How Bon Appétit Grilled Through the Decades, from 1959 to Present-Day
Many things have changed in the almost 60 years since Bon Appétit launched. But one thing has stayed the same: our love of grilling. For 30 Days of Grilling we looked back at how we've thrown foods on live fire over the decades.
1/101959: "The ancient masculine art of outdoor cookery"
In an essay in the July/August 1959 issue, William Eberle takes stock of the recent barbecue trend. "From coast to coast," he writes, "when the dinner hour draws nigh, Dad dons his white apron of state and presides jocularly over the grill....The revival of outdoor cookery...owes its great popularity throughout the land to the hungry boy who lurks within all grown men....Women understand this and leave al fresco cookery to the menfolks." You pretty much get the drift.
2/101962: Grilling, Bay Area–style
In an essay in the October 1962 issue titled, "Outdoor Cooking for Indoor Eating," Charlotte Stone takes a deep dive into San Francisco barbecue culture. The key features of this culture: (1) The food is grilled outdoors but served indoors, due to the evening chill. (2) "Touches from the Orient add a special savor....Small wonder that fruit juices, soy sauce, ginger, and wine are more likely barbecue condiments than the ever-present tomato." The accompanying recipes include Trader Vic's Popo (ground beef seasoned with MSG, rolled in Parmesan, and skewered) and "Hawaiian Ham."
3/101965: Hibachi at Home
The cover story of the June/July 1965 issue was an exploration by Fred R. Sanford of the Japanese tradition of grilling on a hibachi, as it had been adapted by Americans. The recipes, excerpted from __Kathryn Popper'__s book Honorable Hibachi, run the gamut from Tiny Cocktail Franks and Martini Onions with Dip to Numaki (chicken-liver-and-bacon skewers) to Vodka Shrimp to Shrimp with Dill and Beer to Skewered Steak with Pineapple and Mushrooms.
4/101965: Hibachi at Home
"A sukiyaki dinner combines the informality of the American way of life with some of the elegance and formality of a Japanese tea ceremony or the beauty of a Japanese garden," writes Sanford in the June/July 1965 issue of Bon Appétit.
5/101977: Summer of Whole Grilled Fish
"Before everyone becomes bored with the inevitable burgers, steaks, and ribs, why not do some barbecued fish?" writes Rita Leinwand in the July 1977 issue of Bon Appétit. It's a suggestion we're still making today. The feature included recipes like Pompano en Papillote, Stuffed Salmon, and Fish Flambé with Fennel.
6/101979: The Most Incredible Picture of a Chicken
Ever wondered what it's like to be the chicken on the grill? Just stare at this picture from the July 1979 feature on "International Barbecue." The story travels the globe via recipes for Yucatan-style charcoal-baked yams with pumpkin seeds, Haitian roast chicken with two stuffings, Siamese roast pork with Thai curry paste, and more.
7/101990: Grill Crazy
In case you can't read the headline, "The backyard chef gets three stars for delicious curried marmalade-mustard chicken." And a fourth star for the headline! No, you grill crazy, Bon Appétit 1990. The recipe lineup: Spicy Peanut Steak, Beer-Braised Short Ribs with Spicy Molasses Mop ("a mop is a thin basting sauce"), Sherry–Red Pepper Mayonnaise, and more.
8/101998: The Barbecue Issue
Grilling mania has taken hold at the magazine. This issue has everything: the best barbecue tongs, "Refreshing Asian Beers" to pair with American barbecue, and grilling recipes with inspiration from Greece, Thailand, Mexico and Spain.
9/101998: The Barbecue Issue
Grilled Lobster Salad with Avocado and Papaya, from the July 1998 issue of Bon Appétit
10/102003: Thanksgiving on the Grill
"Baby, it's warm outside," writes Katie O'Kennedy in the November 2003 issue of Bon Appétit. "Throughout the South and from Texas to California, the turkey often gets the barbecue treatment." The story showcases a Santa Barbara family whose Thanksgiving menu includes chicken liver pâté with chanterelles and cognac, oysters Rockefeller soup, and grill-roasted turkey with sage butter and giblet gravy.
