“Want to know the secret to grilling really great hot dogs?” Scott Aaronson asks. “You boil them for 10 minutes on the kitchen stovetop before placing them on the grill for the finishing marks. Boiling keeps in the moisture.”

“When grilling, use recipes for basic inspiration,” Morcus says, “Food is more resilient than you think. Always aim to undercook it a little, and let the meat rest before serving.”

Under the big white tent that had seen night after night of runway shows during Fashion Week El Paseo, another event unfolded in late March: the second annual Food & Wine Festival Palm Desert, where an all-star lineup of chefs and winemakers offered demonstrations and an appreciable serving of gourmet dishes and wine pairings.

Vibrant colors. Tangy flavors. Crunchy textures. When temperatures sizzle, there’s nothing quite as delightful and refreshing as a summer salad.

“It doesn’t matter how delicious a meal tastes; if a dish is presented without style and finesse, if it isn’t appealing to the eye, it falls short.”

“Do you want to know a secret?” Michel Despras whispers with an anticipating smile, ready to divulge the French method for rendering the most tender, juicy turkey.

Hot peppers, chili, cilantro, avocados, tomatoes, and chocolate bring a distinctive Mexican flair to Camerino Torres’ Thanksgiving meals.

“I celebrated my first Thanksgiving only 10 years ago,” Gino Cipriano says. “When I moved from Sicily to the United States, I didn’t know many people. My new friends, not wanting me to spend the holiday alone, invited me to share the day with them and made me feel like I was a part of their family. I will never forget that day. It will always be my most special Thanksgiving memory.”