Who's Hungry? Magazine | No 2

judith mara | Editor and Writer

Judith has worked with Stephen for the last six years and helped to lead the editorial concept and execution of Who’s Hungry?™ magazine. An award-winning former creative director for major ad agencies such as Leo Burnett and J. Walter Thompson, Judith penned “Weather Permitting” and literally hand wrote “How We Did It.”

ian law | Design

Ian designed every aspect of Who’s Hungry?™ magazine with meticulous attention to detail and typography, and helped turn static images into an interactive experience. His award-winning design work has been featured in the pages of Print, Creativity, How, PDN and Graphic Design USA.

Deirdre o’Shea | Production Director

If you have worked with Stephen Hamilton, you’ve worked with Deirdre. Drawing on 15 years of experience in managing photography studios, Deirdre has a hand in nearly every aspect of Stephen’s business. She’s been instrumental in organizing the magazine’s shoots, sourcing ingredients, and always keeping production on schedule.

Sara Moulton | Chef, Cookbook Author, Television Personality

One of the hardest-working women in the food biz, Sara has hosted multiple Food Network shows, served as Gourmet magazine’s executive chef for 23 years, and balanced it all with family life. She has written three cookbooks, and hosts her own PBS show, “Sara’s Weeknight Meals.”

For Who’s Hungry? ™ magazine, Sara recounts the magical draw of her family’s summer home, Laurel Farm.

kate bernot | Editor and Writer

A freelance food writer and editor, Kate Bernot has contributed to RedEye, Chicago Sun-Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Serious Eats Chicago, and BlackboardEats. She helped develop the editorial vision of Who’s Hungry? ™ magazine, and tried not to get too hungry while writing about ice cream sundaes, potluck parties, and Giuseppe Tentori’s clam chowder for this issue.

steve dolinsky | Writer

Since 2003, Steve has been the recognizable face of ABC 7’s “The Hungry Hound,” filing reports on the best eats in Chicago. He has also appeared as a guest judge on “Iron Chef America”, as a contributor to “Unique Eats”, and serves as one of the Academy Judges for “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.” For Who’s Hungry? ™ magazine, Steve ticked off his favorite al fresco restaurants across the country.

a special thanks to : Geoff Binns-Calvey, Walter Moeller, Josephine Orba, Breana Moeller, Tom Hamilton, Juan Palomino, Raymond Barrera, Ruth Siegel, Sandy Rosencrans, Justin Paris, Andrew Burkle, Pete Klein, Sarah Grueneberg, Giuseppe and Christy Tentori, Rodelio Aglibot, Matt and Stevi Savage, Michael and Lori Shenfeld, Sam Jorden, Malika Ameen, Gale Gand, Jeni Britton Bauer, and Celeste Campise.

LETTER FROM STEVE

Summer is simplicity. It’s the season when Mother Nature makes us grateful for the smallest of gifts, like a warm breeze or a bite of juicy strawberry. It turns us all into kids again, giddy at the thought of a day outside.

That enthusiasm runs through all the stories in this second issue. I am honored to publish a personal essay from Sara Moulton, former Gourmet Magazine executive chef and Food Network host, about idyllic summers spent at her family’s Massachusetts country home. It’s the perfect story to take with you to the beach or the lake, where you can stare out at the water and enjoy its calming effects.

There are also plenty of delicious recipes to inspire your ultimate picnic or backyard cook-out. “In Season” features frozen treats from some of the country’s best pastry chefs like Gale Gand, Malika Ameen, Celeste Campise, and ice cream wizard Jeni Britton Bauer. The sundaes, floats, and ice cream sandwiches are easy enough to whip up on a lazy summer afternoon, but beautiful enough to serve to company. Kids—even the grown-up kind—are sure to enjoy eating them as much as I enjoyed photographing them.

“Weather Permitting” is especially fascinating in this issue because of the unpredictable spring weather that complicated farmers’ harvests across the Great Lakes region. Some of our favorite fruits suffered because of late frosts, but the ones that are at markets now look and taste as beautiful as ever.

