Carrots

"I just think carrots, particularly their tops and roots, are an artistic wonder," Richard Blais says. "The color, the abstract shape—they're gorgeous." He likes his carrots peeled, left whole and cooked with the tops still attached in a zingy ginger sauce. Whether you prefer yours crispy and roasted for a warming fall dinner or shredded and raw in a summer slaw, Food & Wine's guide to carrots gives you ideas for delicious recipes, improves your knife skills and helps you master classic cooking techniques.