zora

Saveur, Aug/Sept 2007 First: James Oseland points readers to the Saveur website for some extras, such as the Russian recipe for "Mr. Chicken." Fare: More Meat, Please! Paul Lukas examines vintage meat cookbooks. Recipe: Sloppy Joes Don't Mess with Del: James Oseland recalls great food on a movie set. Recipe: Three-Bean Salad, sans Biz Street Cred: the Vendies are a red-carpet gala for New York's pushcart heroes. By David McAninch Agenda: First patent for shredded wheat cereal machine issued Aug 1, 1893; Sardine Festival in Kaloni, Mytilene, Greece Aug 5; Vermont Fresh Network's 12th annual forum Aug 5; Festival da Pinga in Paraty, Brazil, Aug 23-26; Aug 31-Sep 3 Annual Hearts o' Gold Cantaloupe Festival in Fallon, Nev; Sept 8-30 Zhong Qiu Jie midautumn festival in Singapore; Sept 21-23 Nature Wonder Wild Food Weekend in Cairo, W. Va. Book Review: Bryan Miller reviews the Silver Palate Cookbook 25th Anniversary Edition, and finds it useful, if no longer as revolutionary as it was in 1982. Recipe: Oven-roasted Plum Tomatoes The Saveur List: 6 Food Museums, from the Shinyokohama Raumen Museum in Japan to the Museum der Brotkultur in Ulm, Germany. Cellar: Chill Factor The wines of Chablis bring out chardonnay's austere side. By Paul Lukacs Tasting Notes: Ten chablis, from William Fevre "Champs Royaux" 2005 ($20; "a fine buy...brisk and vibrant") to William Fevre Crand Cru Les Clos Domaine 2005 ($90; "potential to evolve"). Drink: American All-Star Root beer, once the king of soft drinks, still inspires ranks of passionate devotees. By Mary Zajac Recipe: Homemade Root Beer Source: Mountain Beauty: Purple Haze garlic tastes as good as it looks. By Eugenia Bone Classic: Sicilian Mosaic Caponata is a brilliant expression of an ancient, melting-pot cuisine. By Nancy Harmon Jenkins Recipe: Caponata (Sicilian sweet-sour vegetables) Taking Root A family of Hmong immigrants brings centuries-old agrarian wisdom to California's Central Valley. By Andrea Nguyen Recipes: Zaub Ntsuab Hau Xyaw Nqaij Npuas Sawb (Chinese mustard greens soup) Kua Txob Tuav Xyaw Dos (chile-scallion relish) Hmab Qos Liab Kib Xyaw Dos Thiab Qej (stir-fried yam leaves with onions) Dib Iab Kib Xyaw Koojtis Qaib (stir-fried bitter melon with chicken wings) Xwbkuab Kib Xyaw Nqaij Nyug (stir-fried angled luffa with beef) Land of Plenty Vladivostok, once a secrecy-shrouded outpost of the Russian Far East, is now a bustling culinary crossroads. By Sharon Hudgins Recipes: Okroshka (chilled Russian vegetable soup) Buterbrody (open-face herring sandwiches) Morkovi Koreiski (Korean-style carrot salad) Vinegret (beet and potato salad) Krevetki i Grebeshki (poached shrimp and sauteed scallops) Keta Zapechenaya pod Mayonezom (baked salmon with mayonnaise) Sidebar: Tasting Tradition: the history of zakuski ("little bites") The Guide: where to stay and eat and what to do in Vladivostok Like Butter The mystique of avocados, which lend depth and creaminess to countless dishes, is timeless. By Andrea Nguyen Recipes: California Roll Open-Face Avocado and Goat Cheese Sandwiches Lobster and Avocado Salad Fajitas with Green Sauce Sidebar: Love Fruit: the campaign to convince Americans to eat avs Sidebar: Step-by-Step Guacamole Sidebar: Know Your Avocados: photos and descriptions of nine varieties Shrines of Summer Along the shores of Rhode Island, clam shacks are hallowed institutions. By Lucretia Bingham Recipes: Clam Cakes Fried Clams Red Chowder Stuffies (stuffed quahogs) Sidebar: Rhode Island's Beloved Bivalves: all about the quahog Sidebar: Rhode Island Clam Shack Lingo The Guide: where to stay and eat in Rhode Island In the Saveur Kitchen: Dana Bowen researches the use of root beer in cooking; the origins of the term "sloppy joe", by Todd Coleman; what sassafras looks like (and no, it's not illegal), by Todd Coleman; how to buy bitter melons, by Andrea Nguyen; Russian kvas, by Liz Pearson; What to Pour: wine and drink suggestions inspired by the foods in this issue (a new column), by Paul Lukacs Recipes: Root Beer Cake Moment: portrait of Julia Child, in a cornfield

Saveur June/July 2007: my issue went missing. If I get a replacement copy, I'll come back and edit this post.

Genius setup! Thanks.

So my husband and I have been dreaming of going back to Syria since our first trip in 1999. Finally got around to it in June--we had been in Egypt for about a month, which I think made Syria seem even more like heaven than usual, thanks to its lack of dust and fascination with foreigners. We flew directly into Aleppo and basically hung out there for a week, with a little overnight trip to Lattakia. We didn't actually eat as much as we would've liked, but isn't that always the way. Immediately upon arriving, we went looking for our dream falafel man--a guy who had a little cart and the best damn sandwiches ever in 1999. It was late afternoon, so really not the time. We wound up with a really tasty shawarma sandwich and a kibbeh sandwich--both of which were wrapped up in their pitas then left to sizzle a little in the fat that was dripping off the shawarma. Classy. Dinner that night at al-Andalib--the source of all the noise in our room at the Hotel Baron, but after eating there we couldn't hold it against them at all. Very simple roast chix, fries, salad, beers. Midway through dinner it dawned on me that I was the only woman in the place. But unlike Egypt, that wasn't a big deal. The next day we hunted for our falafel man again (while changing to a cheaper hotel--faded glamour costs a lot!), and we only found some guys with a little sidewalk grill setup. We wolfed down some kofta sandwiches, picking from the pile of mint and hot peppers every few bites. Even at this super-basic operation, the guys had gone to the trouble of threading little bits of lamb fat in between the vegetables on the skewers. So much more delicious. And I've got to hand it to the Syrians for public hygiene--their setup was meticulous, considering they were mincing the meat for the kofta right there. Lots of hand-washing and chopping-block wiping, and water offered to us after we ate. Not to slag off Egypt, but you just don't get that there. Then I asked the guys if they knew our falafel man. I have a hard time with Syrian Arabic, but I am pretty sure they told me he died. We were very very sad, but our delicious lunch took the edge off our grief. We ate at Sissi House, and apparently the courtly old French-speaking waiters have all died as well. I have such fond memories of my 1999 meal there--it's where I had fresh walnuts for the first time, and the old waiter discreetly whispered in my ear (in French) that I had to peel them first. Also, the power went off in the middle of dinner, and the oud player kept playing, and I practically swooned. This time the power stayed on, and we had a much slicker young waiter. He served us well, though, when we asked to have a selection of more unusual things--we explained what we'd eaten before, and then he brought us other stuff. The only really remarkable thing was a super-chunky sort-of muhammara, with lots and lots of char on the red peppers, which were cut up in 1/2-inch chunks or so, drizzled with pom molasses and topped with walnuts. We had a lunch at a random but delicious restaurant on the west side of town right before we left. That's where I got the fresh zaatar salad with white cheese and tomatoes--just a bunch of raw herb chopped up with the other stuff. Very astringent and refreshing. Then a serving of chickpea fatteh that was as big as my head. On a day outing to Lake al-Assad, we had absolutely delicious fish, fresh from the lake and I'm pretty sure brushed with a bit of pomegranate molasses before being grilled. Does anyone know if this is a typical preparation? That's the only explanation I can think of for the way the fish caramelized. Also, the salad that came with had tiny, fine slices of lemon in it, peel and all--great texture. One of the most wonderful things we ate, just due to context, was lunch at a bike shop. We were in there asking about obscure bike parts, and the guy of course spread out newspaper on his desk and shared his big bowl of meat stew, and his rice, and his hot peppers and salt with us. Too bad we'd just eaten about half an hour before... Equally heartwarming was our last-night dinner, back at al-Andalib. This time we were with our Syrian friend, and it turned out the menu was much more extensive--I guess they hadn't felt like explaining it all to us the first time. So we had all kinds of tasty mezze that I unfortunately don't remember, but the thing I was intrigued by most was at the next table, where two guys got a silver platter of cucumbers and tomatoes, all covered in ice, plus a knife. Then they proceeded to make their own salad. And they saw me watching, and sent over a big bowl of it, and it was indeed so much better than what the kitchen was making. We also had some shankleesh, from those same guys, and some funky, mozzarella-texture goat cheese from the guy on the other side. Just thinking about all this makes me teary-eyed. Other small highlights: Sour-cherry ice cream, the sourest I've ever had, with chewy bits of cherry in. Assorted fresh juices--now I understand how six juice stands in a row all stay in business--each one's "cocktail" is a little different. There are a couple more cogent comments on my blog (look in 'Travel for Fun' category), and pictures on Flickr--unfortunately not too many of the food, though.

