Simple Cooking

Although Americans chow down on plenty of crisp pretzels, there's something irresistible about the soft variety that makes them just as addictive, if not more so, than the crunchy version. When formed into bite-size nuggets, not only do they pop easily into your mouth, but they are also small enough to eliminate the temptation to double-dip in the Cheddar sauce. You can also offer up a bowl of mustard, or divide your Cheddar dip into three bowls, flavoring one with mustard and the other with caraway seeds.
You may suspect that the large amount of baking soda to cook the pretzels is a typo; it's not. Believe us, it's the secret to the chestnut-brown color they develop during baking. Without it, the pretzels would look anemic. Editor's Note: This recipe is part of Gourmet's Modern Menu for A Father's Day Feast. Menu also includes Grilled Rib Pork Chops with Sweet and Tangy Peach Relish and The Ultimate Brownie Sundae.

Why use frozen berries in the summer, when local fruit is at its peak? Because we love fresh local berries so much when whole or, in the case of strawberries, when sliced as well, puréeing them seems almost a sacrilege. If, however, you've got a surplus of fresh berries, go ahead and purée them.

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This salad of melon, sweet pepper, salty cheese and earthy basil recalls the watermelon salad that we all love so much, but its elegant components make it more refined. Salt is key to marrying the flavors, so be generous, tasting as you go. Be liberal, too, with a very good extra-virgin olive oil—it is very much a part of this salad.

Though inspired by golden cherries from the farmers' market, this pretty salad can be made with any sort of fresh or frozen cherry. Marcona almonds hail from Spain; their toasty, slightly sweet and salty flavor is a great match for the fruit. Toasted whole almonds and a few extra pinches of sea salt can be substituted.

Our dear friends, the Krutchiks, often lavish us with new food discoveries, like Wagyu pastrami—a luxe version of the delicious brined, spiced and smoked deli meat—which they buy at their NYC neighborhood shop, Grace's Marketplace. The richly marbled, melt-in-your-mouth meat inspired this twist on Italy's beloved bread and tomato salad. Use ripe, in-season tomatoes (their sweet juices form part of the dressing), and pick an airy light rye bread over the dark, dense sort; the latter is too chewy for this salad. Wagyu is certainly tasty, but any good pastrami works well here.

Trust us: No one will complain if you double the shrimp and omit the lobster in this tart and beachy seafood salad. Just be sure to sear the shrimp quickly on a hot grill: The char plays nicely with lime juice.

No room on the grill? Cut the kernels from the cobs and char with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast-iron skillet on the stove.

Sprinkle this fresh take on lemon-pepper seasoning over olive oil-rubbed chicken or steak before grilling or roasting. It's also delicious strewn over grilled or pan-roasted cod or bluefish.

When added either before or after cooking, this aromatic seasoning imparts deep flavor to lamb, beef, pork, or duck.

Packed with oats, nuts, and seeds, this energy booster can be made up to 1 week ahead. Serve it as a snack, or for breakfast with yogurt and any kind of seasonal fresh fruit.

Try this rub on chicken, fish, or pork, and place some in a salt cellar for seasoning at the table.

Hot ribs, meet cool slaw. Yogurt magically lightens the dressing.

This is our version of shichimi togarashi, the spicy Japanese condiment.

Choose baby backs or spareribs, then follow our three simple steps: Season, bake, and grill.

The magic of this easy dessert happens in the fridge as the lemon juice sets the cream into a luscious custard— no eggs or gelatin required.

For a clear liquid, use coarsely ground coffee. (Finely ground beans make for a cloudier drink.)

Five ingredients and five steps will get you to burger heaven.