Innehållsförteckning för May-15 från Bon Appetit

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM AT @RAPO4 Sometimes when I walk around the Bon Appétit floor, I can’t help but ask myself, Where is everyone? And then I remember the string of e-mails I received earlier in the week, each subject-lined “OOO”—Bon App shorthand for “out of the office.” You see, we’re a traveling bunch here. Sometimes it’s for work, sometimes fun, usually a little of both. Could be a weekend trip to L.A., ham-and-egged together with a cheap flight out on Friday and a red-eye back Sunday night, with an over-the-top amount of fish tacos and cans of Tecate in between. Or maybe it’s to the heart of the Rocky Mountains for an epic barbecue photo shoot with real ranch hands and biblical thunder clouds rolling in. (Sorry,…

THE VITALS Age 44 Hometown Los Angeles Room-service standbys Caesar salad and pan-roasted salmon In-flight drink Ice water or Fresca Still getting the hang of The wok Trendy food he won’t touch Sea urchin So, is it true you want to attend culinary school someday? “It is. [Cooking] has always been a passion of mine.” How’d you get into it? “Out of necessity. One day my mother came home and said, ‘Baby, you’re going to cook dinner for your father and your brothers and sisters. I’m about to go play bingo.’ ” What’d you make? “I’d just watched Julia Child roast a chicken on PBS, and we had a lemon and an orange tree in the backyard, so I went out and got the citrus, found some fresh herbs, stuffed…

A BA Primer Seems like tea is everyone’s cup of you-knowwhat these days. They’re sipping matcha backstage at fashion shows, restaurants have bona fide “tea programs,” and here at BA, we have more tea kettles per capita than color printers. Want to get up to speed with this better—and bigger—world? We’ve got teas in every hue, gear so good you’ll ditch your Chemex, and brewing intel that you won’t want to miss. Read on, and drink it in.…

Because teas vary, steep temps and times do too. All tea comes from the same plant, but what distinguishes white from green from black? Style is determined by where the plant is grown, when it’s picked, how it’s dried, oxidized, or—whew. Here’s a cheat sheet. Steep Temp Steep Time White The purest, least-processed tea; air-dried and only slightly oxidized. 175–185° 1–3 min. Black Oxidized all the way, it’s the darkest and the strongest. 206° 3–5 min. Oolong Partly oxidized tea that’s deep, sweet, and fragrant— consider it a step along the way to black. 185–206° 3–5 min. Pu-erh The Bordeaux of tea: It’s aged and fermented and sold by the vintage. 212° 3–5 min. Green Toasted, steamed, or dried to prevent oxidation and to lock in color and a grassy…

AS A SOCAL KID with family in Hawaii, a matter of great importance growing up was whether the Aloha State’s powdery shave ice was, in fact, better than the classic mainland snow cone, constructed of larger chips of crushed ice. To shave or to crush— that was the question. Two summers ago, a similar query arose. During a period I now refer to as “The Year of the Sherry Cobbler,” I was gifted a Lewis bag, a canvas sack with triple-stitched seams that was once a staple in 19thcentury bars. It’s meant to be stuffed with cubed ice, which is then pounded by a wooden mallet into tiny shards—an act that doubles as dinner-party stress relief. Whack too hard, however, and you’ve got shave ice. And that just won’t do…

BACK IN THE DAY—that is, before kids—we took our vacation eats seriously. Once, in the late ’90s, after booking a trip to San Francisco, we set an alarm for the minute the French Laundry started taking reservations for the one night we’d be in Napa. After a Muzak-filled hour on hold, we got a two-top for 7:30 and high-fived like bros who’d just scored tickets to the Super Bowl. We are still fixated on food when we travel, but these days our energy is directed more toward the cooking part. Why? Because we had kids, and like most parents, we found it far less stressful to cook in our rental kitchen than sweat through fancy dinners in restaurants with Michelin stars—and nowhere to stash the Snap-N-Go. Because we came to…

Peas, Shoots & Leaves Who says gremolata has to have parsley and lemon? No one who’s tried this crunchy Thai-influenced riff Snap Pea Salad with Coconut Gremolata ACTIVE 20 MIN - TOTAL 30 MIN 4 SERVINGS Heat ⅓ cup vegetable oil and 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced into rings in a small saucepan over medium-high. Stir occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 5–8 minutes. Transfer shallots to paper towels; season with kosher salt. Pour shallot oil into a small bowl; let cool. Meanwhile, toast ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes in same saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally, until edges are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; let cool. Add fried shallot, ¼ cup chopped fresh chives, 3 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint, and 1 Tbsp. finely grated lime…

