Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

We have reached the time of year when I start scrambling to make the most of late-summer produce. Anytime I see a big pile of tomatoes or peppers, or a massive bunch of basil at the market, I cannot help but bring them home. I know the season is fleeting, and in only a few short weeks I will be inundated with apples and squash.

To make the most of summer’s bounty, I have been putting my blender (the Vitamix Ascent X5) to WORK making large batches of soup and pesto. The soup, which I like to call “End-of-Summer Soup,” is made with roasted tomatoes and peppers and a generous dose of Parmesan. It scratches that back-to-school tomato soup itch I get as soon as September begins, but is just a little more interesting thanks to the roasted peppers and Parmesan. And while a classic grilled cheese is nice, I like to amp mine up with chive and basil pesto, because that counts as getting your greens in, right?

Recipe:

End-of-Summer Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 lb tomatoes, cored and halved

• 1 yellow onion, trimmed and cut into wedges

• 2 red bell peppers

• Avocado oil, for roasting

• Kosher salt, to taste

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 2 oz Parmesan

Directions:

1. Prep for roasting: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side down, and onion wedges on a sheet pan. Arrange the whole bell peppers on another sheet pan. Lightly coat the vegetables with avocado oil and season with kosher salt.

2. Roast the vegetables: Roast until the tomatoes and onion are softened and the pepper skins are blistered, about 40 minutes. Remove the tomatoes and onion from the oven. Switch the oven to broil and broil the peppers for 1 to 2 minutes, until their skins are deeply blistered and blackened.

3. Peel the vegetables: Let the roasted vegetables cool slightly. Peel the skins from the tomatoes, then transfer the tomato flesh, roasted onion, and any accumulated tomato juices to your blender (I use the Vitamix Ascent X5). Peel the peppers and discard the skins, stems, seeds, and juices. Add the pepper flesh to the blender.

4. Blend the soup: Add the chicken stock and Parmesan. Select the Soup program and blend until the cycle is complete and the soup is velvety smooth and hot. Season to taste with kosher salt and serve immediately.

Chive & Basil Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pine nuts

• 1 1/2 oz Parmesan, grated (about 1/2 cup lightly packed)

• 1 garlic clove

• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided

• 1 cup chives, roughly chopped

• 3 cups basil leaves

• Kosher salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Toast the pine nuts: Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Make the pesto: Add the toasted pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, and 1/4 cup olive oil to the blender and blend until smooth. Add the chives, basil, and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Blend briefly on high, using the tamper to push the herbs toward the blades, just until the pesto comes together. Be careful not to overblend. Season to taste with kosher salt.

That’s all for now! See you next time At Isabelle’s

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

Welcome to the August 2026 Dinner Party Guide: How to Host a Pepper Party. Before we get into all the details, Episode 7 of Everything on the Table, my dinner party “show,” is now live on YouTube if you want to watch the whole thing come together.

When I started hosting monthly themed dinner parties in 2024, tomato-girl summer felt like it was absolutely everywhere. Tomatoes were at their peak, I was seeing them all over my feed, and I thought it would be fun to take the idea way too far and build an entire dinner around them. People still tell me that tomato party was how they first found my account.

So when August rolled around again in 2025, I decided to keep the ingredient theme going. Enter the Stone Fruit Pie Making Party, where I bought an egregious amount of peaches, plums and nectarines, baked mini pies with my friends, and served a four-foot-long stone fruit galette that subsequently crashed to the floor. If you know, you know.

By 2026, I figured this had officially become an August tradition. This year’s ingredient: peppers.

Ingredient-focused parties are some of my favorites to plan, but they take a little extra thought to execute well. You need an ingredient with enough range that it can show up throughout the menu in completely different ways, and peppers are kind of perfect for that. Sweet, spicy, fresh, dried, pickled, smoky, fermented. And yes, I included peppercorns too. Is that technically cheating? Maybe. My party, my rules.

How I Build an Ingredient-Based Menu

The first thing I do is break the ingredient into categories. For peppers, I thought about:

• Fresh sweet peppers

• Fresh hot chiles

• Dried chiles

• Pickled peppers and pepper-based condiments

• Peppercorns

Usually, by this point, there are already one or two dishes I know I want to make. For this party, it was Steak with Salsa Macha and a Marinated Bell Pepper Toast. From there, I actually stop asking myself, “What other pepper dishes can I make?” Instead, I think about what I genuinely want to eat alongside those dishes, then look for smaller ways to bring the theme into them.

Take the steak. When I think steak, I think potatoes. Groundbreaking, I know. I wanted something creamy to dip the potatoes into, so sour cream made sense. Then I asked: where can the pepper element come in? Pepperoncini gives the sour cream acidity, salt and heat, and instead of lightly seasoning the potatoes with black pepper, why not use a LOT of it?

Same idea with the drinks. I knew I wanted something spicy that could work as either a cocktail or mocktail. Fresh chiles and lime are a natural pairing. It’s August, so it needed to be cold, refreshing and very drinkable. Lemonade came to mind first, and then: wait, limeade exists. Even better.

That is essentially the formula I use for any ingredient-focused dinner party: choose an ingredient with enough range, start with one or two dishes you’re genuinely excited to eat, then build the rest of the menu around those dishes rather than around the theme. Once the menu makes sense on its own, find little ways to weave your star ingredient back in through sauces, seasonings, garnishes, drinks and condiments.

Setting the Table

Produce as tablescape decor has dominated dinner party inspiration for the past few years. Personally, I think I’ve reached my limit with candlesticks shoved into vegetables because, at a certain point, all I see is food waste. That said, I still love using bits of produce when it makes sense for the menu. My rule is less is more, and I always keep everything whole so it can actually be eaten later.

For this party, I used some thin wire from a craft store and wound it around the stem of each wine glass, which added a little something to the glassware and gave me an easy way to secure a chile by the stem. The other pepper moment was even simpler: a whole chile tucked into each napkin ring. Between those details and the red wine I knew I’d be serving, it felt like just the right amount of red.

