Food & Wine October 2020

2018 LOUIS MICHEL & FILS MONTMAIN CHABLIS PREMIER CRU ($40) I tasted this brilliantly precise, stony Chablis with my friend Scott Worcester of Sawyer’s Specialties in Maine, and the memory of its flavor still lingers. 2018 BONANNO NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON ($27) Need a tasty Cabernet for fall dinners that (a) is from Napa Valley and (b) is also a steal? This blackberry-rich red, its fruit supported by plush tannins, drinks like it costs twice the price. NOMIKAI NEW YORK GIN + TONIC ($4/200 ML.) I drank more than my share of this way-better-than-you’d-guess canned G&T this summer. Handcrafted tonic from the Nomikai team + gin from NY’s Warwick Valley Distillery = tasty as hell.…

All Hail the Harvest ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING THINGS I’ve done this year is plant a container garden that has yielded way more than the tomatoes and herbs I bargained for this spring. Among its many dividends, the garden possesses serious morale-boosting properties. It also makes a fine place to take a work call. Slightly farther afield of late, last month my neighbor’s gargantuan brown turkey fig tree gave me more fruit than I could brandy and jar. On a recent hike near a friend’s lake house, I happened upon a skillet’s worth of chanterelle mushrooms for a sauté. An early-morning fishing trip on Apalachicola Bay in Florida filled a cooler with sea trout. Dredged and then fried in peanut oil, the fish yielded more than enough fillets to feed two…

TODAY, DINERS ACROSS MAJOR CITIES expect to see hyper-seasonal menus that seamlessly shift to make use of the freshest, best ingredients available. Paul Monahan, chief operating officer at Matchbook Distilling Company on Long Island, believes beverage programs can be just as nimble. His solution? Custom house spirits. “When we meet with chefs or operators, we ask about the type of flavors they’re serving on their menus,” he says. “We’re into the idea of chefs curating [alcoholic flavors] to complement their menus.” For Matt Danzer and Ann Redding of New York City’s Thai Diner and recently shuttered Uncle Boons, the prospect of building a bar designed specifically to amplify the flavors in their restaurants—from lemongrass to pandan—proved exciting. “It all started with Mekhong, which is a Thai whiskey. By American standards, it…

EVEN THE LIGHTEST drizzle of vinegar can add an unexpected dimension to a tried-and-true recipe, bringing a welcome punch of acid to a simple pan of roasted vegetables, an autumnal stew, or even a slice of pie à la mode. The bottles below—our favorites new and old—are sure to fuel hours of inspiration and experimentation in the kitchen. RAMP UP RAMP VINEGAR Few plants have the cult following that ramps do, which is why this bottle made from fermented ramps is the ultimate host gift. Use it to add a tangy, peppery finish to crispy roasted potatoes, green beans, or spaghetti carbonara. ($24, rampupshop.com) HANEGA PLUM VINEGAR Gotham Grove founder Jiyun Jennifer Yoo reaches for this naturally fermented aged Korean plum vinegar as part of her go-to marinade with soy sauce and honey. It’s…

WHETHER WE’RE HOSTING A DINNER PARTY or (lately) setting a lavish smaller spread, selecting the perfect vessel to complete each dish is one of our most treasured rituals. Turns out, we’re not alone. We asked chefs, food writers, and social butterflies to share their favorite conversation-starting and joy-sparking serving pieces. Here are their favorite finds, sourced from Australia to Italy. 1. MUD LARGE PEBBLE BOWL Author Hetty McKinnon is “quite picky” when it comes to serving vessels. “The slightly raised sides keep all the ingredients on the plate when dishing up,” she says. “It’s particularly great for oven-to-table recipes, like gratins and shakshuka for a large group.” ($161, us.mudaustralia.com) 2. FELT + FAT SERVING TRAY For Pam Willis, owner of Pammy’s in Cambridge, Massachusetts, these marbled platters are a beautiful alternative to wooden boards…

TOASTIE. JAFFLE. SNACKWICH. Whatever the menu refers to them as, these beloved sandwiches are pressed in a special panini press–esque device that seals the edges of the bread together to prevent fillings from leaking out. When food preperation is limited to what can easily be whipped up behind the bar, the toastie is a chef’s best friend. Chef Jeremiah Stone at Peoples Wine Bar in New York City serves up a version stuffed with gooey Comté, sautéed onions, and thin slices of soppressata. No matter the wine, a toastie is the perfect pairing. Sweet-and-Smoky Grilled Cheese Toastie TOTAL 25 MIN; SERVES 4 A combination of chipotle-spiked béchamel and mild Comté cheese melt together to create the rich, creamy center in this pressed “toastie” sandwich. 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1¼ cups whole…