You might think that the gintonic is too simple for a recipe (gin…tonic…it’s two ingredients, José!) but in Spain, we take those ingredients very seriously…and we care as much about the aroma and the garnish as we do about the drink. Gin as a spirit is very botanical and aromatic, which is why it is a perfect base for so many classic cocktails, and why so many people love to get creative with it. That means you can also be just as creative with your garnishes—using anything from citrus wheels or twists to spices and fresh herbs and flowers. You want to be hypnotized by the aromas before you even take your first sip.

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And a note about gintonic in Spain…this is NOT a drink for an aperitivo. We like to drink lower alcohol things, vermouth maybe or a glass of wine, before dinner. Gintonic with its higher alcohol is for after dinner, the moment of sobremesa when you are all sitting around the table, finished eating but not ready to stop telling stories just yet.

Here are all the elements of a perfect gintonic:

The Glass
First, you need to have the right glass. And with a Spanish gintonic, you want something big and round, like a goblet-style wine glass, with or without a stem. The big wide bowl lets all the aromas really open up, and it’s fun to look at, and even more fun to clink in a “santé!” If you don’t have that kind of glass, you can use a rocks or whiskey glass.

The Ice
You don’t want to use ice that’s too small—crushed ice or pellets will melt quickly and dilute your drink. Instead, use one large cube if you can, or lots of smaller dense ones (the ones from a freezer ice cube tray should work fine )...that will keep the drink cold without too much dilution.

The Gin
There are lots of gins on the market these days, but one classic style, London Dry, is everywhere in Spain (though recently, slightly sweet, berry-infused gins have become more popular!) What do you like in a gin …more spicy, more floral, more herbal, more aromatic? There’s a gin for everyone! If you’re looking to Spain for your gin, try Xoriguer Gin de Mahón from the island of Menorca or Rives Special Premium Tridestilada from Andalucía —these are two of my favorites.

The Tonic
The quality of your tonic is important! I stay away from the plastic bottle, high-fructose corn syrup tonics because there are so many good ones that are truly bitter from real quinine, and they’re easily available in grocery stores and neighborhood markets. Try Fever Tree, London Essence, Q, or Fentimans…any one of these will be great.

The Garnish
Okay amigos, this is the juicy part of the drink, where you can get creative. Gintonic is all about the aroma, the herbs, the floral notes, so put yourself in a garden. In your imagination, what do you smell? Bright, woody, spicy, floral, smokey? Think about using fresh herbs. I love the citrusy smell of Lemon Verbena, which I have in the recipe below, but you could also use thyme, or even fresh lavender. Whole spices like juniper, cardamom, and star anise can sit right on top of a large ice cube for a beautiful presentation, and even some aromatic barks like cinnamon and lemongrass. And don’t forget fruits – lemon and lime wheels are easy, but you should get creative...grapefruit, blood orange, even peaches or plums, and beyond.

The Ratio
A true Spanish gintonic is lighter on the gin than American or English versions—usually around 1 part gin to 4 parts tonic —and that’s so you can enjoy more than one and keep up with the conversation. Play with the ratio to see what works for you to balance the warmth of the gin and the refreshment of the cocktail.

Here’s my ultimate gintonic recipe, but I hope that the guide will help you make your own ultimate drink. How do you make yours?

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Tax Day Gintonic
Makes 1 cocktail (you might want to make more!)

1½ ounces gin of your choice
1 lime wheel
1 lemon peel
1 sprig lemon verbena
3 juniper berries
1 bottle (6.8 ounces) Fever Tree tonic water or other tonic of your choice

In a wide-rimmed rocks glass or stemless red wine glass, add your gin. Place a large ice cube in the glass, and top it with a lime wheel. Express, or squeeze, the lemon peel on the inside of the glass to release its oils, and place it on the ice cube. Place the three juniper berries on top of the cube, pinching one to release its aroma. Slowly add tonic water to taste—half the bottle for a stronger drink, more for a smoother one.

Today’s recipe is a Greek classic, and one that is perfect for this time of year. And because Greek Orthodox Easter is this Sunday, I thought you might enjoy one of our most popular dishes at Zaytinya in DC…avgolemono!

