A Sesame Seed For Your Wisdom Tooth

Bottled Neck

2009-12-11T15:08:00.002-05:00

Check out this public service announcement

Bahn Mi SONG

2009-11-12T14:26:00.001-05:00

This is inspiring.

Claustrophobic Food

2009-11-05T14:57:00.004-05:00

New York Assembly Bill 8163 will phase-out pig gestation crates, veal crates and hen battery cages by 2015, and will prohibit any person from tethering or confining any pig during pregnancy, any calf raised for veal, or egg-laying hen who is kept on a farm in a manner that prevents such animal from lying down, standing up and fully extending its limbs and turning around freely. Violations of the law will be punishable by imprisonment for a period not to exceed one year and/or fines up to $1,000.

Animals shouldn't be stuck in pens where they are immobile and have to hang out in their own feces. This video has footage that really gives you a sense of how bad animals have it. Bill 8163 could do much to change how farmers in New York do things. Unfortunately, the Assembly's Ag Committee is prob in bed with bigAg interest. For more info: ab8163.com

Beckhaming in the New Year

2009-09-28T11:46:00.002-04:00

Long time! As the High Holidays roll by, I thought of you, Sesame Tooth. How could anything be more pertinent to a sweet New Year than Chocolate David Beckham?

From Japan with Love

2009-05-16T08:46:00.001-04:00

A farm in Kumamoto Prefecture has been working at growing these melons for four years. This is like cantaloupe foot-binding, or maybe it's just romantic.

via Coldmud

Pocket Guide to Wine

2009-05-07T14:36:00.003-04:00

This pocket guide from Slate promises to help you the next time you need a good bottle for cheap. It focuses on trusted importers rather than vineyards which seems like a brilliant idea when every wine store has such different selections. Read the full article here.

Visualize

2009-05-06T10:15:00.003-04:00

I don't really think this is fair way to illustrate how much sugar is in a given food. However, the image of the cubes stacked next to the Coke is arresting. Less so when you compare it with the grapes though. As Sugarstacks.com mentions on their blog, a lot have people have been giving them guff for making such a comparison given that there are different types of sugar.

And apparently there is more sugar in Vanilla Frozen Yogurt than Vanilla Ice cream...

Slap Chop Remix

2009-05-01T10:38:00.002-04:00

I really love this guy Vince. I don't understand why I can actually watch his infomercials, but he has a real gift. Between SlapChop and ShamWow, pretty much everything he touches turns to gold.

Thanks Sham.

How did I miss this?

2009-04-30T18:20:00.003-04:00

I can't believe I missed this from a few episodes back in Lost. If you don't watch Lost, I apologize. For me, it ranks at the top of the TV food chain. I don't see a huge need for back story, but I'll say this: in the story, which mostly takes place on an island with seemingly magical powers/history, back in the 70's there was a group called the Dharma initiative which was inhabiting parts of the island and building different facilities/stations that enabled them to monitor the people on the island or press a button which may or may not stave off the end of the world. Each station had a symbol. Here, one of the main character's sports an as of yet unseen symbol, the one for the mess hall. I love it.

Review: Perry Street

2009-04-20T22:11:00.005-04:00

Ever since I went to his self-titled flag ship restaurant Jean Georges, Vongerichten's fleet of other restaurants have been calling my name. This is especially true because of the enticing deals that many of Jean Georges's spots have been rolling out as the economy slowed. Take his far West Village eatery, Perry Street which offers a four course dinner for $35. The one catch is that you must make a reservation for between 5:30-6:30 or 10:00-11:00. But this happens to be perfect if you're going to the theater as I was last Friday with Elizabeth and her folks.

We arrived at 5:30 as one of two parties there, however, they sat us right next the other guests. We asked to be moved to a different table and were immediately granted a better one which had less of the late sun on our backs. Thankfully, this early, minor gaff proved to be the lowest point of the evening. Everything from there on out was delightful, from the food to the superb service.

Perry St. is about as far west as you can get, pretty much overlooking the highway and river. However, the design of the restaurant is such that you get all the good parts of being near the water and no sense that cars are speeding past you. We all made a conscious effort to try all the dishes on the small menu which essentially gives you two choices for each course, but changes every four weeks. Let's begin:

Amuse Bouche
Carrot Puree crystallized ginger foam. The perfect way to the start the evening, two sips of something that was so airy it can hardly be called soup. The foam was exquisite and the puree was the perfect temperature, warm but not hot.

First Course
Sauteed Shrimp fried baby artichokes, lemon fennel vinaigrette and paprika oil: Plump and succulent, the shellfish were. They were too fishy for Elizabeth but I liked them. They reminded me slightly of the mighty diamond shrimp appetizer at Oishii Sushi in Boston.

Roasted Beet Carpaccio fresh ricotta, crystallized wasabi and black bread: Black bread does not suffice as a description. These croutons were hands down the best croutons I'd ever eaten, fresh, but crunchy, oh so buttery. I love roast beets and the fresh ricotta combo was right in every way. I could eat this everyday.

Second Course
Slowly Cooked Salmon truffle vinaigrette and steamed maitake mushroom: a perfectly cooked piece of salmon. Gotta love sauteed scallions. I was the only one at the table who had choosen the skate which was to my mind was superior.

Pan Roasted Skate braised leeks and pistachios, aromatic spiced vinaigrette: I don't care if it's a cheap fish, pan roasted skate gets the job down. Between the skate and the mashed potatoes was a secret compartment of braised leeks and pistachios which kicked ass, great combo. I can not say what was in the aromatic spiced oil, but it's such a beautiful color and I asked for extra bread to mop up every last drop.

Grilled Beef Hanger Steak smoked paprika butternut squash and caramelized brussels sprouts: I actually didn't try any of the meat, but I hear it was perfectly down and it looked beautiful. I would get this next time.

Fried Chicken smoked gravy, roasted sweet potato and lemon confit: My least favorite dish, but still really good anyway. The dark meat on the plate was better than the white. I loved that they poured the gravy from a white porcelain tea kettle, table-side. The sweet potato wasn't anything special but the lemon confit was out of this world. I ate mine and Elizabeth's. Tastiest was to eat lemon ever!!

Warm Valhrona Chocolate Cake and vanilla ice cream: classic dish done well. Molten in the middle, mmmm.

Frangipane Torte with pineapple sorbet: I choose this dessert and was mildly happy. The flaky torte was nice, not to sweet and went well with the sorbet, but didn't blow my mind.

Green Tea and Chocolate Petit Fours: Fortunately, this final note did blow my mind. Jean Georges always keeps it real classy with the Amuse Bouche to begin and Petit Fours to end. I love that. $35!!!??? Yeah, it doesn't include wine or tip, but if you are a baller on a budget don't sleep on Jean Georges' deals.

Pesachdik and low-fat dessert (tastes way better than it sounds)

2009-04-19T21:59:00.004-04:00

Having been asked to make fruit compote to accompany Passover desert, I managed over the days prior to the Seder to test a few different stewed fruits. First of all, let me say that stewing dried fruit is super easy and can add an extra something to dinner (as a sauce for lamb or chicken) or dessert (see below). Wine-stewed prunes and apricots simmered in tangerine juice were both winners and both took two minutes of prep time and 30 minutes left alone on the stove .

Apricots in Tangerine Juice
2 cups of apricots
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

Bring to a boil over medium heat, then let simmer stirring occasionally til liquid begins to thicken (about 20 min).

Prunes in Red Wine Syrup (modified from Fresh Food Fast)
1/2 lbs of prunes
1 cup of dry red wine
a few strips of lemon zest
1/2 cup of water

Repeat above directions. You can then put the fruit in the fridge and it keeps for over a week.

To further the fun post-passover, I whipped up each into a tasty low-fat dessert that was slightly awesome.

1/3 cup of compote
2/3 cup of fat free ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
mint leaves
(makes 1 serving)

Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix vigorously. If you happen to have a macaroon lying around, cut it in half and serve on top.

Le Whif: Chocolate the Asmatic Way

2009-04-12T13:33:00.002-04:00

A Harvard inventor has taken his brilliant inhaler design and come up with a very different sort of application: Le Whif shoots a chocolate mist low in calories but high in novelty. Check out the video below for more or the Boston Globe article here.

Chicken Nuggets is like my family

2009-04-10T22:31:00.001-04:00

Very good television, very sad diet.

Mozza Bene

2009-04-01T20:25:00.006-04:00

The Ultimate Meal: 4 courses at Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles. Mozza, Mario Batali's flagship west coast restaurant lives up to its hype. Which is exactly where I found myself on our LA uber meal. It helps if your eating in company that know's the Executive Chef, Matt Molina though. And with table guidance from Jesse on what to order and kitchen guidance from Matt himself, the only other thing we could ask for was the expert hand of the head sommelier, which we also got, who paired each of our five courses with a righteous wine.

Grilled Octopus with potatoes, celery & lemon: by far the best octopus I've ever had. To be fair, this was the first bite of my meal and I was hungry, but the octopus was grilled to perfection, sweet and aided by the celeric crunch.

Steamed Mussels with passato di pomodoro, chilies & herbs: I never grew up eating mussels, but gladly enjoy them nowadays. Then again, I am never the one to order mussels on a menu. However, these were amazing.

Little Gem Lettuces with hazelnuts, bacon, gorgonzola dolce & egg: a perfectly cooked egg can't be ignored, this was a light fresh bite that countered other more intricate dishes.

Burrata with grilled asparagus, brown butter, guanciale & Sicilian almonds: they have their own mozzarella bar, so you can't go in there without sampling something. Freshest of fresh mozzarella, melts in your mouth better than candy.

Second course came out all at once. In no particular order excepting the first two blowing my mind: Probably the single most outstanding dish of the night was the Fresh Ricotta & Egg Raviolo with Browned Butter. It's a giant single Raviolo, and when you cut into it, the gooeyness from the lightly-cooked Egg Yolk bursts out of the dish, turning this into something decadent and delicious. The Nutmeg and Brown Butter sauce works nice with the dish, and the crisped Sage Leaf on top as something too. A signature dish.

Ribollita "Da Delfina": I'd never heard of this rustic Tuscan classic before, but it blew me away. It's essentially a Tuscan Vegetable Soup cooked down and condensed and then pan-seared to create a hard outer crust. The concentration of flavor was almost Willy Wonka-ish.

