Satin Black, Biscuit Cream: A Writer's Blog

On Valentine's Day: What Chefs Want

2012-01-20T13:43:00.000-05:00

After spending so much of their time cooking for others, nothing says "I love you" quite like a romantic timeout from the kitchen, and having a meal prepared especially for YOU.

As such, the good folks over at Epicurious asked single chefs from across the country what their perfect Valentine's Day meal would be.

And, since Valentine's Day is one of the busiest of the year in the restaurant business, for those chefs who were polled, enjoying their dream meal on V Day really is the ultimate fantasy.

And, since I'm not a chef and no one asked me anyway, I don't mind saying that besides a preliminary gift certificate for an extreme mani-pedi at my favorite NYC nail spa (V Day red manicure, for sure), for this person who the finds herself spending a lot more time in the kitchen these days than expected, anything from the video clip annals of my forever muse, the late, great, Julia Child featuring her awesome winter stews and "comfort food" would be as close to fantasy as I could possibly get.

In any case, read more here to find out what the chefs said.

Then grab on to a glass of wine and watch as Julia shows you how to make the perfect Beef Bourguignon stew in this vintage clip.

Miss you, Julia.

Ginger Margarita: Not Just For Summer

2012-01-13T15:16:00.000-05:00

I was at an after work party yesterday and I was amazed athow some things can work so well off-season -- as well as in season.

Take for instance the absolutely scrumptious gingermargarita I had last night from an expert downtown NYC mixologist. (A superduper fancy term for one who exceeds above and beyond being just your average,ordinary bartender or barkeep). Even though I have to admit that thoughts of summer on such a cold January nightin New York did in fact cross my mind, and I'd really be lying if I said otherwise.

Anyway, here's a clip with one of my favorite chefs (andmixologists), Ming Tsai, giving you the secret to a spectacular gingermargarita. Self indulgent clip spoiler: The secret is in the ginger syrup that youmake yourself.

Watch the clip. Ming shows you how.

The Future of In-Flight Meals

2012-01-06T13:07:00.000-05:00

Be honest. When's the last time you actually saw THIS on a commercial flight??
(I'm talking about the chef's hat and the smile, of course.)

Happy 2012. I'm baaaaccck.

And as always, I'm back also promising to be a far more diligent blogger in the year 2012. (Cough, cough...clears throat.) Okay, never mind.

Anyway, after my recent holiday travels that were solely on America's jam-packed highways this time around, I ran across this tasty morsel of food for thought:

The year is 2050. You’re on Global Airways’ three-hour flight from Los Angeles to Singapore and you’re famished. Does a robot present your dinner pill on command, or are harried flight attendants still asking “chicken or beef” and dropping rubbery entrées onto tired trays?

It seems futurists and culinary visionaries have wildly varying, mind-boggling theories on how airline meals will look decades forward, but the experts seem to agree on one thing: We’re not going to merely swallow a pill in the sky and call it supper. Because after all... where would the real fun be in THAT?

To find out more, read here.

Gourmet Live

2011-12-16T12:43:00.000-05:00

Cook. Shop. Eat. Unlike the Julia Roberts movie with a "similar" title, that pretty much sums up our lifestyles this time of year. Andthe folks over at Gourmet Liveare dedicated to making those three activities fun, easy, and delicious.

They start in the kitchen with contributor Gina MarieMiraglia Eriquez, who scores on all three counts by turning out five verydifferent cookies from one simple dough. On the savory front, They're sharing asumptuous new recipe for Provençal Short Ribs with Olives and Herbs. The activetime is just an hour to make this impressive centerpiece for your Hanukkahfeast or other celebratory spread.

So read more here, including recipes for holiday cookies and rich short ribs—plus a chat with comedian David Cross

T'is The Season

2011-11-25T18:05:00.000-05:00

While many Black Fridayshoppers were out pepper spraying their fellow Americans after Thanksgiving to steer them away from the deep-discount merchandise that they camped out at Wal-Mart's doorstep with a couple of cans of Vienna Sausage and Triscuits to purchase,it's good to know that the good people over at Epicurious were doing things constructively. Such as compiling a list of 12 days of food ornaments perfect for hanging or givingthis season.

There's pizza, Tabasco sauce, and even a holiday taco.

Clearly, I truly know of no other "lighthearted"way to get into the spirit of the holiday season.

Read More here

The "Non" Recipe Cookbook

2011-11-18T13:24:00.001-05:00

No, seriously.

And when it comes to following recipes, the sound of the smoke alarm ringing in your ears is never a good start. But in his new book, Cooking Without Recipes, food writer Philip Dundas promises to teach you to cook delicious meals with instinctive, effortless ease. Freed from the shackles of someone else's instructions, Dundas promises, your kitchen can become a playground -- minus the trusty iPad or the plastic recipe card file you just don't have the heart to toss in the bin. (Yeah, the one with all the sauce stains on the aging, yellowing index cards for Aunt Lola's beef goulash and Grandma Kate's chicken paprikash)

Take a few risks, Dundas echos through the pages reassuringly, and "you'll work it out".

I like it!

Read more here, and watch the clip below.

Anthony Bourdain, Publisher

2011-10-07T08:30:00.002-04:00

My favorite bad boy chef and author, Anthony Bourdain, rolled up his right sleeve to show off his tattoo — not of a beating cobra heart or other adventure from his Travel Channel show "No Reservations. It comes from a book, Sarah Bakewell's "How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer," which describes a coin Montaigne had struck. Bourdain explains that the coin, and the tattoo, bear the 16th century essayist's "personal motto, basically, 'I suspend judgment' in ancient Greek."

This month, Ecco, part of HarperCollins, announced that it will create an imprint for Bourdain, putting out four to six books a year that he brings to the publisher.

Read more here

A "Zobster" By Any Other Name

2011-09-02T07:30:00.003-04:00

In the world of fake fish "look alikes" being served up everday in delis across America, there has now been a newsworthy discovery. And just let me add here that I, for one, am giddily overjoyed about it. (Yes, that's right, giddily overjoyed, I really am, so there!)

It seems that for at least 15 years, Zabar’s, the Upper West Side grocery with the big crowds and even bigger prices, sold that as lobster salad — thousands and thousands of pounds of it, by itself in a plastic tub or on a bagel or a roll. Apparently no one noticed.
Then Doug MacCash, a reporter from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, stopped at Zabar’s while vacationing in Manhattan last month.

“Lobster salad on a bagel: Why not?” he wrote on Aug. 1 on the newspaper’s Web site. “It was delicious, but the pink/orange tails seemed somehow familiar.” (Oh, that telltale pink/orange stuff. Yeah, Don. Been there, know exactly how that feels.)
He checked the label. “Wild fresh water crayfish?” he wrote. “Really? At $16.95 per pound?” He photographed the label, just to be sure.

Mr. MacCash had discovered a fact of New York culinary life that New Yorkers had not: There was no lobster in the lobster salad at Zabar’s.

When questioned, the upscale deli owner, Saul Zabar claimed: "If you go to Wikipedia, you will find that crawfish in many parts of the country is referred to as lobster.”

Really, Mr. Zabar?

Fast-forward and interesting to note, that owner Saul Zabar then took measures to rename their bogus salad as: Seafarer Salad. But Mr. Zabar himself admits this particular title was once used for a Zabar's salad made of that spongy-tasting stuff we all know as "copy crab." You know, that awful "fish gum" made of chopped pollack and cornstarch (and possibly a dab or two of Elmer's glue), pressed together to dupe folks into thinking they're eating real, bona fide, "crabmeat."

Okay, now fast-fast forward to the latest report in the saga of the fake lobster salad (come on, let's just call it what it is folks, why waste time playing with words here?) Mr. Zabar has now re-renamed his lobsterless creation to: the Zabster Zalad. (Huh??)

The main ingredient remains the same: wild freshwater crawfish. Like the lobsterless lobster salad before it, “zabster zalad” also contains mayonnaise, celery, salt and sugar.

“It’s a combination of lobster and Zabar,” said Mr. Zabar of the new title.“We could have called it Zobster salad, but our name is Zabar’s. And instead of the word ‘salad,’ we put a Z in there.”

And for the record, he pronounced “zabster” to rhyme with Napster, the music-sharing service, not the ingredient that his lobster salad never had.

Gotta tell you, $16.95 per pound for "zabster"? Thanks, Mr. Zabar, but I think I'll pass.

Sigh.

Anyway, read more here ...and here

London Riots: And One Organic Chef Gone Wild

2011-08-12T07:27:00.001-04:00

It seems that everybody wants to get into the act when it comes to the looting and violence going on in the city of London. So much, that if you think England's rioters are nothing but a bunch of inner city thugs -- you really need to think again.

According to The Sun, a millionaire's daughter, a ballerina and an organic chief were also allegedly in on the action.

It also appears that there are some definite exceptions to the "overall" profile theories about the London riots, as well as socioeconomic discontent in general. And a perfect example would be an organic chef accused of smashing up a branch of Nando's, a chicken restaurant chain. Or, a teen from a cushy suburb who allegedly drove away from the London riots with $8,880 worth of cigarettes, booze and electrical goods in her car. This same teen lives in her parents' £1 million farmhouse in the countryside -- complete with tennis courts.

Or, how about the young looter who police tackled inside an East Dulwich Tesco market, who told the court he was just trying to buy diapers for his baby, and claimed he swiped a pair of ski goggles from a store -- to shield his eyes from flying glass from the looting and violence around him.

Interesting stuff, and certainly a bit different than the urban rioting and social frustraions of the past that took place right here on our side of the pond.

Read more here

The Doughnut Quacks

2011-07-22T17:18:00.011-04:00

As the foie gras wars rage on (and on) foie gras opponents who revile the force-feeding of duck and geese simply for their precious livers, have taken their protests seemingly out of some of Manhattan's finest restaurants -- and across the river to the world-famous borough of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Their main target these days, is the Do or Dine restaurant, that happens to have foie gras doughnuts on its menu. Yes, you heard that right...doughnuts. It seems a vegan blogger started a petition titled, somewhat pointedly, "Do or Dine Restaurant: Stop Serving Foie Gras Donuts." It's so far attracted almost 600 signatures, as well as the attention of at least one person's xenophobic tendencies who wrote, "We KNOW this can't be an american [sic] restaurant. Stop this cruelty. Take it back overseas. See what immigrants will do in this country???? This is sickening!" (Okay, don't tell me... Michele Bachmann and the Tea Party movement have a secret anti-foie-gras contingent too. Right?)

In any event, Justin Warner, the restaurant's chef, says that he only serves about 30 doughnuts each week, and that despite the fact that people across the globe are signing the petition, "the one percent of people who are actually coming here and eating them are pretty jazzed." No doubt, fond memories of Krispy Kreme come to...um, never mind.

By the way, and just to be fair (as well as balanced) here's another take on this recent duck liver doughnut scandal:

"Thirty doughnuts a week isn't so much a drop in the bucket when compared with the bottomless ocean of cruelty most restaurants implicitly support with their purchase of commodity meat. But then protesting in front of a Popeye's isn't quite as sexy as screaming at Thomas Keller or David Chang or even some guy in Brooklyn -and certainly not as likely to attract attention."

Also, a new counter-petition from Arielle Norman, Please Keep Serving Foie Gras Donuts, currently has 99 signatures, and claims it would be cruel "to stop making [the doughnuts] several times a day -- before I have a chance to come and try them."

Anyway, from what I'm hearing, they're on the menu over at the Do or Dine Restaurant in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn for around $11.99 each.

Bon apetit. (Or, not.)

Really Cookin'

2011-07-08T08:42:00.003-04:00

Soon, if it smells like fried chicken on your flight, it's most likely not coming from the complimentary in-flight meals they're serving -- but from the plane's jet fuel supply.

In a giant nod to the growing recycled fuel industry, Air France-KLM has announced that it will start flying planes in September using a blend of kerosene and used cooking oil. More than 200 flights between Paris and Amsterdam will be the first to embrace the alternative fuel.

"In November 2009 we demonstrated that it was technically possible to fly on biokerosene," said KLM's managing director Camiel Eurlings. "Now, a year and a half after our first demonstration flight on Camelina, a new phase has been entered around the world, that of certification. Authorization will soon be granted to operate commercial flights on biofuel."

But it's important to note, that the use of used cooking oil in no way compromises the safety of an aircraft. Dynamic Fuels, which produces the renewable diesel, refines the used cooking oil so that it meets precisely the same technical specifications as traditional kerosene. One of the cost-saving benefits to the airline is that its planes require absolutely no modification to adapt to the new fuel.

Now, if they could only bring back some of the real food that used to be included in the price of an air ticket....

A New Force: Martha Stewart Comics

2011-06-17T10:00:00.001-04:00

Yep, apparently it's true. And now along with comic strip giants such as the super submarine sandwich eating Dagwood of the Blondie cartoon series, and hamburger aficionado Wimpy of the Popeye funny paper funnies, comes Martha Stewart. Yes, it seems Stewart is the latest culinary entity -- to get the comic book treatment.

The domestic magnate is the subject of the latest biography in the Female Force comic series from Bluewater Productions. Each book chronicles the doings of a powerful woman, so the omnipotent Stewart isn't exactly a surprise pick.

According to the release, the 32-page volume will examine the "enigma" that is Martha, specifically how she has "simultaneously and successfully projected an image of sweetness and light, while at the same time allegedly betraying some of her closest friends on her way to the top." Comic book Martha does not have a superpower, unless you count hard-core business acumen and surviving jail time unscathed. Female Force: Martha Stewart comes out in July.

And I'll say it again, that with the present explosion of graphic novels being published these days by major publishing houses, is it any wonder that the foodie world is now gaining such recognition? After all, what could be more adaptable to these kinds of publications? In a word... Sweet.!

Anyway, read more about it here

Robe Lowe...As the Candy Man?

2011-06-03T10:42:00.005-04:00

Yes. From the modern master of psychological terror, Rob Lowe, comes a movie that will leave you screaming for more (no doubt, in total sugar shock abandon).

Come on guys, admit it. For a minute there, you really thought I was making that up. Right? Welcome to summer!

Butterfinger the 13th. Yes, it's real.

Watch this.

Food Styling: Now That Looks Good

2011-05-20T09:58:00.009-04:00

AUTUMN SALAD. PHOTOGRAPH BY SHARYN CAIRNS, STYLING BY DEB KALOPER.
I've known several people who have done it for a living, and each one would tell you it's all about the creativity. So when you pick up a cookbook, flip through a gleaming food magazine, or visit your favorite cooking blog, never forget that the mouth-waterng creations you see --weren’t just the creations of a cook.

Food stylists, photographers, and art directors are crucial to that final shot—making sure a salad stays farm-fresh instead of wilted throughout a long photo shoot under hot lights.

Well, the Morning News has brought together a panel of experts from the food world to talk about in-camera work vs. retouching, the visual appeal of organic vegetables, and what to have for dinner after a long day of playing with food.

Read more here

The 2011 JBA Winners

2011-05-13T09:45:00.005-04:00

The results are in, and this past week most of the country's best chefs got together at Avery Fisher Hall here in NYC for the James Beard Foundation's annual chef and restaurant awards ceremony.

The big winners:

Eleven Madison Park (Outstanding Pastry Chef, Outstanding Restaurant), José Andrés (Outstanding Chef), Richard Melman (Outstanding Restaurateur), and Jean-Georges Vongerichten's ABC Kitchen (Best New Restaurant). But then again, there were some other chefs who took home medallions, too.

Rising Star Chef of the Year Award: Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR

Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional Award (Presented by Southern Wine & Spirits of New York): Julian P. Van Winkle, III, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, Louisville, KY

Outstanding Wine Service Award: The Modern, NYC, Wine Director: Belinda Chang

Best Chef: Great Lakes: Alex Young, Zingerman’s Roadhouse, Ann Arbor, MI

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic: Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia

Best Chef: Midwest: Isaac Becker, 112 Eatery, Minneapolis

Best Chef: New York City: Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune

Best Chef: Northeast: Tony Maws, Craigie On Main, Cambridge, MA

Best Chef: Pacific: Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco

Best Chef: Northwest: Andy Ricker, Pok Pok, Portland, OR

Best Chef: South: Stephen Stryjewski, Cochon, New Orleans

Best Chef: Southeast: Andrea Reusing, Lantern, Chapel Hill, NC

Best Chef: Southwest: Saipin Chutima, Lotus of Siam, Las Vegas AND Tyson Cole, Uchi, Austin, TX

Outstanding Restaurant Design: Aidlin Darling Design, Bar Agricole, San Francisco

Outstanding Restaurant Graphics: Love and War, The National Bar & Dining Rooms, NYC

Outstanding Service Award (Presented By Stella Artois): Per Se, NYC, Chef/Owner: Thomas Keller

Outstanding Pastry Chef Award: Angela Pinkerton, Eleven Madison Park, NYC

Best New Restaurant (Presented by Mercedes-Benz): ABC Kitchen, NYC, Chef/Owner: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Owner: Phil Suarez

Outstanding Restaurateur Award: Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Chicago

Outstanding Restaurant Award: Eleven Madison Park, NYC, Owner: Danny Meyer

Outstanding Chef Award: José Andrés, minibar, Washington, D.C.

Emeril's Breakfast

2011-05-06T14:49:00.001-04:00

What better way to celebrate Mothers Day, than winning the Emeril's Breakfast in Bed Contest on GMA? (Honestly, can't think of one!) Gotta love that Emeril Lagasse. What a natural-born lover of "people." Really says a lot -- and that's why the world loves him.

Anyway, watch this clip featuring past winners, and Happy Mothers Day!

Cabury Egg Crash Test

2011-04-22T10:43:00.007-04:00

Yes, I agree. This may definitely be the reason we haven't found a cure yet for cancer. (Makes sense, don't over-think it.)

Anyway, those busy scientists at the University of Nottingham in England are at it again and just in time for Easter, they're using their scientific gadgetry to conduct various "crash tests" of Cadbury creme eggs. (Yeah, I know.)

These two videos capture physicists and chemists celebrating Easter, as only they can (basically, they are the only people who have the shiny expensive equipment necessary for a proper Easter celebration).

In this first video, the physicists have dusted off their big, scary equipment to show us how they "test" the biomechanics of creme eggs. HAPPY EASTER!

Erica Out, Food In

2011-04-15T13:43:00.009-04:00

Jeez, could anyone really imagine a daytime world in which Susan Lucci a.k.a Erica Kane and a fictional town called Pine Valley no longer existed?? Well, looks like soon we'll certainly have to get used to it.

Seems the ABC television network will lower the curtain on two phenomenally famous daytime soaps, "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" in September 2011 and January 2012, respectively. In its place, two new daytime food-and-lifestyle show called The Chew and The Revolution aim to emulate the formula and success of ABC's The View.

The Chew will feature a rotating cast of hosts, including chef Mario Batali, restaurateur Michael Symon and nutrition expert Daphne Oz. The Revolution will feature a "dream team" of lifestyle consultants including fashion guru Tim Gunn, celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak and "American Idol" alum Kimberley Locke.

And needless to say, as much as I hate to see Erica Kane, her long list of former husbands, and the occasional long-lost son or daughter who seem to pop up from out of nowhere, leave the daytime screen (and the Soap Net channel at night), I'm happy to see two promising food-oriented shows take its place.

So after 40 illustrious years in ABC's daytime lineup, rest in piece, Erica Kane. We'll miss you, girlfriend.

Catch a glimpse here of Susan Lucci promoting her book, titled: All My Life: A Memior

2011 James Beard Foundation Awards

2011-04-01T11:42:00.003-04:00

It’s that time of year again. Along with the nail-biting countdown to May and the annual James Beard Foundation Awards.

The semifinalists for the Restaurant and Chef Awards have been announced, and judges from across the country will take a look at the list below and vote to narrow it down to a final list of deserving nominees. Meanwhile, check it out to see if perhaps your favorite chefs and restaurants have at least made it to the longlist.

2011 James Beard Foundation Awards Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalists

See the entire list here

All Things Foodie: Yep, It Sells

2011-03-25T13:37:00.003-04:00

In the wake of all the doom and gloom reports about the "dwindling" traditional print publishing industry, I totally feel like I'm repeating myself, but let me just say it again here: graphic novels about food are gaining ground these days by leaps and bounds.

From Kami no Shizuku ("The Drops of God"), the upcoming comic cookbook from Dirt Candy chef/owner Amanda Cohen, and the much-awaited Anthony Bourdain collaboration Get Jiro! needless to say, foodie graphic novels are here --and they're not going anywhere any time soon.

And now in addition to this new book genre, according to Deadline Hollywood, Showtime has bought us a script for Chew, billed as a "quirky half-hour cop show" based on John Layman and Rob Guillory’s eponymous "Chew" comic series.

Enough said.

Read more here

Diners Get Carried Away

2011-03-18T12:39:00.005-04:00

Imagine sitting in a waterside eatery and the next thing you see, is yourself (and fellow diners) floating down river.

Well, seems Jeff Ruby's Waterfront restaurant did just that, and broke free from its dock on the Ohio River with at least 150 patrons on board. The restaurant is currently lodged under the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, which is keeping it from drifting down the river. The barge broke from its moorings on the flood-swollen waters, then drifted downriver during the dinner rush before emergency crews rescued 83 patrons using a gangplank of ladders and ropes.

Tugboats kept it from moving farther downriver and eventually towed it back from whence it came (ie, up the river). Owner Jeff Ruby is unsure he'll reopen as the accident caused six-figures worth of damages.

Watch below as locals gather on shore to watch the gigantic restaurant being pulled upstream.

Guinness: Tastes Better in New York... or Ireland?

2011-03-11T09:09:00.004-05:00

In all my travels to Ireland, primarily Dublin, I'll admit not really remembering if I ever ordered a Guinness stout on tap in any of my pub visits. But does a pint of the black stuff really taste better in Ireland than anywhere else?

The answer, is yes. And although scores of bars worldwide claim they serve the best pint of Guinness in the world, the majority of avid beer drinkers agree that Guinness simply tastes better in Ireland -- than anywhere else. And it seems that now there's even scientific proof.

Scientists at the Institute of Food Technologists carried out a taste survey in 33 cities in 14 countries. The majority of their testers said they enjoyed the pints of the black stuff better in Ireland than any other country

Read more about it here and HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY !

Tweeting Up A Storm

2011-03-04T08:59:00.008-05:00

It seems super star Chicago chef, cookbook author, and Tex-Mex enthusiast, Rick Bayless, found himself stewing in the middle of an unexpected media stir recently, for tweeting about the preparations for a White House state dinner honoring Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

Okay. Yeah, I know. So far, Rick's alleged faux pas sounds about as harmless as tweeting about a recent trip to Williams-Sonoma, or why those microwave recipes you just sent your kid in college don't seem to be working out, right?

