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Alex Lau head shot - Bon Appétit

Alex Lau

Staff Photographer Emeritus

Alex Lau is a freelance photographer based in New York City. Originally from Queens, New York, Alex moved to San Francisco when he was 12 before returning to the East Coast to attend a journalism program at Emerson College. A true muti-hyphenate, Alex has at times studied jazz, trained in competitive swimming and weight lifting, and worked as a celebrity dog-sitter. It was by chance, after a Hail Mary application for a summer internship to work with Bon Appétit’s visuals team, that Alex solidified food photography as his primary source of interest.

He followed that internship with one at Boston Magazine, working as a digital writer and photographer. Upon returning to New York, he was offered staff roles at both Food & Wine and BA, and we eventually welcomed him back as our new staff photographer. Alex left BA in 2020 to pursue a broader scope of projects; check out his most recent work at 2dcreative.com.

Recipes

Green Goddess Cocktail

No need to buy preflavored vodka; we got great results making our own.

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Block Island Lobster Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Play around with different herbs in this lobster salad recipe, such as parsley or mint, and other citrus, like grapefruit in place of orange.

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Carrot-Walnut Loaf Cake

If you only have an 8½x4½" pan, there’s no need to go out and get a new one. Simply hold back about 1¾ cups batter for later—it makes a mean waffle!

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Lamb-Bacon Burgers With Spicy Aioli

At Rioja, in Denver, half of the bacon is replaced with ground fatback, a step that makes this excellent burger even better.

Cooking

The 5 Awesome New Recipes That You Helped Us Create

Our readers helped create these light and springy recipes, including Vegetarian Lasagna and Apple Raspberry Crumb Bars.

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The Troy Monson

Yes, you can use regular oranges, but don’t you just love the color you get from blood oranges?!

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Lentil Soup With Sausage and Mustard Greens

Any type of lentil will work in this weeknight soup. Or, substitute a couple cans of cannellini beans in their place.

Recipes

Apple Raspberry Crumb Bars

Two different types of apples give you a mix of textures and an ideal sweet-tart filling. If you’re looking to streamline, use one or the other (Pink Ladies are less sour).

Recipes

Vadouvan-Roasted Cauliflower with Harissa Chickpea Curry

Faster! Faster! Skip the pickling and just top the curry with sliced fresh Fresno chiles. Or leave them out altogether if you’re spice-averse.

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Greens and Cheese Vegetable Lasagna

A decent amount of béchamel keeps this tomato-less lasagna moist as it cools.

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By Reader Request: Recipes From Bar Tartine, Craftsman and Wolves, and More

From savory hand pies to a deep-fried tofu bowl, these are the restaurant recipes our readers want to cook at home this month.

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14 Wedding Desserts That'll Make You Leave the Dance Floor

It's worth taking a break from dancing to grab one of these desserts.

Recipes

Croquembouche

Is this caramel cream-puff skyscraper a showstopper? Yes. Is it a major-league project? Yes! Here’s the strategy: Make the puffs and the pastry cream a couple of days in advance, then tackle assembly on the morning of the day you plan to serve this.

Recipes

Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

For extra texture, trick out your cake with rainbow or chocolate sprinkles, chopped candies, or your favorite cereal.

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Six-Layer Chocolate-Coconut-Cashew-Graham Bars

Use your favorite nut—or mixed nuts—in place of the cashews.

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Vanilla-Bean Pots de Crème

The water bath insulates these custards from the dry heat of the oven to ensure a lush, creamy custard.

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Blueberry-Lemon Hand Pies

It may not seem like very much filling, but these handheld pastries deliver the perfect filling-to-crust ratio (and if you overstuff the dough, they’ll be impossible to seal).

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Lemon-Thyme Ice Pops

Like frozen lemonade on a stick; in place of thyme, try basil, mint, or lemon verbena.

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Strawberry-Cucumber Ice Pops

Using frozen strawberries ensures a consistent sweetness and vibrant red color.

Recipes

Peanut Butter and Jelly Blondies for a Crowd

You can use any flavor jam or jelly you like; substitute roasted salted peanuts to play up the salty-sweet angle.