Maltagliati with oxtail ragu: atleast I think it was maltagliati, but I can't be sure. the noodles were delicious and the flavor of the oxtail was on point. Having so much oxtail felt oddly luxurious.
Tagliatelle with wild boar ragu'. Mario Batali knows how to do noodles. By the time we were done with the first course, everybody was feeling full.

The first of our Secondi main courses arrived soon after: Crisp Duck al Mattone with Pear Mostarda & Brussel Sprouts. Its name hints at the cooking method, with the Duck being cooked "under a brick" to crisp it up. It was cooked, of course, to perfection with a crispy skin and moist meat. When paired with the pear mustard, the spicy sweet mixture complemented the Duck's savory flavor to a T.

Pan Roasted Sea Trout with Umbrian lentils & red cabbage sottaceto: By this time, the wine and many courses had begun to take their toll. However, I can't say no the the deadly combination of roast fish, lentils and braised cabbage. And my portion quickly vanished.

We thought we could leave, but they brought us a Beignets-esque dessert and some super secret imported liquor to top things off. We rolled out of there feeling more than satisfied, feeling like we should have put a Von before Isaacs when we signed the bill.

Taste the Future in your Mouth

2009-03-29T09:49:00.002-04:00

Lately, the future is coming from Australia. From musical wunderkinds, Empire of the Sun, in their video for their single "Walking on a Dream" to Carlton Beer's new commercial, Aussie's are showing me a world of tomorrow. I want to go to there.

Taco Tour!!!

2009-03-28T11:38:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite nights spent in LA was a true culinary experience, the emphasis taco truck tour. What makes the tour ingenious is the interplay between food and drink in such a variety of settings. Having eaten a late lunch, we started our tour around 9 o'clock and followed a winding path through Hollywood keeping to a simple formula: a taco, then a few drinks a bar, then a taco then a bar etc.

We began at Cactus, a local staple known for their fish taco. Jesse made sure to warn us to squeeze copious amounts of lime juice on everything to dissuade any possible unpleasantness later in the night. This only enhanced the flavor the fried fish and shrimp any ways.

After our first snack we went to go check out all the old bar haunts of Jesse's Hollywood days until we got hungry again and ventured to Taco Zone, an all-female run truck with a huge following.

This was a treat, their specialty was cabeza, or beef cheek, which I'd never tried before.

It was most delicious. Maybe I just never knew to ask for it, but I haven't really run across cabeza on this coast. I hope I do soon...On to more debauchery, from Tiny's Bar to Jumbo's Clown Room and finally to Chato Taco to fend off drunken fools for some old-fashioned carne asada before bed. Tacos and beers. Beers and Tacos. Perfect night.

Big Sur Eats: Nepenthe

2009-03-23T11:51:00.004-04:00

After San Francisco, we headed down the coast on Highway 1, stopping in Big Sur for a night before making our way to Los Angeles. While I am a sucker for the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut, it can't hold a candle to Highway 1. It's got to be one of the most beautiful drives in the world. And before hitting Big Sur, it runs through Castroville, the Artichoke Capital of the world.

If you ever find yourself in the region, it is necessary to stop at Nepenthe, a restaurant situated on a cliff over-looking the Pacific. The weather was so nice when we went that we got to eat outside, looking out at the water.

They're known for their Ambrosia Burger which is simple but delicious. The ground beef was incredible and the sauce, which I later find out was made from mayo, tomato sauce, and salsa, was deadly. Along with a glass of wine from the neighboring San Lucia Valley, we were in heaven.

Pizzetta 211: Better than most NY pizza

2009-03-20T09:51:00.004-04:00

Deep in the Richmond District of San Fran, you'll find some of the best pizza I've had in a long time. And I've been searching all over NYC for the best slice. The tiny Pizzetta 211 has four tables and a counter. They make 6 kinds of individual pizzas, 3 constant and 3 that change every week. Me and Sam got the tomato, mozzarella and basil with whole white anchovies. The pizza was cooked to perfection, slightly charred on the bottom and the anchovies weren't the super fishy mini ones as you can see.

I loved how small the place was, and how they basically used the oven to make everything, from calzones to pear tarts. It was a tight operation in all senses of the word.

Simple and sophisticated, the menu is awesome, with 3 red wines and 1 white. I want to open a place just like this in Brooklyn.

San Francisco Treats

2009-03-19T13:32:00.006-04:00

I spent last week in California, flying into San Francisco where we stayed at Sam and Jessie's. They have a beautiful apartment in the Richmond a few blocks from Golden Gate Park. I'd never been to SF and over the four days there I tried to get a feel for it. It's true, going to west coast makes you inevitably question your previous choice of coasts. Sam and Jessie were amazing hosts and the crown of our culinary experience was getting a 3 course meal at Chez Sammy courtesy of the larger-than-life legend himself.

Sam made Fresh pasta with the help of Jessie. We all did prep work, but in the end the chef took over and made each course to order. We started off on a fresh note, with a Blood Orange microgreen salad with shaved Parmesan, thinly-sliced fresh fennel, calamata olives, and a light vinaigrette.

Next Same cooked his pasta and took the roasted fennel out of the oven. He combined these with toasted pine nuts, roasted garlic, bread crumbs,, grated Parmesan, fresh parsley oil.

Check out how gracefully Sam tosses the pine nuts on to the plate.

After this we were all feeling sated, but there was one more dish to go. The Chef just happened to have some sword-fish lying around which he pan seared, and threw on a bed of seared cabbage. Eventually, he smothered it in salsa verde.

The feast was so delicious, we all went into temporary food comas. Sam is officially Don Cuisini Cucini.

Does this look like a man who can't cook?

Bringing the bathroom to the dining room

2009-03-05T17:18:00.004-05:00

This is how the Time Magazine article begins:

--"There's poop everywhere! Y-u-c-k," says 6-year-old Jordan Lien as he and his family dine at the Modern Toilet, a popular Taiwanese restaurant chain that's expanding into China and other parts of Asia. The boy was looking at the poop-shaped lights and dish covers and the curry on toilet-shaped plates.--
Basically some brilliant marketer/bathroom humor lover came up with the idea to serve dishes in mini toilets.

And for dessert it gets even better. Featured are the shaved-ice desserts with names like "diarrhea with dried droppings" (chocolate), "bloody poop" (strawberry) and "green dysentery" (kiwi).

For the feature article click here.

Filet O' Fish Cops Das Racist Style

2009-03-04T11:47:00.002-05:00

I know I've been coming with a lot of commercials lately, but this must be said. McDonald's has ripped off Hima and Das Racist's style. This is not the first time someone has released something that could have been easily been masterminded by Hima (listen to Windows Media Player by Charles Hamilton to hear how he jacked Hima's flow and style). And now McD's ripped the signature Das Racist Chorus Formula. Listen to "Pizza Hut Taco Bell" on Das Racist's Myspace and then watch this video.

A little too obvious, McDonald's!!

SNL: Eastern Europe Confronts the Whopper

2009-03-02T10:18:00.000-05:00

Thanks, Naph.

Surf and Turf on the cheap

2009-02-27T08:54:00.005-05:00

A few weeks back, we had the lovely Awilda and Devan over for a friday night meal. I wanted to make some sort of fish and some sort of steak, but keep the price point down. In the end, I settled on flank steak with chimichurri sauce on a bed of baby arugula and an avocado shrimp salad with ricotta dumplings.

The shrimp salad is something I created on a whim a little while ago and its super easy to prepare.

Avocado Shrimp Salad
Serves 2

1 ripe avocado (cut in half, reserve the shell)
1 can of cannelini beans
10 shrimp chopped up (I use Trader Joe's frozen jumbos)
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of of red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of oil
salt and pepper to taste
two tablespoons of chopped parsley (optional)

Mash up the avocado with the beans and shrimp. Combine the lemon juice, vinegar and oil in a seperate small bowl and then add to the salad. Taste it. Add a few pinches of salt. Scoop the salad back into the avocado shells. Serve. You can make this the day before if you want.

Bonus: For dessert, Elizabeth made chocolate covered strawberries. I love this picture.

The Truth Behind Those Annoying Pizza Hut Commercials

2009-02-26T09:33:00.001-05:00

Pizza Hut in Italy - watch more funny videos

Buddhist Temple built out of 1 million beer bottles

2009-02-25T12:12:00.000-05:00

Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew, also known as Wat Lan Kuad or 'the Temple of a Million Bottles', is in Sisaket province near the Cambodian border, 400 miles from the capital Bangkok.

The Buddhist monks began collecting bottles in 1984 and they collected so many that they decided to use them as a building material.

(Via The UK Telegraph)

Exploding Food Strobographs by Patterson Beckwith at Mesler&Hug

2009-02-24T16:06:00.002-05:00

detail of Untitled (Big Mac Strobograph i, 20 µs x 5, 2008)., 16x20 C-print, 2008, Patterson Beckwith

Currently on display at the gallery Mesler&Hug in Los Angeles is the work of photographer Patterson Beckwith. The show includes strobographs (high speed photographs) of exploding foodstuffs like Big Macs, french fries, milk shakes, and other objects. [via Eat Me Daily]

ZUNIxFLEXITARIAN

2009-02-20T18:15:00.003-05:00

Last night, I was inspired to make braised short ribs. A few weeks ago, I had experimented with the Chimay braised short ribs in the Zuni cookbook and decided to modify it, substituting the Chimay for Kasteel Rouge, a cherry-infused Belgian beer. The Zuni cookbook is awesome! And my variation turned out quite tasty. The best part is it only takes 2.5 hours to braise, not even that long. To accompany the meat, I grabbed my uncle's Flexitarian Table and went with the Shaved Winter Vegetable Salad with a paper-thin sliced fennel, granny smith apple and red cabbage. The salad was a great compliment to the short ribs which literally fell off the bone. You can't go wrong with either of these cookbooks. Check them out.

McWeird Commercials

2009-02-20T17:52:00.001-05:00

Do with them what you will.

Who is the target audience?

Keep Obesity Away From Your Children

2009-02-18T19:13:00.001-05:00

The Active Life Movement, an anti-obesity campaign from Austin-based design firm Latinworks warns parents to "Keep obesity away from your child," and reimagines childhood toys and heroes as being lazy and overweight. Foreals: Imagine Superman and Barbie on a strictly McDonald's diet.

(Via Eat Me Daily)

The Dinner Party: Cold Spring Harbor

2009-02-18T10:20:00.000-05:00

The Valentine's Day dinner at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon at the Four Seasons is $350/person and that's without the wine pairing. I think the V-day markup for most restaurants is about 100%. So why go out? Elizabeth and I decided instead to get away for the long weekend and hang out at Lucy's house in Cold Spring Harbor (Long Island). There were eight of us for Saturday evening's meal and everybody made an amazing dish. Lucy's kitchen was so nice that six of us comfortably prepared a four course, vaguely Mediterranean-themed meal that went like this:

Appetizers
Spinach and Feta Spanakopita
Babaganoush with grilled flat-bread

2nd Course
Butternut squash soup with toasted pecans

3rd Course
Grilled lamb chops with cucumber raita and spicy harissa
Creamy Lasagna with braised leeks and white truffle oil
Avocado and white bean salad with red wine vinaigrette

Dessert
Dark chocolate mouse with raspberries and goat cheese bonbons

I took care of the butternut soup and even grilled the lamb chops in a velvet jacket (3.5 minutes a side). The spread was incredible, the company delightful and the wine flowed well into the night.

Another reason Mugabe makes me sick

2009-02-14T10:20:00.001-05:00

Robert Mugabe is a horrible dictator who has destroyed his country. Zimbabwe has seven million citizens surviving on international food aid, 94 per cent of the country is jobless and cholera rampages through a population debilitated by hunger. I think my position as an American who was born after the independence struggles of many African nations makes it impossible for me to understand how Mugabe can still rest on his laurels as a freedom fighter. His legacy will be one of terror and human rights violations and will unfortunately be felt long after he dies. As if to add insult to injury to the starving citizens of Zimbabwe, a list of items requested for the dictator's 85th birthday celebration taking place next week has recently surfaced. Why doesn't he do something for the starving people of his country?

Birthday List

2,000 bottles of champagne — Moët & Chandon and ’61 Bollinger
500 bottles of whisky — Johnny Walker Blue Label, 22-year-old Chivas
8,000 lobsters
100kg king prawns
3,000 ducks
4,000 portions of caviar
8,000 boxes of Ferrero Rocher
16,000 eggs
3,000 cakes — chocolate and vanilla
4,000 packs of pork sausages
500kg cheese
4,000 packets of crackers

(via The Times)

From China: Cooking Snakes and Fish Alive

2009-02-13T09:51:00.002-05:00

Not for the faint of heart. A chef competition where you have to de-spine a live snake. Another one where the fish still has to be breathing on the plate. I consider myself an adventurous eater, but this is too much.

Analyzing French Fries via Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

2009-02-12T09:03:00.003-05:00

Scientists at Leeds University in England have been seeking answers to one of the great food mysteries: Why are french fries so good? Using a technique called Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry - which is able to separate foods into their base elements - the scientists were able to capture the various aroma components of the chips (that's British for fries if you don't know).

It turns out that the french fries' bouquet includes butterscotch, bitter cocoa, onion, cheese, flowers and even …ironing boards. These aromas combine to make one of the most addictive foods known to man.

Lead researcher, Dr. Graham Clayton speculates that "perhaps these findings will see chips treated like wine in the future – with chip fans turning into buffs as they impress their friends with eloquent descriptions of their favourite fries." Hopefully this won't mean that people start eating aged french fries.

Aluminum Foil Revelation

2009-02-09T17:37:00.004-05:00

You know when you try to pull some tin foil out and the roll comes out of the box? Well, apparently, on the sides of box there is a little tab you can poke in that locks the roll in place. This could possibly shave hours of frustration off your life, especially when the Seran Wrap comes out while your taring a piece and then gets all bunchy. I hate that.

Thanks Meredith for the heads-up.

Our Lady of the Manatee-Shaped Potato

2009-02-06T15:10:00.005-05:00

Sarasota man, Len Higley, was shopping for potatoes at his local Publix when he came across this beaut:He's not going to eat it, but he doesn't know what to do with it. What would you do with a potato shaped like a Manatee? (Via ABC)

Greening Printers: Coffee Grind Ink Cartridges

2009-02-05T08:42:00.004-05:00

'The paperless office is a great notion, but in reality there are still many scenarios where the printer needs to be switched on and fed with environmentally unfriendly consumables - paper and ink. Recycling and re-using paper for print jobs has become well entrenched, but the expensive and often frustrating process of replenishing the ink remains an issue for many of us. Which brings us to one of the cleverest recycling ideas to emerge from this year's Greener Gadgets competition - the RITI printer. This design concept by Jeon Hwan Ju takes your coffee or tea dregs, plus a little elbow grease, and turns them into an eco-friendly alternative to conventional ink.'

1. Insert a paper in the middle of the printer
2. Put the coffee or tea dregs into the ink case on the top of the printer
3. Move the ink case left and right as you draw on a paper
4. When the print finishes, pull out the paper from the printer and wash the ink case

Check it out at at the Core77's Greener Gadget Design Competition. (via Gizmag.com)

Watch Dog People Make Bread

2009-02-04T14:50:00.002-05:00

Sesame Tooth holds a special place in its heart for Sesame Street. And when the two combine, it's pure dynamite:

(The best part is at the very end around 1:53)

Winter Dinner Sketch

2009-01-30T09:34:00.003-05:00

I am crushing coriander seeds with the back of a Henckels hand-me-down pairing knife inside a ceramic shot glass that says Puerto Rico and drinking a glass of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc while Mstislave Ropovich plays Bach’s Cello Suite Sarabande in the background. There’s been a self-imposed lull in my cooking, so far I’ve sautéed sliced brussel sprouts in cider vinegar and added to them chestnuts toasted in maple syrup. The oven is done roasting cubes of butternut squash and a solitary parsnip, which the grocery lady mistook for a turnip. The squash I’ve pureed with a little plain yogurt and milk. I think that’s where the coriander is going but I can’t quite tell yet. I am unemployed.

Mose Allison’s “ever since the world ended” comes on. “Things that used to seem so splendid, don’t really matter today. It’s just as well the world ended, it wasn’t working any way.” Then suddenly, the player skips to Jorge Luis Borges. He recounts Zhuang Zhou: A man dreamt that he was a butterfly and upon waking up, he didn’t know whether he was a man dreaming of a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming he was a man.

Unhappily, the future is made of tricks, Borges continues. I think about the past. Now Cheikh Lo sounds through the Carvin. I fire up the broiler and smear two fillets of flounder with lemon zest and mustard oil. I season two fat scallops with sea salt and fresh pepper. I light a flame under my mini cast-iron, wait for it to heat up, and then throw diced shallots on to sauté. The scallops will go on barely two minutes a side and the flounder will take four minutes in the broiler. Cheikh Lo burns Bambay Gueej. I do not burn the scallops.

Piling a mound of brussel sprouts on one plate and coating another with a swatch of curried butternut puree, I feel relaxed. The flounder, just beginning to flake, slides on top of the shredded greens, parsley and Dijon echoing the sprouts. I place a scallop in the eye of the butternut and radiate parsnips from the center.

I try not to get discouraged about winter. The roasted parsnips are a delight, their rootedness like aftershave, masculine but sweet. The lemon and mustard glaze brings the flounder out, daring the unassuming fish to feign grandeur. Bonnie “Prince” Billy sings ‘I see a darkness’. And I can’t help but feel the meal is confused. Every element of dinner is wonderful, but the seared scallop is feeling out of place in the curried butternut yogurt. The brussel sprouts want boar roasted in the Black Forest. Still I am content. I’m not disillusioned but I’m getting there.

HOT PETA and the Banned Superbowl Commercial

2009-01-28T12:19:00.001-05:00

Check out this pro-veggie commercial from PETA that was supposed to shown during the Superbowl.

'Veggie Love': PETA's Banned Super Bowl Ad

Unfortunately, NBC has banned the commercial because it "depicts a level of sexuality exceeding our standards." Specifically, they took issue with:

licking pumpkin

touching her breast with her hand while eating broccoli

pumpkin from behind between legs

rubbing pelvic region with pumpkin

screwing herself with broccoli (fuzzy)

asparagus on her lap appearing as if it is ready to be inserted into vagina

licking eggplant

rubbing asparagus on breast

These are serious concerns. Who knew that PETA was a such a perverse anti-animal abuse organization? I guess they are following the old maxim, sex sells. But what are they selling exactly? Vegetarianism? I don't see this commercial as a convincing argument for denouncing meat. But PETA is still pushing it here.

Another big campaign for PETA is trying to get Michael Vick to get an MRI brain-scan in order to look for evidence of clinical psychopathy or anti-social personality disorder. What?!

Cadberry goes low-brow/high-brow

2009-01-27T16:07:00.002-05:00

Cadberry is good, very good. Does this commercial make me want to eat chocolate? I don't think so. But it makes me respect Cadberry's taste and perhaps that's exactly what they want: for me to respect their taste so I will then taste their respect(tive product).

Eat Your Heart Out David Lynch

2009-01-27T11:41:00.004-05:00

What's David Lynch's opinion of the America food staple Hooter's? I don't know, but I'd imagine that he'd despise the Hooter's rip-off, Twin Peaks. Instead of an homage to bizarre midget dreams and beloved Special Agent Dale Cooper, the chain is nothing more than a breastaurant concept, complete with ladies in skimpy plaid.

If it's your birthday, you can grab the giant fish phallus and take a picture with the busty waitresses. I think Twin Peaks owner, Randy Dewitt, describes the restaurant's appeal best, "It’s a guy’s world. You can’t get it at home; you can’t get it at your workplace anymore. But you can get it at Twin Peaks."

What does he mean, 'you can't get it at your workplace anymore'? As in, at one point all women in offices wore bikini equivalents and on holidays dressed up like whores?

I think I would rather spend my money on the boxset of the series Twin Peaks and cook food at home than go get wings at the chain, but then again, I don't really have a choice. Twin Peaks the restaurant is only available in...Texas.

Redundancy

2009-01-26T11:36:00.000-05:00

I know that some food products have "contains nuts" on their label, but this is just too much.

