Hey there Friends,
September 18th is National Cheeseburger Day so we thought it is time to share our top 5 burger tips again. Here we go . . .

1. MAKE YOUR OWN PATTIES
While this takes a little extra work, your efforts will be rewarded.
Use fresh ground chuck with an 80/20 lean/fat ratio or even better, ask your butcher to grind the meat for you fresh. This way you'll know exactly what you are buying. Form the meat into even, loose patties and be sure not to overwork the meat. Make an indentation
in the center which will keep your patties from puffing up too much. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to grill.
 
2. ALWAYS SEASON THE MEAT
Only season the patties right before you are ready to grill. At a minimum, liberally season your patties with salt and pepper. Even better, use your favorite Till's Rub.

3. NEVER PRESS THE PATTIES
The home-formed patties will puff up a bit. Never press or flatten them while you are grilling; all you are doing is squeeze out the juices and you'll end up with a dry burger. Instead, form the patty with an indentation in the middle. This will keep the puffing up to a minimum.

 4. DON'T OVERCOOK
Nothing is worse than a well-done burger. Since you are making your own patties and know the quality of the meat, you might as well serve the burgers like you would a good steak. Rare to medium is fine. Anything more than that and you are on your own... Extra tip: use a good quality instant read meat thermometer.

5. PLEASE LET THEM REST
After your patties has reached the perfect internal temperature, let them rest. This will redistribute the juices and make a better burger. Cover them with some aluminum foil and walk away for 5 minutes. It will be worth it.

Try It On! - Till

​Hey there Friends,
don't wait any longer. Here are 14 reasons why you should be using cast iron cookware.
 
1. Availability
You can get a cast iron skillet almost anywhere. If you are lucky you already have one buried somewhere in the basement or grandma has one in her cabinet. Other than that, you can find them at yard sales, outdoor stores, kitchen supply stores, your local mega mart and of course on the old interweb.
 
2. Price
They are generally inexpensive. Often you can find them at yard sales for just a few bucks. Pre-seasoned new skillets can be found for around $20 - $50 depending on size and brand. As with everything else, there are high end versions for a lot more money out there but in my opinion the higher price is rarely justified. Lodge is a great, reasonably priced brand that offers every imaginable style from frying pans to Dutch ovens to grill/griddle plates and more.
 
3. Durability
They will outlast you and your kids. They are made from iron... that's some tough stuff. Unless you throw it off the roof of your house on the concrete sidewalk, you're not going to break it.
 
4. Sustainability
With a little TLC you can bring grandma's long forgotten skillet back to life. For the proper way to restore and season cast iron cookware check out this cool video by Joshua Weissman. Well cared for they never need replacing and only get better with age.
                                                                                       
5. Versatility
You can use them for sautéing, frying, searing, baking, boiling and stewing.
 
6. Versatility 2.0
You can use them in the oven, on gas, electric, induction and potbelly stoves, even on your grill or a campfire. They go from stove top to the oven and back without issues.
 
7. Presentability
Provided you use a good trivet, they can go from stove to tabletop. I think food just looks better served in a cast iron pan. Get one coated with brightly colored enamel (on the outside only) and your table decorating skills improve instantly.
 
8. Thermobility (I don't think that's actually a word, but it sounds very scientific)
These things can take the heat and once hot, they stay hot. Ok, at some point they will melt into a puddle, but I doubt your oven can reach those temperatures.
 
9. Conductivity
This is very important for even cooking. Cast iron pans distribute the heat very evenly so there are no hot or cold spots here, folks! Nobody wants a sausage that is raw on one end and burnt on the other.
 
10. Nonstickability
Properly and well-seasoned, it is slicker than an oiled eel on a marble counter.
 
11. Cleanability
They are easy to clean. Generally, rinsing with hot water is enough. If you have some crusted-on bits, add water to the pan and boil it for a few minutes to loosen up the crud. For really sticky bits, add some kosher salt to the pan and use a paper towel to scrub them off. Then, just rinse and dry. An occasional cleaning with a dish sponge and lightly soapy water is not going to hurt the pan. Just make sure you rinse well and always thoroughly dry the pan after cleaning.
 
12. Environmentally Friendly
Save on soap - see #10
 
13. Healthy
Cast iron cookware is chemical free. No bad fumes from overheating modern non-stick coatings. Hey, you may even get a little extra iron in your diet (disclaimer - I am not a medical professional). Also, the process of restoring an old skillet to a beautiful charcoal glaze will make you feel really good.
 
14. Weaponry
Let's be clear, Till's Tastes does not condone violence. But, if caught in a justified self-defense situation, it may be advisable to reach for the nearest cast iron skillet and make use of its heft. A secret weapon not just for cooking...
 
Try It On! - Till
 

Hey there Friends:

I hope everybody survived the holidays without too much trouble and the start to the new year went off without a hitch.

