Chef's Blog

Spike Your Seltzer

As the unofficial last weekend of summer, your Labor Day Weekend should be a celebration of all things summer. Song of the summer on loop, bottomless corn on the cob, and of course, the drink of summer 2021: the spiked seltzer. Canned hard seltzers in a can took over the […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Spring is For Foodies

Welcome, spring! After a cold winter, nothing is more welcome than the first signs of the season: bright green shoots poking through the soil, buzzing bumblebees, and—my favorite, naturally—new produce! Having grown up in The Garden State and after many years in New York’s Hudson Valley, I consider myself a […]

Desserts

Sticky Rice with Mangoes (Kao Niaw Ma Muang)

Makes 4 servings Ingredients Sticky Rice 2 cups sticky rice, soaked for at least 4 to 6 hours or overnight 1/3 cup coconut milk 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or as needed 2 pandanus leaves, tied in a knot Coconut Topping 1 cup coconut milk 1 1/2 tablespoons […]

Desserts

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Makes about 1 1/4 quarts (about 8 servings) Choose the ripest, most flavorful strawberries for this yogurt. Hull, rinse, and slice them just before you are ready to make the frozen yogurt. To remove the hulls, use a huller (a tweezer-like tool that pinches out the hull) or the tip […]

Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments

Strawberry Honey Butter

Makes 1 cup Sweet compound butters are an easy way to make a simple dish extra special. Prepared ahead of time, they can be brought to the table to serve alongside pancakes, waffles, or a crisp baguette. Replace the strawberries with any fruit you like, and consider adding a pinch […]

Soups and Stews

Strawberry Rhubarb Soup

Makes 6 servings You may not be making fruit soup on the average weeknight, but we love it for a special brunch or dinner during the spring and summer. This recipe is cold and refreshing, and it showcases the sweet and tart brightness of the classic fruit duo: strawberries and […]

Chef's Blog

Summer in a Jar—Savoring Every Last Bite

Every August, we try to avoid it, but it is inevitable: summer’s long days grow shorter as the season draws to a close. On the bright side, in its waning weeks, our gardens and farm stands explode with cucumbers, tomatoes, summer squash, and eggplant. If only there was a way […]

Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Super-Smoothies for an Active Summer

Whether you are desperate for the energy to finish off those last few weeks of school, zapped from a day at the pool, or pushing through long hours at your summer job, you need a boost! When it’s hot and you’re tired, there’s really no better way to start the […]

Chef's Blog

There Is No Wrong Way to Enjoy a Peach

“I am thinking, of course, of the peach before I ate it.” Peach, D.H. Lawrence (1923). Romanticizing fruit is a task best left to the poets, who have better language for conveying what is inherently perfect about a ripe summer peach. That leaves the rest of us with the more […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Thickening with Pectin

Pectin is a thickener derived from fruits such as tart apples or citrus. It is used to make jams and jellies as well as some candies. In order for pectin to gel and thicken a mixture, the recipe must have the proper balance of acids and sugar. Since fruits contain […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Winter is Citrus Season

The bright, sunshiny, refreshing juice of citrus fruits screams, “Summer!” But citrus fruits generally reach their peak season during the winter months. What luck for us, since what could be better during the cold, stuck-inside season than a reminder of the sunny days to come. Citrus fruits are prized for […]