This old-school appetizer from Los Angeles’ storied Musso & Frank Grill—now more than a century old—turns humble celery into a creamy, elegant hors d’oeuvre. While the restaurant peels the celery ribs before stuffing them, the dish is just as satisfying without that extra step.

Featured in the April 2009 issue.

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Pimento cheese is a popular burger topping in and around Columbia, South Carolina, where it‘s often called a PC burger. According to the Southern food expert John T. Edge in his book Hamburgers & Fries: An American Story, “Every third joint serves one, and at least half of them are good.” Dolloped atop a hot grilled patty, the piquant spread of cheddar, pimentos, mayo, and spices melts and blends beautifully with charred beef. The cheese gives so much flavor to the burger that you won’t need ketchup or mustard.

Featured in “Doing It Their Way” by Adam Kuban.

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This take on a classic caprese sandwich from the Florentine enoteca Casa del Vino gets an upgrade by using burrata, a mozzarella-adjacent cheese with a stretched, firm exterior that just barely contains a creamy filling of stracciatella curds. Crusty bread loosely holds the burrata and marinated tomatoes together, but it is a pleasantly messy, altogether indulgent delight. Marinate the tomatoes overnight for sandwiches that come together in minutes. Check out more of our tomato recipes to celebrate the glory of summer.

Featured in “8 Reasons to Fall in Love with Florence” by Adam Leith Gollner.

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Cape Town-based butcher Andy Fenner serves these cheesy sandwiches called braaibroodjie (“barbecue bread”) with beer. His version stacks slices with cheddar, tomato, onions, and chutney before grilling. The chutney is key: Mrs. Ball’s, an iconic brand in South Africa, is made from dried fruits and vinegar, but any sweet-and-sour chutney will do.

Featured in “The South African Art of Braai” by Mark Byrne.

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Who can really argue with the blissful combination of macaroni and cheese? Here in the States, the boxed stuff is effectively a childhood rite of passage. For so many of us growing up, the orange-hued elbows were an easy-to-love sustenance that cemented itself so deeply in our taste memory that cheesy pasta remains a lifelong comfort food. Some of our best mac and cheese recipes honor the classics (don’t miss our gooey four-cheese mac or culinary legend Edna Lewis’ Southern-style casserole), while others take the beloved dish in a slightly more grown-up direction (think luxe add-ins like truffles, lobster, Comté, and fresh chèvre). Choose your own mac and cheese adventure below—it’s guaranteed to be delicious.

Macaroni du Chalet

Visitors to Switzerland’s Fribourg region who ride the swinging funicular to the tippity top of Mount Moléson can soak in dazzling views over a cool glass of chasselas wine and a heaping bowl of macaroni du chalet. A generous handful of scallion and chives provide a necessary hit of freshness—and draw out the herbal and oniony notes in this dish’s mountains of melted Gruyère. Get the recipe >

Baked Macaroni with Goat Cheese, Spinach, and Tomatoes

In this stovetop-to-oven casserole, a tomato-topped, golden-brown crust gives way to cozy macaroni slicked in a warm and gloriously creamy sauce. This colorful mac ‘n’ cheese is perfect for summer potlucks. Get the recipe >

One-Pot Manchego Mac and Cheese with Pimentón Bread Crumbs

This one-pot mac and cheese from SAVEUR’s Madrid-based travel editor Benjamin Kemper is a smoky Spanish take on the American comfort food classic. Get the recipe >

Thomas Keller’s Macaroni and Cheese

Superstar chef Thomas Keller ups the ante on the classic casserole by adding Comté, a French cheese with a complex, nutty flavor that melts beautifully; lots of freshly grated nutmeg; and a crunchy, golden breadcrumb topping. The result? A luscious side dish—or a lavish dinner—that’s a surefire crowd-pleaser. Get the recipe >

Apple-and-Sausage Macaroni and Cheese

Fresh apples and hard cider add unexpected depth to this easy mac and cheese, while savory pork sausage and earthy sage ensure it doesn’t veer into overly sweet territory. While the simple dish feels particularly apt for fall, it also makes a welcome addition to the dinner table any time of year. Get the recipe >

Truffled Macaroni and Cheese

How do you take a recipe that’s already so decadent to the next level? Splurge on truffles! This dish not only incorporates finely chopped truffles and truffle oil in the sauce, but it’s also garnished with shaved truffles on top—talk about a showstopper. Get the recipe >

Southern-Style Macaroni and Cheese

Two ingredients set this wonderful regional macaroni and cheese apart from the pack: grated onion and Worcestershire sauce. Adapted from The Gift of Southern Cooking by culinary legend Edna Lewis and Southern food authority Scott Peacock, this crowd-friendly recipe is definitely a keeper. Get the recipe >

Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Parmesan Bread Crumbs 

“I first discovered this recipe over 15 years ago. It is without a doubt the best mac & cheese,” writes commenter Jill Hardy about this recipe from New York City chef Terrance Brennan. We couldn’t agree more—between the delectable trio of cheeses (Gruyère, Comte, and fontina) in the sauce and the crunchy, golden parmesan-panko topping, it’s a dish no one will be able to resist. Get the recipe >