Via Coldmud

The Many Faces of Betty Crocker

2009-01-23T11:09:00.003-05:00

Betty Crocker isn't real. But that doesn't mean she didn't get her own radio show in 1924 (the first ever cooking program) and tell women, "“If you load a man’s stomach with boiled cabbage and greasy fried potatoes, can you wonder that he wants to start a fight, or go out and commit a crime?” Some things never change, even back then the boiled cabbage men ate compelled them to wreck havoc on society. Ever since then, Betty's been getting makeovers to keep her relevant. Which Betty is your favorite?

If you really want to get to know the real Betty, you can read Finding Betty Crocker Check out other food origins, like where Heinz's "57" varieties comes from, over at neatorama.

Get Calories from Plants

2009-01-21T11:55:00.002-05:00

Please watch this interview with Mark Bittman from Cooking Up a Story. Part II is more interesting than Part I but you can watch both if you want. Bittman brings up the idea that right now the American diet is way too slanted towards meat and processed food as opposed to vegetables. This is not a new idea, but he speaks eloquently. I like his point that it's not about whether you eat a McDonald's hamburger or some gourmet hamburger, it's whether you are eating a hamburger rather than a head of broccoli. As my friend Gary can attest (having gone on a mostly hamburger diet in the month of August), if you want less of a gut, cut down the burgers and get into some plants.

Back in the Day

2009-01-15T15:12:00.003-05:00

Check out the menu from Lincoln's second Inauguration Ball!!!

The LA Times did some archival work to figure out what's been served at the President's Inaugural dinner since the time of Washington (he ate alone).

Of note: Lincoln's first inauguration featured a food fight. A mob of 20,000 followed "man of the people" Andrew Jackson back to his reception for ice cream, cake, and lemonade and almost destroyed the White House. For the full article, click here.

(Via The Feedbag)

ChiXXX with DuXXX

2009-01-14T12:20:00.004-05:00

Chicken, stay chicken.
This is indecent.

(Via Ads of the World)

Never Heard of It

2009-01-12T12:25:00.000-05:00

Try looking beyond the scantily clad woman. Check out the chef's shirt. Where is the Newton Food Centre? Is it in Newton Center? I'm pretty familiar with the restaurant scene in my hometown and I've never heard of it. Oh...this is the Newton Food Centre in Newton Singapore!!! Now I understand. Apparently, it's a food emporium promoted by the Singapore Tourism Bureau for sampling Singaporean cuisine. The word is locals often criticize the Food Center for overpriced mediocre food. Here, however, it looks like they make a mean roast duck...

Chinese Food Adventures in Queens

2009-01-09T10:18:00.000-05:00

My close friend Grant was coming up from DC this past weekend for the amazing Apliiq party Friday night at Public Assembly. He suggested that Saturday afternoon we take a trip up to Flushing, Queens and seek out the greatest Chinese food in the land. This seemed like the best idea I'd heard all year.

Back in July, The New York Times published an article on Flushings as THE mecca of diverse Chinese eats. It was complimented by a top 20 list of dishes in the area, complete with a map to navigate the territory. Grant's dream was to visit as many of these joints as possible and with yours truly as navigator, we had ourselves a regular feast. The one time we strayed off the suggested path was kind of gross (a cold fatty sesame chicken), but sticking to the approved dishes, we had an incredible meal. There were 6 of us and, splitting an order of each dish, we ended up paying about 7 dollars/person for a feast.

Our first stop was No. 1 East Restaurant, a regular sit down spot complete with green tea, lazy-susan and a group of elderly woman rolling dumplings at the back table. Luckily, we had come for the Spinach Dumplings. While it felt a little awkward waltzing in with 6 and only ordering dumplings, the first bite quickly vanquished all remorse. I don't exactly know why they were so good, but these steamed dumplings had to be some of the best I've ever tasted. The diced spinach didn't seem remarkable, but somehow, combined with the supple dumpling noodle, I couldn't have asked for anything more. The soy dipping sauce was almost unnecessary because the dumpling flavor was such noodley delight.

We dipped out of there and headed across the street to the Golden Mall, an underground food court reeking of fried exhaust, and lacking any English menus (always a good sign). There were a few options in the dungeon, but noodle soups seemed unsharable so we opted for Xi'an Small Delights and their Lianpi cold noodles, and two spicy lamb sandwiches. The proprietor also insisted we get get a warm noodle dish with lamb as well. The cold noodles came first and we were all impressed. The noodles were medium width and slightly sweet and tangy. We couldn't figure out if they were mixed with tofu or stomach though. Either way, I indulged. The lamb burgers were chock full of chili peppers and seasoned to perfection with cumin, making us speculate about Middle Eastern influences via the Silk Road. Finally the noodles with lamb came out and everyone was bowled over. The noodles were about two inches wide and chewy in a way ever so pleasing to the mouth. I can't think of any other food I've eaten with quite the same extraordinary texture. The one funny thing was that it seemed the dish consisted of only one 10 foot long noodle we had 'cut' with our chopsticks.

Next we ventured over to Zhu Ji Gao Tie, a storefront that purportedly sold the best fried dumplings in Flushing. Unfortunately they were all out of vegetarian dumplings so I couldn't try them, but the crew were pleased with the Pork and Leek ones (below: ready to go into the fryer).
Finally, being almost stuffed, we headed over to the Flushing Mall food court for some dessert. The shaved ice stall there serves a number of different sweet bean toppings. Having braved Japan's bean paste pastries, I felt little need to order one, but Elizabeth and Emily split an ice with red beans, green beans and tapioca.

And Ethan and Nicole got a crepe that was pretty to look at but unfortunately crispy.

All in all, this was a food lover's dream trip. The way to access Flushing is by car or you can take the 7 or the LIRR. Any way you slice it, it well worth the trip.

SciFi BBQ

2009-01-07T08:35:00.000-05:00

The geniuses over at Roast My Weenie(.com) deserve some sort of award. Before they existed, people grilled hot dogs and sausages right on the BBQ. But now, you don't have to do that. You can purchase a metallic man that stands lewdly on the grill. But that's not why these guys should win a medal. After they came up with their phallic roaster, one of them (most definitely the nerdy one) decided they should have a sure-fire winner with one that looked like Cthulhu.
For those of you unfamiliar with this terrifying mythical God, please read up on your H.P. Lovecraft, one of my favorite writers of macabre science fiction. Sure it's not an exact likening and has a faint resemblance to The Punisher, but $35 for this puppy is sounding like a damn good deal right now.

Hanukah feels far away already

2009-01-06T11:24:00.004-05:00

Wow, I can't believe how far behind I am with posts right now. Here's some Hanukah pics. The first night of Hanukah, we went over to my Uncle's house for a soiree: Latkes galore. Right when I stepped through the door I was put to work. The festival of lights always reminds me how easy it is to make potato pancakes. Why don't we make them more often?

Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven

2009-01-02T11:01:00.004-05:00

Last night I got a chance to watch the HBO Documentary "Le Cirque", an exploration of the famous New York restaurant and its inner-machinations. The film does a great job capturing the patriarch Sirio Maccioni and the restaurant's struggles to stay relevant. Having been THE destination for the rich and famous in the 80's (from Reggan to Sinatra, Kissinger to Trump), Sirio's sons have seen the diminished glory of their father's dream in the 90's and have now come of age with the desire to push Le Cirque back to the top. However, Sirio's stubborness, especially concerning the necessity for prosciutto and melon on the menu, and required jackets even at the bar, forces his sons to bite their tongues.

What's truly incredible is the significance placed on stars from the New York Times' food critic. When Le Cirque reopens in 2006 in a new location, the Bloomberg building, Sirio literally goes days without sleeping prior to the review. When the restaurant receives only 2 stars, everyone is crushed. They fire the chef (who goes on to become Martha Stewart's personal chef) and revamp everything. A new 2008 review from Frank Bruni gives them 3 stars and they finally feel vindicated.

While I understand the importance of Frank Bruni, I think the fact the Sirio places such importance on those stars shows how much the food business has changed since the 80's. While the New York Times Food section is still terribly relevant, I think the internet has completely changed the landscape of how people choose restaurants. Certainly Michelin Stars mean something, but now so does Yelp. As much as some chefs may hate it, there is now a constant drone of bloggers reviewing dinners and these small voices have clout.

All in all the documentary was great, with gems like the Archbishop of New York blessing the restaurant and Sirio riding a bicycle in bright red pants. It was a glimpse into a family business in all its frustration but also glory.

Food Fight: A History of War

2008-12-30T12:37:00.002-05:00

Check out this history of modern warfare from WWII to the present. All countries are represented by various food items. This is incredible.

(Via The Feedbag)

Green Grape: Free Champange

2008-12-29T10:56:00.004-05:00

Wondering what kind of bubbly to get for New Year's Eve? Tonight and tomorrow night come to the Green Grape in Fort Greene:

"Please join us in our Brooklyn wine store on Monday, December 29 from 5-7pm for a fun pre-New Year's Eve tradition where we open all of our champagnes for you to sip and compare. This year we've added a bonus event, on Tuesday, December 30 from 5-7pm, we'll open five sparkling wines under $30. Taste these off-the-beaten-path sparkling alternatives to champagne and try before you buy for New Year's.

Both tastings will feature cheeses chosen by Glenn and Jada that go well with champagne. Among their recommendations: Brillat Savarin, Kunik and Dancing Cow's Brunet."

If you are looking for some good suggestions but can't make it to the Green Grape, check out this Tasting Report from Eric Asimov. Everything is under $20 and sure to impress.

Obama Foodorama

2008-12-19T12:54:00.003-05:00

I'm kind of a big fan of this blog: Obama Foodorama. They do an excellent job covering food/Obama related issues: everything from what Obama eats at a White Sox game to a recent post about the currently open position of Under Secretary of Food Safety. This article is able to slightly assuage my fears of Vilsack as Agriculature Secretary . Check out what they have to say about the role of Food Safety Under Secretary and why Bill Marler might be a good pick.

