After all their official work, the Royal Family – rightly so – indulges in lavish holidays. The destinations are varied in climate and by continent, curated and customized – and you can bet your-royal-highness, luxurious as hell. Here (Heir) are some of the exquisite getaways that have been, and continue to be, frequented by royals across the globe. Put these regal hot spots on your bucket list and you may even find your own Prince Charming – at least long enough for a vacation fling.
Mustique
Who: Prince William and Kate Middleton
What: For summer holidays, Prince William and Kate Middleton have been known to travel to the private island of Mustique in the Grenadines, during the months of February and March to join the Middletons at their home for annual holiday. The Duke and Duchess duo have enjoyed staying at Aurora House, a three-bedroom cottage with a five-person staff and breathtaking views of the truest of the bluest waters one could ever set their eyes on.
The royal roots of this oasis go all the way back to Princess Margaret, William’s Great-Aunt, who had her very own villa, Les Jolies Eaux – because when you’re a royal you aren’t shacking it up in a hut. At Mustique, an island full of enchantment awaits. View your villa and plan your royal retreat; take pictures for the gram, and leave your followers saying, “it must be Mustique.”
Alberta, Canada
Who: Royal Newlyweds, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (oh, and the Queen)
What: Located in Alberta’s breathtaking Jasper National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the iconic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Resort, was rumored to serve as the destination for this couple’s honeymoon retreat. Luxurious, earthy, picturesque and rich in history, this place provides the ultimate respite from the chaotic days in the life of being a royal (it takes a lot of energy to be royal and fabulous and look that good 24/7!). At 6,000 square feet, and around $7000 per night, the royal treatment certainly won’t lack here.
History has it that this very same resort was frequented by several members of the royal family, including King George VI in 1939, and Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on a visit in June 2005. This truly reigns supreme as a British royal family favorite destination.
Courchevel & The French Alps
Who: The Royal Family
What: The French Alps are the go-to spot to hit the slopes and ski. Every year, multiple members can be found among the Alps. Princess Diana preferred this destination as a family favorite for snow-filled getaways, with the tradition continuing, as Prince William headed to the luxe town of Courchevel with Duchess Kate and their two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, for their first holiday as a family. Of course, Prince Harry hits the slopes quite often so we’re sure he and Meghan will jet-set off to the Alps for frequent ski trips.
Verbier
Who: The Royal Family
What: Another Royal resort town, Verbier is the ultimate place for partiers who take their slopes and skis seriously. Hailed as one of the premier ‘off-piste’ resorts in the Alps and in the world, the cozy Swiss town has all of the accommodations for a luxurious getaway. And not only that, it’s no secret that this is the very place where Princess Eugenie first met fiance, Jack Brooksbank, and where Princess Eugenie’s own mother, Fergie, danced on a bar and flashed the crowd at the Farm Club in the ’70s (like we said, Verbier is known for quite the party scene), and last but not least, it also served as the setting of Prince William’s signature “dad dance” last year.
Botswana
Who: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
What: A scorching safari in Africa is sure to amp up any romance. Just weeks after their blind date, Harry whisked Meghan away to Meno A Kwena, a chic yet authentic camp in Botswana featuring antique maps, oriental rugs, and leather furniture. Talk about glamping! Situated cliffside, the hideaway offers stunning sunset views, as well as up close and personal sightings of zebras, elephants, and other exotic animals!
Nevis
Who: Basically the place most coveted by every royal, infleuncer, celeb, and the most important people you will ever meet.
What: Once the front-runner for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s honeymoon destination, a West Indies isle of choice for Princess Diana, and vacation hot spot for the world’s most powerful leaders, Nevis is exactly the kind of royal retreat you never knew you needed.
Prince Harry most notably visited the island with his mom in 1993, where they stayed at the magnificent 19-room Montpelier Plantation & Beach. Fit for a prince and princess, Nevis is the oldest British colony in the Caribbean. A majestic gem in the tropics, where one can find wild donkeys (you heard that right – wild donkeys), monkeys, mangoes galore, goats casually roaming through the hills, a single main road, and zero traffic lights, this place is basically heaven on earth.
As if that weren’t enough to pick up and globe-trot right now, it also also features no chain stores, no snobby cheap souvenir stands, and no pollution-causing Carnival cruise ships. Ah, what it’s like to vacation like the Royals….
