Today officially marks three weeks until the big day, and this year, we’re pledging to stay ahead on our prep for a calm, stress-free Thanksgiving. Luckily, here at the CIA, we’ve got a lot of experience coordinating dinners! We have a good plan in place, so each week, we’ll fill […]
As far as we know, Election Day fried chicken is not a tradition, though maybe it should be? If, like the rest of the country, your nerves are a little shot after this election cycle (give it a rest, 2020!), Election Day Buttermilk Fried Chicken might be the thing for […]
Fats are an essential ingredient in baking, directly imparting flavor and influencing tenderness and flakiness in pie and tart crusts. Most pie and tart crusts need to be made with a solid fat in order to create their characteristic tender and flaky texture. The role of fats in creating crusts […]
‘Tis the season. Well, one of them! As you know, we’re big fans of seasonal eating, and winter squash season is a pretty big league time of the year for foodies. Winter squash, often called hard-skinned squashes are, you know, the squashes with hard skins. That means we’re putting away […]
As soon as the leaves start turning, lots of us rush to dig out our sweaters and heavy blankets. All too often, though, the first signs of fall are a little bit of a tease, and we find ourselves back in short sleeves and flip flops on occasion. Or, if […]
I am one of those people who says, “Oh my goodness, this is my new favorite food” when I taste just about anything, so my endorsement may not hold much weight. That being said, I love sticky toffee pudding more than just about anything. If you’ve never had sticky toffee […]
Whether you’re a newbie or a top chef, there is one word that strikes fear deep into the heart of any cook. Bland. YIKES! Bland is just a nicer way to say boring or flavorless. It means your food isn’t even interesting enough to taste bad; it tastes like nothing. […]
Great food and wine go hand in hand, but when the-things-to-know-about-wine are seemingly infinite, it can be difficult (and intimidating!) to choose a wine. In this series, we’ll explore the fundamentals of wine, from grape varietals to tasting, so that you can tackle a wine list with confidence. Get to […]
Egg wash is a common recipe term—and lots of recipes take for granted that the reader knows what it means. And even if you do know the basics of an egg wash, you may not know why you’re using it. An egg wash is a blended mixture of egg, salt, […]
Though mushrooms grow throughout the year, they are widely regarded as seasonally fall (except morels, which are the best part of the spring!). White button and cremini mushrooms (often called baby bellas) are the old stand-by. They are inexpensive, sturdy, and neutral in flavor. But as much as we love […]
This recipe is really more about the rub than the roast, since it’s all-purpose and surprisingly versatile. Inspired by the seasoning typically used in porchetta, this rub is incredibly flavorful on its own, but a chameleon when paired with virtually any ingredient. Meaning you can eat a dish like this […]
As we ease into autumn, we can finally celebrate the return of roasting—especially vegetables. We love roasting because it is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy seasonal fall produce, like hard-skinned squash, cauliflower, fennel, and Brussels sprouts (color = flavor), as well as incredibly easy and hands-off. Even […]