Soda Tax

2008-12-18T15:47:00.004-05:00

As part of Governor Patterson's proposed budget to shore up New York's blinding deficit, Patterson and his team have gotten creative: an %18 sales tax on all soft drinks and other nondiet sugary beverages. Nicholas Kristoff is again coming correct with his Op-Ed in the Times today and makes some great points as to how the cigarette tax was the biggest healthcare breakthrough in the last 40 years. Maybe this soda tax could do similar things for obesity what the cigarette tax did for lung cancer.

Soda, even if it tastes good, is empty calories and really does nothing good for you. However, I also believe that the stuff in diet soda isn't much better for you. There have been studies that point to diet soda actually being more harmful to you than regular soda. It's hard to tell what's really going on here with conflicting studies floating about, but I think the bottom line for me is soda isn't good. Period. (Although it's hard to imagine never having a Dr. Brown's again.)

But here are some facts from Mr. Kristoff: "One new study estimates that 24 million Americans now have diabetes, more than four times the number in 1980. The total direct and indirect cost to Americans is $218 billion each year — an average of $1,900 per American household. Each year, diabetes contributes to the deaths of more than 200,000 Americans."

These are real numbers and I think that a tax on soda is a step in the right direction. When it boils down to it, soda is part of a bigger problem: the fact that the U.S. government subsidizes corn that then ends up as the corn syrup inside Coke. And, like I said yesterday, it sucks that our new Agricultural Secretary has such close ties to the interests of keeping the corn syrup flowing.

Fader: Cooking with Amazing Baby

2008-12-18T11:23:00.004-05:00

Wesleyan-spawned band Amazing Baby goes into the Fader's 'test kitchen' and kind of cooks. They drink Colt 45's and Simon makes a peanut butter ball. Watch the video for more.

Dark Days?

2008-12-17T13:47:00.002-05:00

What does Obama's choice for Agriculture Secretary mean for U.S. food policy? While the NY Times and others essentially endorse the choice of former Iowa governor, Tom Vilsack, as Ag #1, I have my doubts. He was certainly not on the shortlist that Michael Pollan and other reform advocates drew up a few weeks back. Last Wednesday, Nicholas Kristoff eloquently wrote on the issue and the need to steer away from a secretary who is closely tied to big business agriculture. Yet choosing an Iowan governor is a pretty clear sign that King Corn won't be in danger anytime some.

As Ezra Klein points out over at the American Prospect, "appointing him to head the agency is like appointing the governor of a petrostate to head the Department of Energy."

Apparently, Vilsack is a strong advocate of combating global warming and developing alternative energy sources. That's great, but according to the Times, "One of the first major decisions Mr. Obama and Mr. Vilsack may have to make is whether to grant the ethanol industry’s requests for billions in federal aid in the stimulus bill." Let's face it, Corn rules Iowa ergo Corn brought Vilsack to power ergo he isn't going to bite the hand that feeds him....unless he is the coolest dude ever. I hope he surprises everyone and gets rid of ethanol subsidies. Then farmers, not Monsanto win. Then food is about the consumers not the producers. Argh!!!! I guess we shouldn't give up Hope just yet.

Fast Food Origami

2008-12-17T11:00:00.004-05:00

This is the perfect Sesame Tooth holiday gift. So what if you can't eat it. That's about a close to fast food as you need to be anyways.

Set includes sheets of printed sixteen 6"x 6" pieces of origami paper to make two burgers, a soda, a carton of fries and a tray. Illustrated instructions are easy to follow even if you don't understand Japanese!

Buy it at The Curiosity Shoppe for $6.00.

Recession Delight

2008-12-16T14:46:00.006-05:00

Inspired by growing whispers of falling prices and a recent NY Times article by Melissa Clark, I could no longer resist the call of the fish market. After work on Thursday, I headed over to The Lobster Place, looked the fish monger in the eye and said “Let me see your 2 pound lobsters, I’ll take a pair of them.” For $7.95/lb how could I not indulge? I road the train home giddy with the secret knowledge that, between my feet, two huge crustaceans elbowed each other for room.

For me, one of the most fascinating parts of cooking lobster is that you get the rare opportunity to kill your own food. Not that I enjoy the act itself, but the fact is we have been so far removed from the animals we eat that they are no longer recognizable. That package of meat in the supermarket was actually a cow at one point and it is important to acknowledge it as such, and be aware of how it got from cowness to steakness (probably in an antibiotic-fed daze on a factory farm). While I wish I could have set my own lobster traps, having a greater responsibility in the process from sea to table was extremely satisfying. I appreciated my meal more because of it.

That being said, I tried a new technique of killing lobsters not for the faint of heart. Following Melissa’s advice, I put the lobster in the freezer for 15 minutes to slow down its metabolism (this did not mean the lobsters weren’t squirming furiously after I took them out). Then I turned the lobster on its back, took my sharpest knife, and plunged the blade from head to tail. Next I cracked the shell in half and scooped out the guts. Elizabeth was with me for the first lobster, but had to leave the room for the second. The lobsters, with their decentralized nervous system, still twitched after I was done.

Over the summer, I had grilled lobsters in the Hamptons, and I had boiled lobsters before, so I was intrigued by Melissa’s suggestion to broil them in a spicy butter. Twelve minutes (of salivating and basting) later, they were a gorgeous red hue and ready. To compliment the seafood, I cooked polenta and then baked it with chopped garlic and parmesan cheese mixed in. I also baked up cubes of buttercup squash and steamed some spinach. As it turned out, all were easily eaten by hand.

The lobster tail meat separated from the shell in one simple pull and Elizabeth and I dived into to the succulent meat. Next followed the claws and silence. Then suddenly, I came out of a daze, completely sated, and completely satisfied, with a clean plate.

Grab some lobster while it’s still cheap! You won’t be disappointed.

Broiled Lobster with Cajun Butter

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon mustard powder

2 live lobsters, about 1 1/2 pounds each (or 2 lbs. if you're gangster).

1. Preheat broiler. Arrange an oven rack 4 inches from heat source. To make Cajun butter, stir together all ingredients except lobsters in a small bowl.

2. Place lobsters in bag in freezer for 15 minutes to slow their metabolism. Place a lobster on its back. Using a sharp knife and quick movement, slice lobster in half lengthwise from head to tip of tail. Grab both sides of shell and split open body, cracking through its hard back. Scoop out its gray-green innards. Use back of a heavy knife to crack open both claws. Repeat with remaining lobsters. (You can have a fishmonger do this for you as long lobster meat is cooked within an hour.)

3. Arrange lobsters in a single layer in a large roasting pan (or use 4 large gratin dishes). Coat body and claw meat generously with Cajun butter. Broil, basting once halfway through with pan juices, until lobster meat is cooked through and slightly charred, about 12 minutes. Remove lobsters from oven. Spoon pan juices over lobsters and serve.

More Axe than Axe

2008-12-15T13:10:00.003-05:00

In other fast food-related news, Burger King has just come out with a body spray!? Burger King Flame is 'the scent of seduction, with a hint of flame-broiled meat'.

As they explain on their website FireMeetsDesire.com, "The Whopper Sandwich is America's favorite Burger. Flame by BK captures the essense of that love and gives it to you" as a new age cologne. They are actually selling the stuff at Ricky's. I don't know what to say. Is this brilliant or sad?

McEvolution

2008-12-15T11:46:00.004-05:00

“The new packaging engages in an honest conversation with consumers about the quality of McDonald’s food,” claims Boxer, the design firm that McD's brought on to update the brand's image. For more on this unfortunate masking of fast-food's detriments check out Creative Review's article here.

Veev: Capitalizing on the Antioxidant Craze

2008-12-11T14:45:00.001-05:00

The featured beverage of the Green Drinks party was Veev (tagline: a better way to drink). Reputed as being the very first Açaí spirit, Veev's press release claims that the açaí is "the exotic-tasting, Brazilian national fruit considered to be the healthiest food on the planet. With 57% more antioxidants than pomegranates or blueberries, and 30 times more heart-healthy anthocyanins than red wine, this dark purple berry has catapulted from the Amazonian Rainforest to martini glasses."

I was first introduced to Acai about four years ago by my friend Grant. He had just come back from studying in Brazil and thought that acai was ripe for the spotlight, maybe even the next big American food trend. Unfortunately, he was maybe about a year late in terms of capitalizing on the berry. As you can see now, Acai is so trendy that there's even an alcoholic beverage using the fruit's health value to its advantage. This is clearly ludicrous; the alcohol is going to get you drunk, not keep your immune system strong. However, as marketing ploys go, it's not bad. Plus, they donate $1 per bottle to Sambazon's Sustainable Acai Project in Brazil. Righteous bootleggers.

oh come ON

2008-12-10T15:48:00.002-05:00

There is too much cuteness in this picture. Makes a grown man get all googley inside.

(via Serious Eats)

GreenDrinks

2008-12-10T09:58:00.005-05:00

Last night I attended the Island to Island Party, courtesy of Green Drinks NYC. Green Drinks is an international networking night out that happens once a month all over the country and the world. I was amazed at how cool it was. Here hundreds of green-conscious like-minded individuals network, make friends and learn about amazing projects around NYC and abroad. My friends at Make Me Sustainable had a booth there, as did bio diesel activists, fare trade chocolatiers and other cool business.

I went with my friend Chip, whose father was a keynote speaker of the night, talking about an organization he founded called Islands First. As Palau's ambassador to the UN, Stewart Beck has a vested interest in confronting the effects of climate change, which are felt to a much greater extent in the South Pacific than here in the U.S. If there are still neigh sayers of climate change out there, Palau is a perfect example of a place that is right now in the line of fire because our devastating treatment of the planet.

On a lighter note, there were several food treats that should not go unmentioned. Chocolate samples were in full force at Green Drinks represented by Sweet Riot, Travel Chocolate, and my personal favorite (namewise) Dagoba Chocolate.

Sweet Riot is "creating a sweet movement to fix the world. :) We’ve started by sourcing our cacao directly in Latin America, using recyclable, reusable packaging which features emerging artists, and by only using all-natural, healthy ingredients for our dark chocolate ‘peaces.’

Travel Chocolate's mission: To provide premium fair trade chocolate products with a positive societal impact focusing on improving farmers' working & living conditions, eradicating child labor, providing education, and restoring the earth's waterways.