Suspicious--we had a jar that looked like that with a Greek label for a long time! I appreciate that this Syrian jar has a drawing of the little green sprig on it, which actually clears up a lot. I guess I'll just pickle some of the hyssop from the plant I bought at the farmer's market and see what happens...

ChefCrash, I'm intrigued by your saj setup. Can you describe exactly what you've done there? Looks like you set up a gas range inside a bucket and put a wok on top? Any guidelines for how close the flame should be to the wok surface, that sort of thing? How do you secure the wok? Or do you just balance it on there? I guess I can start with FoodMan's stovetop suggestion... I just like the outdoor arrangement. I've been thinking of a big yard party with all our recent Syria experiences (newspaper on tabletops de rigueur).

I'll pull my notes together and start a separate Syria spread. We didn't get to Damascus this time, but I can say I didn't spot any egg sandwiches in Aleppo. Which is a real shame, because hard-boiled-egg sandwiches are one of my favorite things! Yikes. Savory. Just one more thing to add to the mix. Interesting that you say zaatar farsi gets pickled, because my husband thought the stuff was like the pickled caperberry bush (or what he _thought_ was caperberry bush) he ate a lot in Greece. Later we talked to a woman in a Greek health food store, and she told him it was something else...but not any word we knew that mapped with zaatar. Now I wonder if it's all hyssop. Can someone draw a Venn diagram of this somehow?

Missed your trip, Estufarian, but just wanted to point out that Jennifer James's Graze is now closed, alas. (Sort of mean to read the whole thread about how great it is, and then drop this clunker.) But fortunately things don't change too fast in New Mexico--everything else mentioned previously is still there and perfectly delicious....

Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't see this! I hope you had a nice day out! Will post a little something anyway, in case someone Googles: --Sabores, on Av 5 Sur opposite Hotel Las Anclas, is a great little place in a woman's house. Lunch is just a set price (about US$5) that covers whatever they're cooking that day. --El Turix, southern edge of San Miguel. C 17 x 20 and 25, or something like. Home-style Yucatecan cooking. Dinner only, I think. --I hear good things about a newish little place called El Chef, just south of Sabores in the same block. I visited just before it opened last winter--cute setup, very nice owner. --Super-Hit Tortas are a favorite for sandwiches--by baseball stadium, on Av 30. --Coffeelia is a good mellow coffee shop a few blocks south of the plaza.

For better Googling: It's actually called Hechizo ('magic'). They're open only in high season--late Nov or December through April, usually, and you should email for reservations, as they only have a few tables. You can probably find the contact online or (ahem, self-promotion) in my Rough Guide to the Yucatan book.

I think your "mystery green" was sea beans (fasulye deniz, plus assorted umlauts). I ate at Ciya just a few weeks after you did, and had some of these from the cold salad bar. Amazing--stewed in olive oil, then chilled, but still a little plump and crispy, and salty in that way that's intrinsic, not added during cooking. Deeeelicious. We also got some desserts, which I've never ordered there before. As usual, all _un_usual. The most memorable one was a sort of dry pistachio crumbly biscuit, not sweet at all, served with marshmallow fluff (uh, the traditional, homemade kind), so that you could combine the two in a single bite and get sweet/not sweet and dry/sticky combinations. Great. Incidientally, sh-r-b is indeed the root for 'to drink' in Arabic, but I think it's actually a back-formation from a Persian word, because the Arabic word for soup, "shurba", is not spelled like normal Arabic words. (If you care: you can't have two consonants following a long vowel. "Shurba" is the example Arabic teachers always trot out as freakish and wrong.)

I was just in Cairo, and I can tell you that every single American expat I talked to _raved_ about Lucille's. Not just for the burger, but for stuff like free soda refills. (Ah, what would be more authentically American than that?) It's a full-on craze. But I myself did not get down to Ma'adi for a meal. I ate a damn fine burger at Crave, in Zamalek, but now I'm wondering if I made a mistake by writing off Ma'adi entirely. I did like in the article that they specified that they added fat to the mix--which I'm sure would constitute a "secret ingredient" in the US because no one would admit to that kind of thing. And my guess as to one of their actual secret ingredients: fish sauce. Betcha anything. In fact, next time I make a burger at home, I'll brush a little on it while it's cooking. On the down side, I actually ate a terrible, mealy tomato this time in Egypt--first time ever. I heard from a friend in Cairo that the current Minister of Agriculture started all kinds of greenhouse programs and a lot more industrialized/chemicalized/nastyized farming. Thanks for nothing. Now apparently the only place to get reliably good produce is at small markets in poorer neighborhoods, because that stuff comes from little farms right in Cairo, on the islands around Ma'adi... Hmmm--perhaps Lucille's has a connection.

Rats--missed any "crispy" pizza options! And no pics of the Italian Club, but let me tell you, it is a great little joint (better be, for LE10 cover!), what with the little red-check tablecloths, and the wine, and the super-crispy pizza, and the grilled veggies and the fact that you could only baaaarely hear the Cairo traffic. (Although, whoa, the place is located on one of the most stressful intersections Downtown--I felt like I might die before I got there, all in the name of some illicit pork. Which was pretty tasty, by the way.) Other food stuff: the place the cats climb around in is the Greek Club, most likely, where they have the pergola set up on the terrace--I saw a bunch up there, looking hopefully for fish bits. Felfela is still ridiculously decorated, but doesn't seem to have any beasts of any kind inside. I went to Estoril...and could not get served. It was just a bad day in which my overall exhaustion intersected with typical Egyptian service, which requires the customer be pretty assertive. But it _looks_ like a great place. A local friend confirmed to me that Estoril is renowned for rotten service, and it wasn't just me, sitting all alone and wimpy at the bar and feebly trying to get someone to pay attention to me. Easily the best meal we had was our last night, when we went to Gomhuriyya, in Bab al-Louq, for stuffed pigeon. That's all they do, basically. And there's nothing in the restaurant but a few tables and a couple of sinks for washing all the grease off when you're done picking the birds apart. They serve the pigeon broth on the side in mugs--it's got little bits of rice and lots of lemon and pepper. Soooo good. But apparently you can only get the soup if you also order pigeon--but then it's all-you-can-drink soup. Such a deal! Also in that same area--on Midan Falaki--is a big kebab-y joint that specializes in lamb chops. A friend ordered them for delivery one night and they were sooooo good. If you go in the restaurant, it smells like nothing but grilling meat, and you will nearly keel over with desire. I'm spacing the name, but it's on the west end of Midan Falaki, on the south side, and is kind of glitzy-looking compared with surround businesses. Also ate some surprisingly good Thai food (I suppose the Thai-government-sponsored restaurant promotion abroad is really working)--some at the resto in the Semiramis, which was pricey and very, very hot (rare in Egypt), and some at a place in Zamalek called Sebai Sebai, where some stuff was ho-hum, but it was cheaper and had a nice terrace. I guess most normal people visiting Cairo would not look for Thai food, but I was there for a long time. I ate at Taboula in Garden City too, and it was so-so. Tomeyya was delish, and a couple other things, but meatballs were leaden and would've made a Lebanese grandmother weep with despair. The place is now owned by the restaurant group that also owns Abou el-Sid and Tabasco and Absolute and so on...so I thought the decor was nifty, but then I went to the other places and saw it was all the same. Cairo is still a small town in a lot of ways. And my husband claims that Koshari at-Tahrir is actually better than Abu Tarek. Escandalo! For the record, I only felt mildly queasy one day, which is very good odds for me traveling anywhere, but my husband was laid low for a very long day, and he has a cast-iron stomach. Not sure what he ate, or if it was just overall dehydration, etc. We were fine after that, and even ate more enthusiastically. More Egypt stories, and maybe food stuff I forgot, on my blog (see link in signature)--click on the "Travails of a Guidebook Author" category. In one of those posts there's a link to my Flickr set for the trip, which has pics of the actual pigs in the zabbalin quarter, one of whose friends I probably ate on a pizza. Thanks for all the advice!

