Erin Lentz with Mario Batali at last year’s Food & Wine Classic in Aspen

I can whip up a wicked grilled cheese, fluffy French toast, sumptuous scrambled eggs and mouthwatering turkey tacos. Unfortunately (especially for my husband), that’s about the range of my kitchen prowess. Despite this, I remain a loyal Food Network junkie. I’m a sucker for Bobby Flay’s Throwdown, Mario Batali’s Iron Chef competitions and Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa.

Considering my reverence of the epicurean elite, when the Food & Wine Classic kicks off Aspen’s summer season, I’m jockeying for position at the grand tasting tent. With this, our food and wine issue, we’re thrilled to celebrate cover stunner and star chef Giada De Laurentiis. The toque of the town during the Classic, she is elegant yet approachable, much like her cooking style. Of course, Aspen’s local chefs are stars in their own right, and farm-to-table cuisine is the latest dining craze. The Little Nell executive chef Ryan Hardy raises Berkshire pigs on his Crawford farm (page 127), and Tom Waldeck shares his story of raising Emma Wagyu (page 130). Summer cocktails are a hard-earned reward after hitting town’s trails, and Thomas Rekasis, general manager and mixologist at Viceroy’s Eight K Restaurant, shares summer trade secrets (page 128).

And lastly, Jamie Tisch takes us on a lovely home tour (page 107); like many of us, she really enjoys her kitchen, where she and her children prep dinner together. I hope your kitchen is filled with friends and laughter this summer. While the menu may be paramount, even celebrity chefs would agree it’s the company that matters most.

Cheers!

ERIN LENTZ

Let’s tweet: twitter.com/erinlentzap

PERFECT PAIRINGS Morning biking on Basalt Mountain + the new Blend Coffee Company in Willits Town Center Aspen Theater in the Park + alfresco dining at Il Mulino Baby birthday bash + Kelly’s cupcakes at the new Boden’s Butter     Belly Up Aspen concert + a Yuzu Margarita 15 at 39 Degrees Aspen Santa Fe Ballet performance + Plato’s Restaurant, Aspen Meadows Resort Snowmass free Thursday night concerts + sushi at Viceroy Snowmass