Growing up, I always considered backyard grilling a special-occasion activity—reserved for warm-weather long weekends like Memorial Day or the Fourth of July. My parents would invite friends around and dust off our Weber; then we’d marinate drumsticks, ribs, and vegetable skewers and prepare appetizers and drinks before spending the day shepherding platters from the indoor kitchen to the grill to the backyard table. I always loved our cookout days, even though there was a lot of going back and forth between the indoors and outdoors, and not a lot of sitting down to enjoy the summer air.

Recently, I took a road trip from my parents’ house in Northern California down to the Santa Ynez Valley, home to the 10,000-acre Alisal Ranch. In addition to raising horses and maintaining its lakes and golf courses, the ranch hosts “BBQ Bootcamp” events a few times a year, when pitmasters from around the country convene to demonstrate tips and best practices for amateur grillers. As chefs walked us through easy techniques for cooking all kinds of foods, from pizza to puddings, I began to realize that a grill is a far more versatile and forgiving tool than most of us might think. Perhaps using one doesn’t have to be a labor-intensive, all-day affair either, and, with the optimal tools and ingredients, maybe it doesn’t have to be relegated to holiday weekends, or even to dinnertime. “Look at your grill as an outdoor range,” Valerie Gordon, the chef behind Valerie Confections in Los Angeles, told us. “It’s not just steak, ribs, and potatoes. Just about everything can be cooked on the grill.”

“When I’m inside cooking, I’ve got my back to my family,” said Paula Disbrowe, author of the grilling cookbook Thank You for Smoking. Outside, on the other hand, the grill is the center of the entertainment, the hearth around which everyone gathers. For making the most of our backyard grates and cooking outside with ease, here are some of my top takeaways from grilling camp.

Break out the cast-iron skillet. A well-seasoned cast-iron vessel is a practically indestructible cooking tool that’s nonstick to boot. With one of these versatile skillets on the grates, you can make practically anything you’d make on an indoor stovetop—whether it’s scrambled eggs and French toast for breakfast, grilled-cheese sandwiches and shrimp skewers for lunch, or chicken thighs for meal prepping. “The bonus is the proteins absorb the wafting charcoal and wood smoke aromas, [yet] you retain all of the flavorful juices,” said Disbrowe. This means you can even grill dishes that require or produce a good deal of liquid, like a hearty paella or marinated vegetables.

Add woody, herbaceous aromas. Different kinds of wood impart different flavors, so Riker recommends experimenting with a few varieties to find your preferred wood or combination of various types. “Mesquite wood provides a strong smoky flavor, while fruitwoods like cherry or apple offer a milder, sweeter taste,” he explains, adding that his favorite is olive, which imparts a distinctly nutty essence. If you’re using a gas grill, you can still introduce the element of wood via a wood chip box. “Even a small amount of woodsmoke adds tremendous flavor,” advised Disbrowe, whose preferred woods are hickory and oak, both of which provide rich, intense aromas that pair especially well with red meat. Further heighten the flavor by adding fresh herbs directly to the grates: “I love to add sprigs of rosemary or even small stems of fresh bay leaves to the periphery of the fire, so they smolder more slowly,” Disbrowe noted.

Keep an all-purpose spice blend on hand. A simple spice mix is key to grilling efficiently for a crowd—it’s much easier to keep a single shaker on stand-by, rather than a whole line-up of spice jars. Take Santa Maria rub, for example, which is especially popular among tri-tip fans and typically includes salt, black pepper, and garlic powder (though some cooks like to incorporate additional flavors such as paprika, thyme, or cumin). The mild-flavored concoction can be sprinkled over eggs in the morning, rib-eye in the evening, and snacks in between.

Foil it up. Riker’s favorite foolproof technique for cooking delicate foods, like certain seafood and vegetables, is to seal them in packets of foil to keep the ingredients tender and moist. Add a splash of citrus juice and a sprinkling of spices and herbs first, and always crimp the edges of the packet tightly to keep everything contained. (Open it up carefully—nothing ruins a day of backyard fun like a nasty steam burn.) On that note, you should keep foil around anyway, as it’s handy for tenting cooked foods to keep them warm while they rest.

Cook big steaks to feed a crowd. Instead of grilling individual steaks one by one, get big cuts of meat and grill those, then slice them up for guests. “The secret to cooking this meat to perfection is to season it generously,” said Craig Riker, Alisal Ranch’s executive chef. Sprinkle the entire surface with kosher salt, then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes, or ideally overnight. When you’re ready to grill, let the meat come to room temperature; then, cook the steak over indirect heat, seeking out the cooler parts of the grates, which will promote more even cooking. When the meat is 8–10 degrees away from the desired temperature, move the steak to the hotter parts of the grates and sear for a couple of minutes on each side. Reverse-searing achieves that crisp, brown exterior while keeping the inside juicy and tender. While a tomahawk steak might sound intimidating, Riker promises it’s a great at-home option: “The marbled fat yields melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and a robust flavor,” he said—especially when paired with a rich, herbaceous chimichurri.

Intensify salads by grilling the ingredients first. Try introducing a smoky char to your vegetables before tossing them into a salad, and you might never go back. Sturdy ingredients like asparagus, bell peppers, mushrooms, okra, squash, and shallots all taste great after a kiss from the flame. Before adding the grilled veg to your raw greens, simply toss them with some fresh herbs, butter, and apple cider vinegar to create what Riker calls “a flavor explosion.” Or, keep it extra simple with a mere three ingredients: “A split romaine, grilled and finished with olive oil and salt, is hard to beat,” suggested Burt Bakman, the pitmaster behind the Los Angeles restaurant Slab Barbecue. And don’t rule out fruit—grilled watermelon salad with feta is another one of his go-to’s.

Grill fruit to make spiked drinks. A brief rendezvous with heat can bring out the jamminess of sturdy fruits like pineapple and stone fruits. “Grilling peaches intensifies their sweetness,” said Riker, who recommends cooking the slices until they have char marks before adding them to a favorite sangria to the whole batch with subtle smoky flavor. (Drinks writer Leslie Pariseau aptly likens the aroma to “the comforting scent of an early evening campfire.”) Alternatively, muddle the grilled fruit with syrup and citrus juice, then shake it in with ice and your liquor of choice to make an icy, slurpable cocktail.

Make boats out of sturdy fruits and vegetables. Nothing’s more fun than an edible bowl, especially for kids, so turn ingredients into boats and fill them with tasty toppings. Riker recommends grilling a few halved, pitted avocados flesh-side down, then topping them with spicy salsa and cotija cheese for a creamy appetizer or side dish. Or, spoon the seeds out of a halved zucchini or eggplant before filling them with cheese and herbs and giving them a blast of heat for a craveable cheese pull. For dessert, try caramelizing halved, pitted peaches, then filling them with whipped cream or mascarpone and sprinkling with cinnamon sugar and granola—an entertaining spin on a peach crisp. The cooking and assembly all happen outside, and guests can top their boats to their liking.

