The Origin of the French Dip Sandwich

You know the French Dip… the warm roast beef sandwich served on a baguette and dipped into the beef broth (“au jus”) at your will?  It would seem to be very obvious to claim that it originated in France but… it wasn’t!  The French Dip was actually formulated in Los Angeles, CA in 1908!

We know, that information surprised us as well.  Something even more interesting though is that there is actually an ongoing battle between two LA restaurants (both established in the year 1908) regarding who created it!  The battling establishments, Cole’s Pacific Electric Buffet and Philippe the Original, still exist to this day and opening claim their rights to brag about the birth of the French Dip Sandwich. The most popular story of how the American favorite came to be is of Philippe Mathieu, who was making a sandwich for a police officer and accidently dropped it into the pan of meat drippings.  The officer thoroughly enjoyed the masterpiece, and its popularity has been growing ever since.  Both restaurants refuse to budge when boasting their contribution to the sandwich world, but who can blame them?

We may never solve the mystery of the originator of the French Dip, but as long as we can still enjoy its juicy and delicious existence, we don’t mind!

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How To Make: Chicken Pot Pie

If you have visited Stanford Grill or any of our Copper Canyon Grills, you have probably come face to face with our scrumptious chicken pot pies! It’s so hard to resist them once that savory aroma has wafted to your table… Why did I just order a salad – again?!

If it is difficult to get our chicken pot pies off your mind after giving them a little taste (or even just a thought!), have no fear because today we would like to share with you an easy and fool-proof recipe to make your very own at home!

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup frozen green peas

1/2 cup sliced celery

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup milk

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)

2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

3. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Gluten Free-dom

Did you know that at both Stanford Grill and all of our Copper Canyon Grill locations we have a gluten-free menu?

Eating gluten-free has numerous health benefits, including improving cholesterol levels, promoting digestive health, and increasing energy levels (if you have a gluten intolerance)! Don’t be fooled though, just because something is gluten-free does not mean there will be a sacrifice of flavor!

Our gluten-free menu at Copper Canyon Grill is graced with dishes such as our classic Wood-Fired Rotisserie Chicken, saucy BBQ Ribs, Filet (with no Cabernet Sauce), Ice Cream, and much more, while our Stanford menu also contains fulfilling plates such as fresh Tuna Sashimi and a Hardwood Grilled Filet as well.

If you are on a restrictive gluten-free diet, don’t let it get you down! We have you covered with delicious alternatives that will leave you coming back for more!

Mother’s Day Brunch

If there is anyone in this world who deserves a day dedicated to them, it’s our moms.  Luckily for them, Mother’s Day is tomorrow which is Sunday, our favorite day of the week!  We can’t think of a better way to bring the family together than our Sunday Brunch.  At our Silver Spring, MD Copper Canyon location and at Stanford, you and your family can celebrate the most special lady in your life over sweet offerings like our French Toast with caramelized bananas and Grand Marnier cream sauce or a Triple Stack of either blueberry or banana nut pancakes.  Of course, if you don’t have much of a sweet tooth, our other breakfast classics such as Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine, Omelets, and even Filet Mignon Benedict should be equally enticing!

Did we mention the complimentary refreshments? Everything from coffee, orange juice, and tea to Bloody Marys, Bellinis, Screwdrivers and Mimosas!

Mom’s always deserve the best, and for this year’s Mother’s Day, let us provide her with the “breakfast in bed” while you get to enjoy her company.

Don’t forget to make your reservations!

How To Make: Raspberry Sauce

You’ve just finished dinner here at Stanford Grill, and something seems to be missing… dessert, of course! A crowd-pleaser that satisfies the after-dinner sweet tooth is our Raspberry Cheesecake. What makes this cloud-like dessert so delicious, you wonder? Besides the classic cake itself, we have to give the honor to our gooey and satisfying raspberry sauce. We love it so much, we’ve decided to let you in on a simple recipe so you can make it, too!

All you need is:

1 pint of fresh raspberries

¼ cup of white sugar

2 tablespoons of orange juice

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

1 cup of cold water

Directions:

1) Combine raspberries, sugar, and OJ in a saucepan. Whisk the cornstarch into the cold water until smooth, and then add the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil.

2) Simmer for about 5 minutes while stirring constantly until the desired consistency is reached.  The sauce will thicken as it cools.

3) Puree the sauce in a blender and strain it through a fine sleeve.

Ta-da! You can serve your homemade raspberry sauce warm or cold, and it’s great on everything from cheesecake, to ice cream, or even mixed in yogurt! Also, this mixture will last about 2 weeks if kept in the fridge, so you can save any extra you have until later.

Happy cooking!