Café Zupas Blog

Edible Gifts for the New Year: Salted Caramels

December 28th, 2011 - by

Not all holiday aspirations come to fruition before Christmas, despite our best efforts. But that’s okay…how lucky that New Years Day is just around the corner. I love the French tradition of sending out holiday cards for the new year, and I also love the idea of making edible gifts for neighbors and friends on January 1 as well.  It’s a great way to spread the holiday cheer well beyond Christmas.

At the top of my list of edible gifts are salted caramels.  I’ve got my candy thermometer rearing to go, packaging procured and yummy French salts in the cupboard.  Now I just need to decide which of these six delicious recipes to make…which would you choose?

Recipes below:

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Announcing the Zupas Blogger Cookbook!

December 20th, 2011 - by

We are excited to announce the first annual Zupas Blogger Favorites Cookbook…a collection of some of our favorite recipes all in one tidy book.  It’s a beautiful book featuring delicious recipes, pretty photographs and great tips for the home cook.  The Blogger Favorites cookbook is laid out nicely, the perfect size and reasonably priced.  We are proud to offer it in our shop, in our cafes and even in kiosks in local Utah malls (you can also view a handful of pages here).  Caroline, Jen, Deborah, Kelsey and myself all contributed recipes and we know you’ll love having so many favorites all in one place.  Enjoy!

image via stephmodo

Meyer Lemon Sugar Cookies

December 13th, 2011 - by


Last weekend I attended a cookie-decorating party at a friend’s home out in the country…such a great idea for a party, right?  I can’t tell you how fun it was to participate in something as simple as cookie decorating.  Seriously, when is the last time you did that during the holidays?  With so many more pressing tasks always at hand, it’s certainly not anywhere close to the top of our priority lists, and that is precisely why it was so much fun to do.

If you’re looking for a delicious sugar cookie that’s a step up from your basic sugar cookie,  you’ll likely appreciate these Meyer Lemon Sugar Cookies I brought to share…they hit the spot for me!

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Favorite Holiday Cookie Cookbook

December 6th, 2011 - by

‘Tis the time of year for cookie exchanges, neighbor gifts, and a party here and there.  Wanting to make a great cookie but not in the mood to experiment with 10 different recipes before finding something you deem worthy to share?  Well, I’ll save you some legwork this month and share with you a book I recommend year round, but particularly during the holidays.

It’s called Martha Stewart’s Cookies: the Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share and it’s fantastic.  Every recipe I’ve tried so far is delicious and there is such a variety of flavors and textures that you can always find something you’re in the mood to make at any given moment.  There are crunchy cookies, soft cookies, colorful cookies, simple cookies, fancy schmancy cookies and filled cookies.  It’s a one-stop shop for any cookie lover and I highly recommend it!

You can find this book at your local bookstore (be sure to call ahead first though!) or on sale on Amazon right now.  Happy Baking!

image by Stephanie Brubaker

How to Crisp Lettuce (a.k.a. Saying Goodbye to Limp Salads!)

November 29th, 2011 - by

My intent today is to save you from consuming another wilty salad…we will have no more of that!  Nothing takes the fun out of eating salad more than limp lettuce, so I’m going to share a super easy “how-to” that takes just a few minutes.  My husband taught me this simple method years ago when we first married, and I can’t tell you how excited I was to never have to eat a soggy salad again.  My world changed in under 5 minutes! Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference and I definitely feel this little trick has done just that.

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{Holiday} Baking Prep 101

November 22nd, 2011 - by

With just a couple of days until Thanksgiving is here, you’ve probably started thinking about holiday baking, right?  Frankly, it’s difficult not to, with all the pie planning in effect and the holiday issues on the stands at the market.  Truly one of Christmas’s most endearing “qualities” is the baking the holiday inspires.  Is there anything more heartwarming than a baked good on your porch that a friend or neighbor prepared from scratch?

Today I’d like to share some ideas on keeping holiday baking fun and the stress minimal.  After all, there’s little reward when baking feels like drudgery; and, sometimes all it takes is a little organization.  Here it goes:

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Winter Squash Soup with Apples + Creme Fraiche

November 15th, 2011 - by

This delicious soup converted my husband to squash soup, something he previously didn’t care for one bit.  I love to make this for guests as it’s not only a crowd pleaser, but can be made ahead of time.  You can find kuri squash at farmer’s markets and also at nicer grocery stores like Whole Foods.  Crème fraiche can be picked up at Trader Joes, Harmons and Whole Foods.

Winter Squash Soup with Apples

(adapted from Bon Appétit)

1 red kuri squash, peeled, de-seeded and chopped into approximately 1 inch cubes

1 small butternut squash

1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 a stick)

1 onion, finely chopped

4 large garlic cloves, minced

48 ounces organic chicken stock (or homemade)

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

3/4 teaspoon coarse gray salt (or other quality coarse sea salt)

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar

1 apple, peeled and finely chopped (Ambrosia, Honey Crisp or any crisp apple will do)

1 small lemon

1/4 cup crème fraiche

For soup: 

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes making sure the garlic is not overcooked.  Then, add the broth, squash and dried herbs, making sure to just barely cover the squash with stock.  Bring to boil. Then, reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender or with an immersion blender. Return soup to same pot. Stir in cream and sugar; bring to slight simmer. Season with gray salt and a little fresh ground pepper.

p.s. this soup can be made up to 1 day ahead.  Be sure to cool the soup before chilling in the fridge.  Rewarm before serving.

For the apple garnish: 

Peel and finely chop the apple. Place apples in a small bowl.  Squeeze fresh-squeezed lemon juice over the apples and toss to coat the apples evenly.  After serving up the soup into bowls, garnish each bowl with a spoonful of apples, a dollop of crème fraiche and a pinch of gray sea salt.  Enjoy!

image by Stephanie Brubaker / stephmodo

How to Make Your Own Pumpkin Pureé

November 9th, 2011 - by

Making a pumpkin pie from scratch is not as difficult as it may sound (and I’m no expert pie-maker here!).  True, making a pie from scratch means forgoing the seemingly convenient canned pumpkin; but, I promise the homemade alternative is worth the extra 10 or 15 minutes of effort.  Your pie will be brighter in color, richer in texture, and more delicious in taste. Now, how can you pass that up?! Plus, you never know when a flood will wash over our nation’s pumpkin fields (like it did 3 years ago) and if you have frozen homemade pureé on hand then there’s no need to be distressed!  Oh and when you make that homemade pumpkin pie, be sure to save a few wedges for the next morning…chilled pumpkin pie makes for the best breakfast!

Here’s how you to make your own pumpkin puree:
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{Heavenly} Gray Sea Salt Chocolate Brownies

November 1st, 2011 - by

I love good salt and I love good chocolate…now why not combine the two and create a square of heavenly goodness?  I daresay you will not return to a boxed brownie mix again if you make these from scratch.  They aren’t laborious and really all you need are some good ingredients in your pantry. Be forewarned that once you start eating them you won’t be able to stop…so plan on sharing with a few friends and neighbors :)

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Lemon Herb Roast Chicken with Vegetables

October 27th, 2011 - by


This is my go-to recipe when I am craving a comfort meal that’s not just delicious but easy to prepare as well.  And with chillier weather now upon us, I find myself thinking about this dish all the time.  You’ll be glad you sprung for a plump, juicy organic chicken here.  They can be found at Trader Joes, Costco and Whole Foods.  If you buy your chicken from the latter, they will even remove the giblets for you at the counter if the thought gives you the heebee jeebees; or, you can just use latex gloves like I do.

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