Chef's Notes Plus

Refreshing Agua Frescas

Originating in Latin America, agua fresca is a refreshing nonalcoholic beverage based on fruits, hibiscus flowers, or, in some regions, cereals, along with sugar and water. Though some may be prepared using juice or tea, like lime or hibiscus (also known as agua de Jamaica), agua frescas are often made […]

Breakfast and Brunch

Rhubarb Mini-Muffins

Makes 24 mini-muffins These tender mini-muffins are the perfect mix of sweet and tart, highlighting our spring favorite: rhubarb! Once rhubarb season has passed, you can use this recipe with raspberries, peaches, or any fruit that suits your fancy. Depending on the size of your muffin pan, you may have […]

Pies and Tarts

Roasted Ginger Plum Tart with Nut Streusel

This tart makes the best of in-season plums, but you can substitute any stone fruit, like halved cherries, apricots, or nectarines. Makes one 9-inch tart Ingredients Vanilla Tart Dough, fitted into a 9-inch tart pan and chilled 1 1/2 lb plums (7 to 8 medium), rinsed, halved, and pitted 1/2 […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Simple Ways to Make the Most of Your Summer Produce

Every year, we try to avoid it, but it is inevitable: summer will end eventually—though luckily, only temporarily. Summer produce doesn’t leave quietly, and in its waning weeks, our gardens and farm stands explode with cucumbers, tomatoes, summer squash, eggplants! The mountains of produce are daunting, but irresistible, since in […]

Beverages and Cocktails

Spicy Green Grape Margarita

Makes 2 cocktails Heat levels can vary widely in jalapeños, so always test the heat before adding them to the recipe. If using mild jalapeños, you may use 2 chiles in the recipe. Ingredients 1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges Tajín or other chili-lime seasoning, for the rim 2 ½ […]

Beverages and Cocktails

Spicy Watermelon Refresher

Makes about 8 servings The key to this perfect summer refresher is great watermelon, so if your melon is a dud, you may want to try something else. Of course, you can also make the same mixture with cantaloupe or pineapple (or basically any other fruit!), so pick what’s tastiest […]

Chef's Blog

Spike Your Seltzer

As the unofficial last weekend of summer, your Labor Day Weekend should be a celebration of all things summer. Song of the summer on loop, bottomless corn on the cob, and of course, the drink of summer 2021: the spiked seltzer. Canned hard seltzers in a can took over the […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Spring is For Foodies

Welcome, spring! After a cold winter, nothing is more welcome than the first signs of the season: bright green shoots poking through the soil, buzzing bumblebees, and—my favorite, naturally—new produce! Having grown up in The Garden State and after many years in New York’s Hudson Valley, I consider myself a […]

Desserts

Sticky Rice with Mangoes (Kao Niaw Ma Muang)

Makes 4 servings Ingredients Sticky Rice 2 cups sticky rice, soaked for at least 4 to 6 hours or overnight 1/3 cup coconut milk 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or as needed 2 pandanus leaves, tied in a knot Coconut Topping 1 cup coconut milk 1 1/2 tablespoons […]

Desserts

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Makes about 1 1/4 quarts (about 8 servings) Choose the ripest, most flavorful strawberries for this yogurt. Hull, rinse, and slice them just before you are ready to make the frozen yogurt. To remove the hulls, use a huller (a tweezer-like tool that pinches out the hull) or the tip […]