Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

All About Quick Pickles

If your kitchen cabinets are currently storing more than one empty glass jar, you are officially missing an easy pickling opportunity. Pickled fruits and vegetables are the absolute best way to add some excitement to any recipe, cheese plate, or mid-afternoon snack attack. There are many pickling strategies, which can […]

Soups and Stews

Cream Of Tomato Soup

Makes 8 servings Chef’s Note: The consistency of the soup may be adjusted to suit your taste. Leave some chunks of tomato, if desired, or continue to purée until the soup is completely smooth.

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Flavoring Homemade Ice Cream

As the summer settles in, there is no greater joy than a scoop of ice cream on a hot day. No matter your favorite flavor, from simple vanilla to the rockiest rocky road, an ice cream cone is the ultimate way to treat yourself. Near our San Antonio campus, where […]

Desserts

French Vanilla Ice Cream

Makes about 1 1/4 quarts, or 8 servings This is your classic vanilla ice cream, with a clean vanilla flavor and those signature flecks from the seeds of a fresh vanilla bean. If you can’t find vanilla beans, vanilla paste is your best substitute.

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 […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Grill Anything (Yes, Even Pasta!)

By the end of this summer, I will be able to write a book on how to cook exclusively outside. As I’ve mentioned, probably too often, I live in Texas, where it is currently HOT. My house is small, but tragically under-cooled in the summer, so when I turn on […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Guide to Radishes (and What To Do With Them)

When I first moved to the United States from Germany, where I grew up and began my career, I was surprised at how little radishes are used in American cuisine. They are, to me, delicious! Not to mention inexpensive, long-lasting, and full of nutrients. Radishes are root vegetables of which […]