Al Dente

Burger King Wants to Pimp Your Whopper

The Whopper turned 51 this year and Burger King plans to celebrate by opening a string of bars later in the year. Instead of serving alcohol, they're going to get you drunk on a highly-potent combination of flame-broiled beef and choice.

"Customers will be treated to a smorgasbord of Whopper options" and "will also feature a build-your-own option for customers hoping to customize their burger."

Personally, I love this concept. Limited selection with hyper-customization. It would be like GM opening a Hummer-only dealership. They should take it one step further and just serve Pepsi--not only for the comedic value, but to keep me from going there altogether.

Little known fact: I've never eaten a Whopper.

--Spanno

What to Cook this Weekend: Pretzels

With the advent of pretzel stores flooding shopping malls across the nation (okay, this started a few years ago, but I re-noticed it last weekend) I wondered why the pretzel presence was so rampant. The short answer? Because they're delicious. Maybe it's my German heritage, but I adore pretzels to a ridiculous degree, and have decided that I'm going to resist the store-bought version and make my own. There's a great step-by-step recipe (with pictures!) at kitchenproject.com, but here's the condensed version:

Soft Pretzel Recipe

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups flour
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon yeast, dissolved in 1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon baking soda mixed with 1 cup boiling water
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl

Directions
1. Mix water, yeast, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor or large mixing bowl. Add flour and mix until dough is smooth. Add more flour if sticky. (If possible let the dough sit overnight in a plastic container in the fridge).
2. Divide dough into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, very thin, a little bigger than a pencil. Shape into an upside down U shape. Bring the ends together and twist them. Flatten the ends with your fingers and bring to the top of the pretzel and press in the dough to secure. Place on a greased cookie sheet.
3. Let pretzels rise for 30 minutes or until they double in size. Brush with baking soda-water solution, then brush pretzels with the egg and water mixture for a shiny glaze. Sprinkle with toppings such as sesame seeds, parmesan cheese, or cinnamon and sugar.
4. Bake at 400-450 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes or until well browned. Makes 12 pretzels.

--AndreaLeigh

Batter Up!

With opening day right around the corner, Al Dente readers might want to start their mouths watering by dreaming about all that great food available at baseball stadiums these days. It's no longer just peanuts and Cracker Jack! At Seattle's own Safeco Field, I can't miss the barbecue and Dippin' Dots whenever I attend a game. Here are a few other tasty treats found around the country:

• Barbecue stuffed baked potato (Houston)
• Shrimp tacos (San Diego)
• Cuban sandwich (Tampa Bay)
• 40-clove garlic chicken sandwich (San Francisco)
• Crab cake sandwich (Baltimore)

What unique treats do you eat at your stadium? Add a comment and let us know!

--KitchenMaus

Curtailing the Barbershop Beer

I can admit it--I used to have a scraggly ponytail kind-of-a-thing going. A really unattractive hairdo (though I feel I’m slagging the word “hairdo” by associating it with what I had at the time) which I wore mostly because I was working at a bar more than going to school, this was during undergrad days, and thought that an extra 5 minutes of sleep was more important than stopping off to get a haircut. I also had a Castro-esque beard for the same reason, but the hair, and that nasty, wanna-be-English-major ponytail, are center stage here. My manager at the bar hated it (it scared customers, too), and told me he’d pay be $10 to go across the street to our neighborhood barber and get a haircut. Finally, to get him off my back as much as to fancy up, I did go over after an afternoon shift to Roy’s Barbershop, which was a traditional one-seat shop, a place where older and younger folks would hang out and talk before getting their hair cut, maybe read a magazine or two, tell jokes, and generally form a community. Of course Roy (who I’d poured a drink for many times) was excited to rid me of the offending hair, and of course my manager followed me over to make sure the pony tail actually went by the wayside. Between us, I hadn’t been to get a haircut in a while, and having someone there watching over the cutting made me a little nervous. But Roy, following the lineage of many great barbers, handed me a Miller High Life when I sat down, handed one to my manager, started off with a “man walks into a bar” joke, and brought the room together. Walking out, I not only looked better, but felt better. I also realized when looking in the mirror that my hair had been an affront to nature, and I’ve had short hair since. Then, today, I read an article on Mlive.com that the attorney general of Michigan recently wrote a five-page ruling to stop Jude’s Barbershop in Grand Rapids from giving a beer to of age customers. I’m sure somewhere the owner of Supercuts is chuckling, but me, it just made me sad. First, doesn’t the attorney general of Michigan have better things to spend his time on? And second, why is it that a PG movie can teach kids 20 ways of bloodletting, but a barbershop can’t hand out a beer? What’s next? Is someone going to bust a doctor for handing out lollipops?

--A.J. Rathbun

Fun with Fideua (Guest Blogger: Joanne Weir)

I am crazy about Spain right now. I am so crazy about it that I’ve been cooking anything Spanish for weeks. It all started with a visit to Murcia. I was there doing research for one of my cookbooks “From Tapas to Meze,” traveling, seeing and tasting as much as possible in the shortest amount of time. It was just another day of work! (Did I tell you I love my job?)