Jordan
Who: Princess Beatrice
What: Harry and William’s titled cousin keeps company with a number of A-listers. In fact, everyone from Ellie Goulding and Misha Nonoo to Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner joined her on an exotic getaway to Jordan’s Wadi Rum Desert earlier this year for a vaca full of sand and dirt biking. Of course, the Prince of Jordan himself made an appearance during their camping trip. You may not get quite the royal treatment, but it sure looks fun.
Mallorca
Who: The Spanish Royal Family
What: Marivent Palace, the Spanish royals’ summer vacation destination and very own private residence, is the home where King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain are seen taking frequent strolls – I mean, I’d stroll around and marvel at the Palace too, if only I owned it. King Felipe VI has spent the Balearic summers there since he was a young child, and is keeping the annual tradition going strong with his own family, bringing Queen Letizia and Crown Princess Leonor and Princess Sofía to the opulent palace every summer. The palace gardens stretch across a grand total of around 9,700 square feet and boasts some serious green thumb envy, featuring 40 different plant species! If you’re ever lucky enough to make it there over Easter holiday, you might beat the clock and find waiting for you (well, there vacationing at least), the King, Queen, and Princesses themselves.
This summer, Color Factory is taking its vibrant pop-up art installation, after a successful run in San Francisco, to the Big Apple. The pop-up is slated to delight your senses with innovative and immersive art installations, boasting major social media appeal.
The colorful concept was founded by three friends; Jordan Ferney, a former event planner and the blogger behind the party and lifestyle site Oh Happy Day, artist Leah Rosenberg, and designer Erin Jang. The vibrant pop-up will occupy a space on Spring Street and will deck out the 20,000 square foot property between Varick Street and Sixth Avenue with immersive exhibitions designed by local artists. Sounds like the ultimate Pantone color palette dream come true.
While an opening date has yet to be confirmed, the imaginative installation is expected to open sometime in August, with tickets set to go on sale later on this summer. To avoid any possible FOMO that may result in you scavenging for tickets last minute, it’s highly suggested that you hop on the waiting list – stat!
There’s plenty to enjoy about a destination that’s merely sand and sea. But these beaches have more to offer.Some shores are lined with black or pink sand instead of white. Some spots feature shipwrecks, stunning rock formations, or wild pigs who share the water with tourists.FlightNetwork asked over 600 travel journalists, editors, bloggers and agencies to name the world’s best beaches based on categories like “sheer untouched beauty,” “sand and water quality,” and “actual days of sunshine.”Here are the 50 best beaches in the world that come recommended by travel experts.
“Cannon Beach has incredible Pacific Northwest vibes while remaining quiet and serene for a beach experience that wraps you in comfort.” — Round The World Girl
“Diani Beach transports you to a cultural beach experience made even more amazing with access to Kisite Marine Park for snorkeling and whale shark diving.” — AfricanMecca Safaris
48. Agiba Beach, Egypt
Agiba Beach. Waltraud Oe/Shutterstock
“Arabic for ‘miracle,’ it is no wonder this fantastic beach bears such a name. The bluest waters and plushest sands bring visitors from all over the world to this stunning landmark, creating a dreamy experience that ignites the senses.” — Matthew Greenspan, Flight Network
“The sky lights up above the beach with spectacular colors as the sun sets over the Caribbean Sea. It is one of the most romantic settings in the world.” — Gwen Pratesi, Pratesi Living
46. Radhanagar Beach, India
Radhanagar Beach. wallix/Shutterstock
“Radhanagar Beach is pure beauty off the beaten path in the Andaman Islands that rivals all other beach locations.” — View from the Wing
45. Ao Nang Beach, Thailand
Ao Nang Beach. R Scapinello/Shutterstock
“Ao Nang Beach transports you to another world, painted in hues of perfect blues and golds. The waters rush up to your sand covered feet while you look in awe at the ivy covered cliffs and wonder how you made it to paradise.” — Kensington Tours
44. One Foot Island, Cook Islands
One Foot Island. BlueOrange Studio/Shutterstock
“One Foot Island is untouched beauty that consists of sugar-white sand and uncrowded beaches with the clearest water I’ve ever seen.” — Ordinary Traveler
“Shoal Bay is everything you want in a tropical beach, with two miles of the most perfect sand fronted by perfect Caribbean waters and colorful coral reefs.” — Larry Olmsted, Forbes