Wrong.

This ittty bitty tweet soon led to an article in the Chicago Sun-Times reporting that Bayless' public tweeting ran counter to efforts by the "White House press operation to downplay the glamor aspect of the state dinner." In addition, it was reported that Bayless had tweeted from directly inside the White House, a clear violation of White House rules.

But Bayless immediately came out swinging, asserting that he never tweeted from the White House in the first place in a follow-up tweet, where he demanded an apology.

Anyway, read more here as Bayless fires back in this interesting White House flair up. (And um...downplayed glamor aspect aside, I hope the meal turned out okay.)

Graphic Cookbook: A Novel Idea

2011-02-25T09:30:00.003-05:00

As I've said here before, the latest buzz in publishing is that graphic novels are here to stay -- and on the rise.

And according to the Strong Buzz, Amanda Cohen, the chef/owner of Dirt Candy, has signed a deal with publisher Clarkson Potter to create a cookbook disguised as a graphic novel.
Cohen recently spoke here about not really having a reason to add yet another cookbook to the already overcrowded (and extremely redundant) cookbook shelves. But here is how she describes the idea behind the cookbook as comic book:

"I had an idea for the kind of cookbook that would work for Dirt Candy: a graphic novel cookbook. I’m not sure if 'graphic novel' is the best term here since it’s a cookbook and not a novel, but that’s the best description I can come up with."

Okay, fair enough. But I think that simply calling it a "graphic cookbook" and setting the trend for others of its kind to follow -- might also work as well."

Anyway, Cohen is teaming upwith cartoonist Ryan Dunlavey, the artist behind the "Action Philosophers," a non-fiction comic book about the lives of the great philosophers. Her book is due to be released Summer 2012.

Best of luck wit this Amanda. Can't wait to pick this one up off the shelves -- and take it home.

A Saucy Cat-astrophe

2011-02-16T13:37:00.006-05:00

Okay, the video clip below for Ameriquest Mortgage has got to rank up there with one of the best I've seen to date. (But pulleeze forgive me for being an avid cat lover as well!) And of course, whatever you do, DON'T let this happen to your marinara sauce.

So...how was your Valentine's Day dinner? :-)

Watch:

Anybody Still Watching?

2011-02-04T09:48:00.009-05:00

Sadly, gone are the Food Network heydays of Emeril Lagasse and his signature, "BAM!" heard 'round the world.

So I guess it's time now to bring out the big guns. Or at least, some of those show pitches that the network bigs might have passed on while they still had people glued to their TV screens, and mesmerized by such shows as Emeril Live or the symphonic music and pot clanging mayhem of the original Iron Chef from Japan. Bang, bang, bam...BAM.

In other words, these days it looks like the Food Network could use a little help, with a capital H.

A recent article in the New York Post reports that Food Network and HGTV ratings have fallen off in the end of 2010. In addition, the network’s quarterly declines worsened throughout the year, falling 3.3% in the second quarter and 4.5% in the third quarter, according to Nielsen numbers. Also, primetime ratings for women (the main audience for both these networks) were down last year, and Food Network's ratings among ages 18 to 49, and 25 to 54, fell 9 percent just last month.

And it comes as no surprise that the article goes on to say that Bravo, Discovery and other networks are running food-related shows -- and literally kicking Food Network square in its butt by stealing many of its viewers. Even though, some of the competition also comes from the FN‘s sister network, the Cooking Channel and the network that started it all with my beloved Julia Child back in the '60s, PBS.

So maybe it really is time for a complete programming "reality check" over at the once mighty Food Network. And instead of shows like Iron Chef, Top Chef or Kitchen Nightmares, maybe something a bit more informative to the viewing audience, with a little more quality and substance?

Um, like for instance: Maybe a few cooking shows for children, teens, and younger adults?

In Terms of Chicken

2011-01-28T17:14:00.005-05:00

Okay. When you're in your local supermarket or Whole Foods shopping for chicken, what do labels like "free range" or "pastured" really mean? Which chickens fall in line with everything you might want, and which ones do you know you might make a few exceptions for?

Better still...do we really even want to know what some of these catchy chicken buzzwords might mean?

Anyway, take a look here, and match these answers up against your own best guesses.

Build Your Own Butter

2011-01-21T12:10:00.005-05:00

Chef Daniel Patterson, owner of San Francisco's Coi, shows an easy recipe for making butter and buttermilk at home -- with just an electric mixer and collander.

By the way...did you know that the actual color or "yellowness" of the butter is all in the cream you use? Watch here and see:

Kanye...Who Knew?

2011-01-14T07:55:00.003-05:00

Who would have even imagined Kanye West as a budding food writer? Well, someone has, as indicated by the No One Man Should Have All That Flour blog, filled with some very cleverly rewritten West song lyrics about food.

Check out the artwork for one of my favorite Kanye West songs: Love Lockdown –- re-titled: "Stove Lockdown" (love it!):

And this dedication to none other than Martha Stewart herself:

“Hey Martha

Aaaaaaaaaah

I made your sweet corn chowder soup

My fly ass clique approved

And let me tell you ‘bout what else I cooked

Hey Martha

When I made your crab rangoon, the Pleasant aroma made some people drool

I appreciate all of your recipes andI always end up with fork tender meat

Hey Martha”

—Hey Martha

Hey Kanye, I still think dissing Taylor Swift was in no way cool (even though you did humbly apologize) but I gotta say I'm totally loving this food lyric concept with you in mind.

Disproving the Age-Old Myth

2011-01-07T11:16:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year...and don't be so sure.

Clearly recognized as Resolution Number One on the top of everyone's list at the beginning of every year since time immemorial, we all know that losing weight is not easy for anyone. And for professional chefs, the task is especially challenging. They work long hours, don't get much exercise, eat irregularly and are constantly tempted by the abundant availability of creamy sauces -- and alcohol.

But in recent weeks, many have noticed that despite those temptations, some Washington area local chefs have been shedding the pounds. Their insights also stand to help any resolution-makers follow their lead.

Read more about it here

Kwanzaa Fake

2010-12-17T07:32:00.003-05:00

While admitting that I haven't seen the Chanaukah cake debacle that Food Network's host Sandra Lee got herself into, I will say that from the onset of the clip below, Lee hasn't got the foggiest clue for what she's doing in her infamous Kwanzaa Cake episode. The poor cake in the clip (not the one shown above, which is actually what the cake should look like) is truly a helpless pile of ridiculousness, slathered together in despair, then cluelessly showered with a downpour of nonsense nuggets.... Period.

However, Denise Vivaldo, who created the infamous Kwanzaa Cake recipe for Sandra Lee, confesses her sins in the Huffington Post, just before whisking herself out of the country on a trip to Thailand (and out of the range of mobs of angry black people carrying pitchforks, no doubt): "I can honestly say Ms. Lee had nothing against African Americans or Jews. She just has incredibly bad food taste." (Hmmm...I hear you, Denise.)

Anyhow, in the inimitable words of my favorite bad boy chef and curmudgeon, Anthony Bourdain: "The most terrifying thing I've seen is Sandra Lee making a Kwanzaa cake. Watch that clip and tell me your eyeballs don't burst into flames. It's a war crime on television. You'll scream. " (The bad boy nails it, once again.)

Okay, enough said. Watch the clip. Enjoy. And have a wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Affordable Gifts for the Kitchen

2010-12-10T10:41:00.002-05:00

Yes, I have no doubt that the $500 home sous-vide machine is going to get a lot of oohs, aahs, and thank yous come Christmas morning. But really, it's certainly true that you don't have to break the bank to surprise the home chef with useful tools, such as one of the mainstays of my own kitchen, the handy-dandy stainless steel mixing bowl (pictured above).

Anyway, read more here, and learn.

Worst Meals Ever

2010-12-03T06:25:00.009-05:00

So what truly is the absolute worst meal you've ever had?

Each of these videos below claims to document the "worst meal ever," starting with a monstrous pizza debacle, then going on to a trucker eating instant noodles in his workplace cafeteria, to an awful "creamy cola chicken" dish by You Tube's One Pot Chef (love his videos, hate most of his recipes... what can I say?).

Oh, and just for the record, my worst meal ever would have to be a curried lamb dish gone completely wrong. (And, um, we'll just leave it at that for now.)
Anyway, check these out:

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Alton Brown's Deep Fried Turkey

2010-11-19T17:48:00.015-05:00

Anyone who reads this blog already knows what a huge fan I am of Food Network's Alton Brown. Without questions, for me he's the absolute "Bill Nye The Science Guy" of foodie facts. (Okay, I agree, you had to at least have been born between the late '80s and very early '90s to even know who that is.) I also can't imagine any food lover not becoming a lover of molecules, neutrons, electrons, you-name-it, after listening to just one of Alton's thorough explanations of how things cook -- and why things basically are the way they are.

But in the 3 video clips below, for me Alton also gives you the most sensible and helpful pointers I've heard to date, on "deep frying" your Thanksgiving bird. (Totally minus the 4-alarm blazes, calls to 911, and screaming sirens from your local fire engine company, of course!)

Anyway, watch these clips...and have a SAFE and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Video On Toast, Anyone?

2010-11-12T06:57:00.004-05:00

Okay, remember that awesome music video a few years back with these guys on treadmills? Anyway, I find this new music video concept of theirs even more totally cool and innovative, given the sheer amount of time and effort alone that probably went into it.

Using a laser cutter and thousands of slices of toast, OK Go created a music video animated entirely from images of toast for their latest single, Last Leaf. In a word... Toasty! (Love those guitar images.)

Check it out in this clip:

Last Leaf

OK Go | Myspace Music Videos

Bill Clinton... Ate Here

2010-10-29T16:43:00.007-04:00

Taking its place amongst numerous industries struggling to stay afloat, it's no secret that the restaurant industry is finding it just as tough to keep rear ends in seats these days.

But with dining out at an all time low, the New York Times reports on the marketing mojo made available to restaurants, simply by being paid by a visit from former president Bill Clinton. The current buzz is, "He is doing for restaurants around the world -- what George Washington once did in America for places to sleep."

Some restaurant owners (and their customers) are even calling it: The Clinton Bump.

Read more about it here

School Lunch Line: Redesigned

2010-10-22T16:48:00.010-04:00

There's a plan in the works toward rethinking the design of the school cafeteria, guiding students toward making better choices simply by changing the way their options are presented.

For example, increase the healthier choice of having a salad by moving the salad bar right in front of the cash registers? Sort of the "reverse logic" of putting the candy bars at the supermarket checkout lines, so parents and kids can wolf them down while thumbing through the National Enquirer and Us Magazines they have no intention of buying, or....

Anyway, replacing the traditional lime Jell-O, mystery meat, and greasy curly cheese fries aside -- I'm just dying to see the plans for a makeover of the quintessential "lunch lady." Botox? Trendy baseball cap instead of a hair net? Contact lenses? Lunch lady uniforms courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana? Hmmm....

In any event, read more about it here

Anthony Bourdain's Extreme Cuisine Novel: Get Jiro

2010-10-15T12:31:00.009-04:00

The popularity of extreme cuisine aside, with more and more authors having success at publication through penning graphic novels, this particular writing genre is also becoming really popular with readers (and publishing houses too) lately.

