Binny's Blog

Chili (or chile or chilli) has a convoluted history, with its own heated rivalries. The only rivalry to worry about this week is Cincinnati Chili Dogs vs. L.A. Chili Dogs. Try out both recipes to determine which one will come out on top.

Gather your family and friends for Lunar New Year and celebrate the coming of spring with this recipe for Red Snapper in a spicy Sichuan Sauce.

The dead of winter is the perfect time to make Kimchi Jjigae, a hearty and warming stew with well-aged kimchi, pork belly, and tofu.

Eggs are virtually indispensable in kitchens the world over. Very few cuisines eschew the versatility of the humble egg and its myriad delights. Shakshuka is a popular dish in North Africa and the Middle East and has recently become a favorite at hip restaurants in the US.

Carbonnade à la Flamande is a Flemish beef stew indigenous to Belgium and the beer centric areas of northeast France. It only makes sense that northern European climes, heretofore unsuitable for the cultivation of wine grapes, would develop a beer-based stew akin to Beef Bourguignon.

New Year’s Eve is usually the perfect time to host an elegant cocktail party. This year it looks like we might all be better off keeping gatherings small and maybe a little less formal. Eating and drinking well will still be a must, however, so here is a little jumpstart for your menu planning.  

A crispy skinned roast goose is a long-standing Christmas tradition that has, sadly, gone by the wayside in the U.S. It’s a real pity since the succulent dark fleshed goose meat, coupled with the crunch of deeply browned skin remain as delicious as they have always been. Add a decadent Port sauce, amazingly savory goose fat roasted potatoes and a fruity, sweet, tart and spicy compote and you have a truly memorable meal. 

Whether you spend Christmas Eve indulging in the Italian American tradition of The Feast of the Seven Fishes or you are just looking for a seemingly extravagant dish to wow guests, cioppino is for you. In San Francisco, Italian immigrants from Liguria modified the fish stews of their homeland to incorporate the glorious seafood the Pacific Ocean provided, birthing cioppino.

After you've mixed up a Chicago Cocktail, courtesy of our resident Mixologist, try another Chicago invention, Shrimp DeJonghe. It's decadent but simple and was created in Chicago at the DeJonghe Hotel.

The Festival of Lights is upon us! Time for lighting the menorah, gifts and song, dreidel and gelt, and of course, latkes. If you don’t already have a favorite recipe or a family member who makes the world’s greatest latkes, the Demo Kitchen might be a little worried for you. These crispy little potato pancakes are such a delicious Hanukkah tradition that no one should be deprived of their pleasures, so we felt obligated to supply a very classic version, just in case.