Whether you spend your June and July at the lake, the beach, or just in your own backyard, don’t forget to pause to ask “Who’s Hungry?™”

STEPHEN HAMILTON

CORNER STYLIST’S

Backyard Bazaar

Prop styling brings a table to life, setting the mood for the meal ahead. Tom Hamilton, one of the nation’s besttraveled stylists, and brother to Stephen Hamilton, often draws on his own far-flung voyages for inspiration.

Here, Tom recalled his picnics in locations as exotic as Kenya, India, and Morocco. With an eye for each stitch and brushstroke, he brought all the textures and colors into bold but calming, harmony. The trick to layering patterns, says Tom, is to choose one color family and vary the size of the prints. This exotic picnic makes use of Uzbek fabrics, Egyptian glassware, and Vietnamese baskets, and brings a global perspective to the most intimate of spaces: Tom’s own backyard.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | STYLED BY TOM HAMILTON

tom hamilton

LEATHERMAN MULTI-TOOL WAVE

Geoff’s “constant companion,” this multi-tool packs a dozen tools into one package. It’s like a Swiss Army knife… on steroids. It folds out to reveal a diamond file, scissors, a screwdriver, a can opener, and more. of the BAG

To make complex shots look effortless, Stephen Hamilton sometimes requires the assistance of Geoff Binns-Calvey. A special effects designer, engineer, and all-around handyman, he has constructed everything from flame rigs to champagne fountains for the studio. If it doesn’t already exist, Geoff can create it. Of course, this wizardry requires some complex gadgets, many of which he carries in his toolbox or infinite number of pockets. From razors to lasers, here’s what might be tucked inside Geoff’s overalls…

LASER BEAM

This over-cranked green laser is imported from China because this bright a beam isn’t available in the United States. Geoff uses it to point to specific areas of a rig or to small details on set.

HEMOSTATS

Normally reserved for the operating room, these medical pliers come in handy when working with small wires, very hot metal, or both. They’re also helpful for extending one’s reach when building a photo set.

X-ACTO KNIFE WITH #11 BLADE

The #11 blade, Geoff’s favorite, is made of durable carbon steel so it won’t wear out no matter how many cardboard packages he cuts through. He stores it in this trusty, one-of-a-kind sheath.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

THE ART of the ICE CREAM SCOOP

by KATE BERNOT

Ice cream is the Mount Everest of food photography. If you can style and shoot frozen treats, you know you’ve conquered one of the toughest foods in the business. What makes it so difficult? Hot studio lights and a melting product, for starters, but there’s also the quest to capture just the right texture and shape of the dessert. Click on the bullets below for the full “scoop” on our methods.

THE CREAM

First, gallons of ice cream are stored in a freezer that keeps them cold, but not rock hard. That way, the ice cream is easily scooped and molded into the perfect shape. Once the stylist shaves off a perfect curlicue, it is stored in a dry ice freezer that can drop to -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it is really frozen, the scoop is brought onto the photo set.

THE CHIPS

Not all scoops of mint ice cream have an even distribution of chocolate chips, so food stylist Walter Moeller used tweezers to add chips to areas that looked sparse.

THE CURL

Ice cream can take different shapes depending on the instrument used to scoop it. Walter Moeller cut away the cardboard packaging with scissors, then made this shape with a paddle rather than a traditional ice cream scoop.

THE DROPS

Unlike some photographers, Stephen uses real ice cream on his shoots. A few strategically placed, melted drops drive home this natural approach.

PHOTOGRAPHY STEPHEN HAMILTON

Refrigeration is a modern invention, but frozen desserts have existed since the time of the Persian Empire. As far back as 400 B.C., the Persians enjoyed fruit syrups poured over snow, which they obtained from the tops of tall mountains and kept cool in underground chambers. Thankfully, the farthest you’ll have to travel for ice cream these days is to your kitchen freezer. Perk up those store-bought pints with these recipes for easy, nostalgic treats from some of the nation’s top pastry chefs.

