Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

How to Read a Recipe (like a Chef)

Recipes, full of data, are simple enough on the surface. What are you making, what are the ingredients, and how is it prepared? When you learn to read a recipe like a chef, however, you’ll realize that in a few extra moments, you can save yourself time, do more efficient […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Wine 101: Chardonnay

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. Up first […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Flavor

It’s grilling season, and this year, we want more out of our grill than just burgers and hot dogs. Of course, Texas is the smoking capital of the world (maybe self-appointed, but it still counts), and so we know all about low and slow briskets and beef ribs. But did […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

How Ice Cream Ingredients Affect Mouthfeel

If you are a homemade ice cream maker, you already know that a great base is all you need to make just about any flavor. But part of the fun of making things yourself is experimenting with new recipes and flavors, which can sometimes lead to disappointing results. Of course, […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Heirloom Recipes from the CIA

You can cook a lot of food in more than 70 years, and here at The Culinary Institute of America, we’ve created some tasty dishes, if we do say so ourselves. Whether they were imagined right here on our campus or inspired by some of our favorite old-world classics, there […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Recipes to Tackle Summer Zucchini Overload

In most regions, zucchini and other tender-skinned summer squash, like yellow squash and cute little pattypans, reach their peak in late June and early July. When that time comes, especially if they are growing in your garden, they seem to multiply faster than you can eat them.  In addition to […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

5 Easy Mistakes That are Easy to Fix

Even the greatest chefs make mistakes in the kitchen, so the rest of us are bound to get it wrong from time to time. And while some things are sort of hard to come back from (no, you probably can’t save that loaf of sourdough turned charcoal), there are a […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Our Foodie Dad Gift Guide

Is your dad a Foodie? And, no, we’re not just talking about Grill Masters—though they’re included—but also the dad who loves a sweet treat, is always your plus one to try a new restaurant, and who believes the best days include chilled oysters and an ice cold beer. If that […]