And the latest buzz is that my all-time favorite bad boy chef, author, and No Reservations host Anthony Bourdain is working on a graphic novel about food. The Eater notes that Vertigo, the publisher of the upcoming book, has just publicly confirmed that a book is in the works.
Bourdain will be writing in collaboration with novelist Joel Rose, along with illustrations by artist Langdon Foss. Here are some of the details:

GET JIRO! is a futuristic action thriller that takes America’s newfound obsession with exotic cuisine to a manic, violent extreme. It takes place in a world where food and the secrets of how to prepare it are the source of all power leading master chefs to fight over Jiro, a mysterious top-notch sushi chef with ideas of his own.

And just as a reminder folks, the title is Get Jiro...not Get Gyro. So if you were expecting sliced lamb, a creamy Greek tzatziki sauce, and pita pocket bread to show up somewhere in the storyline, you just might be a little disappointed.

Kudos, Chef Bourdain. Can't wait to dig into this one, and see how Jiro (and your other extreme cuisine characters)...mix it up.

For The Food History Buff In All Of Us

2010-10-08T08:14:00.012-04:00

Mooley, the Taft White House Cow(or is it Pauline, the replacement cow? Mooley died in 1910)

Historical food facts are a beautiful thing. Take for instance, President William Howard Taft, and the cow(s) he was said to have owned, and actually let graze on the White House lawn. (What a fun time tour guides must have had back then -- warning tourists to watch out for the "cow pies.")

And yes, I really have often wondered about certain presidential food facts, such as the Baby Ruth candy bar and its alleged connection to Grover Cleveland's infant daughter, Ruth, and what some of out nation's presidents may or may not have like to see on their breakfast plates.

And what about President James Madison's wife, Dolly, and her apparent "discovery" of America's favorite junk food, ice cream? Did you know:

Legend has it that in the nineteenth century, a freed slave named Sallie Shadd went into her family’s catering business in Wilmington, Delaware. Sallie achieved fame among the free black population for a new dessert sensation she created with frozen cream, sugar, and fruit. When Dolly Madison heard about this new dessert, she supposedly travelled to Wilmington to try it. Mrs. Madison must have loved it because a “magnificent pink dome of ice cream” was served at President Madison’s second Inaugural Ball in 1813, and ice cream often appeared as the official dessert on the White House menu.

So if you're both a historical buff as well as a consummate foodie (like me), please take a look at this wonderful blog by Suzy Evans, Ph. D. called, The History Chef.

Amazing stuff. Kudos, Suzy!

25 Things Chefs Never Tell You

2010-10-01T15:32:00.011-04:00

Most chefs I've met have been very vocal, especially when it comes to the topic of food.

But having said that, what about some of those pesky questions we've always had on our minds as restaurant patrons -- but never dared to ask? For example: Do restaurants recycle the bread basket? Are most of us bad tippers? Food Network Magazine surveyed chefs across the country — anonymously — to find out everything we’ve always wanted to know.

Chefs are pickier than you think.
Liver, sea urchin, tofu, eggplant, and oysters, of all things, topped the list of foods chefs hate most. Only 15% of chefs surveyed said they’d eat absolutely anything.

Still, chefs hate picky eaters.
More than 60% said requests for substitutions are annoying. Some of their biggest pet peeves: When customers pretend to be allergic to an ingredient, and when vegetarians make up rules, like "a little chicken stock is OK." (Yeah, right, along with "a little sausage in that Thanksgiving stuffing won't hurt," or make them look like the total b.s.ing bunch of hypocrites they are, or, um... Okay, nevermind.)

Man down...er, better make that chef down.
Also, did you know that most chefs cook when they're sick and injured, and some have reported even missing parts of their fingers? No? Then read more about it here.

Healthier Foods For Pudgier Pets

2010-09-24T07:11:00.006-04:00

Dog and cat lover that I am, I guess I wasn't surprised to hear that our canine and feline friends are battling the bulge more and more these days, same as we human pet owners have done since time immemorial. And just as human waistlines have ballooned, it seems that so have the physiques of our pets. Some poor dogs have packed on so many pounds they can barely get in and out of the car on family trips. (Jeez…I know that feeling! Er... about the poor dogs, I mean.)

Anyway, a 2009 national survey of veterinarians by the Association for the Prevention of Pet Obesity found that 45 percent of dogs and 58 percent of cats were overweight or obese. Those numbers revealed a 2 percent increase in dog weight problems from the year before, and a 5 percent increase for cats.

So this means that those of us who have stumbled upon the website for Nulo can be forgiven for thinking we'd taken a wrong turn into Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem. This particular site, just like all the other popular weight loss sites out there, is brimming with weight-tracking and meal-planning tools, fitness logs and the promise of "tasty, nutritious food" delivered "to your door." The only difference: Nulo is for pets.

Nulo founder and CEO Michael Landa launched the company in August after noticing an uptick in the requests his Los Angeles-based pet-care business was getting for medically qualified staffers.

The reason? Landa's clients' pets were getting fatter, sicker, far more susceptible to diabetes, arthritis – same as their human counterparts.

Interesting stuff. Read more here about the increasing problem of obesity in our furry friends, causing them to ask the very same age-old question: "Hey, do I look fat in this?"

Squeezing Made Easier

2010-09-17T12:19:00.003-04:00

I admit that I just flat out adore lemons. From taking the smelliness off your hands after preparing your fish dishes, to kicking them up a notch after you've cooked them and put them on a plate, you have to agree, that if nothing else, these yellow and green (lime) little beauties are versatile.

So imagine how happy I was to stumble across Lékué's Luki Lemon Press, a worthy, and I must say, formidable competitor to the average, everyday Lemon Squeezer. Or, by simply using a little human hand and finger action to get the juices flowing.

But by inserting a half of a lemon into this neat little gadget, you can squeeze the juice out of a bottom spout -- without seeds.

The design also includes a snap-shut spout for storage of your partially-squeezed lemon in the refrigerator.

$8.95 for a set of two at amazon.com What a gadget. Love this one!

Burning A Few Cookbooks

2010-09-10T07:23:00.012-04:00

In the wake of all the crazy rhetoric and nut ball threats of Holy Quran burning from a cult leader in Florida cloaked as a Christian pastor, the people over at Guardian UK's Word of Mouth blog have been wondering: Have there ever been any foodie tomes that really got your goat? In other words, a few that perhaps you wanted to accidentally drop over a lighted stove top because they were so awful?

Well, first let me say, that as a writer, book burning in any way, shape, or form, is something that to me, should never happen. How someone could take any book and destroy it, good or bad, is well... Look, I say, if it's that bad, then just don't read it. Period. But anyway, having said that, on the heels of its controversial list of the 50 best cookbooks of all time, the Guardian (not me folks, I said: The Guardian) ponders this question, as well as which cookbooks truly deserve to be burned.

And surprisingly, one of my favorite foodie books making it to the Guardian's funeral pyre, was Julie Powell's Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, which was the inspiration for the recent movie by the same name, also garnering Meryl Streep an Oscar nomination. Hmmmm…

In any case, read more about some rather famous cookbooks making it to the burn list here

Better To Have Smaller Melons

2010-09-03T10:19:00.014-04:00

I've heard this from several different sources recently, so it does seem that these days, a good watermelon also has to ship well, which means a thick rind and a uniform shape. It has to be small enough so people pushing shopping carts or carrying a simple hand basket in big-city supermarkets will buy it. And, it can’t have seeds. (After all, who has time for those in big cities?)

And of course, all of that describes small hybrid triploid melon beauties with names like Precious Petite, Sugar Baby, and Orchid Sweet. Word is, these are very likely the future for many watermelon farmers, even though they appear to be the heartbreakers for a lot of people around southwest Arkansas.

Known for both President Bill Clinton, Governor Mike Huckabee, and the gi-normous melons that are celebrated at its annual Watermelon Festival, this football shaped, seeded variety only grows in a handful of watermelon patches these days. They also seem to be a thing of the past in a modern day world where small is big.

Anyway, when it comes to choosing a melon, smaller…is better. Take a look:

Celebrity Food Endorsements: Pitching a New Low

2010-08-27T15:22:00.021-04:00

It's probably true that after you complete a world tour, sell a few million records, or take a few walks on the Red Carpet, the obvious next step would seem to be putting your face on a condiment for burritos, burgers, pancakes, panninis, etc.

That said, here are some of the most: Ridiculous Celebrity Food Endorsements… ever. And I guess once you see products like Hulk Hogan's "Hulkster Cheeseburgers," you really can't think of him -- without picturing a big ol' frozen meat patty first. (There's a pun in there somewhere…I just know there is.)

Or perhaps, Danny DeVito (pictured above) hawking Limoncello liqueur, guaranteeing you'll be plastered and bash George W. Bush every time you make an appearance on ABC's The View. (Loved how Joy Behar outed Danny's partying the night before with George Clooney in that episode!)

In any case (and if you're ready) see some of the best of the worst celebrity food pitches here

And in case you never saw that episode of a slightly "impaired" Danny DeVito on The View, here it is (he even briefly mentions his Limoncello pitch product here):

Hate To Cook's Golden Anniversary

2010-08-20T08:22:00.013-04:00

Fifty years after the original publication of The I Hate to Cook Book, it's been updated, revised, and re-released this summer (pictured here), with its publisher hoping to find a new generation of homemakers who appreciate the Kraft cheese, Campbell soup and "alcohol included" recipes that made it beloved among millions of rebellious housewives in the 1960s and 1970s.

It's also interesting to note that the original 184-recipe book, by Peg Bracken, was way ahead of its time, even though it was written with a premise that was then considered downright sacrilege. Bracken simply contended that cooking is not as joyful as the women in TV commercials standing in front of a hot stove in high heels and pearls made it look, and that it should be done as quickly as possible, preferably with ingredients that were already in the cupboard.

This also made the original book itself somewhat revolutionary in its time, ranking way up there with other 1960s "rebelliousness" like birth control pills and public bra burning. Oh, we women were mischievous "scamps" back in those days, weren't we?

Peg Bracken, Betty Freidan, Gloria Steinem, et al...we salute you.

Meanwhile, go on out and grab a copy of this re-release. It's definitely a classic bookshelf keeper.

Read more here

Big Mac, With A Side Order Of Zocor

2010-08-13T07:37:00.009-04:00

A new UK study (although probably one of dumbest ones I've heard to date) would like to offer you a pill, with your next McDonalds' order. It calls for fast food joints to distribute (for free) the cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, taken by 24 million Americans to prevent heart disease and strokes, to offset the effects of a fatty meal. In other words: Want a little Lipitor to go with that shake?

The researchers, at Imperial College London, concluded that the cardiovascular toll of a daily meal consisting of a Quarter Pounder with cheese and a small milkshake would be neutralized by a statin pill served as a side order. The findings of the clinical trial, which involved 43,000 participants, will be published Sunday in the American Journal of Cardiology. "In terms of your likelihood of having a heart attack, taking a statin can reduce your risk to more or less the same degree as a fast-food meal increases it," a lead researcher told reporters. And providing the pills would cost less than 7 cents per customer, about the same as a packet of ketchup.

But then again, for me, the question would be this: Can they really dispense a drug like this in a fast food joint -- without a doctor's prescription? Because if they can, sounds like very soon British pharmacists will be posting signs in their windows pointing their patrons -- to the nearest Micky D's.

