Editor’s Letter

For 30 years, F&W has been reporting on the culinary zeitgeist. The magazine’s founders, Michael and Ariane Batterberry, were prescient in anticipating readers’ interest in American chefs and wines, modern style and innovative recipes. F&W’s editors continue to look ahead to spot emerging trends and talents. For this 30th-anniversary issue, we marshaled all of our prognosticating powers to report on the influences shaping the future.

As we all know, food has become a big part of pop culture, but its role seems to be expanding; for example, Meryl Streep is playing Julia Child in a film based on Julie Powell’s book Julie & Julia. We celebrate the merging of food and pop culture by traveling to Spain with Mario Batali and Gwyneth Paltrow, stars of the new PBS series Spain…On the Road Again. The recipes, including Gwyneth’s clams steamed in Albariño, are simple and delicious.

To play catch-up on the past 30 years, turn to our anniversary section. The world’s most famous wine critic, Robert M. Parker, Jr., recounts the revolutionary changes of the past three decades. Tina Ujlaki, our brilliant executive food editor—who’s been at F&W for 23 of our 30 years—singles out our 30 best fast dishes ever. Writer Bryan Miller creates a cheat sheet with 30 years’ worth of info you need to know, so you’ll never be bested at a cocktail party again.

For insight into the future of food and wine, you’ll find the tastemakers to watch in “Food & Wine’s 30th Anniversary Party at the Glass House,” photographed at Philip Johnson’s iconic building in Connecticut. Each guest represents a different aspect of the food-obsessed lifestyle, from restaurants to bars to blogs.

New for the food-obsessed: the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, presented by Food & Wine and Travel + Leisure (nycwineandfoodfestival.com). Please join me there October 9 to 12 to be part of history in the making.

Where I’m Coming From

Notes From My Recent New York City Expeditions:

Matsugen
At genius chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s authentic new soba-noodle place, I learned something with every bite. My favorite dishes: the slices of homemade tofu skin and the inaka cold soba, a coarse noodle made with buckwheat husks.

Resto
My most indulgent meal of the year, which, considering my diet, is saying a lot. I loved the crispy pig’s-ear salad and the Belgian “hangover” pasta with runny eggs, ham and Gruyère.

Scarpetta
I couldn’t resist revisiting some of chef Scott Conant’s greatest hits at his bright new restaurant: creamy polenta with truffled mushrooms and ricotta raviolini with squash blossoms.

Published September 2008