Red Salad with Pickled Beet Vinaigrette MAKES 1 CUP VINAIGRETTE The colorcoded salad is one of Babylonstoren’s signature dishes and always features a mix of fruits and vegetables on the same plate. Engelbrecht says produce that looks good together tastes great together, too, and she’s developed specific vinaigrettes to complement the red, yellow, and green options. PICKLED BEETS 6 baby red beets, trimmed, scrubbed 2 whole star anise pods 2 cups verjus 1 tsp. kosher salt VINAIGRETTE AND ASSEMBLY 2 Tbsp. raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) 2 anchovy fillets packed in oil 1 garlic clove, finely grated ⅓ cup grated Parmesan ¼ cup basil leaves ¼ cup olive oil 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper Mixed red and purple raw fruits and vegetables (such as tomatoes, plums,…

SOME FOOD-CENTRIC types chart their European vacations by referring to a constellation of Michelin stars and San Pellegrino 50 Best rankings. When I’m lucky enough to jet across the Atlantic, I try to get away from all that. And one can’t get much farther away than tiny Da Laura restaurant in San Fruttuoso, Italy. Set beneath the gravellined arches of an eighthcentury abbey on a pristine cove, it’s around the bend from the impossibly posh Portofino and just up the way from the larger but still charming Santa Margherita. But there are no crowds here since it’s accessible pretty much only by boat. Rent one if you’re the adventurous, deep-pocketed type—or hop a ferry. And when you arrive, just exhale— and appreciate why you endured that overnight flight, the train…

Between Top Chef tapings, hitting the food-festival circuit, and more, chef Hugh Acheson spends much of his time far from his family in Athens, Georgia. In the past year, he’s hit upward of 30 cities, from Barcelona to Bentonville, Arkansas. How does this man on the move prepare for each trip? ROLLS WITH IT This Victorinox roller bag has been Acheson’s constant travel companion for the past two years. “It’s bulletproof,” the chef says. Compact and light, it makes for smooth wheeling on everything from carpet to cobblestone. NEVER LEAVES HOME WITHOUT Acheson’s kitchensurvival kit can fit in a carry-on: two Kunz spoons and a pair of tweezers. “More than a knife, a great spoon is my go-to culinary tool,” he says. But the lack of knives doesn’t keep him…

Lahore Deli’s Chai Bring 4 crushed green cardamom pods, ½ tsp. crushed fennel seeds, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Boil 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, then whisk in 4 cups milk and add 5 tsp. (or 5 bags) strong black tea (if using bags, add tea loose). Simmer, whisking occasionally, until fragrant and a creamy light brown, 8−10 minutes. Strain into cups. Sweeten as desired. Makes about 4 ½ cups IT WAS 3 A.M., and Soho was desolate—except for Lahore Deli, a Pakistani takeout joint. After jostling with seemingly every cabbie in Manhattan, I hastily ordered a chai. The milky black tea, infused with cardamom and fennel, was like nothing I’d ever tasted. At that moment, I swore off $4 cappuccinos and pledged…

WALLABY Initial public squeamishness about eating the kangaroo’s beloved cousin has relaxed as Australians recognize it for its depth of flavor and tenderness when slow-cooked, particularly the tail, which is now treated as a kind of antipodean oxtail. WHERE TO EAT IT At the recently relocated Sydney institution Billy Kwong, chef Kylie Kwong features crisp wallaby buns and red-braises the caramelized tail with black beans and chili. OLD MAN SALTBUSH Sheep grazing in the drier inland bush areas have historically sustained themselves off this hardy perennial shrub—said to be one of the factors that gives Australian lamb its intense savor and slightly salty aftertaste. Saltbush wasn’t considered edible by humans until recently, when chefs began adding it to stir-fries, wrapping meat in it, frying the leaves, and using it as…

