Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Regional Food Spotlight: Sponge Candy

You may think Buffalo, New York stopped when it perfected the spicy Buffalo wing, but you might be surprised to find out that the wing is arguably the second-best food to come out of the city. For the sweet-toothed among us, Buffalo’s very best regional specialty has an unfortunate name […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Alumni Spotlight: Erin McDowell

You may know her for her pies, or her helpful but relatable how-to videos, or maybe you just know her from Instagram, where you follow along for the occasional sighting of her little dog, Brimley! But here at the CIA, Erin McDowell is family, and like all of our alumni, […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Eating Green on St. Patrick’s Day

Corned beef and cabbage is tasty, but if you’re throwing a green-themed St. Patrick’s Day party, we’ve got some recipes to match the mood! From drinks and snacks to the main course, try any of these dishes for a little luck o’ the Irish! Frozen Mint Limemade Guacamole Silken Tofu […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Kitchen Vocab: Tagine

Tagine. It’s two words in one, though both are related. It is both a dish, and the dish the dish is made in! Get it yet? A tagine is a North African recipe of Berber origin and is a staple of Moroccan cuisine. Berber refers to the indigenous people of […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Regional Food Spotlight: Pork Roll

If you’ve grown up and stayed close to your hometown, you may take your favorite foods for granted. During your childhood, your world is small, and things that are familiar to you are surely familiar to everyone else, right? But for those of us who find ourselves far from home, […]

Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

How To: Scramble Eggs

A person’s favorite food is not necessarily the food a person eats every day. After all, donuts aren’t dinner…most of the time. But if you’re lucky, your favorite foods might be something that you can enjoy often and in a lot of different ways – like baked potatoes or scrambled […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Opt for Cider this Presidents’ Day

The CIA loves beer so much, we have an outpost of the Brooklyn Brewery right on our campus in Hyde Park, New York! For beer enthusiasts, there is an adventure in every bottle as we search for the qualities that make each beer unique: malt, hops, technique, inclusions of fruit […]

Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Say “I Love You” with Chocolate

We don’t know about you, but when we think about Valentine’s Day, we think chocolate! Chocolate candies, chocolate cookies, chocolate brownies. Hm. Cookies and brownies… If one is great, how good would they be combined!? This Valentine’s Day, if you want to bake something for a special person – maybe […]