Seafood lovers! You don’t want to miss the joys of grilling this summer! With just a few tips and tricks from our seasoned CIA chefs, your next barbeque is sure to go swimmingly! Chef Sandy Sauter A clean and well-seasoned (with oil) grill is crucial for seafood, since it tends […]
Welcome to Copia!
There is no place on earth quite like Napa. It’s known as the gateway to California wine country with good reason. And that’s why the CIA has created The CIA at Copia, a food and wine lover’s paradise right in Napa. Actually, The New York Times called it a “foodie […]
The Mediterranean Diet: The Future of Food
The Mediterranean Diet sounds like something we might hesitate to embrace…after all, it has the word “diet” affixed to it. But it’s actually a wonderful Mediterranean approach to fresh products, healthy and delicious food, local wine, dining rituals, and lifestyle. For thousands of years, the countries in the region have […]
Keep Calm and Grill On!
Lance Rood, Culinary Demonstrator, CIA at Copia Summertime is just around the corner. With warmer days and nights ahead it’s time to clean off the grill and enjoy the deep flavors of the flames. We’ve put together great tips to make your summer grilling experience easy and flavorful. So, fire […]
About Napa!
Unless you are fortunate enough to live in Northern California, visiting Napa Valley is a true vacation. No matter the time of year, you’ll find extraordinary farmers’ markets, exciting food and wine events, and restaurants making the most of their neighboring farmlands. The abundance of distilleries, breweries, and yes, wine, […]
Don’t Panic: Tips for Saving Your Sear
As recipe writers, we come back to the same phrases over and over. “Mix until light and fluffy…” “…until it doubles in size…” “Working in batches, sear the beef until it is browned all over…” That last one seems the simplest, but it actually tends to cause the most headaches […]
Lessons from a Cooking Boot Camp at The Culinary Institute of America
Excerpt from the original article. Every day around 9:30 a.m., Chef David Bruno would release us from lecture and into the kitchen, a gleaming space stocked with everything a home cook could ever want: heaps of onions and garlic, racks of skillets and saucepans, fridges full of dairy products and […]
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 […]
Homemade Peanut Butter (So Easy, It’s Nuts!)
Peanut butter is pretty much a Top 10 Best Food, and everyone has their favorite brand. But here’s a little secret about peanut butter: it’s one of the easiest foods to make, (seriously, you don’t even need a recipe) and it is endlessly customizable. In fact, you can even replace […]
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, […]
Kitchen Vocab: Bouquet garni and Sachet d’épices
Sachet d’épices (spice sachet) and bouquet garni (bundle of herbs) are bundles of spices and/or herbs that are used to add flavor to a simmering broth, soup, or stew. A basic sachet or bouquet will flavor 2½ to 3 quarts of liquid. Sachet d’Épices To make a sachet, cut a small square […]
Make the Most of Spring Farm Stand Season
It’s spring, and we couldn’t be more excited! It’s been a snowy winter on our Hyde Park, NY campus, and we have been eager to dig out of the mess to find the sun. When the calendar turns in our favor, there is only one thing on our minds: farm […]