Avgolemono, which just means egg and lemon, may have had its start in the Sephardic Jewish communities of Spain as agristada, a lemon and egg sauce often served with fish. This sauce likely traveled across the Ottoman empire with the Sephardic Jews—probably in the 1500’s—and it found a home in Greece. It’s incredibly comforting and nutritious, with a chicken broth as the base, mixed with vegetables, lemon, and egg, and you can serve it with anything you want…but of course you need crusty bread! For many of us, avgolemono is truly the ultimate chicken soup—with a Mediterranean twist—and some might say it even has healing powers.

Avgolemono comes together pretty quickly, but it’s not mindless. It takes a little care to make sure the eggs and lemon integrate perfectly for an amazing, rich, creamy, and tangy broth. But you could definitely make it on a weeknight for dinner and have leftovers for lunch. Of course, people, this soup is even better if you make it with your own chicken stock, so maybe make some over the weekend, and then you’re ready to go!

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Chicken soup avgolemono
Serves 4

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Here’s where I’ll be going…will I see you there??

May 19 — New York, Mercado Little Spain
May 21 — San Francisco, City Arts & Lectures
May 26 — Los Angeles, Live Talks LA
May 28 — Washington, DC, Lincoln Theatre 
May 31 — Las Vegas, The Palazzo Theatre at The Venetian 
June 3 — Miami, How to Academy (tickets to be announced)
June 8 — Chicago, How To Academy
June 12 — Austin, Texas Book Festival

Find Tickets Now...!

And now down to today’s post…! It’s finally spring, can you believe it? And in D.C., spring always means cherry blossoms—the amazing bursts of tiny, pale pink flowers you can see all over DC…and the promise of a return of life after the cold winter.

Of course, as we always do, we are offering Cherry Blossom specials at all of our D.C. restaurants; at Jaleo, we have an amazing cherry gazpacho and a Hokkaido scallop ceviche with a cherry escabeche (which I will tell you more about in a week or two); at China Chilcano you can’t miss our crab rangoon with a sweet-and-sour cherry sauce (we like to have fun!); at Zaytinya, the famous manouri with cherries is back…you guys LOVED that recipe last year!

This year I wanted to share a recipe from Jaleo, since we are celebrating all things SPAIN (we are always celebrating all things SPAIN!)...Basque Cheesecake with Cherry Marmalade. This is actually an easy recipe but your family and friends will think it’s one of the most difficult tricks you’ve ever pulled off! We always have the cheesecake on the menu at Jaleo and of course Mercado Little Spain, and more and more you can find it in your grocery freezer or online from José Andrés Foods…you can pretend you made it yourself when you serve it (I promise I won’t tell!). With the cherry marmalade, it’s even more amazing. The homemade version below is simple and delicious, but if you’re buying the frozen cheesecake, you might as well get a jar of good cherry jam and keep things simple…….

But for those of you who want to make it, here is the recipe made for home kitchens. All it takes is 5 ingredients, a food processor or blender, and an oven…I’m telling you, it’s easy. The baking temperature seems high and the time seems short, but that’s how you get the beautiful burnt top and creamy inside. I love it when the inside is so creamy that it’s almost like melted ice cream, everyone can grab a spoon and eat from the pan. But I know that many people like it a bit more cooked! So just jiggle the cake after about 15 minutes and see how it’s looking, the outside should start to be set and the inside should jiggle like flan. Then add the marmalade and you’re done!

I’m excited for you all to try it…let me know how it goes!

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Tarta de queso con mermelada de cerezas
Burnt Basque cheesecake with cherry marmalade

Makes one 8” or 9” cake

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Today I have for you a recipe that might just help you get to summer, featuring an ingredient that is still in season right now…sweet potatoes! Sweet potatoes are an amazing ingredient any time of the year, because you can do so much with them, and they are so, so, so good for you. They have tons of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber, and they are perfect roasted, mashed, or as an ingredient for both savory and sweet dishes.

So, I thought…why not try to make a dessert using sweet potatoes as the star? This has so many textures that dance together, with the smooth flesh of the sweet potato and the cold creaminess from vanilla ice cream. And of course, to top it off, why not add some Rice Krispies for a little crunch? If you made turrón for Christmas, you might have some left over to use up…?

You may be thinking… “José, have you lost your mind?” And I say, give this a chance…for dessert, or maybe even for breakfast. Some rules are worth breaking, people!