THE FIRST TIME I VISITED IRELAND, I subsisted on charmless pub stews, dull dark bread, and supermarket cheese—all the while wondering, Where, in this greener-than-green land where dairy cows roam the cliffsides, is the real food? The answer, I learned three years later: It’s at Ballymaloe, where the back-to-basics approach to cooking and farming felt, well, revolutionary. I walked with chef Darina Allen through her family’s sprawling County Cork estate and realized everything was edible—the tender tips of a spruce tree, nameless greens I thought were weeds. On her farm, wheels of cheese (real cheese!) were aging in climate-controlled bliss. In her nearby cookery school, which offers everything from afternoon classes on “afternoon tea and cakes” to 12-week certificate programs, student chefs from Dublin to Penang were assembling platters of…

As much as Chileans are different from Canadians, and Jamaicans from Japanese, there’s one thing everyone has in common: We all love our sandwiches. So when traveling, if you want to understand how the locals eat, you’ve got to try their version of stuff stuffed into other stuff. This isn’t to say that you should cancel your reservation at that four-star hot spot you scheduled your vacation around (enjoy!), but if you don’t snag a jambon-beurre on a perfectly crusty baguette while breezing through the Marais, or scarf a cemita dripping with juicy pork and chipotles after a night of mezcal in Puebla, well, you weren’t really there. BANH MI Vietnam Crisp pickled vegetables, mayo, and fish sauce play nice with meaty fillings ranging from sliced meats and pâté to…

HAVE YOU EVER gazed at a tropical screen saver, waiting for your ten precious vacation days to roll around? I used to. And then I realized I needed to do something big, something drastic. So about six months ago, I quit my job as special projects editor at Bon Appétit and set off on a yearlong 16-country tour throughout Asia. By the time you read this, I’ll have already bounced around China, India, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. Still to come are Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Palau, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. Is it tough out here on the road? Sure. I miss my family, my friends, my Chihuahuas, a steady paycheck, and pastrami sandwiches from 2nd Ave Deli. Do I worry that I committed career…

FROM P. 84 MILK IT FOR ALL IT ’S WORTH We love the richness of sweetened condensed milk. But what to do with the rest of the can when a recipe calls for only a couple of tablespoons? Relax. Even though it will last forever in the fridge, with these ideas, odds are it won’t have to. —BELLE CUSHING Use in place of milk to give iced coffee or tea a Vietnamese vibe. Bake gooey macaroons, fudge, or even a classic tres leches cake. Give bold-flavored pork or chicken marinades a bit of sweetness. Blitz with avocado and ice for a creamy shake. Toss with stone fruit (apricots are good) and caramelize slowly in a low oven. Drizzle over peanut-butter toast and make jelly, well, jealous. FROM P. 118 Skewered!…

FORGET FOIE. Forget caviar. Langoustines are the new marker of haute cuisine. Slim, pinkish-orange, and built like a basketball player (all arms and legs), Nephrops norvegicus is a shrimpy-looking crustacean in the lobster family. Its body can grow up to ten inches long, but it’s basically just the delicious tail meat that has chefs from Copenhagen to Vegas in a full-on frenzy. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION While langoustines have cousins all over the world, the real-deal, super-primo specimens come from the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, particularly the clear, frigid waters off the coasts of Iceland, Scotland, and Norway. Little Luxuries $37.80 per lb. Price of live langoustines at New York’s Eataly $15.80 per lb. Price of Eataly’s live lobsters on the same day Think that’s crazy? While langoustines cost more than twice…

1 Yame No. 5 “A deep-steamed sencha [green tea] that’s earthy with a mild yuzu kick. It’s clean and easy-drinking but makes you stop and think.” —Jacob Daugherty, sommelier, Brushstroke, NYC; $27 for 100 g; kettl.co 2 Gold Thread Reserve “My grandmother was British, so we always had a cabinet of brawny black teas. Gold Thread is no grandma tea—the young leaf buds create a nuanced, less tannic cup.” —Jessica Koslow, owner, Sqirl, L.A.; $24 for 2 oz.; red blossomtea.com 3 Moonlight White “Sunshine in a glass. It’s unusually creamy, with a sweet, fresh-mowed-grass aroma. For someone just starting out, it’s a real gateway tea.” —Liz Mendez, wine director, Vera, Chicago; $18 for 2 oz.; inpursuitoftea.com 4 Moonlight Blossom “This jasmine-scented tea is visually impressive. It blooms in hot water…