42. Cala Mitjana, Spain
Cala Mitjana. Cyril PAPOT/Shutterstock
“Cala Mitjana is a small and beautiful sandy beach hidden in a rocky cove. Absolutely breathtaking with clear waters enclosed by plush sands and bounteous pines swaying cooly in the breeze. It is a natural wonder that enraptures your senses and surrounds you with a feeling of luxury.” — Paul Dow, TravMonkey
“The name ‘Lanikai’ translates into ‘heavenly sea,’ and Lanikai Beach lives up to its name with white soft sands and crystal clear calm blue waters. It is a breathtaking, mesmerizing wonder.” — Christine Kaaloa, GRRRL Traveler
40. Boulders Beach, South Africa
Boulders Beach. Olena Granko/Shutterstock
“Where else can you see penguins on a beach? The penguin colony at South Africa’s Boulders Beach, along with the beautiful boulders themselves, make this the most unusual yet incredible beach experience of my life.” — Melanie Votaw, freelance writer
39. Grand Anse Beach, Grenada
Grand Anse Beach. Pawel Kazmierczak/Shutterstock
“This 3.2 kilometer long stretch of paradise features calm turquoise waters, fine white sand, and a collection of intimate spaces meant for pure comfort and tropical relaxation.” — A Taste for Travel
38. Long Beach, Canada
Long Beach. LouieLea/Shutterstock
“This gorgeous stretch of northern sand offers a lush coastal rainforest, pounding surf, lively tidal pools, and unobstructed sunsets. It is an ideal place to ride waves, beach-comb, storm watch, and forget the world for a while.” — David Webb, travel writer
37. Los Roques Beach, Venezuela
Los Roques Beach. Giongi63/Shutterstock
“After traveling the world, I can say that Los Roques is truly a unique beach destination that everyone should experience.” — Laura Termini, Chicanol
36. Cala Goloroitze, Italy
Cala Goloroitze. Pixabay
“Cala Goloritze is really a hidden gem, remaining quiet and beautifully preserved without larger crowds. The emerald waters mesmerize while you float, captured by the tranquility of cool waters and ocean breezes.” — Daniel Chung, the modman
35. Île aux Nattes, Madagascar
Île aux Nattes. Christian Wittmann/Shutterstock
“A car-free island off Madagascar, Île aux Nattes has white sand, warm waters, and coral to make each visitor experience true awe in the face of beauty.” — Bradt Travel Guides
34. Dhigurah Island, Maldives
Dhigurah Island. amooo/Shutterstock
“You are truly steps away from the edge of paradise when you find yourself on Dhigurah Island. Soft white sand will surround you while crystal waters lap at your feet on an island meant for dreamers.” — Lindsey Parry, Arabian Notes
33. Kaputas Beach, Turkey
Kaputas Beach. sueleymancoskun/Shutterstock
“The vivid hues of nature dotted with brightly colored umbrellas make this place worthy of a picture perfect day. The crystalline water meeting with golden, sun-kissed sand makes you feel as though you have traveled to another world.” — Bobby Heard, Flight Network
“Great for walking, snorkeling, sunset gazing, and exploring nature’s wonders, Tunnels Beach truly has it all.” — Amber Selene Turpin, The Mercury News
“Stunning sand and clear turquoise water with romantic mountain and island vistas, embraced by lush South Pacific jungles make Champagne Beach a true Vanuatu experience.” — Karen T. Bartlett, travel writer
“This dreamy island needs to be seen to be believed. The ground literally sparkles with pink-tinted sand and crystal-clear Mediterranean waters.” — Jessica Loves, travel writer
29. Turquoise Bay, Australia
Turquoise Bay. John Crux/Shutterstock
“The beach is wide, remote, and with very few people meant for a serene day in the tropics. The underwater marine life makes this beach even more spectacular with the astounding Ningaloo Coral Reef.” — Uncornered Market
28. Honokalani Beach, Hawaii
Honokalani Beach. iofoto/Shutterstock
“With its black sand and lush green surroundings, Honokalani Beach is unlike any other beach in the world — which is exactly what makes it so special.” — Breanna Wilson, Forbes
“Anse Source D’Argent is a jaw dropping beach featuring sun-dappled giant boulders, calm turquoise waters, and snow white sand.” — Rob Hale, Travel N Relax Inc
25. Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands
Seven Mile Beach. Albert Pego/Shutterstock
“This grand stretch of white sandy beach is the perfect spot for relaxtion and island adventure. The clear sapphire blue waters are the most magnificent place for snorkeling, parasailing, or stand up paddle boarding.” — The Planet D
24. Cayo Coco, Cuba
Cayo Coco. Jan Burletson/Shutterstock
“Fine sand and pristine waters create a beach meant for peaceful swimming and relaxing moments on the shore.” — Cuba Explorer
23. Vaeroy Beach, Norway
Vaeroy Beach. Kochneva Tetyana/Shutterstock
