that I had to love it, and that I’d instantly find all kind of amazing u

Getting a tour of the La Quercia factory in Iowa. So much prosciutto!!

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Introducing The Soft Shell Crab Sandwich...with Bacon | The Paupered Chef
Soft shell crab season is here, generally considered to begin at some point in May. So we here at The Paupered Chef decided it was time to take advantage. Generally, the soft shell crab is dusted with flour and fried up in a skillet, and I'm not sure there is a better way to prepare this crustace