Sunday Fun at Dwell on Design

Sunday, June 23 – 12 noon Capital Booth – #1331 Flames in the Kitchen?! It’s not something that anyone likes to hear, but when it’s used to flambé deliciousness, well, flame is A-OK in our books. We invited the fabulous Linda Miller Nicholson the kitschy madwoman behind popular food blog, Salty Seattle to show us her […]

Battle of the Bloggers

2nd Annual Dwell on Design Cookoff! Saturday, June 22 – 2:00 p.m PST  Capital Booth – #1331 Yes, those designers and design bloggers are at it again in the Capital Cooking Equipment booth at Dwell on Design. Join us as the folks who usually design the kitchens, put their aprons on and show off their […]

Top 10 Foods – The Origin of Pie

They are a symbol of home, of Americana, of simplicity. They are the classic way to finish off a meal — everyone saves room for pie — and if the menu offerings of McDonalds restaurants are to be trusted, we are all “Lovin’ it”. But the history of pie has been anything but easy. You could […]

Friday Fun: Chef’s Apparel

We’ve already explained the significance of the traditional chef’s hat, but what about the rest of his uniform? Here are a few fun facts about a chef’s apparel: 1.  In the mid nineteenth century, Chef Marie Antoine Careme introduced the white fabric into the chef’s uniform, believing that white symbolized cleanliness and professionalism. Most chef […]

Fun Food Facts

Food is delicious, fun to make, needed for survival and well, the best thing to ever happen to ones kitchen. But did you know: Carrots used to be purple. Dutch growers in the late 16th century took mutant strains of the purple carrot, including yellow and white, and gradually developed them into the plump, crunchy veggie […]

Friday Fun: Street Food Around the Globe

The concept of “street food” has taken on a whole new meaning in recent years, with the proliferation of gourmet food trucks and vendors (artisanal grilled cheese truck, anyone?). Although its become easier to get exotic street food experiences closer to home, its still worth visiting the following cities to get a taste (literally) of […]

The Secret History of Fortune Cookies

Although we may associate the fortune cookie with Chinese cuisine, it is, in fact, an all-American invention. The fortune cookie we know today is said to be inspired by a similar Japanese cookie made out of miso and sesame that also featured a fortune. David Jung, owner of the Hong Kong Noodle Company in Los […]

Top 10 Foods: A brief history of soup

It is said that soup is as old as cooking itself. It is a staple in the diets of almost every country and  has been as long as anyone can remember. No one knows the true beginning of soup or the very first person to ever make it, but there are signs of the even cavemen […]

The World’s Most Expensive Foods

In the mood for a culinary splurge? Look no further than this list of the world’s most costly ingredients. 1. White Truffles (up to $3600/lb): Only found in one particular area of Italy for a few months of the year, the white truffle earns its price due to its rarity. Scientists have yet to figure […]

Pubs: What’s in a name?

Ever wonder how your favorite pub got its name? Pub-naming traditions date back centuries, to the days when most customers would have been illiterate. Pictorial signs were hung instead of signs with words, so that people could associate the pub with the images on the sign. These images were often elements taken from noble coat […]

Friday Fun: Your cup of tea?

Tea is one of those magical substances that can perk you up, calm you down, soothe, and rejuvenate. Drinking a cup of tea can be a simple affair or an elaborate ritual. Here are a few fun facts about one of the world’s favorite beverages: 1. Tea is a natural source of fluoride that can […]

Friday Fun: Acai Berries, Magic or Myth?

The acai berry has acquired a reputation as a superfood, product that include this ingredient are claiming lofty effects such as appetite suppression and weight loss, but how much of the hype is true? Turns out that many of the supposed “health benefits” are nothing more than marketing scams. One claim is true: the acai […]

Friday Fun: Spotlight on Popcorn

For modern movie-goers, popcorn and cinemas go hand in hand. However, this wasn’t always the case. When vendors began selling popcorn outside of movie theatres in the late 19th century, the theatre owners were worried that the treat would distract their customers from the movies. As the sales of popcorn increased, it became apparent that […]

Top 10 Foods: Past & Present: French Fries

The humble potato, the base of the ubiquitous French fry, has had a long and rather surprising history. Did you know that potatoes came from the Incan empire where they were first discovered and cultivated as early as 750 B.C.? In addition to eating, Incas did many things with potatoes: treating illness and injury, telling […]

Sob Story: Preventing Onion Tears

If your onion cutting experiences usually involve a full out sob-fest, you are not alone. Slicing into an onion triggers a chain of chemical reactions that produce a compound called syn-propanethial-S-oxide (say that 5 times fast!). Your eyes, sensing this potentially dangerous presence, release water as a defense mechanism. Tired of crying over your onions? […]

Friday Fun: Alternative Uses for Food

Some foods are surprisingly useful around the house! We’ve compiled a short list of alternative uses of some familiar food staples: Milk can be used to clean patent leather: just dab it on, let it dry, and rub it off. Or try cleaning your leather goods with olive oil by dabbing it on, letting it […]

