Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Making Caramel-Coated Popcorn

Caramel-coated popcorn, or a popcorn-nut mixture, is a simple-to-make, delicious treat involving little more than caramelizing sugar, adding flavorings, and stirring together with the popcorn mixture. Although caramel corn is often enjoyed almost immediately, it can be stored for longer periods when it is wrapped to protect it from humidity […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

The Full Scoop on Vanilla

When you’re making a simple dessert, like vanilla ice cream or crème brûlée, you have very few ingredients to distract from the flavors of the raw ingredients. For that reason, the best outcomes will come from the best ingredients. We know a lot these days about sourcing high quality milk […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Recipes to Celebrate Father’s Day

No two dads are alike. Maybe the guy you’re celebrating loves a good burger, or maybe he can’t get enough pasta! Whether your dad loves spicy wings or a nice green salad, we’re sharing some of the recipes the fathers we know can’t get enough of! Try one for your […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Drink of the Summer: Frozen Aperol Spritz

If you watch the morning cable news shows, you have probably heard about ten million conversations surrounding The Song of the Summer. Inevitably, there are many songs of the summer, and while the concept is flawed, we like the sentiment. Because ultimately, if we’re talking about the song of the […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

All About Pralines

Among the best known home-made candies, pralines have become a symbol of hospitality in much of the southern United States, particularly New Orleans. Throughout most of the South, the name is pronounced PRAY-leen, but in New Orleans, the common pronunciation is PRAH-leen. Traditional pralines are made using two much beloved […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Cleaning Octopus and Squid

Cleaning Octopus Octopus is typically sold already cleaned. However, you may need to occasionally remove the viscera, eyes, and beak (sometimes know as the eye). If the octopus you purchase has already been cleaned, simply cut the head away from the legs, and cut into the appropriate size. Baby octopus […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Meet Your New Favorite Flavor: Gianduja

Gianduja (jhan-DOO-ya) is a delicious mixture of chocolate and finely ground nuts. It is most likely Italian in origin and is traditionally made with dark chocolate and hazelnuts. While it is possible to toast and grind nuts and add the resulting paste to chocolate, it is simpler to make and […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Dipping Candy Centers in Chocolate

Dipping centers in chocolate not only gives them a beautiful appearance and a crisp shell, it protects the centers from humidity and helps to maintain quality. Hand dipping chocolates is a technique that requires some precision and much practice to master. But, like all candy making, learning is much of […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Sweet and Savory Grilled Cheese

You know what sweet means, most likely, right? Cookies are sweet, candy is sweet, pineapple is sweet. But do you know what savory means? Savory is harder to describe, but we often associate it with foods that are deep in flavor, like mushrooms or cooked beef stew. In more general […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Pot-Sticker Veggies

You may be familiar with pot stickers — dumplings cooked in a skillet until the bottom is brown and crisp and the filling is cooked and juicy. The pot sticker cooking method is simple. You sear the bottom of the dumpling in a bit of oil. Then you add a […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Cleaning Soft Shelled Crab

Soft shelled crab is a summertime delicacy with a short season and limited availability, so when the time comes, you have to be ready! Soft shelled crabs are typical “hard shell” crabs that are caught and prepared during their molting phase. In preparation for shedding, the crab develops a thin, […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Kitchen Insider: Cooling and Reheating Foods Safely

Restaurants take food safety very seriously, with clear and exacting guidelines for receiving, holding, preparing, and serving food. And while a lot of our habits and routines at home are probably less stringent than those followed in restaurants, knowing how the professionals keep us safe and happy in their kitchens […]