Bon Appetit January 2013

FIND, FOLLOW, AND CONNECT WITH US ONLINE MEET OUR NEW COLUMNIST Obsessed with all things food and drink? Tag along with Consumed columnist Matt Duckor as he hangs with Sean Brock, eats at the Thai place whose wings you’ll soon be craving nonstop, and generally devours life one plate at a time. bonappetit.com/go/consumed JOINUS ONLINE! The Food Lover’s Cleanse 2013: Our favorite way to recover from holiday indulgence is back (see page 38)! Join food-cleanse guru Sara Dickerman as she live-blogs the two-week event, and shows how to eat healthy and keep it tasty. bonappetit.com/go/cleanse Out with the Old (and Annoying) While much of this month’s issue looks a what’s next for 2013, we asked some of our favorite opinionated people on Twitter what #foodtrends they’d like to leave in…

THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING a magazine writer is that you meet all sorts of interesting people you otherwise never would. And you get to ask them nearly anything. I got my first taste of the reporting life back in ’94, when I started volunteering at the James Beard Foundation. After I’d been working there for about a month, my boss, Mitchell Davis, asked if I’d like to interview Daniel Boulud. “Sure!” I said. “Who’s Daniel Boulud?” In the ensuing 18 years, I’ve been lucky enough to sit down with lots of big-name chefs and restaurateurs. And I’ve always used the opportunity to pick their brains about how to be a better cook. I figure if their answers help me, they’ll help readers, too. So, in the spirit of this…

DEAR BON APPÉTIT, MY WIFE AND I RECENTLY CHECKED OUT THE DINING SCENE IN CHARLESTON, SC, AND IT WAS AMAZING. OUR FAVORITE DISH OF THE TRIP? THE CHOCOLATE CAKE AT FAT HEN.—VASCO PEREZ, Mobile, AL CHOCOLATE BUTTERMILK CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE-PECAN ICING 14 SERVINGS This chocolate cake has no outer frosting, but the filling is so rich you won’t miss it. Chopping the pecans finely helps keep the layers even when frosted. CAKE Nonstick vegetable oil spray 3¼ cups cake flour 1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder 1½ tsp. baking soda 1½ tsp. kosher salt 3 large eggs 2¾ cups sugar 3 cups vegetable oil 1½ cups buttermilk 1½ tsp. distilled white vinegar 1½ tsp. vanilla extract ICING AND ASSEMBLY ½ cup plus 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter ½ cup natural unsweetened…

1 Grapefruit’s New Main Squeeze It turns out that THE PALOMA, not the Margarita, is Mexico’s most beloved cocktail, and it’s making inroads north of the border. Basic versions contain nothing more than tequila, grapefruit-flavored soda (Jarritos is the brand of choice, but yes, Fresca will work), and ice. But we prefer ours with tequila’s smoky cousin, mezcal, fresh grapefruit juice, and a splash of club soda. Think of it as the country’s bracing answer to rum and Coke—and a refreshing antidote to all things gray this winter. PALOMA Pour some kosher salt on a plate. Rub half of rim of a highball glass with a grapefruit wedge; dip rim of glass in salt. Combine ¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice, 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, and 1 tsp. sugar in…

QUICK TIP #1: KEEP IT IN ONE POT It’s not just about cook time—one-pot meals also equal easy cleanup. Thai Chicken Curry ACTIVE 30 MINUTES TOTAL 45 MINUTES 4 SERVINGS 2 tsp. vegetable oil 1 4-oz. can or jar yellow curry paste ¾ lb. carrots, peeled, cut into ½"-thick rounds 1 medium onion, chopped 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces 1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3), peeled, cut into ½" pieces 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces 1 13.5-oz. or 15-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk Chopped fresh basil and cilantro Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, onion, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is…

SWITCH CHOPSTICKS DITCH THE TAKE-OUT KIND AND STOCK UP ON GOOD ONES AT PEARLRIVER.COM IF YOU’VE EVER GONE out for Korean food, you know how hard it is to resist the bibimbap: crisp rice topped with bulgogi (marinated beef) and a rainbow of veggies, all crowned with a fried egg and served in a piping-hot stone bowl. There’s alchemy in stirring it all together, when yolk meets beef and chile and scallion. It’s surprisingly simple to make great bibimbap for a dinner party. The toppings can be prepped ahead, and you don’t need that many ingredients. Instead of a stone bowl, use a skillet to give the rice its irresistible crunch. Dish it out, let guests add toppings, and marvel that you’re not in a restaurant. Bibimbap at Home ACTIVE…