Posts under ‘Recipes’

I bet you wouldn’t guess by my undying love for donuts and Cheetos that deep down, I’m a champagne kind of girl. But I don’t drink it because it’s fancy. And I definitely don’t drink it in an attempt to harness my inner Olivia Palermo (champy, anyone?).
It’s refreshing. It tastes great. And call me crazy, [...]

Monet was to the art of painting as Nick Malgieri is to the art of all things confectionery. Author of eight cookbooks and Director of Baking Programs at The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), Malgieri has established himself as the foremost authority on delectable desserts. From Supernatural Brownies to Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Cake, this man [...]

I have been eagerly awaiting Module 4 of my culinary arts program, as it signals the start to four straight weeks of intensive pastry and baking. From cream puffs and croissants to pâte à choux and palmiers, we will be covering every inch of sugar-topped and butter-stuffed glory.
We’ve made the transition from culinary lessons, where [...]

I’ve always dreamed of touring the California coast, stopping at wineries to taste the fruits of Napa and Sonoma. Thanks to last night - and in all honesty, a recent episode of The Bachelor (go Team Tenley) - my desire to sip my way through California’s vineyards just got a bit stronger.
The 3,000-mile stretch between [...]

Get ready for Valentine’s Day with a simple shortcut to homemade toffee, no candy thermometer required! What better way to celebrate one of the sweetest days of the year than by layering chewy oats with semisweet chocolate. Toasted coconut and chopped pecans add a final touch of crunch to this quick-fix candy that’s guaranteed to [...]

This week’s installment of Wine Essentials, the fourth in a series of six, introduced us to the wines produced in the warmer regions of France and Spain. We began with a light and dry Sherry then slowly made our way to the dark and smoky Rioja Reserva. Our final stop was marked with a sip [...]

I’ve never met a glass of white wine or champagne that I didn’t like. But red wine? We aren’t exactly amigos.
Up until yesterday, I had probably consumed a lifetime total of 1.3 glasses of red wine. My reluctance resulted from the burgundy-colored beverage smelling strange, tasting even worse and adding an awkward element, or what [...]

I don’t do dough. I don’t do bread. I don’t do yeast. Or so I thought …
Alton Brown first introduced me to the wonderful world of bread-making a few months ago, but it wasn’t until a recent culinary school lesson that I really felt I’d perfected the simple yet finicky process of making dough. Once [...]

Two hours. Four kinds of cheese. Eleven types of wine. From Burgundy to Bordeaux, this week’s Wine Essentials class covered the classic wines of France. The timing of the class paired perfectly with my current place in culinary school as I finish up our section on regional French cuisine. I find that as I cook [...]

You’re presented a bottle of wine. You swirl. You sniff. You sip. And if you’re like me, you do a quick glance around the restaurant and pray that the fake show you just put on was actually accepted by your fellow dining patrons.
I love wine. I just don’t know a darn thing about it.