By Courtney, Coco Cooks ~ Since I started catering  on my own as Coco Cooks,I’m obsessed with presentation. The challenge is to provide high flavor and appeal, low-cost, but not sacrifice taste. Summer is coming and I have some events lined up. An inexpensive option for passed  appetizers is  always a tasty chicken wing. 100 wings can be cut down into 200 pieces easily. But how  can I make it more highbrow , than low brow? Lollipop them! In catering or restaurants starters are either … [Read more...]

From Courtney, Coco Cooks ~ The weather around the globe has been indecisive, but one can tell spring has truly arrived by what’s available in the markets. If you see green almonds in your culinary shopping pursuits, then spring has arrived. But it’s so fleeting and you must catch it while you can, during the months of April , May and June. I found fresh green almonds at Arax, a Middle Eastern grocery in Niles. I had heard of them but never have seen them before. My co-worker told me of … [Read more...]

By Courtney, Coco Cooks ~ Certain Someone is a simple man in his dessert tastes. So naturally the divine duo of a rich vanilla based custard , with a semi sweet chocolate ribbon stream stracciato ( torn apart) while churning, is bound to be a favorite. I decided to serve this up for the Easter holiday following a simple fresh slow grilled ham , pan fried leeks and potatoes, and a pea and carrot medley. Even stuffed , Certain Someone made room for two servings of ice cream. I used to think … [Read more...]

By Courtney, Coco Cooks ~ First let me preface this post with the statement that if you don’t like beets normally, you will love Borscht. One thing that can said about me from birth, is that I have always sought out the new, different and loved to learn from others cultures. I could be never be one to fit into a specific box. I have my mother to thank for nurturing this curious spirit of mine. For some reason these days, I’m all into Russian food. If I can’t travel, I visit … [Read more...]

By Courney, Coco Cooks ~ It’s hard to believe October is flying by and we will be into November soon. During this time, the body changes and may get a little run down due to the seasonal shift. For me there is nothing more enticing these days than exotic spicy soups to rev this old girl up. October has been crazy busy with regular work, social activity, and few catering gigs. Someone asked me the other day via Twitter where I have been as I have literally dropped off the earth … [Read more...]

By Courtney, Coco Cooks ~ Last week on a rare day off I was watching the BBC America station. Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word was on and I perked up as he made these easy gorgeous individual Pear Tatins studded with Star Anise. I had a bunch of commercial supply puff pastry in my freezer, left over from a event and a few apples left from my solitary apple picking adventure the week before. I was determined to try this stunning simple dessert with what I had and it didn’t … [Read more...]

By Courtney, Coco Cooks ~ As you can see from the last few posts I have been busy experimenting with Cheese making. Out of all the experiments I found the process of making Brie the most fascinating, even if not the most successful. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a success but I need to practice it more. The collage shows various stages of the cheese with the bloom forming over the curds to make a white rind. The process takes at least a few months. I could have been … [Read more...]

By Courtney, Coco Cooks ~ I may not have been posting as frequently these days, but that doesn’t mean I’m not working on some great culinary projects. In August The Alchemist and I went to a cheese making class were we learned in a group setting how to make various cheeses. Our section worked on making Feta. As the class was only a few hours, it was condensed, and the finished product which we had to divide and share, wasn’t salted or complete. But we learned the theories … [Read more...]

By Courtney, Coco Cooks ~ One of my kindred spirits in the food blogging community is Heather of Voodoo and Sauce. She is an inspiration. I remember reading a post last year in which she packed her own Albacore tuna. As you know I like to challenge myself and I was determined to do this on my own. I love canned tuna, especially the more expensive ones found in specialty stores with better grades of olive oil and spices as flavor. Once you make your own, all else pales in comparison. … [Read more...]

By Courtney, Coco Cooks ~ What is Pepquino, you may ask? That’s what I thought as saw these tiny vegetables looking like micro watermelons. Freaks of nature or genetically engineered? Pepquinos are a native and ancient species from South America and marketed and brought to world by the Dutch company Koppert Kress. Looking like watermelon on the outside, they are green on in the inside and have a sour cucumber-like taste. You can pop them in your mouth raw, or pickle them as I did. I … [Read more...]