Tea Bar, Portland, Oregon A Scando-inspired space where you can drink organic tea lattes (try the lapsang) and kombucha while eating pastries from BA favorite Bakeshop. Samovar Tea Bar, San Francisco How you do tea in start-up city. The newest outpost offers organic and single-origin teas steeped in futuristic French presses. O5 Rare Tea Bar, Vancouver The owner travels to small farms in Asia and India to buy his leaves, explaining the rare in the name. Sip tea (or tea cocktails) at the torched-wood bar. Chalait, NYC After a trip to Uji, Japan, the home of matcha, Michelle Gardner left her job to open a chic café serving modern takes on the green tea. —C.M. EXPERT ADVICE / Gina Zupsich, August HOW CAN I MAKE MY OWN BLEND? Just raid…

Cutlery strongly discouraged! This sandwich is meant to be a beautiful mess. SPOTTED AT EGGSLUT LOS ANGELES NOBLE SANDWICH CO. AUSTIN THE EASTMAN EGG COMPANY CHICAGO RED APRON BUTCHER WASHINGTON, D.C. 1 THE BREAD Classic English muffins deliver the optimal bread-to-egg-to-sausage ratio. We’re fiercely loyal to Thomas’— see Prep School, page 160, for evidence. After splitting the muffin in half with your hands (that’s Thomas’ 101— a knife levels all those good nooks and crannies), the gold-star move is to butter both sides of each half, then griddle them over medium-high heat, pressing down slightly until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. 2 THE MEAT We’re going to pat ourselves on the back and say that our Southern-inspired sausage patties are better than anything you can buy at the store…

Welcome to the birthplace of PBR and the former Beer Capital of the World. Of the iconic brews that “made Milwaukee famous” (as Schlitz’s tagline once read), Miller is the only one left in town. But the taverns—including many former “tied houses” originally affiliated with a particular brewery—have remained miraculously intact, a testament to the city’s esteemed drinking culture. The bars are time machines back to the days when the beer was cheap, cocktails meant a special night out, and the bartender was an old friend. Go on, pull up a stool: We’ve got stories to tell from a crawl of the finest—and occasionally strangest— places to drink in Milwaukee. FOUNDATION TIKI BAR The outside looks like just another average neighborhood bar. But inside it’s as though frozen Lake Michigan…

WHEN I PLANNED the first part of our honeymoon in Thailand, I knew I wanted to go deep, to visit places where tourists didn’t go and we might not be particularly… comfortable. What that translated to was not really planning much at all. Who wants to take a trip where you know exactly what you’re going to do and eat every minute? You might as well stay home, save a few grand, and look at Google images in your underwear. So we rented a motorcycle in Chiang Mai and set off on a 700-mile trip through the mountains of northern Thailand with only a couple of maps and a general sense of what route we would take. There are no real guidebooks to that region—and that was the point. We…

EVERYTHING I KNOW about ethnic food, I learned on Atlanta’s Buford Highway. I learned how to eat Shanghaistyle soup dumplings (bite off the little knot and slurp). I learned that a deeply flavorful, clean-tasting broth is the key to incredible Vietnamese pho (so is a little beef tendon). And I learned that a simple squeeze of lime could make a lengua taco sing. But the most important thing I learned on this sevenmile stretch lined with a United Nations of restaurants is that an epic appetite and a mind open to new flavors are the keys to a well-fed life. Next time you’re in Atlanta, head to Buford Highway (we call it BuHi) for a seat at the world’s table. Dim Sum On the weekends, I will happily wait in…

IF YOU WANT TO FEEL like your grandparents did when they traveled—when the process of traversing a thousand miles was every bit as special as the fact of it—you’ll want to hop a train. A 1920s Pullman railcar to be precise, meticulously restored by Pullman Rail Journeys, a company eager to bring back the golden age of rail in all its kitschy glory. Riding its route from New Orleans to Chicago over 20 hours, I was transported in every sense of the word. The dining car—white tablecloths, flowers, burgundy banquettes—was where the action was. White-jacketed porters shook frosty gin martinis as views of Lake Pontchartrain whipped by. Club sandwiches for lunch, beef tenderloin with Madeira sauce and potatoes Romanoff for dinner. Afterdinner Scotch. Nightcaps. (It was all-inclusive— why the hell…