I kept the rest of the table neutral, as I usually do. I layered wood, silver, and warm, textured browns, including my tortoiseshell water glasses and Sabre flatware.

I’ve linked all the tablescape pieces here!

The Menu

To Drink:

• Sparkling Jalapeno Limeade

• Black Pepper-oncini-tinis

To Start:

• Marinated Pepper Toasts with Whipped Black Pepper Goat Cheese

• Spicy Gazpacho

The Mains:

• Flat Iron Steak with Salsa Macha

• Black Pepper Roasted Potatoes & Pepperoncini Sour Cream

• Heirloom Tomato Peach Salad with Calabrian Chili Vinaigrette

• Corn with Jalapeno Butter & Lime

Dessert:

• Vanilla Ice Cream with Gochujang Caramel and Hot Honey Butter Roasted Peaches

Recipes

Sparkling Jalapeño Limeade

Read more

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

Back in June, I was invited to the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen for work. As part of the festival, you can watch various celebrity chefs perform cooking demonstrations, and when I saw Bobby Flay on the list, the Food Network kid inside me screamed with excitement.

During the demonstration, he showed three different ways to cook steak, the last of which was a skirt steak with salsa macha. It reminded me just how much I LOVE salsa macha. If you’ve never had it before, think of it as a cousin to chili crisp: an oil-based Mexican salsa made with dried chiles, and often nuts or seeds and garlic. It’s smoky, nutty, spicy, crunchy and incredibly delicious. It was actually what initially inspired me to host a Pepper Party.

Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs flat iron steak (skirt or flank will also work)

• Kosher salt

• 1/3 cup avocado oil (or another neutral oil), plus more for the grill

• 1 ancho chile

• 1 guajillo chile

• 3 chiles de árbol

• 1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts

• 1 1/2 tsp sesame seeds

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 tbsp honey

Directions:

1. Season the steak: Pat the steak dry with paper towels and season all over with salt. Set on a wire rack over a sheet tray and place in the fridge, ideally for 12 to 24 hours, but at least 1 hour.

2. Make the salsa macha: Heat the avocado oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the chiles and cook until the skins have darkened and they are crisp, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the chiles and set aside.

3. To the same pan with oil, add the peanuts and sesame seeds. Cook, swirling the pan often until peanuts are deeply golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and microplane in the garlic cloves, stirring to prevent them from burning.

4. Add the fried chiles to a small food processor and pulse until broken down into small flakes. Then transfer all the contents of the pan to the food processor, add the honey, and pulse until coarsely broken down. Taste and season with salt and more honey if needed.

5. Cook the steak: Remove the steak from the fridge. Oil the grill grates (or a cast-iron pan on the stovetop) and heat to high. Cook the steak, undisturbed, for ~3 minutes per side, until an instant-read thermometer reads 120°F. Transfer to a wire rack over a sheet tray and let rest for at least 5 minutes.

6. Slice and serve: Slice the steak against the grain and spoon the salsa macha over top. Place any extra salsa macha on the table.

Make-ahead instructions: Salsa macha can be made a few days in advance. Keep it in the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before using. The steak can be seared a few hours in advance. Cook to 120°F and let rest, tented with foil. Rewarm in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

That’s all for now! See you next time At Isabelle’s

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

There are few better compliments than when somebody tries something you made and immediately asks for the recipe, or better yet, reaches for a second portion. This mocktail received both at my latest dinner party. Best of all it is easy to make, scale up and very refreshing.

Recipe

Jalapeño-Lime Syrup

Makes enough syrup for 6 drinks

Read more

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

I’ve always found chilled soup a little pretentious. It has a trying to be fancy quality in a way I don’t particularly care for. But when I was planning appetizers for the Pepper Party, a spicy gazpacho felt like the perfect fit. And, surprise surprise, it’s delicious. Of course it is. It’s basically the best parts of summer produce blended together, and if you love tomatoes, peppers, and a little heat, you’ll love this.

I also like how many ways there are to serve it. Leave it unstrained and pour it into bowls or glasses to enjoy as a soup, add a little extra chili and lime, strain it, and serve it as a punchier shooter between courses. Or, if you want to get really early-2000s Martha Stewart with it, freeze it into a granita and serve it as a palate cleanser.

Recipe:

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes, cored and halved

• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded

• 1 english cucumber, peeled

• 1 shallot, peeled

• Juice of 3 limes

• 1 finger red hot pepper, seeded, or 2–3 jalapeños, seeded

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

• Basil, jalapeño slices, and/or cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

1. Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, shallot, lime juice, half of the finger red hot pepper (or 2 jalapeños), and 1 teaspoon of salt to a high-powered blender. Blend until completely smooth.

2. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more chile for heat and additional salt as needed. I used the full 2 teaspoons of salt.

3. If desired, strain the gazpacho through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother consistency. Chill for at least 1 hour, then serve cold with your garnishes of choice.

That’s all for now! See you next time At Isabelle’s

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

As soon as I decided I was going to host a Pepper Party, I knew I wanted to make a big batch of marinated peppers and pile them onto homemade bread with something creamy. So naturally, this was the first recipe I developed for the party.

I don’t like marinated peppers that taste too vinegary, but I do love a pickled red onion. So while the peppers char, I let some thinly sliced red onion sit with red wine vinegar and a little sugar, which mellows the onion while still giving it a nice vinegary bite. This way, the onions bring that brightness while the peppers stay rich, sweet, and smoky.

They’re also ideal for making ahead. The peppers can sit in the fridge for a few days before serving and honestly benefit from having some time to marinate. Just make sure to bring them back to room temperature first so the olive oil loosens back up.

Marinated Peppers:

Makes about 2 cups

Read more

Welcome to the Recipe Index!

Use this index as you would the table of contents in a cookbook. Come for a single recipe, recreate one of my dinner parties, or piece together a menu of your own.

