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Author Archives: Michelle Flisek

Holiday gift ideas from the COOK pantry

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You already know us here at COOK for our nightly demonstration classes (January tickets on sale now!) and huge cookbook selection. But did you know we also have a small-but-smart retail section in the corner of our kitchen? It’s a carefully curated collection, packed with our own house line of spices, mixes and candies, plus handy tools/utensils and locally produced goods. After the jump, we’re highlighting just three of our favorite pantry items that’d make excellent holiday gifts. Come visit us [retail hours] to check out the rest!

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Thirsty? Where To Take The Edge Off This Weekend.

Welcome to the first weekend of December, the official kick-off to this holiday shopping season.  Does running around, buying gifts and wrapping presents like a crazy person stress you out? Then take the edge off by treating yourself at one of Philly’s exciting new restaurants. Check after the jump to see which spots are here to help.
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October High-Top Seating Now Available!

Above: Vetri Ristorante GM Bobby Domenick pours wine for COOK guests seated at our high-tops during a dinner last year.

Sixteen seats. As an intimate demonstration space, that is the typical maximum capacity for our classes and dinners at COOK. We love the environment that creates — it gives our guests the chance to develop a close relationship with the chefs who join us every night to share their delicious expertise with us. But every so often, we’re able to add to the group — and, as a result, amp up the dinner party!

Chef and class style permitting, we sometimes get the opportunity to open up our high-top table seating to COOK guests. Situated in front of the windows along 20th Street, these slightly elevated tables (think stadium seating) are just a few feet from the demo counter. You’re still right up in all the action, with access to the full food and drink experience. And the best part? Each seat is $25 less than the listed class price. We typically add high-tops to the most popular, fast-selling classes to try our best to accommodate demand — meaning these are some hot seats indeed! Check after the jump to find out which October classes will feature discounted high-top seating. Click the class name to get your tix!

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The COOK Book Nook: Volume 3

Short Stack

Did you know that we sell cookbooks at COOK? I can proudly say that we’ve got one of the most exciting food-text collections in all of Philly. We stock hundreds of titles both contemporary and classic, covering just about every subject you can imagine: meat, fish, baking, cocktails, vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free, Filipino, Israeli, French…I could go on all day. I love all our picks, but there are always a few selections I’m particularly fond of in any given week. Peek after the jump to see what I’m digging currently. And come by COOK daily between the hours of noon and 5 p.m. to browse and buy!

There’s a new kid on the culinary book block that I am quite excited about: Short Stack Editions.  What sets the small-format hand-bound series apart is that each volume is a tribute to one basic ingredient, written by one person, with fun and colorful design to accompany the witty and interesting text.  The authors involved in Short Stack, which are released in sets of three, are some of the most talented and qualified food people on the scene. For example, for the first edition, they got award-winning writer and TV host Ian Knauer, a Pennsylvania native, to write all about eggs, a true love letter to the versatile and powerful refrigerator staple. For the second series release, Short Stack’s going Southern, highlighting buttermilk, sweet potatoes and grits.

Check out after the jump a recipe from the Buttermilk edition by author Angie Mosier.

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Cocktail Corner: 3 Recipes To Raise Your Holiday Spirits

We were lucky to have cocktail maven Resa Mueller of Twenty Manning Grill at COOK last Thursday with a trio of seasonal drinks.  She featured produce that is abundant during these chilly months and readily available at your local grocer. Think favorites like sugar pumpkins, figs and Honeycrisp apples — these drinks have it going on!  Click through the jump for recipes that will have you wowing family and friends during upcoming holiday gatherings. Flair bartending is strongly encouraged, though we are not liable for any bodily injuries.

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Keep on Truckin’! Cow and the Curd, SPOT Burger and Yards visit COOK

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This past Friday, COOK got a one-of-a-kind taste of Philly’s thriving mobile food scene. Two of our city’s most successful food-truck vendors, The Cow and the Curd and SPOT Burger, joined forces with Yards Brewing for a cheesy, beefy and beer-filled evening!

C&TC owner Rob Mitchell (above, left) and SPOT’s Josh Kim (center) are good friends in addition to being food-truck contemporaries. (SPOT is actually more of a cart!) It made perfect sense for these guys to team up and share their unique cooking with us, paired with Yards beers provided by the Philly brewery’s Keith Zonderwyk (right).

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The COOK Book Nook: Vol. 2, The International Edition

Did you know that we sell cookbooks at COOK? I can proudly say that we’ve got one of the most exciting food-text collections in all of Philly. We stock hundreds of titles both contemporary and classic, covering just about every subject you can imagine: meat, fish, baking, cocktails, vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free, Filipino, Israeli, French…I could go on all day. I love all our picks, but there are always a few selections I’m particularly fond of in any given week. Peek after the jump to see what I’m digging currently. And come by COOK daily between the hours of noon and 5 p.m. to browse and buy!
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The COOK Book Nook: Vol. 1

Did you know that we sell cookbooks at COOK? I can proudly say that we’ve got one of the most exciting food-text collections in all of Philly. We stock hundreds of titles both contemporary and classic, covering just about every subject you can imagine: meat, fish, baking, cocktails, vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free, Filipino, Israeli, French…I could go on all day. I love all our picks, but there are always a few selections I’m particularly fond of in any given week. Peek after the jump to see what I’m digging currently. And come by COOK daily between the hours of noon and 5 p.m. to browse and buy! 
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Farm Fresh with Anne Coll of Meritage

Last night COOK had the pleasure of hosting Meritage chef Anne Coll for a truly delicious dinner celebrating local produce. For her “Farm Fresh” class, she brought along a bunch of just-harvested veggies to create a simple yet original meal that showcased the best quality area produce. Anne lives just outside Lancaster on a farm — she has a pet pig named Jenny! — and all of us were able to take advantage of her green thumb, as she even brought in some stuff she grew herself!

Check after the jump for photos and recipes from this amazing evening!

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COOK Masters Program: Back In Session For Semester 2

Yesterday marked the first class of the new session of the COOK Masters Program, an instructional cooking series taught by some of the city’s biggest culinary names, for students who are truly passionate about pursuing a professional career in the restaurant industry.  For the next 8 weeks, 9 students will get to spend 3 hours with 10 of some of the best chefs in town to learn advanced techniques and maybe even gain future employment.

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