Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments

Strawberry Honey Butter

Makes 1 cup Sweet compound butters are an easy way to make a simple dish extra special. Prepared ahead of time, they can be brought to the table to serve alongside pancakes, waffles, or a crisp baguette. Replace the strawberries with any fruit you like, and consider adding a pinch […]

Soups and Stews

Strawberry Rhubarb Soup

Makes 6 servings You may not be making fruit soup on the average weeknight, but we love it for a special brunch or dinner during the spring and summer. This recipe is cold and refreshing, and it showcases the sweet and tart brightness of the classic fruit duo: strawberries and […]

Chef's Blog

Summer in a Jar—Savoring Every Last Bite

Every August, we try to avoid it, but it is inevitable: summer’s long days grow shorter as the season draws to a close. On the bright side, in its waning weeks, our gardens and farm stands explode with cucumbers, tomatoes, summer squash, and eggplant. If only there was a way […]

Beverages and Cocktails, Pantry

Tart Cherries in Bourbon

Makes about 5 cups These easy to prepare cherries are a staple of a well-stocked home bar, but they also make amazing gifts. Use the cherries in your cocktails, but don’t forget the flavorful brandy for drinks, soaking cakes, or rehydrating raisins and other dried fruits for holiday baking. Ingredients […]

Chef's Blog

There Is No Wrong Way to Enjoy a Peach

“I am thinking, of course, of the peach before I ate it.” Peach, D.H. Lawrence (1923). Romanticizing fruit is a task best left to the poets, who have better language for conveying what is inherently perfect about a ripe summer peach. That leaves the rest of us with the more […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Thickening with Pectin

Pectin is a thickener derived from fruits such as tart apples or citrus. It is used to make jams and jellies as well as some candies. In order for pectin to gel and thicken a mixture, the recipe must have the proper balance of acids and sugar. Since fruits contain […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Winter is Citrus Season

The bright, sunshiny, refreshing juice of citrus fruits screams, “Summer!” But citrus fruits generally reach their peak season during the winter months. What luck for us, since what could be better during the cold, stuck-inside season than a reminder of the sunny days to come. Citrus fruits are prized for […]