Mouthing Off

Ah, Sauvignon Blanc. It’s zesty, it’s crisp, it’s loaded with citrusy zing, it whets the appetite and it tastes great served cold on a hot day. And, once in a while, it smells like a green pepper exploded in your glass. More on why Sauvignon Blancs sometimes have a cat-pee aroma and great bottles of it under $20. »

Food & Wine's senior recipe developer, Grace Parisi, is a Test Kitchen superstar. In this series, she shares some of her favorite recipes to make right now.

We're in the midst of stone-fruit season, and that means all sorts of delicious things, like this creamy tart. This divine tribute to juicy summer peaches is made with a thin layer of creamy cheesecake then topped with nearly unadulterated peach slices. Look for firm but ripe peaches and always buy more than you think you need—I know my bowl is nearly half empty before I can assemble my tart. SEE RECIPE »

Related: More Peach Recipes
Fruit Pies and Tarts
Make-Ahead Summer Dishes

Food & Wine's senior recipe developer, Grace Parisi, is a Test Kitchen superstar. In this series, she shares some of her favorite recipes to make right now.

A great trick to bring out all the flavor in berries (in and out of season) is to bake them into desserts. I like this  luscious berry-laden spoon cake because it's a bit lighter and less fussy than traditional cobblers that use a pastry crust. The cake is buttery and light yet holds up to all those yummy fruit juices. Sometimes I make a double batch of the batter and put half on the bottom and half on the top, but it's delicious (and easier on the waistline) as is. SEE RECIPE »

Related: More Brilliant Fruit Desserts
Cookout Desserts
Recipes Using Berries

Food & Wine's senior recipe developer, Grace Parisi, is a Test Kitchen superstar. In this series, she shares some of her favorite recipes to make right now.

Strawberries and cream is such a trite, hackneyed combination, but one I will unapologetically never grow tired of. It just needs a little help from some well-conceived ingredients. Here, I've made a quick syrup of mild honey, fresh lime juice and a hint of cardamom, brought it to a boil and poured it over sliced strawberries. Thirty minutes later, cooled and juicy, the compote is poured over tart lemon sorbet and topped with honey-spiked whipped cream. A little bit of lime zest makes this refreshing, quick dessert even brighter. SEE RECIPE »

Related: More Fantastic Strawberry Recipes
F&W's Ultimate Summer Fruit Recipes
Healthy Fruit Desserts

Ray's top three sparkling wines under $20. Also, how to avoid fast-flying corks and unintentional champagne showers. »

The summer of Riesling is upon us! "Hide your Chardonnays in their special locked cages, and smack them in their glassy snoots if they try to escape." »

Sauvignon Blanc, possibly more than most wine grapes, reflects where it is grown: Warm-climate wines will have notes of melon and ripe citrus, cooler-climate ones will be more herbal and green-peppery. Some people prefer one end of the spectrum, some the other—and knowing the wine’s origin will help you find a bottle you like. Here, a visual guide to the range of aromas and flavors.

F&W showcases tricked-out custom grills at restaurants across the country.

Grillworks
At New York City’s Tertulia, Seamus Mullen (photo) uses Grillworks’ Argentinean-inspired setup. The angled surface funnels juices and fat into a basting pan, preventing flare-ups.

Norcal Ovenworks
NorCal’s adjustable grills come in extra- large sizes; Rachel Yang at Seattle’s Revel lowers the grate deep into the firebox to slow-cook whole lambs.

Josper
When Christopher Kostow recently renovated the kitchen at Napa Valley’s Meadowood, he installed this Spanish Josper grill-oven hybrid, which mixes live-fire grilling with superhot roasting.

J&R Manufacturing
Wolfgang Puck installed J&R grills at his four Cut steak houses. The cement-lined firebox prevents the kitchen from overheating.

Related: Ultimate Guide to Summer Grilling

It’s one of the big mysteries—up there with crop circles, the second gunman in Dallas, and why anyone on earth eats Marmite. Why don’t people drink red wine cold? It’s hot, you love red wine, so what’s the answer? A big warm glass of Zinfandel? Body-temperature Cabernet? The thing is, there are a number of red wines out there that chill down just fine. The main consideration is this: If you have a big, tannic red, serving it cold will accentuate those tannins and make it astringent and harsh. But a lighter red, not so heavy on the tannins and bright with fruit, well, chuck it in the cooler and go. Here are a few possibilities. Or you can just go on drinking that steaming glass of Syrah while you sweat in the blazing sun. Along with a big schmear of Marmite on toast.
 
Beaujolais
The perfect picnic wine, and so, unsurprisingly, nice with a light chill. The gamay grape, from which Beaujolais is made, is unprepossessing, not very tannic at all, and full of lively cherry-raspberry fruit. The 2009 Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages ($10) is a fine option. (pictured: 2009 Georges Duboeuf Domaine des Rosiers Moulin-a-Vent ($17) is also great.)

Bardolino
Italy’s answer to Beaujolais (though Frappato from Sicily is another strong contender). Bardolino comes from the hills near Lake Garda, uses the same grape varieties as Amarone (oddly enough, given that Amarone is one of the higher-octane reds around), and has a gentle wild-cherry-ish flavor. The 2010 Corte Giara Bardolino ($11) is a good one to seek out.
 
Pinot Noir
Some Pinots don’t chill well—more robust versions, for instance a good percentage of what California produces. But find a delicate, lighter style, and Pinot tastes great chilled down. Oregon’s a good place to look; among the best choices there is the floral 2010 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir ($20).
 
Sparkling Shiraz
Freaky stuff: black-purple in color, big and hearty in character, and fizzy. But for a cookout it’s a fun option, and it tastes far better cold than regular, non-sparkling Shiraz. Plus, when your friends see you holding a glass, they’ll say entertaining things like, “What the heck is that?” The best I’ve run into recently is the NV The Chook Sparkling Shiraz ($19).
 
Related Links:
Summer Drinks
More Great Summer Wines

East Coasters lost the last weekend in August to tropical storm (née hurricane) Irene, so the pressure is on to get outside for Labor Day. If the weather cooperates where you live, enhance the best summer activities with these perfect wines:

Seafood Extravaganzas: For lobsterfests and clam bakes, there are many options beyond the ubiquitous rich Chardonnay, like melony Godello and crisp, citrusy Vermentino.

Sunning Sessions: When the weather is genuinely hot, superlight whites, like Vinho Verde and Albariño, are good bets.

Park Picnics: Awesome portable dishes include shrimp-and-noodle salad in a gingery dressing, which is great with Riesling.

Backyard Cookouts: Grilled foods need assertive wines to stand up to strong flavors. Moderately oaky wines, which can otherwise be tough to pair with food, are often great with smokey meats.

Sunset Toasts: Try wine with some color, too. There are few things more refreshing than Provençal rosé, and low-tannin Beaujolais are among the best reds to serve chilled.

Beach Trips: Pulling corks with no leverage, while sitting in sand, can be troublesome. Try these 10 excellent boxed wines, plus 10 great-value screw-capped wines.