A Frozen Feast by KATE BERNOT

IN SEASON BY STEPHEN

Gale Gand, award-winning pastry chef at Tru in Chicago, began to pine for classic American root beer floats when she was working in England in the mid-1990s. Being in a root beer-free zone, she had to make the dessert herself. This quest to perfect an at-home root beer float had two results: first, the recipe for her easy but elegant root beer granita-vanilla parfait, and second, the name of her newly adopted terrier, Rootie.

recipe by

GALE GAND

root beer granita -vanilla parfait (makes 4 servings) to view complete recipe

Thanks to the recent chicness of small-batch, artisan foods, your grocer’s freezer is probably chock-full of a whole rainbow of gourmet ice cream flavors.

But even though Ben & Jerry’s has been twisting Americans’ taste buds for more than 30 years, research shows that our favorite flavors remain good ol’ fashioned chocolate and vanilla. According to a Harris poll, scoops of butter pecan and mint chocolate chip still can’t shake our love affair with the basics. There’s something undeniably nostalgic about ice cream and its rituals, like digging wooden spoons into Dixie cups or running after the ice cream truck’s siren song. It’s that nostalgia that really inspired these pastry chefs’ recipes, which can all be recreated at home without ever having to touch your ice cream maker.

recipe by

CELESTE CAMPISE

s’more ice cream sandwiches ( makes 6 servings )

1 1/2 sticks soft butter, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 yolk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup honey, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp premium pure vanilla extract, 2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 cup graham flour

Click to view complete recipe »

JENI BRITTON BAUER recipe by

And if you happen to have kids underfoot, invite them into the kitchen with you to whip up a batch of s’more ice cream sandwiches. At Spiaggia in Chicago, pastry chef Celeste Campise bakes composed Italian desserts on a daily basis. But when she’s at home, she says she’s much more likely to whip up something inspired by childhood, like these soft-baked graham cookies filled with chocolate gelato and marshmallow fluff. Just one bite packs a whole summer’s worth of campfire nights.

Jeni Britton Bauer, of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, OH, concocted her “One Night in Bangkok” sundae with all the familiar flavors of an ooey-gooey candy bar like peanuts, coconut, and pralines. There’s no denying that it’s her comfort food: During her two pregnancies, Bauer admits she ate a few of these sundaes each week.

( makes 6 servings )

6 bananas, sliced lengthwise in half Bangkok Peanut Ice Cream (main flavors are peanut butter, coconut and cayenne), 1 1/2 cups Praline Sauce, warmed, Whipped Cream, About 3/4 cup Spanish peanuts, 6 Fortune Cookies, 1 basil sprig or 6 cilantro sprigs

Click to view complete recipe »

one night in bangkok sundae

Excerpted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer (Artisan Books). Copyright 2011.

Besides the nostalgia factor, there’s also timing to consider when it comes to frozen desserts. When kids’ soccer teammates unexpectedly drop by after practice, or when guests linger after a barbecue, it’s handy to have an arsenal of no-fuss treats that can be whipped up with minimal time in the kitchen. Malika Ameen, a former Top Chef contestant, owner of ByM Desserts, and busy mother herself, shares her recipe for homemade ginger soda with strawberry ice. It’s simple but sophisticated, requiring just a few minutes in the kitchen but still elegant enough to serve to guests. After all, summer is about enjoying time outside, not slaving over a mixing bowl.

homemade ginger soda with strawberry“ice” (makes 4 servings)

ginger soda

½ cup water, 2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger, ¾ cup organic cane sugar, ¼ cup fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 3 cups very cold club soda

strawberry “ice”

1 pound organic strawberries, 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar, ½ cup water, ¼ cup sugar, 1 bag chamomile tea, Pinch of salt

Click to view complete recipe »

MALIKA AMEEN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

Grocers’ freezers are packed with all sorts of frosty cartons. It’s useful to know what distinguishes one variety from another, because when a product contains only a handful of ingredients, each one affects the treat’s texture and flavor. Here’s your crash course.