To follow up on that way-back comment/query about sumac lemonade: I had some of this when I was just in Istanbul (oh, Ciya, I love you!), and it was quite nice, though not quite as zingy as I would've liked. Sounds like Sazji would know better, but I think you just steep the whole sumac berries like you would a tea, and then add sugar. It has a great pink flavor. I got myself some whole sumac while in Turkey, so maybe I can make myself a stronger version. On the zaatar tip, one of the 8 million delicious things I just ate in Syria was a salad of zaatar, soft cheese and tomato. I was a little perplexed when it came to the table, because the zaatar element looked exactly like chopped-up rosemary...but then tasted more like oregano. It was a pretty intense salad. A trip to the farmers market, and reading a little of this thread, I now see that's what we call hyssop, the something-or-other spicata variety. Anyway, it was interesting to see zaatar used (in Arabic, not just random translation) to describe this plant as well. Looking at all the overlapping varieties of thyme/oregano/marjoram/zaatar/hyssop makes me feel a little dizzy.

Duh--I only just now remembered I posted this Q. Thanks for all the answers. I will definitely check out Estoril--it's on my list along with the all the other old-guard joints downtown, and I just didn't know if _any_ were any good these days. As for Hep C--I know it's a huge problem here, but isn't it blood-borne? I've got my Hep A and B inoculations all up to date, so I'm feeling cocky about the street food issues. Even though I had to take two months of heavy-duty antibiotics last year, which probably knocked out my collection of useful stomach critters.... Hanshuuf ba'a--we'll see. And good to know about the place in Ma'adi and the Japanese joint--will try to track 'em down. As for the Greek Club--I know it well! Probably too well. Sooo many rooftop beers, french fries and chicken livers consumed there. And just putting it out there for future Googlers, though I haven't yet been: the Italian Club is now open to non-Italians--#40 Sh. 26 July. Going there this weekend. Allegedly the best pizza, cheap Chianti, and actual pork products! Thanks, everybody.

Saveur, May 2007 First: Managing editor Lily Binns recalls doing research in Mexico City’s Mercado de la Merced during protests at the presidential inauguration. Fare: Eight-Story Glory: The time-honored Smith Island cake is a many-layered wonder. By Mary Zajac Recipe: Smith Island Cake (eight-layer chocolate–peanut butter cake) Cool Operator: The ultimate mint julep. By Lily Binns Recipe: Mint Julep A Friend, Plainly Spoken: remembering Sharon Tyler Herbst, author of Food Lover’s Companion. By Dana Bowen Meet the Tenderizer: Vincent Cutrone has invented machines to tenderize octopus. By Rachael Philipps Shapiro Agenda: 54th annual Cosby Ramp Festival in Tenn., May 6; Candat Sotong Fiesta in Redang, Malaysia celebrates squid May 11-13; May 18, 1936, birthday of Allan Burns, inventor of Cap’n Crunch; Lodi Zinfest in Lodi, Calif., May 18-20; May 19 is Sagra dei Limoni in Monterosso, Italy; Le Fete du Chocolat du Bromont, Quebec, May 19-27; May 26-27 Czech/Slovak Fest at Bohemian Hall in Astoria, Queens, New York Book Review: Irene Sax reviews Thomas McNamee’s Alice Waters and Chez Panisse: The Romantic, Impractical, Often Eccentric, Ultimately Brillian Making of a Food Revolution. It’s delightful and inspirational. Sidebar Book: Madhur Jaffrey’s Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of Childhood in India, about growing up in Delhi, is a mesmerizing read. The Saveur List: 10 Ways to Eat on Oahu: plate lunches, box meals, farmer’s markets. By Shane Mitchell Kitchenwise: Former Food Network exec C.M. Reinhardt describes the process of converting a Carnegie Library building in rural Nebraska into a functional living space and kitchen (includes clever use of old card catalog). Cellar: French Twist There’s more to Alsation Riesling than what’s on the label. By John Landsdowne Tasting notes: 10 Alsation rieslings, from Maison Kuentz-Bas Cuvee Tradition 2004 ($15; “tart graphefruit, robust minerality”) to Domaine Weinbach Grand Cru Schlossberg Vendanges Tardive Trie Speciale 2004 ($120; “cream, sensational nose…considerable sweetness”) Lives: A Host of Possibilities Choumicha Acharki, the star of a popular Moroccan cooking show has more than just food on her mind. By Kent Davis-Packard and Holly Shaffer Source: Cesare Mazzetti’s handmade copperware keeps an ancient tradition alive. (www.rameria.com) By Elisa Herr and Ed Schoenfeld Classic: Dream Whip England’s syllabub is a simple but spirited dessert. By Tamasin Day-Lewis Recipe: Syllabub (English sherry-infused mousse) La Merced A visit to Mexico City’s sprawling central market makes for a homecoming like no other. By Mauricio Velazquez de Leon Recipes: Salsa de Tres Chiles (three-chile salsa) Ensalada de Nopales (cactus salad) Esquites (corn with lime juice and chile powder) Quesadilla de Flor de Cabaza (squash blossom quesadilla) Verdolagas con Carne de Puerco (purslane and pork stew) The Guide: Where to stay in Mexico City, and where to eat in La Merced Toss & Serve Salads aren’t merely a light repast. They tell the story of who we are. By Barbara Kafka Recipes: Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing Watercress Salad with Ranch Dressing Chef’s Salad with American French Dressing Mixed Green Salad with Green Goddess Dressing Mesclun Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette Iceberg Lettuce with Thousand Island Dressing Sidebar: A Guide to Greens. By Molly Stevens Sidebar: All Dressed Up: five popular dressings Sidebar: Raising the Bar: A brief history of the all-American salad bar. By Todd Coleman A Land Apart For centuries, the language and culture of Spain’s Basque region have distinguished its people—and food has bound them together. By Sofia Perez Recipes: Marmitako (tuna stew with potatoes and peppers) Sopa de Ajo (Basque-style garlic soup) Porrusalda (potato and leek soup) Bacalao al Pil-Pil (salt cod in garlic sauce) Talos con Chocolate (corn tortilla with melted chocolate) The Guide: where to stay and eat in Basque country Stars of India How tandoori chicken, naan and korma became Indian restaurant classics. By Margo True Recipes: Tandoori Chicken Dal Makhani (creamy spiced Indian lentils) Bhaigan Bhartha (mashed smokey eggplant with tomatoes) Naan (tandoori flat bread) Karim’s Korma (goat curry) Matar Paneer (curry with peas and fresh cheese) The Guide: where to stay and eat in Delhi In the Saveur Kitchen: the art of the supermarket flyer, by Todd Coleman; the essential ice crusher, by Lily Binns; in praise of purslane, by Katherine Alford; Basque technique for breaking off ragged chunks of potatoes for stews, by Sofia Perez; how to make paneer; yes, people drink buttermilk, by Todd Coleman; Liz Pearson praises Saveur interns; an interview with a Basque corn miller, by Sofia Perez Recipe: Kwasne Mleko Ze Szczypiorkiem (Polish buttermilk drink with chives) Moment: A toilet-themed restaurant in southern Taiwan

I'm headed to Cairo tomorrow for a month, to do research for a travel guide. I used to live there, but now it downs on me that it was ten whole years ago! So I've got all the usual guides and other references, but I'd appreciate hearing restaurant recommendations from well-traveled food fans such as yourselves...

Saveur, April 2007 First: Deputy ed David McAninch remembers when crepes were the epitome of fancy-French in America. Fare: Southern Spread: A favorite in the Southeast, mayhaw jelly is a sweet-tart sensation. By Mary Zajac Curry in a Hurry: Berlin’s beloved currywurst is a German institution. By Todd Coleman Recipe: Currywurst Sauce Treasure of the Tropics: Pixbae (aka piba, pewa, pupunha, peach palm fruit) is worth seeking out when in Panama, Brazil or similar climes. By Scott Mahler Norse New York: Manhattan’s Norwegian Seamen’s Church hosts a weekly Scandinavian feast. By Jennifer Keeney-Sendrow Agenda: BBC “Spaghetti Harvest” hoax perpetrated Apr. 1, 1957; Pennsylvania Herb Festival in York, Pa., Apr 13-14; Sekaten, Indonesian feast celebrating Muhammad’s birthday, begins Apr 14; Symposium: Cooking Up 400 Years of Culinary History in Virgina Apr 21-21 in Blacksburg, Va.; Philippolis Witblits Stookfees celebrates moonshine in South Africa, Apr 20-21; Hood River Valley Blossom Festival celebrates cherries in Oregon Apr 21-22; Apr 27-29 is the Interstate Mullet Toss in Pensacola, Fla.; Ludwig Bemelmans, author of the Madeline books, born Apr 30, 1898 Book Review: David McAninch reviews A Tale of 12 Kitchens: Family Cooking in Four Countries The Glory of Southern Cooking, by James Villas, and Great American Beer: 50 Brands That Shaped the 20th Century, by Christopher B. O’Hara. Villas’s work gentrifies many of the basics, and offers a lot of cocktail nibbles, along with Southern anecdotes—but the recipes are solid. O’Hara’s book is fun to look at as well as read, with its vintage ads. Recipe: Stewed Okra and Tomatoes Cellar: Wild Flower: Voluptuous viognier flourishes around the globe. By Paul Lukacs Tasting Notes: 12 viogniers, from Cono Sur Colchagua Valley 2006 ($10; “floral and sweet spice bouquet…fine value”) to Domaine Yves Cuilleron Condrieu “La Petite Cote” 2005 ($65; “sumptuously aromatic, …simultaneously sweet and mineral laden”) Source: Meet the Bruttles: Bruttles Candy makes this refined version of peanut brittle dipped in chocolate. By Marlene Shyer Memories: The Ritual of Soup: The centerpiece of Pamela Renner’s family seder is layered with meaning. Recipe: Matzo Ball Soup Drink: Up, Up, and Away The Santa Cruz Mountains appellation is a winemaking region on the rise. By James Conaway Tasting Notes: Four bottles that reflect the range of styles in the Santa Cruz Mountains, from Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay ($38) to Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon ($160). Classic: Chinatown Gems Bite-size siu mai are the stars of any dim sum feast. By Christina Eng Recipe: Siu Mai (open-face pork and shrimp dumplings) The Soulful Crepes of Brittany The signature food of France’s rugged northwestern province is born of the land and the sea. By Nancy Coons Recipes: Crepes de Blé Noir (buckwheat crepes) Sauce Noix de Saint Jacques (scallops in white wine cream sauce) Confit d’Oignons au Cidre (cider-spiked onion confit) Crepes Flambées au Lambig (white-flour crepes flambéed with cider brandy) Kouigns Bigoudens aux Pommes (thick crepes with sautéed apples) Crepes Complètes de Blé Noir (buckwheat crepes with gruyere, ham and egg) Sidebar: Brittany’s Drink of Choice: cider can be as subtle as a good wine The Guide: where to stay, eat and drink and what to do in Brittany Spring Green Chives are more than a pretty garnish; they’re among the earliest harbingers of the season to come. By Molly Stevens Recipes: Chive and Goat Cheese Omelette Seared Tri-Tip Sirloin Steaks with Chive Butter Knife-and-Fork Egg Salad Sandwiches with Chives Chive and Cheddar Biscuits Tagliatelle with Chive Oil and Cremini Mushrooms Sidebar: Garlic chives are distinctly different from the onion variety. My Singapore A native son celebrates the delicious foods of his country. By Christopher Ten Recipes: Fried Taugeh (stir-fried bean sprouts) The Alia (ginger milk tea) Nyonya Udang Masak Nanas (shrimp and pineapple curry) Serikaya (coconut jam) Ketumbar Chicken (braised chicken with coriander) Sidebar: Where to Graze: ten great food vendors The Guide: Where to stay in Singapore The Diner One Massachusetts restaurant is among the last, great shrines to honest American cooking. By Todd Coleman Recipes: Agawan Chicken Pies American Chop Suey Don’s Homemade Hash Christine Galanis’s Greek-Style Vegetables Coconut Cream Pie Sidebar: The Agawam Lexicon: a glossary of diner-ese In the Saveur Kitchen: Lily Binns praises cooks’ hands; how to make a butter roll; what a tri-tip is; Todd Coleman relates the history of the shandy; Georgia Freedman on matzo; a short interview with “Brittany’s Sardine Lady,” Madeleine Briois; Agawam’s ancient Hobart mixer Recipes: Matzo Brei (scrambled eggs and matzo) Moment: Playboy Bunnies and Penthouse Pets compete in a waitresses’ race, 1972

Saveur, March 2007 First: James Oseland recalls learning to cook—very informally—in family kitchens in Indonesia. But converting that to printable recipes is a challenge. Fare: Quenched, Indian Style: Mumbai’s drink vendors add spice and more. By Litty Mathew Recipe: Jal Jeera (cumin-laced tamarind and mint cooler) Cold Comfort: Chef Kirsten Dixon brings more than mere sustenance to the mushers of Alaska’s Iditarod. By Jenna Schnuer Fiery Fruit: The tiny sansho pepper, cousin of Sichuan pepper, gives Japanese cuisine a kick. By Shane Mitchell Agenda: Festival Internacional de La Vendimia celebrates grapes in Ica, Peru, Mar 5-17; drink strong beer at Starkbierzeit at Paulaner am Nockherberg in Munich Mar 8-25; Milk River Wagon Train Nut and Gut Feed cooks pioneer-style in Malta, Mont., March 10; Ranelagh, Tasmania, offers A Taste of the Huon March 11-12; March 12 is the anniversary of the first patent granted for starch processing, 1841; Charles Sutherland Elton, developer of the idea of the food chain in 1927’s Animal Ecology, born March 29, 1900; Newport Pig Cookin’ Contest in Newport, N.C., Mar 30-31; Public Bake Day in Fort Gibson, Okla., on March 31, uses the fort’s giant public oven. Book Review: Todd Coleman reviews A Tale of 12 Kitchens: Family Cooking in Four Countries, by Jake Tilson, a graphic reminiscence of kitchens in Tuscany, New York, Los Angeles and Scotland. Coleman finds it “breezy, smart and surprisingly unpretentious.” Recipe: Beet and Sumac Salad In the Beginning: Saveur’s 100th issue prompts a look back at its first. The Saveur List: 12 honeys, from Italian chestnut to Hawaiian kiawe. By Sierra Burnett Kitchenwise: Hizzoner’s Retreat: A look a former New York City mayor Ed Koch’s humble apartment space, complete with a snapshot of his fridge’s contents. By Georgia Freedman Cellar: Uncommon Grace: Volnay is a smooth, sensual red burgundy. By Michael Steinberger Tasting Notes: Eleven volnays from 2003 and 2004, from Domaine Bouchard Pere et Fils Clos de Chenes 2004 ($65; “muscular…with spicy cherry fruit across the palate and pronounced oak”) to Domaine Leroy Santenots-du-Milieu 2003 ($570; “blackberry-infused bouquet…pronounced tannins, and fairly spicy in the mouth. Finishes quite sweet.”). Memories: Tasting Freedom Ma Thanegi reminisces about time spent in a Myanmar prison, and the imaginary meals enjoyed there. Recipe: Pei Daunt Shay Thoke (Myanmar-style long bean salad) Source: Miracle Cure: Thick-cut bacon from Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams. By Todd Coleman Classic: Roman Art Spaghetti alla carbonara pleases even the most finicky palates. By Mei Chin Recipe: Spaghetti alla Carbonara Mighty Shrimp A celebration of America’s favorite seafood. By Andre Baranowski, Penny de los Santos and James Oseland Part One: Why we love shrimp. By Wayne Curtis Part Two: A day on the water. By Wayne Curtis Part Three: How to cook shrimp. By James Peterson Recipes: Shrimp Scampi with Linguine Barbecued Shrimp Shrimp Boil Stir-Fried Shrimp with Snow Peas Shrimp Cocktail Maine Shrimp Chowder Sidebar: Know Your American Shrimp: photos and descriptions of seven major varieties. By Jennifer Salerno Sidebar: North Atlantic Treasure: the delicate northern pink (Maine) shrimp is best served nearly raw. By Jon Levitt Sidebar: How to Buy Shrimp: fresh vs. frozen, which size, what’s fresh. By James Peterson Ancient Hunger The vibrant cuisine of northern Peru—with its blend of chiles, corn, yuca, potatoes and seafood—is rooted in both the Old World and the New. By Maricel E. Presilla Recipes: Yuca Hervida Sudado de Pescado (Huanchaco-style fish stewed in tomatoes and chiles) Cebiche de Mero al Estilo de Hunchaco (grouper ceviche) Salsa de Aji Escabeche y Paico (Andean yellow chile and epazote salsa) Pepian de Garbanzos (chickpea porridge with chile oil) The Guide: where to stay and eat in Peru The Glory of Red Cooking This traditional Chinese cooking method yields melt-in-your-mouth results. By Grace Young Recipes: Hong Shao Yu (red-cooked fish) Si Xi Kaufu (four happiness wheat gluten) Hong Shao Rou (red-cooked pork belly) Hong Shao Ji (red-cooked chicken) Sweet Life A gifted baker with the soul of a poet brings the refined art of the French pastry to upstate New York. By Darra Goldstein Recipes: Gateau Saint-Honoré Lemon Meringue Tart Chocolate Babka In the Saveur Kitchen: Get to the bottom of it all by rediscovering the technique of stirring, says Todd Coleman; the history of cocktail sauce, by Todd Coleman; a brief interview with Chinese food consultant Eddie Schoenfeld; how to devein a shrimp without removing the shell; how to deal with yuca, by Maricel E. Presilla; all about pork belly, by Brigit Binns; wheat gluten, the “Chinese chameleon,” by Grace Young Recipes: Ed Koch’s Broiled Swordfish with Olives Moment: An overly enthusiastic toddler enjoys her birthday cake. (Ew.)

