There’s one weekend of summer left (what!?), which kind of begs for a party! If you’re throwing together a last-minute get-together, there is no better strategy than to make it a tiki party—and here’s why: Fun outfits. Tasty drinks. Delicious but low-effort food. Quality kitsch décor. Extraordinary music. OK, so […]
Back to School Recipes
Whether you’re a kid going back to school, a parent whose kids are going back to school, a hard-working teacher, or just someone who once went back to school, you know that it can be a tough transition from summer to school. To help, we’ve brought together some of our […]
Creamy Corn, Hold the Cream
Corn: looks like a vegetable and tastes like dessert. Enjoying summer corn is probably the easiest thing you do all year. To date, we’ve never met a person who doesn’t like it. It can be eaten raw, but even if you cook it, it takes less than five minutes. It’s […]
Summer School: Reading a Recipe
We know that it’s summer, and that’s supposed to mean no school! But today we’re sneaking in a little lesson to help you master reading recipes. No tests—promise! When you read recipes, you usually start with the ingredient list. And sometimes the ingredient list will tell you how to prepare […]
Let’s Do Brunch!
Brunches and, for you early-rising hosts, breakfasts are ideal for family celebrations, like birthdays, anniversaries, and baby showers, especially when the meal is part of a weekend- or even week-long celebration, like a wedding. Breakfasts and brunches are also a great opportunity to showcase seasonal fruits and vegetables and luxury […]
Recipes Between the Lines: Indirect Grilling
Have you ever read a recipe that said, “Prepare your grill for cooking over indirect heat?” And did you think, “Uh, what?” For grilling, indirect heat translates to: not over the fire. When you’re cooking over indirect heat, you’re using the ambient heat of the flames to cook the food, […]
You Can Do It! Tips for Homemade Pizza
Making pizza dough is easy! You just mix a few ingredients (flour + water + yeast + salt + olive oil), and ta da! The hard part is shaping the pizza dough. If you’ve ever made homemade pizza, you can probably remember feeling frustrated and defeated as the dough ripped […]
How To: Peel Tomatoes
As tomato season ramps up, you may encounter recipes that call for peeled tomatoes. Though this step is always optional (your relationship with tomato skin is your own business), removing the skin and the seeds will create a smooth, refined texture in soups and sauces. Peeling a tomato like a […]
What Makes Food Spicy?
Do you like spicy food? If the answer is yes – join the club! If the answer is no – well, join the other club, because there are lots of people just like you! Have you ever wondered why certain foods are so spicy? Spicy foods burn our mouths thanks […]
Grilling Seafood—Insider’s tips from CIA Chefs
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 […]