ice Cream

The classic American ice cream begins with a custard base of milk, cream, and sugar, and usually contains egg yolks. Some varieties may omit the eggs and add cream cheese or half and half, plus various flavorings such as vanilla beans, chocolate, or fruit. The base churns as it is frozen, which adds air to lighten the texture.

gelato

This Italian dessert also begins with a custard base but churns the ingredients much more slowly, meaning less air is folded into the mixture. This produces a denser, richer product. Somewhat deceptively, gelato often contains less milk and eggs, making its fat content lower than that of ice cream.

sorbet

The vegan’s choice, sorbet is dairy- and egg-free. A base of juice or flavored water is churned with simple syrup, so it retains a light texture similar to ice cream. Sherbet is like sorbet, but with the addition of dairy.

granita

Like sorbet, this dessert of Sicilian origins begins with a base of water, sugar, and flavorings. Instead of churning in a machine, the granita base is mixed by hand, then left to sit in a freezer.

Periodically, the chunks are broken up, giving a coarser, more snow cone-like texture to the ice.

frozen yogurt

This trendy treat is often considered a “healthier” alternative to ice cream, and sometimes, it can be: Subbing yogurt for cream means less calories and less fat in a typical serving, plus the addition of probiotics. But be careful—some yogurt brands compensate for the lack of cream by adding lots of sugar.

Move over, cake pops! Ice cream balls are a cool, quick dessert that kids—and adults—will love this summer. Scoop ice cream with a melon baller, roll it in your favorite toppings, and devour.

by STEVE DOLINSKY

We asked Steve Dolinsky, Food Reporter for ABC 7 News in Chicago and 12-time James Beard Award winner, what five al frescos he thinks are worth a special trip.

Portrait by Todd Rosenberg Photography

Foreign Cinema »

2534 m i ssion s t., s a n Fran C i s C o

How about a little Hog Island oyster with your Hitchcock? This cool, casual Mediterraneaninfluenced gem in the Mission would be a worthy destination for its food alone. But throw in a covered courtyard with films projected onto a giant two-story wall outside, and suddenly, those house-cured sardines and cauliflower or that massive smoked masala pork chop with a chanterelle-radicchio-leek bread pudding taste that much better.

s a linas » 136 9t H aV e ., n e w yo rk City

In Manhattan, of course, love doesn’t come cheap. But in Chelsea, there is plenty to love at this vibrant Spanish restaurant, which focuses on the Mediterranean coast and Balearic Islands. There is no denying the perfection of nibbling on blistered shishito peppers and Jamón Ibérico while sitting beneath the inky black New York City sky under a large, retractable roof. Come after 12 p.m. on a weekend for brunch, and get a clear view of the sky and surrounding buildings–there’s no doubt you’re in the city.

g j elina » 1429 a BB ot k i nney BlV d., Veni C e BeaC H

Thank goodness for the 405, because even on a bad day, you can finagle your way from LAX to Gjelina in about 20 minutes. That means if there’s a layover, you’ve got do whatever you can to get to Venice Beach for a taste of what is surely some of the best food in the region. The restaurant leans Mediterranean, with charcuterie platters and charred pizzas rife with briny olives, capers and homemade sausage. But sitting in the cozy backyard, with portable heaters that get turned on whenever the temperature even threatens to dip below 60, I find myself hunkering down on the long, cushioned couch and plunging my dessert spoon into a cup of the intensely delicious butterscotch budino (pudding) topped with fluffy whipped cream and sea salt.

Pi C C o lo s o gno » 464 n Halsted s t., C H i Cago

Tony Priolo’s “little dream” came to fruition after a long stint at Coco Pazzo downtown. But this chef must also have a green thumb, because stepping into the enormous, tree-lined patio that seats about 150 is like stumbling onto your longlost Italian uncle’s villa somewhere in the Veneto. On any given warm summer night in Chicago, you can bet the tables will be full, and not just because of the scenery. Priolo makes everything from scratch here, from the pastas all the way down to the tiny grissini, or bread sticks.

