August 1999

Features

• Outward Bound

  On a Jamaican beach or in a Los Angeles garden, the best summer parties bring elegance outdoors

• Perfect-Pasta Tip

• Picnic at Triple Creek

  When the CEO of Intel needs to escape the techno-world, he grabs his fishing rod and heads to Montana's Triple Creek Ranch--after all, he owns the place. The menu here completes the Big Sky fantasy.

• Rules for Mixing Gin

  While vodka simply disappears into a drink, gin, which has a more assertive flavor, is a little trickier to blend. When a combination is successful, though, it attains a level of complexity that’s impossible with vodka. Some guidelines for home bartenders.

• Food Court

  The European Union has judged hundreds of traditional foods to be national treasures. Here's why cooks are celebrating.

• How Sweet It Is

  After decades of Communist rule, Hungary's Tokaj region is reclaiming its legacy of superlative dessert wines

• Instant Italy

  Melons and tomatoes at a Minnesota farmers' market transport one cook to Lombardy and Puglia.

• Is Santa Barbara the Next Napa?

  Santa Barbara County doesn't have the cachet of Napa Valley--at least, not yet. But with a growing reputation for world-class wines, it's become hot on its own terms.

• Lunch in an Italian Garden

  A chef and his wife take the day off from their three-star restaurant on the Amalfi Coast for a family feast

• Madhur's Day in the Sun

  As she awaits the release of her new blockbuster cookbook, Madhur Jaffrey steals away to Martha's Vineyard with her family--and a stash of easy summer recipes

• Burger Heaven

  How did the drippy, juicy hamburger get to be the signature dish of health-obsessed Los Angeles?

• A Wild Green Redeemed

  Some Americans call it a weed, but in Turkey, purslane is a prize

• Sour Power

  Exploring the potential of easy summer pickling.

• The Anglo File

  Three English country hotels that don't feel like Masterpiece Theatre sets

• The Gin Crowd

  A slew of new varieties is proving that the old spirit still has plenty of kick left in it. With nine classic cocktails.

• Tips for Full-Flavored Pickles

  Follow these tips to make beautiful and full-flavored vegetable pickles.