Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Conquer Pie Dough

For many home bakers, creating a flavorful, tender pie or tart crust is a fearful and challenging process filled with questions. How is it that some home bakers consistently produce flaky, crispy, and tender crusts or shells while others consistently find this task so daunting? As pie and tart dough […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Culinary School: How to Make Béchamel Sauce

Béchamel is classical white sauce that is made with milk thickened with a roux. Blond roux is traditionally used, and the amount of roux will determine the sauce’s consistency.  Vegetables or aromatics are sometimes added to strengthen the flavor, but they are normally strained out after cooking to preserve the […]

Family Fun

Decorating Holiday Cookies

Decorating cookies is fun any time of the year, but ‘tis the season for extra special treats to share with your friends and family! Whether you bring them as a gift to your teachers or to grandma’s house, there are so many easy ways to dress up your favorite cookies […]

Main Dishes

Duck Confit

Makes 4 servings The traditional confit cooking method for duck is a method of preservation. The duck is cured, cooked very slowly in its own fat, and then stored, covered with that fat. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 months, so prepare more than you need. Keeping […]

Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Easy Bread Baking

Whether it is wheat, rye, or gluten-free, bread is a staple food for most of us. We eat it at breakfast as toast, for lunch as peanut butter sandwiches, and with dinner to dip into our favorite soup. And like all things, bread that you make with your own hands […]

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

Grilling with Cedar Planks

Fish that is grilled on a cedar plank is imparted with the smoke of the grill and the woodsy flavors from the cedar, giving it incredible depth of flavor. For variety, you can use hickory, mesquite, or even a fruit tree wood like apple or cherry. The planks don’t last […]

Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Grilling with the Whole Family!

It’s grilling season, and we wanted to remind you that grilling can be a family activity—even if Dad thinks he’s the grill-master! Grilling is an easy, quick, nutritious, and flavorful way to cook lean pieces of meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetables. Wood, gas, or charcoal heats the grill bars and […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Home School: Deep-Frying

Frying is not something most of us do often. Spoiler alert: t’s not the healthiest method of cooking, but also, it’s a little messy, it makes our houses smell like a fast food restaurant, and for some people, it can seem scary! But deep frying does have its place in […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Home School: Make a Marinade Without a Recipe

I’m not sure when grilling season officially starts (maybe because there is not actually an official grilling season), but I’m ready to get started. Everyone has the fundamentals of grilling covered: fire, meat, veggies, go! But the under-appreciated old standby that doesn’t get the attention it deserves is the marinade. […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Homemade Pasta for Two on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is less about being in love and more about sharing love, whether that’s with a partner, a family member, or your very best friends. We may be biased, but here at The CIA, we don’t think there’s a much better way to show someone you care than to […]