Alex Lau
Staff Photographer Emeritus
Alex Lau is the former staff photographer at Bon Appétit. Born and raised in New York City, Lau moved to San Francisco at the age of 12 until returning to the East Coast to attend Emmerson College in Boston, earning his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Lau is currently represented by 2D Creative Artists. His clients include Boylston Trading Company, Nylon Guys, Esquire, and more. He has shot both food and travel photography for countless cookbooks—and he takes photographs of other things sometimes as well.
Recipes & Menus
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Think of this as a universal buttermilk ranch dressing that you could use to dunk your veggies or onion rings or drizzle onto your pizza.
Recipes & Menus
BA's Best Onion Rings
The secret to our best onion rings is a batter made with beer and club soda; make sure both are very cold before stirring into the batter. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.
Recipes & Menus
Confetti Lentils
These fast-cooking legumes, high in protein and fiber, pair delightfully with our healthy sockeye salmon.
Recipes & Menus
Sweet-and-Spicy Chex Mix
Don’t scoff at the sour cherries in this Chex mix recipe! Their sweet bite and chewy texture are the perfect foil for all the crunch and salt and spice. But if you’re really not into it, sub mini chocolate chips instead.
Recipes & Menus
Thyme-Roasted Walnuts
These simple, flavorful walnuts go perfectly with our Herbed Baked Brie.
Recipes & Menus
Herbed Baked Brie
Big group? Go for the show-stopping giant baked brie recipe. Smaller party (or can’t find the large size)? Smaller wheels are perfect, and the cook time is the same.
Recipes & Menus
Espresso Hot Chocolate
If you want to mellow this out a bit, use strong coffee or a couple teaspoons of espresso powder instead of the freshly made espresso.
Recipes & Menus
Spiked Hot Chocolate
Any dark caramel-flavored liquor will work with this; it’s particularly good with rye whiskey or rum.
Recipes & Menus
BA's Best Hot Chocolate
If you’re feeling really decadent and fancy (as you should), add a splash of half-and-half or heavy cream just before serving.
Recipes & Menus
Cranberry-Pear Mostarda
The sweet and sour flavors in this condiment are a perfect accompaniment to a cheese board, and we’d also happily spoon some inside a grilled cheese for a change.
Recipes & Menus
All-Purpose Vinaigrette
Not just for salads: Drizzle over roast potatoes, serve alongside rotisserie chicken, or spoon over a sandwich.
Recipes & Menus
Classic French Dressing
Tomato paste adds sweetness and will help the dressing emulsify.
Recipes & Menus
Soy-Sesame Dressing
Far less sweet than the bottled version, but equally delicious whether on a salad or tossed with some soba noodles.
Recipes & Menus
Blood Orange Buttermilk Upside-Down Cake
Be sure to invert the cake after it's baked while it's still warm; if you wait too long, the oranges will stick to the pan.
Recipes & Menus
Herbed Chickpeas
Crispy, salty, creamy, and full of protein (really!), these chickpeas should be a staple in your kitchen.
Recipes & Menus
California Waldorf Salad Gelatin Mold
This Waldorf Salad recipe, part of our Throwback Thanksgiving feature, is from our 1974 issue. As the magazine states: "Something to be thankful for is a beautiful salad chilling in the refrigerator, ready to crown the harvest table with an added touch of grace—visible evidence of the thought and preparation that goes into making a holiday meal more attractive, more delicious than ever before."
Recipes & Menus
Roast Turkey with Cornbread-Sausage Stuffing
This recipe, part of our Throwback Thanksgiving feature, comes from our 1974 issue. As the magazine states: "To even consider Thanksgiving without turkey is mutiny on the bounty!"
Recipes & Menus
Oysters Casino
This recipe, part of our Throwback Thanksgiving feature, is from our 1970 issue. Instead of green pepper, add some heat by making this with jalapeño.
Recipes & Menus
Spiced Cranberry Apple Relish
This recipe, part of our Throwback Thanksgiving feature, is from our 1970 issue. Granny Smith apples have lots of pectin, which makes them ideal for this sauce; it will set up without adding any gelatin to the mixture.
Recipes & Menus
Roasted Carrots
For more variations and veggie inspiration, check out our roasted veggie matrix.