“Vaeory is truly one of the most unique and distinctive beaches on the planet. You will be stunned not only by the jewel toned waters but by the impressive cliffs which frame the backdrop of an otherworldly location.” — Bobby Heard, Flight Network
22. Fulhadhoo Beach, Maldives
Fulhadhoo Beach. alionabirukova/Shutterstock
“This is the destination for luxurious days and nights spent entirely on a glowing tropical beach.” — Rachel Weir, Five Star Alliance
21. Île aux Cerfs, Mauritius
Île aux Cerfs. patano/Wikimedia Commons
“Crystalized blue waters and sugar white sands create an island worthy of an explorer’s paradise and top travel destination.” — Mohammad, La Vacanza Travel
“The pure beauty of the island is sure to warm your heart. Its black sand, gigantic basalt rocks, and crashing Atlantic waves will create lasting memories.” — Roamaroo
19. Flamenco Beach, Puerto Rico
Flamenco Beach. Shutterstock
“Not only are there long stretches of powdery white sand and dazzling blue water, Flamenco Beach is also home to unique features which keep you returning for more.” — Travel Freak
18. Lucky Bay, Australia
Lucky Bay. Isabelle FABRE/Shutterstock
“Lucky Bay is one of the most stunning untouched landscapes featuring azure waters, blindingly white sand, and the occasional visit by local kangaroos.” — Rebecca Chisholm, Rottnest Island Authority
17. Half Moon Bay, Antigua
Half Moon Bay. kc_film/Shutterstock
“Half Moon Bay transports its visitors into a world of turquoise, clear waters and exquisite views. Snorkeling right off-shore is a mesmerizing experience unlike any other.” — Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes
16. Saltwhistle Bay, St. Vincent and Grenadines
Saltwhistle Bay. bcampbell65/Shutterstock
“A picture-perfect slice of sand. With hardly any development around, it’s peaceful and quiet.” — Jim Byers, Travel Pulse Canada
15. Muri Beach, Cook Islands
Muri Beach. Andrea Izzotti/Shutterstock
“Muri Beach is a small, extremely romantic island getaway. Its white sands and turquoise waters will make you believe in true love.” — Mirka Moore Travels
14. El Nido, Philippines
El Nido. Shutterstock
“I have never seen more pristine beauty in my life. This place is stunningly gorgeous beyond measure, with miles of beaches and coves.” — Points and Travel
13. Blue Lagoon, Fiji
Blue Lagoon. Yefimova Olena/Shutterstock
“Rustic, low-key lodging and colorful shallow coral for snorkeling await you on this dreamy beach destination.” — Lauren Mowery, Forbes
12. Pig Beach, Bahamas
Pig Beach. Nejron Photo/Shutterstock
“Beautiful white sand, turquoise water, and tropical pigs are the most remarkable parts of this oasis.” — Whispered Inspirations
11. Maya Bay, Thailand
Maya Bay. Diego Fiore/Shutterstock
“Enclosed by craggy rock formations with water that sparkles in the sun, this beach is a breathtaking, one-of-a-kind experience that every traveler must explore.” — Marc Matsumoto, No Recipes
“This amazing beach in the US Virgin Islands offers spectacular snorkeling, extraordinary views, and so much more beauty that you have to see it to believe it.” —Michelle, Making Sense of Cents
9. Hidden Beach, Mexico
Hidden Beach. fernandocpauletto/Shutterstock
“A true secret paradise invisible from the outside. Playa del Amor is filled with hidden water tunnels to explore for hours.” — The Product Poet
8. Hyams Beach, Australia
Hyams Beach. adog/Shutterstock
“Hyams Beach had the whitest sand I’ve ever seen against a beautiful backdrop. I almost couldn’t believe it to be true.” — Jemma York, Academy Travel
7. Playa Paraiso, Mexico
Playa Paraiso. Pixabay
“Gorgeous aqua blue water and pristine white sand combine to create the most amazing beach imaginable.” — Amber Mamian, Global Munchkins
6. Baia Dos Porcos, Brazil
Baia Dos Porcos. Shutterstock
“The most picturesque beach you can imagine, Baia Dos Porcos is inundated with the bluest of turquoise waters and vividly colored wildlife hidden behind lofty cliffs.” — Marisa Megan, Traveling With Boys
“A picture perfect setting awaits you at Navagio Beach, an exposed cove on the coast of Zakynthos. Visitors come from all corners of the world to grab photos of the famous ship wreck, called Panagiotis. The gorgeous blue water is just stunning in contrast to the white cliffs and sand.” — Jolene Ejmont, Wanderlust Story Tellers
“The island has a stunning pastel pink sand beach that adds a dreamy feeling to the atmosphere. The best part is this dreamscape is your reality on Harbour Island.” — Stephanie White Travels
“Whitehaven Beach has oh-so-white sands, deepest green rainforests, and crystalline waters. It’s a wild island, part of the Great Barrier Reef, and by far the most beautiful location to experience.” — Sharron Livingston, The Travel Magazine