When I travel abroad, breakfast truly is the most important meal. If I skipped it, I’d miss out on the foods that make each place distinct: stuffed arepas in Venezuela, pho in Vietnam, broiled mackerel over rice alongside a bowl of miso soup in Japan, feta and dried sausage in Turkey, or a dosa with coconut chutney in India (shown here). These are always the simplest, most authentic, and memorable meals of any distant trip. So, jet lag be damned, I always get out of bed, walk the sleepy streets, grab a newspaper, and eat the breakfast of champions—whatever and wherever that may be.…

In the village in the Swiss Alps where I apprenticed for four years before opening Olympia Provisions in Portland, Oregon, it was a rite of passage to climb up this crazy mountain called Altmann. So when my fellow apprentice Fabion Bruner asked me to scale it with him, I had to go. “We’ll stop and eat at the Aescher,” he said, explaining only that it was this really beautiful mountain restaurant. We woke at 3 a.m., grabbed our ropes and supplies, and started tearing up the slope. Six landjäger sausages, a bottle of wine, and a full day’s climb later, we finally glimpsed it: this insane structure literally stuck into the side of a cliff. “What the f *#% is that?” I asked. “Oh, that? That’s the Aescher.” The Berggasthaus…

WE WERE HEADING down to Fes from blue Chef-chaouen and making decent time when our driver left the autoroute for a stretch of doubtful road. A modest sign pointed, in French and Arabic, to some unknown town. I considered asking Rida, our minivan driver, about the reason for the change of route. I worked out the sentence in French in my head. But then I let it pass. Rida was a professional, and it was his country. In any case, I knew from long experience of travel in foreign countries and tongues that explanations, like dreams, only make sense while they’re happening. Answers I thought I had understood perfectly when I heard them in French fell apart as readily as dreams when I translated them for my wife. At that…

“THERE’S BETTER ITALIAN FOOD IN AMERICA NOW THAN THERE IS IN ITALY.” Bold words coming from a born-and-raised Italian like Paolo Dorigato, the force behind Miami’s Dolce Italian. Sure, the chef’s menus draw upon the simple, deeply satisfying staples of his grandmother’s kitchen in Trento— think sun-drenched heirloom tomatoes with warm, creamy, made-to-order mozzarella. But Dorigato feels his food owes just as much to his adopted homeland and the “perfect seasonal ingredients” that are available in this farm-to-table-obsessed country. Marrying Old World technique and top-quality product from new-school farmers and artisans is the (not-so) secret to his personal yet familiar food. Here are Dorigato’s tips and tricks for how to make the most of our domestic bounty— the way they would in the Old Country. 1 Cold Cheese? Please. Mozzarella…

1 Rodolphe Le Meunier Chefs like Mozza’s Nancy Silverton insist on this creamy French beurre. $13 for 150 g; formaggio kitchen.com 2 Ploughgate Creamery A sea salt–laced Vermont cultured butter (see box, far right). $15 for 1 lb.; ploughgate.com 3 Vermont Creamery Allison Hooper brings the cultured butter she learned to make in France to the U.S. mainstream. $10 for two 8-oz. logs; murrayscheese.com 4 Kriemhild Dairy Farms The high fat content of this sweet-cream butter from upstate New York makes for tender and flaky pastries. $9 for 1 lb.; kriemhilddairy.com 5 McClelland’s Dairy Rich, grassy small-batch Sonoma butter is tumble-churned for flavor akin to fresh cream. $8 for 8 oz.; 707-664-0452 6 Delitia The buffalo milk variety uses the cream left over from making mozzarella di bufala in Italy’s…

Buckwheat A Japanese staple, caffeine-free soba-cha has a nutty smell— almost like peanut butter—and tastes like roasted rice. Barley Brewing this grain yields a slightly bitter taste (just like beer) and is said to aid in digestion. Cascara The newest coffee-bar craze, it’s brewed from the dried cherries of coffee plants. Drink it hot like tea or in fizzy versions at spots like Blue Bottle. Linden This European favorite is getting big with stressed-out Americans thanks to its calming properties.…