Double-Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe comes to us from Bertha’s Kitchen, a soul food institution in Charleston, South Carolina. Their version of the classic side dish calls for white cheddar in the sauce and orange cheddar in the topping, yielding a magnificent mac and cheese with a crunchy, golden brown crust. Get the recipe >

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

In this truly luxurious mac and cheese, succulent chunks of lobster are tossed with elbows and a rich fontina-and-mascarpone sauce. The whole thing is then baked until bubbly and golden and finished with more lobster on top—the perfect preview to whet your guests’ appetites. Get the recipe >

Four-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

The secret to this ultra-creamy classic? A little Velveeta stabilizes its deeply flavorful mornay sauce made with blue cheese, melty Gruyère, and sharp white cheddar. Get the recipe >

Greek Mac and Cheese

Studded with spinach and fresh dill, enriched with feta and graviera cheese, and infused with cinnamon and nutmeg, this Greek-inspired casserole hits all the right notes. Get the recipe >

The post Our Best Mac and Cheese Recipes Will Satisfy All Your Cravings appeared first on Saveur.

Visitors to Switzerland’s Fribourg region who ride the swinging funicular to the tippity top of Mount Moléson can soak in dazzling views over a cool glass of chasselas wine and a heaping bowl of macaroni du chalet. Known as Älplermagronen in the German-speaking parts of the country, this simple and comforting one-pot pasta recipe—adapted from the one served at the no-frills Plan-Francey restaurant—is best made with the regional king of cheeses: le Gruyère. (To be sure you’re getting the real deal, look for “AOP” on the label.) Don’t skimp on the scallions and chives—they provide a necessary hit of freshness and draw out the cheese’s herbal and oniony notes.

Featured in: “Our Best Mac and Cheese Recipes Will Satisfy All Your Cravings.”

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Quebec is synonymous with poutine, that rich, glorious mess of fried potatoes topped with beefy gravy and squeaky cheese curds. It’s a primo party snack, and making the dish from scratch is a flex your guests won’t soon forget. This recipe comes from former SAVEUR Test Kitchen Assistant and Toronto native Anne-Marie White, who stirs green peppercorns and Worcestershire into the gravy for added spicy depth. Cheese curds can be found at some regional supermarkets and online.

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Charcuterie boards don’t need an introduction at this point, do they? Despite their secure status as a classic party appetizer, these design-forward snack boards have recently surged in popularity on social media, dominating Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and the hearts of every cheese and cured meat enthusiast on the planet. They have become the subject of many cooking classes and for some, assembling them has become an entire career. The appeal is easy to understand: they don’t involve actual cooking, which makes them more of an art project than a culinary pursuit; they don’t necessarily involve flatware, so eating one is both a refined and primal act; finally, they’re also highly customizable, and who doesn’t love a good choose-your-own-adventure type of snack? 

Depending on who is preparing it and their level of artistry, assembling a charcuterie board can be anxiety-inducing. What is the right quantity of components, and where exactly does one start when arranging them? The options are endless, plus all of those intricate, perfectly executed salami roses and prosciutto rivers we see on social media don’t help the performance anxiety. Luckily, your board doesn’t have to rival a Renaissance painting to be a hit. It all comes down to mastering the basics and choosing what you like. There are no rules in snack board land (except that choosing high-quality ingredients is key). There are, however, some best practices for getting the most out of your experience.

Step 1: Choose your canvas. 

A wooden cutting or serving board is an obvious first choice simply for aesthetic purposes, but any other flat serving platter or piece will do. The goal is to cover your surface, so keep in mind that the bigger the board, the more you will spend to cover it.

Step 2: Gather your equipment. 

In addition to a board, you will need a variety of small knives and spreaders and some petite bowls or ramekins for your dips, jams, olives, and the like. Toothpicks or mini forks are also helpful and prevent people from getting too handsy with the food, particularly if you do not plan to provide plates. Labels to identify cheeses and spreads are helpful as well, but not necessary (if hosting guests with known allergies, labels are more than recommended). 

Step 3: Pick your players. 

Meat: When it comes to charcuterie, meat is the name of the game. Literally. The word itself is a portmanteau of the French words for flesh and cooked, “chair” and “cuit,” respectively. Three types of meat is a good place to start, keeping in mind to use a variety of textures. Soft, pre-sliced meats like prosciutto can be paired with a harder cured meat, like salami, which guests can slice themselves. Round it all out with a spreadable option, like pâté, mousse, or a terrine. If you feel like turning on your stove, a crisped-up sliced sausage provides a pleasant and unexpected smoky element. 

When it comes to quantities, two ounces of each meat/cheese per guest is a generally accepted guideline. Double that if the charcuterie board is the entire meal. 

