You may have seen chamber vacuums (or CVacs, for short) in restaurant kitchens. They are typically used for creating airtight seals on food items that may need to be stored or cooked sous vide, as well as for special techniques like compression and infusion. In this blog post, I’ll be breaking down some of the science of chamber vacuum sealers so you can decide if this is an appliance that would be useful for your own kitchen, professional or otherwise.

For me, CVacs have always been one of those specialty appliances, alongside PacoJets and blast chillers, that make fine-dining cooking so difficult to replicate at home. At one fancy kitchen, we would use a CVac to compress persimmons in a light syrup until glossy and mosaic-like. At another, we used it to vacuum seal big bags of chicken bones with water and aromatics to be cooked sous vide — an excellent way to ensure proper stock consistency. During a stint interning at a seafood distribution facility, we used CVacs to seal small jars of ultra-luxe caviar so they would stay fresh longer. My favorite application, though, was probably watching pastry chefs aerate chocolate in them. What a delight to see those big bubbles captured in chilled chocolate form!

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When I first found out I was pregnant, I spent countless hours researching everything. I hopped from mommy blog to mommy blog looking for the best diapers, changing tables, swaddles, baby monitors, mattresses, and sound machines. And as a trained cook, I always thought that when it came to my kids, I would make all of their food from scratch and my desire to do so was supported by my research.

I swore that I would never purchase store-bought baby food or microwavable dinners. I exclusively nursed my daughter until she was about six months old and then my husband and I decided to begin the process of introducing her to solids. Her very first meal was mashed sweet potatoes that I painstakingly steamed, blended, and served to our baby girl.

For weeks, in the beginning of our journey to introduce our child to solids, I would carefully select only the best organic vegetables and fruits and spend hours making them into digestible purées and compotes, only to have my efforts end up on the floor—a treat for our two dogs.

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Whether you’re bringing a single dish to a potluck or hosting a full-on feast for family and friends, your sous vide is a guaranteed ace up the sleeve over the upcoming 4th of July weekend.

We’ve rounded up some of our favorite cookout recipes (both traditional and with modern twists) to get you off to a solid start. Think all-American BBQ classics, but forget anything and everything about all the times they’ve wound up too bland, burnt, and dry to have anyone heading back for seconds. Check them all out below.

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There is nothing we can say or do that properly conveys how much love we have for Moms across the world, but we are going to attempt it! Every so often, as we’re scrolling social media and our community pages, someone JUMPS off the page and stops us in our tracks. Christina Toh did just that. Ever since she unboxed her Anova Precision® Oven, she has been sharing her creations far and wide and has inspired thousands! Meet Christina below!

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We are shouting out Moms across the world! Nothing makes us happier than seeing passionate #anovafoodnerds, and we’re using our platform to remind everyone how amazing Moms are. Today, we meet Thembi, a sous vide lover who uses Anova in her day to day cooking! Take it away, Thembi!

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It’s still Earth Month, food nerds, and we’re back with our second and final Q&A featuring Monique of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association. For those who are unfamiliar, MCFA works to enhance the sustainability of Maine’s fisheries by advocating for the needs of community-based fishermen and the environmental restoration of the Gulf of Maine.

Following last week’s Q&A, we received many questions about how to buy local seafood, the best way to store it, and of course how to cook that seafood once it’s in your fridge or freezer. We’ll let Monique fill you in!

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Happy Earth Day food nerds! Today we are celebrating our planet by highlighting a very cool group of humans who identify themselves as the “OG environmentalists” – fishermen. They have been working on and caring for our coastal waters for hundreds of years.

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Last week we introduced you to the good folks at Maui Nui Venison, along with our collaborative limited edition Anova Venison Box. This week we’ve teamed up with some seriously talented #anovafoodnerds to show you their favorite ways to prepare the contents of the venison box. From tenderloin to osso buco, stew chunks and rib racks, we’ve got something for everyone! No matter which cut of wild game you plan on cooking, sous vide ensures you’re going to get the perfectly tender results you’re after – every single time. (more…)