jose andres

Spanish authority José Andrés isn't just a talented chef; he's also got an extraordinary sense of humor. "When you drink everything, life is so much better!" he exclaimed during a gazpacho-making demonstration in Aspen earlier this Summer. He then proceeded to spike his gazpacho and down it in front of a live audience.

As a lover of all things tomato, I was not only smitten with his Andalucían gazpacho, but also with the concept of a bloody mary with made-from-scratch gazpacho. By making your own tomato base, then garnishing the cocktail with raw vegetables, you achieve an all-natural, farm-fresh bloody mary.

Skip the salty tomato juice from a can and make a better bloody mary when you read on.

It goes without saying that summertime is salad time, but when the mercury rises, I actually prefer to sip my salad. After all, what could be more refreshing than a bracing shooter of chilled gazpacho?

At this year's Aspen Food & Wine Classic, José Andrés demonstrated how to make his wife's gazpacho. "This is the best salad in the history of mankind. When you drink everything, life is so much better!" José exclaimed to the audience. He proceeded to serve the soup with a shot of gin for a Spanish Bloody Mary of sorts.

Don't omit the Oloroso sherry and sherry vinegar from this authentic Andalucían recipe; it adds a long, lingering finish to every spoonful. For the recipe, keep reading.

Last night at the James Beard Awards, Spaniard José Andrés took home the most coveted title, that of outstanding chef in the nation. The chef and father has five restaurants in Washington DC, one in Los Angeles, and two in Las Vegas. When receiving the award, Andrés said, "food can change the life of people. Use food in the right way." He's not just making waves with his cuisine; he's also using food to promote social change. To learn more about the chef who trained under Spain's famed Ferran Adría, read on.

• Find out how the Hello Kitty wine actually tastes. — Serious Eats
• The top four worst coffeehouse faux pas. — Chow
• The latest food blogger to get a book deal? Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen. — Eat Me Daily
• Must read: David Lebovitz's new cookbook, Ready For Dessert. — The Epi-Log
• Are posted calorie counts really accurate? — Feast
• Alice Waters shares her mission with Martha.— Grub Street SF
• Jose Andrés is expanding his restaurant empire to Las Vegas. — Eater
• Even Mario Batali has decided to go meatless on Mondays.— Huffington Post Food

• An inside look at how rum is made in Guatemala. — Alcademics
• Ten cocktails inspired by this year's best picture nominees. — Chow
• Have you sipped the flavored fermented tea known as Kombucha? — Serious Eats
• Gross! A woman has found a finger in her food at IHOP. — Eater
• Would you carry your produce in reusable cotton totes? — The Epi-Log
• Q&A with Spanish chef José Andrés. — Feast
• While much of the bottled wine was damaged by the earthquake, Chile's 2010 crop of grapes remains intact. — Grub Street SF

It's that time of year again, when the culinary cream of the crop gears up for the Oscars of the food world, the James Beard Awards. This morning, the James Beard Foundation debuted its long list of semifinalists.

The semifinalists were announced for the following restaurant and chef categories: outstanding restaurateur, outstanding chef, outstanding restaurant, outstanding service, best new restaurant, rising star chef of the year, outstanding pastry chef, outstanding wine service, outstanding wine and spirits professional, and best chef for the following regions: Pacific, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Great Lakes, New York City, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, and South.

To find out which big names made headlines, read more.

• Inspired by famous French chef Herve This, Keanu Reeves wants to become a chef. — Eater SF
• Tips for cooking pizza on the grill. — Serious Eats
• Joey Chestnut wasn't the only one to compete in an eating contest over the weekend; so did a group of elephants. — The Feedbag
• Calling all maids of honor: be inspired by this Parisian bridal shower. — Hostess With the Mostess
• A day in the life of Spanish chef José Andrés. — Gourmet
• Must make: tequila shrimp and asadero quesadillas. — Chow
• To promote his upcoming book and television show, Jamie Oliver dressed up like the Village People. — Eat Me Daily