Amanda Gabriele, InsideHook Journalist Profile

Articles

5 Homemade Barbecue Sauce Recipes From Pro Chefs

1 day ago | insidehook.com | Amanda Gabriele

I rarely use store-bought barbecue sauce. Save for Sweet Baby Ray’s, most of the stuff on the shelf pales in comparison to the deep, tangy flavors you can achieve by whipping it up at home. And yes, there are a million recipes out there, but I wanted to narrow it down by asking five pro chefs and pitmasters for their favorite recipes to make at home and in their restaurants.
8 Summer Whiskeys That Are Perfect for Warm-Weather Sipping

2 days ago | insidehook.com | Amanda Gabriele

Nota bene: All products in this article are independently selected and vetted by InsideHook editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. I’m a big whiskey gal, so even oppressive summer heat can’t stop me from enjoying a good bourbon or rye. I love them in a refreshing cocktail, but even on a day like today (the real feel is currently 94 degrees), you can find me sipping my favorite whiskey neat.
8 Whiskeys That Are Perfect for Summer Sipping

2 days ago | flipboard.com | Amanda Gabriele

2 hours agoPlanning a Caribbean Getaway? Don’t Make These 12 Rookie MistakesPlanning a Caribbean trip? Here’s what not to do if you want to keep things smooth and stress-free.The post Planning a Caribbean Getaway? Don’t Make …3 hours agoI'm a Cocktail Expert. This Is My Go-To Bourbon Cocktail to Beat Brutal Summer HeatThis deliciously cold cocktail is perfect when it’s hazy, hot and humid outside. The smash category of mixed drink dates to the 19th century, and it …
It Doesn’t Get More Summertime Than Grilled Fish Tacos

1 week ago | insidehook.com | Amanda Gabriele

There’s something about hot weather that makes me crave fish tacos. Maybe it’s because I first fell in love with them at Tacoway Beach following a long day on the sand. After sunning and swimming for hours, there’s nothing more satisfying than eating fried fish tacos in-between bites of elote. The fish taco’s roots can be traced back to Baja California, where laidback beach culture is king and fresh fish abounds.
The 10 Best Things We Drank at Bar Convent Brooklyn

1 week ago | insidehook.com | Kirk Miller |Amanda Gabriele

Now celebrating its seventh year, Bar Convent Brooklyn is a boozy conference that seems to be bucking downward industry trends. The 2025 edition, held June 10-11 in Brooklyn’s Industry City, featured thousands of attendees, hundreds of spirits brands and a ridiculous number of after-parties.
The Pickle Margarita Is the Drink of Summer

1 week ago | insidehook.com | Amanda Gabriele

Leisure > Drinks > Cocktails Sweet, sour AND briny?
The Most Overrated Food Trends, According to 17 Chefs

2 weeks ago | insidehook.com | Amanda Gabriele

When does a food trend go too far? It depends who you ask. For me, I can’t get enough of the caviar craze, but others think it’s excessive. Meanwhile, I’m sick of seeing American cheese everywhere, ruining perfectly good burgers; but some swear it has the best texture, even though it tastes disgusting. Obviously, this is a subject many chefs have strong opinions on, so I asked 17 of them what they think are the most overrated food trends right now.
Father's Day Cookbooks to Gift Every Type of Dad

2 weeks ago | insidehook.com | Amanda Gabriele

Nota bene: All products in this article are independently selected and vetted by InsideHook editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an avid cookbook collector and enthusiast, I never get tired of writing about the subject. While I love to buy them for myself, cookbooks also make great gifts.
This Homemade Limoncello Has an Unexpected Twist

3 weeks ago | insidehook.com | Amanda Gabriele

There are few greater joys than finishing a meal with an ice-cold glass of limoncello. Like many drink origin stories, we’re not exactly sure where limoncello was invented. Some say it was first made by monks, as Italy’s monasteries are known for their liqueur production. Others say farmers on the Amalfi Coast started making it in the 1800s as a way to preserve their lemon crop.
It’s Time to Stop Dissing Vodka

4 weeks ago | insidehook.com | Amanda Gabriele

If I had a nickel for every time someone said “I like everything but vodka,” I could do a load of laundry (which, at $1.50 a wash for my building’s machine, is a lot of nickels). People love to hate on vodka. But really, what has vodka done to you? Showed up in a few mediocre vodka crans that you yourself ordered? Perhaps dressed itself up in vanilla and splashed into a Diet Coke? Vodka’s just trying to get you loosey goosey, and you pay her no respect.