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 […]

Chef's Blog

In Defense of Spam

Early in the semester, CIA students in my Food Writing course read “On Chicken Tenders,” by Helen Rosner, published in 2015 in Guernica. In this amusing but sincere defense of a derided, children’s menu staple, Rosner effectively argues against those who look down on ordering, eating, and celebrating the “perfect” […]

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

Colorful Easter Eggs, Naturally

Dying colorful Easter eggs is such a fun craft (yes, for adults, too!), but if you aren’t a fan of store-bought artificial dyes, you may have been avoiding it. But, like, everything, there’s a way to use food to make the experience better! Namely, making your own dyes from colorful […]

Cakes, Desserts

Strawberry and Rose Mini Cupcakes

Makes about 60 mini cupcakes This recipe makes about 60 mini cupcakes, which feeds about 30 people. If you need less, you can half this recipe, or bake any leftover batter in a cake pan. Spread it with leftover jam for a little chef’s treat! You can use any cake […]

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

Design Your Own Gingerbread House

Nothing says “Christmas!” like an old-fashioned gingerbread house, and this year, we’re going all out! These cookies are the ideal canvas for all sorts of decorative touches. The dough can be made and baked off in advance and stored in an airtight container until ready to decorate or finish. Use […]

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

Supremely Spooky Pizzas for Halloween

Small foodies may have candy on the brain, but before they start their whirlwind foraging expedition, little ghosts, cowgirls—and hopefully a tiny chef or two!?—need some food-fuel. Since it is Halloween, dinner needs to be fun and maybe a little spooky! For your sake, it should also be easy. We […]

Chef's Blog

Celebrate Apple Cider Donut Season with a Twist

And just like that, it is apple season! For those of us near our Hyde Park, New York campus, visiting our local apple orchards is an unmissable autumn tradition. Sure, you pick apples to bring home for snacks and pie, but most important is the season’s first apple cider donut. […]

Beverages and Cocktails

Bubble Tea

Makes 8 servings This bubble milk tea is refreshing and fun to eat, with small tapioca pearls adding a chewy texture to the iced tea-mixture. Use any variety of tea that you prefer, and substitute large tapioca pearls for small for a unique texture.

Chef's Blog

Celebrate Mother’s Day the Foodies Way

Sunday is Mother’s Day, and we think the best way to celebrate the mother-figure in your life is with your undivided attention and lots and lots of fun! We, of course, are partial to anything that happens in the kitchen. If your mom also loves a fun foodie project, we’ve […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Fruit Powders for Colorful Fruit-Flavored Desserts

You probably buy fresh fruit, and you may love the sweet and chewy dried fruits—but do you ever buy freeze-dried fruit? Unlike chewy dried cranberries and apricots, freeze-dried fruit is crisp and crunchy with an ultra-concentrated flavor. They are a great snack, but we love them for their baking and […]