Friday Fun: Bizarre Foods – Puffer Fish

Talk about killer flavor: unless prepared correctly, this Japanese delicacy is lethal. The puffer fish’s skin and certain organs contain tetrodotoxin, a toxin that is responsible for the puffer being named the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world. Consumption of tetrodotoxin can result in paralysis and asphyxiation. The preparation of this dish is strictly […]

Friday Fun: Michelin Stars

The prestigious “Michelin Star” rating has become synonymous with a luxury dining and culinary expertise. The Michelin Guide, however, had much more humble beginnings. Established by André Michelin of the Michelin Tire Company in 1900, the guide was originally published as a suggestion book of decent lodging and food in France, complete with information regarding […]

Friday Fun: Baker’s Dozen

Thirteen for the price of 12? (We’re not complaining, especially if the units in question are goodies from the local bakery.) Although the origin of the Baker’s Dozen is disputed, a popular theory claims that the practice was born in 13th century England. When harsh punishments were established for bakers’ who cheated their customers, it […]

Friday Fun: A Close Shave

PB&J sandwiches remind us of our childhood, but we’ve stumbled upon a more grown up use of our favorite nutty spread: peanut butter as a shaving cream! Applying peanut butter to your face in lieu of a shaving gel reportedly gives a smooth shave, while the natural oils moisturize your face. Talk about unconventional! IMAGE […]

Friday Fun: If the Bread Don’t Rise…

For the peasants of the Middle Ages, it was not common practice to use a leavening agent such as yeast in bread. Although they may have been missing out on the heavenly fluffiness of leavened bread, their flat loaves served a purpose; called “trenchers.” These thin, hard pieces of bread were used as plates on […]

Friday Fun: Bizarre Foods – Bird’s Nest Soup

        This Chinese delicacy contains one of the most expensive animal products that humans consume. The bird’s nest in question is built by swiflets out of strands of saliva, and is exceedingly rare and delicate; a kilogram of nests can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 USD. The swiftlet’s nest is considered […]

Friday Fun: Keeping Food Fresh

Food losing its freshness can take a toll on both our appetites and budgets. We’ve compiled a few tricks to maximize your food’s longevity!   1. Stop cheese from drying out by spreading butter or margarine on the cut sides to seal in moisture. This works especially well on hard cheeses. 2. To keep cut […]

Top 10 Foods: Past & Present – #5: Tortillas (Dwell Edition)

What do well-known Mexican dishes like enchiladas, chilaquiles, and tacos have in common (aside from being delicious)? They all count tortillas as their keystone ingredient. The tortilla, a thin flatbread made from corn or wheat, is a staple of Mexican and Central American cooking. Although the packaged flour tortillas we find at every grocery store […]

Did You Know…? French Fries

Summer is the season for delicious chips (fried or baked, yellow or sweet)! Did you know that French Fries are not actually French, but Belgian? In the Meuse Valley during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, people began frying strips of potatoes when the small fish they usually fried were unavailable due to frozen […]

Top 10 Foods: Past & Present – #4 Cocktails

There is something undeniably glamorous and indulgent about sidling up to a bar and ordering a cocktail. Nowadays, the cocktail has become a consumable work of art, thanks to the introduction of boutique liquor, exotic ingredients, and creative mixologists (when did mixologist become a profession?). However, a quick glance into the history of the cocktail […]

5-4-3-2-1 Dwell on Design Countdown Begins!

Happy Monday! We are now four and five days away from special Capital Cooking events at Dwell on Design at the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 22-24. Let us update you quickly… There are a few face changes in the Designer Cookoff being held from 2-3 pm this Friday afternoon. Nick Lovelady (@cupboards) can […]

The Capital Cutting Board Chef Challenge at Dwell on Design

We’ve been talking about the Designer Cook off at Dwell on Design (Los Angeles Convention Center) on this blog on Friday, June 22nd. But guess what? There is an equally fabulous event the next day! The headline event in the Capital booth next weekend with be the pro chef showdown between celebrity chef, cookbook author […]

Capital Designer Cookoff at Dwell on Design

      We are incredibly excited to announce the final teams in the Capital Designer Cookoff at Dwell on Design next Friday, June 22nd from 2:00 – 3:00pm in the Capital Cooking booth (#1230): Team East Nick Lovelady (@cupboards) Lori Gilder (@lorigilder)* Rebecca Reynolds (@CKD_Rebecca) Team West Brandon Smith (@dcoopsd) Stacy Garcia (@cabinetmakers) Emily […]

Friday Fun: French Foodie Facts

For the French people, food should be consumed with as much care as they were prepared. In fact, most lunch breaks are no less than two-hour midday breaks for people in the cities. Yes, most offices in France give employees two hours every day for lunch. And if you work in a small town, you […]

The Battle at Dwell on Design

Once upon a time in Twitterland, during a #kbtribechat where extremely wonderful designers, manufacturers and associates who work in the kitchen and bath industry gather each Wednesday afternoon from 2-3 pm EST, an idea was born. The lovely idea was to challenge designers, who actually specify appliances for their clients, to use the appliances, test […]

Top 10 Foods: Past & Present – #3 Pizza

Ahhh Pizza! The combinations of toppings are endless right? (Kind of like all the choices you have on our cooktop configurations – shameless plug, sorry.) You’ve got everything from meat lovers to vegetarian and even dessert pizzas! Now what, might you ask, is the history behind this true North American favorite? We instantly thought “Well, […]

Friday Fun: Did You Know…

… the origin of a chef hat? The tall chef’s hat, (or toque blanche, French for “white hat”, traditionally had a hundred pleats to represent the number of ways an egg could be cooked. These hats were originally worn by French magistrates and then adopted by the inventors of French haute cuisine, Marie-Antoine Caréme and […]

Friday Fun: All About Rice!

One of the oldest wedding traditions, the custom of throwing rice, originated with the ancient Hindus and Chinese. In these cultures, rice is the symbol of fruitfulness and prosperity. Tossing it after the ceremony was believed to bestow fertility upon the bride and groom while eating rice and other grains was thought to guarantee health, […]

Friday Fun: Food Facts

Just a few quickies for a Friday! Ice cream is Chinese food. Blueberry juice boosts memory. Coca Cola was originally green. Read the true story here: snopes.com The world’s oldest known recipe is for beer. It takes food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach. SOURCE: www.funfactz.com IMAGE SOURCE: thegreenwashingblog.com

Friday Fun: Food Facts

In a survey conducted in 1951 of the U.S. Armed Services, banana cream pie was the favorite dessert.  Rice pudding was the least liked. Fig Newtons were created in 1891 by Kennedy Biscuit Works in Cambridgeport, Massachusetts. The company had named many of their other cookies after nearby towns and almost called this one the “Fig Shrewsbury” […]

Friday Fun: The Fact of the Matter… Part 2

The Fact: Worcestershire sauce is made from dissolved fish The popular English sauce, is made from dissolved anchovies. The anchovies are soaked in vinegar until they have completely melted. The sauce contains the bones and all. The Fact: The Popsicle was invented by an 11 year who kept it secret for 18 years. The inventor […]

Friday Fun: The Fact of the Matter…

The Fact: The largest food item on a menu is roast camel The camel is stuffed with a sheep’s carcass, which is stuffed with chickens, which are stuffed with fish, which are stuffed with eggs. This feast is sometimes featured in Bedouin weddings. The Fact: The first soup was made of hippopotamus The earliest archeological […]

Top 10 Foods: Past & Present – #2 Stir Fry

Stir frying is an umbrella term used to describe two Chinese cooking techniques for preparing food in a wok: chǎo and bào. The chǎo technique is similar to the Western technique of sautéing. First, oil is heated in a wok, then each new ingredient is added in after the other; dry ingredients, meat once you […]

Friday Fun: Honoring Culinary Greats!

James Beard televised the very first cooking class in 1946. This brought him fame and fortune, and then in 1954, the New York Times dubbed him the “dean of American cookery.” One year later in 1955, he started the James Beard Cooking School. One of the most famous Culinary Artists is Julia Child, whose 1961 […]

Friday Fun: All About Chocolate!

Chocolate contains over 300 mineral properties that are beneficial to your health. White chocolate really isn’t chocolate. It’s made from cocoa butter, the substance you get by pressing cocoa beans. Cocoa butter is absent of the cocoa solids used to make chocolate. Chocolate does contain chemical elements that really can boost your mood and produce […]

Friday Fun: Chef Kurt von Kahle comes to Yale Appliance!

Yale Appliance of Dorchester, MA proudly welcomes Chef Kurt von Kahle to provide a cooking demonstration on the Capital Culinarian in their showroom on Sunday, March 11, 2012 from noon to 4pm. Kurt will be focusing on the Culinarian’s open burner offering: The ability to blast 23,000 BTU/hr of power or provide a delicate simmer […]

Top 10 Foods: Past & Present – #1 Mac & Cheese

We’re kicking off our foodie blog series for 2012, and we thought we would start with… say it with us… ahhhhh comfort food. What better than good old Mac & cheese? So we did some research and it reads like a delicious history lesson. Although the exact origin of macaroni & cheese is unknown (as […]

Friday Fun: Odds & Ends

Want to reheat pizza without creating a soggy mess in the microwave? Heat it in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove over medium-low heat until warm. You may need to put the lid on the skillet to melt the cheese. If you don’t have extra-long matches, use an uncooked piece of spaghetti to […]

Capital Cooking is BBB Accredited

Build trust, advertise honestly, tell the truth, be transparent, honor promises, be responsive, safeguard privacy and embody integrity. Capital Cooking shares these standards for trust in common with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Colton, California and are proud to announce their continued BBB accreditation. With a commitment to protecting customers and advancing ethical business […]

Friday Fun: Did You Know?

If you love the taste of garlic, push it through a garlic press before adding to the rest of your ingredients. If you like a milder taste, chop or slice it. Pressing garlic makes the taste of garlic much stronger because there is more surface area of the garlic exposed. Also, be sure to add […]