December 2006

Features

• Holiday Entertaining Q&A

  We asked readers to share their holiday entertaining dilemmas, and heard about issues ranging from feeding vegetarian guests to updating a roast beef recipe. Here, F&W provides some practical advice.

• Christmas With a Spanish Accent

  Fast-moving, fast-talking chef José Andrés combines Spanish and American flavors for a Christmas feast featuring a stellar sausage-stuffed rack of pork.

• Comfort Food From a Rebel Chef

  At Chicago’s Alinea, Grant Achatz creates delicious, often provocative dishes. Yet this bold chef, who got his start flipping eggs at his parents’ restaurant, also makes a mean mac ’n’ cheese and a fabulous meat loaf.

• Web Exclusive: Printable Gift Tags and Recipe Cards

• The Greatest Party Playlists

  To find the most compelling music for holiday parties, audiophile Charlotte Druckman turned to the pros behind the best restaurant playlists.

• Editor’s Letter

• Favorite Party Dishes

• 12 Incredible Edible Holiday Gifts

  There are gifts all food lovers dream of receiving (fresh truffles, artisanal olive oil) and then there are the ones they actually get (fruit baskets, gingersnaps). Here are fast, fantastic recipes for both kinds of presents.

• Adventure on The Curry Coast

  At a tranquil island retreat in India, Aniamma Philip—known to all as Mummy—teaches visitors how to make spicy curries and masalas with ingredients from her family farm.

• Behind the Scenes at Top Chef

  On camera, contestants on Bravo’s Top Chef are feeling the heat, but behind the scenes the food’s just for fun. Until, that is, F&W throws out an after-hours cooking challenge involving pasta and pizza dough.

• Where to Go Next: Guangzhou

• Where to Go Next: Hong Kong

• Where to Go Next: Taipei

• Style Parties: Entertaining Makeover

  When food stylist Alison Attenborough and her chef husband, Jamie Kimm, have a holiday party, they approach the food as both cooks and visual artists.