Blog Posts by bon appétit magazine

Danielle Walsh


Gas grills: lots of people have them. They're easy to start, they're usually pretty big (translation: they can cook 40 burgers at once), and their heat can be tweaked with a flick of the wrist. The only problem? They can't impart the smoky flavor of charcoal.

Or can they?

Although you'll never get that exact charred taste without the real thing, there are some tricks that will get you pretty darn close. Below, BA Associate Food Editor Chris Morocco tells us how to take your gas grill to the next level. -Danielle Walsh

See more: The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

1. Crank It
We love charcoal for its natural ability to provide temperature zones--extreme heat directly over coals and more moderate heat away from the coals. Try to mimic the heat output with your gas grill by putting part of it on high, (as high as it will go--don't be scared) and part on low or even turned off. This will create more maillard (browning) reactions in proteins, which translates to flavor.

Sam Dean


Oreo cookie pancakes, courtesy of Minimalist BakerAs any parent knows, pancake creation is one of America's leading fields for at-home culinary artistry. For the budding pancakeur, there's the "Mickey Mouse head" and the "snowman with no face"; for those with some experience, there's the "heart shape" and the "blobby star"; and at the peak of his or her craft, a mature griddle artist might move on to the "rocket ship" and, with the right deftness of wrist, "Whistler's Mother."

See more: Spring Pasta Recipes

But when you stack those 'cakes up against these Oreo Cookie Pancakes from Minimalist Baker, what once looked avant garde suddenly looks like last year's CVS circular. Instead of messing with the classic circular form (child's play!), these pancakes radically redefine the very concept of "pan cake," changing the batter to a chocolatey black while filling in the liminal cake-spaces with a coconutty creme filling. Also, they're vegan!

See more: The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

You can get the whole recipe over at the

The Bon Appetit Test Kitchen


Bon Appetit's ultimate lobster rollWarm, toasty, buttered rolls are key. If you can't find New England-style buns, trim 1/4-inch from both sides of standard hot dog buns to remove the crust and expose more surface area.


6 servings
Active: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour

See more: Spring Pasta Recipes

Ingredients
Kosher salt
3 1 1/4-pound live lobsters
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
Freshly ground black pepper
6 New England-style split-top hot dog buns
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

See more: The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

Preparation
Pour water into a large pot to a depth of 1 inch; bring to a boil and salt generously. Add lobsters, cover, and cook until bright red, 8-10 minutes. Transfer lobsters to a rimmed baking sheet and let cool.

Crack lobster shells, pick meat from tail and claws, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Mix lobster, celery, lemon juice, chives, and 2

Sam Dean


Padma LakshmiIf you've been paying any attention to the food world in the last ten years, you know who Padma Lakshmi is. She's been the host of Bravo's Top Chef since 2006 (and just started filming its 11th season), has written two cookbooks, and even has her own line of teas (and recently teamed up with Sterling Vineyards to promote some of their wines). She also has a three-year-old daughter, Krishna, and a serious thing for eggs. --Sam Dean

See more: Spring Pasta Recipes

Most weekdays I get up around 7 a.m., have my first cup of tea, and then wake my daughter up around 7:15 to 7:45. She never wakes me up--if I let her, she'd sleep until 11. She's got disco hours. The tea is one that I actually produced for Easy Exotic. It's classic Earl Grey with French vanilla and French lavender, among other things. Two cups of that are worth more than a cup of coffee. So I have that with milk and honey, and usually one boiled egg, one piece of sourdough toast, and one grapefruit.

On an average day

Danielle Walsh


There's actually no wrong way to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Most people prefer to eat them the way Mom made them--even if that was a stingy swipe of Skippy and Smuckers on white. But no matter if you like crunchy or smooth peanut butter, grape jelly or raspberry jam, there are a few tweaks that will make your childhood lunch go-to much better. We talked to Alison Roman about the bread, jam, and technique for the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich you've ever had.

See more: The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

1. DON'T use the best rustic bread you can find: A crusty loaf will be too hard and thick for your peanut butter and jelly, and make your sandwich way too dry. There is a time for soft, pre-packaged wheat or white bread (we
2. DON'T get peanut butter advice from your friends: Peanut butter choice is a very personal issue. Some people like it smooth. Others love it crunchy. You do you.

3. DON'T put peanut butter on one slice of bread,

Surviving a food safari is all about preparation.We're now entering serious food festival season, and many more will be rolling out across the country all summer. (This includes Bon Appetit's own Grub Crawl events in New York, Chicago, and Charleston!) As we all know, these things can be rough: long lines, high temperatures, food shortages, and so on. They can also be awesome--if you know what you're doing.

But how do you know if a line is too long? How can you tell if a reputed chef is hawking lazy leftovers or her next genius creation? When should you invest in a VIP pass? We canvassed the BA staff for their golden nuggets of wisdom, and now we have answers.

See more: The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

Christine Muhlke, Executive Editor
* Years ago, while figuring out where the heck to eat in Corsica, an island with only one (very bad) restaurant guide, a chef told me, "It's easy: Look for the happy people." So as much as I hate lines, I'm usually much happier with the food that I wait for than with what I end up with at the

We're quite outspoken when it comes to our love of brown spirits, but there's no hooch that's more cocktail-friendly than vodka. It blends seamlessly into anything you mix it with-vegetable juice, a fruity muddle, even iced tea-and it's a blank canvas for inventive infusions. When it's the right place and the right time (read: when a bottle comes frozen in a big block of ice) sometimes it's great to just drink it straight. This summer, we'll be mixing up a myriad of tipples with the Eastern European favorite, from Bloody Marys to smashes to Moscow Mules. Check out the slideshow for those recipes, plus a few more of our favorite vodka drinks.

More from Bon Appétit:

25 Ways to Use Sriracha

7 Most Common French Toast Mistakes

The Best-Ever Homemade Fries

10 Snacks You Thought Were Healthy But Really Aren't

Spring Pasta Recipes

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

The BA Test Kitchen goes to code red with three out-of-the-bottle uses for our favorite condiment: hot sauce

More from Bon Appétit:

25 Ways to Use Sriracha

7 Most Common French Toast Mistakes

The Best-Ever Homemade Fries

10 Snacks You Thought Were Healthy But Really Aren't

Spring Pasta Recipes

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie