Al Dente

What to Mix Up for The Big Game: The Go Team

This sporty drink (featured in my drinking-book Good Spirits, but originally picked up from my bartending pal Joel Meister) will make you the winner no matter what the final score of the actual game. Refreshing, but with that little kick that makes it easier to handle your team losing, and more fun to celebrate your team winning, the Go Team is an ideal accompaniment for all the tasty snacks that have been posted this week.

Ingredients:
Ice cubes
1 ounce Stolichnaya Vanil vodka
1 ounce Stolichnaya Ohranj vodka
1/2 ounce Midori melon liqueur
1/2 ounce simple syrup (see note below)
2 lime wedges
5 – 8 leaves fresh mint
Chilled soda water

Directions:
1. Add the lime wedges, mint, and simple syrup to a Collins glass or similarly-sized glass. Using a muddler or wooden spoon, muddle well.

2. Fill the glass three quarters up with ice cubes. Add the vodkas and the Midori. Stir well with a bar spoon.

3. Top off the glass with chilled club soda. Stir one more time. Serve with a game-winning smile.

A Note: Simple syrup is a snap to make (if you didn’t already know). For 4-1/2 cups worth, add 3 cups sugar and 2-1/2 cups water to a medium-sized saucepan. Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a boil over a medium-high heat. Lower the heat a bit, keeping the mixture at the low boil for five minutes. Then turn off the heat, and let the syrup completely cool in the pan. It stays good for up to a month in the fridge.

--A.J. Rathbun

What to Cook for The Big Game: Easy Parmesan Cheese Crisps

We've been eating a lot of cheese in the Al Dente HQ lately. (For those of you new to Al Dente, we just conducted a Parmesan cheese taste test, which I'm putting together the finishing touches on this week.) In honor of the mound of Parmesan left over in my refrigerator, I felt inspired to share this simple recipe with you all. When these crisps cool, toss 'em in a Caesar or pasta salad, if they make it that far. (Trust me, you'll be popping these like Pez.) And, you can always sprinkle a little paprika or freshly ground black pepper on these to give them a slight kick.

Ingredients:
4 cups good quality coarsely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with greased parchment paper. (Tip: using a silicone baking mat works very well.) Sprinkle the coarsely grated Parmesan cheese into small, 5-inch diameter circles onto the pan. The circles should be in a thin layer so that they crisp up nicely. Place sheet pan in the oven and bake for approximately 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the cheese from the sheet pan. If you'd like to shape the crisps, quickly place them over a rolling pin after removing from the oven and allow them to cool. Sprinkle with desired seasonings, and repeat baking step with remaining cheese.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

The Wednesday Wrap: Food News to Go

"That's like putting your whole mouth right in the dip!": Just in time for this Sunday's Super Bowl parties, the great Harold McGee takes a scientific look at double-dipping and just what's going on at the bottom of the communal bowl. [New York Times]

There's More Than One Way to Eat an Oyster: Russ Parsons (no relation) goes beyond the singular sensation of eating a cold, clean oyster to explore other cooking methods (even microwaved!).  [LA Times]

Would You Like Bacon with That?: Monica Eng sits down for breakfast with Michael Ruhlman. [Chicago Tribune]

Gridiron Eats: Pats or the Giants? Boston or New York? Which city's cuisine reigns supreme? Boston thinks their roast beef and clams take the game; NYC's all about the pizza. [The Boston Globe]

Bruni Beat: New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni shines one star ("good") on the "Beirut by way of Istanbul and Athens and even Barcelona" fare of Ilili in the Flatiron District. [New York Times]

--BTP

What to Cook for The Big Game: French Onion Dip

What good is watching a football game without onion dip? Pointless, I say. This is simple to make, so when it dissappears during the first quarter (and it will), you can whip up another batch during a commercial break.

Ingredients
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh parsley and/or chives, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Put all of the ingredients in a food processor. Process on high for 10 seconds. Stir slightly (making sure to get everything off the sides). Process for another 5 to 10 seconds until completely combined.
2. Spatula the dip into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate up to an hour (or for you impatient types, stick it in the freezer for about ten minutes). Serves 6 to 8 people.

