Food & Wine August 2019

HUGO SPRITZ I love Aperol spritzes, but on a recent trip to Germany, I cooled off with this minty Alpine variation. Fill a wine glass with ice, then pour in a couple of ounces of St-Germain (or other elderflower liqueur), about twice that of Prosecco, then a splash of tonic water. Add a slice of lime and a sprig of mint. Prost! 2018 MAXIMIN RIESLING ($16) This affordable Riesling from the historic Maximin Grünhaus estate suggests green apples and lime zest—it’s a drink-all-summer white, so if you haven’t started yet, get to it! Faintly off-dry but so zesty you barely notice the touch of sweetness, it’s absurdly refreshing when served chilled down, outside in the sun. 2016 VIETTI TRE VIGNE BARBERA D’ASTI ($17) Warm-weather reds need one key quality: They have to be great when…

Easy Does It WE’VE INVITED FRIENDS OVER for dinner tonight, and I’m standing in the kitchen of an Airbnb in St. Helena, California, surveying my temporary work space. The pockmarked nonstick skillets here look like they lived their best lives in the late 1990s, around the last time the knives were sharpened. Cooking feels a bit ambitious. Why even sweat it? We could always order pizza instead. Still, the grill works, and there’s a farmers market nearby, so I go there, grab a taco, and walk the stalls for inspiration. A boneless leg of lamb from a local producer looks good and can anchor the meal. Progress. I grab some greens for sautéing, a bunch of purple torpedo onions, and the last of the green garlic and garlic scapes, too. Okay, I…

GREG WADE (Outstanding Baker, Publican Quality Bread, Chicago) “I’ve learned a lot about a strong work ethic and diligence from Stephanie Izard. I learned about being humble and constantly improving from Paul Kahan. I learned the importance of just being a good person from my farmer Marty Travis.” LEE HANSON AND RIAD NASR (Best New Restaurant, Frenchette, New York City) “Daniel Boulud brought us together. He’s been an inspiration and a champion of ours always, and a bit of a father figure.” JEN HIDINGER-KENDRICK (Humanitarian of the Year, The Giving Kitchen, Atlanta) “My fifth-grade teacher, Mr. Lloyd, who taught me and many, many others that one man’s drink is another man’s poison—that there’s always two perspectives to every story and to allow the words in those stories to come out.” BEVERLY KIM (Best Chef: Midwest, with Johnny Clark, Parachute, Chicago) “My…

BLUE AND PURPLE DRINKS are lighting up cocktail menus across the country, from a pretty, floral concoction at Palm Beach bar Florie’s to a spirit-free number at Chicago’s Entente. Their color is achieved by distilling the extract or creating a tea from butterfly pea flowers, which turns drinks vibrant pinks, blues, and purples on contact with lemon or lime juice. At Layla in Sonoma, California, The Forager (pictured) uses Griffo gin, Italicus Rosolio, butterfly pea flower tea, cucumber, and lime for a cool take on a G&T. Watch Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle mix one up at foodandwine.com/bottleservice.…

HABANADA PEPPER “I love that you can taste the fruit-forward flavor, which has notes of guava and apple, without the heat. It allows you to have full control and use it in many applications, like desserts.”—KWAME ONWUACHI, KITH/KIN AT THE INTERCONTINENTAL—THE WHARF, WASHINGTON, D.C. CHAYOTE “Chayote squash tastes like it should be a lot sweeter, but something happened along the way to give us this effervescent, crunchy produce that adds texture and juiciness to summer salads.” —KIA DAMON, LALITO, NEW YORK CITY PERSIAN MULBERRIES “I love to preserve Persian mulberries in a jam, cooked just enough so they don’t completely break down, and use them to top sundaes, French toast, or butter cake. At Bavel, we swirl them into an ice cream base.” —GENEVIEVE GERGIS, BAVEL, LOS ANGELES OKRA “Rather than fried or pickled, I prefer to…

DECANTER AND GLASSES The built-in aerator makes this decanter ideal for wine and straining fruit in sangria. Shatterproof wine glasses from the same recyclable, BPA-free material are sturdy enough to be hand-washed and reused for a picnic. (Decanter, $7, Stemmed Vino, $20/12-pack; tossware.com) SNACKING AND SERVING BOWLS Made of sturdy bamboo, these bowls are biodegradable and stylish. The half-moon server is ideal for crackers or chips, while nuts and dips can find homes in the caterpillar bowls. (Caterpillar server, $20, Eclipse server, $20; bamboozlehome.com) PLATES AND CUTLERY Japanese-inspired WASARA creates these minimalist plates from parchment-like material that’s surprisingly tough. Meanwhile, Plantware produces compostable flatware made of plant starch. (Maru Round Plates, $50/50-pack, Kaku Square Plates, $50/50-pack; joannehudson.com. Cutlery from $8/50-pack; letsgogreen.biz) FOOD STYLING: CHELSEA ZIMMER; PROP STYLING: HEATHER CHADDUCK HILLEGAS…