Food and Wine

Before you shun certain fruits and vegetables for life, sample them at their peak and see if you feel the same way. Although I grew up swearing off tomatoes, all it took was a locally grown heirloom variety, plucked from the vine that very Summer morning, that convinced me that I did enjoy fresh tomatoes.

Sworn foes of the pea, I challenge you to do the same. Don't like the overly sweet, baby food-like consistency of frozen peas? You're allowed to write them off altogether — but only after you've tried a bowl of in-season, freshly shelled peas and are certain you can't appreciate the toothsome snap that comes with every bite.

Shell sweet, delicate English peas and toss them lightly with a bit of olive oil, vinegar, onion, and torn mint for a classic preparation. See if you'll become an unexpected convert when you read more.

After the James Beards, the next most coveted award in the food industry is the title of Best New Chef. Each year, since 1988, Food & Wine has bestowed the honor on a different crop of young chefs. Among past honorees? Tom Colicchio, Rick Bayless, and Thomas Keller. Over the past couple of days, the magazine's editor in chief, Dana Cowin, tweeted 10 clues to declare the winners.

Tonight there's the formal announcement and blowout bash (which 50 Cent is rumored to be attending) honoring the Best New Chefs in New York City. To find out which lucky chefs made the cut — it's the first time a Top Chef contestant has been recognized! — read more.

Feeling uninspired by these dessert suggestions? Then here's another idea for you: caramel cream pie! This amazing dessert is everything you could want in a pie. It's creamy and rich, but thanks to the crispy caramelized rice topping, crunchy, too. The crust is a graham cracker and hazelnut mixture, so the most complex part of this pie is making the caramel pudding. However, if you follow the exact instructions in the recipe, it will turn out absolutely perfect. To serve at a party, make the pie a day in advance. Ready for the technique? Read more.

Tonight, treat yourself to a crunchy and gooey Reuben sandwich. A traditional Reuben consists of corned beef, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, and Swiss cheese served panini-style on rye bread. However, this modern variation serves the sandwich on focaccia. Instead of sauerkraut, it throws quick-pickled green cabbage between the bread. The resulting sandwich is seriously delicious, I've enjoyed it three times in the past week! Check out the recipe now.

Food & Wine magazine's quest for the People's Best New Chef is over, and a winner has been declared: Jamie Bissonnette of Coppa in Boston, MA, has won the popular vote.

"It's fantastic that Jamie, who champions offal and serves calf's brain ravioli and blood sausage pepperoni pizza, has such a huge following," Food & Wine editor in chief Dana Cowin said in a statement.

The other finalists from each region included the following:

• Midwest: Lee Richardson, Ashley's at the Capital Hotel, Little Rock, AR
• Pacific: Ricardo Zarate, Mo-Chica, Los Angeles, CA
• Southwest: Tim Byres, Smoke, Dallas, TX
• Northwest: Jason Franey, Canlis, Seattle, WA
• Southeast: Bryan Emperor, Kalu, Charlotte, NC
• New York Area: David Felton, Ninety Acres, Peapack-Gladstone, NJ
• Great Lakes: Jose Salazar, The Palace, Cincinnati, OH
• Mid-Atlantic: Kyle Bailey, Birch & Barley, Washington, DC
• Gulf Coast: James Lewis, Bettola, Birmingham, AL

Have you ever tried the food from any of these regional superstars?

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I have a weakness for dulce de leche, the super creamy milk caramel with origins in Latin America. I love it in just about any dessert from cheesecake to cookies to ice cream. That's why when I read Scott Conant's recipe for dulce de leche cake in a recent Food & Wine, it was only natural that I make it.

This cake does not disappoint: it's moist, light, fluffy, delicious, flavorful — basically every adjective you can think of to describe a cake! The filling is an easy-to-make dulce de leche, and the frosting is somewhere between meringue and marshmallow. If you're in need of a dessert that will take your guests' breath away, make this cake. It's a real stunner! Want the recipe? Read more.

One of the most coveted awards a young chef can receive is the title of Food & Wine's Best New Chef. Every April, the Food & Wine staff selects 10 chefs to be honored in the magazine and at a gala at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. This year, for the first time ever, the glossy has added a people's choice element to Best New Chefs.

It's partnered with CNN's food blog, Eatocracy, to launch a competition called The People's Best New Chef. The voting will take place online, and the winner will be featured alongside the magazine's picks for Best New Chef. Voting starts tomorrow with 10 chefs from 10 different regions and will run through March 1.

The chef with the most votes from each region will be named a finalist; the finalist with the most overall votes will be named 2011 People's Best New Chef. I'm curious to see who from the San Francisco Bay Area will be nominated and interested in the results of the competition. Will you vote for your favorite chefs?

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This Valentine's Day, end your meal with a tantalizing chocolate recipe that's ready in less time than it takes to defrost frozen cheesecake. My favorite no-stress, no-fuss recipe is this velvety gianduja mousse made from nothing more than crème fraîche, whipped cream, and that oldie but goodie, Nutella.

With a standing mixer, the recipe takes less than 10 minutes of active prep, and if you're really not up to the task, you can substitute already-whipped cream and be done with it in seconds. The best part? It's creamy, rich but not too cloying, and full of chocolate hazelnut flavor. No one will ever guess that part of the chocolate indulgence comes from a can. Want the recipe? Then keep reading.

When I think of the Super Bowl, only one cocktail comes to mind: the margarita. While I've never met a margarita I didn't like, from beer to blackberry to jalapeño, my current obsession is with blood orange margaritas. Blood oranges are in season, and they give the drink a beautiful vibrant color and lovely tart flavor. I prefer my margaritas straight up or on the rocks, but if you enjoy them blended, feel free to toss the ingredients into a blender with ice. Pair with a plate of spicy chorizo nachos and let the weekend begin! Here's the recipe.

According to The Wall Street Journal and Food and Wine, savory cupcakes, specifically lasagna cupcakes, are expected to hit the mainstream in 2011. Both publications have recently highlighted Los Angeles catering company Heirloom-LA, who's spearheaded the trend with the creation of its lasagna cupcakes, which are wildly popular among celebrities.

Perhaps I'm experiencing cupcake fatigue, but I can't help but wonder: how are these cupcakes different from lasagna rolls? I've been making Giada De Laurentiis's version for years, and while the recipe doesn't have you bake them in muffin tins, one could certainly do so. And if one does, does that make it a lasagna cupcake?

Should any dish that's individually sized and made in a muffin tin be considered a cupcake? What's your take on it?