Chef's Notes Plus

FAQ: Corned Beef and Cabbage

Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage is one of our favorite food rituals, but it’s a home-cooked dish that folks seem to struggle with! So, we’re offering up some answers to the questions we get most often regarding this St. Patrick’s Day staple! Question: Um, what is corned beef? Answer: Fair […]

Cookies

Gingerbread

Makes enough for 1 gingerbread house or about 3 dozen cookies, depending on size This is a very mild gingerbread dough, great for kids and those who don’t typically love molasses-heavy gingerbread. You can use this recipe to make a decorated house or any shape cookie you like. Ingredients Flourless […]

Chef's Blog

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 […]

Main Dishes

Gnocchi with Duck Ragoût

Makes 4 to 6 servings This recipe is a favorite of our students in our Cuisines of the Mediterranean class at The Culinary Institute of America. The main ingredient in the dish is the gnocchi, served with a perfectly made duck ragoût to accent those fluffy little pillows.

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 Notes Plus

Holiday Entertaining Tips for Special Diets

Entertaining guests with special diets is not new, but it certainly seems to be more common. As we all become more health-conscious and aware of what makes us feel good (and bad!), we face lots of ingredient hurdles as we prepare for our holiday meals. If cooking for special diets […]

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 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 […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Home School: Risotto (yes, it’s easy!)

Risotto is a dish we most often eat at restaurants, reinforcing the illusion that it’s difficult to prepare. Sorry to spill the beans, restaurant chefs of the world, but despite being creamy and decadent, risotto is actually really easy to make and not nearly as time consuming as you might […]

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 […]