Food and Wine with Mario Batali

Talk to friends, relatives, and co-workers about preventing global climate change.

About Mario

"Once you've put your groceries in the car,
the quality of your dinner has already been decided."

Featured Recipe

Burger Tips

Here are some essential tips that should ensure perfect burgers every time:

Meat

I like ground chuck for my burgers, which is about 20% fat. It makes a nice juicy burger, but there's not so much fat that it…

Mario's Top 5

Ingredients for Spring

1	Ramps - "Unlike most other members of the onion family, ramps not only have pungent bulbs, but also leaf-shaped shoots that can be eaten as greens-torn into shreds for salads or cooked like spinach."

2	Asparagus - "Asparagus can be boiled, steamed, sautéed, grilled, pickled, or served cold. It makes an enjoyable appetizer, or a good complement to salads, vegetable dishes, and soups. Asparagus can also be pureed to be used for soups and soufflés."

3	Fava Beans - "When buying favas, their pods should be firm and full. Favas come naturally packed in amply padded shells, which means you need to buy a large amount to have volume left after shelling."

4	Morel Mushrooms - "Try sautéing in a pan of steak drippings and butter on medium high heat; or without the drippings, in just butter or flavored olive oil, garlic & oregano!"

5	Shad Roe - "Here's a quick recipe that dates back to the late 1800's - Cut in pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and brush over with lemon juice. Dip in crumbs and egg, then fry in deep fat, and drain!"

About Mario

From his restaurants and cookbooks to his vineyard
and philanthropic efforts, everything that Mario Batali
has achieved is bigger, bolder and more recognizable

"A great chef is a great cook who can also
organize and operate a business or kitchen."

The following links will allow you to explore the many
different areas of Mario's life and career.

Restaurants

Biography

Music

Where's Mario?

From magazine articles and television appearances to book signings and cooking demonstrations, check here to find out where Mario can be seen in the coming months.

The Tap Project Needs Your Restaurant

The Tap Project, a UNICEF charity we've supported in the past, has a simple and elegant premise: If people paid one dollar for tap water in restaurants for a week, it would pay for a lot of clean drinking water in Third World countries. You can't complain about the price — in New York, our tap water tastes better than a lot of brands that cost more. But UNICEF is looking for more participants to join the effort during World Water Week, March 16 to March 22. If you own or operate a restaurant, contact the Tap Project. You'll be in good company: Participating establishments include Esca, Le Bernardin, and Gramercy Tavern.

Global Warming Endangers Black Truffles; Gourmands Despair at God's Indifference to Suffering

We had a good bit of sport over the astronomical prices paid this past summer for white truffles in New York restaurants. But what if their black cousins, long the déclassé branch of the family, became even more expensive? Or disappeared entirely? That wouldn't be so funny. And it wouldn't be good for the price of white truffles, which, like Beluga caviar and shark-fin soup, could become a purely plutocratic pleasure sooner than we expected. (Not that truffles are evil in the way of Beluga caviar and shark-fin soup; we're just thinking of endangered luxury foods, you understand.) An article in USA Today suggests that the global warming is currently bringing the hammer down on black-truffle production and that (gasp) "France's black truffle will one day be just a memory." It's a similar story around the world, as fish stocks are depleted, ecosystems are knocked out of whack, and global demand for things like toro and truffles move beyond a small cluster of ascot-wearing bons vivants.

What Is Organic?

Organic refers to the way agricultural products- food and fiber- are grown and processed. It is an ecological system that at its core relies on a healthy rich soil to produce strong plants that resist pests and diseases. Organic farming prohibits the use of toxic and persistent chemicals in favor of more "earth-friendly" practices that work in harmony with nature.

Mario Batali Gives Bottled Water The Boot

In March, Alice Waters' famed Chez Panisse restaurant announced it would no longer sell bottled water due to environmental concerns over waste, not only from packaging but from transporting it, too.