--AndreaLeigh

What to Cook for The Big Game: Swedish Meatballs

I have to admit feeling a little like Duke, the golden retriever who tries to sell the secret family recipe to Bush's Original Baked Beans--that's because I'm going to share my mom's super-secret recipe for Swedish Meatballs. I've used this recipe many times to make a big batch of easy-to-prepare party appetizers. They're always a hit, now friends even RSVP saying, "there'd better be meatballs!" So, whether your favorite spectator sport is the Super Bowl or Project Runway, here's the recipe in time to load up your crock pot.

Swedish Meatballs a la Broadstone's Mom

Ingredients:
1 six-pound bag of frozen meatballs from your favorite food warehouse, such as Costco
1 jar (16 oz) creamy Alfredo sauce
1 jar (16 oz) roasted garlic Alfredo sauce
1.5 cups dry white wine

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on a foil-covered cookie sheet. Bake uncovered until the meatballs are browned, about 30-40 minutes.
3. Transfer meatballs to a large stockpot and add both jars of Alfredo sauce.
4. Pour 1/4 cup of white wine into each jar and shake to blend with any remaining sauce. Pour the blended wine and sauce over the meatballs and stir well.
5. Simmer uncovered, over medium heat for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
6. Pour remaining 1 cup of wine into a glass--that's for you to enjoy while hiding the empty sauce jars.

It's that easy. Delicious, simple, and the sauce won't separate. Oh, and if you see my mom, don't... say... a word.

--Broadstone

Cheeseburger In a Can--Courtesy of Zee Germans

If a worldwide apocalypse had forced us to live in underground bunkers just a few months ago, our diet would have consisted of dehydrated foods, canned beans, and vegans. Now, thanks to zee Germans, you can add cheeseburgers to that menu.

And not just any cheeseburger--canned cheeseburger. The web detectives over at Spuch dug up this gem.

I guess if survival came down to a choice between cannibalism and canned cheeseburger, I'd definitely think twice about eating someone.

--Spanno

What to Cook for The Big Game: Mini Beef Crescents

All this week, we're going to focus on food for Sunday's big game. My culinary preference for football cuisine is easy-to-cook, man-sized finger food. And lots of it. This recipe, from Pillsbury.com, fits the bill perfectly because it's versatile and easy to make.

Mini Beef and Cheese Crescents

Ingredients
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 tablespoon Italian salad dressing
2 slices (1/2 to 1 oz each) cheese, each cut into 8 strips
2 tablespoons chopped roasted red bell peppers (from a jar or fresh)
3 oz thinly sliced cooked roast beef (from deli), cut into 16 pieces [feel free to substitute any sliced, chopped, marinated, or pulled meat --Spanno]

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough and separate into 8 triangles; press out each triangle so shortest side measures 4 inches. Cut each triangle in half lengthwise from tip end to short side to make 16 triangles.
2. Brush each triangle with salad dressing. Top each with 1 cheese strip, scant 1/2 teaspoon roasted peppers and 2 pieces of beef, folding to fit on triangle. Roll up each, starting at shortest side of triangle and rolling to opposite point; place point side down on cookie sheet.
3. Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Makes 16 appetizers.

--Spanno

It's Tom's Seattle... We Just Eat Here

James Beard Award-winning Seattle chef Tom Douglas is a man whose name is synonymous with Pacific Northwest cuisine. Through five of Seattle's most creative and exciting restaurants, Tom and his wife and business partner, Jackie Cross, have helped define the Seattle food scene. Tom is also the author of three cookbooks, including the award-winning Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen, and oversees a line of specialty food products sold nationwide. I've been lucky enough to get to know Tom since I moved to Seattle in '99 and his Palace Kitchen practically serves as a second home for me. Tom has been kind enough to have me as a regular guest on his weekly radio show to talk about cookbooks, but this was the first time I had the opportunity to interview him about about celebrity chefs, getting your kids involved in the kitchen, bloggers, his undying love of Seattle, and much more. Highlights from our talk are below. You can read the entire interview or listen to a podcast of the interview on Amazon Wire (gentle readers, please note: I was at the peak of a severe cold when we recorded this so I sound a bit like Lauren Bacall).

--BTP

Amazon.com: First of all, how would you define Pacific Northwest cuisine?

Douglas:   That's a cheap question.

Amazon.com: Too easy?

