Hank Sawtelle is a former engineer and patent attorney and a recent culinary-school graduate. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, daughter, KitchenAid stand mixer, and Vita-Prep blender.

Culinary-school wisdom

Become a better cook

By Hank Sawtelle

January 29, 2009

If you’re an enthusiastic home cook like me, you’ve probably wondered what it would be like to go to culinary school. I was so curious that I quit my job and did it. And not surprisingly, my educational and professional cooking experiences have changed the way I cook at home.

While it’s true that professional kitchens operate on a different level than home kitchens, the fundamental goals are the same: to produce delicious food quickly and affordably.

Here are some culinary-school lessons you can apply at home without quitting your day job:

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Hank Sawtelle is a former engineer and patent attorney and a recent culinary-school graduate. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, daughter, KitchenAid stand mixer, and Vita-Prep blender.

Save money by making your own grain salads

Good-sense savings in the kitchen

By Hank Sawtelle

December 3, 2008

When it comes to buying prepared foods at the grocery store, there’s always a trade-off between convenience and added cost.

There seems to be an ever-growing selection of “value-added” prepared items presented in refrigerated cases at the store. While some prepared foods might be labor-intensive, demand exotic ingredients, or require dirtying extra kitchen appliances, others — such as pasta and grain salads — are relatively quick and easy to make at home.

So how much extra do we pay for the convenience of picking up a pre-made lunch entrée or side dish for a family meal? I decided to do the math and find out. (Yes, I am that kind of nerd.)

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Hank Sawtelle is a former engineer and patent attorney and a recent culinary-school graduate. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, daughter, KitchenAid stand mixer, and Vita-Prep blender.

How to save money in the kitchen

A little knife work goes a long way

By Hank Sawtelle

October 24, 2008

One easy way to make your grocery dollar go farther is by doing some basic knife work in the kitchen. For example, why pay the store (or distributor) to cut up a chicken for you? The markup on chicken parts can be extreme.

On a recent trip, my local chain grocer was selling local, free-range whole fryers for $1.79 per pound (on sale). The same brand of boneless, skinless breasts were $7.99 per pound, and thighs and legs were $2.69 and $2.49 per pound. “Drumettes” (the big part of the wing) were $2.89 per pound.

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