I’ll keep adding to it as new recipes are shared, so there will always be something new cook, bake or drink.

Happy cooking!

xx Isabelle

Breakfast & Brunch:

Ham & Dijon Quiche

Carrot Cake Waffles

Chai French Toast with Caramelized Peaches

Crepes with Sautéed Curried Pears

Orange Poppyseed Crepe Suzette

Go-To Granola

Spinach, Coriander and Goat Cheese Eggs

Loaded Greens, Eggs, and Bacon

Ramp & Egg Toast

Braided Black Pepper Leek Buns (paid)

Drinks:

Sparkling Jalapeño Limeade

White Wine & Cherry Sangria

Cucumber Mint Shrub Spritz (paid)

Lavender Honey Bees Knees Spritz

Rhubarb and Elderflower Spritz (paid)

Elderflower Strawberry and Shrub Spritz (paid)

Arnold Palmer

Salty Cucumber Mint Margherita

Stone Fruit Shrub Spritz (paid)

Lychee Lime Hibiscus Punch (paid)

Christmas Spiced Negroni

Pear Lemon & Thyme Fizz

Frozen Garden Cocktails

Appetizers, Starters & Soups

Spicy Gazpacho

Marinated Pepper Toasts with Whipped Black Pepper Goat Cheese (paid)

Mussels with White Wine, Fennel and Tarragon

Butter Dipped Radishes

Steamed and Seared Artichokes with Tarragon Aioli (paid)

Citrus & Sesame Grilled Shishito Peppers

Gravlax (paid)

Seeded Crackers (paid)

Zucchini Ricotta Parmesan Tart (paid)

Crispy Artichokes with Anchovy Breadcrumbs

French Onion Wreaths

Rotisserie Chicken, Cauliflower, Corn, Cumin Soup (paid)

Turkey Kale White Bean Soup

Chipotle Beef Chili

Salads

Shaved Radish and Spring Pea Salad with Pink Peppercorns and Goat Cheese (paid)

Buttermilk Tarragon Baby Gem Salad (paid)

Baby Gems with Seared Scallion and Jalapeno Vinaigrette (paid)

Summer Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, Swiss Chard and Bacon

Fresh and Pickled Cherry Salad with Parsley and Mint (paid)

Fennel-Apple Salad with Pancetta, Pecorino, and Pepitas (paid)

Radicchio Salad with Anchovy, Almonds & Parm (paid)

Zucchini Pesto Panzanella (paid)

Pickled Ginger Cucumber Melon Salad (paid)

Vegetable Sides

White Wine Braised Fennel over Cannellini Beans

Green Beans with Crispy Almond and Shallots

Roasted Radishes with Preserved Lemon and Chili Vinaigrette (paid)

Golden Beets over White Pepper Skyr (PW)

Carb Sides

Dinner Party Roasted Potatoes (Paid)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Sour Cream and Toasted Pepitas

Honeynut Squash with Smoky Seeded Salsa Macha

Rice Pilaf with Dried Fruits and Toasted Almonds (paid)

Pasta

Zucchini Miso Black Pepper Pasta (paid)

Red Wine Fennel Pork Ragu (paid)

Engagement Pasta aka Mussel Pasta with Breadcrumbs and Tomatoes

Chicken & Turkey

Herb Butter Roasted Chicken

Pickle Crunch Cutlets (paid)

Chutney Chicken (paid)

Apple Cider-Braised Chicken Legs with Garlic and Sage-Crisp (paid)

Chicken Thighs with Crispy Cabbage Za’arar Rice

Buttermilk & Tarragon Brined Chicken Thighs with Olive Gemolata

Fried Chicken & Dipping Sauces (paid)

Buttermilk Brined Roasted Turkey Leg

Beef, Pork & Lamb

Flat Iron Steak with Salsa Macha

Beefed-Up Meatballs

Smoked Paprika Brown Sugar Rubbed Pork Chops

Lamb Chops with Anchovy Fennel and Garlic Oil

Fish

The Dinner Party Salmon (paid)

Whole Grilled Branzino with Lemongrass and Lemon (paid)

Chili Buttered Grilled Shrimp (paid)

Cakes & Loaves

Morning Glory Loaf Cake (paid)

Orange & Earl Grey Loaf (paid)

Zucchini Walnut Loaf with Rosemary-Marscapone Whip

Preserved Lemon & Olive Oil Cake with Mascarpone Whip (paid)

Salty Honey Rhubarb Trifle (paid)

Rhubarb Strawberries and Cream Cake (paid)

Strawberry & Bay Leaf Honey Cream Cake (paid)

Matcha Tiramisu “Cake” (paid)

Biscoff and Chai Goat’s Cheese Cheesecake (paid)

Pies, Crisps & galettes

Flaky All-Butter Pie Crust

Mini Stone Fruit Pie (paid)

Apple Phyllo Custard Pie (paid)

Rhubarb & Frangipane Galette

Rhubarb Crisp with Honey and Bitters

Cookies and Bars

Fig & Frangipane Bars

Chewy Spiced Molasses Hazelnut Cookies

Brown Butter Malted Cereal Cookies (paid)

Thumbprints with Tamarind Caramel

Other Desserts:

Pink Peppercorn Chocolate Mousse (paid)

Raspberry-Ginger Eton Mess Mountain (paid)

Black Forest Baked Alaska (paid)

Caramelized Banana Latte Ice Cream

Honey Butter Roasted Pears with Crispy Almonds & Ice Cream (paid)

Vanilla Bean, Thyme and Honey Ice Cream

Melon & Jasmine Granita

Dinner Party Guides:

High-Seas

Fancy Fried Chicken

Herbes de Provence

Spring Brunch

Valentine’s Day

Thanksgiving

Crisp & Cozy

Stone Fruit Pie Party

Backyard Rodeo

Midsommar Supper

Anniversary Affair

The Gardener’s Table

Pickled Party

Nancy Meyers Dinner

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

Blistered Shishito peppers have made their way into the appetizer section of many Dinner at Isabelle’s menus. It’s quick, easy, and a good option for welcome nibble that’s a veggie (I feel like so many are always meat, cheese or carbs).