Cheese: You only need one type of cheese to start the party, and a universal cheese like cheddar is always a good choice. If you want a variety, go for a trio of soft, semi-soft and hard cheeses. Soft cheeses include brie, goat cheese, and burrata while Roquefort, Stilton and Gouda are semi-soft. For a harder cheese, try manchego, Gruyère or a nice aged pecorino or Parmesan. To please all palates, you could include cheeses from different milks, such as cow, goat, and sheep. While leaving cheeses whole can be visually pleasing, portioning some of it is helpful for your guests. For example, leave softer cheeses wedged and cut harder cheese into cubes. You can also purchase goat cheese pyramids or mini mozzarella balls for an even more interesting sculptural array. Cheese is best served at room temp, so make sure you pull it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving. For more guidance on cheese selection, check out our guide here. 

Spreads/Condiments: Mustards and fatty meats are a match made in heaven. Dijon, whole-grain mustard, and honey mustard are ideal mates for your meats. Other tasty options include hummus, tapenade, pesto, pimento cheese or labneh. Almost any dip or spread can benefit from a drizzle of olive oil at the end. Find some of our favorites here. 

Crackers: No board is complete without a sturdy, starchy vehicle to get all that deliciousness into your mouth. Crackers are classic and come in a variety of flavors. If you’re only having one option, it’s best to keep it plain so the toppings can really sing. And, depending on what you’ve stocked your board with, pick something sturdy enough to stand up to a brusque spread of brie. Mini pitas, toasted baguette slices, bagel crisps, or toast triangles also work well. 

Sweet: We all know how good a sweet-salty combo is. Assorted chutneys, jams or honey can add this balance. Sliced figs, pears or apples and grape clusters provide freshness and color, but dried fruits also work. We love a good dried apricot skewered with some prosciutto. 

Briny bits: Olives, pickled vegetables, cornichons, marinated artichokes—any of these will help balance the richness of the meat and cheese. 

Crunchies: Nuts are great for filling gaps on a board. They’re also extremely delicious with just about any cheese. Choose what you like, but we’re big fans of oily, salty Marcona almonds. Some crudités, like sliced carrots or radishes, can also add the crunch factor. 

Step 4: Build your board. 

Start by placing your larger items on the surface. Think logs of meat, larger wedges of cheese, and any bowls or ramekins. Once these anchors are down, you can go in with the “fluff.” Thinly sliced meats, assorted fruit, and fanned-out crackers can fill in the spaces nicely. Another best practice is to keep like-items grouped, so soft cheeses near soft meats and vice versa. Finish it all off with herbs or edible flowers, if you fancy.

As intimidating as charcuterie boards may seem, 90% of the work is just deciding what to put on one. Specialty food stores and butchers are good sourcing spots, but any ol’ deli counter will have options for you—Trader Joe’s and Aldi are your friends here. It doesn’t matter if you’re going for a glorified Lunchable look or stacking your board with expensive cheeses you can’t pronounce; the journey is up to you. Whether you’re serving a big party, small party, or a party of one (yourself), keep these tips in your back pocket and battle that board like a boss.

The post How to Assemble a Showstopping Charcuterie Board appeared first on Saveur.

New Mexico has an official state question: “red or green?” The query refers to chiles, and someone will probably pose it to you when you order a breakfast burrito in the state. The iconic dish can be smothered in red or green chile sauce—or both, aka “Christmas style.” (If you’re taking the burrito on-the-go, or enjoying it handheld, smear the sauce inside the tortilla before wrapping.) This New Mexico breakfast burrito recipe is adapted from chef Israel Rivera, who serves the dish at his Albuquerque restaurant The Shop Breakfast & Lunch. Cheddar cheese is a popular choice across the state, but Rivera notes that a cheddar-Jack blend also works well. For the roasted chiles and chile sauce, look for options from a brand that uses New Mexico chiles, such as Young Guns, Bueno Foods, and the Zia Hatch Chile Company. Rivera likes using bacon, but also offers sausage and ham at his restaurant. If you have roasted garlic oil on hand, he recommends drizzling a little over the potatoes as they’re pan-frying, for extra nuttiness.

Featured in “In New Mexico, You Can’t Have a Breakfast Burrito Without This Star Ingredient,” by Megan Zhang.

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At a Wisconsin-themed winter fondue party, our editor-in-chief Kat Craddock melted down two types of cheddar—an earthy, farmhouse-style version and a classic sharp—for a zippy, beer-spiked riff on the classic dish. 

Featured in “Lessons From a Fondue Fête with Two Wisconsin Cheesemakers.”

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Paula Heimerl and Orphee Paillotin’s Mount Raclette is a smear-ripened cheese, which means it’s been hand-washed in their cellar for several months to give it a uniquely deep flavor. To tease out the ultra-savory notes in the cheese and add an extra oomph to Alpine-style fondue, Paula recommends rubbing the inside of your pot with garlic before adding the rest of the ingredients. 

Featured in “Lessons From a Fondue Fête with Two Wisconsin Cheesemakers.”

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