Douglas: [Laughs] Well, I've only been asked it for 25 years now and it's still a hard one to come by. I think it's in the context of a restaurant and for me restaurants are so much more than just their cuisine. I think the Seattle restaurant scene is a really fun--really up and down the Pacific Northwest coast. Portland's the same way... Vancouver. There's a certain sense of approachability. A certain sense of product. A celebration of the amazing bounty that we have here. Pacific Northwest cuisine is really about--kind of the same regionality that every other region has--things that come from here. I think the best way to explain to somebody from "the outside" is to use the salmon explanation.

When you are a chef in New York City or in Florida or in Dallas and you want salmon on your menu tonight you call your fish broker and you order salmon. You have some fresh salmon? Yeah? I'll take some salmon tonight. In Seattle, when you want salmon on your menu you call your fish guy and you say, What kind of salmon do you have tonight? Coho? King? Silvers? Keta? Where was it caught? What river? Campbell River? Yukon River? Copper River? Columbia River? Who caught it? Was it brought up right on the boat? Was it troll-caught? Gill-netted? Pursing caught? How was it bled? Did they bleed it right there on the boat or did they wait till they got to the dock and take it to the dockhouse and then take care of all the fish at one time? Or, as that fish was brought up, did somebody stop, bleed it, and pack its belly with ice and put it in the hold and go back three hours later to the shore and that afternoon put it on an Alaska Airlines jet down to Seattle? Oh, I'll take that one! I'll take that salmon that was King, troll-caught, boat-bled, caught this morning, on a plane this afternoon. That's the fish that I want!

And so, when you talk about Northwest Cuisine, that's the charm of living here and being a chef here. You have those kind of options.

What to Cook This Weekend: Zucchini Stuffed Zucchini

It may seem a little strange to stuff something with itself. It’s already stuffed with itself, right? But when you take some of a zucchini out and introduce it to a few other ingredients, what once was merely a side dish turns into the centerpiece of a meal or at the very least, a spectacular side dish. And if you’re cooking with friends, this dish allows you to tell them to “stuff it” without any repercussions.

Serves two as a main course, or four as a side.

Ingredients:
Four medium sized zucchini (about 6 inches in length and an inch in diameter)
One teaspoon olive oil
One medium yellow onion, chopped small
1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
1. Trim just the ends off of the zucchini, and slice each in half, lengthwise. Carefully scrape the flesh out of the middle of the zucchini with a spoon (or a pointy ice-cream scoop). You’ll want to leave between 1/4- and 1/2-inch of zucchini around the sides and bottom. Try not to break through on either sides or bottom, to prevent spillage when eating. Put the scraped-out zucchini flesh to the side.

2.  Place the zucchini shells in a good-sized steamer that’s ready to steam. Steam the zucchini for 5 to 7 minutes. You want it just north of tender—a little flimsy but not floppy. If you don’t have a steamer large enough to hold the zucchini, par-boil them for 5 minutes (watching to avoid floppiness) and drain them. Once done, place zucchini shells into a large casserole dish. While the shells steam, chop reserved zucchini flesh. It doesn’t need to be carefully diced, but you don’t want any outstandingly large chunks.

3. Heat up a medium-sized skillet or sauté pan to medium-high and add oil. Now’s a good time to get the oven preheating to 350 degrees.

4. Once the oil is hot, add the onion. Sauté the onion on medium-high for about a minute, and then bring the temperature down to solid medium for 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion is shiny and opaque and a little soft. Add the chopped zucchini flesh to the pan with the onions, along with the 1/4 teaspoons of salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir all these new friends together, and then cook them over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

5. In a bowl, mix zucchini-onion combo with bread crumbs, basil, and 1/4 cup of the cheese. Taste. Adjust the seasoning as you feel is needed (I would add a little more hot pepper flakes, but that’s just me). Resist the urge to eat everything in the bowl. Stuff the zucchini shells with the zucchini mixture, and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the now-stuffed zucchini. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes at 350. You should be able to slip a fork into the zucchini shells with no resistance, but if you can’t, let them bake a few minutes longer.

--A.J. Rathbun

What Does This Commercial Say to You?

First of all, thanks to Popwatcher Michael Slezak for posting this Kraft Singles commercial today. Like him, I would like to know what the message in this commercial is. All pregnant women should subsist on Kraft Singles? Pregnant women love cheese? Kraft Singles will help you have a super-cute baby? If the last is true, I have to wonder how much cuter my already super-cute baby would have been, had I eaten Kraft Singles every day of my pregnancy (or at all, for that matter).

