Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Gingerbread: History on Display

“And I had but one pennie in the world, thou should’st have it to buy Gingerbread” -Costard in Love’s Labour’s Lost, William Shakespeare c. 1598 When I was a child, one of my favorite holiday traditions was when my family and I would visit Mystic Seaport in Stonington, Connecticut for […]

Main Dishes

Lamb and Pumpkin Couscous

Makes 4 to 6 servings This is a lamb and pumpkin stew served on a bed of couscous. If you want to change it up a little bit, make the dish with Israeli couscous in the style of risotto. It will be creamy and delicious, if not exactly traditional. Ingredients […]

Main Dishes

Lamb Biryani

Makes 8 servings Biryani is a signature rice dish in Indian cuisine known especially for its scrumptious, colorful presentation. Made with basmati rice, it can be created with lamb, chicken, beef, or vegetables and features generous amounts of sweet spices, as well as nuts and raisins. In this recipe, it’s […]

Grilling, Main Dishes

London Broil with Brykill Farm Beef Rub

Makes 8 servings Brykill Farm is a family-owned natural beef ranch where the cattle graze on 450 acres of lush, organically maintained pastures in Gardiner, New York. Owner Susan Eckhardt created this beef rub, which is just as good on a roast as it is on a London broil or […]

Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments

Manchamantel Mole

Makes 2 cups Manchamantel translates to English as “tablecloth stainer.” This sauce has a sweet, tart, and spicy flavor. The tomatoes really round out the flavor and add richness to the sauce. This would be great with any grilled meat or vegetable. Ingredients 1 dried ancho chile 1/2 dried guajillo […]

Beverages and Cocktails

Masala Chai

Chai is a popular Indian beverage made from black tea, milk, a sweetener, and spices. Mixtures known as chai masala may include cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and peppercorns to give the drink its heady aroma. Some sugar or honey is essential to bring out all the flavors. Makes 8 servings

Allergen Friendly, Main Dishes

Roasted Veggie Fajita Bowls

Makes 4 servings These bowls are endlessly customizable for a quick and filling weeknight dinner. Add thinly sliced raw chicken breast to the veggie mixture before cooking or top the bowls with leftover chili or pulled pork. Drizzle with pico de gallo, sour cream, or a sprinkle of shredded cheese […]

Main Dishes

Slow-Cooker Sauerbraten

Makes 4 to 6 servings Though it takes a few days, this classic German recipe is primarily hands-off, meaning the tangy marinade and slow-cooker do all the work for you. If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can treat this recipe like a typical braise: in Step 3, transfer […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

The Flavors of Southeast Asian Curries

One of the most flavorful ways of cooking meat is in curries. In Asia, there are literally thousands of recipes, but the most common styles can be categorized as Thai, Malaysian, or Indian in origin. While it’s impossible to pinpoint the exact origin of each, the word “curry,” or kari […]

Desserts

Warm Gingerbread Pudding

Makes 8 servings Sweet, warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice give gingerbread and many other baked goods their unmistakable aromas. Spices are generally understood to be dried aromatic ingredients, typically the bark or seeds of a plant; they are sold whole or ground. Whole spices may be toasted, […]

Breakfast and Brunch, Cakes, Desserts

Zucchini Bread

Makes 2 loaves If you grow zucchini in your garden, you’ll be glad to have this recipe come late summer. Note that the larger a zucchini grows, the tougher its skin, the drier its flesh, and the more bitter its seeds. If you are using large zucchini for this recipe, […]