Usually I do them indoors on a cast iron, but they are perhaps even better done on a grill. Shishitos are pretty mild, so once they are blistered, I dress them with a tangerine and thai chilli mignonette (sounds fancy, very simple) and top them with some toasted sesame seeds to add the crunch back in.

Recipe:

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp tangerine juice

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 2 tbsp finely chopped shallot

• 1 Thai chili, with some seeds removed, finely chopped

• Salt, to taste

• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

• 1 lb shishito peppers

• Avocado oil, for coating

Directions:

1. Make the Mignonette: In a medium size bowl, combine the tangerine juice, apple cider vinegar, shallot and Thai chili. Season with salt to taste, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Toast the Sesame Seeds: Add the sesame seeds to a dry pan over medium heat. Toast for a few minutes, stirring or shaking the pan frequently, until golden and fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside.

   This will make more toasted sesame seeds than you will need for the recipe. Store any extra in an airtight container for another use.

3. Grill the Shishito Peppers: heat a grill (or cast iron pan) over high heat. Toss the shishito peppers with a light drizzle of avocado oil, then grill for a few minutes, turning as needed, until blistered and lightly charred.

4. Dress & Serve: Transfer the peppers to the bowl with mignonette, toss to coat. Transfer to a serving platter, leaving any excess mignonette behind. Season with salt, top with the toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Make-Ahead Instructions: The mignonette and toasted sesame seeds can be prepared in advance. Store the mignonette, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store the toasted sesame seeds separately in an airtight container at room temperature. Grill and dress the peppers just before serving.

That’s all for now! See you next time At Isabelle’s.

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

July is my favourite month of the year to host, and perhaps my favourite month generally. For me, a July dinner party will always make me want to grill. Last year, I hosted a Western themed barbecue, Think big, thick-cut pork chops, sweet potatoes with chipotle sour cream, salsas, cornbread and peach crumble. You get the vibe. So this July, I wanted to host the opposite kind of barbecue. Enter this month’s theme: The High-Seas.

You can read the dinner party break down below, or watch it in full (planning, decorating, DIYing, Cooking and Hosting) in my 45 min long YouTube Video!

Setting the Table & The Vibe:

I think a coastal-inspired dinner party is one of the easiest themes to land because there are so many fun ways to incorporate it. Of course, there are the more obvious elements: anything with fish, shells or really just the colour blue. But what I find more fun are the subtler ways to play with the theme.

Instead of thinking only about the “symbols” associated with a theme, like fish, shells, sand and lighthouses, also consider materials, colours and textures. Here are some of the things I think about when creating a nautical vibe:

• Blues, specifically navy OR a more ocean-like greeny-blue

• Sandy beige

• Crisp white

• Stripes

• Linen

• Wood (because boats)

• Brass and chunky silver (again think boat hardware)

• Chunky glassware

• Hammered glass, which almost looks like water

There are also tons of fun DIYs you can try, depending on how crafty you want to get. I’ve listed a few of the ones I made below!

Rope:

Rope is, of course, used extensively in boating. Not only is it one of the easiest and most affordable ways to add a nautical element to the table, but I also think it’s one of the chicest. It’s subtle, adds texture and feels like an obvious personal touch.

The thicker, the better here. I found mine at Dollarama and used it both to tie around the glassware and to make napkin rings. I am no Girl Scout, and I struggled harder than I would like to admit to learn actual sailing knots. Ultimately, I accepted defeat and resorted to a simple but pretty figure-eight knot. I then used a match to singe the ends of the rope. Because it was synthetic, the ends melted and sealed themselves.

I also loved the idea of using some kind of netting as a table runner or draping it over the drink bar. At one point, I felt ambitious enough to teach myself how to macramé it, but, to no one’s surprise, I did not have time for that.

Lighting:

In my opinion, this is not the theme for your beautiful pillar candles. Think a little more industrial! I was very lucky that my mom had some white metal lanterns that felt quite nautical, but hurricane lanterns would also be a great option. Look for something that feels a little more robust.

I also DIY’d some shell tea lights. I am not actually very crafty, but these are incredibly easy to make. The main caveat is practicality. They look great, but if your shells are anything like mine, they will be quite shallow, which means the candles burn quickly. Because the shells do not have flat bases, be prepared for some melted wax to spill onto your table and possibly ruin your favourite table runner. Some things are better left on Pinterest.

Menu in a Bottle:

Okay, so I was really proud of this idea, lol. Simple, effective and self-explanatory.

And before you ask, yes, I did individually stamp every single letter. Shockingly, I did not mess up the spelling or spacing once, which feels like an accomplishment in itself.

Building Menu

With a nautical theme, the world is your oyster. A lot of people suggested I go the lobster-and-oyster route, and while you definitely can, it’s just not really my style.

I always start planning my menu by thinking about the main, and whole grilled fish just felt right to me. It’s special, a little dramatic and, best of all, easy. For appetizers, I served grilled miso-marinated shrimp because head-on shrimp also felt right for the theme, along with ceviche for a fresh element and shell-shaped nori compound butter for an unexpected nod to the ocean vibe.

Since I did not grow up near the ocean, cooking seafood is still a skill I am developing and learning more about. I purchased this book to help me understand how to buy, store and prepare seafood. I also used a few recipes from it, including the miso-marinated shrimp and ceviche. If you are interested in becoming more confident cooking fish and other seafood, I found it to be an incredible resource for both practical guidance and inspiration. If you are interested here is the US Link for the book and here is the Canadian Link!

When choosing flavours and ingredients for the rest of the menu, I think seafood benefits from fresh, bright and spicy elements that help lift it. I used a ton of citrus, spicy ingredients like fresh ginger, jalapeño and Thai chillies, and brought in freshness with cilantro, mint and Thai basil.

