The Amazing Stew Leonard's

There are supermarkets and then there are supermarkets. Stew Leonard's falls into the last. It's is a mind blowing combo of Disneyland and large grocery/deli. This is a shopping experience for any foodie.

I recently went for the first time at the one located at the Paramus Park Mall, in Paramus, New Jersey.I'm sort of reluctant to head into these super stores, because I've always felt  them to be over hyped. After all, you can easily walk into any averaged sized Acme or Stop & Shop and find what you're looking for. I was wrong about Stew Leonard's. Just walking into their huge liquor section was eye opening. I have never seen that many brands or types of wines and liqueurs. There were even different brands of Prosecco which were selling for a reasonable price of $7.45. Just when I was getting over the awe of that I went into the food section. There were animatronic singing milk cartons above the dairy section. Imagine the Country Bear Jamboree at Disneyland turned dairy. It was wild!!!! Then there 's this duck that pops out of a giant soda can like container. Again, too wild!!!! It is a kid friendly store. Parents can throw their little ones a Stew Leonard birthday party and there are "cooking" classes for kids. They learn to prepare such dishes as mashed potatoes, chicken tenders, and broccoli and cheddar bites.

I had to try their fried chicken which again was mind blowing. As much as I love Popeye's, the Stew Leonard's version was much more flavorful, with potato chip crispy skin. That was the best part of an already delicious dinner. The legs were so huge that I honestly thought I was eating turkey drumsticks a few times.Again, they were downright delicious. I plan on going back for them again as well as trying out the intriguing chicken cordon bleu bites. These are balls of chicken meat stuffed with ham and Swiss cheese, then battered. I also want to try their cold buffet too. As for the products, it really is a home chef's paradise.I bought their vegetarian seven layer dip which was excellent. Again, I'm not one for those layered dips but theirs changed my mind. It was a tasty blend of cheddar, sour cream, guacamole, and different layers of tomatoes and beans. I really enjoyed it with breadsticks and potato chips. The store's produce department is a home chef's fantasy come to life. Stew Leonard's prides itself on buying fresh from local farms as well as family owned farms in Mexico (hence the avocados). There are a wide variety and again the choices are amazing. I plan on getting their giant onions for stuffing on my next trip (which will be very soon).

If you're in the Paramus ,New Jersey area, please stop in and visit Stew Leonard's. It's an amazing blend of entertainment and grocery shopping. You'll leave, not wanting to visit a regular grocery store ever again.

Are You Cooking School Ready?

It's the time of year when many soon to be high school juniors and seniors start thinking about careers and colleges. Some younger home chefs think it would be fun or interesting to run a kitchen or bakery. As with everything it takes a good education, to get ahead.

As with anything, research is the key. Look into culinary schools and universities around the country. There are even community colleges that offer AA or an associates degree in the subject. These are usually cheaper and in some states no tuition for state residents making under $45,000 per year. Also two years isn't that big a commitment,If you want to change over into another or related field you can after continuing on at a four year college. Another aspect to consider is whether you want to go to a cooking school or a college. Such universities as John & Wales  offers both.Having both culinary  training and business background would be appealing to a young chef  to be who wants his or her own restaurant right away. The same applies for the Culinary Institute of America or CIA where you can even earn a master's degree in food or culinary business.Of course tuition is the main issue , There are scholarships and financial aid to help. However, education shouldn't come with a price tag, yet many parents often steer their kids towards the much more affordable options.

Are there still cooking schools in the world? Yes, however here in the States, they're more likely to offer other courses as well.Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia , PA, offers a European approach to teaching cooking, with even cooking camps for younger kids and high schoolers. They even have classes abroad at both English and French cooking schools. Of course, there's Europe, namely France, where the idea was born with the Cordon Bleu Cooking Academy. This institution , first established in 1895, is the world's most famed school and a prototype for others  that have followed. It is still accepting students and has such famous alumni as Julia Child, Mario Batali, Giada De Laurentiis and the famed Great British Baking Show judge, Mary Berry. The school has also expanded to London and Florence  as well as into North American, South America, the Middle East and Asia  (strangely they don't have a campus in the US). For some future chefs this would be a dream come true, however they and their parents should take into consideration, everything from housing  to language to even safety.Parents, if you  feel your kid is ready for life abroad, this is the education for him or her. If not, look into an American school that offers a junior or senior year in another country.

Any future chefs should start researching now for the culinary school or hospitality degree that suits them. Picking the right one is key to any success. Select one that will guarantee good training and education in the food industry.