Vinegar Hill House » 72 Hudson aV e ., Brooklyn

Half the fun of going to Vinegar Hill House is the trek itself. Whether you take the F train to York and walk a few more blocks or drive over the Manhattan Bridge, this quaint haven in Brooklyn has an even more charming patio. With large, horizontal branches strung with intermittent light bulbs, it could be a scene from a Zach Braff coming-of-age film about the young couple that finds love over a bottle of Sangiovese: She goes for the beet risotto while he opts for a Red Wattle breed pork chop and some Cheddar grits.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

WEATHER PERMITTING

by JUDITH MARA

Early Summer Fruit. And a Late Frost.

strawberries

Our favorite strawberries are not the gigantic berries you find year round in grocery stores. We love the small, dense and red-all-the-way-through strawberries that local farmers grow across the country. Our favorite variety to search for is the Alpine strawberry (fraises des bois) because it is tiny, juicy and packed with sweet flavor.

cherries

Even though there are over 1,000 varieties of cherries, there are two major types: sweet and tart (sour cherries). Everyone knows what to do with juicy sweet cherries––pop in your mouth and spit out the pit. But what about tart cherries? About 4 cups will make a fine cherry pie and some splendid jam. But a real treat is to dry them. Take any amount of pitted tart cherries, simmer them with 2 cups of sugar and water for 20 minutes, drain and place in a dehydrator or 165˚F oven for 3 to 4 hours.

We admire our local, small farmers in more ways that we can count. And their dependency on Mother Nature to cooperate is just one reason why they deserve our heartfelt respect and gratitude. Sadly, the fruit belt across the Great Lakes area including Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York State, and Ontario severely felt her wrath this spring. An early heat wave in March, then an extended period of cold weather and a late April frost to boot, nearly wiped out the entire fruit crop. Hardest hit appear to be cherries, apples, peaches and plums.

Michigan grower Peter Klein of Seedling Fruit claims to have lost 80 to 85% of his apple and peach crop, more of his pears and a bit less of his cherries. Lucky for midwest farmers market patrons, his strawberries, blueberries and raspberries fared a little better.

So while you’ll see some early summer fruit still filling fruit stands, it is hard to predict just how scarce a Michigan apple is going to be come September. We’ll let you know…

blueberries

Blueberries are considered to be a superfruit with a list of health benefits too long to mention here. So it is good to know that blueberries freeze well for future use. Wash the berries and pat them very dry. Spread them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze them for about 3 hours. Quickly transfer the frozen berries to a freezer bag and lay flat in the freezer to store.

watermelon

Just when the searing heat starts kicking up dust in Texas and other hot southern states, watermelons make their refreshing appearance. How to pick out a ripe one? Thumping it with your hand may tell you if it “sounds” juicy, but a better way is to look at its underside. A ripe watermelon should have a creamy yellow spot from where it laid on the ground and ripened in the sun.

raspberries

Odds are you won’t find raspberries at farmers markets in areas that have high year round temperatures. But in the East, Northeast, Midwest, North and on the West Coast, they are plentiful starting in late June and July. Raspberries come in rich colors of red, purple, black and gold, with gold being the sweetest.

apricots

Eighty-two percent of apricots grown in the US are dried. So if you are lucky enough to find some fresh apricots at the market, enjoy this rare treat. You can nibble them like you would a peach, or you can be inventive. Any tart, jam, cake or pie recipe that contains peaches or nectarines can be substituted with apricots.

How to select a ripe melon? Sniff it. If it smells sweet, then it is ripe. If you are not eating a melon right away, don’t buy it ripe. Let it sit at room temperature for a couple days, and when you smell a fragrant aroma you’ll know that it is begging to be eaten.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

An obsession with seasonal ingredients, Italian technique, and fresh seafood has earned him a Michelin star and the title of Food & Wine’s Best New Chef 2008. But it’s his warm hospitality that makes each meal at his restaurants especially memorable. We invited Sarah Grueneberg, the subject of last issue’s “Portrait of a Chef”, to submit the questions she’s been dying to ask Giuseppe…. and forced him to answer them.

what’s your most embarrassing kitchen moment?

