Appetizers, Hors D’oeuvre, and Snacks

Fried Calamari

Makes 6 small-bite servings Any place where squid swim you will find a different version of fried calamari. Be sure to rinse and dry the squid thoroughly before seasoning it. You can use both the tubes and the tentacles, but you may want to fry them separately. Sprinkle with sea […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Gingerbread: History on Display

“And I had but one pennie in the world, thou should’st have it to buy Gingerbread” -Costard in Love’s Labour’s Lost, William Shakespeare c. 1598 When I was a child, one of my favorite holiday traditions was when my family and I would visit Mystic Seaport in Stonington, Connecticut for […]

Chef's Blog

Holiday Care Packages

The holidays look a little different this year, but luckily, an interruption in tradition doesn’t have to mean an absence of celebration! You may not be able to join together with your loved ones in person, but with just a little planning, you can craft a curated care package to […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Holiday Gifting…for the Dogs!

There are two types of people in this world: people who give presents to dogs and people who do not. If you fall in the “do not gift presents to dogs” column, the following content may not appeal to you. If you do give presents to dogs, welcome to our […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Holiday Hygge

If there has ever been a time to embrace the Scandinavian concept of “hygge,” now is certainly it. Hygge, pronounced hue-gah, is a Danish word that generally means cozy, intimate, or special, and it is used to identify small moments of comfort and contentment in the everyday. It can’t be […]

Beverages and Cocktails

Hot Chocolate

Makes 4 to 6 cups Ingredients 4 cups whole milk 12 oz dark chocolate (about 64%), chopped 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or other sea salt Marshmallows, for serving (optional) Directions In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Let […]

Beverages and Cocktails

Instant Hot Chocolate Mix

Makes 20, 8 ounces cups of cocoa Ingredients 3 cups powdered sugar 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup powdered milk Pinch of salt 1 tablespoon cornstarch Directions In a large bowl, sift together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, powdered milk, sal,t and cornstarch. Whisk to combine. Store in an […]

Cookies, Family Fun, Free Recipes

Linzer Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies Ingredients 3/4 lb (3 sticks) unsalted butter 1 1/4 cups sugar 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch salt 2 eggs 3 cups cake flour 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 cups fine cake crumbs or plain dry bread crumbs 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 1/2 cups […]

One-Dish Meals

Lobster Ravioli with Corn Sauce

Makes 5 or 6 servings Striping the pasta is really fun, but also takes some time. You may want to batch it out and save some of the dough for later. When you make this, you may want to prepare extra ravioli and freeze them. The sauce will also freeze […]