But the seemingly more sensible British Heart Foundation, stresses that the drugs are not a "magic bullet," and recommends exercise and a healthy diet as the best bet for staving off heart problems, in these Reuters reports:

• 2 Ways to Lower Your Child's Cholesterol Without Statins
• How to Know if Your Child Needs a Statin

(And no doubt, the shortest answer would be, don't serve your kids these fast food meals at all, opting for some healthier carrots and greens, replacing that shake with fruit or yogurt, or...)

Anyway, read more here about fast food joints dispensing drugs in order to make that Big Mac you just wolfed down more healthful here

Jeremy Irons: Mad As Hell

2010-08-06T06:54:00.010-04:00

To promote its new campaign addressing world hunger, 1billionhungry.org, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Administration has chosen actor Jeremy Irons to appear in a video evoking a raging take off on newsman Howard Beale (played by the late Peter Finch pictured above) in the classic 1976 film Network.

The UN campaign is an online petition for governments to address the problem of world hunger. Signatories can track their impact as friends sign up via Facebook and Twitter. And in the promotional video for the petition, Irons urges us in the Network tradition to go to our windows and scream "I'm mad as Hell, and I'm not going to allow 1 billion people to go hungry."

Interesting stuff, as well as nostaligic for many of us.

Check out the video clip here and let your own voice be heard:

The Bar's Open

2010-07-30T15:32:00.004-04:00

Well, sort of…but not quite.

Sorry, folks, but I just HAD to share this one, while also filing it under my "mucho cojones grandes" file.... For real.

It seems a homeless man allegedly broke into a California bar and served drinks to unsuspecting patrons all weekend long -- before the police came calling.

The bar, called the Valencia Club, had gone out of business for some time and its liquor license had expired, police said this week.

But the suspect, somehow got into the California establishment in the Penryn area of Sacramento Valley last week. He reopened the bar using beer he bought from a nearby store.
The man allegedly started with a six-pack of beer and used money he received to buy more alcohol.

He kept the bar open for 4 days (yes, you heard me…4 days) serving about 30 customers a day, authorities said.
He was so successful that a local newspaper did a story about the bar reopening.

Unfortunately though, (for him, anyway) he was finally busted when a detective went to the bar to determine if the man had obtained a liquor license. When he couldn't provide one, he was arrested and charged with burglary and selling liquor without a license.

A large amount of alcohol and cash was also confiscated from the bar. Talk about "enterprising." Sort of makes you wonder how a smart guy like this – could ever be down on his luck or homeless in the first place.

In any case, catch more of the story in this clip:

Webcams: Eyes On Gulf Coast Seafood

2010-07-23T11:02:00.005-04:00

Needless to say, the recent oil spill in the Gulf has had us all wondering: Is the seafood we’re seeing (and buying) at our local fish markets safe?

Well, the state of Florida seems to have put forth an effort to do something to help promote public awareness about the availability of seafood from its own waters. Webcams have been placed at several seafood harvesting, processing and retail sales locations around the state to show that "Florida is in business." The seafood establishments being featured are located in the Panhandle Gulf Coast region: Pensacola, Santa Rosa Beach, Tallahassee, Destin and St. George Island. The webcams are operational only during normal business hours for each establishment. Some cameras might be turned off at the time you are viewing. If so, you can visit again during the establishment's business hours, to view the webcam activity.

Webcams. Yes, that’s right. So now if you're curious about what local seafood is being caught and sold, now you can take a glimpse before you head to the sandy beaches of the Florida Gulf coast. You can survey selection and price. And yes, you too, can be a real seafood counter "insider."

Read more here:

Cocktails That Pack A Punch, As Well As The Pounds

2010-07-16T08:11:00.002-04:00

Just as many of us cocktail lovers might have already guessed, not all poolside drinks are created equal. From margaritas to pina coladas to screwdrivers, to Long Island Iced Teas, The Daily Beast ranks 21 drinks based on which fit a summer diet—and which stretch our ample backsides a swimsuit.

Summertime tends to produce a spike in drinking—poolside cocktails, backyard barbeques, after-work mixers. And while food tends to make us more calorie conscious, meaning, that you don't need a nutritionist to tell you that you'll most likely be wearing that hot fudge sundae you just scarfed down across your hips and thighs tomorrow—drinks still remain a rather menacing puzzle. After all, it's only a drink, right? Liquid, not solid. Therefore, how many calories could there really be...in a glass.

Well, to see which cocktails are truly low-cal, and which pack on the pounds, check it all out here:

The Answer's On The Apron

2010-07-09T10:57:00.008-04:00

These days who needs iPad apps for cooking guides, when all you have to do... is slip on an apron?

SUCK UK has the non-digital solution: Apron Cooking Guides. These are printed aprons with handy cooking reference such as cooking times, roasting times, numeric conversions, freezing instructions, defrosting times, and a cooking glossary. And in a word (well, okay, two) they're not only clever, but amazing. (Yes, I've already ordered one, got it, love it.)

And to really make it user friendly, the information is printed upside down so that it can be viewed right side up by pulling up the bottom of the apron.

By the way, lots of other cool gadgets at this site, so rest assured, browsing through it when you have a chance…won't suck. (Hey, gotta love that "Throw and Grow" flower grenade thingy on the main page.)

The Perfect Firestarter

2010-07-02T07:30:00.001-04:00

I've seen many a backyard barbeque argument start over it, and have even seen a few backyard "male bonding" sessions totally disband over it.

So this Fourth of July weekend, I've decided to let Elizabeth Karmel, author of Taming the Flame and creator of GirlsattheGrill.com website (don't you just love it!), demonstrate the *right* way to light a charcoal grill with firestarters and briquettes.

Happy 4th and happy grilling!

South African Wines and the World Cup

2010-06-18T18:02:00.001-04:00

Soccer fever is also running high in South Africa's wine country these days. And with it, there's an overall spike in sales, to countries competing in the tournament.

And there is no doubt that South African wines are benefiting from the World Cup.

In previous decades, South Africa's isolation during the apartheid years held back both innovation and international expansion in the wine industry, but since the dawn of democracy the country's wines have become far more palatable and are increasing in popularity around the globe.

South African winemakers now say that they can compete with the rest of the world but at home, the situation has been more complex.

Catch a peek at the subject of South African wine right now in this video clip:

Jacques Pépin, Columbia Commencement Day 2010

2010-06-11T10:07:00.014-04:00

Recently here in New York, the late, great Julia Child's former partner, Chef Jacques Pépin stepped onto the podium at Columbia University, and graced it with his usual wisdom and style during their graduation ceremony.

Now standing in front of a captive audience with Ernest Hemingway looks (as well as a certain "bearded" elegance), Pépin shared his wealth of experience and passion as he told of his coming to America from France in the late 1950s. And of course, he spoke warmly of his time as a student at this very same prestigious university.

Pépin is a Columbia University General Studies graduate, who then went on to receive a Masters in French Literature from Columbia’s Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. And, this is the first time he has ever given a commencement/graduation address.

Well done, Jacques. C'est magnifique! And super congratulations to the Class of 2010.

Terra Brockman: Live

2010-06-04T11:02:00.000-04:00

Well, almost. From her own blog, Terra gives us her report of all the dish, glitz, and glamor of the 2010 James Beard Awards.

And word has it, that her book, The Seasons on Henry's Farm will be receiving some rave review in this weekend's New York Times Book Review. Stay tuned.

All About the Concept

2010-05-28T14:27:00.009-04:00

Before I sign off completely (with visiting relatives) to enjoy this Memorial Day holiday weekend, I'd just like to share some of the truly awesome imagery of photographer Fulvio Bonavia's masterful book A Matter Of Taste, conceptualizing both food, and believe it or not, fashion accessories.

(Suddenly, that berry yogurt pie I planned for today's outdoor dessert is sweetly calling.)

Happy outdoor grilling, and have a terrfic weekend!

And please... let us never forget the brave men and women of our armed forces, who continue to serve our country each and every day with their own lives.

Small Portions

2010-05-21T06:54:00.001-04:00

Taking the term "lean" cuisine to a whole new level, French artist Stephanie Kilgast creates miniature food models scaled down to 1/12th of their original size. From a tiny continental breakfast with a pair of croissants you could fit on a thumbnail (pictured above) to a Lilliputian-sized fish platter, her creations are nothing short -- of amazing.

See a slideshow with more bite-sized images. (Jeez, who knew that a full English breakfast could actually fit in the palm of you hand??)

Fried Chicken: The Pioneer Woman vs. Thomas Keller

2010-05-14T07:44:00.002-04:00

Considering that there are still some people left who wouldn't shy away from the dreaded F word when it comes to preparing chicken, keep in mind that there's a decision to make: Just how much trouble would you want really to go through in order to do it?

There are populist cookbooks that promise basic recipes for basic people. These take shortcuts and try to speed the process. Meanwhile, lots of fancy, big-name chefs write folksy cookbooks for the little guy, too. But it's a very specific sort of little guy they have in mind—the kind willing to toil for days on end just to get food on the table. Which brings us to the ultimate fried chicken "throw down."

Throwing down the gauntlet (or should I say greasy oven mitt) and representing the populists with a shaker of Lawry's seasoned salt, is Ree Drummond, the Oklahoma ranch wife best known for her chatty, open-hearted blog, the Pioneer Woman, in which she documents her daily life frosting cinnamon rolls and herding cattle. Published last fall, Drummond's best-selling book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks offers recipes for easy, family-style comfort food, like pot pie and cobbler.

In the other corner, with his fleur de sel and palette knife, hovers Thomas Keller, the perfectionist founder of hallowed Napa Valley restaurants, including the French Laundry. Keller's best-selling book, Ad Hoc at Home promises recipes for "doable" family-style comfort food, like pot pie and cobbler.

Read more here and see how it all plays out.

Book Sales: Gaffes, Black Pepper, and the Daily Grind

2010-05-07T11:57:00.006-04:00

In these tough economic times in the publishing world, I think it's heartening to know that "gaffes" can still sell books. And, the more provocative and controversial the gaffe – the better the chance that books will literally fly off the shelves.
It seems such is the case that emerged in April in The Pasta Bible, urging readers to add "salt and freshly ground black people" to a recipe. Since then, sales of the Australian cookbook have almost quadrupled.
Last month a reader got in touch with Penguin Australia about the error in the cookbook's recipe for tagliatelle with sardines and prosciutto, which in substituting "people" for "pepper" forced the publisher to send the 7,000 copies of the book at its warehouse to be destroyed. But far from putting readers off The Pasta Bible, the Bookseller reveals that sales after the mistake was discovered are up 275%.

And with international cries of everything from racism to cannibalism over what I see is nothing more than a costly "error" on a publisher's part, all I can say is: Staying "grounded" in the face of adversity? Priceless.

Jamie's Revolution

2010-04-30T07:20:00.012-04:00

From kitchen gardens to kids growing their own veggies at school, it's been really interesting (personally speaking) following Jamie Oliver’s healthier eating campaign on ABC’s Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.

Check out more of what Jaimie is up to in this video clip. World reknown chef, TV personality, and cookbook author, Oliver also once penned a book a few years ago about a simpler way to prepare food called: The Naked Chef. (I guess this is where I'll also add that I've met Jamie in person, and a more charming, knowledgeable, and likeable guy...you could not ask to meet.)

