Food & Wine March 2023

2020 RAMEY WINE CELLARS RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY CHARDONNAY ($45) I poured this at a tasting recently for a group of people who said they didn’t like California Chardonnay. They were blown away. It’s a thrilling white, vivid and bright, with layers of flavor and only the barest hint of oak. 2019 DANJOU-BANESSY LA TRUFFIÈRE CÔTES CATALANES ROUGE ($39) This savory, transparently ruby blend of Carignane and Grenache from two young biodynamic vintners in France’s Roussillon was a surprise to me (and a good one). Now I just need to track down the rest of their wines… 2018 ST. INNOCENT TEMPERANCE HILL VINEYARD ($50) I made some braised venison shanks with juniper, allspice, and cinnamon during the depths of winter, and this gorgeous, dark-fruited Oregon Pinot, with its equally warm spice…

Now That’s Classic REMEMBER IN THE NIGHT KITCHEN, Maurice Sendak’s book about a child who descends from his bed into a pillowy dreamworld kitchen? Mickey and the book’s jolly bakers have found new life in San Francisco on a wall outside Omnivore Books on Food, where curious passersby now stop to gander at the whimsical mural of food flying out of skillets and children mixing a giant bowl of cake batter. Shop owner Celia Sack commissioned the mural on Cesar Chavez Street last year as a way to thank her neighborhood for supporting the bookstore and adjoining pet store that she and her wife own. Gestures like this are just one of the many things that make them one of the most beloved cookbook shops in the country. Like Sendak’s…

THE SHOW OF THE SUMMER last year was FX on Hulu’s The Bear. Drawing loose inspiration from Mr. Beef in Chicago, the culinary-driven series drew praise from cooks for its all-too-accurate portrayal of the restaurant industry as well as food that actually looks delicious. In particular, The Bear’s famous layered chocolate cake has become an object of obsession, with fans rushing to replicate the recipe or seek out a slice for themselves. In The Bear, the chocolate cake is the creation of aspiring pastry chef Marcus, portrayed by Lionel Boyce. When the character baked his first chocolate cake, it supposedly tasted great—“whoa” great, as his sous chef, Sydney, played by Ayo Edebiri, described it. But as viewers come to learn, Marcus is a perfectionist. Balancing the The Noma Guide to…

BEFORE JOHN WELCH’S RAVIOLI MOLDS WENT VIRAL on social media, he took up woodworking as a relaxing hobby–something he could do out on the deck of his home in Lowell, Massachusetts, just him, his imagination, and a glass of whiskey. Welch bounced from big projects, like installing hardwood floors in his parents’ house, to smaller ones, like making serving boards. And then he started carving wooden spoons using two knives that he bought off Amazon. “I love entertaining, and I was like, it’d be really cool to cook dinner for people I care about with a spoon that I made.” But Welch’s friends wanted spoons of their own, so he made more spoons and bought bigger tools. Within a year, Welch moved into a 200-square-foot space in Lowell. That…

AT FIRST GLANCE, koji spores are pretty unassuming, but the sandy, wheat-colored powder unleashes worlds of flavor. Koji is an edible fungus that is inoculated in steamed rice, and fuzzy, fresh rice koji is the foundation for making miso, sake, amazake, and shio koji, a delightfully versatile Japanese condiment. The enzymes in koji turn starch into sugar and protein into deep umami flavors. It can be used to tenderize meat, thicken sauces, and add sweet and salty depth to just about anything. At Juniper and Ivy in San Diego, koji is never listed on the menu, but chef Anthony Wells uses it as a secret ingredient in a dozen different dishes, creating pumpkin gochujang for kampachi tostadas and whipping cashew miso with sweet potato to pipe into agnolotti. “It’s a…

I MOVED FROM NEW YORK CITY to rural Pennsylvania 20 years ago. And to my surprise, other than a limited farm stand, I couldn’t get my hands on fresh, local produce, let alone organic fruits and vegetables. So I decided to grow my own. I’ve gardened steadily since then (I became a master gardener in 2006), and though fresh and local produce is more readily available these days, I still get the most joy and satisfaction when I cook what I’ve grown myself. Whether you have a backyard or just a windowsill, fresh, homegrown produce is completely attainable. That’s what this new column, F&W Grows, is all about. I’ll point you to the herbs, fruits, and vegetables that are best—and most delicious—when grown at home and share expert tips on…