Chris Morocco Quotes

Chris Morocco

Profession : Chef

Birth : February 26, 1980

Remember in 'Goodfellas' when Joe Pesci stops by his mom's house to get a knife but within minutes is served a full-on red-sauce dinner despite his mom having been asleep when he arrived? That is the constant state of preparedness that only a freezer can get you.

Chris Morocco

A refrigerator, to me, isn't as clever an appliance as people would have you believe. To me, it's a cold limbo, a temporary reprieve from the inevitability of spoilage. The freezer, on the other hand, is a far more satisfying solution for keeping foods at their best.

Chris Morocco

I'm not the kind of person who has tall stacks of beautiful ceramics in every corner of my cabinets.

Chris Morocco

I love to cook, but, after spending a full day in the Bon Appetit test kitchen, the last thing I need to do is start chopping onions all over again when I get home. That means dinners can be a bit scrappy: reheated leftovers from my weekend prep, fridge-dump salads, or just taking whatever I can find and putting a scoop of cottage cheese on it.

Chris Morocco

Stir-fried spring vegetables over miso polenta is the meal equivalent of wanting it so badly to be spring yet recognizing it is 40 degrees outside with a brisk headwind no matter which way you are facing.

Chris Morocco

Kombucha is a great just-walked-in-the-door, sweet-tart wine replacement.

Chris Morocco

Pepper mills (aka pepper grinders) rank just behind knives as primary causes of horrific kitchen accidents, according to an unofficial study that occurred in my life experience.

Chris Morocco

I don't order take-out sushi for the fish. Unless I'm spending a lot of money to eat at a phenomenal sushi restaurant, I eat it for the rice, which is perfectly seasoned with a mixture of salt, sugar, and rice vinegar.

Chris Morocco

My brain still recoils at memories of the tofu stir-fries in my college co-op. A student 'cook' made them in a wok the size of a prosperous Martian's flying saucer, and, man, were they bad - steamy, crumbled bits of tofu and limp greens sloshing around in a warm bath of liquid aminos. I couldn't eat tofu for decades.

Chris Morocco

My favorite Hodo Soy product is the firm tofu, a dense cryovac-ed block that isn't packed in water like most store-bought tofu and, therefore, doesn't need to be pressed before using (what a revelation!). It's nutty and mild with a firm - never spongy - consistency.

Chris Morocco

When I was growing up, a warm, crusty baguette was within arm's reach during every dinner: sliced, if my mom was cooking, or left whole so we could tear it apart if my dad was at the stove.

Chris Morocco

A sharp knife is the best tool you can have in the kitchen.

Chris Morocco

I spend a lot of time apologizing for the things I say when I am hungry. That's why breakfast, for me, is non-negotiable. It's an insurance policy against saying things I'll regret before my blood-sugar levels have stabilized.

Chris Morocco

I thought my early attempts at cooking tofu went well, but, in hindsight, I realize that's because I was cooking for hungry, vegetarian college students.

Chris Morocco

I can't keep pumpernickel bagels at home because just knowing they are in the freezer makes it hard for me to fall asleep.

Chris Morocco

I've found that grilled chicken is one of the fastest, easiest ways of getting protein on my family's plate, but it needs a massively flavorful sauce to finish it during the final minutes of cooking.

Chris Morocco

The older you get, the less likely you are to order pancakes for breakfast. That's probably a good thing. There is nothing less healthyish for an adult, or more appealing to a five-year-old, than a syrup-drenched stack of refined flour, butter, and eggs.

Chris Morocco

A pastry crust is arguably the least healthy (and most time-consuming) part of a quiche. Replacing pastry with richly browned chunks of sweet potato creates a similar buttery contrast and a satisfying bite.

Chris Morocco

My freezer is a labelled-and-dated marvel of soups, stews, braises, cooked grains, bread, and the occasional half-eaten dessert. Any of them can be defrosted and ready to eat in under 25 minutes.

Chris Morocco

I must admit - I don't really like peanut butter.

Chris Morocco