Epicurious.com: Editor's Blog

Beer Maps

Joanne Camas — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:56:11 -0400

Looking for a good refreshing brew? Wander aimlessly no more: Chicagoist shares this cool brewery map from NYC designers Pop Chart Lab (map prints are 20% off until June 1 here). (Thanks, Mike Andrick!) The Beer Mapping Project offers city maps and international beer maps by country for serious imbibers. Want to know more about beer? Head back to the design geniuses at Pop Chart Lab for "The world's most comprehensive beer taxonomy, with 89 varieties of beer with over 200 representative quaffs, another fascinating, complex illustration. (Love cocktails? Fear not. There's a chart for those too, from spirits to mixers.) Hopefully this info will slake your thirst in this sudden burst of summer. And if you don't want to leave your air-conditioning, try these delicious summer beers and cocktails at home. Photo: CN Digital Studio

Rhubarb Plus or Minus Strawberries

Regina Schrambling — Wed, 30 May 2012 15:00:00 -0400

After getting a mini-rise on broiling, I've decided this should be my week for contrarianism. So here's today's burning question: Does rhubarb need strawberries? I like this very strange vegetable on its own, with no namby-pamby berries added to the sugar you have to add to make it palatable. But we're apparently now in peak season for hyphenated pies and other desserts, and too many recipes make you buy two ingredients even though the strawberries have yet to catch up to the pieplant in ripeness. I will say I was pretty disappointed in the first recipe I tried this year for solo rhubarb, one I'd clipped from a newspaper (remember when we had to do that?) It was for "puffs" that turned out to be distant cousins of individual pudding cakes, but the taste was more sugar than rhubarb. Might as well add strawberries. Photo taken Sunday at Gajeski Produce Farm's stand on Columbus Avenue, where strawberries took up more space than this heap of leafy stalks.

Lopez de Heredia Rosado 2000

Hugh Acheson — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:00:00 -0400

Lopez de Heredia is a very special estate when it comes to the world of wine. Founded in 1877 after Europe was recovering from being plundered by the phylloxera louse, Heredia built quickly to fill a void. Phylloxera didn't maul Spain the way it did the mainland, so there was vast opportunity to grow in the libations world. After more than a hundred years, the winery is now regaled as pretty much the best Rioja producer out there. When I think Rioja, I think earthy complexity, an antiqued homage to Tempranillo, an ode to a forgotten time in wine when the aim wasn't 15 percent alcohol and thick dark stuff. Rather, Riojas possess an elegance that in the right way more reminds me of Burgundy than of the rest of Spain. We all can revel in the reds through the line (just had the 1985 Tondonia Rioja Red last week...yummypants), and they excel at whites but when in your life will you have a rosé with 12 years of age on it? The 2000 vintage of Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rosado Gran Reserva (it's a mouthful of a name) is the wine at hand, and I was lucky enough to try it again recently. We have it on a couple of lists at the restaurants and have had some wine dinners with the Heredia family but this was a different night. This was a night with rosé to pair with some tacos, and that's what I did. Corn tortillas, pulled pork, spicy salsa, cilantro, lime, and queso fresco. The age of the wine is the first thing that woos you. It's an expensive proposition to keep a wine in inventory this long before selling it. Costly and rare that it is, Heredia holds back vintages longer than pretty much anyone I know in the wine world. They are sticklers for showing off how their wines can age and releasing them when they think they should be drunk. This stunning rosado is a trilogy of grapes, with Garnacha taking the starring role, aided in the scene by Tempranillo and Viura. It is aged in barrel for 4 1/2 years and then held in bottle for a while longer before release. Most of the world views rosé as a treat to drink young, and I wouldn't normally disagree, but the Heredia attention to detail makes this a thoroughly wondrous thing, and not just an oddity. Coppery and full bodied, it's one of those wines that if it was a touch warmer in the glass and you were blindfolded, most of you (and me) would have a hard time picking it as a rosé. It has the feel of a chilled gamay or pinot. This is super dry in such a beautiful way. I would also pair it with something spicy like Szechuan food. This wine would transform a takeout dinner into something magical, like the time I had a 1982 Mission Haut Brion with a burger...can't go wrong there. The sad...