At Dagoba Organic Chocolate they seek to honor Full Circle Sustainability principles: blending attention to Quality, Ecology, Equity and Community into each step from cacao farms to their factory to you. This is rooted in their founder Frederick Schilling’s vision to create exceptional chocolate through high standards of ethics and social responsibility.

Those are some upstanding Chocolate makers! And bars or 'peaces' like these wouldn't make a bad substitute for Chocolate Hanukah Gelt. So get going holiday shoppers. And make sure you check out when the next Green Drinks Party is happening around you.

P.S. If you are single, this was a goldmine to pick up chicks/dudes etc. because everyone is in the mood to meet new people and the awkwardness of talking to someone you don't know vanishes with the realization that everyone is connected through a common righteous goal. Is this what the 60's was like?

Chard in the Scone

2008-12-09T15:00:00.004-05:00

An Edible Book Festival is just a great idea, period. Puns, food and literature are my cup of tea. Every year the Library at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign holds their festival, part of an international movement started in 2000 that combines Brillat-Savarin's birthday (April 1st) with the tomfoolery of that particular day. I am definitely holding a festival this April Fool's and I am accepting suggestions for book/food creations starting now.

(via Seriouseats)

Snoop X Martha Mashed.

2008-12-08T13:24:00.002-05:00

I like black pepper.

(via Hima)

Deadly Chocolate

2008-12-04T16:06:00.001-05:00

Each reusable miniature ammo can contains 20 rounds of dangerously delicious .50 caliber milk chocolate bullets for your enjoyment!

(via Nerd Approved)

Thanksgiving Back Home

2008-12-04T10:24:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving was a week ago. I had the pleasure of spending the holiday back in Newton. Ever since I got a free copy of Bon Appetit, I had been dreaming of making a few choice dishes from it, namely sauteed brussel sprouts with chestnuts and pumpkin creme brulee.

So there I was, Wednesday afternoon, in the kitchen with my momma making the pumpkin creme filling. The recipe was really simple (find it at the bottom of the post) and the best part was that I was forced to buy one of those kitchen torches in order to make the brown sugar melt on top. This little gadget is really easy to use and my next idea is to sear tuna with it for sushi. But anyway, with an hour to go til Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, I found myself in the garage torching ramekins.

The brulee came out perfectly:
and went well with chocolate pecan pie, cranberry pie, and sugar cookies.

I know there are some people out there who don't really even enjoy Turkey, but my mom's brining was delectable.
The turkey was succulent; my sister's cranberry sauce divine; my mom's stuffing classic. We had sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes, with a gravy courtesy of yours truly. I love Thanksgiving, and I think that keeping it simple is the way to go, maybe with a few flourishes here and there (we had never had brussel sprouts before but they were welcome addition).
Having my aunt and cousin and Elizabeth's family there was great and although we never went around saying what we were thankful for, I can tell you that we were all quite thankful for such a feast.

Ingredients

1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
5 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups heavy whipping cream
8 tablespoons raw sugar or golden brown sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk pumpkin, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in large bowl. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla, then spices and salt. Bring cream just to boil in medium saucepan. Gradually whisk hot cream into pumpkin mixture.
Divide mixture among eight 5x1-inch ramekins. Divide ramekins between 2 large roasting pans. Add enough hot water to pans to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake until custards are just set in center, about 35 minutes. Chill custards until cold, about 6 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon raw sugar over pumpkin custard in each ramekin. Using kitchen torch, melt sugar until deep amber. (Alternatively, use broiler. Place ramekins on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle tops with brown sugar [not raw sugar] and melt directly under broiler until deep amber.) Refrigerate 15 minutes to allow sugar to harden. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 hour ahead. Keep chilled.

Fight Metabo With Virtual Wives!

2008-12-03T09:18:00.004-05:00

Japan's average population is getting older and everyone, including the government, is worried about the nation's health. In that sort of climate it's only natural for everyone to be constantly on their guard against Metabolic Syndrome (metabo in Japan) a combination of medical conditions that act in conjunction to increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

To help Combat Metabo, metaboinfo.com is now offering a service that is bound to help. The 'Virtual Wife' service is aimed at middle aged men who have a weight problem and need a nagging wife to remind them to eat well. You get to choose from four different virtual Japanese wives that will contact you throughout the day with 4 mobile emails reminding you to eat healthy.

Choices include a Japanese maid, a dominating business woman, a motherly nurse type, or a fashion conscience nail artist. Users then input their height, weight, and lifestyle habits and the emails you receive will be written in the style of your chosen wife.The service also allows you to use a meal management tool that will keep track of your daily calorie intake.

That's one way to fight obesity!

(via Jesse)

The Right Idea

2008-12-02T06:08:00.000-05:00

This informational video from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has it all: post-Nintendo music, Zoom-in x-ray vision, nationalism. But most of all, it is a great illustration of how Japan (or the U.S.) can become more self-sufficient regarding food production and energy. They basically call out the Western/American diet for making everyone obese and advocate shifting back to the more tradition Japanese diet of rice, vegetable and fish. I am down. Check it out!

(via The Feedbag)

Framingham Meat Mayhem

2008-12-01T14:03:00.005-05:00

Someone is leaving large hunks of meat on the town green in Framingham, MA. Thus far this unsolved mystery is puzzling city officials.

Maybe they need to do a steak out! This video is not very informative but you can read the full article here.

Dinner At My House

2008-12-01T09:44:00.007-05:00

The week before Thanksgiving, Naphy called me up to say, "Noah, let's make dinner at your house on Wednesday." This seemed like a brilliant idea. I've known Naphy since he was a meat and potatoes/one-glass-of-OJ-one-glass-of-milk-with-every-meal kind of youth. These days though, I was not surprised by his request for fish. It even turned out that we were right on the same page craving scallops. So after work I headed over to Green Grape Provisions for the fish. Because it was going to be me and Elizabeth, and Naphy and his lady friend Becca, a meal of scallops was going to be pricey. Instead, I decided on a scallop appetizer and a sexy looking fillet of organic (but farm-raised) Salmon for the main course.

At home I already had a butternut squash ripe for the roasting and few choice ingredients my mom had brought down on my folk's last visit: a bag of 'Forbidden' black rice from Lotus Foods and a jar of the aptly named FiCoco, a fig and cocoa spread. Here's how the meal went down:
We marinated the Salmon in an Asian-style sesame ginger BBQ sauce, preheated the oven and put the rice on. I chopped up the butternut into cubes, dressed it in olive oil, red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and salt/pepper. I put that in the oven at 325 for about 15-20 minutes, until a I could easily pierce it with a fork. Once it was done, I took it out, covered it and turned the oven up to 425. Meanwhile, we threw together a salad and then put the salmon in for about 25-30 minutes.

Once everything was underway, I started preparing the scallops. Naph chopped up a bunch of shallots and we carmelized those in our tiny cast iron pan. The last time I made scallops, I wasn't completely satisfied with the searing, so this time I was more patient in letting the oil heat up. I cooked the scallops for about 2.5 minutes a side. Then I smeared the FiCoco spread on a plate, placed the scallops on top and then garnished it with the shallots and some fresh chive.

I usually broil salmon, not bake it. But this turned out great, especially with its healthy slathering of bbq sauce. It was a delicious meal, eaten in wonderful company. My own criticism was that the meal, taken as a whole, was too sweet (the bbq sauce, the wonderful flavor of the roasted butternut, and the FiCoco) but still quite enjoyable. Thanks Naphy for making it happen. I encourage anyone who so desires to call me up and invite yourself over for dinner. I would happily oblige.

Miami Beach: Joe's Stone Crab

2008-11-23T19:55:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, I headed down to Miami Beach with Steve, Dan and Andy, my college roommates. I made it very clear that my only stipulation for our 3 night stay was a trip to Joe's Stone Crab. My father grew up in Miami and throughout my childhood we would make a trip at least once a year down there to visit my grandmother, Vivian. Each trip, there was a mandatory sojourn to Joe's. After my grandma passed away, we stopped going down there, but I've always had vivid memories of the waiters in tuxedos, the pumpernickel onion rolls, the crabs with mustard sauce and the key lime pie.

Joe's doesn't take reservations, so Saturday night we hopped in a cab at 5:45 and breezed through the huge waiting area where lines would soon start forming. Our penguin of a waiter, John introduced himself and told us we were in good hands. I knew for starters we had to order their famous cole slaw, which we supplemented with two orders of shrimp cocktail and a half dozen oysters (I think from Loiuisiana). John arranged the appetizers perfectly along our table. The cole slaw was amazing because it had pickles in it and the seafood was perfect.

It seemed that no sooner had we cleaned our plates that John the appeared to take them away. Next he personally tied bibs around our necks, a pleasure that still held the same joy as when I was 6 years old. And then two seconds later there was a pile of jumbo stone crabs on the table.

Along with the claws came the requisite (and famous) hash browns, which John individually divided and served to us. He bid us farewell, and we started our feast.
As we dipped the tender crab meat alternately in the classic mustard sauce and the hot melted butter, I remembered the mighty power of the crab: after a stone crab is caught, one claw is taken from it and then the crustacean is thrown back in the water, where it regenerates its missing limb. Even though the crabs cost an arm and leg (pun intended), the sweetness of the shellfish was worth every penny. What astonished me most about the meal is how well is squared with my memories of the place. High expectations rooted in childhood fantasy is a dangerous place to come from. Isn't it always that no matter how hard you try to recreate your grandmother's matzoh balls, they never come out quite the way you remember? Yet, that night, my grandma Vivian's spirit must have been blessing our feast, because everything tasted just as good as I remembered.

Especially the slice of key lime pie which I demanded we order. It was gone so fast I didn't even get a picture. But here's an idea of how good it was:

Going to Joe's is mandatory if you go down to Miami. But don't go alone. At least in my experience, it seems that the company makes the the stone crab that much richer, the key lime pie that much sweeter.

Meat the Family

2008-11-20T14:33:00.003-05:00

From Sham

Seiko Kato is a illustrator/collage-er working out of Brighton, England. One of the artist's most recent projects is entitled MEATFACE:

Find more family members here.

Super Model Meat Sports

2008-11-19T12:47:00.000-05:00

The Feedbag put me on to this. I don't get it, but I do love potato salad.