Hearty bean soup has been on the menu in the Senate’s restaurant every day since at least 1903. You could say it’s a rare unanimous mandate. According to one story, the tradition was started by a Congressman from Idaho who contended the soup should always include mashed potatoes, presumably Idaho potatoes. Another story attributes the soup request to a Senator from Minnesota who simply loved the stuff, despite no obvious ingredient connection to his home state. Senate Bean Soup (the more common name for this dish) is so iconic that it has its own recipe page on the Senate website, one version with spuds and one without. It’s easy to see why it’s so popular. The soup is inexpensive, easy to prepare, and although it needs to simmer for a couple hours, requires little attention beyond an occasional stir. If you don’t have time to soak the dried beans for 8 hours or overnight, try this quick-soak method. Put the beans in a large pot, add water 2 inches above the beans, and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 1 hour. Drain the beans, and then cook according to the recipe.
Ingredients
1 pound dried white navy beans, sorted of debris and rinsed
1 (about 1-lb.) ham bone or uncured ham hock
2 1/2 quarts water
1 large russet potato (about 8 oz.)
3 cups chopped celery (about 6 stalks)
3 cups chopped yellow onion (about 3 medium onions)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
How to Make It
Step 1
Place beans in a Dutch oven; add water to cover, and soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans. Add ham bone and water. Cover and bring to a boil over high; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour.
Step 2
Rinse potato; pierce with a fork, and wrap potato in a paper towel. Microwave on HIGH until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes; peel and mash potato. Stir potato, celery, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper into bean mixture; simmer over medium-low until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Remove ham bone from Dutch oven, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard bone and fat; dice meat, and stir into bean mixture. Top each serving with chopped parsley.
In just 35 minutes, you can serve your family this incredibly delicious and good-for-you seafood supper. When it comes to busy weeknight dinners, quick and easy is the name of the game; and this tangy salmon with savory roasted vegetables is both full of flavor and hearty enough to satisfy the whole family. Make sure to cut the vegetables in similar sized pieces so they cook in the same amount of time. Couscous or quick cooking farro are both delicious and healthy substitutes for brown rice, and can be prepared while the rest of the meal is cooking. The tangy glaze is a great match for salmon, but it also pairs well with chicken and shrimp. Avoid buying thin fish fillets because they will finish cooking before the vegetables.
2 medium-size yellow bell peppers, cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 (6-oz.) skin-on salmon fillets
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (8.8-oz.) packages precooked microwavable brown rice
4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
4 lime wedges (optional)
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine soy sauce, molasses, ginger, vinegar, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium. Cook, stirring often, until mixture simmers and reduces to about 1⁄2 cup, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 2
Thinly slice green parts of scallions; reserve. Cut white parts of scallions into 1-inch pieces, and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Add sugar snap peas and bell peppers. Drizzle vegetables with oil, and toss to coat. Spread in an even layer.
Step 3
Place salmon fillets, skin side down, nestled in vegetable mixture; spoon about 1 tablespoon molasses mixture over each fillet. Reserve remaining molasses mixture. Sprinkle salmon and vegetables evenly with salt and pepper. Place in preheated oven, and bake until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, salmon is cooked to medium, and glaze is golden, 16 to 18 minutes.
Step 4
Prepare rice according to package directions; divide evenly among serving plates. Place salmon and vegetables on plates; sprinkle with scallion slices and sesame seeds. Serve with remaining molasses mixture and, if desired, lime wedges.
This Pecan Crunch Tart is our newest take on classic pecan pie, a Southern staple. The most essential difference is that this recipe is made with phyllo dough for a flaky, buttery, crunchy, and completely delicious crust. This tart would pair incredibly with a little whipped cream and a hot cup of coffee. When preparing the phyllo dough remember these three things: defrost overnight, work quickly, and use a light hand.