Menu:

To Drink:

• Scurvy Cure, aka Salted Citrus Margaritas

• Cold-Steeped Jasmine Tea

To Start:

• Bread with Nori Compound Butter

• Miso-Marinated Grilled Head-On Shrimp

• Citrus and Sesame Blistered Shishito Peppers

• Snapper Ceviche with Sungolds

The Mains:

• Whole Grilled Branzino with Lemongrass and Lemon

• Pickled Ginger, Cucumber and Melon Salad

• Grilled Zucchini with Green Marinade

• Crispy Rice with Thai Basil

Dessert:

• Melon & Jasmine Granita

• Sheep’s Milk and Honey Frozen Yogurt

Recipes:

Read more

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

The idea of granita never really appealed to me. I couldn’t understand why I would choose something icy when I could have something smooth and creamy, like sorbet. But a failed attempt at Melon Jasmine Sorbet on Dinner Party Eve left me no choice but to pivot and salvage the mixture by turning it into granita. It ended up being the biggest hit of the night, with everyone going back not only for seconds, but thirds.

Granita is refreshing in a way sorbet isn’t. Each bite starts with the cold, fluffy crunch of the ice crystals, then quickly melts into a big hit of floral melon flavour. The contrast between the two is so satisfying and keeps you digging in for another spoonful.

Perhaps the best part is how easy it is to make. Simply blend, strain out the pulp, then scrape the mixture with a fork every now and then as it freezes. No fancy ice cream machine needed.

Recipe

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 heaping tbsp loose-leaf jasmine tea

• 5 cups peeled, seeded and chopped cantaloupe (30 oz; about 1/2 large cantaloupe)

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

Directions:

1. Make the Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the jasmine tea, cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain and set aside to cool.

2. Blend: Add the cantaloupe, lemon juice and cooled jasmine syrup to a high-powered blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1 minute.

3. Strain: Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Working in 2 batches, strain the mixture, using the back of a spoon to move the pulp around and press out as much liquid as possible. Discard the pulp.

4. Freeze and Fluff: Pour the strained mixture into a shallow, freezer-safe dish and freeze for 1 hour. Scrape and stir the forming ice crystals with a fork, then return the dish to the freezer. Repeat every 30 minutes or so until no liquid remains and the granita is light, fluffy and icy. The timing is forgiving, so don’t worry if you forget about it for an hour or a little longer. You may just need to scrape it a bit more firmly.

5. Serve and Store: Transfer to a lidded container, taking care not to press down or compact the granita. Freeze until ready to serve, then fluff with a fork before spooning into bowls.

Make-Ahead Instructions: The granita can be made a few days in advance and stored in the freezer. It is best enjoyed within 1 week of making.

That’s all for now! See you next time At Isabelle’s

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

Until a few weeks ago, the idea of grilling a whole fish felt very intimidating to me. It’s the kind of main that just feels special and makes you look like you really know what you are doing, but it is actually easy to prepare, quick to cook and surprisingly forgiving.

The most important part is starting with good fish. I bought these branzino from a local fishmonger. Look for clear eyes, firm flesh and a clean, fresh smell, with nothing noticeably fishy. Branzino are typically around 1 pound each. Depending on what else is on the table, how much your guests love fish and whether everyone is comfortable sharing, you can serve one fish per person or one between two.

This recipe calls for stuffing the fish with fennel fronds, the wispy green leaves at the ends of fennel stalks. They add a lovely flavour, and I am always looking for ways to use up fennel fronds. That said, it is not worth buying an entire bulb of fennel just to use a few fronds. They make sense if you are also serving something with fennel, like a shaved fennel salad, or plan to use the bulb in another meal that week. Otherwise, you can leave them out.

Recipe:

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Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

I feel like spritzes have taken over as the go-to cocktail of the summer. And while I do love a spritz, I completely forgot about my true favourite summer cocktail: Sangria.

My biggest gripe with a spritz comes down to practicality. When you are serving a crowd, each glass should ideally be freshly topped with soda water and prosecco, which means you are either constantly on drink duty or need to have a little instruction card out for guests. Both are fine, but it’s just another thing on your plate when hosting. On the other hand, if you just want to make a glass or two, you have to open a whole bottle of prosecco, which has a pretty limited lifespan if you want to preserve those optimal bubbles.

But that’s the beauty of sangria. It is quite good right away, but gets even better after a few hours or even a day. There is no need to top it with anything; as long as it’s chilled, it’s good to go. You can prep a pitcher ahead for a crowd, or make one for you and a loved one to enjoy over the weekend. Or heck, make a half batch and use the rest of the bottle of white wine for cooking! Plus, the wine-soaked fruit makes for a nice treat on its own or is delicious spooned over ice cream for an easy dessert.

At the end of the day, I am a girl who loves practicality, but also, I just really love sangria, especially this one.

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cherries, pitted and halved

• 2 orange

• 1/2 cup Cointreau

• 1 bottle chilled dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or dry Riesling

Directions

1. Muddle half of the cherries until they begin to release their juices. Slice one orange into thin wheels.

2. Add the muddled cherries, remaining halved cherries, sliced orange, juice from the second orange, Cointreau, and white wine to a large pitcher. Stir to combine.

3. Cover and refrigerate the sangria. Ideally, let it sit for a few hours before enjoying, or better yet, make it the day before. The muddled cherries and fresh orange juice give it a bit of a head start if you want to enjoy a glass sooner!

4. Serve chilled, over ice if desired.

That’s all for now! See you next time At Isabelle’s.

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

It has officially been two months (!!!) since Aaron and I got engaged. To celebrate, I wanted to recreate the pasta we had for lunch in Portoferraio, Italy, on the day he proposed.