G20 discusses fate of world, eats food

2008-11-18T14:26:00.002-05:00

MSNBC reports on the dinner menu for the G20 summit that just went down in Washington. World leaders came to the White House to discuss the global financial crisis and had a nice meal:

Fruitwood-smoked Quail with Quince Gastrique
Quinoa Risotto
Landmark Chardonnay "Damaris Reserve" 2006
Thyme-roasted Rack of Lamb
Tomato, Fennel and Eggplant Fondue
Chanterelle Jus
Shafer Cabernet "Hillside Select" 2003
Lolla Rosa, Red Oak and Endive
Cider Vinaigrette
Baked Vermont Brie with Walnut Crostini
Pear Torte
Huckleberry Sauce
Chandon Étoile Rosé

Over at Serious Eats some comments were critical of such nice food considering the crisis at hand. However, these are the most powerful people in the world. While I do believe it's important to be aware of appearance and the message you are sending, I don't mind if they have a nice meal before getting down to business. The menu doesn't appear to be ostentatious. Personally, I'd like to know a little more about where the ingredients came from, but overall I'm not hating.

Jean Georges for Lunch

2008-11-18T12:16:00.001-05:00

Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of having lunch at Jean Georges, one of New York's finest dining establishments. When I heard they had a $28 lunch special, I thought that the occasion of my workmate's departure was the perfect ecuse to bite the bullet and experience what Jean Georges Vongerichten had to offer at his flagship locale.

Ross and I entered Trump Tower fairly soaked but the excitement of the food overwhelmed our sogginess. We were ushered into the main dining room which was almost austere save for its modern chandelier. The seats were extremely comfortable and everything else was understated, creating a clean palate for the focal point of each table, the food. I was a little worried that the two dishes they offer for $28 would not be filling enough, but my fears gave way to salivation. After we ordered, they brought out a trio Amuse Bouch: a shot of Cauliflower puree, hybiscus syrup; Scottish salmon, asian pear; and a carmelized tangerine. Each had morsel was a perfectly executed bite to be savored.

For our appetizers, I had selected the Foie Gras Brulee, Spiced Fig Jam, Toasted Brioche. I could not resist the idea of the rich pate with a crystalized top layer. The dish was so intoxicatingly rich that I had to slow my normal speed of eating. I found the Spiced Fig Jam a little sweet for creamy foie gras but it was served in a pot on the side so I could use it sparingly.

Ross opted for one of their signature dishes, the Young Garlic Soup with Thyme, Sauteed Frogs Legs. I tasted the soup and found it full of Spring time, seriously. It's flavors made your eyes want to smile.

For our main course, we both gravitated towards the Roast Veal, Quince Pineapple Compote, Roquefort, but Ross ordered first so I made a game time decision to get the Soy-glazed beef short ribs, Apple-Jalepeno Puree, Rosemary Bread crumbs. I made a great choice. However, it turned out that both my dishes were boldly rich, so I think in hindsight I wouldn't pair the two of them together (and if I were a waiter I might have suggested as much) but each individually were so good that it didn't matter at all. The short ribs pulled apart perfectly and the rosemary breadcrumbs gave a welcome crunch to the meat. The Roast Veal was also cooked to perfection but I find the slightest dab of Roquefort to overpower the meat and distract from the compote.

Finally, when we declined to order desert, they still brought us out mignardises.

Four chocolates: cinnamon, coconut, limon and dark chocolate;
Three: Macaroons: Pomegranate, Chestnut and Cardamon;
Three marshmellows: Banana, Cranberry and Vanilla.
By far the coolest part of the meal was the truck they brought out that bore the homemade marshmellows. On it was a glass cylinder filled with altering layers of marshmellow flavor. With a practiced flourish, the waiter snipped squares of marshmellow and put them on our plates.

We left the meal feeling like royalty. It was found farewell for Ross and I, after spending 6 months working in the same room together and we both marveled at our experience living and New York and being able to enter into the fantasy world of Foie Gras Brulee and John Lithgow (we saw him entering as we left). I would love to go back with anyone who wants to join me. Any takers?

Brooklyn Oysters

2008-11-17T15:44:00.002-05:00

The Brooklyn Paper reports that scientists are putting oysters in the New York harbor to create and combat pollution. Unfortunately, they're not for eating. However:

"Hundreds of years ago, of course, when the white man first set foot in this bivalve paradise, oysters as big as dinner plates filled the waterways of Brooklyn — and raw shellfish was sold on street corners for the next two centuries, much as hot dogs are today." Damn.

via Serious Eats

Obama Kryptonite

2008-11-17T14:40:00.003-05:00

New Celebrity President news: Obama shuns beets. From Yahoo News comes a story on the First Family's eating habits. Obama on beets: "I've always avoided them." He doesn't know what he's missing.

Mixology Is Over-rated

2008-11-17T13:23:00.002-05:00

The Sell (aka I didn't write this):

Remember Marble runs – you know those tubes you set up and the marble rolled down? This is the grown-up version where you mix your drinks though the tunnels, passages and tubes!

Stick the Ice Chamber, Vortex Funnels and 3 Pods to your fridge, kitchen tiles, or windows by their super sticky suckers. You can arrange them in any way you want!

Pour your mixers in at the top and watch in amazement as they make their tipsy ( ummmm…. topsy) turvy journey to the bottom. There'll be so much splashing, whizzing, churning and crazy fun that your guests won't believe their eyes!

When the show is over, turn the tap for the perfectly mixed, and chilled party drink time after time!

Features:

Make your drinks in a unique way
Like a marble run – but with booze!

Via NerdApproved.com

Darth Vader, Lord of Toast

2008-11-14T09:04:00.000-05:00

"The Darth Vader Toaster is pretty bogus: any real Jedi would just slice his loaf with a Light Saber and it would fall ready-toasted, needing only a quick slathering of butter and jam (blueberry for the good guys and red, red, raspberry for those on the Dark Side)." -Wired Blog (via Nerd Approved via I first saw this on Serious Eats)

What's next? Hopefully one of these:

Independently Owned Since...

2008-11-13T10:58:00.000-05:00

Studio SSS created a series of portraits to honor independent business owners in NYC. Awesome. I found this after checking out the new Russ and Daughter's blog, Lox Populi.

Bussaco

2008-11-11T17:36:00.006-05:00

When I heard whispers last month of a new restaurant opening up in Park Slope, I was intrigued. Knowing my parents were coming to town to visit, I did a little more research to see whether I should try something new, or keep it super-local and go back to No.7. The NY Mag previewed Bussaco's menu at the beginning of October and the pastrami duck and fried poussin had me salivating. So I made a reservation.

The space itself, right across from the Park Slope food co-op, has a gorgeous entranceway and good vibe walking in. We were seated near the communal bar table made from salvaged Prospect Park oak and quickly found that the owners had done little to mask the barrage of sound coming from hungry patrons and clattering plates. Nevertheless, being with the fam, gave me opportunity to try a number of dishes, and they almost made up for noise.

After we ordered, they came around with a bread basket with multiple options, always a plus. I took a olive roll which ended up complimenting my dirty onion martini. The drink was one of the most unique I'd ever tasted. Instead of Olive juice, they used the juice of homemade pickled baby onions (three of which were speared in the pinkish martini). While Elizabeth literally said that it tasted "like ass" I thought that the pickled flavor gave the vodka a quality that brought it past martini-dom into something much more creative and sophisticated. (The Sicilian and Greek wines my father ordered were also delicious.)

I'd read that the go-to appetizer was the "freshest mozzarella" (pictured below) which involves chef Mathew Schaefer dropping curds into hot water and then...that's it. He tops it off with delicata squash and candied pecans. It was decent. But the braised/grilled squid hit the ball out of the park. I wish I could remember exactly how they did it. But I'm pretty sure they had some water chestnuts in there that played crunch to the squid's chew.
Did I get the Beef Bavette for its sweetbreads and four mini blood puddings? Yes, and it wasn't a wrong choice. The meat was tender and cooked to perfection, the blood puddings cute but packing punch and the fried sweetbreads also tasty. But sweetbreads, at least from my few encounters with them, are over-rated. What stole the show was the Fried Poussin aka chicken and waffles. I've had the fried chicken at Blue Ribbon which is damn good, but I always feel kind of weird ordering fried chicken for more than $20. The poussin killed it though and the waffles, enfused with vanilla were light and pretty much the platonic perfection of what a waffle should be. The dish was topped off with a ramekin of joyful collard greens for good measure.
Finally, for dessert I ordered butternut cheesecake which quickly became the envy of the table (Go pastry chef Deborah Snyder). Sidenote: did you know that pumpkin puree ain't really made out of pumpkin. So probably most of those pumpkin cheesecakes and pies you've enjoyed are actually made with some sort of squash. Anyways, there were hits and misses throughout, but by the end of the meal I was confident that I knew exactly what to order next time. The squid and the poussin. Then again, they have a tasty looking bar menu...for cheap.

New York Chocolate Show

2008-11-11T13:52:00.003-05:00

I didn't make it to the 11th annual New York Chocolate show this past weekend. I obviously missed missed out. The four day event kicked off with a super-hero inspired fashion show where everyone's costume was edible. How is this even possible? Check out these pictures from Gothamist: Ironman, Lara Croft, Supergirl and more.

Mouth Watering

2008-11-11T12:44:00.004-05:00

The Bernarducci/Meisel Gallery presents, Luigi Benedicenti, one of Italy’s most celebrated Photorealist painters. "The paintings featured in this exhibition include some of the most delectable by Benedicenti, selecting from his observations of Italian desserts. The fruits and tarts radiate with an explosive sweetness, matched only by the intricate detail and precision of his intricate painting style. This exhibition represents his New York solo debut."

This Gallery happens to be two blocks from my office, so I'll have to swing by soon. View the works being exhibited here. I can't believe these are paintings.

Cake Man Cake Man

2008-11-10T10:41:00.003-05:00

I finally made the (short) pilgrimage to Cake Man Raven last week. I am not usually in the order of seeking out dessert, but Elizabeth and I happened to be passing by this notorious cake spot and figured we couldn't hold out any longer, especially considering it was only a few blocks from home. I knew what we were getting before we went inside: a slice of Red Velvet Cake. But it still blew me away that shop front was pretty much a register and a glass case filled exclusively with individually boxed pieces of thick red cake. That was it. Elizabeth asked a teenager behind the counter his opinion of the dessert but he could barely answer on account of his mouthful of red velvet. At first, I thought 6 bucks was expensive for the slice but then I felt its weight and realized it would feed us both and then some.