Ingredients
10 (14- x 9-inch) frozen phyllo pastry sheets (from 1 [1-lb.] pkg.), thawed (such as Athens)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped toasted pecans
Whipped cream
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place phyllo on a work surface; cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent from drying out. Lightly coat a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray. Microwave 1⁄4 cup of the butter in a small microwavable bowl on HIGH until butter melts, about 20 seconds. Brush 1 phyllo sheet lightly but completely with melted butter, and place, buttered side up, in prepared tart pan, pressing pastry into edges of pan. Brush another phyllo sheet with butter in the same way, and press pastry into pan, buttered side up, at a 45° angle to the first sheet. Repeat procedure with remaining 8 phyllo sheets, covering the bottom and sides of pan with a uniformly thick layer of phyllo. Trim overhanging pastry, leaving 1⁄2 inch of phyllo over the edges of the pan. Fold overhanging phyllo to inside, and press to adhere.
Step 2
Microwave remaining 1⁄4 cup butter in a small microwavable bowl on HIGH until butter melts, about 20 seconds. Combine melted butter, light corn syrup, dark brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, stirring well. Stir in chopped toasted pecans. Pour mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven until browned and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan, and place on a serving plate. Serve tart warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.
This gorgeous chicken dish is one of those regional classics that many natives either grew up eating all the time or have never heard of before—but no one should miss out. It originated in the Lowcountry, that sunny area around Charleston and Savannah known for deep ports, salt marshes, and excellent cuisine. Country Captain Chicken has been a staple of Junior League cookbooks in the Southeast since at least the 1950s and is found in various forms in cookbooks from as far back as the 19th century. Chicken pieces are browned in butter or bacon fat and then braised in tomato sauce redolent with aromatic spices such as curry powder, nutmeg, and plenty of pepper. Lowcountry cooking often makes brilliant use of the spices that arrived aboard ships that sailed into the local harbors, perhaps with a country captain at the helm. This recipe was originally prepared with drumsticks, but we prefer using chicken thighs. The key to creating a depth of flavor in this dish is to use high-quality curry powder. It should be so fresh that opening the jar perfumes the kitchen.
Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
12 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)
3 cups chopped green pepper (about 3 medium peppers)
2 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp.)
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 (14.5-oz.) cans chopped tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup raisins
6 cups hot cooked rice
Toasted slivered almonds
How to Make It
Step 1
Combine flour, paprika, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a large ziplock plastic freezer bag. Place chicken thighs, a few at a time, in bag of flour mixture, shaking to coat. When all chicken thighs are coated, discard flour mixture.
Step 2
Heat oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium, stirring until melted. Add 4 to 5 chicken thighs, skin side down, and cook until well browned and crisp on 1 side, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn and cook until browned on other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer thighs to a plate, reserving drippings in Dutch oven. Repeat twice with remaining thighs.
Step 3
Add chopped parsley, onions, bell peppers, garlic, curry powder, black pepper, nutmeg, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon salt to reserved drippings in Dutch oven; cook over medium, stirring often, until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes and raisins.
Step 4
Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high; reduce heat to medium-low, and return chicken to Dutch oven. Cover and simmer 15 minutes; uncover and cook until a thermometer inserted into chicken thighs registers 165°F, about 15 minutes. Serve chicken and sauce over rice. Garnish with almonds and reserved chopped parsley.
The most famous chicken dish in the South is probably fried chicken, but a good case can also be made for chicken and dumplings. Fried chicken celebrates the poultry in abundance, when everyone can get a piece or two. Chicken and dumplings makes the most of chicken in scarcity, when a single bird must feed a multitude. Although it gets top billing, the meat itself isn’t the star of the meal. The dumplings hold sway, and people are particular about how they’re made. Some like small strips of pastry dropped into the bubbling pot, either free-form and puffy or rolled thin and cut like noodles. Others prefer soft drop-biscuit dumplings that float atop the stew. No matter the style, this dish combines essential, resourceful Southern cuisine and the comfort of home cooking, all in one bowl. Mrs. Morton Smith experimented for years with different methods of making the perfect chicken and dumplings. When she submitted this recipe, she told us that buttermilk was the secret to dumplings with a light texture. She also kneaded them on a well-floured surface because the extra flour thickens the broth.
Ingredients
1 (2 1⁄2- to 3-lb.) whole chicken
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 quarts water
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3/4 cup whole buttermilk
Chopped fresh chives
How to Make It
Step 1
Place chicken, celery, and carrots in a Dutch oven; add water and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Bring to a boil over high; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Remove chicken from broth, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard skin and bone from chicken, and cut meat into bite-size pieces. Bring broth to a boil over high; stir in pepper.