Take a look:

How To Cook Everything: Gone Digital

2010-04-23T08:12:00.003-04:00

If you're an iPhone and iPod Touch user, you'll be pleased to know that the online food magazine, Culinate has partnered with John Wiley and Sons to bring one of my favorite cookbooks, Mark Bittman’s best-selling, boffo, award-winning, and amazingly useful How to Cook Everything (Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition), into the hand-held digital age, with the How to Cook Everything app.

Actually, it contains all the book’s content — including 2,000 recipes and recipe variations — plus easy-to-use search and shopping-list capabilities that don’t require wi-fi. This app is truly useful anywhere, anytime; online or offline, it’s all there.

And here’s something really nice: apparently they're able to make it available for the introductory price of only $1.99 — less than the cost of your morning latte (or even your morning ride to work on the NYC subway system).

Finally, from what we've been hearing, this only the beginning of a whole string of awesome cookbook titles — old and new — that Culinate hopes to bring to the digital world.

Something else that's nice: they're also asking folks to tell them what you'd like to see make the move to the iPhone or other digital device, helping them to assemble a virtual bookshelf of your favorites.

Sweet.

Food Flags

2010-04-16T10:09:00.003-04:00

No, seriously. (And yeah...I'll admit, this one's pretty obvious. Right? Kinda, sorta?)

Anyway, innovative, quirky, and looking like overall tasty fun, Whybin TBWA Australia and The Sydney International Food Festival cooked up a clever way to promote last year’s fest. They used iconic foods from the participating countries to recreate their flags. From the green-white-red of basil-spaghetti-tomatoes to the orange-white-green of tikka masala-rice-saag, the results are both appetizing and a little reminiscent of junior high school geography class.

Which brings us to this challenge: Can you correctly identify 12 of these international culinary flags?

Check them out here

A Sip From The Hip

2010-04-09T09:59:00.004-04:00

Laptop in one hand, cellphone in the other? Oh, what to do, what to do now…with that pesky cup of joe??

Well, besides filing this one under my "Have We Really Gone Too Far?" file, this Beltclip cupholder that attaches a drink to your hip might just be the answer to this multi-tasking dilemma.

And on that same note, I also have to say, that while a holster for bottled water (or even beer or soda, for that matter) might make some sense, the idea of carrying a hot latte attached to your hip -- sounds kinda dangerous. In fact, the mere thought of a cup of hot Starbucks slowly oozing down my pant leg, for me, puts this kind of task juggling way up there on my list of things -- NOT TO TRY.

But in any case, if you're still interested, this little new-age gadget is only $4.95 -- and comes in a choice of 11 colors at DrinkClip.com.

Hmmm....

The Ultimate Peep Show

2010-04-02T08:23:00.003-04:00

Yes, it's that time of year again (hard to believe, since we were just digging out from under 18 inches of snow just a short month ago!). And The Washington Post showcases the best marshmallow Peep dioramas from its annual contest-- including scenes from the movie Up and the children's book, Good Night, Moon.

Take a look, enjoy, and HAPPY EASTER.

Fat Man In A White Hat

2010-03-26T13:43:00.002-04:00

You'd have to agree that Bill Buford is interesting, in addition to being somewhat of an acquired taste for most people. Clearly, the New Yorker writer and former editor of Granta is said to fashion himself after Clive James, repeating words and phrases in dulcet tones for mesmerizing effects. But with his arms flailing like the blades on a high speed blender, enthusiasm certainly appears to be his intended goal.

So I'm guessing that's why the BBC has dubbed its latest foodie program as a Fat Man in a White Hat, albeit to mixed reviews (some good, others, well…not so good).

Some years ago, Buford started getting really interested in food. Really. So, he took a sabbatical from his day job and wrote a book (in the hallowed tradition of Anthony Bordain and Kitchen Confidential) called Heat about Babbo, an Italian restaurant in New York, where he worked for free in order to learn the ways of its celebrated chef, Mario Batali. He also visited some of the kitchens in Italy where Batali had his most formative experiences.

He then set out for France, the land of "the sauce." Basically, he was on the same experimental mission, only this time with lots more heavy cream and butter.

In any case, there are video clips at the program's official website, but, unfortunately, you can't view them if you are not in the UK. (Gee, thanks.) However, The Independent is slightly more upbeat in its review, but not with a few reservations.

Will talk more about the Fat Man here though, once I can get a glipse at a video clip that all of us Americans can watch.

Bordeaux: Wine Tour de France

2010-03-19T09:13:00.010-04:00

If you happen to be in or around the New York City area, this very special Bordeaux wine tasting event will be happening at the Le Skyroom at French Institute Alliance Française, 22 East 60th St., Monday, March 29, 2010, 7 – 8:30pm

Price: $115

Tickets By Phone:
Tel: 646 388 6632

Tickets Online:
http://www.fiaf.org/events/winter2010/2010-01-wine-tastings.shtml#tkts

Bordeaux is among the most famous of French wine regions, with more than 6,000 châteaux. Featuring the ever-popular Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grape varieties, Bordeaux wines can also include Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec depending on each appellation d'origine contrôlée (terrior) and château.

Michael Madrigale, Chef Sommelier of Bar Boulud, will be on hand, presenting some of the most well-known Bordeaux appellations and offering his views on the classic refinement and the "Bordeaux" art of blending grape varieties. The wine will be provided by Clarendelle, from Château Haut-Brion.

A Salty Dilemma

2010-03-12T10:16:00.012-05:00

Question: Would you go out to eat at a restaurant where the use of salt has been completely banned? And we're not just talking on your table -- but by the chefs in the kitchen as well?

Well, if NY State Assemblyman Felix Ortiz has his way, the only salt added to your meal will come from the chef's salty tears.

The Brooklyn Democrat has introduced a bill that would ban the use of salt in New York restaurants - and violators would be smacked with a $1,000 fine for every salty dish. (Okay, first the recently proposed tax on sodas with sugar in them, and now this. Um…can you say, just another way of the state sticking its gnarly little finger into the public's pockets? )

"No owner or operator of a restaurant in this state shall use salt in any form in the preparation of any food," the new bill reads. Hmmmm…

Anyway, and just in time in my opinion, some of Manhattan's top cooks have already started to blast the idea, saying the legislation lacks a certain hint of something.

"New York City is considered the restaurant capital of the world. If they banned salt, nobody would come here anymore," said Tom Colicchio, star of Top Chef and owner of Craft. "Anybody who wants to taste food with no salt, go to a hospital and taste that," he said.

Couldn't agree more, Chef Colicchio. Being health-conscious is indeed a conscious decision that patrons should decide -- for themselves. Thank you.

Read more here

The Real Julia Child

2010-03-05T08:46:00.005-05:00

As many of you already know (lest I repeat it again) she was my muse -- and my goddess.

But it seems that just before this year's Oscar winners are announced on Sunday night, when hopefully Meryl Streep will walk away with the gold statuette for her portrayal of a bubbly, French spewing, and most-times effervescent Julia Child in Julie and Julia , many people now ask: Who was the real Julia?

Well, one person who certainly knows, is New York Times reporter, Joyce Purnick, who interviewed Julia Child during the meat boycott here in the U.S. back in 1973. And as Purnick reports in a recent Los Angeles Times article, interviewing the real Julia in her prime showed a side of her that the moviegoing public would barely recognize. The Julia she saw back then was a dour, straight-talking (in English), prickly, and generally impatient woman who Purnick admits she waylaid on the set at PBS Channel 13 here in New York, just after watching Julia teach America how to prepare a killer zucchini omelet.

But what happens after that presents quite a different perspective of this culinary icon, and, for the most part, in sharp contrast to the perky and effusive cries of "Merci!" and "Bon Apetit!" that we see in the recent Meryl Streep version.

Read more here

Nigella...In Wonderland

2010-02-26T07:45:00.014-05:00

Nigella Lawson

In the latest film version of Alice in Wonderland, actress Anne Hathaway glides across the screen as the White Queen with a pearly grin that becomes a bit unsettling -- because it really appears to be somewhere between Glinda the Good Witch and The Stepford Wives, and according some folks...well-known British culinary queen, Nigella Lawson (pictured above).

At one point Alice's White Queen cheerily cooks up a magic potion that includes plenty of nasty ingredients (including some putrid-looking amputated fingers), and it turns out that was a hint to the real-life inspiration for the character, according to director Tim Burton. "There's this very beautiful cooking show host in England named Nigella Lawson and I quietly had her as my image for this character," Burton said, referring to the famous cookbook author and television personality sometimes referred to as the "queen of food porn." (Hmmm...um, okay, Tim.)

In any case, Burton, who previously said that the Red Queen has a bit of Leona Helmsley in her, said Lawson's domestic goddess routine has an eerie edge to it at times. "She's really beautiful and she does all this cooking," he goes on, to say "but then there's this glint in her eye and when you see it you go, 'Oh, whoa, she's like really ... nuts.' I mean in a good way. Well, maybe. I don't know."

Anyway, take a look for yourself at the video clip comparison below, and you be the judge.

The James Beard Awards Semifinalists

2010-02-19T07:30:00.007-05:00

Well, it's that time again. And the James Beard Foundation, the nation's most prestigious recognition program honoring professionals in the food and beverage industries, has once again announced its list of restaurant and chef semifinalists for the 2010 James Beard Foundation Awards. The foundation's Restaurant and Chef Committee selected the nominees from 21,000 online entries.

According to the press release, an independent volunteer panel of more than 400 judges from across the country will vote on specific award categories to determine the final five nominees in each category. Those nominees will be announced on March 22, following which the same panel of judges will pick the winners, announced at the foundation's annual gala on Monday, May 3, 2010 at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall.

And I'd just like to say that this year my personal good luck wishes go out to the Locanda Verde Restaurant down in Tribeca here in NYC, and Chef Andrew Carmellini, in the "Best New Restaurant" category. There's some great atmosphere and food happening down there (especially those beyond awesome brunch pastries) and clearly...you guys totally rock!

Catch a glimpse of the full list of regional award nominees here

Valentine Wines (and Chocolate)

2010-02-05T10:03:00.007-05:00

As the big V-Day approaches, if you're a wine and chronically chocky "chocoholic" chocolate lover like me, here are just a few suggestions for the awesome pairing of wine and chocolate -- for just about any occassion:

Milk Chocolate Wine Suggestions

Pinot Noir (you might consider Mark West Pinot Noir $10) or a lighter-bodied Merlot (try Hogue or Columbia Crest) will complement a bar of milk chocolate, a creamy chocolate mousse or chocolate accented cheesecake. Rieslings, Muscats (try Bonny Doon's Muscat Vin de Glaciere or the Bonny Doon "Vin de Glaciere" Muscat for $15) or dessert wines tend to hold up well to mild milk chocolates. Also consider a sparkling wine or Champagne for pairing with milk chocolate dipped strawberries. Last, but not least a classic milk chocolate pairing to consider is a nice Ruby Port - a very safe bet when looking for a perfect wine to accent milk chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Wine Suggestions

Dark or bittersweet chocolates need a wine that offers a roasted, slightly robust flavor itself, with perhaps a hint of its own chocolate notes. Cabs and Zinfandels have a history of perfecting the dark chocolate match, resulting in an unparalleled tasting combination. A Cabernet Sauvignon or a Zinfandel (try Ancient Peaks Zinfandel), Rancho Zabaco or Ridge) will more than fill your chocolate pairing expectations. Also consider a Pinot Noir or a Merlot to handle dark chocolate around the 55% cocoa mark. Finally, give a Tawny or Vintage Port a go to offer a very well balanced pairing approach to a dark chocolate dessert or truffle.

