Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

4 Recipes to Showcase Sweet Summer Peaches

There are few things more delicious than a juicy peach, and since their season is short, we like to squeeze them in to as many meals as we can. Besides the perfect breakfast treat of peaches + yogurt with something crunchy, or its cocktail hour cousin, goat cheese + peaches […]

Beverages and Cocktails

Bubble Tea

Makes 8 servings This bubble milk tea is refreshing and fun to eat, with small tapioca pearls adding a chewy texture to the iced tea-mixture. Use any variety of tea that you prefer, and substitute large tapioca pearls for small for a unique texture.

Beverages and Cocktails

Grappa with Berries

Makes 6 servings This recipe can be made with any fruit that is in season. The recipe makes six portions, but you can make as much or as little as you like. Keep replenishing the fruit as you use it so that you’ll have a supply on hand whenever you […]

Beverages and Cocktails

Mediterranean Cooler

Makes 8 servings Look for bottled pomegranate juice the produce section of well-stocked supermarkets or health food stores. You can substitute other juices for those we recommend here. Grapefruit and cranberry juice makes a Seabreeze. Orange and cranberry makes a Madras. A modest amount of club soda gives the drink […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Refreshing Agua Frescas

Originating in Latin America, agua fresca is a refreshing nonalcoholic beverage based on fruits, hibiscus flowers, or, in some regions, cereals, along with sugar and water. Though some may be prepared using juice or tea, like lime or hibiscus (also known as agua de Jamaica), agua frescas are often made […]

Chef's Blog

Seasonal Sips to Indulge Your Senses

Spring is a feast for the senses, and after a challenging year, this spring brings the hope of reuniting with friends and family for some long-awaited outdoor get-togethers…and cocktails! Since we’re all easing our way back into entertaining, embrace convenience! For drinks, that means batch cocktails. Batch cocktails are built […]

Beverages and Cocktails

Spicy Watermelon Refresher

Makes about 8 servings The key to this perfect summer refresher is great watermelon, so if your melon is a dud, you may want to try something else. Of course, you can also make the same mixture with cantaloupe or pineapple (or basically any other fruit!), so pick what’s tastiest […]

Chef's Blog

Spike Your Seltzer

As the unofficial last weekend of summer, your Labor Day Weekend should be a celebration of all things summer. Song of the summer on loop, bottomless corn on the cob, and of course, the drink of summer 2021: the spiked seltzer. Canned hard seltzers in a can took over the […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Stocking Your Home Bar for Entertaining

For many, a well-stocked bar means a lot of space— and money. Rather, a well-stocked bar is not a matter of quantity, but instead has meaningful selections available for those who are using it. Think about the last banquet you attended, even for hundreds of people. The bar had one […]