My most embarrassing moment happened when I was working at Charlie Trotter’s in 1998. I was working the vegetable station, and I was using white truffles. I just put two pieces of shaved white truffle on a dish, because they’re very expensive. I thought I was doing the guy a favor. And I remember Charlie yelling at me: “Are you Italian or what?” I learned that if you’re going to use something, you better really use it.

what ingredient do you cook with that would surprise people? Licorice. At BOKA I used to do short ribs braised in licorice—not even fennel, just regular black licorice.

what’s the secret ingredient in your legendary clam chowder? Really, Sarah? Okay. It’s bacon and cornstarch.

when mentoring, what’s the trait you most look for in a young cook?

Their care and passion. The other night, I had to yell at one of my guys on the line because he put a dish up for the server and he knew it wasn’t cooked right. I pulled him aside and explained to him, it’s very important that you do this right, because at the end of the day, you have to be proud of what you do. And he understood that.

if you were going to open another restaurant, what would the concept be?

An Italian steakhouse. That’s my dream.

AT GT Fish & Oyster, Giuseppe Tentori serves seasonal King Crab legs with clarified butter and aromatic citrus wedges.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

From a childhood spent on his grandmother’s farm in Italy to a career at the helm of Chicago’s BOKA and GT Fish & Oyster, Giuseppe Tentori has always let his passions guide him.

TS O N E

by KATE BERNOT

portraits by SMILEBOOTH UO

Imagine a modern, urban dinner party inspired by the classic folktale of Stone Soup. At the start of this canonical story, a trio of hungry and weary travelers arrives in a village in search of a warm meal. A large cauldron in the town square is filled with water and one simple, smooth stone. Despite a scarcity of ingredients, the townspeople each contribute one item from their pantries to the pot, until the flavors blend to produce a hearty, comforting stew. Stone Soup is a tale of cooperation and generosity, of coming together for a shared meal and a warm welcome. This story is also the perfect model for the sort of non-traditional potluck that only Stephen Hamilton could plan.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

Decisively, he tucked those dog-eared copies of Gourmet and sauce-splattered Silver Palate cookbooks back on the shelves in favor of a more spontaneous meal. He approached the dinner party the way he does photography, always beginning with the question: “How can I do this differently?”

He found his answer in the tale of Stone Soup, a storybook that he often read to his children when they were young. To make this ancient tale of community and teamwork come alive for the 21st century, Stephen set a few ground rules for his party invitees: No recipes. No planning. No pressure.

When Stephen Hamilton decided to throw an early summer dinner party, the first step he took was to cast aside all his recipes.

Ten guests would arrive at his home, where ample proteins, vegetables, herbs, and seasonings would be provided. Then, everyone, regardless of his or her level of culinary prowess, would cook a dish. The goal was to swap meticulous planning for spontaneity. Like a confident photographer working with natural light and real subjects, guests were asked to loosen up, work with what they were given, and have a fantastic time along the way.

When the evening of the party arrived, a varied crowd assembled around the kitchen’s center island. Among the guests were cooks of all levels, from curious home cooks all the way to some of the nation’s top chefs, including Rodelio Aglibot (star of TLC’s “Food Buddha”), Giuseppe Tentori (of Chicago’s BOKA and GT Fish & Oyster), and Celeste Campise (pastry chef at Chicago’s Michelin-starred Spiaggia). But like a good stew, each ingredient—and each cook— mattered. Prop stylists, photographers, graphic designers, and real estate agents all tied on their aprons too, ready to add their flavor to the meal.

“These are the ingredients I picked up at the market,” Stephen announced to the culinary army. “We have more than enough protein, fruit, and vegetables, and you’re also welcome to use all the condiments and dry goods in my pantry, plus whatever herbs are growing on my deck. Alright, let’s get cooking!”

