Gourmet

If you're hosting a crowd and can't decide whether your guests would rather eat sweet or savory brunch, here's an idea: make it easy to serve both! Take an unconventional approach by serving Dutch baby pancakes — the famously puffy hotcakes baked in the pan — with toppings both sweet and savory.

Those looking for a sugar high will always appreciate the original, enjoyed with little more than sugar, butter, and a squeeze of lemon. For a heftier option, dot the eggy batter with slices of sautéed onion and crumbles of soft goat cheese, along with a balsamic vinegar reduction for drizzling. Very grown-up, indeed. For the breakfast dish that offers something for everyone, read more.

Last Summer, when the August issue of Gourmet arrived at my desk, I knew immediately that I would be making the cover recipe. There are just some recipes that are so me, and what with my love of ice cream sandwiches, it was only a matter of time before I tackled these babies. With their tart ice cream and sweet berry filling and thin, chewy blondie-like outside, these sandwiches are amazing. They're super fun to eat and the perfect dessert for a crowd. The best thing is that they're indulgent without being too rich and they strike a nice balance between creamy and fruity. I highly recommend you make them, so here's the recipe.

When planning an outdoor party, like a picnic at the park, a barbecue at the lake, or a bonfire at the beach, it's important to get as much prep work done in advance as possible. For the drinks, start by filling several coolers with ice, beer, sodas, water, and white wine. Pack a basket with a versatile plastic glass, a bag for recyclables, and a couple of bottle openers. Then, take the time to make one special drink, preferably a punch or cocktail recipe that serves a crowd.

One I highly recommend is this peach rum punch. It's a potent but delicious mixture of simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, amber rum, cognac, and peach brandy. Since it's Summer and peaches are in season, I would slice a bunch of fresh peaches and float them in the punch. Place the liquid and fruit mixture in a sealable container and pack, standing upright, in one of the coolers. Learn how the party-ready punch is made now.

My little sister has spent the past two months in the Dominican Republic leading a small study abroad tour. To welcome her back home to California, I'm throwing a beach bonfire! Ten of our closest friends will meet us at the shore around 6:30. We'll watch the sunset and enjoy a fabulous meal. When we arrive at the ocean, I'll set out cheese, salami, crackers, and an easy homemade crab cocktail dip. For the main event, I'll heat up a bubbling pot of clam and corn chowder.


A crisp romaine salad with Caesar dressing rounds out the festive menu. To see the recipes I plan on using, keep reading.

We're in the middle of a new series called Berry Tempting, wherein we feature a new berry each month. In June, when we featured nothing but cherry recipes and cocktails, something dawned on us: fresh cherry juice is a pain to obtain. Not only are cherries annoying to pit, but they're messy to boot! PartySugar wondered: is there an easy way to turn those fresh cherries into cherry juice?

Indeed, there is. In fact, our best suggestion came from the editors at Gourmet, who recommend blending fresh cherries — pits and all — with some water and a vitamin C tablet to halt oxidation. Once the cherries have been pulverized, strain the liquid over a fine mesh sieve, which will leave out the seeds and skins of the fruit, and skim off any top foam. That's it — juicing is easy as (cherry) pie!

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When made correctly, coleslaw can be a wonderful Summer side. It's cooling, crunchy, and filled with vegetables. Since the supermarket variety is often drenched in a liquidy mayo-based dressing that's unappetizing, I prefer to make my own coleslaw. Sure, the recipe requires mayonnaise, but I control how much is added to the salad.

This version — my current fave — follows a classic and easy technique: you chop the veggies and coat them in the dressing. It consists of green cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, and onions; cider vinegar provides a necessary acidic tang. It's great served alongside ribs and beans, or sandwiched with pulled pork between two toasty buns. To learn how to make coleslaw, keep reading.

Aside from berries, one of my favorite fruits to enjoy during the Summer are mangoes; I love their sunny, peachy-sweet flavor. But it wasn't until recently that I started cooking with unripe mangoes. Green mangoes, as they're also called, are popular in Thai cooking. They have a crisp texture, and a tart, rather than saccharine, quality that's optimal for savory applications.

Purchase green mangoes while still firm, and use them before they ripen. Enjoy them julienned and lightly dressed in a salad with a salty and spicy sauce, served alongside protein such as grilled pork, chicken, or tofu. Just for comparison purposes, why not serve a fruit salad with sweet mango for dessert? Enjoy both mango preparations when you keep reading.

Adriana Lima covers "The Sexy Body Issue" of V Spain. The issue hits newsstands today.

Blow by Blow, a new play about the life of Isabella Blow, will premiere in New York at the 11th Annual Midtown International Theatre Festival next month.

After shuttering Gourmet magazine eight months ago, Conde Nast unveils Gourmet Live, an app that will bring the title’s 70 years worth of archives to the iPad and other digital platforms.

Pina Ferlisi, who has held creative positions at Generra, Gap, and Marc by Marc Jacobs has been named the new creative director of McQ.

On Friday, Stefano Pilati will unveil a short documentary-style film about legendary Los Angeles tattoo artist Mark Mahoney before his men's Yves Saint Laurent show.

So the rumors were true: Gourmet is back — although not in the traditional way some might expect. Rather, Gourmet will be rising from the ashes as a website and application for the iPad and handheld devices. This morning, Women's Wear Daily tweeted live as Condé Nast executives made the announcement. The new experience, Gourmet Live, will include articles, photos, and video in addition to what exists in the archives and will focus on "seasonal foods, holidays, special occasions, restaurants, travel, food culture, chefs, and more." Readers will have the capability to share and rate articles across social networks, as well as earn virtual rewards such as the ability to unlock hidden content. It doesn't sound like Gourmet Live — which will launch the fourth quarter of 2010 — will involve former Gourmet editor Ruth Reichl, who tweeted, "Re: Gourmet; they're reviving the brand, not the magazine. Pity." Pity indeed, although, if the caliber of writing is the same, I'll be looking forward to having Gourmet back, at least in some form. See a sneak preview of the new technology when you read more.

What better way to close out a warm Father's Day evening than with BBQ burgers for dinner? This meaty burger is packed with flavor and slathered with doctored-up barbecue sauce, then topped with a crunchy cabbage slaw. Definitely going on my Summer to-grill list!

See the recipe when you keep reading.