Julia Child's Salade Nicoise

Siobhan Adcock — Wed, 30 May 2012 11:01:47 -0400

Salade Niçoise is more or less the perfect summer supper: protein-packed, yet light, colorful, and savory. It's easy to forget, of course, that unlike most summery recipes, Salade Niçoise (prepared all at once) requires three separate pots of boiling water: one for the hard-boiled eggs, one for the potatoes, and one for the blanched green beans. So much for a cool kitchen. Julia Child's recipe for Salade Niçoise, from her book The Way to Cook, is a perfect example of the form, and includes plenty of helpful tips to help you manage the process of assembling the salad in advance...if you actually have the foresight to follow them. As we all know, one of Julia Child's very best qualities as a recipe author is her specificity: She has incredibly correct and detailed ideas about almost everything. Blanched green beans are of course no exception; in The Way to Cook, she writes: "The secret to cooking green beans so that they retain all their beautiful bright color and fine fresh texture is to blanch them in a very large amount of rapidly boiling water--the more water per bean the quicker the water will return to the boil, and the greener and fresher the cooked bean will be." I'd never thought of it that way before, but it's true, and the proof is in the pot. I boiled the green beans for my salad in my largest stockpot (it was actually the only pot I had left available after I'd started cooking the eggs and the potatoes), and the beans got to boiling again shortly after I added them to the water, turning out perfectly crisp and bright green. Score one for Child. She also offers some definite ideas about potatoes, prepared in a French potato salad with shallots and parsley: "The easiest way to achieve cooked sliced potatoes is to slice them first before simmering them. You will of course get criticisms from those worthies who say if you don't cook them whole you're throwing away the best parts, or you're losing nutrients, and/or you're wasting this or that, etc., none of which I believe." But lest you think she's getting overly permissive, she is firm and exact about what to do with the potatoes once they come out of the water. Before seasoning, potatoes must be allowed to "firm up," as follows: "Drain out the cooking water...At once cover the pan and set aside for 3 to 4 minutes (but no longer than 5)." I allowed my potatoes to rest for 4.23 minutes and they turned out...just fine. One point apiece for Child and for Adcock. Now, I'm no lover of the little fishes, so I'm happy to leave all the anchovy-eating that must be done on this here sweet old world to other people. Child's notes for the salad's assembly are very conscious ofthe salad's presentation as part of a light supper for guests (she recommends a soft cheese, crusty bread, and a Riesling to accompany): "Ring the salad...

Grain-Free Pizza

Shauna Ahern — Wed, 30 May 2012 09:00:00 -0400

That pizza there? The one with walnut-kale pesto, French feta, and pickled red onions? Not only is it gluten-free, but it's also grain-free. Increasingly, people seem to be going grain-free. What is grain-free? That's a little confusing, as different people have different definitions. Free of grains? Yes. But what are grains? Some are obvious: wheat, rye, barley, millet, spelt, and rice, among others. Others are not clear. Is quinoa a grain? Some say yes. Some say no. Buckwheat? Technically, it's a seed. But some folks who eat grain-free are following diets like the Paleo or Primal diet, and they don't want any carbs (or as few as possible). Honestly, I don't want to say what is a grain or not, since I don't live grain-free. But I do know this: you can make a darned fine pizza with almond flour and cauliflower. That's right. You read that right. Almond flour and cauliflower. When I saw a beautifully lit photo of a pizza on Love and Lemons, a food blog I enjoy, I started thinking about how to make it. When I saw that it was entirely grain-free, I was intrigued. You see, sorghum and millet, teff and sweet rice? They treat me just fine. But I love baking. And particularly, I love baking for the people I love. One of my good friends has decided that grains make her feel lousy. I wanted to have her over for dinner. Of course I wanted to make this pizza for her. I had my doubts. Tumble all the florets from a small head of cauliflower into the food processor. Pulse until they look like rice. Add almond flour, eggs, salt, and seasonings. That's it? That's it. As is true of gluten-free baking, grain-free baked goods act differently in the making and taste a bit different in the eating. But this pizza was good. Even my husband, who is suspicious of anything too new in food, ate three slices. We both felt light and well-fed after eating it. Our daughter loved this pizza too. Hm. Grain-free baking. Who knew? If you are interested in more grain-free baking, try these blogs: Civilized Caveman Cooking The Clothes Make the Girl Deliciously Organic Elana's Pantry PaleOMG Roost The Urban Poser

