Blog Posts by bon appétit magazine

Photo by Zach DeSartby Bon Appétit

Cocktail geeks may swoon at the first sip of an expertly calibrated Manhattan or go on and on about the balance of a proper Martini, but we're ready to bestow a little love on one of the best libations north or south of the border: the Margarita. It's time you learned how to make one the right way. Margaritas concocted with store-bought sweet-and-sour mix (or, worse, a popular diet brand) arrive DOA: a sad glass of sugary water. When made with fresh lime juice, however, the Margarita is a revelation. We're serious about ridding the world of bad Margaritas, so here is our definitive recipe and everything else you need to know to master this summer's go-to cocktail.

Related: 20 Authentic Mexican Recipes for Your Fiesta

The Recipe: The Perfect Agave Margarita

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 2 lime slices or wedges
• 1/4 cup tequila blanco
• 2 tablespoons agave syrup (nectar)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preparation

• Pour some kosher salt into a small dish.

by Melissa Lippert, Bon Appétit

When that hankering for salty french fries hits, we've got you covered. Make these five low-cal- but still delicious- treats instead!

Laura Loesch-QuintinSweet Potato Fries with Sriracha Crème Fraîche

Ingredients
3 large sweet potatoes, cut into wedges or rounds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1-2 teaspoons Sriracha

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil; season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread out in a single layer. Roast until golden brown and slightly crispy, 25-35 minutes.

Mix crème fraîche and Sriracha in a small bowl. Serve sweet potato fries with Sriracha crème fraîche for dipping.

25 Ways to Use Sriracha

Laura Loesch-QuintinCrispy Apple Chips with Sage and Maple-Vanilla Yogurt Dip

Ingredients
2 medium to large crisp apples (such as Granny Smith or Crispin)
Grapeseed oil (for frying)
1/3 cup fresh sage

Conde Nast Digital Archiveby Elizabeth Gunnison, Bon Appétit

In our column Fake It or Make It we test a homemade dish against its prepackaged counterpart to find out what's really worth cooking from scratch.

Authentic, flavor-packed marinara starts with an elderly Italian woman puttering around her kitchen as something simmers away on the stove, and ends with your attempt to recreate that scenario. Right? That imagery has driven me, at least, to avoid pre-made sauces assiduously over the years. Anyone reading this website surely believes that marinara should be made by hand, and that any cook worth her salt would never, ever look to a jarred, mass-market substitute. But given the conceit of this column (and that most homemade tomato sauces use canned tomatoes as a base with the simple additions of onions), I set out to determine whether my kitchen time is being misspent conjuring Nonnas.

See also: 10 Healthy French-Fry Alternatives

The Contenders Barilla's Traditional Marinara Sauce vs. Nancy Silverton's

SuperStock/ Corbisby Tricia Williams, Bon Appétit

Wake up call: You just took your summer wardrobe out of storage, and daaaamn those shorts are short! Time to whip that beach bod into shape. But getting flat abs or losing the butt jiggle (sorry we said that) requires more than just a gym membership--you have to eat to your advantage, too. Everyone focuses so much on what you shouldn't be eating, and not enough on what you should consume to help slim down for the warm weather (yes, you're allowed to eat during this process). We consulted nutritionist Tricia Williams for a list of the best foods to help you shed pounds, get rid of bloating, and limit the awkwardness when you're hanging out 90 percent naked this summer.

1) Pineapple & Papaya These powerhouse fruits are high in digestive enzymes, which help break down food quickly. In fact, most digestive enzymes you can buy in a store are derived from one of these two fruits, so why not eat the whole food? For the best results, eat 2/3 cup papaya and 1/3

Conde Nast Digital Archiveby Andrew Knowlton, Bon Appétit

There are two kinds of cooks: those who bake, and those who become paralyzed at the thought of precise measurements, gentle folding, and offset spatulas. I'm the second type. My baking failures are numerous, but quick breads I can do. I like to think of my current obsession, French yogurt cake, as a healthier pound cake with a bit more going on (thanks to yogurt and lemon zest). How easy is it to make? Put it this way: It's often the first dessert French children learn to prepare. But it doesn't taste easy. For a while there, I was baking a loaf a week to have on hand for a sweet breakfast (yes, breakfast; it's even better a day old), an afternoon snack, or a last-minute treat for a crying three-year-old. I'm pretty sure my daughter thinks I buy it at the pastry shop down the street from our apartment. Not bad for someone who doesn't bake.

French Yogurt Cake
Think of this as a healthier pound cake with a bit more going on (thanks to yogurt and lemon

by Bon Appétit

Just like your best-fitting blazer or little black dress, comfort foods are classics because you know in advance how well they will be received. But if you ask us, tweaking the tried-and-true has even more appeal. And while finding another go-to garment could take weeks of shopping, upping your comfort food game is easy. Why? Because we've done the work for you.

We've turned to some of our favorite restaurant trends to give standbys like meatloaf and mac and cheese a cool new dose of flavor.

See also: 10 Healthy French Fry Alternatives


Romulo YanesThe Classic: Meatloaf
The Twist: Hoisin-Glazed Meatloaf Sandwiches
Delicious on its own, this thoroughly modern meatloaf takes on a terrine-like texture when chilled overnight, just right for deluxe open-face sandwiches with a banh mi-like flavor profile.

Ingredients
Hoisin Glaze
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, minced
1 garlic clove, minced

Meatloaf
Nonstick

Jonathon Kambourisby Bon Appétit

At BA we think beyond the kitchen, because where you cook and eat is also where you entertain, relax, and live. All this week we're sharing simple ways to refresh and recharge your home for Spring

So far we've talked rugs and walls and made a few suggestions for the living room, now it's time to take it outside. Yes, your backyard is as important as any room in your house, so put some thought into it. Here are six new ways to get excited about hanging in the great outdoors.

1. Rough-hewn vases (pictured above) give blooms even more organic appeal. $13-$15; target.com for locations

2. Just twist this birchwood-and-metal device--invented in 1952--to produce chirpy, birdlike sounds. "Audubon" bird call, $9; hickorees.com

See also: How to Arrange Flowers like a Pro

3. Want to get your kid to drop the Nintendo DS? Throw one of these up in the backyard. The Original Tree Swing, $45; hickorees.com

4. These handcrafted Japanese scissors are ideal for gentle trimming. Tajika

Diane Fieldsby Bon Appétit

At BA we think beyond the kitchen, because where you cook and eat is also where you entertain, relax, and live. All this week we're sharing simple ways to refresh and recharge your home for Spring.

So far we've talked rugs and walls, made a few suggestions for the living room, and addressed the backyard. Now it's time for flowers, which can (and should) go in any and every room of the house. Step one: Put down the Baby's Breath. Yes, skip frouffy super-market bouquets in favor of a simple, pro-style arrangement:

See also: 12 Light and Creative Spring Salads

1) Buy a few bunches of one kind of flower. Get more than you think you'll need--you want to really pack them into the vase.

2) Peonies, tulips, and daffodils are lovely, easy to find, and have been our favorites this season.

3) Remove the leaves (yes, all of them) and cut stems short enough so the heads are flush with the rim of the vase.

4) Speaking of vases, anything goes. We like using mason jars and antique