Saveur, January 2006 First: Producing the Saveur 100 is haaaard work! Fare: The Drink Artist: A purist amateur bartender in Brooklyn is a master of the artisanal cocktail. By John Lansdowne Recipe: Orange Bitters Miracle Leaf: The essence of pandan is at the heart of countless Southeast Asian dishes. By Pat Tanumihardja Recipe: Kacang Ijo (spiced mung bean dessert porridge) Hale and Hearty: Galaxy gazing is better after a good meal, reports Joseph Carson from San Diego’s Palomar Observatory. Agenda: Second annual Florida Keys Seafood Festival, Jan. 13; patent for neon lighting obtained, Jan. 19, 1915; Oregon Truffle Festival, Willamette Valley, Ore., Jan. 26–28; Ka Moloka’i Makahiki Festival on Molokai, Hawai’i, Jan. 27; Carnaval in Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain, on Feb. 18 involves lots of cava and candy; Spring Festival in Port Louis, Mauritius, Feb. 18; Feria Regional del Café y del Guayaba in Canelas, Mexico, Feb. 18–26 Book Review: Bryan Miller reviews the new edition of the Culinary Institute of America’s The Professional Chef, and praises the expanded “world cuisines” section and the photo-illustrated sections on technique. Technique: Fluting (typically used on mushrooms) Drink: Sea Change: Bordeaux’s Entre-deux-Mers is shaping up to be the little wine region that could. By Roger Morris Tasting Notes: Three reds from Entre-deux-Mers: Chateau Balestard 2003 ($35; “rounded fruit”), Chateau Le Grand Verdus 2003 ($25; “solid wine with cherry flavors…food-friendly finish”) and Girolate 2001 ($100; “sweet blackberry and lightly minted chocolate”) Kitchenwise: Cookbook authors Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford gave up a dining room in favor of a large, casual kitchen—but they kept the standard-issue four-burner range-top, as it keeps their recipe-testing down-to-earth. Memories: A Fine Virginian A beloved great-aunt’s cooking wisdom could fill a book. By Lucretia Bingham Recipe: Aunt Fan’s Devil’s Food Cake Source: Rising Star: King Arthur’s sticky buns are gooey perfection. By Kathleen Brennan Classic: Spanish Comfort Galicia’s hearty caldo gallego warms both body and soul. By Sofia Perez Recipe: Caldo Gallego (Galician meat and vegetable soup) The Saveur 100 The annual roundup of the staff’s favorite foods, restaurants, drink, people, places and things, with a special tip of the cap to maitre d’s and do-gooders. A random sampling: Zankou Chicken in LA, canned peas (?!), Engin Akin of Turkey, Patel Bros., oyster loaf at Casamento’s in New Orleans, Philippine food, white foods (again, ?!), Mexico City cuisine, Lost Abbey beer, vermouth as cooking wine, carbon-steel knives, Edna Lewis, food-shaped band-aids, runny cheeses and purple-sweet-potato vinegars Recipes: Betty’s Spaghetti (from Thomas Keller) Shashlyk (spicy grilled pork kebabs) Wafuu Curry (Japanese-style chicken curry) Grissini (crunchy Piedmontese breadsticks) Mousse au Chocolat (chocolate mousse) Sauerbraten mit Kartoffel Klosse (pot roast with potato dumplings) Fitty-Fitty (half-gin, half-vermouth cocktail) Venison with Seared Foie Gras Nassau Grits Texas-Style Pecan Pralines Poached Sole with Vermouth Baked Feta with Roasted Red Peppers and Lemon-Oregano Broth (from Water Works restaurant in Philadelphia) Edna Lewis’s Coffee Armenian Tahini Bread Bakwan (crisp celery green fritters) Yogurt Panna cotta with Pineapple Sorbet and Cilantro Gelée (from ChickaLicious) Denver Sandwich Pav Bhaji (spicy mashed vegetable curry with rolls) In the Saveur Kitchen: Mormon generosity creates some memorable food, by Lucy Hayes; the recipe for James Oseland’s Taiwanese friend’s green beans, mentioned in the November 2006 issue; how to peel garlic cloves in bulk, by Kate Fox; Spanish vs. Mexican chorizo, by Liz Pearson; how to do the butcher’s slipknot, by Todd Coleman; Maxine Kaplan supplies all the props for the photo shoots Recipes: Utah’s Famous Green Jell-O Salad Stir-fried Green Beans a la Tang Moment: An English pub patron shows off the Last Supper tattoo on his beer belly.

Saveur, December 2006 First: James Oseland explains how to be a regular contributor to the mag: bring the editorial staff presents like giant puffball mushrooms! Fare: Prize Herd: Cesare Castella of NYC’s Maremma resto has imported the chianina cow to the US. By Sophie Menin RIP Johnny Apple. By Bryan Miller Forbidden Fruits: Ramin Ganeshram sings the praises of Trinidad’s holiday “black cake.” Recipe: Trinidad Black Cake Massaging the Persimmon: the tradition of hoshi gaki – massaged, dried persimmon – is preserved in California. By Laurence Hauben Agenda: First Royal Smithfield Show of livestock in London, Dec. 2, 1799; Home-ec activist Ellen Richards born Dec. 3, 1842, in Dunstable, Mass.; Gloggprovning in Stockholm, Dec. 9; Community Olive Press Day Dec. 10 in Glen Ellen, Calif.; Colonial Christmas Dinner in Darien, Ga., Dec. 16; Community Chanukah Party, Dec. 17 in Taos, N.M.; Dongji (winter solstice) in South Korea, Dec. 22; Owru Yari (New Year’s Eve) in Paramaribo, Surinam, Dec. 29–31 Book Review: Five favorite winter food books: *Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors, by Andrea Nguyen; reviewed by James Oseland *Blithe Tomato: An Insider’s Wry Look at Farmer’s Market Society, by Mike Madison; reviewed by Liz Pearson *Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor, by Hervé This; reviewed by Todd Coleman *Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition, by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker; reviewed by Georgia Freedman *Mrs. Rowe’s Restaurant Cookbook: A Lifetime of Recipes from the Shenandoah Valley, by Mollie Cox Bryan; reviewed by Lily Binns Recipe: Banana Pudding The Saveur List: 8 Food Gifts, from Carr Valley Cheese to pomegranates. By Kate Fox Ingredient: Winter Sun: Jerusalem artichokes are a cold-weather favorite whose taste is sweet and warm. By Shane Mitchell Recipe: Sautéed Jerusalem Artichokes Cellar: War of the Riojas Spain’s celebrated red wine fuels an ongoing debate. By Michael Steinberger Tasting notes: 12 riojas, from Marqués de Riscal Reserva 2001 ($16; “wood spice…and…sweatiness on the nose…excellent value”) to CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva 1996 ($65; “a burly wine, with sweetish black fruit…oaky, but with good depth and structure”) Reporter: Joy Sticks: Chopsticks etiquette is little understood outside Asia. By Ari Tye Radetsky Sidebar: Disposable chopsticks are a substantial drain on forests. Classic: Holiday Spice: Pfeffernuss cookies signify Christmas in Germany—and beyond. By Maria Speck Recipe: Pfeffernüsse (German spice cookies) Provence Noël In the south of France, a baker and his friends carry on the sweet rituals of Christmas. By Nancy Coons Recipes: Saumon Pauché à la Mayonnaise (whole poached salmon with cold mayonnaise) Gratin de Courge (squash gratin) Pompe à l’Huile (sweet olive oil bread) Salade de Céleri (celery salad) Anchoïade (anchovy dip with crudités) Sidebar: Birth of the Little Saints: miniature clay crèche scenes expand to include Provencal notables. Sidebar: 13 Symbols of Christmas: a traditional “gros souper” ends with 13 desserts The Guide: Where to stay and eat and what to do in Provence The Power of Sour Tamarind adds tartness—and intrigue—to many of the world’s favorite dishes. By Madhur Jaffrey Recipes: Agua de Tamarindo (sweet tamarind drink) Rasam (spicy tomato and tamarind soup) Tamarind-Glazed Pork Chops Imli Ki Meethi Chutney (tamarind chutney with bananas and golden raisins) Sinigang na Hipon (Philippine sour shrimp stew) Sidebar: Making Tamarind Extract Liquid Gold On the French Caribbean island of Martinique, all roads lead to rum. By Wayne Curtis Recipes: Hot Buttered Rum Ti’ Punch Martinique Milk Punch Dave Wondrich’s Rum Punch Sidebar: A Martinique Rum Primer Sidebar: Finding Sugarcane-Juice Rum The Guide: What to do and where to eat in Martinique Christmas at Currandooley A fifth-generation Australian ranching clan returns to the family seat for a holiday feast beneath the blazing December sun. By Chloe Osborne Recipes: Christmas Ham Crab Apple Jelly Christmas Pudding with Custard Sauce Currandooley Dressing (Meyer lemon and garlic dressing) The Age of Casseroles They were easy. They were chic. They were the most delicious dishes of their day. By Irene Sax Recipes: Shepherd’s Pie Tuna-Noodle Casserole Tamale Pie Chicken Divan Sidebar: A Modern Convenience: The rise of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup. Sidebar: America’s Own Cookware: how the American casserole dish came to be. Sidebar: Our Favorite Casserole Cookbooks: 10 books of recipes, dating from 1912 to 2003. By Amy McDaniel In the Saveur Kitchen: Swiss Christmas cookies, by Nick Malgieri; what’s really in Worcestershire sauce, by Lily Binns; an easier approach to gratin, by Todd Coleman; extras found in vintage cookbooks, by Todd Coleman; what makes a ham a ham, by Liz Pearson; Southern mom fails at biscuits, by Amy McDaniel Recipes: Spitzbuebe (Swiss raspberry preserve–filled sandwich cookies) Potato Gratin Corned Ham Moment: Dinner in the Sky—eating at a table suspended over a freeway in Brussels

Saveur, November 2006 First: New editor in chief James Oseland recalls learning to cook from a Taiwanese friend. Fare: Flour Powers: Japanese comic book Yakitate!! Japane follows the adventures of a super-baker. By Emily Kaiser Maine’s Buckwheat Treats: Acadian ployes are part pancake, part crepe, part flat bread. By Roger Doiron Recipe: Ployes with Cretons (buckwheat crepes with pork pate) Au Revoir, Escoffier: France’s new Le Fooding movement encourages experimentation. By Catherine Bolgar Agenda: Rueblimart, a carrot fest in Aurau, Switzerland, Nov. 1; Greenwood County Cattlemen’s Day Celebration in Eureka, Kans., Nov. 3-4; Wurstfest in New Braunfels, Tex., Nov. 3-12; Soil Association Organic Food Festival in Glasgow, Scotland, Nov. 4-5; Sweet Potato Festival in Vardeman, Miss., Nov. 4-11; La Foire aux Harengs de Lieurey herring festival in Lieurey, France, Nov. 11; Nils Gustaf Dalen, inventor of the cast-iron stove, born Nov. 30, 1869; The Joy of Cooking first published Nov. 30, 1931 Book Review: Tamasin Day-Lewis reviews Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours, and finds it reliable precisely for the very homey recipes. Recipe: Thanksgiving Twofer Pie Sidebar Book: Matt and Ted Lee’s The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Southerners and Would-Be Southerners covers high and low dishes alike. The Saveur List: 10 Tabletop Goods, from Moroccan tea glasses to Chez Panisse dinnerware to Vagabond Vintage Furnishing napkins Kitchenwise: Interior designer Jenny Rogers and her partner crafted the perfect workspace in their 500-square-foot New York City studio. By Georgia Freedman Cellar: Night for Day Moulin-a-vent is an earthy, gutsy cru beaujolais. By John Winthrop Haeger Tasting notes: 12 moulin-a-vent wines, from Georges Duboeuf Domaine des Rosiers 2004 ($14; “earthy, herbaceous nose…black and red raspberries”) to Domaine de la Rochelle 2000 ($30; “raisined fruit and dried leaves…strong minerality”) Lives: Chocolate in the Rough On the African island of Principe, maverick chocolatier Claudio Corallo is developing a uniquie bean-to-bar operation. By G.Y. Dryansky Source: Tane Chan’s San Francisco Wok Shop (www.wokshop.com) has a wok for every chef. By Sarah DiGregorio Classic: Cream of New York Cheesecake is the Big Apple’s other coveted slice Recipe: Lindy’s Cheesecake Shanghai Surprise Chef Jereme Leung is redefining his adopted city’s cuisine one dish at a time. By Grace Young Recipes: Bingzhen Huangjiu Ji (chilled drunken chicken with rice wine granita) Xunlong Yuzi Yanxun Dan (tea-smoked eggs with caviar) Hushi Suanla Geng (Shanghai-style hot and sour soup) Foldout Guide: The Saveur Tour of Shanghai, with reviews of a dozen places to eat The Guide: Where to stay and eat in Shanghai The Centerpiece The turkeys raised on a Colorado farm didn’t just taste good; they offered a hard-won lesson in humility. By Rita Williams Recipes: Brined and Roasted Turkey Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Wings Turkey Tetrazzini Panes con Pavo (Salvadorn turkey sandwich) Sidebar: A Guide to Buying Turkey: conventional, natural, heritage Brunch on the Bayou At one of Louisiana’s last remaining sugarcane farms, a family cook prepares a hearty feast to celebrate the harvest. By Victoria Abbott Riccardi Recipes: Eggs Hussards (poached eggs with tasso and hollandaise sauce) Mirliton (chayote) Casserole Broiled Grapefruit Couchon d’Oreille (“pigs’ ears”—fried dough with caramel and pecans) Sausages and Gravy with Stone-Ground Grits Sidebar: The Art of Making Sugar, from raw cane to crystals Old-School Madrid The Spanish capital’s classic dishes are worth seeking out—and savoring. By Anya von Bremzen Recipes: Gambas al Ajillo (sizzling shrimp with garlic and parsley) Albondigas en Salsa (tapas-style meatballs) Croquetas de Jamon con Gambas (ham and shrimp croquettes) Cocido Madrileño de Casa Lhardy (Madrid-style boiled dinner) Flan (creamy caramel custard) Sidebar: Perfect Bites: where to get tapas in Madrid The Guide: where to stay and eat in Madrid Comng Home to Café Annie After 25 years, a Houston institution beckons with flavors that are as thrilling as ever. By Margo True Recipes: Black Bean Nachos with Red Chile Beef Rabbit Enchiladas with Red Mole Coffee-Crusted Beef Tenderloin In the Saveur Kitchen: Rice Wine 101—how to buy the good stuff, by Todd Coleman; how to carve a turkey; how to poach an egg, by Todd Coleman; true-life tales of turkeys in trouble—an interview with a Butterball hot-line tender, by Liz Pearson; the Neiman Marcus cookie and other sweet apocrypha, by Georgia Freedman; Kate Fox’s grandmother’s applesauce Recipes: Neiman Marcus Cookies Jean Fox’s Appelsaes In the Saveur Library: Birds of a Feather: Saving Rare Turkeys from Extinction, by Carolyn J. Christman and Robert O. Hawes, is obscure but much needed. Moment: A cat eating corn on the cob

