Back by popular demand: The KitchenArts Knife Sharpening Event will be held Friday, Feburary 26th from 5 to 8pm. Learn how to keep your knives sharp. Bring your dull knives and your sharpening gear; we'll be focusing on what works for you (and what doesn't), improving your technique and making recommendations. Wine and cheese will be served!

BONUS: KitchenArts owner Owen Mack will sharpen your knives while you wait for free (and repair any broken tips or dings). Want a refresher on steel use in the meantime? Check out the video below (from back in 2005 at our old location).

Posted by Owen on 3 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments

Learn about cheese and the kitchen tools that best suit different uses and cheeses. Taste the delicious results with 2 simple yet fantastic recipes made right here at the store: traditional french fondue and gougeres. The staff of Boston Cheese Cellar will lead the sampling and discussion on Sunday January 24th, from 3 to 6pm. Wine and additional cheeses will be served! This is a free event, in-store at KitchenArts, 215 Newbury Street.

Posted by Owen on 9 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments

Our next event is coming up quick! Have you ever wanted to make fresh pasta but were intimidated by pasta machines? Want to learn how to make ravioli with the kids? Here's your chance! Joshua Riazi of Kids Can Cook will lead us through the essentials of dough making, gnocchi, ravioli, and linguine production, and of course cooking and eating. In our store (215 Newbury Street) on Monday, December 7th at 3:30pm, suitable for people ages 8 and up.

Posted by Owen on 4 Dec 2009 | Permalink | Comments

KitchenArts is a proud sponsor of how2heros' Holiday Baking Sweepstakes. Want a chance to win prizes donated by us, King Arthur Flour, Superior Nut, and Yankee Magazine? It's a simple entry form, fill it out here. how2heroes is a cooking & food how-to video destination that celebrates people’s passion for food – the flavors, the presentation, the secrets to success, the cultural inspirations, and of course the “heroes” who share their knowledge and experience. Good luck!

Posted by Owen on 4 Dec 2009 | Permalink | Comments

Just in time for the holidays Boston Sustainable Food Examiner Leah Bloom returns to KitchenArts to show us how to candy cranberries, citrus peels, and nuts (we'll try walnuts, pecans, and/or almonds). And we'll use the resulting fruited simple syrups to make cocktails!

Candied nuts are great for snacking, adding to trail mix, putting in muffins and breads, using as a pie topping, sprinkling over salad, and lots more. They can be sweet or spicy or savory - it's simple to adjust the flavor for any use or occasion. Candied fruits are a beautiful addition to any dessert spread, and can also be used in fruitcake, as a decorative topping for pies and cakes, and, of
course, for snacking when you need a little sweet something.

And then there's the cocktails...we were thinking we could make cosmopolitans and orange vodka martinis. Any takers?

Posted by Owen on 8 Nov 2009 | Permalink | Comments

Check this vid on how to make Halloween cupcakes: mummy, monster and eyeball as demonstrated by Lisa Bracigliano of The Chocolate Swirl at our event last weekend. Need any pastry tips or bags? KitchenArts has them!

Posted by Owen on 24 Oct 2009 | Permalink | Comments

Learn how to make your holiday cupcakes and cookies look like they were done by a pro with this hands-on session led by Executive Pastry Chef Lisa Bracigliano of TheChocolateSwirl.com.

ALL ARE WELCOME to watch & learn! If you'd like to DO the decorating, sign up ahead of time and pay a $15 materials fee which includes....a basic decorating kit, 2 cupcakes & lots of tips and tricks!

Sign up fast because there's only 8 slots per session! Session One: Sunday October 25th, 1-2:15pm, Session Two: Sunday October 25th, 2:45-4pm. You may sign up in store at 215 Newbury Street or call us on the phone with a credit card, 617-266-8701.