I had absolutely no idea he was planning to propose on that trip, but leading up to it, he had done a ton of research and planned the perfect day for us in this tiny town on an Italian island. We visited two incredibly quiet beaches surrounded by dramatic cliffs and the most stunning water, went on a coastal walk, had the best gelato I have ever tasted and stopped for lunch at a small family-run restaurant.

It was at that lunch spot, overlooking the water, that we had the best mussel pasta. Aaron admittedly does not love mussels, but even he loved this one. It was a simple tomato pasta, but what surprised me was how the breadcrumbs were incorporated. I have had plenty of pastas topped with crispy breadcrumbs for texture, but never one with a sauce full of rehydrated ones. They brought so much body to the sauce, which clung to every strand of pasta and collected inside the mussel shells. I added some Calabrian chilli to my version for a little kick, since Aaron loves anything spicy, and finished it with torn basil.

Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided

• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2–3 tbsp Calabrian chilli paste, depending on the brand and your preferred spice level

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 lb mussels

• 1/2 cup white wine

• 170 g long pasta, such as linguine, spaghetti or bucatini

• 4 tbsp butter

• Basil, for topping (optional)

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. In a second medium pot or high-sided skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring or shaking the pot occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a bowl and set aside. Carefully wipe out the pot with a paper towel.

3. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in the same pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until lightly golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the Calabrian chilli paste and cherry tomatoes, then season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 5 minutes, gently crushing them with a spoon as they soften.

4. Add the mussels and white wine to the tomato mixture. Cover and cook, shaking the pot occasionally. Immediately add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente; it will finish cooking in the sauce.

5. After 3 minutes, uncover the pot and check the mussels. Transfer any opened mussels to a large bowl. Continue cooking, covered, for another 1 to 2 minutes if needed, removing the mussels as they open. Discard any mussels that remain closed.

6. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the butter and allow it to melt into the sauce, then add all of the toasted breadcrumbs and stir until fully incorporated.

7. Using tongs or a pasta fork, transfer the pasta directly from the boiling water to the sauce. Add a ladleful of pasta water directly from the pot and toss continuously over medium-low heat until the pasta is fully cooked and the sauce is emulsified and clings to the strands, adding more pasta water as needed.

8. Divide the pasta between two bowls, top with the mussels and finish with torn basil, if desired.

That’s all for now! See you next time At Isabelle’s.

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

If you are serving up homemade cocktails I think it is important to have a non alcoholic option that isn’t from a can. Enter the shrub: a drinking vinegar and my go-to solution for the zero-proof option at most of my dinner parties.

Shrubs are usually made with a 1:1:1 ratio of fruit, sugar, and vinegar. This recipe uses cucumber, but I have also made them with strawberries and stone fruit, so once you get the hang of it, the world is your oyster. It brings a ton of flavour and brightness, which means all you really need is soda water to turn it into the perfect refreshing mocktail.

Shrubs are very easy to make, but their one drawback is that they really do need time to age. A couple of days will work, but ideally you want to give it a week. That time lets the flavours mellow, otherwise the vinegar can taste a little harsh. The good news is that your shrub will happily keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks. Some online resources say months, but I always finish mine before then.

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Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

If I could serve this at every dinner party I would. I have served it at 4 Dinner at Isabelle’s and it is one of my most repeated recipes. It is the ultimate dinner party protein because it looks impressive, incredibly easy and, best of all, can be made hours in advance. While you could serve it warm, I actually prefer it served chilled and feel like it tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge. Also making it perfect answer for summer hosting on hot nights.

I also really don’t like to do too much to the salmon itself because it doesn’t need much. Keep it simple with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then have fun with what you serve alongside it. Something bright, herby, and briny, like a caper chimichurri or salsa verde, is perfect here.

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Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

Growing up, my mom used to make something we called bread salad: golden olive oil croutons that would soak up a bright, lemony dressing, with tons of fresh herbs and garlic. It wasn’t until I left home for school that I realized this wasn’t exactly my mom’s invention, but more of a loose twist on panzanella.

While panzanella is typically loaded with tomatoes, bread salad will always feel green to me. This version meets somewhere in the middle: instead of tomatoes, I use big chunks of roasted zucchini, but I keep it lemony, herby, and fresh like my mom’s. Instead of her go-to parsley, I load it with basil and everything that makes pesto pesto: toasted pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and, of course, lots and lots of Parmesan.

Recipe

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Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

When it comes to cocktails, I am always about keeping it easy and using whatever I have on hand. I rarely follow recipes, and I loathe going to the store to buy a full bottle of something I only need an ounce of, only for it to sit in my cupboard for years.

Hence why I love a framework. Take advantage of whatever you have on hand and play around to create the flavour pairing of your dreams.

With summer finally here, it only felt fitting to partner with Vitamix to share my formula for frozen cocktails. If you blend your favourite fruit, spirit, citrus, and infused sweetener, you are already on track for a delicious drink, but one of the biggest factors is texture. That is where my Vitamix Ascent X5 comes in. Texture can make or break a frozen cocktail, and while many blenders struggle to power through frozen fruit, the Vitamix creates an incredibly smooth, slushy consistency every time, with no icy chunks getting in the way of the perfect sip.

It is also one of the reasons I use it for so much more than cocktails. Whether I am making homemade nut butters, creamy dips for hosting, or silky soups, the power and consistency make a noticeable difference. It is one of those kitchen tools that earns its keep year-round, but especially in the summer when that frozen drink craving hits!

Keep in mind that different fruits will bring varying levels of sweetness, acidity, and texture, especially depending on how ripe they were when frozen. Use this formula as your guide, then taste and adjust as you go. A little more citrus can brighten things up, while an extra touch of sweetener can create balance. Consider it an invitation to play around and create your ideal frozen cocktail.

Recipe

Garden Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup water

• Your garden accent of choice: mint, basil, ginger, chili, lemongrass, or another favourite herb or aromatic

Directions:

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.