Al Dente readers, what's your take on this commercial?

--KitchenMaus

Lose Weight, Get Paid in Cold Inedible Cash

I’m not going to lie to you--I could stand to lose a couple pounds. But it’s hard, even though I exercise, and try to resist the delicious amount of snacks around the Al Dente HQ. I mean, doughnuts taste good. Milkshakes taste good. Doughnuts dunked in a milkshake taste really good. If I was paid to lose those pounds though, would that be enough incentive? In the United Kingdom, some politicians think it will be. According to an article in the Times Online, “obese and overweight adults in England could be paid to lose weight under plans being considered by the Government.” It’s part of a larger 375 million (pounds that is) program to help cut the amount of obese and overweight in the UK (other parts of the program include advertising, classes, and the creation of “healthy towns”). I dunno if, when that scrumptious doughnut’s right there in front of me (or, the scrumptious milkshake, or chocolate truffle, or large hunk of cake, depending of your preference), I would be able to say no, even if I knew I’d get a check down the road. Would you? And how much is enjoying yourself a little less worth?

--A.J. Rathbun

Midweek Happy Hour: Grey Goose Ginger Peartini

Recently, I've rediscovered an old flame in downtown Seattle--Cutter's Smoked Salmon chowder. While this chowder is rich, creamy, and warms me to my toes on cold days, I have to admit that it's not their chowder alone that brings me into Cutter's--it's their Grey Goose Ginger Peartini.

A few weekends back, Head-Chef and I went to celebrate a special event with some close friends. Despite my desire to save a couple bucks and go with the happy hour scratch margarita, I just couldn't resist Cutter's peartini. Smooth, spicy, and sweet all is one sip! Here's how to make this one at home...

Ingredients:
2 parts Grey Goose La Poire
1/2 part ginger, muddled and mashed
1/4 part triple sec
1/4 part fresh lime juice

Directions:
Fill a martini shaker with ingredients above and shake gently. Stain and serve with a shaving of ice, straight up in a martini glass.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Here Come the Troops

Tagalongs®,Thin Mints, and Samoas®--oh my! It's that time of the year when the troops hit the streets--or their parents hit up their colleagues at work--in support of the 95-year old Girl Scout Organization.

The Girl Scout cookies have become an annual indulgence in many households across the country. I remember growing up with a Samoas obsession. Then, they partnered with Dreyer's (Edy's for those of you out east) to make Girl Scouts® Samoas® Cookie Ice Cream --yum!

In case you haven't been hit up yet to purchase your annual supply of cookies, go to this website and enter your zip code to see where you can get your fix.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

The Wednesday Wrap: Food News to Go

And It Didn't Come from Seattle!: The $20,000 cup of coffee has landed in the United States. A San Francisco coffee shop imported the only halogen-powered siphon bar from Japan for "the perfect espresso machine."

Tequila!: It's tequila! tequila! everywhere as Betty Hallock takes a look at the popularity of LA tequila bars and breaks down what's hip to sip.

The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming!: In The Chicago Tribune, Trine Tsouderos chronicles the continuing popularity of British celebrity chefs in the States sharing their country's "culinary renaissance."

And That's the Truth, Ruth: Time Out New York talks with Ruth Reichl about Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie.

Beyond Coupons: With news of a looming Recession everywhere, the Dallas Morning News offers tips to extend your food budget and save on groceries.

That's No Moon... It's a Meatball: Serious Eats shines the sandwich spotlight on Seattle's very own Zagi's and their "king of the meatball sandwiches."

Pulp Friction: The Amateur Gourmet draws a line in the glass when it comes to myriad pulp options in over-the-counter OJ.

Bruni Beat: Restaurant critic Frank Bruni stops by Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill and takes a star with him, leaving them with one ("good"). ("During one dinner the three slivers of chicken in the appetizer tacos were among the most shriveled, desiccated pieces of meat I’ve seen outside a bodega buffet at 3 a.m.")

--BTP

Crazy for Cupcakes

If you're like me and find yourself daydreaming of cupcakes all too often, you'll get a kick out of hello_naomi's collection of awesome cupcakes. Videogames + cupcakes = coolest snack ever! Got a favorite cupcake I gotta see? Leave a link and let me know!

--AndreaLeigh

Reader Question: What Are Steak Stones?

Al Dente reader Frank recently wrote:

Years ago while in Nimes, France our USN P-3 crew went out for dinner.  Since most of us didn't read (let alone speak) French, one who had apparently done pretty well with high school French handled the basic translations for ordering.  After a couple glasses of wine, then salad, dinner began arriving.  First up were thick steaks for all....rare ("What the hell did you order for us knucklehead?!?")....soon followed by thick slabs (~7"x7"x1") of very HOT stone mounted in steel frames.  It was then revealed that you cooked your own steak on your very own "hot rock" to your desired degree of "done-ness" while slicing and dining until finished. 

What are these "hot rocks" in steel frames known as, and where can I find them?  Many thanks if you have any other info on this type of table-top cooking.  They were delicious!

Cooking with Stone
These "hot rocks" are made of either soapstone or lava stone and are used in various forms of cookware. Many restaurants in the states offer the form of dining you described. I went to one in Fort Myers, Florida named Tetley's Steak & Stone. Essentially they give you a raw steak, sides, dipping sauces, and a really hot stone to grill the steak on. It's like a fancy version of Cousin Eddie's chicken cookout in Vegas Vacation.

You can purchase soapstone and lava stone cookware from various websites. Here are a few:
- Bucks County Soapstone
- Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop
- The Steak on the Stone Co.
- Hot Rock

Frank, I hope this was helpful and that you invite the Al Dente crew over for dinner.

--Spanno

What to Do with Extra Peppermint Bark

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I have too much peppermint bark. You see, I usually make 12-14 pounds of it every holiday season to give away as gifts, and this year I was so busy that I didn't get to make all my gifting rounds. So, now I've got at least a pound of it at home, and I've been trying to figure out what to do with it. Here's what I've come up with so far:

• Make peppermint bark ice cream: Mix crumbled bark into a vanilla ice cream base as it processes in the ice cream machine (maybe even add a bit of peppermint extract to give it some extra punch).
• Bake it into brownies: Stir it into the batter, plus sprinkle it on top.
• Frost a cake with it: Bake up a chocolate or vanilla layer cake, frost with vanilla icing, and then press crushed bark into it--very festive!
• Use it as an ice cream topping: Maybe melt it with some cream in a double boiler and pour it over vanilla ice cream--not sure how well it would work, but it's probably worth a try.
• Dress up fudge with it: Press shards into homemade fudge before it cools. (Chocolate overload, yahoo!)

Anyone have other suggestions? Add a comment and let me know. It would be a shame for all this delicious peppermint bark to go to waste...

--KitchenMaus

Yet Another Reason We Should Be Able to Drink at Work

A recent article reports that German researchers just announced that drinking beer promotes good health. How could this lovely dream be possible? They say that, “preliminary studies indicate xanthohumol, a compound found in hops, inhibits a family of enzymes which trigger cancer, as well as help the body detoxify carcinogens.” While I can’t pronounce “xanthohumol” even after a number of drinks, I’m happy to hear about this latest news on how healthy consuming a few cold ones is (along with the known benefits of wine, cocktails, and highballs, this means it’s probably pretty unhealthy not to drink). They do also say that the current amount of hops in most beer means you might need to drink about 60 to get the benefits of one of their extra-hoppy xanthohumol-rich beers (they also say they’re working on getting the xanthohumol-levels bumped up in beers). The end result of this study--in my Thursday-morning opinion? If not allowed to have a few beers at the end of a long work day, tell your boss that they’re endangering your health. And then meet me at the bar.

--A.J. Rathbun

The Wednesday Wrap: Food News To Go

...In Bed: New York Times reporter Jennifer 8. Lee attempts to solve the riddle of the origins of the fortune cookie (hint: it isn't China). You can read about fortune cookies, chop suey, take-out containers, the dangers of being a bicycle delivery man in New York City, and much more in her book, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food (available March 3).

When Life Gives You Lemons...: The LA Times ticks off 100 Things to Do with a Meyer Lemon--lemon curd, gremolata, pizza, and 97 other great ideas.

Attack of the Clones: The FDA says it's OK to sell food and dairy products from cloned animals.

Gourmet 2.0: Gourmet Magazine relaunched their website today, and now includes access to archival material dating back to 1941. Recipes are still featured on Epicurious.com, but you can watch a video of Marco Pierre White, read a Q&A with Michael Pollan, and revisit the wonderful Edna Lewis essay from the January issue.

But When Will They Take Reservations?: The Seattle Times' Nancy Leson offers up some details on when, where, and what to expect from the "coming soon" Seattle restaurant from famed chef Jerry Traunfeld, who, after 17 years, is leaving The Herbfarm.

Bruni Beat: New York Times food critic Frank Bruni gives two stars ("very good") to the Columbus Circle outpost of Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill.

--BTP

Reader Question: French Cheeses Available Stateside?

Al Dente reader Glendon recently wrote:

I found your great website via an Instapundit link late last year sometime. I read it quite often and figured you may have an answer to a question I have. I'll spare you the fluttered details (I was living in France and now the missus and myself are in the Detroit area...yeah I know...psshht, nevertheless, she's French, I'm American...her family, my family, yada yada yada, etc...), but I'm looking for an American (no, I should say able to purchase Stateside) readily available substitute for the Tomme cheese of the Auvergne region of France. By chance do any of you know? I'm looking to make an "Aligot" or a "Truffade" if that helps at all.

I'm not a chef but adore cooking, therefore I have to say that I have no formal training in these things at all. Especially cheeses. I mean perhaps I could just use an Emmentaller but to be honest, I just don't know. I've looked around a little bit, but all the good recipes I find call for Tomme or Cantal. I'm just not down with paying $130 for cheese to make a traditional peasant dish, d'yaknowwhatimean? I have a feeling I would wince while everybody is taking their first bite! And every bite thereafter for that matter!

A Brief Tome on Tomme
The name "tomme" refers to a variety of small cheeses produced in the French Alps. They are usually named by their place of origin--for example, one of the most popular varieties is Tomme de Savoie which is made in, you guessed it, Savoie. Typically produced during the summer months, tomme cheeses are made from skimmed cow's milk which remains after the cream has been separated to make richer cheeses or butter--this makes them naturally low in fat. Cantal is one of the oldest French cheeses and, like many tomme cheeses, it features a rich and tangy flavor. Fortunately for Glendon and everyone else, you can find several varieties on-line for about $10-15 per pound, such as:

• Tomme de Savoie
• Cantal (aka French cheddar)
• Tomme Ailine Vignes
• and another Tomme de Savoie

Glendon, we hope this information was helpful and that you enjoy every last bite of Aligot without a single wince.

--Broadstone

Is That Sandwich Giving Me the Stinkeye?

Leave it to the scheming minds at evilmadscientist.com to develop edible googly eyes. According to the site, "After more than a year of painstaking directed research by our Experimental Foods Division, we have finally achieved one of our most important longstanding goals: the production of edible googly eyes." While I'm not entirely convinced having my lunch watch me devour it is a good thing, it'd definitely make starving and conscience-deficient coworkers think twice about swiping your snacks.

--AndreaLeigh

Price Influences Wine Taste

In news that confirms that I'll never be a wine snob, a new study out of California has shown that "the sensation of pleasantness that people experience when tasting wine is linked directly to its price". This means that it's likely that a $10 bottle of merlot will taste more like a $90 bottle of merlot if someone tells you it's $90.

This further convinces me that the price of wine is somewhat irrelevant to the average person. I've had decent $7 bottles of cab and I've had crappy bottles of $30 wine. I challenge anyone reading this to send me a $200 bottle of wine and I'll let you know if I can tell the difference.

--Spanno

Bacon: The Fairy Dust of the Food World

I couldn't have said it better myself.

--AndreaLeigh

What to Cook This Weekend: Pork Noodle Soup with Cinnamon and Anise

I was just over on Epicurious checking out their featured section on comfort foods, and came upon this recipe for pork simmered in a fragrant broth of cinnamon and anise. It sounds so good--and easy--that I think I'll make it this weekend. It looks just perfect for a rainy Seattle Saturday at home! The recipe comes from the December 2007 issue of Gourmet and serves 4 to 6.

Pork Noodle Soup with Cinnamon and Anise

Ingredients:
2-1/2 pounds country-style pork ribs
6 cups water
2/3 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup Chinese Shaoxing wine or medium-dry Sherry
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
3 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 whole star anise
5-1/2 ounces bean thread (cellophane) noodles

Chopped cilantro and sliced scallions for garnish

Directions:
1. Gently simmer all ingredients except noodles in a 6-quart heavy pot, covered, skimming as needed, until pork is very tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
2. Transfer pork to a bowl. Discard bones, spices, and garlic. Coarsely shred meat. Skim fat from broth, then return meat and bring to a simmer. Rinse noodles, then stir into broth and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until noodles are translucent and tender, about 6 minutes.
3. Serve with cilantro and sliced scallions as a garnish.

--KitchenMaus

Basic Survival Isn't Vegan

Vegetarians in Paradise, a website devoted to all things veggie, recently posted a basic survival guide for anything from flooding to the inevitable return of Xenu. One of the major issues for veggies is getting protein. According to ViP, "You may be able to get vegan food in a disaster, but you can count on NOT getting vegan protein. For that reason your survival kit should focus on protein sources."

BoingBoing, a directory of wonderful things, posted this a few days ago and received a plethora of feedback, including gems like, "there are no atheists in foxholes, there are no vegans in tsunamis" and "I'll be eating the vegetarians to get my protein source."

So, vegetarians/vegans, would you eat meat as a last resort?

--Spanno

Coffee Tastings: Unlock the Secrets of the Bean

Many of us have been to wine tastings at stately vineyards and several cities host beer festivals where you can sample various drafts; however, I recently had a chance to try something different: a coffee tasting.

If you’re lucky enough to live in a city that can support specialty coffee houses, this is a great way to learn more about how coffee is grown, harvested, and processed while enjoying some delicious, award-winning coffees. At Trabant, a small Seattle-based coffee house, we sampled five Cup of Excellence winning coffees from Guatemala, Nicaragua, Columbia, and Brazil, all brewed on an amazing Clover brewer.

We were given brief instructions on how to taste the coffee, both when piping hot and slightly cooled, and then shared our impressions. Many of the descriptions were as complex as those usually given to characterize wine. To try this at home, first smell your coffee by breathing in through your mouth, as well as your nose, to capture the full aroma. Tasting is actually done more as a ‘slurp’ than a sip, this action spreads the coffee evenly over your tongue and palate, improving your ability to notice flavors. Finally, after swallowing, chew lightly to develop the strongest impression of the coffee’s aftertaste. My favorite coffee was the Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama, from Brazil, a lightly roasted variety which developed a smooth honey flavor as it cooled - I ended up buying a pound to take home. Cup of Excellence coffees are distributed by various roasters throughout North America. Check with your local coffee house for tasting opportunities.

--Broadstone

There Will Be Milkshakes

"I drink your milkshake! I drink it up!"

If you've seen Paul Thomas Anderson's new American epic, There Will Be Blood (loosely based on Upton Sinclair's Oil!) you've no doubt left the theater with this brilliant line, delivered maniacally by Daniel Day Lewis as oil baron Daniel Plainview, still ringing in your ears. On the pop-culture front it's promising to enter the lexicon along with "I see dead people," "Say hello to my little friend!" and "It's not personal, it's business." This week New York Magazine's Vulture blog made a plea to save this most excellent (and very bizarre) line from becoming a SportsCenter catchphrase. If anything, we hope the line will inspire more milkshake consumption. Keep in mind that July is National Ice Cream Month. In a cinematic milkshake mash-up, we'd like to bring together the best of both worlds--National Vanilla Milkshake Day (June 21) and National Chocolate Milkshake Day (September 12)--for a serve-anytime-of-year confection that would be just perfect for a movie-inspired menu item on this year's Oscar party circuit. --BTP

Malted Black-and-White Milkshake in the Style of Daniel Plainview
(Adapted from Bobby Flay's Boy Meets Grill)

• 1 pint good-quality vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
• 2 tablespoons of malt powder
• 3 ounces chocolate sauce
• 2-3 ounces bourbon
• Whipped cream (for garnish)
• Shaved bittersweet chocolate (for garnish)
• Cherry (for garnish)

Place ice cream, malt powder, chocolate sauce, and bourbon in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour shake into a tall glass. Garnish with a large dollop of whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and a cherry on top. Serve with an enormous straw.