Step 2
Meanwhile, combine flour, baking soda, and remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; cut in shortening with a pastry blender (or use your fingers) until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk, stirring with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead lightly 4 or 5 times.
Step 3
Pat dough to 1⁄2-inch thickness. Pinch off dough in 1 1⁄2-inch pieces, and drop into boiling broth. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until desired consistency is reached, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in chicken. Garnish servings with chives.
We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to share their absolute favorite thing they made this past year. Here’s what they said!
1.Fusilli Lasagna
“I made lasagna with regular pasta instead of the usual lasagna sheets. It turned out amazing, less greasy, and more flavorful. (I used fusilli, but most pasta will work.) You just assemble everything and toss it into the oven. Honestly, pasta lasagna is now my favorite lasagna. You should try it!” —HelenMV
“I made these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies this past fall (using a recipe I found in a BuzzFeed post!) and they were amazing. My boyfriend described them as ‘tasting fall.'” —MickeyLaLa
“It was healthy, filling, and super affordable! Since it was just me eating it, I was able to portion it out into freezer containers and get several meals out of it.” —Jackie Demchak, Facebook
“Ina Garten’s summer pasta! It’s so simple. You marinate cherry tomatoes in olive oil for a few hours, cook and drain angel hair pasta, then mix in the olive oil, tomatoes, fresh Parm, and seasoning. It’s pretty much the easiest thing ever — and it’s always a massive hit.” —Ca1Ta
“I made small adjustments for my taste (like adding mushrooms and using potatoes instead of the cauliflower swap in this version), but it was hands down the best thing I’ve eaten all year.” —Halia2
“My in-laws are notorious for eating nothing but super unhealthy stuff on Thanksgiving — but I still brought them a vegetable dish this year. The kicker? They wouldn’t touch it so I had it all to myself, lol. And it was delicious from beginning to end! I tweaked the recipe a bit: Instead of bacon, I used roasted butternut squash. I also used half vodka in the crust recipe, which made it so soft and flaky and yummy. Normally I’d be sad if no one touched something I made, but this time it was just more for me — and I loved it.” —Kadamony
“I made this on a whim once because I wanted an easy Crock-Pot dinner, and now it’s in my regular dinner rotation because it’s so easy and delicious. The leftovers are great too!” —Felicia Gauthier
“To all my fellow basic, autumn-lovin’ ladies who love going apple picking and then immediately regret buying 20 pounds of apples: This apple tart is crazy simple, easier to make than pie, and impossible to mess up. It’s also ‘rustic’ —which basically means it’s allowed to look messy while still being ~chic~.” —Stephanie J.
16. Skillet Chicken With Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce
“My family loves this recipe! Even my brother (who is so picky when it comes to chicken) loves it. It’s so easy to make, full of flavor, and you can adjust it to your liking when it comes to the spices and acid. And the sauce tastes great with potatoes as well as vegetables.” —Kathryn W.
“My favorite thing was this four-hour bolognese! It’s chef Anne Burrell’s recipe, and my boyfriend said it was the best thing he ever ate.” —Lindsey Gia
In “Ocean’s 8,” Anne Hathaway expands a basic minor part into a career-high performance.
Photograph by Barry Wetcher / Warner Bros.
With the influx of coverage for the twentieth anniversary of “Sex and the City” coinciding with our ongoing grifter season—recently extended by the release of “Ocean’s 8” and the news of an upcoming Netflix series based on Anna Delvey—I’ve found myself wondering not whether I’m a Miranda or a Carrie but rather which role I would play on a team planning a heist.
“Ocean’s 8” re-creates the setup from Steven Soderbergh’s trilogy: Sandra Bullock plays Debbie Ocean, who is the sister of George Clooney’s deceased Danny Ocean, and who opens the movie in a parole hearing and leaves jail just like Danny did: in formal wear, with a warmly impassive smile. She heads straight for Lou, her laconic blond sidekick (the Brad Pitt role, played here by Cate Blanchett). Lou balks at Debbie’s plan to steal a diamond necklace at the Met Gala, but Debbie tells Lou they can do it quick, dirty, and cheap. They assemble a jewelry maker (Mindy Kaling), a suburban mom who moonlights as a fence (Sarah Paulson), a skateboarder-pickpocket (Awkwafina), a stoned hacker (the woefully underused Rihanna), a fashion designer with I.R.S. debt (Helena Bonham Carter), and an unwitting actress (Anne Hathaway). When choosing your heist role, there are fewer options here than in the boys’ movies. But it makes sense: if women make seventy-seven cents on the male dollar, “Ocean’s 11” multiplied by the wage gap will give you “Ocean’s 8.”
