Food & Wine December 2016

RECIPE KEY • FAST Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. • VEGETARIAN Contains no meat, poultry or seafood. • STAFF FAVORITE Recipe we especially love. Soups & Starters [VEGETARIAN] Beet Hummus p. 104 [STAFF FAVORITE] Black Bean and Chorizo Soup p. 74 The soup we'll have on hand all winter. [VEGETARIAN] Classic Hummus p. 104 [VEGETARIAN][STAFF FAVORITE] Gougères au Comté p. 158 [FAST] Oysters Normande p. 174 Pumpkin Soup with Trumpet Mushrooms and Sour Cream p. 172 [VEGETARIAN][STAFF FAVORITE] Spinach-and-Herb Hummus p. 104 Salads & Vegetables Aunt Elsie's Texas Potatoes p. 168 [FAST][VEGETARIAN] Christmas Salad p. 168 [FAST][VEGETARIAN] Coriander-Roasted Broccoli p. 84 [VEGETARIAN] Honey-Mustard-Braised Radishes and Mustard Greens p. 58 [VEGETARIAN][STAFF FAVORITE] Leeks Vinaigrette p. 174 [VEGETARIAN] Roasted Cauliflower Salad p. 89 [VEGETARIAN][STAFF FAVORITE] Savory Galette with Radicchio and Endive p. 170 [VEGETARIAN] Wheat Berry and Squash Salad p. 172 [VEGETARIAN][STAFF FAVORITE] Wild Mushroom Shepherd's Pie with Potato-Chestnut Topping p.…

Thanks a Latke Top Chef's Gail Simmons shares a video how-to for her mom's insanely delicious Hanukkah potato pancakes. Watch it now! December Is Booze Month! You heard right: This month is dedicated to all things wine, beer and spirits on our website. Cin cin! Not Your Grandma's Cookies Chefs weigh in on their favorite classic holiday sweets—and the ingenious ways they've upgraded them in their restaurants. [This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.] MICHAEL TUREK; THE WASHINGTON POST/GETTY IMAGES; COURTESY OF GILBERT'S UNDERGROUND KITCHEN; COURTESY OF DELAWARE & HUDSON; THE PEABODY JOHNSON; GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO…

A FEW MONTHS AGO, I was invited to speak at the Welcome Conference, a symposium on hospitality held in New York. One of the organizers, restaurateur Will Guidara, asked each speaker to riff on the idea of "Being Present" in our increasingly hurried and harried world. It was especially compelling to hear overachievers like Andrew Zimmern and Drew Nieporent share unguarded stories about how they stay grounded amid the cacophony of commitments, the avalanche of to-do's. It probably won't come as a surprise that my own talk revolved around food—and that my chosen method for "finding center" has always been in the kitchen. I'd venture that's how many of you feel, too. The meditative rhythm of chopping onions, the certainty of a well-worn cutting board, the gentle simmering of stock—all do more…

FEEDING YOUNG MINDS I believe that what you eat affects the way you feel, the way you think and how beautiful you can look, so I'm really passionate about introducing kids to a holistic, healthy, good life. That's why my foundation, Common Ground, offers nutritional programs where chefs come in and talk about eating healthfully. SUPERHERO DRINK I like green juice, especially one called Green Machine, because it gives me that kick I need. I almost played the Green Lantern in a film, but maybe Green Machine should be my superhero name. MUSIC LESSONS I grew up in Chicago eating everything: barbecue, hamburgers, bacon. Then I heard rappers, like KRS-One in "My Philosophy," say things about not eating meat, which was a real education, especially since it was coming from somebody cool. That stayed with…

SURE, WE LOVE A RUSTIC LOAF OF BREAD, but we can't resist its elevated counterpart: buttery brioche. So we couldn't be more thrilled about the singular focus of Guy Savoy's new bakery inside Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Brioche by Guy Savoy. Modeled on his Parisian shop, Goût de Brioche, the eight-month-old spot embellishes plain brioche with fillings sweet (Nutella; candied fruits and almonds) and savory (prosciutto and cheese; onion confit). We'll take two. Of each. 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; caesars.com.…

WE'VE HAD OUR EYE ON this talented Providence chef for a while now—first when he was cooking at Matt Jennings's La Laiterie, then when he opened Birch, his intimate tasting-menu restaurant, in 2013. (You've had a thing for Sukle, too, nominating him twice for our People's Best New Chef award.) Now, at the new Oberlin, Sukle hits his stride with fresh takes on what an Italian restaurant can be: There's sauerkraut and dill on his crudo, made with local bycatch like bluefish and scup, and an impressive list of sakes (yes, sakes). Creative housemade pastas and roast fish round out a menu that celebrates Rhode Island's unexpected bounty. This is a place you'll wish you had in your hometown—we certainly do. 186 Union St.; oberlinrestaurant.com. THE NEW EYE-OPENERS Chefs are putting the…