As is true of many dinner parties, there was a sense of unfamiliarity at the beginning of the evening. Many of the diners had not met each other before, and were diverse in age, profession, hometown, and ethnicity. But because the host traded small talk and canapés for an onthe-fly potluck feast, new acquaintances became fast friends with little effort.

There is something about the act of cooking a meal that brings out a person’s character. True to form, Giuseppe Tentori played the entertainer, calmly preparing charred Brussels sprouts and pancetta while simultaneously keeping an eye on pork loin sautéing in a pan. Prop stylist Juan Palomino stirred a flavorful, vibrant pot of yellow rice for paella as he explained the native foods of his home country of Colombia. He swapped stories of South American travel with graphic designer Sam Jorden, who began to marinate tender rock shrimp in blood orange and spicy red pepper sauce.

Photographers Matt and Stevi Savage set up a Smilebooth which—along with a few glasses of red wine—prompted everyone to let loose in front of the camera.

PHOTOGRAPHY STEPHEN HAMILTON

While laughter bounced around the room like sunbeams, myriad scents wafted from the stovetop: tangy Vietnamese fish sauce, grilled fennel, rich roasting lamb chops, and buttery baked profiteroles. This wasn’t the fussy, multi-course meal that one would pluck from the pages of a magazine, but it was a familystyle feast made better for its contrasts.

Using the ingredients provided, guests came up with dishes both familiar and exotic. Some drew on childhood memories and family secrets, while others took a global approach and tried their hands at new dishes. what the group made »

When the cooks had finished, platters were laid out, colorful as a quilt. After the happy clamor of cooking died down, a reverential silence followed as the guests contemplated the meal: a dinner made better for its diversity, for its juxtaposition of gourmet and nostalgic, for its familiarity and ingenuity— a truly contemporary stone soup.

Looking to recreate your own Stone Soup dinner party? A smart idea is to stock up on proteins, vegetables, and herbs that are all in season. If it grows together, it likely goes together.

Click to view complete grocery list »

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON & ANDREW BURKLE

ROCK STEADY

by KATE BERNOT

That’s why, summer after summer, this cocktail is king. To keep your recipe fresh, try coating the lip of the glass with flavored salts in place of the regular kind. It adds a twist to the end of each sip, whether you’re craving spice, citrus, or herbal flavors.

Sure, you can find these blends at specialty grocery stores, but they’re just as easy to make at home. Pulse grated lime and lemon zest in a blender with kosher salt or sea salt for an added citrus pop. Combine equal parts salt and roasted, grated Szechuan peppers for a bit of lingering heat. Or, if your herb garden is in bloom, toss the salt with your freshest picked leaves. Whichever garnishes you choose, remember the 2-1-1-1 ratio for margaritas: Two parts tequila to one part each lime juice and triple sec, plus one whole day to enjoy the drinks.

The star of a great margarita isn’t fussy preparation; it’s the tang of fresh citrus and the delicious lick of a salt rim.

THE SIMPLE LIFE

by SARA MOULTON

Celebrity TV chef and cookbook author Sara Moulton shares her memoir of escaping to Laurel Farm, her family’s treasured haven tucked away in rural Massachusetts.

Stephen Hamilton captures her story and recipes through images from his own great escapes.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY SARA MOULTON

My parents bought a farmhouse with a barn in northeast Massachusetts when I was seven. Built in 1726, it has beams on the ceiling and six fireplaces, (including a huge one in the living room with a big hook for hanging pots, and a baking oven). The house and barn are surrounded on all sides by fields and then forest.

We have almost a hundred acres, although a significant chunk of a back forest has been taken over by beavers. There is a pond in the middle of one of the fields and a stream running through much of the forest. It is like a wildlife preserve. It is very, very quiet.

My folks own it with my aunt and uncle. Each couple had three kids, all of the kids got married and most of them had kids. Now we don’t fit there at one time without setting up sleeping tents on the back lawn, which we refer to as the wedding lawn because many of us got married there.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY SARA MOULTON

We have almost a hundred acres, although a significant chunk of a back forest has been taken over by beavers.

