2019-08-01 Cook\'s Country

LETTER

FROM THE

EDITOR

I

N JUST THE past 12 months, our executive food editor, Bryan Roof,

and our staff photographer, Steve Klise, have traveled to New Mexico,

Mississippi, the Bronx, Seattle, and Philadelphia looking for great

recipes. They’ve been doing this for years, making trips to Tennessee,

Kentucky, North and South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, California, Wisconsin,

Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Texas.

These journeys take tons of planning: researching regional traditions, tele-

phoning local cooks, and corresponding with journalists on the ground. Bryan

and Steve create extensive and detailed itineraries to make the most of their

time on the road.

But they’re still surprised on every trip. Take, for example, a recent visit to

Ohio. At a small strip mall restaurant outside Cleveland, they came across an

unexpected take on an otherwise predictable dish—eggplant Parmesan. Flavor-

ful and satisfying but not overburdened with goopy cheese or cloying sauce, it

turned the concept of this dish on its head (see page 13).

The food they fi nd is great, but the real gift is the people they meet along the

way. I was lucky to tag along for their trip to Las Cruces, New Mexico, and was

inspired by the generous and welcoming Guerra family—not just by their fan-

tastic gorditas but also by their commitment to their craft and their community

(see page 4). I won’t soon forget them.

TUCKER SHAW

Editor in Chief

P. S. Here’s something extra-fun: In this issue, instead of our usual “Five

Easy” column, we have “12 Easy”—and it’s an amazing, supersimple recipe

for no-churn ice cream that we dress up with all kinds of stir-ins (see page 15).

You really aren’t going to believe how easy it is to make ice cream at home,

without a machine. Summer!

GET THE DOUGH ROLLING

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Maybe you want to master homespun pies that celebrate

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Chief Executive Offi cer David Nussbaum

Chief Creative Offi cer Jack Bishop

Editor in Chief Tucker Shaw

Executive Managing Editor Todd Meier

Executive Food Editor Bryan Roof

Deputy Editor Scott Kathan

Deputy Food Editor Morgan Bolling

Senior Editor Cecelia Jenkins

Associate Editors Alli Berkey, Matthew Fairman

Associate Editor, Web Ashley Delma

Test Cooks Natalie Estrada, Jessica Rudolph

Photo Team/Special Events Manager Tim McQuinn

Assistant Test Cooks, Photo Team Sarah Ewald, Hannah Fenton,

Jacqueline Gochenouer, Eric Haessler

Senior Copy Editor Jill Campbell

Copy Editors Christine Campbell, Rachel Schowalter

Contributing Editor Eva Katz

Senior Science Research Editor Paul Adams

Hosts & Executive Editors, Television Bridget Lancaster,

Julia Collin Davison

Executive Editors, Tastings & Testings Hannah Crowley,

Lisa McManus

Senior Editors, Tastings & Testings Lauren Savoie, Kate Shannon

Associate Editor, Tastings & Testings Miye Bromberg

Assistant Editors, Tastings & Testings

Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm, Carolyn Grillo, Emily Phares

Creative Director John Torres

Photography Director Julie Cote

Art Director Susan Levin

Associate Art Director Maggie Edgar

Senior Staff Photographer Daniel J. van Ackere

Staff Photographers Steve Klise, Kevin White

Photography Producer Meredith Mulcahy

Senior Director, Creative Operations Alice Carpenter

Senior Editor, Special Projects Christie Morrison

Senior Manager, Publishing Operations Taylor Argenzio

Imaging Manager Lauren Robbins

Production & Imaging Specialists Dennis Noble,

Jessica Voas, Amanda Yong

Test Kitchen Director Erin McMurrer

Assistant Test Kitchen Director Alexxa Benson

Test Kitchen Manager Meridith Lippard

Test Kitchen Facilities Manager Kelly Ryan

Senior Kitchen Assistant Shopper Michelle Miller

Senior Kitchen Assistant Receiver Heather Tolmie

Lead Kitchen Assistant Ena Gudiel

Kitchen Assistants Gladis Campos, Blanca Castanza,

Amarilys Merced

Chief Financial Offi cer Jackie McCauley Ford

Senior Manager, Customer Support Tim Quinn

Customer Support Specialist Mitchell Axelson

Event Coordinator Michaela Hughes

Chief Digital Offi cer Fran Middleton

VP, Marketing Natalie Vinard

Director, Audience Acquisition & Partnerships Evan Steiner

Director, Social Media Marketing Kathryn Przybyla

Social Media Coordinators Charlotte Errity, Sarah Sandler

Chief Revenue Offi cer Sara Domville

Director, Public Relations & Communications Brian Franklin

Public Relations Coordinator Madeleine Cohen

Senior VP, Human Resources & Organizational

Development Colleen Zelina

Human Resources Manager Jason Lynott

Photography Keller + Keller

Food Styling Catrine Kelty

Circulation Services ProCirc

On the cover: 12 Easy Ice Creams