Bon Appetit May-14

THE MOTHER LOAD What does Mom really want for Mother’s Day? Besides flowers, the matriarchs of BA reveal what’s topping their wish lists at bonappetit.com/mothersday. “If I don’t get tea in bed on Mother’s Day, heads are gonna roll. Ideally, one of the adorable children I created will let me choose my favorite from a stack of these cute Kusmi Tea tins (from $17; us.kusmitea.com).”—CARLA LALLI MUSIC, FOOD & FEATURES EDITOR; MOM OF LEO, 10, AND COSMO, 4 The Hashtag “What’s your airplane drink?” @bonappetit “Who doesn’t love the opportunity to just order ‘the red’?” @TaliaBaiocchi Talia Baiocchi, editor in chief, punchdrink.com “I always think Scotch is a safe bet.” @SeamusMullen Seamus Mullen, chef, Tertulia, NYC “If you’re talking business class, I do like my Port after dinner, and keep…

BACK WHEN I WAS SINGLE, I wasn’t good at vacations. There was the occasional bachelor party, and maybe a golf weekend or two, but in terms of actual trips—you know, the kind with real hotels and countryside tours and all that?—I didn’t know where to begin. So one summer, when friends asked if I wanted to join them for a week in a seaside village in the South of France, my instinct told me to just go with it. And when I discovered that the town, Villefranche-sur-Mer, is where the Rolling Stones recorded Exile on Main St., well, I booked my ticket. As soon as I arrived, I wondered why I didn’t do this type of thing more often. The five of us shared two small apartments overlooking the harbor,…

DEAR BON APPÉTIT, I HAD A BLISSFUL MEAL WITH MY HUSBAND AT ABIGAIL STREET IN CINCINNATI. I’D PAY GOOD MONEY FOR THE LAMB SLIDER RECIPE—JUST DON’T FORGET THE DATE KETCHUP.—ALLISON CARR, Cincinnati SPICED SLIDERS WITH DATE KETCHUP 4 SERVINGS To make your own baharat spice blend, mix one teaspoon each of ground coriander and cumin with half a teaspoon each of cinnamon and paprika. DATE KETCHUP 1 Tbsp. olive oil ½ small red onion, finely chopped 1 cup ketchup 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted, chopped ½ cup pale lager 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper SLIDERS AND ASSEMBLY ½ small red onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 lb. ground lamb 8 oz. ground beef ¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 Tbsp.…

I’ve spent most of my adult life traveling to, from, and around Asia—partly for fun and partly as a travel writer. At every Chinese meal, I always crave one dish: pea shoots, a.k.a. dou miao in Mandarin. Tender and sweet, the leaves, stems, and tendrils of the pea plant are delicate enough to eat raw, yet retain springtime-evoking qualities when cooked. To prepare the shoots (or really any hardy spring green) for four, sauté 2 dried red chiles and 3 or 4 smashed garlic cloves in a glug of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until fragrant. Add ¾ lb. pea shoots and cook, tossing often, until the leaves barely wilt. Season with salt and you’ve got an easy dish so versatile it goes with any cuisine.—MATT GROSS…

Everyone at BA has an in-fight cocktail routine. What’s yours? "Vodka-soda with lime or a Bloody Mary.” Greatest food city on earth. "Florence. Trattoria Pandemonio serves this steak propped up with a piece of bread, and all the juice just drips down. It’s so massive, and the cut of meat is beautiful.” Most memorable meal while traveling. "the Cantonese brunch at the Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo. The dumplings are amazing, and everyone gets dolled up.” Typical room-service order. "Caesar salad with grilled chicken. Or a piping-hot minestrone. That’s one thing I get neurotic about: I need my soup to be crazy hot.” And for breakfast? "two eggs over easy with sliced avocado and turkey bacon.” One food everyone tells you to try, but you just can’t get up the nerve.…

RADISHES WITH BURRATA “Spicy, vibrant watermelon radishes need little more than lemon and herbs to make magic with salty burrata.”—Alison Roman, senior associate food editor tear 8 oz. burrata into pieces (or use bocconcini) and place on a platter. Toss 2 thinly sliced watermelon radishes with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Arrange radish mixture over burrata and drizzle with any remaining dressing. Top with chopped chives and finely grated lemon zest. 4 servings SAUTÉED RADISHES WITH BACON “the contrast of tender radish and crisp bacon is even better with a little cider vinegar.”—Brad Leone, test kitchen manager Cook 2 oz. chopped slab bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until fat begins to render, about 3 minutes. Add ¾…