December 2001

Features

• Pastry Chef's Top 10

  Gale Gand of Chicago's Tru names a few big (and little) favorites.

• Photo Play

  In search of the best amateur cameras, F&W went straight to the pros. Here are recommendations from some of our favorite shooters.

• Gambling on Vega

  After years of wondering what Vega Sicilia wines taste like, our columnist Lettie Teague finally found out. Of course, she had to go to Spain to do it.

• Grandmother's Gift

  A West Beach cookbook is a paean to the baked bean sandwich—and, for one author, a priceless family heirloom.

• Chocolate Champions

  We ate chocolate every day for a month (poor us) to find the best of the best.

• Christmas Star

  Jeremiah Tower, a patriarch of modern American cuisine and the genius behind San Francisco's Stars, has never wavered in his commitment to simple flavors. His Christmas dinner is as elegant as his culinary ideals are high.

• Easy Homemade Gifts

  From our kitchen to yours, simple recipes for fabulous gifts, from sleek lollipops to spicy jarred sauces.

• 10 Best Holiday Cookbook Gifts

  Whether you're looking for classic Italian recipes or new baking ideas, you're in luck. F&W picks the best cookbooks of the season.

• Van Gogh's Legacy

  A new book, Van Gogh's Table at the Auberge Ravoux, pays homage to the inn where the painter ate his last meals—a shrine not just to the artist but to great bistro cooking. Writer Alberto Manguel goes for dinner.

• What's Hot in London

  The city known for its love of spicy fast-food curry is warming up to India's regional cuisines, from Keralan to Parsee.

• Spirits of the Year Awards 2001

  Had enough of trendy spirits? Distillers have introduced plenty of alternatives to tired fads. To help you find the best, we conducted a blind tasting of dozens of new ones that sell for under $100.

• Tastemakers: Candy Ma'am Sally Williams