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Sweet potato sundaes
Serves 4

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Like one of my favorite spring ingredients—fresh strawberries! While it may take a little bit longer until local strawberries are available where you are, they’re always worth the wait, and you can do so many things with them (peel them, of course! And put them in sherry vinegar for dessert—delicious and so so so easy to make them sing even more).

At Jaleo Disney Springs, we are celebrating the Strawberry Festival, which happens in Florida from late February to mid-March. Even if you aren’t planning to visit the Disney parks, it’s worth a stop in to Jaleo, because we’ve added a few exciting specials to the menu, all featuring the local, juicy, sweet, bright red jewels of spring. From strawberry gazpacho and a pintxo featuring strawberry, watermelon, and jamón, to a hamachi crudo and a traditional Spanish strawberry dessert, there’s something for everyone. And these strawberries come from one of our amazing farm partnerships, Southern Hill Farms in Clermont, just southwest of Orlando. If you’re local, you can go pick your own strawberries from December to May.

This gazpacho recipe is inspired by Jaleo’s seasonal version. Remember when I said pretty much anything can gazpacho? That counts here, with peak seasonal ingredients like strawberries. Their sweetness is balanced by the natural acidity of tomatoes, crisp bell pepper, and fresh, crunchy cucumbers, so the result is a sweet, savory, and delicious…and PINK…! Soup perfect for your spring table. This would be an amazing first course for Easter, if you are starting to think about your holiday menus.

Oh…and people—if you’re loving all of these Spanish recipes, you should probably pre-order a copy of Spain My Way…!

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Gazpacho de fresas
Strawberry Gazpacho
Serves 4

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Today’s recipe is a perfect example of that feeling, and it’s from a place that’s really special to me…have you been to San Laurel…? It’s my restaurant at the Conrad Hilton in downtown Los Angeles, in a beautiful building designed by Frank Gehry, surrounded by iconic LA architecture. The building and its surroundings are a hint of what you’ll experience when you go there—innovation and creativity on the plate. Chef Jeffry Chen is at the helm there, and he pairs inspiration from Spain with all the amazing ingredients you can find in Southern California.

San Laurel was named after the bay laurel, whose leaves have an amazing, woodsy aroma…hold a few of these in your hands and take a deep breath, and you will be transported to the woods of Northern California, with bright green moss at your feet and the majestic redwoods above your head. It’s the bay leaf—the fresh bay leaf, not the dried one, which you can find with the fresh herbs at your local grocery store–that takes a supporting role in this San Laurel recipe for spring, complimenting the natural earthiness of mushrooms, tied together with a creamy sauce and topped with a fried egg (if you don’t remember how to fry an egg, Spanish style, here’s a reminder!)

This recipe is perfect for spring, because it smells exactly like the land waking up after a long sleep. At the restaurant, this dish is served as one for the entire table, but I think it could make a really elegant (and still really easy) first course at home. Or even a fancy brunch dish…because who doesn’t want a fried egg on top of pretty much anything…!

Add some crusty bread, because you don’t want to waste any of the delicious sauce. Happy almost spring, people!

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Creamy Mushrooms with Fried Eggs
Serves 2

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I’m almost certain that you’ve had baklava before—layers of crispy phyllo dough (which you are all experts in now…right?? Thanks to my friend Terry!) plus nuts plus spices plus lots of syrupy honey. It has its roots in ancient Assyria, almost 3,000 years ago, and spread to all corners of the Ottoman Empire, which is why you’ll see it on menus from Greece and Turkey to the Levant to Iran.

But…have you ever tried to make it? It’s surprisingly not that difficult, considering how beautiful and delicious the final product is. The not-so-secret weapon is butter. Lots and lots of butter. Since, as we learned, the layers of phyllo puff up and crisp up when they are coated with a generous layer of fat, it means you want to brush each layer of phyllo with a coating of butter. That makes the recipe time consuming, but it’s very calming, almost a meditation, to add the phyllo, the butter, phyllo, butter, phyllo, butter…then a layer of nuts, then again phyllo, butter—you get the idea. And of course, when the baklava is hot out of the oven, you pour warm honey-cardamom syrup over it…

(Just listen to that sizzle…sound on!)

So people: give it a try. You can find phyllo in any grocery store freezer, and of course pistachios are everywhere (almonds and walnuts are classic too). To handle the phyllo, make sure it’s entirely thawed (overnight in the fridge or a few hours on the counter). Once it’s open, it can get dry and brittle quickly, so you can keep the whole stack of sheets in between two lightly dampened kitchen towels to make sure it doesn’t dry out.