Here at Till's Tastes we are gearing up for a great 2018. Right now I am preparing for our first trade show. We will be exhibiting at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco on January 21st - 23rd. This is the biggest and most important trade show for the specialty food industry and we are super excited to show Till's Rub to the industry.
In late April we will be exhibiting at Chicago's Spring One of a Kind Show at the Merchandise Mart.
We will continue to publish new recipes, cooking tips and kitchen facts in 2018 and hopefully also bring you some new things to look forward to so stay tuned...

Thank you to all of you who have purchased Till's Rub in 2017 and we hope you'll continue to be part of our support system. Please let us know how you use Till's Rub, send in a picture of your creations or request recipe ideas. We'd love to hear from you.

Happy New Year!

Try It On! in 2018. - Till

Happy Holidays!
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support. It's been a crazy year at Till's tastes and it looks like 2018 is going to be even crazier. I can't wait...
Our Box Sets make great presents so in the spirit of the holidays all orders are 10% off with promo code [holidays]. Even better, all orders over $75 will receive a special gift ($15 value). As a reminder, all orders placed before 3pm CST Mon - Fri will be shipped the same day.

Since it is the holidays, I have included my favorite holiday cookie recipe in this newsletter. I know we always say Till's Rub goes on anything but, and I can't believe I am saying this, this is one recipe where you should probably stay away from adding Till's Rub...

Try It On! for the holidays. - Till

​I am sure you have been in this situation. . .
You are invited to a party and you want to bring something, maybe an appetizer? Hummus is always a hit with guests and hosts. Follow our easy recipe for a great homemade version of this Mediterranean classic. Add your own twist by adding roasted vegetables such as bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini or even mushrooms.

How about going the extra mile and making your own pita chips? Check out our recipe page and learn how easy it is.

Try It On! - Till

We want to grow our Facebook community and help you be excited, fearless, and successful in the kitchen. With a little help from you we can do it. For more funny GIFs, recipes, and tips click on the GIF or FB button below and follow Till's Tastes. 

Already following us? Please SHARE our page with your FB friends... you know you want to.

Thanks and Try It On! - Till

​Hey There Friend:
 
So, you've set up all the water activities and a cocktail is in your hand; what's next? People are going to show up hungry and you don't want to disappoint. How about a fantastic chicken with grilled pineapple salsa to go with that delicious corn salad you made? Check out the recipe and learn how to butterfly the chicken for a moist and evenly cooked bird.

​Everybody stuffed and happy? Well, there better be some room for dessert. You and your friends are in for a treat: a refreshing jalapeño-basil lime sorbet. I know, sounds weird but give it a try, you will not regret it. 
Promise.

​Enjoy your summer and party on!
- Till

​All this wet fun only gets you so far...
A cool drink might be just what you need now. Click on the pictures below for new takes on a couple of summer drinks; start mixing and go virgin or classic.
 
Now that you're lubed with libations, get your grill on. Check out our recipe for an awesome Charred Corn Salad; the perfect appetizer or side dish for a hot summer backyard party. 

​In part two we'll have recipes for a fantastic Butterflied Grilled Chicken and a refreshing dessert that will spice up your life. Till's Rub is all about throwing caution to the wind and getting creative. Party On!

- Till 

Hey There Friend:

So, with Memorial Day over, the summer grilling season has officially started. Here in Chicago we take this seriously since most people are not exactly into grilling when it's 0°F and blowing snow in the middle of February. And yes, we are jealous of those who are blessed with a 12 month grilling season...

Anyway, with Father's Day just around the corner I thought I would combine these two events and honor my dad via one of his favorite foods - the bad ass Burger. 

My dad hates to eat with his fingers. If we'd let him he'd probably eat a burger with a fork and knife but there are lines not to be crossed. Whenever he visits, burgers are always on the menu. 

Everybody has their favorite toppings and ways to stack their bad ass burger so I am going basic here. Just some simple tips and a couple of recipes to get you started. The rest is up to you.

Burger Grilling Tips (for more details, click below)

1. Make Your Own Patties
2. Always . . . 
3. Never . . . 
4. Don't . . . .
5. Please Let . . . 

 
Try It On! -Till

Hey There Friend:

This one is personal.
My mom always supported me, no matter what. She always cared more about the people around her than she cared about herself. She always gave more than she received. As far as I'm concerned, she was the best mom ever. 

I learned a lot from her. She taught me how to cook but she also gave me something even more special; I call it the "cooking gene."
Undoubtedly passed on to her by my grandma, the love for cooking, food, flavors, tastes and entertaining has been a major part of me my whole life, just as it had for her. Without this "gene," whether real or imagined, I would be a different person and Till's Tastes would have never happened. I owe her, big time!

Nothing puts a bigger smile on my face than memories of cooking with my mom, and remembering the smells in the kitchen and the tastes in my mouth.

Every time I stand at the stove, every time I add an ingredient, mix flavors or create a new recipe I am celebrating my mom; not just on Mother's Day but every day!

It's your turn now, go and celebrate your mom.

Try it On! -Till Grob
​