Saveur, October 2006 First: Todd Coleman relates how his Butt Rub got mistaken for bomb materials on the flight back from Florida. Fare: A Backpacker's Banquet: Andy Isaacson explains how he rolled peanut butter, bananas and sticky rice into the "falang roll" of Laos Recipe: Falang Roll (foreigner roll) Truculent but Tender: Paul Adams describes eating an unfriendly llama. G.I. Grub: Todd Coleman admits he wanted to be a military chef, and reviews How to Feed an Army: Recipes and Lore from the Front Lines, by J.G. Lewin and P.J. Huff. Recipe: Shit on a Shingle (creamed chipped beef on toast) What Would James Bond Think? Egregious wine and booze blunders in popular spy novels. Agenda: California Avocado Festival in Carpinteria, Calif., Oct. 6-8; Dan Siruna—"day of the fish" in Budva, Montenegro, Oct. 7; Oktoberfest started Oct. 12, 1810, in Munich; Festivals Acadiens in Lafayatte, La., Oct. 13-15; Turkey Testicle Festival in Byron, Ill., Oct. 14; Doburoku Matsuri (sake festival) in Shirakwago, Japan, Oct. 14-19; Foire de la Chataigne (chestnut fest) in Mourjou, France, Oct. 21-22; Joe Carcione, radio promoter of "vedja-tobbles", born Oct. 31, 1914 One Good Bottle: Oakville Ranch Napa Valley Field Blend 2004 ($30) is "juicy, fruity, vaguely Italian-tasting" Book Review: Kenneth Wapner reviews Hiroko Shimbo’s The Sushi Experience—it's very thorough and packed with useful tips. The Saveur List: 5 Food Towns: markets and restaurants in Apalichola, Fla., Ashland, Ore., Burlington, Vt., Chapel Hill, N.C., and Lawrence, Kan. Kitchenwise: Knot's Landing star John Pleshette also happens to be a practiced cook. His super-organized kitchen has a custom maple center table, lots of pull-out drawers, custom shelves for wine and books, and a corner just for baking. Cellar: Mistress of the Dark Powerful aglianico softens into elegance with age. By John Winthrop Haeger Tasting notes: 12 aglianico-based wines from Campania and Basilicata, from Feudi di San Gregorio Irpinia Rubrato 2003 ($19; "a lean, inky integration of black cherry and mineral flavors") to De Conciliis Paestum Zero 2003 ($100; "incense, bay laurel, dates…on the nose; then ripe, rich, sweet, velvety…on the midpalate"). Essay: Dilbert's Kitchen: Colman Andrews laments the damage vituperative reality-chef Gordon Ramsay has done to the image of fine cooking. Memories: Honeymoon in Yerevan: Litty Matthew recalls her first, anxious meal with her new Armenian in-laws. Recipe: Rose Napoleons Source: Gourmet Mushrooms is one of the largest exotic mushroom producers in the U.S.. By Kathleen Brennan Classic: Vietnamese Fire: Spicy noodle soup is an invigorating brow wiper. By Andrea Nguyen Recipe: Bun Bo Hue (Hue-style spicy beef and rice noodle soup Wine for the Family In California's wine country, the Robledos come together each weekend for their mother's find Mexican cooking—and to honor and strengthen a dream. By Margo True Recipes: Posole Rojo (pork and hominy stew) Calabaza y Camote (candied squash and sweet potatoes) Three-Chile Salsa Grilled Tomato Salsa Tostadas de Ceviche de Camaron y Jaiba (shrimp and crab ceviche on fried tortillas) Chiles Rellenos (poblano chiles stuffed with beef and cheese) Guisada de Guilota (quail braised in tomatillo-chile sauce) Tasting Notes: 9 wines from the Robledo Family Winery and Mi Sueno Winery. Sidebar: The Rise of the Vineyard Worker: immigration issues in the California wine industrie Kekfrankos from a Former Kulak Ferenc Takler survived communism to produce glorious Hungarian wines. By Roger Morris Recipes: Ozporkolt (venison goulash) Sarkozi Tejfeles Bujtok (sour cream rolls) Bableves (bean soup with "pinched" pasta) Szolos Retes Bor Szoszban (grape-filled strudel with white wine sauce) Tasting Notes: 4 Takler wines Sidebar: The Takler Table: staples include chicken paprikash and a simple salad with a dressing of white wine vinegar and honey. By Camas Davis Sidebar: Pal's Legacy: Pal Debreczeni was one of Hungary's best winegrowers; his wife carries on. Prickly Sweet With their sublime balance of succulent and sour, pineapples are the most irresistible of tropical fruits. By Kelly Alexander Recipes: Rojak (pineapple and jicama salad) Tepache (Mexican-style fermented pineapple drink) Manchamanteles de Cerdo y Pollo (mole with chicken, pork, and pineapple) Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Sweet and Sour Pork Seared Foie Gras with Caramelized Pineapple Sidebar: How to Cut Up a Pineapple Sidebar: A User's Guide: varieties and how to pick a ripe one Serious Eating in the Sudtirol A reunion across the generations in German-speaking Italy is fueled by dumplings, gnocchi, cured pork, and sauerkraut. By George Semler Recipes: Spinatnocken und Tofennocken (spinach and cheese gnocchi) Speckknodelsuppe (Tyrolean bacon-dumpling soup) Wildschwein in Rotwein Sosse mit Polenta (wild boar and soft polenta with wine sauce) Kartoffelteigtaschen mit Pfifferlingen (potato ravioli with chanterelle mushrooms) Tiroler Schlachtplatte (Tyrolean butcher's platter) Fritelle di Mele alla Cannella con Composta di Mirtilli rossi (cinnamon apple fritters with cranberry compote) The Guide: Where to stay and eat in Sudtirol In the Saveur Kitchen: variations on shit on a shingle, by Liz Pearson; another pineapple treat, by Sophie von Haselberg; pork hocks are cross-sections of a hog's leg, by Todd Coleman Recipe: Apcray on Apcray (creamed tuna on toast) Oven-Dried Spicy Pineapple Snacks Moment: A Multan, Pakistan, vendor stacks cakes on the first night of Ramadan

Saveur, September 2006 First: Colman Andrews explains why it took so long for the mag to cover Turkey: just trying to get it right. Notably, he realizes it's a country to do numerous articles on, like France, Italy, and China. Fare: Small and Savory: The Östermalms food hall in Stockholm reveals many wonders. By Kelly Alexander Boys in the Kitchen: Tim Allis recounts a gay men's cooking class: it can bring partners together. Good Nose: Training a dog to sniff out TCA, the contaminant that causes corking. By Emily Kaiser That Tart: The frequently requested recipe from May 2006's New Zealand story. Recipe: Portuguese Custard Tarts From the Spice Islands: Saveur executive editor James Oseland's new book is Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. By Colman Andrews Recipe: Chicken Satay Not That Kind of Acid: Summery blackberry syrup is worth the trouble. By Shane Mitchell Recipe: Blackberry Acid Agenda: La Fete de L'ail Rose in Lautrec, France, Aug. 4; Alfestival in Ahus, Sweden, celebrates silver eels Aug. 5; Huckleberry Festival in Swan Lake, Mont., Aug. 12; Lewis and Clark Festival in Yankton, S. Dak., celebrates buffalo Aug. 26-27; Marion Popcorn Festival in Marion, Ohio, Sept. 7-9; Pizzafest in Naples, Italy, Sept. 7-17; hand-cranked ice cream maker patent issued Sept. 9, 1843; John "Johnny Appleseed" Chapman born Sept. 26, 1774 One Good Bottle: Albert Mann Auxerrois Vieilles Vignes 2004 ($19) is "delicious…a little oily and just acidic enough." Book Review: Shane Mitchell reviews Bill Buford’s Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany and sees it as a romance about big men with big appetites, not really a study of Italian food. Kitchenwise: Manhattan restaurateur Michael Bonadies redesigned his small kitchen in New Jersey for maximum efficiency: drawers in the kick space, an easy-to-reach garbage can, and lots of lighting. Cellar: Cabernet Mountain After phylloxera, Prohibition, and neglect, one of the Napa Valley's least accessible wine areas is now thriving. By Roger Morris Tasting notes: 12 wines from the Spring Mountain regions, from Terra Valentine Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 ($35, "lively fragrances…deep and rich") to Juslyn Vineyards Proprietary Red 2002 ($90, a blend with "a lovely floral oak nose, very ripe blackberry fruit, and firm tannins"). Reporter: The Importance of Corn: An innovative gardening program in northern Arizona is helping the Navajo rediscover the foods that have nourished them. By Stephanie Woodard Memories: Are You Being Served? Indrani Sen recalls the surprising relationship with the servants in her grandmother's kitchen in India. Recipe: Khichuri (dal, rice, and vegetable porridge) Source: Scottish Gourmet imports delicately sweet Scottish langoustines. By Kathleen Brennan Classic: Crisp Charisma: Sicilian "tubes" are America's favorite Italian pastry. By Eugenia Bone Recipe: Cannoli Pacific Treasure Vancouver Island is emerging as the West Coast's new epicurean mecca. By Max Alexander Recipes: Whole Wheat Crostini with Creamed Chanterelles Grilled Oysters Wrapped in Alaria Seaweed Salmon Glazed with Rosemary- and Lemon-Infused Honey Sooke Harbour House Duck with Duck Jus and Green Beans Polenta Fries with Spicy Garlic Dipping Sauce Water Buffalo Yogurt Panna Cotta with Raspberry Puree Sidebar: Island Wines: Blue Grouse 2003 (pinot gris), Venturi-Schulze 2002 Indigo (schonburger), plus some pinot noirs and viogniers. The Guide: Where to stay and eat and what to do on Vancouver Island A Tale of Tofu In Zhangguying, Chicna, this versatile ingredient is the soul of local cooking. By Fuchsia Dunlop Recipes: Xiang Gan Zi Chao La Rou (stir-fried smoky bacon with smoked tofu) Jia Chang Dou Fu (Hunanese home-style tofu) Fu Ru Jiao Si Chao Tan Cai (water spinach with garlic and fermented tofu) Zhangguying You Dou Fu (Zhangguying-style braised fried tofu) Fu Zhu Pai Gu Tang (spareribs and dried tofu stick soup) Sidebar: A Guide to Chinese Tofu: dried tofu sticks (fu zhu), firm tofu (dou fu), smoked (la dou fu, la gan zi), flavored (lu dou fu, dou fu gan), fermented (mei dou fu, dou fu ru), silken (sui dou fu), and deep-fried (you dou fu, dou pao) Seaweed and Cheese: Maja Binder and Olivier Beaujouon forage for seaweed and handcraft cheese. Recipe: Carrageen Lemon Pots The Turkish Teacher In the ancient city of Konya, Nevin Halici brings together the rich and spiritual foods of her native land. By Margo True Recipes: Gül Yaprakli Marul Salatasi (rose petal salad with parsley and mint) Tava Kebapli Bulgur Pilavi (panfried lamb kebabs with bulgur pilav) Tutmac Corbasi (lamb and yogurt soup) Kahve (Turkish coffee) Kösk Kebabi (lamb kebabs with eggplant) Badem Helvasi (almond halvah) Sidebar: Home Cooking in a Konya Restaurant: Kösk Konya Mutfagi (Konya Pavilion Kitchen) The Guide: where to stay and eat and what to do in Konya Friday Night Fish Fry Milwaukee's weekly food gatherings are a delicious, down-home tradition. By Daphne Beal Recipes: Beer-Battered Haddock Brandy Old-Fashioned German Coleslaw German Potato Pancakes Carrot Cake The Guide: Where to stay and eat in Milwaukee In the Saveur Kitchen: The beauty and variety of Turkish breakfasts, by Margo True; frying dried spices in oil (tarka) is the essence of Indian food, by Todd Coleman; the evolution of the maraschino cherry, by Liz Pearson Recipe: Mirtoga (browned-flour scrambled eggs) Moment: Chicago White Sox fan with one of those double-beer-can-holder hats.

