Chef's Notes Plus

10 Drinkable Soups for Outdoor Gatherings

During these cold winter months, our gatherings are typically indoor and out of the elements. But this year is unlike others, and many of us are taking our socially-distant get-togethers outside. Eating outside can be a challenge, since your hands are cold, your face is cold, and your food gets […]

Chef's Notes Plus

10 Recipes to Celebrate Inside-Dads

Since we celebrate in summer, Father’s Day has sort of become another default grilling occasion. And sure, lots of dads love to grill—but some of us have inside-dads! If your dad, husband, grandpa, or all-around great father-figure is more of a tablecloth and wine glass kind of guy, here are […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

10 Sweet Ways to Celebrate Dad

Owing to its place in the calendar, Father’s Day has evolved into a major grilling holiday. That means dads all over the country are celebrated with steaks, when maybe some dads really want something a little sweet for their special day. If you have that kind of dad in your […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

4 Recipes to Showcase Sweet Summer Peaches

There are few things more delicious than a juicy peach, and since their season is short, we like to squeeze them in to as many meals as we can. Besides the perfect breakfast treat of peaches + yogurt with something crunchy, or its cocktail hour cousin, goat cheese + peaches […]

Chef's Notes Plus

4th of July Side Dishes to Steal the Show

Either you’re the person who waits all year for a grilled hot dog or burger, or you’re the person testing the limits of those paper plates with a scoop of every side dish, because nothing beats a good potato salad. Of course, no food decision is a bad decision, so […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

5 Game Day Dinners for Hungry Fans

When it comes to the big game, snacks are all well and good. But for those of us who like to eat a proper dinner at half-time, pigs-in-a-blanket might not fit the bill. If your crowd likes a well-rounded dinner-time meal, try some of these game day-ready dinners that can […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Affordable Wines for your Holiday Table

Paying less doesn’t mean having to do without anymore. When planning a dinner party, we spend ample time designing the menu, only then to find ourselves having to make a critical decision – go over budget buying six bottles of wine just to impress everyone or settling for an unknown […]

Cookies, Desserts

Alfajores

Makes about 2 dozen cookies This sandwich cookie is comprised of buttery cookies on the outside and rich, creamy dulce de leche in the center. Ingredients 10 oz (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 3 cups all-purpose […]

Chef's Notes Plus

All About Barbecue Sauce

Barbecue sauce is a grilling basic. There are plenty of good barbecue sauces that you can buy, but they are easy to make at home in large enough amounts to last for a couple of weeks of grilling. You can double or triple any of our favorite recipes, like Classic, […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

All About Caviar

Caviar is the salted roe of fish, traditionally sturgeon, which is prized for its briny delicate flavor. Due to overfishing, politics, and pollution, the supplies have dwindled and the price has increased, leading to a flood of alternative varieties from many sources. The delicate berries of true caviar come from […]

Chef's Notes Plus

All About Pâte à Choux

Pâte à choux is a simple and versatile French pastry batter made from milk (or water), butter, flour, and eggs. It is typically piped and baked to a crisp, hollow shell that is perfect for filling with sweet or savory ingredients. Even if you’ve never made pâte à choux, you’ve […]