   1. For delicate herbs like mint or basil, remove the syrup from the heat before adding the herbs. Let steep for at least 20 minutes, or ideally overnight in the refrigerator for a more pronounced flavour.

   2. For sturdier ingredients like fresh ginger, chili, or lemongrass, add them while the syrup is heating and let them gently simmer as the sugar dissolves. For a stronger flavour, let steep for at least 20 minutes, or ideally overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Strain the syrup and discard the solids before using.

Frozen Garden Cocktails

Makes 2

Ingredients:

• 3 cups frozen fruit, such as peaches, pineapple, melon, or strawberries

• 2 oz freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice

• 1-2 oz infused simple syrup, such as mint, basil, ginger, chili, or lemongrass

• 3 oz spirit, such as gin, tequila, or vodka

• Chilled soda water or Prosecco, to top

Directions:

1. Place your cocktail glasses in the freezer.

2. Add the frozen fruit, freshly squeezed citrus, infused simple syrup, and spirit to the Vitamix Ascent X5. Blend on the Frozen Cocktail setting until you reach a perfectly smooth slush.

3. Pour into the chilled glasses, top with soda water or Prosecco, and garnish with additional fruit and garden accents.

That’s all for now! See you next time At Isabelle’s.

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

Crisps are one of those desserts that require very little effort but deliver a lot of reward. No electric mixer, no food processor, no finicky pie crust, just a couple of bowls, your hands, and maybe a spoon. This one keeps the classic rhubarb crisp formula intact but makes it a little more interesting with the addition of Angostura bitters.

Most often used in cocktails, Angostura is something I always have on hand, and I love finding ways to work it into desserts. It is strong and concentrated, bringing in notes of warming spice, orange peel, and herbal bitterness. Here, it adds depth to a dessert that might otherwise lean mostly tart and sweet.

Baked fruit desserts are usually finished with ice cream, which is obviously delicious, but after eating the leftovers of this crisp basically straight from the fridge, I realized I might actually prefer it with thick, unsweetened Greek yogurt. Maybe it’s a sign of getting older, but sometimes I find vanilla ice cream a little too sweet! Either way, whatever you spoon on top, finish it with a few more dashes of bitters.

Recipe

Standard crisp recipes typically call for 3 lbs of fruit, but I only had 1.5 lbs of rhubarb and wasn’t feeding a crowd, so this makes one smaller crisp that will happily feed 4.

A note on sweetness: Rhubarb varies in tartness, so start with 1/3 cup honey if you like things tart-sweet, or increase to 1/2 cup if you prefer a sweeter crisp.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces, leaves removed

• Zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1/3 cup honey

• 8-10 dashes of Angostura bitters

• 1/2 cup butter, cold cut into cubes

• 1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant!)

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup flour

• Pinch of salt

• 1/2 cup chopped almonds

• Vanilla ice cream and additional bitters for serving (optional, but not really)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. In a large bowl, combine the chopped rhubarb, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, and bitters. Mix so everything is evenly coated.

3. In a separate bowl, add the butter, oats, brown sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms an evenly mixed crumble. Add the almonds and toss to distribute.

4. Transfer the rhubarb mixture to a shallow baking dish (mine had a 1.6 L capacity; I would not go bigger. This is about half the size of your typical-sized crumble). Sprinkle the crumble topping all over the top.

5. Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any bubbled-over filling and bake until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden and crisp, about 40 minutes.

6. Let cool slightly before serving with scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with a few more dashes of bitters.

That’s all for now! See you next time At Isabelle’s.

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

If you follow me on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, you may have seen that I recently hosted a Fancy Fried Chicken Dinner Party, complete with 30 pieces of freshly fried chicken, piles of homemade fries, a caviar bar, and something I like to call an Eton Mess Mountain.

Ironically, the most casual parts of the menu were also the hardest to pull off: the fried chicken and fries. That T-fal deep fryer was holding on for dear life. I do not say this to scare you off from making fried chicken, because you can and you should, but frying for a large crowd, with multiple fried components and one small countertop fryer, is not for the faint of heart. That being said, we pulled it off, and it was some of the best damn fried chicken I have ever had.

Beyond the logistics, this was probably one of my favourite themes I have ever done. I loved the contrast of very casual food and drinks, the kind you might associate with a fast-food joint, served against a more formal backdrop of caviar, an all-black dress code, white linens, and silver platters. There were beer cans, Coke cans, and plastic squeeze bottles of dipping sauces sitting beside silver platters piled with fried chicken and fries. That was the whole point. The food was dressed up without losing the joy of it, and the whole thing came together in a way that felt fun, elegant, and a little unexpected.

This was also not my regular monthly dinner party. It was a bit of a special edition, because this May marked two full years of hosting monthly themed dinner parties. It all started in May 2024 with a Spring Chicken party, so doing another chicken party felt like the perfect way to commemorate it. At the time, I set a loose goal to host one dinner party a month, but I do not know if I actually thought I would stick to it, let alone keep it going for two full years.

Not to be sappy, but Dinner at Isabelle’s has changed my life. I have learned so much and improved my skills in the kitchen and as a host. It has opened doors I never could have imagined in my work, but also on a personal level. I do not host the same people every time, but I have friends who have now been to ten or more of these dinners, and seeing those friendships grow around the table just makes my heart warm.

If you have not already watched it, and you enjoy dinner party content, I am going to shamelessly plug the YouTube video here too. I post these monthly alongside the content on Instagram and TikTok. The videos are usually around 40 minutes long, and you get to see so much more of the process. Also, I am really proud of them lol.

Okay, enough being sappy. Let’s dive into some details.

Setting the Table & Vibe

The whole point of this theme is the contrast between the very casual food ( fried chicken, French fries, beer, Coke cans, Ritz crackers ) and the decor. It is about taking food that typically leans fast food platter and dressing it up without losing the joy of it

The party was held in my sunroom, using my outdoor dining table, so the challenge was making a rustic outdoor setup feel elegant enough to carry the theme. I had to lean in pretty hard. I covered both the table and my desk, which became the bar, in large white tablecloths, then pulled out every bit of silver I have collected over the years: cutlery, serving dishes, goblets, napkin rings, coasters, candlestick holders. Whatever was not being served on a silver platter was served on classic white dishware.

