Bon Appetit May 2013

FIND, FOLLOW, AND CONNECT WITH US ONLINE THE BA GRUB CRAWL RETURNS Our roving, pub crawl–inspired food festival is back for its second year. That means more cities, more chef hangs, and more all-day eating and drinking revelry with the BA team in Charleston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York. Check bagrubcrawl.com for more details and to buy tickets. NEW COLUMN: COOKING WITH OUT RECIPES As a restaurant cook–turned-editor, Carla Lalli Music loves recipes, just not all the time. She’ll teach you tips on free-styling in the kitchen in her new column, Cooking Without Recipes. bonappetit.com/go/no-recipes The Hashtag We celebrate our favorite food-focused hotels in America on page 99. But what to eat en route? Here’s where the pros grab a bite when they’re on the go: #airportrestaurants @johntedge…

WHETHER YOU’RE IN BANGKOK OR BOSTON, Los Angeles or London, there comes a time during every trip when you hit the wall. You’ve sampled enough bistros and pubs, and braved one too many street carts, and all you want to do is plop down on your ginormous hotel bed, turn on the TV, and order room service. Now, I imagine there are some people who study the menu first, and others who go so far as to order the mango-glazed mahi-mahi with julienned vegetables. But I reckon I’m like most folks: I just ask for a club sandwich, the preferred choice of business travelers and tourists the world over. Much of a club’s appeal is that you (usually) know exactly what you’re going to get. Specifically: three slices of white…

COOK THE COVER AT BLACKBERRY FARM IN WALLAND, TN, THEY MAKE GRIDDLE CAKES WITH BUCKWHEAT, CORN, AND OAT FLOURS. THE SOUTHERN GRAINS LEND A NUTTY FLAVOR AND YIELD A GLUTEN-FREE BREAKFAST OPTION (WHICH BA CREATIVE DIRECTOR ALEX GROSSMAN LOVED). BLACKBERRY FARM GRIDDLE CAKES 6 SERVINGS Fast-track this recipe by tripling the dry ingredients and storing them in a jar. At breakfast time, scoop out 2 ¼ cups. All the other measurements stay the same. 1 large egg 2 cups buttermilk ¼ cup pure maple syrup 1 cup gluten-free oat flour 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal 1/3 cup brown rice flour 1/4 cup buckwheat flour 1 Tbsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. kosher salt ¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted Vegetable oil (for skillet) INGREDIENT INFO: Gluten-free oat…

FEW TRAVEL EXPERIENCES are more American than eating dessert at a roadside diner. My order? A slice of banana cream pie: the topping whipped high, the creamy filling offering comfort far from home. To elevate this classic in my own kitchen, I add sliced bananas to the hot (and simple) custard to infuse it with flavor. And did I mention chocolate’s involved? It’s my take on diner deluxe. —JANET TAYLOR MCCRACKEN BANANA CREAM PIE Melt 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate with 2 tsp. vegetable oil and brush over a prebaked 9" pie crust; chill until set. Meanwhile, whisk 3 large egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, 3 Tbsp. cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan, off heat, until smooth. Gradually whisk in 2 cups whole milk. Whisking constantly, bring to…

You’ve got 21 restaurants on two continents; what’s your go-to travel outfit? Crocs and a rolled-up dress shirt with a fleece vest over it. And I wear short pants just about everywhere I go, with the exception of where I’m going next. Which is...? A farming fact-finding mission to Haiti with President Clinton. I’m excited, but I have to wear long pants because mosquitoes are an issue, as are cholera and typhoid. It’s the most challenging place I’ve been to in terms of how to prepare. Any eating and drinking strategies for flying? I don’t eat in airports or on planes. At O’Hare, however, Rick Bayless has a restaurant called Tortas Frontera. It’s the one place I’ll trust. So you don’t eat anything they serve on the plane? I consume…

1-HIT THE LOUNGE I fill up on free booze, salty snacks, and the last fresh fruit I’ll see for a while-and I don’t need an upgrade to do it. How? I have an American Express Platinum Card, which gives me access to 600-plus lounges worldwide, and the strength to face 14 hours in coach. At $450 a year, it’s worth every penny. 2-DRINK EARLY, DRINK OFTEN If I’m squeezed into a middle seat, I need to relax. Preferably with Frontier Airlines’ selection of craft beers from their microbrew-crazy home base of Colorado (all around $7). On long hauls, Singapore Air serves a freshly mixed Singapore Sling in all classes. On the ground, the gin-and-pineapple juice cocktail may feel kitschy, but over the Pacific, it tastes like love. 3-LOWER YOUR TRAY…