Zaytinya’s Pistachio-Cardamom Baklava
Makes a 9x13” pan

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Yesterday, I shared with you a conversation with my friend, Michael Twitty, whose latest cookbook, Recipes from the American South, is an amazing journey into the history of southern cooking.

Today, I want to share with you a recipe from that book...buttermilk biscuits! Last fall, before Thanksgiving, I shared my recipe for quick drop biscuits, which is a great way to have fresh biscuits quickly. Michael’s recipe takes biscuit-making a step further, in a skillet, which makes them extra delicious—crispy and flaky on the outside and warm and fluffy on the inside…a perfect companion to an amazing southern meal. He suggests serving them with peach preserves or marmalade, or chicken, ham, pork chops…even chocolate gravy (it’s what it sounds like!). I am hungry just thinking about them!

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Michael Twitty’s Buttermilk Biscuits
Makes 8 larger biscuits or 12-14 smaller biscuits

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Okay, okay—maybe where you are there is still snow on the ground, but at least the grocery store should have a solid selection of citrus right now! This easy salad from Zaytinya (it’s actually in the Zaytinya cookbook…do you guys have a copy yet?), inspired by a Turkish salad of oranges and onions, is full of juicy citrus, olives, and fennel and tossed with a dressing perfumed with a splash of orange blossom water.

Maybe when you’re eating it, you can close your eyes and imagine you’re somewhere in southern Spain or on the Mediterranean sea, surrounded by those orange groves, the naranjales of the region.

Citrus and Olive Salad
Serves 4

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In honor of Benito and Puerto Rico, I wanted to give you a recipe today that comes straight from that amazing island. This is from the World Central Kitchen cookbook, and came from a farmer named Yaritza García Ortiz, a farmer in Corazal—about thirty minutes southwest of San Juan.

Yaritza, along with growing culantro and other incredible herbs and vegetables, had some extra passion fruits growing on her fence. She told the WCK team that she uses the fruit to make a sweet-tart glaze for skirt steak, which hits every incredible sweet-acid-salt-umami note.

If you can’t find fresh passion fruit, look for pulp in the refrigerator or freezer section of your grocery store or Latin market.

This is a perfect recipe for Valentine’s Day—it’s easy, delicious, and best shared with your loved ones…even better with some Bad Bunny on the speakers!

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Passion Fruit-Glazed Skirt Steak
Serves 4

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The Super Bowl is coming up, and even if you don’t watch American football, maybe you will go to a party for the snacks. Or maybe you’re more into fútbol…of course you know that Barça is at the top of La Liga…and if you’re watching, you know you need tapas and a drink to truly enjoy the game.

Today’s recipe is one that we sometimes have on the menu at Jaleo. It’s a classic combination—potatoes and chistorra, a quick-cured spicy sausage related to chorizo from the Basque Country, Navarre, and Aragon (the great chef Paul Bocuse once declared that a dish of potatoes and chorizo, which he tasted in La Rioja, was “one of the greatest dishes created by man”!)

Since chistorra isn’t cured as long as dry chorizo, it has to be cooked…and what better way to cook it than frying? And even better, fried in a blanket of thinly sliced potato to make a crispy crunchy spicy juicy tapa??

Chistorra, spelled txistorra in Basque, is available online from La Tienda or Despaña or La Española Meats…order today and maybe you can get it for the weekend!

Chistorra envuelta en patata frita
Spicy sausage wrapped in fried potatoes

Serves 4 as a tapa (or double or triple for a party!)

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For me, this cookbook captures the spirit of Spanish food and food culture—it’s not just the classics like tortilla Española, gambas al ajillo, and paella Valenciana…not just some incredible regional dishes like Basque-style txuleton steak, Catalan duck with pears, and the cold soups of Andalucía...but it’s how Spaniards enjoy life around the table. I can’t wait for you to see this book.

Pre-order Spain My Way

For today though…have you shoveled out of your house yet? With over half the country covered in snow, even here in D.C., lots of people lost power and have been stuck inside for the last few of days. Is everyone going crazy? Do you have cabin fever…?