Saveur, June/July 2006 First: Colman Andrews recounts how the Saveur staff could turn on a dime to get the story about Philippe Rochat into the issue at the last minute. Fare: Rule, Brittania!: Brittania & Co., a timeless Irani lunch cafe, has served Parsi food to Mumbai workers since 1923. By Melanie Mize Renzulli Recipe: Sali Chicken (chicken stew with potato sticks) Curious Cutlery: A new exhibition of American tableware at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum goes way beyond the knife and fork. By Darra Goldstein Dueling Interns: Saveur imagines its own cutthroat reality TV show, in which its interns must not be vegetarians, and must know how to pronounce the name of the magazine. Nothing Personal, Trigger: Amy Standen reports on the use of horsemeat in Slovenia. Camelot’s Napery: Napkins with a Twist: Fabulous Folds with Flair for Every Occasion shows how to set the table a la Jackie Kennedy. Agenda: Okmulgee Pecan Festival, in Okla., June 1-3; Rosy Rhubarb Festival in Shedden, Ont., June 9-11; Midsommar Festival in Stromsburg, “the Swede capital of Nebraska,” June 16-18; World Stinging Nettle Eating Championships in Marshwood Vale, England, June 17; 100th anniversary of the Food and Drugs Act, June 30; Percy Spencer, inventor of the microwave, born July 19, 1894; Le Championnat du Monde de Cracher de Noyaux de Pruneaux, a prune-pit-spitting contest in Sainte Livrade-sur-Lot, France, July 29; Oxnard Salsa Festival, July 29–30; One Good Bottle: Domaine Stephane Aladame Montagny Les Coeres 2003 ($25): “an unusual spicy nose” Book Review: Warren Shultz reviews two books on the politics of food: Jay Weinstein’s The Ethical Gourmet is relatively informative and balanced. Fields of Plenty: A Farmer’s Journey in Search of Real Food and the People Who Grow It, by Michael Ableman, is more black-and-white, but inspirational. Recipe: Multigrain Buttermilk Waffles with Poppy Seeds Kitchenwise: Kitchen designer Joanne Hudson’s own space has a 15-foot-long island. Traffic flow is maintained with ample space between cooking and cleanup areas, and a separate “drink station.” By Kathleen Brennan Cellar: White Rock Chenin blanc, formerly known as steen in South Africa, might turn out to be that country’s new star wine. By Michael Steinberger Tasting notes: 12 chenin blancs from South Africa, from Ken Forrester Petit Chenin 2005 ($10; “restrained, elegant nose....plush on the palate”) to De Trafford Straw Wine 2003 ($45/375ml; “honeysuckle dominates the nose....with terrific cirus, apricot and butterscotch flavors”) Essay: The Joy of Salad Kelly Alexander expounds on the complexities of summer salads. Reporter: Deeper into Sherbet In a story that smacks more of Cook’s Illustrated, Elmer R. Grossman praises sherbet and develops his own ideal recipe. Recipe: Mango Sherbet Drink: Chardonnay Royalty From modest beginnings came “America’s greatest white wine estate.” By John Winthrop Haeger Source: Chris Hogue, of Bethesda, Md., makes the ultimate crab cakes. Order from www.chrismarketplace.com. By Kathleen Brennan Classic: Cool Potatos French-sounding vichysoisse is as American as apple pie. By Todd Coleman Recipe: Vichysoisse (creamy chilled potato and leek soup) Scottish Summer Berries A childhood spent on farms near Dundee and in Mum’s kitchen left a London chef with a taste for fruit tarts, shortcakes, and other seasonal delights. By Jeremy Lee Recipes: Raspberry Shortcakes Strawberry and Hazelnut Meringue Cake Berry Jelly Raspberry Brulee Raspberry Trifle Swiss Hit In a once legendary restaurant near Lausanne, Philippe Rochat has become quite possibly the greatest chef you’ve never heard of. By Colman Andrews Recipes: Grosses Asperges Vertes a l’Oscietre (asparagus with osetra caviar) Tarte Fine Croustillante de Morilles aux Fevettes (morel tarts with baby fava beans) Hatelet de Ris de Veau Roti au Pimento del Piquillos (roasted sweetbreads on a skewer with piquillo pepper sauce) Rosace de Fraises (strawberry “rose”) Sidebar: Your Three-Star Kitchen: Why is it useful to print such ridiculously complicated recipes? So home cooks can steal ideas and flavors. Nutmeg Islands Indionesia’s tiny Banda archipelago is home to one of the world’s most revered spices—and one of its most lavishly seasoned cuisines. By James Oseland Recipes: Kare Ikan (fish curry with potatoes) Nasi Kuning (festive yellow rice) Teh Halia (spice ginger–palm sugar drink) Spekkuk Bumbu (Indonesian spice cake) Sasatay (Banda-style tuna falafel) Ikan Bumbu Rujak (spice-braised tuna) Kacang Panjang Kecap (long beans with sweet soy sauce) Sidebar: The Spice Islands Pantry: ten essentials, from tirassi (dried shrimp paste) to pala (nutmeg) Sidebar: Banda’s Amazing Spice: all about nutmeg The Guide: where to stay in the Banda Islands The Sacred Feast Food and music feed the soul at this annual celebration in rural Alabama. By Kathryn Eastburn Recipes: Fresh Peach Ice Cream Pulled Pork Barbecue Poor Man’s Caviar Sweet Potato Cobbler Sandy’s Baked Beans Refrigerator Rolls Fruit Punch In the Saveur Kitchen: take fried shallots out of oil a bit sooner than you think; how to beat egg whites perfectly; all about citric acid—which can even be used to make “lemonade” Recipes: Bawang Gorneg (fried shallots) In the Saveur Library: Tropical Herbs & Spices, by Wendy Hutton, is an excellent guide to exotic flavors. Moment: American bicyclists in the Tour de France framed by grapes.