Bellocq Strainer Loose-leaf is to bagged as Dover sole is to fish sticks. Make the move to a strainer like this elegant wire basket. $12; bellocq.com Kaikado Tea Caddy Blocks humidity and light (a storage must) and oxidizes with age (a beautiful bonus). $220; atelier courbet.com Kaico Enamel Kettle Score points for presentation when pouring from this understated enamel teapot. $140; tortoise generalstore.com Breville One-Touch Tea Maker Select tea type and strength level, and let this automatic kettle take it away. $250; williamssonoma.com Art of Tea Filter Bags The disposable convenience of tea bags but designed for loose-leaf, with room for leaves to move. $6; art oftea.com…

Citrus Tree Suzanne Goin Lucques, Los Angeles “Being able to walk outside and pick fruit from your own tree is magical. We already have a couple kinds of citrus trees at home—we use whatever is growing for a Sunday cocktail (or sometimes it’s a Monday cocktail).” Visit a local nursery for more info, or order at briteleaf.com Breakfast in Bed Aimee Olexy Talula’s Garden, Philadelphia “I want a spread with smoked salmon and whitefish, a bialy, and Ben’s cream cheese from Shelsky’s of Brooklyn, plus pickles, French press coffee, and a Bloody Mary. I picture the ultimate indulgence: eating while reading a paper copy of the New York Times.” From $48; shelskys.com Resin Bone Servers Ana Sortun Oleana, Cambridge, MA “I’m a huge fan of Dinosaur Designs’ one-of-a-kind resin work.…

X THE FACTS ACTIVE TIME 3 HR TOTAL TIME 4 ½ HR DIFFICULTY MODERATE The individual components are simple to prepare; pleating the dumplings takes practice and patience. My first bite of a soup dumpling was a revelation: One piping-hot hit of deeply flavorful broth and I was hooked. Now a pro xiaolongbao eater, I set out to make these miraculous parcels at home. Most of the process, I discovered, wasn’t so challenging. The filling? As easy as mixing meatballs. The dough? Nothing more than a couple of ingredients kneaded together. But when it came time to combine all the elements, I needed a little coaching. Enter Pamela Lau, soup dumpling– maker extraordinaire (and, yes, the mother of our staff photographer, Alex Lau). Mrs. Lau was my xiaolongbao (shaow– long–BAOW)…

Airbnb Click the “kitchen” filter and consult the website’s neighborhood guides to find a temporary home at any price point that’s a great base for cooking and for eating out. airbnb.com Kid & Coe Specializes in surprisingly chic kid-friendly rentals around the globe. Check the listing for bonuses like toys and high chairs. kidandcoe.com Welcome Beyond Let the aspirational lodgings (think design-blog-famed kitchens or campfireequipped yurts) determine your destination, not the other way around. welcomebeyond.com LOOK SMART Kids = kitchen. Searching for “family-friendly” properties should bring up spacious, quality cooking facilities. DO YOUR PREP E-mail the host in advance to check on specific perks you want, like coffeemakers or blenders for morning smoothies. WHILE MANY people’s daydreams involve swimming in blue-green waters, at BA we have visions of marble counters,…

ITALY ROMANS ARE LOYAL to their local trattoria, and most wouldn’t bother making the trip to eat at one in another neighborhood—which is a shame, because I’d get on a plane right now to eat the pasta alla gricia at Da Cesare al Casaletto. The understated restaurant is a classic cucina Romana spot (think great fried stuff, stewed artichokes, braised oxtail). But the thick tubes of rigatoni—glossy from rendered guanciale drippings and cloaked in an emulsified sauce of tangy-salty Pecorino and cracked black pepper—are what made me pull the plate a little closer, praying that my family members wouldn’t come in for a bite. The noodles were so firm they almost bit back, making me realize that what I’ve thought of as al dente all this time has been so…

WHEN KRIS YENBAMROONG, the chef of the popular Night + Market restaurants in L.A., goes back to Bangkok to visit relatives, the first thing he does is go outside. That’s because the city’s street food is the inspiration for much of his menu. He might spend an entire day trying different chicken wings, another savoring the smoky “wok flavor” that deepens a comforting bowl of noodles with chicken and egg. Yenbamroong takes notes on everything from the “boxing chicken”—named for the famous spatchcocked bird served at Likhit Gai Yang, a restaurant outside a boxing arena—to the turmeric-infused pork skewers from a vendor at the Patpong night market so he can bring their flavors back to all of us. Until you’re able to make the trip to Bangkok, here are Yenbamroong’s…