I was thinking about this while I was also home in the snow (while making my world famous snow/sleet cake…)

…what’s an easy way to eat deliciously with what you already have at home? No one wants to go to the grocery store when the roads are a mess, and if your kids have a snow day, or if you are home from work, it’s an unexpected day to slow down and enjoy being with loved ones. Of course this means you want good food! So what do you do with what you already have?

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If you’re like me, you usually have a few cans of tinned fish around your house, so of course an assortment of tinned fish served with crackers or bread is always a delicious way to get through a snow day. Maybe some sausages or jamón on a board? Maybe some cheese and membrillo…and you can make your cheese more interesting by marinating it! And marinated olives…always marinate your olives, people.

There are also stews…I talk about lentil soup all the time, and this quick and fast pea soup is one of my favorite things to enjoy in the winter. Remember chickpea lettuce cups? I bet you have a can of them! And don’t forget about Tichi’s garbanzos, olive oil pancakes, or tortilla soup…all these dishes are simple, delicious, and use ingredients that you might have in your house.

…and if you DON’T have them in your house, maybe now’s a good time to stock up for the next storm? Grab some FishSnax, ingredients for paella, some croquetas, olives, olive oil…you’ll say “thank you for the idea, José!” when that snow starts falling.

What’s your go-to snow day meal?

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No matter what you’re in the mood for, this breakfast is one of the fastest, easiest ways to feed your family or make ahead for yourself for the week: overnight oats! Did you know that the idea for overnight oats originally comes from Switzerland, developed by a doctor who wanted to find a fast and healthy way to feed his patients? The original overnight oats were very simple, with rolled oats soaked in milk, fruit on top and maybe a bit of honey to sweeten it…and this one is only slightly more complicated. It’s the perfect building block for a fast breakfast tomorrow, because it takes about 5 minutes to mix together—so fast that you can make it while you’re making dinner…!

This recipe is based on the overnight oats we serve at the Capital One Landing at National Airport in Washington, DC (have you been yet…? Did you know you can get espresso martinis and non-alcoholic cocktails…on draft??). People love them, and they’re so delicious—I think you will too. You can make it your own by adding any toppings you want…fresh fruit, nuts, coconut flakes, chia seeds…there are no rules!

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The Best Overnight Oats
Serves 1 to 2

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Today I want to share two cocktails, one for drinkers and the other for non-drinkers, both of which would be great to make today.

The first cocktail originally comes from Vegetables Unleashed, and I think it’s absolutely perfect to start out your New Years Eve (who needs an espresso martini, people?)…or honestly would be great to have on New Year’s Day as well, if you have some extra bottles of sparkling wine lying around and you need to wake up a little after a long night of fun.

I know it sounds crazy to combine sparkling wine and coffee, but something magical happens when you combine the jolt of bitter coffee with the bubbles of sparkling wine. It’s easy if you start with cold-brew coffee, which adds a richness to the drink. I shake the coffee with lemon and ice, and a little of brandy, then, add a big pour of Champagne or Cava—two of my favorite morning beverages combined into one eye-opening whole (If you’re like me, you’ll be serving this to a crowd, and this recipe scales up easily).

Of course, if you have kids at home, or if you’re not drinking alcohol but still want to get in the festive spirit (Dry January is around the corner!), why not try a Cold Mulled Cider? It’s the same flavors of a classic hot mulled cider, but celebratory and fun for the new year.

To 2026, people!!

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Coffee and Champagne
Makes 1 drink

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We have entered that strange time between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, which a time for rest, eating leftovers, and thinking about the coming year. You shouldn’t put too much pressure on yourself to do anything right now…there is plenty of time for that next year. So, to make any cooking easier on you in the next week or so, I’ve put together the Longer Tables favorite recipes of 2025.

I can’t wait to cook with you again in 2026….!

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In Spain, we love chickpeas, and we also love things in lettuce cups (cogollos de lechuga), because they make a great home for anything salty or rich, and add a wonderful crunch.

This recipe for quick and easy drop biscuits was originally from my old restaurant America Eats Tavern, and they should only take about 30 minutes from start to finish.

This is not only the perfect recipe for when you’re on a budget….or if it’s the middle of winter…or when you want something comforting and filling. It’s also a special taste of home for me.

Amigos, you know how much I loved my friend Anthony Bourdain, and how much he touched the world…people he knew, but many, many more that he didn’t. Every year on his birthday, June 25th (now known as Bourdain Day), we at Longer Tables love to remember him, usually with a story about his amazing life. This year, we gave you a recipe for his favorite negroni, which he enjoyed at Oyamel…and you can still order there, if you know what you’re doing!

This recipe is perfect for salmon because salmon is so versatile—you can do almost anything you want with it. So why not make little packets with lots of flavor, stick them in the microwave, and have an elegant meal in minutes?

This recipe showcases one of the best uses of endives, plus beautiful winter citrus with a promise of spring.

It doesn’t matter where you are this time of year, I think everyone needs a taste of home and a little comfort…like this Colombian stew:

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See you all in 2026 with more recipes! And always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and my team if there are recipes you want to try from my restaurants (or anything you’re curious about in general!)

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You might be hosting, you might be joining someone else’s celebration, and you might be looking for find last-minute gifts for family or friends…or something to bring over. Of course, you might still be able to find something through my gift guide, but sometimes the best gifts are from your own kitchen. Or give a gift subscription to Longer Tables…maybe 15% off will sweeten the deal?

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Turrón de chocolate is a taste of home for me, and a way to bring Spain into your holiday traditions. For the Spaniards out there, this recipe will take you to a place deep in your memory. Most famously sold in Spain under the brand Suchard, turrón de chocolate is something we all look forward to year round. Don’t just take it from me…here are the memories of some of my Spanish friends (and one of my daughters!)

Patricia Blanco, one of our R&D chefs who you’ve met before, says

“For me, turrón Suchard means Christmas, since you only can find it during the holiday season. Everyone knows the song from the commercial. When I was a kid, my siblings and I would look for the turrón in the kitchen for days but my parents used to hide it so that we could have it for Christmas and not eat it all before then. We used to put some pieces and some other things like mantecados, clementines, carrots, etc. for Santa Claus and the reindeer the night before Christmas. They love it. Even now that we’re all grown up, we never pass the opportunity to have that turrón at the table.”

Ramon Martinez, who runs our Jaleo restaurants, says:

“Suchard was one of my favorites, but my family would never buy it . So I was always excited to be in other people’s houses to eat the Suchard there like there was no tomorrow!”

My oldest daughter Carlota has something to say as well…! “

Suchard is my favorite candy in the whole entire world. We would always be sent Suchard from our family in Spain, or after a trip during the holidays we would bring back a bunch. We would count out a certain number of bars for each person, and write our names on them, to make sure no one touched anyone else’s Suchard. But my sisters and I couldn’t help ourselves…after we would finish—it was maybe 6 per person—my sisters and I would go and take from our parents’ stash, and eat all of that. I definitely got in trouble a couple of times, but you can’t resist Suchard, it’s just too good.”

Carlota!!!

So what do you think…is it time to add this treat to your holiday table? It’s incredibly easy to make (easier than last week’s toffee!)—you can probably put it together in under 15 minutes, then chill it for an hour or two (or overnight)...so you could make it during the intermission of The Nutcracker and enjoy it before the last curtain.

This recipe uses frosted Rice Krispies, which stay crisp in the chocolate longer than normal Rice Krispies (though the normal ones will work too).

So…make some turrón de chocolate now and you’ll want to make it again and again—give some to your neighbors, bring some to the holiday party, save a plate for Santa.

Here’s a free recipe for you all for the holidays…if you want to pay it forward, share the post with someone you think might love some chocolate this season.

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Turrón De Chocolate
Makes 1 pound of turrón

7 ounces (200 grams) milk chocolate (30-40% cacao)
5 ounces (150 grams) dark chocolate (60-70% cacao)
4 tablespoons (50 grams) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups (60 grams) Frosted Rice Krispies (or plain, use 45 grams instead)
¼ teaspoon (2 grams) Maldon salt

If you have one, use a silicone mold (around 8.5” x 4.5”), or you can line a standard bread loaf pan (8.5” x 4.5”) with parchment paper.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolates and melt them very slowly, stirring with a rubber spatula every 20 seconds. Chocolate burns very quickly so be careful! You don’t need the chocolate to be hot, just to melt.

Add the butter and the vanilla, and mix until well combined. If the chocolate starts to harden, you can microwave it again for another 10 to 15 seconds to keep it loose and help the butter melt.

As the chocolate starts to cool down in the bowl, mix in the frosted Krispies and the salt until the Krispies are completely coated with chocolate.

Transfer to the mold or lined loaf pan and spread evenly, carefully tapping the mold or pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

Keep it in the fridge for at least 1 hour, then cut it into whatever size you’d like. Once it’s hardened, you can store it wrapped in plastic at room temperature in a cool, dry place.

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You know that I like to introduce you to my team members, especially through recipes like the head of my R&D team chef Charisse’s Spam Musubi, or chef Hector’s red pozole (perfect for a cold winter day!) Today I want to share with you a recipe from someone on my team who has worked with me for many years, Sam Chapple-Sokol, my senior editorial director. He is part of our small but mighty cookbook team and has his own culinary background—he was a pastry chef at the White House during the Obama years (and worked with me on the World Central Kitchen cookbook…a good holiday gift!).

Every holiday, there’s a bowl of English toffee in his house made by his dad. The recipe is old—he clipped it from a magazine in the 1990s—and he’s been making it for the family ever since. “It’s been at every Thanksgiving and holiday celebration that I remember,” Sam says. “Every year we all ask my dad to make more because it’s always the first thing to go and no one ever knows where it all went. Maybe I'm not the only one sneaking a piece before dinner, after dessert, late night, early morning…”

So—if you ever wanted to learn about making candy, here’s an easy way to get started! Toffee is what you get when you cook butter and sugar to the “hard crack” phase, around 305ºF, for a satisfyingly sweet, buttery, crunchy, delicious sweet. You don’t need a thermometer or probe for this recipe—you’ll find a tip below for how to test for hard crack without a thermometer—but it helps (now you you have an idea of what to ask for for the holidays!)

It’s perfect in front of a fireplace, maybe with a cup of tea or coffee or small glass of sweet wine…it’s the holidays, why not??

English Toffee

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When you have opened many restaurants, you cannot choose a favorite…it is impossible, like saying you have a favorite child. Of course you love them all for different reasons! But each one of my restaurants has a story behind it. And usually, a lot of travel and R & D…meeting people and learning their family recipes, getting deep into the history of many culinary traditions, and hoping we do our best to bring those flavors to the plates of our restaurants, to inspire our guests to visit the places and experience those flavors themselves.

Most people don’t know this…but China Chilcano was originally supposed to be a Chinese restaurant! We had an open restaurant space on 7th Street in D.C., down the block from Jaleo, and needed to figure out what we wanted to put there. We had recently opened China Poblano in Vegas, so we had all this incredible knowledge from the R&D trips we did to China when we were developing the menu. But we didn’t want to do anything Mexican because Oyamel is another neighbor…so it seemed to make the most sense to open a Chinese restaurant!

Then in 2013, a few members of my team and I went to Mistura, a food festival in Lima, Peru. At the time, it was the largest food festival in Latin America. There were so many things to see and eat there…cooking demonstrations, music, and the opportunity to meet with local chefs and farmers (and spend time with old friends, like Albert Adrià, who used to have a Nikkei, or Japanese-Peruvian, restaurant in Barcelona). “Mistura” means “mixture” in Spanish, and that’s exactly what it was—a celebration of the diverse culinary traditions of Peru. After that, I thought a Chifa restaurant was the vision (remember Chifa? The style of Chinese-Peruvian fusion cuisine that first started popping up around the 19th century?).

The next year, my R & D team took another trip to Peru to better understand Chifa cuisine. We went to as many places and ate as much as we could, which opened my eyes even more to what was possible for this concept we were figuring out in D.C. We ate everything: yes, lots of Chifa (including spending time with the legendary wok-master Javier Wong at Chez Wong), but also lots of Nikkei and lots and lots (and lots!) of ceviche.

Of course, we spent time with Gastón Acurio, one of the greatest chefs from Peru. Gaston has always been a huge inspiration to me, and he put the trip together for us so we could try some of the best restaurants possible. We spent time at his fine dining Astrid y Gastón, which he runs with his pastry chef wife Astrid Gutsche. At La Mar, Gastón’s traditional seafood and ceviche restaurant, my team learned how to make the best ceviche in the world…he truly showed us the soul of ceviche.

Another amazing moment of that trip was actually about a dessert…and you know I don’t always love dessert. Chef Rick Billings, who was our team’s pastry chef at the time (you can see him in the video above) and still works for the company, was able to spend time with Gastón’s pastry chef at La Mar. The pastry chef showed Rick how to make a traditional Peruvian dessert called ponderaciones, fried swirls of dough, traditionally served with powdered sugar and manjar blanco, a thick sweetened milk, like dulce de leche. She told the team that this is an old, old Peruvian dessert, from the 16th century, something that is dying out and most young people don’t know. Well, Rick took that as a challenge! He was so excited to learn about this dessert and his excitement made the pastry chef just as excited, and she had ponderaciones molds made for us, which we took back to DC (they’re the same ones we use today at the restaurant!)

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So clearly over the course of the trip, we expanded our idea of what we wanted our new restaurant to be—from Chinese to Chifa to Peruvian, with elements of Chifa and Nikkei. It was chefs like Gastón and his team that taught us these histories and stories of Peru and its culture, its cuisine, its people—and inspired us to bring those traditions back home with us to DC.

I’m so proud to celebrate 10 years of China Chilcano. Not only does it represent so much hard work and dedication from my team, and the generosity of people like Gastón, but Peruvian food is really about celebrating immigrant culture…the cooks and chefs of Peru have found a way to meld so many different culinary traditions and make them their own. And that concept is still so personal to me, but it was especially personal during the time we were researching this restaurant…because I became a U.S. citizen in 2013. So while we were doing all that work, I was really deep in my own immigration story. So of course China Chilcano, whether I realized it or not, was always going to be a restaurant about immigrant food, and it still is today.

So people!! As you’re planning your holiday menus, maybe think about including some different culinary traditions (or if you already do, share them here!)! Here’s that incredible ceviche recipe for inspiration—make it, taste it, and honor those flavors and traditions.

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Ceviche Clásico, thanks to Gastón Acurio
Serves 4

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Today’s recipe is also from one of our team members, and it’s one of the greatest comfort foods you can find in the world…stuffed cabbage leaves…which you can find from the Middle East to Eastern Europe, in places like Turkey, Ukraine, the Balkans, and Poland. Stuffed cabbage leaves take a little time and a lot of love, but they are worth every single moment, because they fill you up and make everyone happy.

This recipe comes from Orhun Gorsen, our Culinary Director for Zaytinya in Miami. Orhun is originally from Turkey (Türkiye), where he grew up and learned to cook. He worked in restaurants in Istanbul for years before moving to Miami, where he worked at the city’s legendary The Bazaar (along with chef Valentina, who shared her abuela’s recipe for arepas, and chef Daniela, who makes incredible seafood in Las Vegas, and chef Manny, who is a meat master…an all-star group!).

Along with his recipe, Orhun gives us a personal story about the dish:

This dish carries a lot of memories for me. My mom, Müge, used to make it when I was a kid and I still remember coming home from school and smelling it from outside the door. After being at school all day and arriving home hungry, that aroma felt like heaven. I could’ve easily eaten the entire pot myself but of course we always had to wait for my father to taste as well.

We mostly cooked this during the fall and winter months, so coming home from the cold to a freshly made pot of hot cabbage rolls is something that has always stayed with me. Even though we don’t get much cold weather in Miami, I make this dish now for my kids and my wife—it’s actually her favorite Turkish dish. Seeing them enjoy it the same way I did growing up brings back all those memories in the best way.

I’m really interested in knowing if you wind up making this, friends! And if you do, please share pictures with us…we all want to see!

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Stuffed cabbage leaves

For the cabbage

1 medium head cabbage, root removed, leaves separated
Filling (see below)

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These drop biscuits, which we originally made at my old restaurant America Eats Tavern, are simple and delicious, relying on the magic of the reaction between baking powder, baking soda, and buttermilk for their rise, and a little fat from butter for their tenderness. These are easier than cut biscuits—just make sure not to mix them too much for the best result.

The recipe makes a plain biscuit, which is amazing with soft butter or if you want to make an egg sandwich, or on the side of the Thanksgiving plate, or maybe you make small ones and top them with jamón and caviar (why not!). If you want to punch it up a little, a tablespoon of smoky pimentón would make an amazing addition, plus a cup of shredded cheese (I would pick Manchego, but a sharp cheddar would be great too).

From start to finish, they should take you under 30 minutes…so if you’re looking for a little Thanksgiving feast side, here you go!

Quick and Fast Drop Biscuits

Makes about 16 biscuits

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