Years ago I shared a food stand with close friends at a large fairground. Our families worked the booth on the weekends and it was a lot of fun.
I often came in early to prepare five or six soups... Spicy Vegetarian Black Bean, Chicken & Macaroni, Beef Barley, Tomato etc...
We served salads and sandwiches as well; the most popular sandwich was sliced roast beef on a toasted roll with gravy, onion rings, and provolone, we frequently ended up with extra rolls at the end of a shift. Naturally… croutons.
At the time, I typically served croutons only with certain soups—styles that truly benefited from that added texture and richness. But the rest of the team had a different idea. They started offering croutons on every soup, no matter the style, and the customers absolutely loved it. It became one of those small, unexpected touches that kept people coming back.
Croutons for Beginner's
The Craft of Croutons: Elevating Soups & Salad
Croutons are undeniably delicious—after all, delicious bread fried in flavorful fat is one of life’s simple pleasures. Yet what often gets overlooked is the various global styles of croutons which exist, each shaped by regional ingredients preferences and culinary traditions. Thoughtfully prepared, a crouton does far more than add crunch; it enhances the character of the dish it accompanies.
For hearty, split pea soup, I gravitate toward crustless cubes of white bread gently fried in lard or butter—rich, tender, and deeply traditional. In Mediterranean cooking, I take a different approach, tossing rustic chunks of Italian bread with olive oil and baking it until crisp, keeping the crust on for texture and flavor. Sometimes I go even further and grill slices of bread for a crostini-style crouton, perfect for hearty broths (Onion Soup, Gratinee) or vibrant vegetable dishes.
Croutons may be simple, but when prepared with intention, they become an expression of culinary technique—and a small but meaningful way to elevate any bowl or plate.
Croutons
Prep Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 20 min
Yield: 4 ea
Ingredients
1 Cup Bread cubed-(crust on or off )
1 Cup Clarified Butter or Oil (I love Olive Oil)
tt Salt and Pepper
Spices and/or grated cheese (optional)
How to prepare Croutons
Step 1 Mise en place
Dice the bread; you can save the trim for breadcrumbs.
Gather a skimmer; set up a plate with napkin to place the fried croutons onto.
Heat the clarified butter or oil in a small pot.
Step 2 Frying the Croutons (350° F oil)
Place some of the croutons carefully into the hot fat, the croutons will float and the fat should bubble immediately. If you are unsure of how to determine if the fat is the correct temperature for frying, you may choose to use a thermometer or simply place one crouton in the fat to see if it's bubbling and hot.
Baking the Croutons (350° F oven)
Place the croutons into a bowl and toss with fat (or place croutons onto a sheet tray and drizzle the fat) and bake at 350° F until golden brown).
I like to add fresh herbs and garlic to infuse delicious flavors when preparing croutons for salads.
Croutons continue to brown after you've taken them from the hot fat so I scoop them out with a slotted spoon when the croutons are golden brown and sprinkle salt and pepper on for flavor. You can sprinkle grated cheese or spices on at this time as well.
I recently volunteered to prepare vegetable paella for a church Bible group potluck. I was very excited to develop a delicious, new paella recipe and spent time preparing fresh vegetable stock with flavors of the Mediterranean. I always prepare vegetable and fish stocks fresh, as I intend to use them. I’m not a fan of bases or frozen stocks but I sometimes add a small amount of quality base to my stocks. A vegetable stock with mirepoix, cabbage, mushrooms makes sense in certain applications, for certain recipes—but why would we use a mushroom or cabbage-forward stock in a paella? It doesn’t make culinary sense. Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain as a humble meal cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed wonderful paella meals in Valencia prepared with water-not stock, prepared with rabbit, snails and local beans. While traveling through Spain this spring I researched and sampled many styles of paella… no mushrooms, no carrots, no celery and no cabbage.
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable.
Chefs often share a bond that transcends politics, religion, and borders. While working in Saudi Arabia with a diverse group of chefs, I experienced this firsthand on my final day. To mark the occasion, they prepared special dishes representing their home countries—a generous feast rooted in tradition and pride. At the center of the table was a beautiful tray of stuffed peppers, zucchini, cabbages, squash, and other vegetables, each prepared with care and respect. As we shared the meal, the chefs beamed with pride, and the room filled with a sense of genuine camaraderie. It was a powerful reminder that food remains one of the most universal languages we have.
I remember a chef teaching me to carefully slice the center seeds from a zucchini and then prepare beautiful dices for a ratatouilli. The seeds and center area get soft and mushy before the outer 'meaty' section of the squash cooks.
Lobster macaroni and cheese is my all time favorite version of Mac and Cheese... I make it by preparing a classic lobster sauce, (flambé and all) and blending it with Béchamel sauce, macaroni and sweet, tender chunks of freshly poached lobster. Macaroni and cheese with pancetta
Culinary Basics: The Art of preparing Stocks
Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain. It is a humble meal, originally cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed many wonderful paella meals in Spain. In Valencia I had a local paella with rabbit, snails and local beans. Short-grained rice is always used to prepare Paella, there are several great Spanish varieties like Bomba and Calasparra , prized for absorbing the delicious, flavorful stock and flavors of the ingredients without getting mushy. This is important for creating the dish's signature, crusty bottom layer called the socarrat. Paella is all about the rice!
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable.
Beef Wellington is a restaurant classic! Chefs prepare whole tenderloins, wrapped in pastry as well as individually portioned Wellingtons. Culinary historians widely agree that Beef Wellington evolved from French preparations such as filet de bœuf en croûte, which paired beef tenderloin with mushrooms and pastry—techniques well established in French haute cuisine.
Oranges are fantastic in Baking & Pastry. I developed a delicious dessert for the CMC exam (Healthy Cooking) challenge featuring Orange Creamsicle Sorbet with Roasted, Candied Pineapple and Fruit Strudel... with plenty of guidance from the amazing CIA Pastry Instructors! Types of Oranges: There are several distinct varieties of oranges, each with unique characteristics and flavors. The most common type is the Navel orange , recognized for its seedless, sweet flesh and thick, easy-to-peel skin. Valencia oranges are another popular variety, primarily known for their juiciness and are often used for making orange juice. Other notable types include Blood oranges , which have a deep red interior and a distinct berry-like flavor, and Cara Cara oranges , characterized by their pinkish-red flesh and sweet taste. Additionally, Seville oranges , known for their bitterness, are mainly used in making marmalade and flavoring liqueurs.