SWEDEN ABOUT TWO-THIRDS of the way through dinner at Daniel Berlin Krog, the chef steps into the center of the snug dining room, and with all the aplomb of a master carver confronting a great roast, proceeds to slice open a charred celeriac. The moment stands out not just for its highlighting of the attention that Berlin pays to even the most gnarled of vegetables, but also as a final piece of evidence that this is not your average farm-to-table joint. Located in the bucolic town of Skåne-Tranås in southern Sweden, Daniel Berlin (which is the name of both the restaurant and the chef) elegantly reinvigorates that familiar genre. There’s a requisite garden out back, but Berlin doesn’t just grow the cabbage that he pairs so exquisitely with ruby-colored venison—he…

I KNOW ISTANBUL and I don’t know Istanbul. The first time I visited, in 2006, I fell hard for its tangle of hills and alleyways— and its food: expertly grilled meats, ultrafresh seafood, and ubiquitous raki, the aniseflavored national liquor. At the end of my trip, I felt like I had a handle on this messy, beautiful city of 13 million. But with each subsequent visit, I’ve discovered, well, how much I had yet to discover: neighborhoods, friends, dishes (kokoreç, where have you been all my life?). Last winter I spent a week there, taking an apartment in Cihangir, a central neighborhood that was bohemian back in 2006 and is now as expensive as where I live in Brooklyn. I found ambitious chefs expanding the city’s food vocabulary with New…

FRIENDLY SKIES ? Flying is increasingly hellish, so Bring Your Own Everything—from noisecanceling headphones to gigabytes of entertainment. If your terminal has a Shake Shack, you win! But don’t bring malodorous food onto the plane and expect not to be loathed. Pack fruit, veg, nuts, and berries, and create an oasis of freshness at 30,000 ft. An inflatable neck pillow might be acceptable for long hauls, but there’s no excuse for wearing it through the airport like a plastic “dog cone of shame.” (Teenage girls: There’s never an excuse for lugging a fullsize bed pillow with you.) To talk to your seatmates or not: That is the question. Whether ’tis nobler during the flight to suffer the banalities of a rambling fool, or pretend to be asleep. It depends . .…

Karaoke rule No. 1: “Take on Me” always sounds a little better after a few beers. JAPAN SOME PEOPLE TRAVEL TO TOKYO to make their dreams of Jiro sushi a reality. Some go to slurp as many bowls (and styles) of ramen as possible. Others go for the street fashion of Harajuku or simply to experience how 13 million people live crammed together so damn peacefully. Me? I went to drink. Yes, I know— this sounds like a silly reason to visit one of the world’s greatest cities. But consider this: Drinking in Tokyo is less an escape than an art form. From the extra layer of creamy foam on a draft beer to the handmade sake cups to the meticulously carved ice in your old-fashioned, you can drink well…

A COOL COFFEE BAR tucked inside a brilliantly restored old gas station? This is Tandem Coffee + Bakery in cozy Portland, Maine, where you’ll find some of the most impressive and innovative baked goods this country has seen in years. Here’s why we’re heading north for our sugar fix A Tandem P. 148 trio (left): Barista Elise Pepple, co-owner Vien Dobui, and barista Olivia Wigfall. Malted Chocolate Cake MAKES ONE 9X5" LOAF Carnation malted milk powder, we love you (and this devilish cake) so, so much. CAKE Nonstick vegetable oil spray 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ cup malted milk powder 1 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. baking soda ¾ tsp. baking powder 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk 1 ½ cups plus 2…

New York will always be Ian Schrager’s first love—the influential hotelier set its nightlife scene on fire with Studio 54, after all. But when he travels, he likes to head for Miami. Schrager has a lifelong relationship with Florida’s coastline, from childhood trips in the ’50s to the 1994 introduction of his signature “urban resort,” South Beach’s Delano Hotel. Now Schrager has expanded his empire with the Miami Beach Edition on Collins Avenue, featuring restaurants helmed by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. “When I first went to Miami, it was a backyard for the Northeast— tropical weather with a limited audience,” Schrager says. “Now it has great architecture, restaurants, sports teams, and a performing arts center. To me, it stands up right alongside New York, Paris, London, Tokyo—all the great cities of the…