White Chocolate Wine Suggestions
White chocolate tends to be more mellow and buttery in flavor, making it an ideal candidate for a Sherry (consider the Osborne Pedro Ximénez Sherry $20), for a Moscato d'Asti (try Saracco Moscato d'Asti 2006, $13), from Italy’s Piedmont region offers subtle, sweet bubbles, or an Orange Muscat (try Ventana Vineyard's Muscat d'Orange for $18). The Sherry and Moscato d’Asti will pick up the creaminess of the chocolates and the Orange Muscat will pick up any fruit tones on the scene. Another route, for pairing wine with white chocolate is going for the contrast pairing approach, this is a little riskier, but when you find a match it can be exceptional. For example, taking a wine like a Zinfandel which tends to have a heavier tannic content and often a higher alcohol level and partnering it with a creamy, buttered white chocolate can have an unusual "melding" affect. It's like the tannins get softened out by the fat content and make for a remarkable potential for pairing.

ENJOY.

New Phone Food Apps

2010-01-29T09:54:00.002-05:00

Gizmodo reports that MenuPages has launched a new iPhone app.

According to Gizmodo, restaurant pages can be pulled up by your current location, and reservations are available for select restaurants via an affiliation with OpenTable.

The app is free of charge.

Also, if you've been eyeing that sleek, new Droid phone by Verizon, you'll be happy to know it has a similar app for restaurants in your current location –- whether you're in the mood for Chinese, Greek, Italian, Japanese, or just some plain old "diner" style fare.

Ah, technology.

Eat Your Feelings

2010-01-22T09:42:00.007-05:00

Pitched as "Amy Sedaris meets a warped Martha Stewart," Heather Whaley's
Eat Your Feelings: Recipes For Self-Loathing, seems to have it all. Recipes for self-loathing…and just in time for Valentine's Day.

This hilarious cookbook offering (well, okay...spoof) by this very funny actress and playwright serves to reminds us, that unlike a bunch of fake friends and fleeting sources of reliable income, food will always be there for you. And for each of life's rainy day moments, she provides the perfect recipe to cheer you up. Whether you've just been dumped, fired, found naked pictures of yourself on the Internet, or you're over forty and living with your parents, Eat Your Feelings offers up just the right comfort food for the most uncomfortable situations.

From Sky High Banana Cream Pie Because You're Dating A Married Guy, to Little Sister Earns More Than You Ham-and- Cheese Toastie, to Unwanted Pregnancy Kielbasa and Sauerkraut – this book is a total laugh out loud hoot and a must-have for all of life's little unexpected curves.

Check out this book trailer, featuring...(oh, this poor guy): Hamburger Casserole For When Nobody Loves You -- And Never Will:

Haitian Earthquake Relief

2010-01-15T10:28:00.011-05:00

On January 12, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit outside of the capital of Haiti, causing widespread destruction to homes, hospitals, schools, government buildings, roads, and lives. Emergency responses from the U.S. Department of State, the American Red Cross, Mercy Corps, and others have been quick, but they need your immediate support to provide food, shelter, and other relief supplies. As the UN’s Special Envoy to Haiti, President Clinton is asking everyone to give what you can to help the people of Haiti respond and recover from this disaster.

Click here to donate to the Clinton Foundation, a "legitimate" humanitarian effort to help ease the suffering of so many, who were already living in poverty far more devastating than anyone could ever image.

And, if you think you have a strong stomach, watch here to see prior to this week's earthquake, how some Haitians had learned to survive on a mere diet of mud cookies made from dirt, water, butter, and salt. Mind-boggling stuff.

Will Write For Food

2010-01-08T08:01:00.008-05:00

The food writing craft is in transition, or at least, it certainly is since the days when yours truly made a fairly decent living at it.

And clearly, if observers and technologists are to be believed, many more changes are soon to come. Therefore, several top food writers will examine food writing trends and the future of food writing.

So if you happen to be in or around the NYC area, a food writing conference featuring leading journalists, cookbook authors, and other food media insiders will take place at the Roger Smith Hotel (501 Lexington Ave.) in New York City on February 12 to 14.

Topics for discussion: the craft of food writing, the future of food writing and cookbook publishing, and in a world that's almost 99.99% controlled by cyberspace: How (and where exactly) to make a living as a food writer in this new day and age.

The price for this conference is $195 per person, plus additional fees for the writing workshops.

Check it out. I'll be there.

Tickets are available here:

Happy Holidays

2009-12-24T10:37:00.009-05:00

My pen will now rest for a bit, as I'm off tomorrow to the great state of Tennessee to visit with family and friends. SEASONS GREETINGS.

See you in 2010!

Salads...Can Be Sexy

2009-12-18T10:05:00.035-05:00

Or so says Carls Jr., who has signed on a new face to sex up its brand. Following in the recent tradition of burger-binging Padma Lakshmi (memorable ketchup licking moments from her lips, chin, and shin bone, etc.), Kim Kardashian will soon be pimping a new line of salads being introduced by the fast food chain.

"Salads can be sexy," Kardashian coos through pouted lips in a promotional video for the ad campaign, which does in fact feature a shot of the star scraping some salad dressing off her chest with a slice of apple. (Hey, easy there on that balsamic vinaigrette, Kim!)

Kardashian says her "favorite pastime" is what she calls a "bed picnic," which is a messy feast usually involving an after-meal bath.

And I'm sure the "booty-licious" little reality show darling just might need one after it's all over. Shredded romaine, radishes, and radicchio... oh, my.

Anyway, catch a sneak peek of Kim's sexy salad ad:

Drinking For The Holidays

2009-12-11T08:03:00.004-05:00

Just in time for all that "holiday cheer" we've been sloshing down so far this month, according to new laboratory research, people who drink may want to know that coffee won’t sober them up. Instead, a cup of coffee may just make it even harder for people to realize they’re drunk.

What’s more, popular caffeinated “alcohol-energy” drinks don’t neutralize alcohol intoxication, suggest the findings from a mouse study reported in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience, which is published by the American Psychological Association.

“The myth about coffee’s sobering powers is particularly important to debunk because the co-use of caffeine and alcohol could actually lead to poor decisions with disastrous outcomes,” said co-author Thomas Gould, PhD, of Temple University, in extending the research to what it means for humans.

“People who have consumed only alcohol, who feel tired and intoxicated, may be more likely to acknowledge that they are drunk,” he added. “Conversely, people who have consumed both alcohol and caffeine may feel awake and competent enough to handle potentially harmful situations, such as driving while intoxicated or placing themselves in dangerous social situations.”

Read the rest of this "eye opening" study
here

Buy A Piece Of Tavern On The Green

2009-12-04T15:37:00.006-05:00

In keeping with the sad end of a legendary era, Guernsey’s Auction House has released the details of New York's Tavern on the Green auction, after the landmark restaurant announced it was filing for bankruptcy earlier this year. On offer: everything from the chandeliers to the outdoor topiaries to 1,000 upholstered chairs. Artifacts from the old Russian Tea Room will also be up for grabs.

Can't tell you the number of wedding receptions, anniversary bashes, and company Christmas parties I've attended at this memorable eatery. Central Park will never be the same without it.

In any event, read more here

Holiday Cheer: Blogging About Beer

2009-11-27T12:14:00.014-05:00

In addition to being one of my favorite drink topics (coming in at a very close second to wine, of course), it seems the creative (and very thoughtful) folks over at Epicurious will soon be launching their new blog called, Holiday Cheers, a winter blog on entertaining with...yep, you guessed it...beer.

Over the next few weeks, they'll be helping you prepare casual gatherings, impromptu dinners, and elegant cocktail parties over the holidays. And along with tips, ideas, and recipes, they'll provide you with information on how to cook with, serve, and enjoy a sudsy cold one during this festive, busy, yet very special time of year.

Thanks, Epicurious. Season's cheer and bottoms up!

Paula's Southern Thanksgiving Turducken

2009-11-20T14:41:00.007-05:00

It's that time again, and my favorite "Hey, yawwwl!" drawling, down home girl, Paula Deen (with the aid of her ever supportive hubby, Michael), shows you how to prepare Turducken. So make that all-important trip to the poultry counter at your favorite supermarket for the three main ingredients (that'd be a whole turkey, whole duck, and whole chicken, all gutted and semi-boneless, of course), and watch Paula show you how it's done in this video clip:

The Imperfect Match

2009-11-13T15:47:00.010-05:00

The rather old (yet totally accepted) belief that red wine is not to be paired with seafood is nearly a religious dogma among connoisseurs.

Their reasoning is that the combination usually results in a strong and unpleasant fishy aftertaste. The traditional explanation for the "bad" pairing is based on the presence of tannins—the chemicals that make red wines taste dry and cause the mouth to pucker. Yet, every now and again, a tannin-rich red wine that does go well with seafood turns up. Even though which wines can manage this pairing, and why, has remained a mystery that even the best-trained sommeliers do not understand.

So, a bit "stumped" over this little wine-and-fish quandary yourself? Then trust me, you're not alone.

Read more here

Nation Of Food Bigots?

2009-11-06T13:41:00.017-05:00

In an interesting opinion column published on CNN's website, Ruben Navarrette Jr. addresses "food racism" relating to a controversial statement made by ESPN sportscaster, Bob Griese, regarding Latino NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya. When fellow analyst Chris Spielman asked where was Montoya, Griese replied he was "out having a taco." And I think this is where I'll also point out that Montoya happens to be of Colombian... (not Mexican) heritage.

Griese has since been suspended by ESPN for one week, as well as having rendered an apology for the remark. And when asked about the comment, Montoya immediately and very succinctly rose above it all, stating: "Somebody mentioned it to me. I don't really care to tell you the truth. Yeah, I don't. I could say that I spent the last three hours eating tacos, but I was actually driving a car."

In any case, watch this following video clip -- and you decide.

Tempest (or in this particular case...taco) in a teapot? Or, are we indeed becoming a nation of cultural "food bigots," as the above opinion column might suggest?

Cookbook Sales On The Rise

2009-10-30T07:58:00.004-04:00

Not only is Ruth Reichl's Gourmet Today selling better than her 2006 Gourmet Cookbook, it seems that interest in both cookbooks have increased dramatically, since news of the shut down of Gourmet Magazine earlier this month.

Could it be the start of a post "foodie magazine" trend? (Sure hope so, cookbook shelf enthusiast... that I am.)

Anyway, read more about it here at Eater.

Cook Or Be Cooked By Wii

2009-10-23T07:56:00.009-04:00

The Food Network is making a game out of teaching you how to cook.

No, really.

Coming November 3, 2009 is the Food Network's Cook or Be Cooked video game by Namco for the Nintendo Wii ($39.99, preorder at Amazon ). This new cooking video game offering also appears to be a more "professional" version of the Cooking Mama series of games.

That said, I totally agree that it really couldn't get any cheesier than the obvious train derailment that was Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine for Wii. Oh, well. Cookbooks and their hallowed kitchen cookbook shelves...be damned.

In any event, catch a sneak peek at how to: "Flip, chop, slice, and dice your way to the table!" in this nifty (yet also slightly cheesy) Food network Cook Or Be Cooked trailer:

Twitter Wine (For Reading Sake)

2009-10-16T09:51:00.002-04:00

In collaboration with the San Francisco-based wine-making enthusiasts, Crushpad, Twitter is launching its own brand of wine -- for a literary cause.