Every summer since my daughter Ruthie was four, my little family—me, the husband and two kids—go up for a week in late August, just the four of us.

I look forward to it all year. But it takes awhile to get adjusted. We are not used to the country and its silence, or its animal sounds. The frogs wake us up at night. We worry about the ax murderers breaking in. It doesn’t help that there is a ghost. Old farmer Heywood’s brother was murdered in the barn in the late 1930s by two young thugs from a nearby town looking for money. Sometimes we think we hear him.

But finally, we get into a routine and relax. There is a framed photo by the front door in the kitchen, a New Yorker cartoon that depicts a business man coming up from

the subway into a beautiful forest. That is how we feel after a day or two. My kids (now 25 and 21) like to play tennis on our beaten up court and Ping-Pong in the barn. My husband checks out all the yard sales and flea markets, scouring for Christmas music for his annual Christmas DVD. Me, I read books and take long rigorous walks and, oddly enough, focus on making new recipes.

It helps that we usually have a good-size vegetable garden in the backyard. Everyone gets together and plants on Memorial Day weekend. There are always assorted

lettuces, broccoli, tomatoes (big and cherry), chiles, squashes, and herbs. The row of raspberry bushes has already shed its crop before we get there, but usually the wild blueberries are ripening during our stay. And we can supplement from a farm stand down the road that not only has fresh corn every day (August is the best time for corn), but also sells other fruits, vegetables and locally raised lamb, pork and beef.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | BY SARA MOULTON

The town center boasts two churches, a town green complete with bandstand for Wednesday night concerts, and a rundown old general store that sells penny candy, hardware, wine, a few staples, and tucked in the back, a butcher shop and deli run by Pat and Linda. Pat makes a large variety of excellent sausages. Sometimes when we are lucky, we get there just as he is finishing his homemade kielbasa and he will give us a warm piece right out of the smoker.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY SARA MOULTON

The most important part of the day for me is from 6:00 to 7:00 when we all go out and sit behind the house next to the flower garden, drink a glass of wine or gin and tonic and hang out.

The light at that time of day, especially in August, is magical. We can see the wedding lawn, back field and pond from this vantage point. Sometimes there is a great blue heron hanging out by the water hunting frogs. We put in a stone fountain two years ago for my parent’s anniversary which provides a soothing sound track.

4 cups cubed fresh watermelon (seeds removed), 5 to 6 tablespoons superfine sugar or to taste, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, seltzer, well chilled, Fresh mint or herb sprigs for garnish to

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY SARA MOULTON sparkling watermelon lemonade ( makes 6 drinks )

dill pickle cucumber slices

( makes 1 1/3 cups )

One 5 to 6 inch piece cucumber, 1/4 red onion, sliced thin, 2 tablespoons fresh dill leaves or 1 teaspoon dried, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 4 large romaine lettuce leaves

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I prep dinner from 5:30 to 6:00, and then the kids join me after cocktail hour to finish making the dishes. We eat at the kitchen table, a wooden picnic table covered with a colorful plastic tablecloth and cloth napkins. I insist on lighting candles although I don’t think anyone else cares. We make simple fare, eat it with pleasure, and talk about the day just past and the one to come. Occasionally I manage to drag everyone out to the back field to look at the stars. Then we go to bed and try not to be distracted by the things in nature that go bump in the night.

“Fried” Catfish Sandwich bacon plum tomatoes, Kosher salt, ¾ c mayonnaise, c fresh basil ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest, Freshly black pepper, white bread, ¼ c Wondra unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 large egg Four 4 oz catfish fillets, c slices rustic bread large romaine lettuce

HOW WE DID IT

Deconstructing a shot from Stephen Hamilton’s The Restaurant Project

by JUDITH MARA

favorite dish Tostada De Pollo with a Tecate Margarita

Restaurant Big Star, Chicago

food stylist Carol Smoler

prop stylist

Tom Hamilton

PHOTOGRAPHY STEPHEN

E AR L Y SUMMER