The Met Gala, overseen by Vogue and Anna Wintour, is an ideal setting, almost a gimme, for an all-female “Ocean’s” movie. I saw “Ocean’s 8” on a Friday night in a movie theatre with a full bar inside it. The diverse audience of white-wine drinkers gasped at a shot of the meticulously arranged Vogue shoe closet; they clapped when the gang descended the steps of the Met in glittering gowns. It’s a pity—perhaps the biggest missed opportunity in the movie—that this remake holds such little visual pleasure aside from these stock-photo moments. It’d be nice if the “all-female reboot” were odder, less straightforward, more beautiful than the male versions—something that felt like the film equivalent of swapping a tux for a surprising Met Ball gown.
Instead, “Ocean’s 8,” directed by Gary Ross, is hypercompetent and artless. Where Soderbergh quieted the slick silliness of the “Ocean’s” movies with a languid, extravagant visual grace, Ross makes everything run like clockwork. The “Ocean’s 11” thieves hung out by the pool at Reuben’s mansion; they capped off their job by watching the Bellagio fountain show in silence as “Clair de Lune” played. The women get few such moments of ease and connection and mystery: the last time they’re all together, they’re riding the M.T.A. Their side conversations double as sponsored content for Subway and Tinder. (Really. A whole scene is set in a Subway, and another one involves Awkwafina teaching Mindy Kaling what Tinder is.) What could be so stupidly grand onscreen—those diamonds and gowns, the Temple of Dendur—is workmanlike instead. Still, “Ocean’s 8” gives the viewer a high-wire, paint-by-numbers heist job, and, at one point, Kelis’s “Bossy” plays over a montage of Cartier necklaces in the sort of salivating closeup normally visited upon models in music videos. Nothing in this movie is trying to be interesting, but everything in it gets the job done.
“There is a thrill about big-con work which no other branch of the grift can duplicate,” David Maurer wrote in “The Big Con,” his 1940 classic about scammers of all kinds. In the book’s first paragraph, Maurer recognizes the con man as the “aristocrat” of grifters: he must use the full extent of his talent and ingenuity, and he plays for extremely high stakes. In one chapter, he notes that there are many notorious female pickpockets, thieves, and gamblers, but almost no women known for the big con. “There are plenty of women today who would make good,” an anonymous con man tells him, “but they haven’t had the chance because they don’t know any good grifters.” Others tell Maurer that conning is too undignified for women, or that women are too impulsive to rely on in the course of a long game.
Thankfully, “Ocean’s 8” mostly skips direct allusions to the particular glass ceiling being broken here. (Of the very few all-female heist movies in existence, none has aimed for this sort of gloss and glamour: they’ve been rougher, like “Set It Off,” or teen camp, like “Sugar & Spice.”) At one point, Lou suggests bringing a man onto the team, and Debbie says, as if delivering the thesis for a different movie, “I don’t want a him! A him gets noticed, a her gets ignored, and, for once, we want to be ignored.” (The movie does not hinge on the women pretending to be wallflowers.) Later, in another clunky, corny statement of purpose, Debbie gives her team a pep talk while speaking, in effect, directly to the audience: “Somewhere out there, there’s an eight-year-old girl in bed dreaming of being a criminal. Do this for her.” This ironic empowerment message is undercut further by Debbie’s true goal, which is to pin the whole crime on her ex-boyfriend, a character so boring that he appears in my head as a large blur.
What will last from “Ocean’s 8” is Anne Hathaway expanding a basic minor part into a career-high performance. In a movie that mostly treats womanhood as something that’s both rigid and incidental, Hathaway, playing the vapid, self-entranced actress Daphne Kluger, delivers a subversive and shockingly funny disquisition on femininity performed to fit. Until a twist that comes late in the movie, Daphne is basically a jellyfish: she appears to have no brain, just a collection of neurons that respond to appropriate stimuli—a mirror, a camera, a younger rival, a handsome man, a compliment, a captive audience, a slight. At a dress fitting, she hyperventilates at the slightest feeling that she might be anything less than magnificently beautiful; as Bonham Carter anxiously reassures her—she has the best neck in the world!—her Bambi features melt back to perfect self-satisfaction. For a few years there, Hathaway’s presence in Hollywood was attached to the narrative that she was trying too hard to be likable, that she was embarrassing herself by showing her work. This performance is a statement—Hathaway understands the game she’s playing—and a heist in itself. She runs away with the show.
.jpg)
.jpg)
