Nappe is a French term describing the consistency of a sauce that will coat the back of a spoon. Ice cream base that is cooped is cooked to this stage before cooling and then freezing. Cooking it to this stage indicates that the proteins have been fully cooked and the […]
As the summer settles in, there is no greater joy than a scoop of ice cream on a hot day. No matter your favorite flavor, from simple vanilla to the rockiest rocky road, an ice cream cone is the ultimate way to treat yourself. Near our San Antonio campus, where […]
Grading student journals and project assignments isn’t a favorite pastime, but if you are the adjunct instructor of College Writing at The Culinary Institute of America, ya gotta. More correctly stated, I gotta. The semester usually starts with the same complaints: You want me to read HOW MANY PAGES? I […]
Caviar is the salted roe of fish, traditionally sturgeon, which is prized for its briny delicate flavor. Due to overfishing, politics, and pollution, the supplies have dwindled and the price has increased, leading to a flood of alternative varieties from many sources. The delicate berries of true caviar come from […]
Like a lot of my fellow chef instructors here at the CIA, food is my life, but it is not my whole story. Before I was a chef, I was a professional jai alai player both in my home country of France and here in the United States. Jai alai […]
In baking, every step matters—from mixing to baking, but just as importantly, cooling! While we often romanticize baked goods fresh from the oven, most baked items like cakes (and yes, breads!) are best once cooled. Baking is a series of chemical and physical reactions spurred by the heat of the […]
When I first moved to the United States from Germany, where I grew up and began my career, I was surprised at how little radishes are used in American cuisine. They are, to me, delicious! Not to mention inexpensive, long-lasting, and full of nutrients. Radishes are root vegetables of which […]
Use this glossary to help identify chiles in recipes or to pick out what to try next! FRESH CHILES Anaheim (C. annuum) These light-green, rather flat-looking chiles will measure about 6 inches long and 2 inches wide, gradually tapering to a blunt end; they may have squared-off or sloping shoulders, […]
Vegetable appetizers are a perfect way to start a meal. They run the gamut from simple dips and spreads like guacamole, made from silken smooth avocados, to complex dishes that are sophisticated enough to feature at the most elegant dinner. One of the most popular vegetable appetizers, and one that […]
Knowing how to cook is more than knowing techniques, it’s also important to know all about the best ingredients for the dish you hope to prepare. Different cooking methods call for different cuts of meat, and the first step to making the right choice is simply understanding the physiology of […]
Bread dough is made from very few ingredients, and each one counts. This includes the most basic, likely least-considered ingredient: water. The rule of thumb here is that if you enjoy drinking it, you can use it for baking bread. However, there are three important ways water quality can affect […]
Buckle up, foodies. We’re doing math! Artisan bread requires just a few key ingredients, but it is the ratio of those ingredients and the way they are handled that produce a wide array of finished loaves. Proper execution comes from a detailed understanding of each step in the process—what needs […]