After dinner we dug in. It was perfect. The nuts on the outside added a crunch to the thick white frosting, which wasn't saccharine but nevertheless intense. I managed to get some frosting with every bite of the moist, rather heavy cake, and the combination was heavenly. It didn't just taste like vanilla cake with red food coloring either; the cocoa and buttermilk in the batter gave it an extra kick.

Then on Saturday I happened to go to a party serving Magnolia red velvet cake! And I must say Cake Man Raven wins. Magnolia's red velvet was light and airy, which is often a good thing for cakes. But in the end, it didn't stand up. There was something deep and rich about Cake Man Raven's red velvet that had me wishing I was back in Fort Greene rather than Manhattan.

Making Pizza Difficult

2008-11-07T13:25:00.003-05:00

This is just so unnecessary. C'mon! First off, pizza always comes sliced. So the only time you are going to need a pizza cutting implement is when you make it at home. Secondly, homemade pizza is a beautiful and imperfect thing. No need for such a demented QVC utensil. And thirdly, I'm left-handed and have been discriminated against enough via scissor!

Scallops with Shallot Butter and Roasted Kabocha

2008-11-06T16:01:00.003-05:00

Last night I went to Provisions and found some beautiful dry scallops that had just come in. At $21.99/lb, these mollusks are no steal, but if you think about it, scallops are rich that so you don't need that many and getting them at a restaurant, it's going to cost you about $23 a plate whereas I could make a meal for two people at home for just under $20.

I had a nice Kabocha squash which I prepared a la The Flexatarian Table. First setting the oven to 450 degrees, I sliced the squash in half, scooped out the seeds and cut it into slices about 1 inch thick (on the skin side). Next I took 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil, 1 teaspoon of Cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt and mixed them together in a big bowl. I tossed my Kabocha slices in the bowl then laid them out on a baking tray. They only took about 25-30 minutes to get nice and caramelized (but I turned them a few times, always checking with a fork to see if they were ready).

In the mean time, I heated a medium cast iron over medium high heat and a small pan on low heat. To the small pan, I added a half a stick of butter and a medium shallot, stirring occasionally. I put a tablespoon of olive oil into medium cast iron, then tossed in my scallops (which I had salted and peppered). You should flip scallops only once, but since they are a such meaty and delicate treat, each side need only cook for about 3-4 minutes.

Then bam! Throw some baby greens on the plate with balsamic, the squash and the scallops and dose em with the shallot butter (as exhibited above). Simple. All in about 35 minutes. Delicious.

The Joker's Fall

2008-11-06T14:04:00.004-05:00

Fall is more than in full effect. This is evidenced by my trip to the farmer's market last weekend as well as the passing of another Halloween. Have you even seen purple cauliflower before, or the aptly named cheddar cauliflower next to it?

Notice the echoes of nature's bounty in my Joker costume. Coincidence?

New Tomorrow

2008-11-05T11:56:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago in an interview with Joe Klein of Time Magazine, Barrack Obama said this:

The biggest problem with our energy policy has been to lurch from crisis to trance. And what we need is a sustained, serious effort. [...] I was just reading an article in the New York Times by Michael Pollen about food and the fact that our entire agricultural system is built on cheap oil. As a consequence, our agriculture sector actually is contributing more greenhouse gases than our transportation sector. And in the mean time, it's creating monocultures that are vulnerable to national security threats, are now vulnerable to sky-high food prices or crashes in food prices, huge swings in commodity prices, and are partly responsible for the explosion in our healthcare costs because they're contributing to type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart disease, obesity, all the things that are driving our huge explosion in healthcare costs. That's just one sector of the economy. You think about the same thing is true on transportation. The same thing is true on how we construct our buildings. The same is true across the board.

For us to say we are just going to completely revamp how we use energy in a way that deals with climate change, deals with national security and drives our economy, that's going to be my number one priority when I get into office, assuming, obviously, that we have done enough to just stabilize the immediate economic situation.

I know I have been shouting out Michael Pollen a lot, but the fact that Obama a) actually READS and b) read the article Pollen wrote addressed to the next president (which I previously posted about here) is awe-inspiring. While many questions remain to be answered concerning how Obama will fair as our 44th president, it is a thoughful passage such as this one that makes me think that this historic day is truly the beginning of new era. And that Change is not a campaign slogan but a wind that will alter the course of our nation.

As American as Apple Pie

2008-11-04T11:24:00.002-05:00

Can Obama bake his pie and eat it too? As you can see here: YES HE CAN!

Letter From Buenos Aires

2008-11-03T13:23:00.003-05:00

My boy Nick just moved down to Buenos Aires. My brother was going through the city on tour so they met up for dinner Friday night. Through the benevolence of a mysterious lady, they were whisked away from the tourist trap steakhouses to a real 'porteno', a local football club that also served dinner to its players and their families.

From Nick: "So we walk up to the place and its a hole in the wall indoor football field and just some tables lined up to the side. After some of my bullsh*t spanish, we get a table. I ask the guy, we just want to eat well, give me your special dish. Obviously, it's beef. Also, the menu was basically three entrees: Beef, Chicken, Pork. We all got beef, some fries, a little salad, $3 bottles of wine. It was amazing. In general, Argentina has ill beef, but they cook the sh*t out of it. This was perfectly done, the fries and salad were also great quality. It was the kinda of place Tony Bourdain goes to and you think, why can't I ever go to places like that? And it was less then $10 per person."

From Jesse: "Oh my local grub! So good, so simple! This is living!" This is further evidenced by the kitchen of Eros:
Thanks guys.

From the Omnivore's Dilemma

2008-11-03T11:19:00.002-05:00

"So much about life in a global economy feels as though it has passed beyond the individual's control -what happens to our jobs, to the prices at the gas station, to the vote of the legislature. But somehow food still feels a little different. We can still decide, every day, what we're going to put in our bodies, what sort of food chain we want to participate in. We can, in other words, reject the industrial omelet on offer and decide to eat another. This might not sound like a big deal, but it could be the beginning of one. Already the desire on the part of consumers to put something different into their bodies has created an $11 billion market in organic food. That marketplace was built by consumers and farmers working informally together outside the system, with exactly no help from the government."

Presidential Eats

2008-11-01T14:45:00.000-04:00

Great slideshow from the Huffington Post showing Obama and McCain eating their way through America.
Here McCain and Palin eat BBQ at the legendary Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City. Yeah, I've been there! Arguably the best BBQ in the country. Certainly one of the best BBQ meals I've ever had. Good taste, guys.

Obama drinking a Yuengling! Finally, I'm convinced. I've been undecided for so long...

From chicken (Gallus gallus) to Chicken McNugget

2008-10-31T15:02:00.003-04:00

Banksy's Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill is a truly remarkable art exhibit that explores our connection with the animals we eat. "I wanted to make art that questioned our relationship with animals and the ethics and sustainability of factory farming, but it ended up as chicken nuggets singing," Banksy said in a statement. He must have read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma which I'm devouring right now. I've never enjoyed a work of non-fiction like this, nor learned so much. Pick up a copy. Below watch 21st century chicks enjoying their meal of bbq dipping sauce.

Halloween Burger King Style

2008-10-31T11:11:00.003-04:00

Who is Burger King marketing to here? As a cartoon, the obvious answer would be children. But check out the tomato being mercilessly slashed in half by a Scream pickle. It's kinda messed up. Overtly violent. I don't care that the tomato is gushing ketchup instead of blood. Thanks BK. Happy Halloween.

Halloween at The Selby

2008-10-30T11:02:00.004-04:00

Todd Selby is a photographer whose latest project is to go into cool people's homes, photograph them and post the photographs on his website The Selby. How do you know they are cool people? Well, just look at their homes. The portraits are beautifully shot and it's really interesting to get such an intimate glimpse of fresh apartments and houses. Above, Selby shot Jennifer Earle and Mike Gabel, a pair of entertainers in their London flat. I think this is a perfect food-themed costume.

Sarah Palin: Locavore

2008-10-29T15:46:00.005-04:00

"Gun sales have been up this fall, and Tony Aeschliman of the Shooting Sports Association speculated that lack of work gives rural people more time to hunt and more incentive to 'put a deer in the freezer.' And by the deer carcass is where the shooters and the foodies meet."

In his Slate.com article, Michael Agger takes a step back from Palin-bashing to examine what the Alaskan Governor's love of hunting really means.

When Palin was running for governor in 2006, she told USA Today, "We hunt as much as we can, and I'm proud to say our freezer is full of wild game we harvested here in Alaska." You can't really hate on that (unless you think killing animals for food is wrong, in which case you still can).

Wine: Kami no Shizuku

2008-10-29T11:11:00.005-04:00

Last week the NY Times ran an article about a comic book that had me salivating. The Japanese brother-and-sister team of Shin and Yuko Kibayashi have been writing the series "Drops of the Gods" for four years. The comic, centered around wine, has gained such a following in Japan and Korea that wine sellers often import wine based upon what the characters are drinking. The beauty of the story is that it uses the pairing of word and graphic image to describe wine in vivid and imaginative ways. (Click on the image to enlarge and read from right to left)
Personally, I believe the graphic novel to be one of the great art forms for exactly this reason. In comics, the old maxim 'a picture is worth a thousand words' is combined with the human necessity to describe and to name. Much like a steak paired with a good wine, words and images play off each other to tremendous effect as the act of story telling is enhanced by a showing of sorts.
The Times article goes on to describe the Kibayashi's as unabashed Francophiles who find American wines lacking in Old-world depth. This, to me, was fine, but what was truly disappointing is that the article states there are no English translations. I was horrified. Then I did my own snooping around and found that at least the first three chapters are translated. Enjoy!

Recipe: Mexican Lasagna

2008-10-28T11:47:00.008-04:00

Quick, easy and better than expected (that's what she said) is how Naphie described Rachael Ray's Mexican Lasagna. This looks pretty good. I will definitely have to try it.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 green peppers chopped (Naphie felt the dish was lacking in the veggie dept.)
Salt
8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack
2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve.