Though some may favor a minimalist holiday, we like to believe the more the merrier when it comes to festive decor and Christmas spirit! Bring on the sprinkles! Festive doesn’t have to mean complicated, though, and one of our favorite tricks for Christmas cheer just happens to also be one […]
“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 […]
Challah, an enriched and truly delicious bread, is prized for its tender crumb, but identifiable by its glossy crust and characteristic braid. It is unmistakable among the other crisp crusts and rustic shapes. As part of ancient Jewish traditions, challah dough can be simply braided from three strands, like we […]
Until you taste them yourself, the idea of a sugared cranberries might seem awfully silly. An impossibly tart, dry-textured fruit covered in plain sugar? What do you do with it? And, why? We hear you, but also, we’re sugaring cranberries. And here’s why! Made simply by poaching fresh cranberries in […]
Crêpes are very thin pancakes made by cooking a batter in a very thin layer. Crêpes are typically stuffed, folded, topped, or layered with sweet or savory fillings. The thinner the crêpe the better, but don’t be discouraged if the first crêpes you make are a little uneven or thick. […]
Calling all chocolate lovers, we want to talk about our favorite ingredient! If you love baking cookies, you may already have a favorite brand or variety of chocolate chips. But when it comes to pastry and candy recipes that showcase chocolate, the options can seem endless—and endlessly confusing. But that’s […]
The week after Thanksgiving is the unofficial start of winter, as far as we’re concerned. With twinkling lights appearing around the neighborhood and the smell of fireplaces crackling in the distance, there is nothing greater than a pot of soup or stew simmering on the stovetop. Try one of our […]
Good chowders have a rich flavor, balancing the main flavoring ingredient(s) and supporting aromatic and finishing flavors, a velvety texture, and a lightly thickened consistency, similar to heavy cream. If you are making a shellfish-based chowder (clams, mussels, oysters, etc.), before beginning, steam the main ingredient in stock or water […]
To make the most of large roasted foods, such as turkey, they must be carved into portions correctly. After roasting a turkey and letting it rest, transfer the bird to a carving board (a cutting board with an indentation around the edges that captures the juices released during carving). If […]
Clarified butter is a staple in professional kitchens. Made by melting butter to break the water and fat emulsion, you first skim away the milk solids and then the pure butterfat—the clarified butter itself. Unlike vegetable oils, which are 100% fat, butter is a mixture of water, milk solids, and […]
One of the biggest challenges for dinner guests on Thanksgiving is choosing a dish to bring along that won’t take up precious oven space for reheating. It’s too risky! That’s why we always choose something that can be served cold, or better yet, at room temperature. Here are some of […]
Mashed potatoes are a staple at the Thanksgiving dinner table. But that doesn’t mean they have to be the same year after year (not that anyone has ever complained about a perfectly creamy mashed potato). If you start with a great base recipe—here’s our favorite—you can turn a simple mashed […]