Grilled Pizza . . . for Dessert

Lauren Salkeld — Tue, 29 May 2012 16:57:24 -0400

My love of grilled pizza is well documented on the Epi-Log but over Memorial Day weekend, I tried something new: grilled dessert pizza. I've had sweet pizzas in the past, but the inspiration here was the Nutella Pizza on the brunch menu at Brooklyn's Speedy Romeo. In addition to Italy's much beloved chocolate-hazelnut spread, Speedy Romeo's pie is topped with ricotta, toasted hazelnuts, caramel, and cinnamon. My version was similar, except that I added chocolate chunks, swapped the cinnamon for brown sugar, and used a blend of ricotta and Mascarpone, which, by the way, is one of my favorite combos, and is terrific with toasted or grilled pound cake and fresh berries. After a dinner featuring several savory pies, the dessert pizza was a great success. Even the most skeptical dinner guests were won over and a couple people ate leftovers for breakfast. I adored the Nutella-ricotta-caramel creation, but I see room for play. As with regular pizza, dessert pizza topping possibilities are just about endless. So, I'm looking forward to a summer of grilled pizza, with appearances from thinly sliced fruit, cream cheese, peanut butter, slivered almonds, and dulce de leche. And of course, there's always potential for some à la mode action. For tips on grilling pizza, see my previous post on the basic process and my thoughts on using a pizza stone on the grill. (Photo: Lauren Salkeld)

A Saturday Sofrito

Carolina Santos-Neves — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:58:46 -0400

This weekend as I was practicing my knife skills for my first test at school, my friend Blaine had an epiphany! "Why don't we make the sofrito to go along with that stew we made in class a few weeks ago?" Given that we had red peppers, tomatoes, and paprika on hand, this would not be a problem. We cut the produce into a small dice and sauteed it in a few teaspoons of olive oil and some salt. Then we added the magic ingredient: smoked paprika. We used it to top off our veggie stew just as we'd done in class. We couldn't get enough. The sofrito is smoky, sweet, and savory all at the same time. Not only that, but it takes no time to make and is healthy! Frankly, I'd like to have it on top of a nice piece of salmon, or just about anything. Have you made sofrito? What dish have you added it to? (Photo: Carolina Santos-Neves)

How to Upgrade Store-Bought Ice Cream

Esther Sung — Tue, 29 May 2012 13:00:00 -0400

When the temperature starts to rise, it's only natural that you'd reach for some ice cream. A scoop of homemade ice cream is one of life's best treats. But sometimes, life requires you to buy some ice cream instead. And in the current issue of Bon Appétit, you'll find five ways to transform that pint of ice cream (or gelato) into something extraordinary, such as Jeni's BombeBasticks or a Pink Lady Milk Shake from Slat & Straw. And if that isn't enough, have yourself a sundae bar featuring Marshmalow Sauce and Wet Walnuts, recipes courtesy of Franklin Fountain. What's your favorite brand of store-bought ice cream? I still mourn the absence of Dreamery's Coney Island Waffle Cone but happily buy Talenti's Simply Strawberry Gelato.

What Stories Does Your Food Tell?

Joanne Camas — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:00:00 -0400

Food is such an important part of both our daily lives and our special celebrations -- it's so much more than simple sustenance. Now People's Grocery, a nonprofit, is putting out a call for our food stories: The groups wants to find 10,000 people to share their stories, "spread awareness about the power of food," and "build community through food storytelling." Want to take part? Tweet to @peoplesgrocery, post on Facebook, or submit your story on the 10,000 Stories blog. Check out other people's food stories here.

Edible Wedding Bouquets

Esther Sung — Tue, 29 May 2012 09:00:00 -0400

Using edible elements in one's bridal bouquet is a trend that's been gaining ground, and one that can help food lovers personalize their wedding day. Whether it's a simple bouquet comprised mainly of fragrant herbs or a more elaborate one that's chock full of fruits and vegetables, a seasoned florist can help you achieve an elegant bouquets, perfectly suited to your taste. For brides-to-be, let these 10 wedding bouquets inspire you with their varied and creative usage of asparagus, radishes, wheat, and a whole lot more. And for those who've already said, "I do," did your wedding feature a bouquet reflecting your love of food? (Photos: Top left, clockwise: Green Wedding Shoes; Abbey Hepner Photography; Emily Steffen Photography; Kristina Lynn Photography & Design)