Go ahead, make a pizza. It’s totally feasible—or, dare we say, easy—to make a pizza using your grill. First, stretch out the dough and give it a light sprinkle of flour. “Just a dusting will help prevent the pizza from sticking onto the peel and becoming a calzone,” noted Brendan Smith, co-owner of the Santa Barbara pizzeria Bettina. Place it directly on the grates and par-cook it on both sides; then, when you’re ready to eat, top it with sauce and other add-ons and give it a final grill. According to Smith’s co-owner Rachel Greenspan, if you opt for meats like sausage, they can be placed onto the crust raw: “The fat seeps out as it cooks,” she pointed out. Eggs are also a fun addition, especially for breakfast: use cheese to build a small well in the center of the pizza, then crack in a raw egg for a delectably oozy yolk. Smith also encourages home pizzaiolos to get creative with seasonal veg combinations: during spring, Tutti Frutti peas and mint pesto make a refreshing pair, while in the summer, the pizzeria always makes a peach-and-poblano-pepper pie. Don’t have pizza dough on hand? Swap in flatbreads or pitas for a time-saving alternative.

Make melty, custardy treats. Desserts made from liquidy, quick-cooking batters are great candidates for the grill—think a skillet chocolate-chip cookie, fudgy blondies, and sticky toffee pudding. (Dense batters with a long cook time, like pound cake, won’t perform as well). Make sure to grease any skillet using a pastry brush, and “you will get a crispy edge like you’ve never had in your life,” Gordon promised. “Throw the batter on the grill while you’re eating dinner, and as soon as you’re done eating, dessert is ready.”

The post Your Backyard Grill Can Cook a Lot More Than You Think appeared first on Saveur.

Olive oil is sensitive—and needy. Olives are a fruit after all, and just like the juice from any fruit, olive oil can go sour if not properly stored. Extra-virgin olive oil is made from pure cold-pressed olives, whereas standard olive oil is a blend of cold-pressed and processed oils. Extra-virgin olive oil takes a lot of time and love, which often leads to higher prices and a superior product that smells grassy, peppery, or fruity. Cooking with rancid oil will not only affect the taste of your food, but it will decrease the health benefits as well. Use these tips to keep that liquid gold good until the very last drop.

Heat is not your friend. 

Yes, that fancy bottle of EVOO looks cute next to your stove, but that is probably the worst place to keep it. A cool, dry location, like a cupboard or pantry, is the best move. If you cook a lot and have an everyday olive oil you like, it’s okay to keep it by the stove in an appropriate container (more on that later!). The expensive stuff you use to finish a dish is better stored in a dark, cool place away from your stove. If you want to get technical, between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal. 

Let there be (no) light. 

Light exposure will speed up rancidity and reduce the amount of antioxidants in your oil. This is why most olive oils are sold in dark green bottles. If your oil comes in a clear bottle, you’re better off transferring it to a dark, opaque container so minimal light seeps in. Bonus points for a ceramic vessel which also will block out heat. 

Keep it sealed. 

Aside from heat and light, oxygen is the third worst oil offender. That means that the second you open the bottle, the decaying process has already begun. Keep your bottles tucked away in a cool, dark place and funnel just what you need for daily use into a smaller container with a lid or thin pouring spout. A small ceramic cruet or dispenser is ideal for easy drizzling, not to mention they look very chic on the counter. Just remember to rinse and scrub with a bottle brush before refilling to dispose of any leftover oil that could spoil your new batch. 

Product mentions: Emile Henry Olive Oil Bottle Maccarello Olive Oil Bottle 

Mind the expiration date. 

Most premium olive oils will have a harvest date on the bottle. The oil will typically last two years from that harvest date, if unopened. Once the bottle is open, the sooner you use it the better. Between one and two months is ideal for maximum freshness. 

How can you tell if it’s gone sour? 

Just give it a whiff. Good olive oil will smell fresh and fruity. Rancid oil will smell metallic or like a box of crayons. 

Final thoughts

Unlike wine or vinegar, olive oil does not get better with age, so it’s not an ingredient you want to hoard. To keep your oil fresh and tasty, use it in a timely fashion and remember the dirty three: heat, light and oxygen. Avoid buying olive oil in bulk, even if that big bottle is on sale! You’re better off purchasing small quantities and replacing frequently as needed.

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Konbu, or edible kelp, is ubiquitous across Japanese cuisine, and it’s arguably the most essential flavor base in the country’s vegetarian dishes. Cooked over low heat (or steeped overnight in cool water), it becomes konbu dashi, a versatile soup stock that brings the seaweed’s savory, briny flavor to countless Japanese specialties, from soups and stews to simple vegetarian sides. A pot of konbu dashi can unlock a wide variety of plant-based possibilities. 

Species of Konbu

Though there are 18 edible species of konbu, four types are most common: ma-konbu, Rausu konbu, Rishiri konbu, and Hidaka konbu. 

• Ma-konbu is mainly produced along the Hakodate coast of Hokkaido. These thick, wide strands are generally regarded as the best-quality Japanese konbu—it has an elegant sweetness and makes a clear yet rich dashi. 
• Rausu konbu is harvested along the coast adjacent to the town of Rausu at the northern tip of Hokkaido’s Shiretoko Peninsula. The strands are a soft brown, with a lovely fragrance, producing a yellow- tinged, yet aromatic, rich dashi. 
• Rishiri konbu is gathered along the coasts of Rishiri Island and Rebun Island off the northwestern coast of Hokkaido. The strands are firm and slightly salty, yielding a clear, gentle-flavored dashi, prized for high-level, elegant cuisine.
• Hidaka konbu is produced along the Hidaka coastal area of southern Hokkaido. The soft strands are a dark blackish green with an appealing viscosity when simmered. Hidaka konbu is perhaps the most readily found konbu in Japan and abroad. It makes a good traditional dashi, but is most suitable for konbu-maki (konbu rolls), tsukudani (sweet shoyu-simmered preserve), or other dishes in which the konbu is simmered. 

How Konbu Is Harvested

Konbu gathering is tightly controlled by the local Japan Fisheries Cooperative Associations, and is only allowed during a six-week period from around July 21 through August 31. The season starts slowly, with gathering restricted to a short couple of hours three days a week, eventually extending to a five-hour period. 

Konbu is harvested by fishermen who motor out in small boats over vast undersea kelp forests close to shore. The fisherman thrusts a long, hooked pole into the roots of the kelp, then wrenches up the heavy strands into a large pile on his boat.

The konbu is then hauled off the boat to a washing area before being spread on the pebbled beach to dry. The drying process is crucial and involves many steps. The kelp is turned once and, after about half a day, brought inside while it is still pliant. Finally, the konbu is sun-dried before being stored in a large, airtight, zippered storage room. 

The Future of Konbu

Despite environmental precautions and restrictions, konbu harvests have been steadily declining due to ocean pollution and climate change. In 2019 only 13,000 tons of kelp were harvested, compared with 38,000 in 1990; the price of konbu has doubled in the last five years. Konbu extinction is a very real possibility, and the highest-quality varieties have already become quite difficult (and pricey) to obtain. Thankfully for home cooks, gnarled or lower-grade konbu still produces flavorful dashi, so do not despair. 

How To Make Konbu Dashi

To make konbu dashi, first source the best-quality konbu you can find. (There’s no need to wipe off the white substance, which is called mannitol, that forms on the konbu—it’s harmless and contains a lot of umami.) Break an approximately six-inch-by two-inch piece of konbu in half, then place it in a small pot with one quart of cold water. Set aside to soak for three hours, then place the pot on the stovetop and turn the heat to low. Cook just until steam rises from the water and small bubbles form on the konbu, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before straining out the konbu and using the dashi. (The leftover konbu can be used to make a variety of dishes, like konbu tsukudani, or simmered konbu.) This process makes about 3½ cups of konbu dashi.

If you have time, you can also skip the stovetop process and simply soak the konbu overnight in the refrigerator and use the cold stock straight from the fridge. Or, if you are in a hurry, skip the preliminary soak, but still cook the konbu (just be sure to cool for at least 30 minutes before using).

Excerpted from JAPAN: The Vegetarian Cookbook © 2023 by Nancy Singleton Hachisu. Photography © 2023 by Aya Brackett. Reproduced by permission of Phaidon. All rights reserved.

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Building a great cake is nothing to be afraid of.

I worked as a pastry chef years back and have made more birthday cakes than I can count (and a handful of wedding cakes I’d prefer not to), and when New York pastry chef Natasha Pickowicz’s gorgeous new cookbook, More Than Cake, arrived in the mail, flipping through it reminded me just how low-stress making a really great cake can be. Sure, layer cakes are high-stakes; they’re the centerpieces of some of the most special occasions, an on-display embodiment of the baker’s skill and style. But Pickowicz gets it. While the multi-component cake recipes in her book are involved, an overall sense of chill persists throughout, encouraging and inspiring the reader while alleviating our collective dessert-related anxieties. 

The fastidious home baker will likely find More Than Cake a rewarding exercise in planning and time management; but jazzier readers will enjoy the open invitation to experiment and the lush series of highly-riffable prompts. Sure, you could make her elaborate fennel jam- and mascarpone-filled, pistachio buttercream-wrapped olive oil cake from scratch. You could also go at it a little more relaxed, borrowing an individual component or two from the book, then swapping in store-bought elements or your own creations for the rest. (When I spoke with Pickowicz on the phone, she eagerly encouraged either approach.) In addition to the recipes themselves, Pickowicz also provides a clear photo tutorial for how to assemble a layer cake like a pastry pro. I’ve often wondered why this smart and simple bakery method—which results in sharp edges, a level top, and a stable cake every time—hasn’t been the standard in home layer cake recipes, so I hopped on a call with the cookbook author to talk through the basics.

Check out her pro technique below, then get your hands on your own copy of the book here.

What you need:

• 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet (aka half-sheet pan)
• Round cake pan
• Paring knife
• Plastic wrap
• Pastry brush
• Assorted offset spatulas
• Large serving platter
• Cake turntable (optional)
• Piping bags
• Piping tips

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Just about all layer cake components can be made well ahead of time; most can be stored in the fridge or freezer. But before you begin, be sure that all of your ingredients are at the proper working temperature (cool room temp is ideal). 
Many home cake recipes suggest sawing thick baked rounds crosswise into fragile slices, which are then stacked freeform into teetering, icing-spackled towers. Pickowicz’s pro method is simpler, sturdier, and far more precise. “My whole approach,” she explains “is to build the cake the way you might assemble a lasagna or a tiramisu. You assemble it in a deep dish so that the layers are supported as they rest in the pan.”

STEP 1: Bake the cake in thin sheets and cut to size.

Rather than baking thick layers in a round cake pan, Pickowicz prefers to spread her cake batters into large rimmed baking sheets (aka sheet pans). These thin layers bake more quickly and evenly than thicker rounds, which have a tendency to dome and crack.

Pickowicz then uses a deep, round cake pan as a stencil to cut as many circles as she needs. Be sure to reserve two perfect circles for the cake’s top and bottom layers and use the trimmings to “Frankenstein together” additional circles for the center layers. (Don’t worry: the filling will help fuse any irregular pieces together.)

STEP 2: Line a cake pan with plastic wrap and insert a circle of cake.

Line the inside of the cake pan with 2 or 3 large sheets of plastic wrap, making sure that the film reaches all the way to the corners of the pan while still leaving plenty of overhang along the edges. Carefully lower an intact circle of cake into the pan. If using a “soak,” brush the layer generously. While Pickowicz acknowledges that soaks are not always strictly necessary, she likes the added moisture and flavor that comes from adding a syrup or creamy liquid. “Soaks are another opportunity to build flavor into a layer cake,” she explains.

STEP 3: Add a layer of filling, another circle of cake, and repeat.

Old-fashioned American-style cakes often sandwich thick cake layers around modest swipes of the same frosting used to decorate the outside of the cake. Pickowicz prefers to play with more surprising textures, and a more balanced cake-to-filling ratio inspired by intricate mousse cakes popular in Korea and China. Spoon a generous layer of filling evenly over the cake layer: Try a layer of homemade or store bought jam, a curd, or even a nut butter or praline paste.

If you like, top with another layer of filling—variation in texture is key—then repeat the process, adding another cake layer, a bit of soak (if using), and another layer of filling. Repeat this process four or five times, or until the cake pan is nearly filled, reserving one unbroken circle for the final layer.

Top the final layer of filling with the unbroken cake circle, brush generously with your soak (if using), then fold the edges of the plastic up and around to cover. Press down gently to level the cake as needed. Wrap tightly with another layer of plastic wrap, then transfer the cake to the fridge for at least 8 and up to 72 hours, or to the freezer for up to a month.

STEP 4: Unmold the cake onto a platter or cake stand.

The day you plan to serve the cake, unmold and frost it. (If the cake is frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge before unmolding.) Unwrap the top of the cake, then invert the pan over a cake platter, cardboard cake round, or cake stand. Lift the pan up and away so that the perfectly flat bottom layer is now the top. Discard the plastic wrap.

STEP 5: Using an offset spatula, coat the cake generously with buttercream.

Ice the cake: Some folks like to use a rotating cake stand at this stage and you may certainly do so if you like, but Pickowicz shrugs off the added equipment as unnecessary. “You can frost the cake right on the platter, right on your cake stand, right on your whatever!” If using buttercream you have made ahead of time, be sure it is at room temperature and beat it well until very smooth. Using an offset metal spatula, she explains, scoop half of your icing onto the top of the cake. Spread the buttercream all the way to the edges, then dollop the remaining buttercream evenly along the sides, smoothing gently to avoid scraping the edges of the cake and the filling, until the sides of the cake are thoroughly coated. (Remember: A well-chilled cake will hold together far better at this stage than a warm or room temperature one.) Run the spatula once more along the surfaces to smooth, scraping away any excess buttercream from the edges.

