Editor's Letter

One of the greatest moments of my year took place in a banquet room at the St. Regis hotel in Aspen, empty except for 400 chairs, a few food stylists and production people...and chef Mario Batali. We were there making the first video for F&W's debut iPad issue, inspired by the magazine in your hands. As I watched Mario demo-ing his superb butcher's ragù, I felt like I was seeing the future of food journalism, observing a recipe from the printed page coming to life. This Italian-American wine issue is full of more recipes I can't wait to cook myself.

A few of those terrific dishes are from chef Michael Chiarello, who cohosted a Sonoma vineyard lunch with up-and-coming winemaker Jamey Whetstone. Jamey tempted guests with tastes of his recent releases and plates of Michael's spice-rubbed chicken and roasted artichokes. Artichokes are tricky to pair with wine, but Michael created an irresistible match. For a video in our iPad issue, he also demonstrated how to trim the ornery vegetable, eliminating any concerns I might have had about cooking artichokes as well as pairing them with wine.

For more wine advice, turn to Ray Isle's "100 Bottles to Drink Right Now," which makes a compelling case for opening a bottle or two every night for the foreseeable future. My favorite is No. 34: the 2006 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre, a wonderful, affordable Italian red with a label that literally talks to you.

Even as we move ahead with all due speed, we must pause to honor the past. And so, I must acknowledge the death of the erudite and debonair Michael Batterberry, who, with his wife, Ariane, founded Food & Wine in 1978. Their tremendous vision remains the foundation of Food & Wine today, informing our mission to explore new ideas and celebrate the talents of American chefs and winemakers. This issue, I hope, is a fitting tribute to a man I admired deeply.

Where I'm Coming From

Notes from My Recent Asia Trip:

Tim Ho Wan
Hong Kong
My favorite dim sum at this Michelin one-star: char siu bao—fragrant bread stuffed with rich pork.

Yin Yang
Hong Kong
Private kitchens with set menus are the big trend in Hong Kong right now. I adored this one from Margaret Xu, who cooks with organic ingredients from her farm.

Wild Rocket at Mount Emily
Singapore

I loved Willin Low's chewy rice noodles with spicy dried-scallop pork sauce, an update on a classic Singaporean dish.

Follow me on Twitter@fwscout.