The palette was very restrained. The only real colour came from the trees visible outside the windows and the green stems on the white flowers. It was neutral, but not plain. The goal was polished and fancy, almost bridal in its crispness — which is very funny timing since I did just get engaged, but that was not intentional.

I do not typically buy new tableware pieces for dinner parties, but for this one I made an exception. I did some extra sourcing at my favourite vintage and antique store, and I was also spoiled by my friends at Pottery Barn with a pieces that helped my full vision to life. That said, I still think the best tables are usually built slowly over time. Silver is the kind of thing I believe in collecting and curating little by little. Even a few pieces can have a big effect when they are paired with simple white dishware.

If you are in the market for silver pieces, I highly recommend checking local thrift stores first. If you live outside of a big city, even better. I usually have better luck finding quality pieces in smaller-town thrift stores, while city ones can feel very picked over. If you do not want to hunt, go to a local antique store. They are usually packed with silver, though you will pay a pretty penny for the convenience of curation.

The Menu

To Drink:

• Modelo Especial

• Lemonade, for shandies

• Champagne

• Coca-Cola

To Start:

• Caviar Bar (caviar, crème fraîche, thinly sliced chives, and Ritz crackers)

• Crudités Tower

• Confit Garlic Whipped Ricotta Dip

• Assorted Pickles

The Mains

• Dinner Party Fried Chicken

• Homemade French Fries

• Buttermilk Baby Gem Salad

• Maple Mustard Dipping Sauce

• Creamy Garlic Horseradish Sauce

• Hot Honey Butter

Dessert:

• Raspberry Ginger Eton Mess Mountain

Recipes:

Lemonade

Makes 10-12 servings (~2.7L)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 8 lemons

• Strips of zest from 1 lemon, removed with a vegetable peeler

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup water, for the syrup

• 8 cups cold water

• Ice, for serving

Directions:

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove strips of zest from 1 lemon, avoiding as much of the bitter white pith as possible.

2. In a small pot, combine the lemon zest, sugar, and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 2–3 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat and let the zest steep in the syrup as it cools. Once cooled, remove and discard the zest.

4. Juice the lemons until you have 2 cups of fresh lemon juice. Pass the juice through a fine mesh sieve to remove any seeds and excess pulp.

5. In a large pitcher or drink dispenser, combine the lemon juice, cooled lemon syrup, and 8 cups cold water. Stir well.

6. Taste and adjust as needed. The lemonade should be bright and slightly sweet, especially if serving over plenty of ice.

Shandy

Ingredient:

• Lemonade

• Beer of choice (something light and crisp, avoid anything too hoppy, sours, stouts, bitter IPA styles)

Directions:

1. Combine beer and water! A classic shandy is roughly equal parts of each, but I usually do 2 parts beer 1 part lemonade.

Confit Garlic Whipped Ricotta Dip

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 small head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled

• 1 cup olive oil, or enough to fully submerge the garlic

• 2 cups whole-milk ricotta

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Crudités, for serving, such as thinly sliced watermelon radishes, snap peas,

• cucumber spears, and carrots

• Kettle-cooked potato chips, for serving

Directions:

1. Confit the garlic: In a small pot, combine the peeled garlic cloves and olive oil. The garlic should be fully submerged, so add a little more oil if needed.

2. Place over very low heat and gently cook until the cloves are golden, tender, and easily pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the cloves. The oil should barely bubble; if it begins to fry aggressively, lower the heat.

3. Remove from the heat and let the garlic cool in the oil.

4. Make the dip: Using a fork, mash 4 cloves of confit garlic into a paste.

5. Add the garlic paste to a small food processor, along with the ricotta, 1 teaspoon of the garlic confit oil, and a generous pinch of salt. Process until very smooth and fluffy, 1–2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.

6. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, additional confit garlic, or another teaspoon of garlic oil, if desired. Process again until completely smooth.

7. Spoon the whipped ricotta into a serving bowl. Serve with crudités and kettle-cooked potato chips.

Note: Since you are already making garlic confit, you can add extra peeled cloves to the pot and save them for another use. Store any extra garlic confit in a clean airtight jar, fully covered in the oil, in the refrigerator. Use within 4 days.

Dinner Party Fried Chicken + Dipping Sauces

Recipe for Fried Chicken & Dipping Sauces in this Substack Post

Baby Gems with Buttermilk Ranch

Recipe for Baby Gems with Buttermilk Ranch in this Substack Post

Homemade French Fries

I used the “Triple-Cooked” fry recipe from Joshua Weissmann, linked here

Raspberry-Ginger Eton Mess Mountain

Recipe in for the Eton Mess Mountain in this Substack Post

That’s all for now! See you next time At Isabelle’s.

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

If I learnt one thing from frying 30 pieces of chicken for a big dinner party, it is that it is not for the faint of heart. But I do think this is the best way to tackle it.

One of the good things about frying is that so many foods benefit from a double fry, which actually makes the process much easier. I fry the chicken first at a lower temperature until each piece is cooked through and the coating is a pale golden colour. At this point, the base of that beautiful crust is already established and, more importantly, the chicken is cooked. The second fry happens shortly before serving and is really just a matter of reheating the chicken and getting that perfect golden, craggy crust.

I also give you instructions on how to hold the fully fried pieces in the oven so they stay warm and do not dry out while you finish frying the rest. My friends brought leftovers home to their partners, and many of them DM’d me later to say they ate it right away, at room temperature, and it was still some of the best fried chicken they had ever had.

Although the fried chicken is the star here, these dipping sauces are delicious and incredibly easy. The creamy garlic horseradish is my personal favourite.

Fried Chicken

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