Posted by Owen on 4 Oct 2009 | Permalink | Comments

Check out the action from our recent canning event with Donna Wren of CanningDoctor.com. In this vid Donna demonstrates how to make classic dill pickles, recipe at http://tinyurl.com/KApickles. Enjoy!

Posted by Owen on 30 Sep 2009 | Permalink | Comments

Thanks to everybody who came to our Canning & Preserving Demonstration today! Donna Wren of CanningDoctor.com guided a how-to on making Dill Pickles and Strawberry Jam. It's easier than you think. Here are the recipes Donna demonstrated:

The pickle recipe is from the American Family Cookbook:
Dill Pickles, Kosher Style
4 lbs cucumbers, cleaned and halved lengthwise
3 c. cider vinegar
3 c. water
6 T. kosher salt
14 cloves garlic, halved
Dill seed, peppercorns

Mix the vinegar, water, salt, and garlic in a saucepan and boil.
Pack cucumbers into clean, hot 1 pint jars. Add 2 T. dill seed, 3 peppercorns, and 4 garlic halves to each jar. Fill jars with hot pickling liquid, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids, process in boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

The strawberry jam recipe is from the Certo package. Certo recipes are good and reliable!
4 c. crushed strawberries
7 cups sugar
1 pouch Certo

Cook the crushed berries and sugar, stirring constantly, until it reaches a full rolling boil. Add the Certo, and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Ladle into hot jars, fill to within 1/8 inch of the top. Adjust lids, and process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

Posted by Owen on 19 Sep 2009 | Permalink | Comments

Oh this is gonna be tasty! Donna Wren of Canning Doctor will lead an in-store session on canning and preserving. Learn how to make strawberry jam and pickles in this free afternoon session. The results will be raffled off to attendees!
WHEN: Saturday September 19, from 3pm to 6pm.
WHERE: In-store at 215 Newbury Street, Boston. Call 617-266-8701 for more info.

Posted by Owen on 9 Sep 2009 | Permalink | Comments

Summer is finally here so let's have a party! Come by KitchenArts Thursday, August 20, 2009 between 6:00pm - 8:00pm. We’ll demonstrate The Barmaid (a device for rimming glasses with salt and/or sugar) and the Soda Stream (home soda and seltzer maker) and provide (limited) drinks on the house. Beer and Sangria will also be served, plus our usual assortment of tasty treats courtesy Boston Cheese Cellar.

Posted by Owen on 3 Aug 2009 | Permalink | Comments

Our second farmer's market trip video can be seen above or on Leah's site, click over and check it out! Tips on selecting veggies, cooking squash (and onion greens!), sampling berries, how to work the market, and more!

Posted by Owen on 24 Jul 2009 | Permalink | Comments

We are giving away 5 FREE passes (Admit 2) to a special advance screening of "Julie & Julia" for next Thursday, July 30th, 7pm at Loews Boston Common! All you have to do is email us a picture of yourself, a mixing bowl and utensil (like in the pic above), and your BEST Julia Child "face".....you can either pick the tix up at the store or include your address in the email and we'll mail 'em to ya! FIRST 5 PIX we receive get the tix!! And yes, they will be posted online...our email is staff@kitchenarts.biz.

Posted by Owen on 22 Jul 2009 | Permalink | Comments

Boston food blogger Leah Bloom recently led KitchenArts fans on a shopping trip to the Copley Farmer's Market, providing tips and insight on how to make the best selections. In this vid she provides an overview of the food scene, and discusses the growth in sustainable agriculture and the related raw food and slow food trends. Check out Leah's blog on sustainable food here.

Posted by Owen on 20 Jul 2009 | Permalink | Comments

Bring your favorite raw food recipe to our Farmer's Market Event this Friday July 17 and enter it in our drawing. Whoever's recipe we pull out of the hat gets a shiny new Chef'n salad spinner. We'll post all the recipes we get here on our site. For more event details click here or check the event on our facebook page. See you there!

Posted by Owen on 13 Jul 2009 | Permalink | Comments