Blog Posts by Andrew Knowlton, BA Foodist, Bon Appetit Magazine

By Andrew Knowlton

Dear BA Foodist,

My guilty pleasure is candy bars (the more sugary, the better), and at this time of year, the Halloween candy for sale everywhere is such a temptation. I feel conflicted gobbling up the candy (I usually eat fresh, local, healthy food), but I love it. Does that make me completely tasteless?

Rachel Barston, Anchorage, AK

Dear Rachel,

My first food memory isn't of a madeleine, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or even barbecue (which you might have guessed, because I'm from the South). No, it's old-fashioned hard candy. My grandma always had a bowl of the multicolored stuff; judging by the way the pieces stuck together, I think I was the only one who ever ate them. Nevertheless, whenever I see a retro can at a store, I buy one for memory's sake. (Papabubble makes hard candies in fun flavors like watermelon with chili flakes; papabubble.com.) I'm still a fan of fruity candies. I love Dots and Jujubes and have a particular weakness for Swedish Fish.

By Andrew Knowlton

Dear BA Foodist,

I'm a bit of a snack food junkie. I'm bored with the bagged potato chips I usually opt for, and I'm looking for healthier options that will satisfy my cravings.

Wendy Lieberman, Phoenix

Dear Wendy,

Fortunately, I wasn't born a snack food addict--unlike my father, who had a habit of polishing off a bag of potato chips, tortilla chips, pork rinds, or whatever just before dinner. My true snack food love is popcorn. Some folks crave chocolate or a pint of ice cream after dinner--I crave a giant bowl of popcorn. I'm not talking about that nasty stuff that comes from a bag or microwave or even a movie theater concession stand. Nope, I like popcorn made the old-fashioned way, with just a bit of salt and absolutely no butter. I'm on a crusade to get more people to make popcorn from scratch, so to speak. It's simple to whip up and healthy to boot.

Related: Splitting the Check is for Teenagers

Here are a few popcorn pointers:

• Buy natural popcorn--lots of

By Andrew Knowlton

Dear BA Foodist,

Restaurant dining seems to be so blah these days, with the same dishes on almost every menu. Why all the redundancy?

Anne M. Bainbridge, Westchester, PA

Dear Anne,

If imitation is the best form of flattery, then there's a whole lot of flattery going on in restaurants. With this in mind, I present my top five dishes in need of a culinary sabbatical.

1. Beet and Goat Cheese Salad: The tang of goat cheese with the earthy sweetness of beets is a brilliant combination--but enough already of this default appetizer.

Related: Splitting the Check is for Teenagers

2. Short Ribs: In less-than-expert hands, this profound deliciousness is often tough.

3. Crostini and Bruschetta: Devoting entire sections of a menu to simple grilled bread with toppings and then charging crazy prices is robbery.

4. Bacon-Wrapped Dates: Yes, we get it--fat and sweet are two flavors that go great together, but simply putting them on your menu does not make your place an

By Andrew Knowlton

Dear BA Foodist,

My mom is not the world's best dining companion. Despite my protests, she makes special menu requests every time we dine out--grilled fish instead of sauted, mashed potatoes instead of fries, no bacon in the pasta carbonara. Is it just me, or are such requests totally out of line?

Fremont Beery, St. Louis

Dear Fremont,

My professional and personal opinions differ. On the one hand, restaurants are in the hospitality business (which some of them need to be reminded of from time to time). If someone requests a simple salad's dressing on the side, or mashed potatoes instead of french fries, or grilled fish with lemon, a restaurant should accommodate its guests. Things get a bit murkier when you're dining at a restaurant that is driven by the vision of one chef--for instance, Alinea in Chicago or Eleven Madison Park in New York. I'll leave it to you, intelligent reader, to decide when it's appropriate to ask for substitutions. Personally, however,

By Andrew Knowlton

Dear BA Foodist,

I was dining out for a friend's birthday, and our group was having a great time...until the check arrived. Not everyone had cash, those who didn't drink insisted on paying less, and we ended up splitting the check six ways for different amounts. What's the best way for a large party to split a check?

Cecilia Gladstone, Irvine, California

Dear Cecilia,

Unless you're with only one other person (okay, maybe two--I'm feeling generous) or you're 17 years old and out with a group of friends at a local chain, splitting a check is lame. When I was a waiter in Brooklyn, we didn't have one of those fancy computer programs (called a point of service system) that you see waiters touching and tapping nowadays. We did it diner-style--order pad, pencil, calculator. Inevitably during a rush, I'd spend ten minutes per bill adding, subtracting, figuring out the tax, and running credit cards. (Anyone who has ever waited tables knows how just a few minutes can mean

You shouldn't have to work too hard for a refreshing summer cocktail. That's where the highball family of drinks comes in. The formula for a highball couldn't be simpler: two ounces of spirit topped with a mixer in a tall glass. Gin and tonic, Scotch and soda, Cuba Libra, and many other popular favorites are part of the fizzy gang. So too is the Salty Dog which I wrote about in the July issue. After the jump, a few more easy-to-make highballs to add to your summer drinking routine.


**Note: These recipes have not been tested by the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen**

Americano Highball
1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth
1 1/2 ounces Campari (Aperol works as well)
Club soda

Build in a highball glass with ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with orange peel.


Cape Codder
2 ounces vodka
5 ounces cranberry juice

Build in a highball glass with ice. Stir. Garnish with lime wedge.


Gin Buck
2 ounces gin
4 ounces ginger ale
lemon wedge

Squeeze juice from lemon wedge into highball glass. Add lemon wedge

On Saturday, our own restaurant editor Andrew Knowlton, a.k.a. the Bon Appétit Foodist, stopped by the Today Show to answer viewers' top grilling questions. Among them: Which is better to use when lighting charcoal: lighter fluid or a chimney? What is the easiest way to clean grill grates? Which is better: gas or charcoal? Watch for Knowlton's answers, including his trick for avoiding flare-ups and his favorite BBQ gadgets.

Bon Appétit Recipes for Summer:

• 101 Grilling Recipess
  
• Bon Appétit's 25 Best Summer Salads
• 6 Bar Cookies Perfect for Picnics
• 19 Recipes for Summer Veggies
• 15 Main-Course Salads

• Food Smuggler's Delight
• 5 Restaurant Service Pet Peeves
• Is the Daily Special Really Special?
  
• Mom Was Wrong--It's OK to Eat with Your Hands
• 3 Rules for Camera Happy Diners