STEP 6: Decorate the cake with a piping bag fitted with a pastry tip.

Once the cake is coated, you can consider it a blank canvas: Pickowicz’s decorating style is elegant, organic, and a bit freeform, but you can feel free to experiment with the many intricate cake decorating tools available online and in your local bakery supply shop. A pastry bag with or without a piping tip is an easy way to create sculptural designs with buttercream and other icings. Alleviate any pressure by making a bit more frosting than you need; that way, you can always scrape away any mistakes and start afresh.

STEP 7: Experiment with unconventional decor.

If piping bags and buttercream rosettes aren’t your style, that’s fine too! Some of Pickowicz’s most striking cakes are only very simply iced—then crowned with a few choice beauties from the farmers market. “When I’m decorating cake, I’m always looking at my pantry and fridge and wondering, ‘What do I have in here that I could use?’” she explains. “Maybe it’s this beautiful bunch of basil or some tomatoes on a vine. Maybe it’s whole nutmeg pods and cinnamon sticks. I like thinking beyond what we think ‘should’ be on a layer cake and instead just saying, ‘Well, what’s around me? How can I make this personal?’”

Get the Book

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Making your own kombucha might sound like an intimidating feat best left to those with a background in food science. But according to Balo Orozco, a Los Angeles-based chef who became an expert in making seasonal fruit-based kombucha during the pandemic, “it’s really easy.” All it requires is time, a handful of tools, and a bit of watchfulness. Plus a SCOBY, which stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast” and serves as the mother culture for making kombucha (meaning it contains the necessary bacteria and yeast to break down sugars in the process of fermentation). 

As kombucha lovers know best, the fizzy drink packed with probiotics can be expensive. Also, much of what’s widely available is overly sweet. That’s why making your own is the perfect project if you want to keep your fridge stocked with ‘booch that suits your tastes.

Traditional kombucha is made with tea, which Orozco omits in order to make a non-caffeinated drink that instead highlights the natural flavors of fruit. His brand Sunset Cultures specializes in refreshing and juicy kombuchas like pomegranate-and-key lime and persimmon-and-ginger made from leftover or misshapen farmers’ market produce. Orozco says he’s a fan of kombucha not only because of potential health benefits but because of its flavor potential. “Because I’m a chef, I always want to make something that’s delicious,” says Orozco. 

Here, he shows us how to make strawberry kombucha. Once you’ve gotten comfortable with this process, you can try using other fruits or adding an additional flavor that you think will pair well with your base fruit. For example, Orozco adds fennel flowers to his strawberry kombucha.

Before You Begin

Since kombucha is a fermented product that’s made using friendly bacteria and yeast, it’s important to look out for mold throughout the production process. Be on the lookout for fuzzy green, white, or black mold, similar to what you might find on spoiled items in your fridge; if any is found, it’s best to throw out your SCOBY and starter and begin again. “If your mother bacteria is infected, everything is going to be infected,” Orozco explains, and you could get sick upon consumption.

What you need:

• Gallon glass container with a wide mouth
• A SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), which Orozco recommends buying online from Kombucha Kamp
• Sugar
• A bottle of store-bought kombucha (strawberry or original flavor)
• Disposable plastic gloves
• Strong cloth napkins (These should not be fuzzy like a washcloth or gauzy like cheesecloth).
• Sturdy rubber bands
• Kombucha heating mat, optional
• Metal mixing bowl
• 2 lb. of strawberries, halved with leaves and stems removed 
• Small pot
• Cooking thermometer
• Fine mesh metal strainer
• Long-handled plastic or wooden spoon
• Glass bottles with swing tops or corks, sterilized

Step 1: Prep your glass container.

Wash your glass container thoroughly with hot water and soap in order to sterilize it, then dry it with a clean cloth. This will prevent foreign bacteria from entering your kombucha production. 

Step 2: Create a starter using your SCOBY.

To the clean glass container, add 1 quart of cool filtered water (tap water can also contain contaminants; if using, bring tap water to a boil and allow to cool to room temperature before using), ¼ cup sugar, and ¾ cup store-bought kombucha. Using a plastic or wooden spoon, stir until sugar is dissolved; add the SCOBY. Place a cloth napkin over the top of the container and secure it with a rubber band. Set aside to ferment; after five days, taste your kombucha. If it’s too tart, let it ferment less next time, and if it’s too sweet, allow it to ferment for another day or two. This will be the base (or starter) for your kombucha and will make up 20 percent of your kombucha’s final volume.

Step 3: Make strawberry tea.

To a small pot, add the strawberries and 1 quart filtered water. Set over medium-high heat, and bring the liquid to 186°F for at least 30 seconds to kill any existing bacteria. Remove strawberries from heat and cool to room temperature.

Step 4: Set up your kombucha.

Uncover the kombucha starter and, using a gloved hand, transfer the SCOBY to a clean metal bowl. Position a clean, fine metal strainer over the bowl and strain the remaining starter liquid into it. Thoroughly clean your glass container with soap and hot water, then strain the cooled strawberry tea into it, setting the solids aside for another use*. Add 3/4 cups sugar, 2 quarts filtered water, and 1 quart of the strained starter liquid (setting the SCOBY aside in the metal bowl). Using a long-handled plastic spoon, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Finally, return the SCOBY to the glass container, cover it with a fresh cloth napkin, and secure it with a rubber band. 

Step 5: Let your kombucha ferment.

Set the glass container out on the counter in a dry place, out of direct sunlight. As your kombucha ferments, the SCOBY will expand to the diameter of the container and take on the pink color of the liquid. 

Check on the kombucha once a day: Uncover the container and, using your clean, long-handled spoon, stir gently, then ladle out a taste. The longer the kombucha ferments, the less sweet and more tart the flavor will become. You can also use a pH meter to check the acidity of your kombucha, which will go down as it continues to ferment. Most store-bought kombuchas net out around 2.2 pH, but Orozco prefers his to be less acidic and juicier, between 2.8 and 3.2. Note that when it’s hot outside, your kombucha can be ready in as little as 3 days. At colder temps, the liquid will take longer to ferment, from 5 to 9 days. The ideal temperature for fermentation is 80°F, with a range of 75-85°F. If you’re having trouble keeping the kombucha at a steady temperature, a heating mat is a great way to make sure fermentation isn’t stalling, without overheating.

Step 6: Bottle your kombucha for the second fermentation.

Once the kombucha is fermented to your liking, uncover the jar, transfer the SCOBY to a clean metal bowl and set it aside to create a new starter**. Set a fine mesh strainer over a large pitcher and strain the kombucha into it. If desired, adjust the sweetness with a tablespoon or 2 more sugar. (This is where an optional refractometer, which measures sugar levels, comes in handy: Orozco likes his kombucha at about 2 brix.) The added sugar will also help kickstart the final fermentation, which is where the bubbles form. Pour your strained kombucha into clean glass bottles, leaving at least an inch of space between the liquid and the cap, then cap the bottles and leave them in a cool space out of direct sunlight for 1 to 2 days.

Step 7: Pop your bottles in the fridge, and drink them at your leisure.

After 1-2 days at room temperature, transfer your unopened bottles of kombucha to the fridge, where they will keep well for about 2 months. In order to manage the potential bubbling over of your kombucha—i.e., that moment when you open a bottle of kombucha and it fizzes all over you—Orozco recommends waiting until your bottles are fully chilled before opening. Once the kombucha is cold, open the bottle over a bowl so that you won’t lose any kombucha in case your batch is especially bubbly.

*If like Orozco, you’re inspired to make use of the byproduct leftover from the kombucha, you can macerate the strawberry solids to make compote or jam.

**If you want to keep making kombucha, you’ll need to maintain a starter—aka a SCOBY hotel— by repeating step 2 every time you finish a batch. Pro-tip: if you don’t want to make kombucha so regularly, you can put your starter “to sleep” by storing it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you take your starter out of the fridge, fish out the SCOBY and mix it with another quart of filtered water, 1/4 cups sugar, and ¾ cup leftover homemade kombucha (or store-bought if you don’t have leftovers). Your SCOBY will take a bit longer (around 10 days) to come back to life after being refrigerated. Extended refrigeration may also cause a new SCOBY to form and for the original SCOBY to die. If parts of your SCOBY have turned dark brown, those bits are dead and should be trimmed and discarded. Also: it’s okay if your SCOBY tears; it’s still usable and will continue to grow.)

Kombucha is a wonderful drink to have on hand as a refreshing, low-ABV beverage that’s also good for you. In this case, it’s non-caffeinated, too. As you practice making kombucha at home, you can start to experiment with different fruits and flavors, or with sweeter and sourer brews. So long as you keep your tools and SCOBY clean and pay attention to unwanted bacteria, kombucha-making is safer than one might initially think — and it’s quite the nifty craft to have in your repertoire. 

The post How to Make Kombucha appeared first on Saveur.

Before I moved to Spain, the pimentón in my cupboard often wound up collecting dust. Sure, I loved the smoky undertow it brought to the odd Spanish cooking project, but getting through a whole tin before it expired? Imposible.

But if eight years’ eating my way across the Iberian Peninsula have taught me anything, it’s that pimentón is a miracle spice, its barbecue-pit smokiness enhancing everything from seafood to stews to fruit salads. These days, I keep three types in my pantry—and they never last longer than their expiration date. 

All that is to say, I have a hunch you’re not using pimentón wrong—you’re just not using it enough. So, don’t let any of that twee little tin go to waste, and up your pimentón cooking game with these essential tips.

1. Play around with different Spanish paprika varieties.

As food historian Almudena Villegas told me, “One cannot conceive of Spanish cuisine without pimentón.” There are three main categories to know: dulce (sweet), agridulce (medium), and picante (hot). The first is made from Jaranda and Bola peppers; the second from Jaranda and Jariza; and the third from Jeromín, Jariza, and Jaranda. The different pepper types and heat levels make each pimentón variant distinctive, so buy a tin of each and experiment freely. Harder to find is the less-famous paprika of Murcia, an unsmoked variety made from sweet, bulbous ñoras.

2. Buy pimentón in small quantities.

Past-its-prime paprika won’t kill you, but it lacks the complexity and fruitiness of the just-packaged stuff. Ensure your paprika stash is always fresh by buying in small quantities from a trusted purveyor like Despaña or La Tienda, then use it within a year (ideally within six months). If the expiration date has passed, chuck it and restock your supply.

3. Store it as you would good olive oil or wine.

Unlike most spices in your cupboard, pimentón still comes in old-timey metal tins. That’s not just good marketing—the opaque container shields the paprika from light, which degrades it. So do heat and humidity. Store pimentón in a cool, dark, dry place (i.e., not next to the stove or on a shelf that gets sunlight).

4. Turn to Spanish paprika for color, not just flavor.

Pimentón makes a striking garnish—even when you don’t want smoke to be the dominant flavor. I like dusting it onto pale-colored dishes for a vivid pop of red: buttered baked potatoes, hummus, cream of cauliflower soup, egg salad, risotto, garlic bread, braised cabbage, poached fish … The applications are endless.

5. Use it liberally when grilling isn’t in the cards.

The downside to living in a postage-stamp apartment in Madrid is that I can’t grill. Enter pimentón, which comes to my rescue when I’m craving ribs or kebabs or baba ghannouj. I add it to spice rubs before broiling or grill-panning my protein or veg of choice, or I drizzle the finished dish with paprika oil (more on that below).

6. Bloom your pimentón for extra depth of flavor.

I’ll never forget watching Pablo Barrera make patatas revolconas (pimentón-laced mashed potatoes with crispy bacon) in the mountains north of Madrid. The way he dropped heaped spoonfuls of paprika straight into sizzling-hot pork fat before stirring the bright-orange liquid into the mash. “Blooming” the pimentón this way coaxes even more complexity from the spice—but be careful it doesn’t burn, lest the spice turn bitter. Twenty seconds is about right. Pour this Spanish-inflected tarka of sorts over soups, stewed legumes, boiled meats, mashed root vegetables—you name it.

7. Learn to recognize this symbol—it’s a guarantee of quality.

The most sought-after pimentón comes from the sun-soaked region of La Vera, in landlocked Extremadura, southwest of Madrid. Every tin of real-deal pimentón de la Vera bears the symbol of the D.O.P. (Denominación de Origen Protegida), the government body that oversees and regulates pimentón production. Keep your eye out for an abstract rectangular emblem with a spiral sun and long red chile.

8. Understand the difference between Spanish and Hungarian paprikas—and when it’s ok to substitute.

Hungarian (and Hungarian-style California) paprika can be mild, medium, or sharp (hot), but it’s seldom smoked like pimentón. Recipes that call for Spanish paprika, like escabeche or baked rice, are after that campfire flavor, which Hungarian simply can’t provide. Likewise, substituting pimentón for Hungarian paprika in paprikash or goulash would make for an overly smoky result. Use the type of paprika the recipe specifies—unless it calls for only a dusting, in which case you’re safe to use whatever paprika tickles your fancy.

9. Add it to your vegetarian (and vegan) cooking arsenal.

Let pimentón be your secret weapon next time you want to channel the savory smokiness of bacon, chorizo, and other cured meats without resorting to animal proteins. Stirred into stews and sauces or sprinkled on salads, Spanish paprika hits those high notes of meaty umami that everybody craves. “It’s like a drop of liquid smoke,” according to Anya von Bremzen, author of The New Spanish Table. “I like to put in borscht, because some recipes call for Ukrainian smoked prunes, which are hard to find.”

10. Think of pimentón as a charcuterie board pinch hitter.

Some of the best Spanish cheeses and cured meats are flavored with pimentón, from Canarian almogrote and Majorero cheese to Extremaduran chorizo and Majorcan sobrassada. But even if you don’t have access to great Spanish charcuterie, you can add smokiness to appetizer spreads by tossing olives with olive oil, minced garlic, and pimentón. Or pan-fry whatever nuts you have on hand with a bit of oil, pimentón, and a spoonful of whatever spice blend you fancy.

11. Don’t stop at savory.

Pimentón’s presence in Catalan dishes like spinach with raisins and pine nuts got me thinking about the spice’s compatibility with fruit. I’m pleased to report that pimentón pairs marvelously with ripe mango, especially as a salsa for grilled fish or chicken, as well as melon or orange salads, and grilled stone fruit dolloped with melty cheese.

Smoky Spanish Pork Rib Stew with Potatoes and Pimentón

Get the recipe >

The Pimentón in Your Cupboard Comes From My Quiet Corner of Spain

Get the link >

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Let me share something with you: I love bread. Baking (and then consuming) a homemade loaf is one of life’s most enjoyable simple pleasures. I admit that the process does require a bit of planning—and a few hours of downtime. And yet the results are incredibly rewarding and absolutely worth the effort. As someone who, years ago, became obsessed with baking bread and then went on to work in a professional bakery, I always advocate for home cooks to try their hand at making their own bread at home. Learning how to make a baguette is a simple and straightforward starting point.

Much like the simple roast chicken or sky-high soufflé, a perfectly executed baguette is considered one of the best marks by which to judge a master of culinary craft. French President Emmanuel Macron successfully advocated to include the slender loaves in UNESCO’s list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage”—a process that took six years to provide the necessary documentation! Amateur bakers tend to test the waters by making boules, bâtards, and pan loaves. A baguette, on the other hand, can seem a bit more intimidating. In reality, these loaves require only a handful of tools and ingredients that you likely already have in the kitchen, and are achievable for anyone with a hot oven and some time. Though your first attempt might not look exactly like those at your local bakery, learning how to make a baguette is all about practice (and enjoying the fresh-baked results).

What you need:

Tools:

• 2 large mixing bowls or a stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment
• Digital Scale*
• Whisk
• Bench Scraper
• Cast iron skillet 
• Parchment paper
• Baking Sheet 
• Very sharp paring knife, razor blade, or bread lame

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups (355 g) warm (not hot!) tap water (between 105°F-115°F)
• 1½ tsp. (5 g) active dry yeast**
• 3¼ cups (462 g) all-purpose flour***  
• 1¾ tsp. (5 g) kosher salt
• Neutral oil, such as canola, sunflower, or vegetable, for greasing
• 2 cups boiling water (very hot tap water can also be used)

*I highly recommend investing in a digital scale for use in any home baking project. In a professional bakery, every ingredient is measured in grams. This is for a few main reasons: Multiples of 10 are incredibly easy to scale up and down as needed, and gram measurements are more precise than pounds and ounces and more accurate than cups and tablespoons. 

**Bread flour can also be used in this method, although its higher protein content will make for a “stronger” dough, with more elasticity when proofing and shaping.

***You are also welcome to substitute instant dry yeast for active dry yeast, just be aware that the fermentation time when using the instant version will be slightly faster. This will speed up fermentation and proofing times by about 15 minutes at each stage. I prefer to use active dry yeast in this recipe because a slower fermentation time results in a more flavorful final product.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Traditional baguettes are made using a type of preferment called a poolish. This mixture of yeast, flour, and water is mixed a few hours ahead of time, then added to the final dough to increase its “extensibility” (in other words, stretchiness, which makes shaping easier). It also lends the finished product a more complex and yeasty flavor than breads made with “straight doughs” mixed without preferments. The loaves are also often cold-proofed for several hours (and even overnight) to increase flavor depth as well. The method in this streamlined tutorial skips those steps, and instead shortens the entire process to about four hours. If you want to get a head start (and a more pronounced flavor), cover the shaped loaves with a tea towel and proof overnight in the fridge before scoring and baking them, as described below, the following morning. 

STEP 1: Mix and knead the dough.

In a large bowl, whisk together the water and active dry yeast, then set aside at room temperature until slightly foamy, about 10 minutes. (If the yeast does not begin to foam at the surface, it’s probably past its prime. Discard it and grab some fresh yeast before continuing.) Add the flour, then, using a fork or your hand, stir until all the flour is absorbed and there are no dry pockets. Set aside to allow the flour to hydrate for 20 minutes.*

Lightly flour a clean work surface. Sprinkle the salt over the dough, then transfer to the surface and knead until all the salt is incorporated and the dough is elastic and mostly smooth, 9–12 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, mix the dough on medium-low speed for 4–5 minutes.) Form the dough into a ball. Lightly grease a clean, large bowl, transfer the dough into it, cover, and set aside until the dough has nearly doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Note: The warmer and more humid the environment in your kitchen, the faster your dough will rise. During the colder months, one of my favorite techniques is to ferment the dough right in my oven with the pilot light on, or near a warm radiator. 

Letting the dough hydrate and rest before adding the salt is a process known as autolyse. This process allows gluten bonds to start forming gently—before you start working the dough—reducing kneading time and resulting in a more irregular, open crumb structure.

STEP 2: Stretch and fold the dough.

Imagine your dough ball as having four corners. Grab the top two corners (furthest from you) and lift them up and away from the sides of the bowl, folding them over towards you. Rotate the bowl 180 degrees and repeat. Now do the same with the right and left sides, respectively. Your dough should now resemble a folded envelope. Carefully remove the “envelope” from the bowl and invert it, placing it back in the bowl, seam side down. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and return to a warm area until doubled in size again, another 45 minutes to an hour. 

You may be used to seeing bread recipes that instruct you to “punch down” the dough (in other words, deflate the dough of any gasses formed during the fermentation process). I don’t like to do that here, because removing these gasses can lead to a denser loaf. Instead, this folding process helps to both redistribute the entrapped gasses and ensure a more even temperature throughout the dough.

STEP 3: Cut the dough into three pieces.

Carefully transfer the dough to your lightly floured surface, once again taking care to not deflate it excessively. Place a large cast iron pan on the floor of your oven, adjust the oven rack to the center position, and  preheat to 450ºF. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, divide the dough into three equal pieces (extra credit here if you have a kitchen scale!). Roll each piece into a tight oval (the dough should be springy if you poke it with your finger). Cover the ovals with plastic wrap or a tea towel and set aside at room temperature until the dough is “relaxed,” 15–20 minutes.

STEP 4: Shape and final proof the baguettes

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, dust lightly with flour, and set aside. On your lightly floured work surface, lightly press and stretch one of the dough pieces into a rectangle. Pick up the top two corners and fold them towards you, stopping halfway. Repeat with the bottom corners (away from your body this time). The dough should now resemble a tube, with a seam running along the center. Place the tube seam-side-down, and repeat the process with the other two dough pieces. 

Then, go back to the first tube: Position your hands at the center, then carefully roll the log of dough back and forth, applying pressure toward either end and elongating the dough as you go. Repeat this process a couple of times until the loaf is about 16 inches long, and tapered at the ends. Continue with the other two pieces of dough, then place the baguettes seam-side-down on the lined baking sheet. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap or very slightly damp tea towel and set aside at room temperature until the loaves are slightly puffed up and the dough bounces back slightly when poked gently with your finger, 20–30 minutes.

STEP 5: Score and bake the baguettes.

After scoring your baguettes, you’ll want to move as quickly as possible when loading them into the oven, so be sure that it’s fully preheated before you proceed. 

Using a sharp knife or razor blade held at a 30 degree angle, cut four evenly spaced slashes along the top surface of each baguette. If you have a spray bottle on hand, give the loaves a light spritz of water, then, quickly and carefully transfer the baking sheet to the oven, pour at least 2 cups of boiling water into the hot cast iron skillet, and shut the oven door. Bake the loaves until golden brown, 25–30 minutes. Remove the baguettes from the oven and do your best to let them cool before diving in. 

A steamy oven is crucial for achieving a good rise and a thin and crispy crust. The steam created from the initial heat of the skillet will fill the oven, then condense and settle over the surface of the baking loaves. That moisture keeps the outside of the dough hydrated and springy, allowing for more “oven spring” as the loaves bake. Without steam, the outer layer of bread “crisps up” before the internal temperature has risen enough to cause the gasses to expand, and your bread can end up dense, hard, and misshapen.

Tip: Most home ovens have vents that let out steam, usually above and behind the cooktop. In order to retain as much steam as possible, I recommend using a rolled up kitchen towel to block these vents while you bake—every little bit of steam helps!

How to store leftover baguettes

Baguettes tend to go stale within a day or two, and leftovers are best kept at room temperature in a bread box or a waxed canvas or plastic bag. Fully cooled bread can also be wrapped tightly in plastic and stored in the freezer for several weeks. And should you find yourself with some stale leftovers, don’t throw them out. I like to cube stale bread, toast in a 375°F oven until golden-brown, then toss them in some olive oil and savory seasonings to make croutons. Or, simply pop the cubes in the food processor and blitz them down into homemade breadcrumbs. 

The post How to Make Baguettes appeared first on Saveur.

Chicken stock is an essential building block of many cuisines, becoming the base of flavorful soups, reducing into savory sauces, and adding flavor to all kinds of recipes. And there are almost as many ways to use it as there are to make it. “There are so many belief systems about stock,” says Lauren Garaventa, the butcher and co-owner of The Ruby Brink, a restaurant and bar on Vashon Island in Washington State. She prefers to avoid some of the more prescriptive French methods that involve constant skimming. “I just don’t care about how clear it is.” Most home cooks don’t either. Instead, she focuses on getting smooth, flavorful stock without needing to babysit it.

What you need

• Chicken bones or whole chicken, enough to fill ⅓ of your stock pot
• Assorted vegetables, herbs, and aromatics, including one potato (optional)
• 20-quart stainless steel stock pot
• Fine mesh strainer

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

If you don’t have enough bones and plan to use whole chickens, boil them for 30 minutes before you begin. Pull the meat off to use later, and use the bones for the stock.

STEP 1: Fill up the stockpot with bones and water.

Fill your stockpot one-third of the way up with chicken bones, or a little more if you are not planning to add vegetables and aromatics (see step 3). Garaventa prefers to use a 20-quart stainless steel stockpot to make large batches, but the ratio of bones to water remains the same for any quantity. Fill the rest of the pot with cold water—anytime you want to extract flavor you start with cold water, says Garaventa.

STEP 2: Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.

Place the stockpot over high heat on the stove and bring to a boil. Once it boils, turn down to a simmer. If adding vegetables and aromatics allow it to simmer for 10 hours; if omitting vegetables, simmer 12 hours. Garaventa adds that some people let their stocks simmer for up to twice that, but she says she finds chicken stock tends to taste weird after so much time.

STEP 3: Optional — add vegetables, herbs, and aromatics.

If you plan to add vegetables, such as the traditional stock options of onions, celery, and carrots; aromatics (peppercorns, bay leaves); or herbs (such as parsley), do so after about 10 hours of simmering. Garaventa says that when dietary restrictions permit, she also makes sure to add a potato at this point, because it improves the consistency and flavor of the broth. Let it simmer for two more hours.

STEP 4: Allow the broth to settle and strain it.

After 12 hours of simmering, turn the heat off under the pot and let everything settle to the bottom, then strain the liquid out through fine mesh. Once just the liquid remains, the stock is ready for use or storage.

Final Thoughts

Using homemade chicken stock in any dish (and especially in soups) makes all the difference in the world, and uses up bones that might otherwise be simply tossed out. While traditional methods require a fair amount of hands-on time, this version takes a long time from start to finish, but requires almost no work in between. And the results are liquid gold—physically and metaphorically.

The post How to Make Chicken Stock appeared first on Saveur.

Mild, versatile chicken stock acts as the kitchen’s workhorse, but beef stock steps in for the heavy-duty work. With plenty of flavors to sip on its own as a broth, plus the body to support gravies and sauces, beef stock is absolutely worth the time it takes to make. At The Ruby Brink on Washington State’s Vashon Island, butcher and co-owner Lauren Garaventa uses it in tandem with chicken broth as the base of the restaurant’s noodle soups, a method she picked up from her Mexican grandmother.

What you need

• Beef bones, the more marrow, the better.
• Assorted vegetables, herbs, and aromatics, including, ideally, one potato
• 20-quart stainless steel stock pot
• Fine mesh strainer

Before You Begin

When looking for bones to use in your stock, Garaventa says that beef knuckles, gelatin-rich bones from just above the knee joint, work well; check your local butcher shop for them. If you can only find cleaned bones at the grocery store, she recommends using short ribs to supplement.

STEP 1: Fill up the stockpot with bones and water.

While other recipes direct you to roast or boil the bones before starting, Garaventa skips that step to retain more nutrients from the bone. Instead, she starts by filling the stockpot at least halfway up with beef bones—it’s a higher ratio than with chicken stock, notes Garaventa. She likes to use a 20-quart stainless steel stockpot to make large batches but uses the same ratio for any amount. Fill the pot the rest of the way up with cold water.

STEP 2: Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.

Place the stockpot over high heat on the stove and bring it all the way to a boil. Once it boils, turn to a simmer and leave it alone for “as long as you can stand,” says Garaventa. For her, that usually means about 24 to 36 hours of simmering on the stove. (If you’re unable to leave stock unattended or on the burner for that long, experts recommend a minimum of eight hours for simmering.)

STEP 3: Add vegetables, herbs, and aromatics.

Two to three hours before the stock finishes simmering, Garaventa adds her vegetables, like the traditional stock options of onions, celery, and carrots; aromatics such as peppercorns and bay leaves; and herbs like parsley and thyme. In a non-traditional twist, Garaventa says that she likes to add a potato at this point because it improves the consistency and flavor of the broth. Let it simmer for a few more hours.

STEP 4: Allow the broth to settle and strain it, reduce it if desired.

After simmering, turn the heat off under the pot and let everything settle to the bottom, then strain the liquid out through a fine mesh sieve. Once just the liquid remains, Garaventa says she often finishes by reducing it for another half-hour to an hour. Otherwise, the stock is ready for use or storage.

Final Thoughts

The best beef stock turns scraps from the butchering process—the flavorful marrow bones and meaty knuckles—and turns them into a versatile liquid that enhances sauces and stews and stands alone as broth for drinking or making into soup. Beef stock takes very little work and plenty of patience, but in return for waiting until the combination of heat and water extract every speck of flavor from the bones, comes a sticky, hearty reward.

The post How to Make Beef Stock appeared first on Saveur.

Cyrus Schultz thinks Champagne is always a good idea. Born and raised in Maui, Schultz cut his teeth serving wine in celebrated fine dining establishments throughout Hawaii and California, including Roy’s in Maui, Benu in San Francisco, and the French Laundry in Napa Valley. When the now-sommelier signed on to run the wine program at Sonoma County’s Cyrus (the shared name is a coincidence), he took great care to ensure that the restaurant’s aperitif service set the tone for the whole meal. That’s why, heading into year-end festivities, I reached out to him for advice on how to serve Champagne at home like a pro—from optimal glassware to perfect food pairings.

If ever there was a time for the Cyrus team to break out the Champagne, it’s now. The Northern California wine region’s most anticipated new restaurant of the year, Cyrus is actually about to embark on a new chapter. After a lease dispute in their intimate and widely loved original location, co-owners, chef Doug Keane and mâitre’d Nick Peyton abruptly closed up shop a decade ago. This September, after years of false starts and pandemic woes, the pair finally opened the doors on this second act. Barely three months later, reservations for the 17-course tasting menu are booked solid, and the team recently took home Cyrus 2.0’s first Michelin Star.

The morning before the Michelin news came through, I happened to be on the premises, scoping out the space and sipping a graciously poured glass of bubbles before dinner service. The room was designed as a reimagining of the famed pre-dinner Champagne and caviar cart guests had come to love at the original location. Diners begin their meal with bubbly and small bites overlooking acres of surrounding vineyards and, beyond that, the rolling hills of the Alexander Valley. Even in the daytime, an understated luxe permeates the room. “It’s hard to not fall for the space,” Schultz tells me. “We offer three seatings each night, and for each of those, we’ve built in a half an hour where you can just sit, get a glass of Champagne, and watch the seasons change over the vineyards.” 

Whether you’re hosting everyone you know this season, or are looking to make the most of a special bottle with your favorite dinner companion, your evening deserves just as much. Here are Schultz’s tips for bringing a little bit of Cyrus’ Champagne chic into your own home.

The Glassware:

At Cyrus, stemware is the first thing diners bring to their lips, so Schultz was acutely aware just how important it would be to choose the proper champagne glass. In the Lounge, he uses Zalto tulips to serve all effervescent pours. “You want something that doesn’t cage all the flavors,” he explains. “A more generous glass shape allows the wine to be more expressive and speak louder” than it might in a standard, straight-sided flute.

For elevating the Champagne experience at home, glassware is the clear place to start. If your space or budget demands that you streamline your options, though, Schultz finds that sparkling wines can shine just as brightly in an elegant, all-purpose white wine glass that “lets the bubbles breathe a little.” (He uses the Sophienwald brand at home.)

Feeling festive, or setting up a Champagne fountain? “I also do love a coupe,” he admits. “For the right time and occasion, with a wine that’s fresh and vibrant and super-cold, a coupe can make you feel like you’re in that Great Gatsby era.” In other words, the glass sets the mood. “Coupes may not be the most functional, but sometimes they make you feel great, and how you feel when you’re drinking something is so important, too.” 

Keep it Cold:

When it comes to Champagne, you’re going for cold—significantly colder than other white wines, but not freezing. “You don’t want your champagne so cold that its flavors start to close down,” Schultz warns; he suggests aiming for somewhere around 46 degrees Fahrenheit (or a touch colder for non-Champagne sparklers, like cremant or Prosecco). 

The reason for this chilly temp boils down to physics. With still wines, proper temperature is all about flavor and fragrance, but with bubbles, temperature also has an impact on texture. Rising temperatures cause carbonation to expand, resulting in a more open mousse (i.e. fatter bubbles). “Effervescence is a texture rather than a flavor,” Schultz explains, “and there’s a point where the mousse behaves on the palate in a way where the wine just sings. I usually like Champagne to be very finely, tightly wound, and have that really delicate bead, but depending on the wine, sometimes it can warm up a touch, and become much more expressive.”

How can you tell when a bottle is cold enough? After years in the business, Schultz relies on instinct and physical touch, but admits that, for most, this method is not precise. For a 750-milliliter bottle, three hours in the fridge is a safe minimum starting point. An ice bucket can be faster and convenient, but Schultz reminds us that when using one, the bottle should be fully submerged in order to chill evenly. (Also remember that magnums and larger bottles take substantially longer to chill than those standard 750s.)

Food Pairings:

For nibbles to pair with their Champagne, chef Keane sends guests dainty canapés—often featuring uber-luxe ingredients like wagyu and truffles—to tease the lengthy dinner to come. They may also choose to enjoy a serving of caviar. While the ingredients are lavish, the bites are intentionally petite. 

For a more casual—yet still elevated—home experience, Schultz likes to offer more generous portions of simple, fatty foods: think fried chicken or potato chips, or the occasional silky slice of foie gras. With fuller, fruitier rosé Champagnes, though, he prefers to veer in another direction, looking to his home state for inspiration: raw tuna, seasoned with scallion, soy sauce, sesame, and inamona salt. “Rosé has enough power to stand up to the rich, oily nature of ahi,” he tells me.  “Don’t sleep on rosé Champagne and ahi poke!”

The Main Event:

Schultz built Cyrus’s 800+ bottle wine menu from scratch; today, the restaurant’s cellar boasts just over a hundred Champagnes (and a handful of stand-out Sonoma sparklers). Rare vintages from well-known marquee houses are listed alongside niche grower-producers, and while many of the selects are near impossible to find outside of private collections and wine-focused restaurants, some of the somm’s favorites are available in stores. In the $40 to $60 price range, he suggests seeking out Chartogne-Taillet, Pierre Peters, or the consistently delicious Pol Roger. 

For folks looking to splurge, Schultz points to Krug or cult favorite Salon—an early pioneer of the Blanc de Blancs style which only produces wines in the most exceptional of vintages. “[Salon] only makes one wine, so you know it’s going to be delicious. You don’t have to do all this homework about, ‘was that a good vintage or a bad one?’ They’ve done it all for you—but it is a splurge!”

A Note on Gifting Champagne Like a Pro:

Schultz has thoughts on gifting Champagne, too. “The biggest thing I try to let people know is that if I’m giving them a bottle of Champagne, I’m saying, ‘Hey, this is something for you to drink and enjoy now.’” Recipients of wine gifts may instinctively save the bottle for another special occasion, but Schultz reminds us that the holidays are about enjoyment and fun. “Nothing does that like opening a bottle of Champagne.”

How To Open Champagne Like A Swashbuckling Sommelier

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