The wines (pinot noir and chardonnay) will carry the the label "Fledgling Wines," and a portion of proceeds from sales will go to support Room to Read, a literacy organization.

There's a website with more details and how to purchase the wine (and how to start a twitter account too @fledgling).

"Because if you can't read you can't Tweet!" say founders Biz Stone & Evan Williams in promoting their philanthropic effort.

Then again, it also begs the question: If I had the "Room to Read" (so to speak), when would I have the time... to Twitter? This, in addition to Twitter's own notable contibutions to literacy, of course, in the forms of: LOL, OMG and How r u tday?

Hmmm.

Jonathan Safran Foer: Eating Animals...Not

2009-10-09T10:15:00.008-04:00

This Sunday's New York Times Magazine "food issue" showcases one of my favorite modern-day fiction authors, Jonathan Safran Foer , on not eating meat, in an excerpt from his upcoming book titled, Eating Animals, which has a scheduled release date in November 2009.

Makes for some truly interesting (as well as reminiscent) reading, especially, how he depicts his grandmother as the family's kitchen "Sentinel" while growing up. Like so many mothers and grandmothers we remember from those years, she was the one who was so consumed by the masterful meal she had created -- that in most cases it had already filled her stomach to the proverbial "brim," so that there was no desire on her part to eat another bite.

Memories.... (Even, if it probably has very little to do with the "key" focus of Foer's new non-fiction book, which explores his own personal eating habits, overall.)

In any event, I'm really looking forward to this new one from Foer, who made me an instant fan with his offbeat and quirky runaway debut novel, Everything Is Illuminated.

Emotional Dinners

2009-10-02T10:03:00.005-04:00

We've all probably had at least one (if not more) emotional memories of some of the most meaningful meals we've ever eaten. And over at Epicurious this week, Editor in chief Tanya Steel interviewed chef Daniel Boulud in the kitchen of their Entertains NYC pop-up event. There, Boulud describes the "emotional" dinners that have impressed him most in his career.

Interesting (as well as heartwarming) stuff. Especially the story of a retiring chef who signed his chef coat and gave it to Boulud as a memento of the event.

Catch a peek at the video clip here

Trouble "Brews" In The Pairing Of Wine and Cheese

2009-09-25T07:26:00.010-04:00

Pictured above: A recent beer-and-cheese pairing class at the
Slow Food association's Cheese 2009 festival in Bra, Italy.

The combination has long been a staple in Belgian cuisine, but in recent years, the pairing of beer and cheese has gained legitimacy even in wine-obsessed Italy -- where beer is hardly the default drink to accompany fine dining.

And here in New York, at gourmet beer spots such as the Beer Table, serving cheese with a $10 brew -- no longer raises an eyebrow. According to sources: "People are struck by how easily the two go together."

Read more about what the Wall Street Journal had to say about this new pairing here
(Hmmm... An actual "class" over in Italy on this? When I'm sure some of the good folks in my favorite watering hole in beautiful, downtown NYC, could probably have…oh, well, never mind.)

But Is It Really?

2009-09-18T09:49:00.003-04:00

Ever wonder if that cup of decaf you just ordered at your local diner -- was really decaf? Or, just the same old cup of over-caffeinated java they serve everybody?

Well, no matter what some of us may think, you can’t tell by looking, or even tasting. And studies have shown that up to 30% of decaf coffees ordered at coffee houses and restaurants contain unacceptably high levels of caffeine, or aren't really decaf at all.

But now the good folks over at Spoon Sisters have stepped in with these nifty little tester strips, that will help you determine whether your coffee or tea is really decaf.

Just drop in a strip, and find out whether you've been truly decaffed -- or totally put on caffeine overload.

And only $9.95 for a pack of 20 strips. Love it!

Caught, Bare-handed

2009-09-11T09:02:00.014-04:00

Over at the Food Section blog, is a post about the irony of the new cookbook from "Top Chef" alum Fabio Viviani, and the likeness of the book's images to a photo from another chef cookbook.

The above image of Ludovic Lefebvre (left) from his cookbook Crave is strikingly similar to that of Viviani (right) in his new book: hunky bad boy chef dude trampling through the waters with rock-solid abs and rolled up jeans -- seemingly snatching two giant fish from the water with nothing but bare hands.

But back in 2005, staff writer, Leslie Brenner, went fairly giddy and ga-ga over the photo of Lefebvre on the pages of the Los Angeles Times: "Look at him, emerging from the surf like a chef-Adonis, kelp fairly dangling from his biceps. He caught those big fish with his bare hands!"

(But honest, folks...she really did hold on to that edition of the LA Times Food Section all these years for the recipes. Honest, she really, really did.)

In any case, hot bods, badassed tattoos, and bare-handed fishing...oh, my!

Which truly begs the question: At this rate, who needs fishing poles?

Who, indeed.

A Meal Fit For A Critic

2009-09-04T14:44:00.006-04:00

Finally out this week, is the trailer for Bitter Feast, an upcoming low-budget horror film about a chef who takes revenge on a food critic, already being tagged as a horror flick for the "latent" foodie in all of us. Mario Batali (not featured in the trailer) plays the owner of the restaurant.

Merciless editors and book critics -- please also feel free to take note. Bwahahahaahaa!

Catch a glimpse here

Kitchen Gadgetry: Alton's Judgment Calls

2009-08-28T11:24:00.007-04:00

One of my favorite food nerds (even by his own admission) is the well-known Food Nertwork TV host, Alton Brown. One part chef, one part "Bill Nye the Science Guy" of the kitchen, he's also well-known for his disdain toward spending money on "unitaskers" and other kitchen gadgets, when you can just as easily (and far more cheaply) get by with what's around the house.

In any case, over at the Gizmodo Gadget Blog this week, from stick blenders to melon ballers, Alton gives a detailed rundown on the kitchen aids he feels are useful, and those that are a waste of time, as well as your money. And topping his list of time wasters, are two of my own personal pet peeves -- as well.

Ice Cream Maker

• I don't have a lot of reasons for a regular ice cream maker. Good continuous-churn models are expensive, $800 to $1000. Frozen core models are messy—you have to store them in the freezer, and you're always losing parts. I don't have any great need for that.
If I didn't have access to liquid nitrogen, maybe I would. Maybe I could use one for something other than ice cream that I haven't thought up yet.

Garlic Press

• There is absolutely no reason for a garlic press to exist. It is utterly completely magnificently useless.

Amen, Alton.

Read more here

White House Fruits and Veggies

2009-08-21T07:54:00.004-04:00

President Barack Obama visiting the farmer's market in Greensboro, N.C. last summer.

According to remarks made by President Barack Obama at yesterday's Organizing for America health care forum, the creation of a small farmer's market is being considered just outside of the White House:

"So, you know, Michelle set up that garden in the White House. One of the things that we're trying to do now is to figure out, can we get a little farmer's market outside of the White House -- I'm not going to have all you all just tromping around -- (laughter) -- but right outside the White House so that we can -- and that is a win-win situation. It gives suddenly D.C. more access to good, fresh food, but it also is this enormous potential revenue maker for local farmers in the area. And those kids of connections can be made all throughout the country and has to be part of how we think about health."

Enterprising. Now along with local D.C. farmers...if we could just focus on some potential revenue for "everyone" by putting millions of Americans back to work....

You know, by putting a paycheck in their direct deposit accounts again, as well as a few dollars in their pockets to pay these local farmers at this new White House market?

Much good, wholesome food for thought, wouldn't you say, Mr. President?

Julia and Jacques

2009-08-14T07:45:00.006-04:00

With all the recent success of the fantastic new movie, Julie and Julia, featuring Meryl Streep as my goddess, the late great Julia Child, I just want to remind all of you that one of the greatest "pairings" of chefs was the match up between Julia Child and master French chef Jacques Pépin.

And along these same lines, a simply must-have for your cookbook shelf is Cooking at Home by Jacques and Julia. The book, released in 1999 was (and is) the companion volume to Julia Child and Jacques Pépin's PBS TV series of the same name.

Julia Child often defended some of her trademark dishes, that people over the years have touted as extremely "high" in fat content...and not very slimming. According to my dear Julia's words:

"The only key to your weight issues...is choosing your grandparents more carefully."

Miss you, Julia.

And check out the absolutely sinful mashed white and orange (sweet) potatoes she and Jacques whip up toward the end of this video clip.

Good Lord!

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service...Baby?

2009-08-07T20:28:00.004-04:00

Hello, all. I'm back.

And yes, the summer so far...has been great. Barbeque, barbeque, and more barbeque... 'nuff said. Wildwood Barbeque here in beautiful downtown NYC, you ROCK. Talk about getting totally sauced? Yowsa!

But now that I'm back check this one out.

Ripe for my "Come on…Are You Kdding Me?" file, is this recent happening from the good folks (or should I say fast food Nazis…er, um…"engineers") at a local Burger King in St. Louis, Missouri.

It seems that like most restaurants, the Burger King in a St. Louis suburb has a no shoes, no shirt, no service policy. And baby, do they enforce it. Too much so, the company admitted, after apologizing for restaurant workers who asked a mother to leave because her 6-month-old wasn't wearing shoes.

Jennifer Frederich, her mother and Frederich's infant daughter, Kaylin, stopped at the Burger King in Sunset Hills on Sunday. The baby was shoeless - Frederich figured tiny baby feet were immune from the rule.

But workers told the family to leave because the shoeless baby was violating a health code. In fact, shoelessness is not a health code violation in St. Louis County.

Frederich told KTVI-TV that she and her mother ate hurriedly and left before they could be kicked out. Frederich did not have a listed phone number, and The Associated Press could not reach her for comment.

Burger King released a statement Thursday indicating workers had taken the no shoes, no service policy too far.

Um...yeah?

In any event, read more here

Taking A Break

2009-07-17T07:39:00.002-04:00

I'll be resting my pen for a while, in order to catch up on some summer fun, food and enjoyment while it lasts. Let's face it, we'll all be shoveling out from under mega-mounds of snow here in New York again -- before you know it.

Meanwhile, enjoy the rest of your lazy days of summer, and see you soon.

Hummus...or Hamas?

2009-07-10T07:56:00.003-04:00

Isn't Pita The Real Enemy?

Here's a clip from the new movie "Brüno," where Brüno a.k.a. Sacha Baron Cohen (and Borat in yet another life incarnation) confuses Hamas with a certain Middle Eastern puréed bean dish.

Who knows? Maybe food can really bring peace among nations. (At least it's got them sitting down at a table with Brüno …and talking about it.)

Stay tuned….

Fill Your Cup

2009-07-03T06:48:00.003-04:00

Or not...depending on how you look at photographer Annie Leibovitz's new collaboration with Lavazza. (Jeez, you can "barely" see the demi-tasse cup in the model's hand in the picture above.) It's a 2009 calendar and marketing campaign that features scantily clad women lusting for (get this) . . . coffee.

Leibovitz's photos feature models in various poses in Italian locales, mainly holding demitasse cups filled with espresso. There's a photo of woman "baring all" in a plate of tossed noodles (above), a frolic in the Trevi Fountain, and a rather strange recreation of Romulus and Remus suckling from a highly caffeinated model/she-wolf.

See more images of how Annie and Lavazza keep things brewing at lavazza2009.com.