Mamen, Marisol and Lelis, three sisters and good friends of mine, are always fun to hang out with. Mamen is the oldest sister and the mother of the group. She’s also a doctor, so very busy and her time is precious. Marisol is like a burst of sunshine, gorgeous smile and perfect in the travel business. Lelis is the baby of the three and also an attorney. She keeps the girls straight. But all three of them make me laugh!

On Sunday they invited me to lunch by the sea where their family has a summer house. Eating with them is always a treat. They know food and love it. You would never know by looking at their skinny little perfect Spanish bodies! But we put all that aside, this was a day of celebration, a day to feast! Their friend, Ignacio, the chef, had made us their favorite dish, fideua!

Imagine a paella pan filled with the creamiest noodles and jumbo prawns scented with shellfish broth baked on a paella burner until the bottom has a crust. For hours we spooned big mounds onto our plates and topped it with a pungent allioli or garlic mayonnaise, and watched it melt over the noodles.

Valencians are crazy about cooking and also pretty disagreeable on the origins of fideua. Some say that in the harbor region of Gandiá, the fishermen came up with the idea when they wanted paella but didn’t have rice on their fishing boat. They had lots of fish and dry noodles and this is what they came up with. Or, supposedly a few hikers from the mountain forgot paella rice at home and had noodles instead. Whoever came up with it, doesn’t matter. It’s an ingenious dish and honestly once you start eating it, you can’t stop.

Click for the recipe.

The Wednesday Wrap: Food News to Go

Is That a Bullet in My Blackened Catfish?: Legendary Louisiana chef Chef Paul Prudhomme takes "Iron Chef" a whole new level as he was grazed in the arm by a stray .22 caliber bullet  while setting up his cooking tent on the golf course at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The "falling bullet" felt like a bee sting and was fired somewhere within a 1.5-mile radius. "Within five minutes, he was back to doing his thing."  [ESPN.com]

Dollar-Store Dinner Party: Henry Alford takes a Marco Polo approach to exploring the edible delights (and downers) on the shelves in New York's 99-cent stores. "For dessert each night we turned to the slightly wanton charms of the Little Debbie product line, particularly young Debbie's Oatmeal Creme Pies, whose velvety filling so perfectly captures an imagined marriage between buttercream frosting and Noxzema." [NY Times]

Bee Season: Russ Parsons chronicles Colony Collapse Disorder and how the shrinking honeybee population is affecting California's almond industry.  [LA Times]

Indiana Jones and the Summer Wedding Catered by the Naked Chef:  Rumors are swirling that Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart hope to hire UK celebrity chef Jamie Oliver for their summer nuptials. Let's hope that the monkey brains dinner sequence from Temple of Doom doesn't serve as inspiration for the menu. [Hello Magazine]

Collards and Candied Yams and Cobbler... Oh My!: Food critic Kevin Nance seeks out Southern "down-home deliciousness in the Windy City." [Chicago Sun-Times]

Cookbook Award Season is in Full Swing: Last week the IACP announced their 2008 nominees and on Monday the James Beard Foundation announced their 2008 finalists. Winners will be revealed on June 8. [James Beard Foundation]

Bruni Beat: Frank Bruni revisits the four-year-old West Village restaurant Mas and sticks with two stars ("very good"). "For the most part this isn’t a restaurant for diners with big, blunt appetites. It’s for those who revel in little surprises and unexpected nuances..." [NY Times]

--BTP

Top Five Food-Related Threats, March Edition

Here are the top five food-related threats facing the world this month.

#5. Downer Cow Peddler, Steve Mendell
On May 12, 2008, Steve "Mad Cow" Mendell, president of Westland/Hallmark Meat Co.,  was hauled in front of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, better known as HCOEACSOOAI, to answer toothless questions regarding a video that showed "downer" cows being forced to enter slaughter chutes. As everyone knows, only the healthy ones go quietly. The video led to a recall of all beef produced in that Chino, CA facility--143 million pounds--since February 1, 2006. Roughly 100% of that beef had already been consumed, most of it by kids, but it's the thought that counts, right?

#4. Food Network Siren, Paula Deen
Paula hates your heart and is trying to stop it. After numerous cardiac assaults with fried butter balls, bacon-wrapped fried mac 'n cheese, and Velvetta and butter fudge, she dropped her MOAB (Mother of all Burgers) this month: the bacon, egg, and cheese burger on two donuts. It solidified her as an evil genius bent on keeping our mouths watering and hearts fibrillating.

#3. Starbucks' Shift Supervisors
Over the past eight years, these evil "agents" of Starbucks stole $100 million from Starbucks' California baristas. The coffee proletariat revolted against their bourgeoisie masters and a San Diegan judge ordered the capitalist pigs company to pay over $100 million in back tips to the baristas. Despite performing the same duties as baristas and pulling down a whopping $1.50/hour extra, Starbucks' shift supervisors, according to California labor laws, are "agents" of Starbucks, and cannot be given money from the tip jar.

#2. Chip Pimp, Steven Colbert
Last week on the Colbert Report, Colbert announced that the show's Pennsylvania presidential primary coverage would be sponsored by his long-time political sponsor, Doritos. Doritos is owned by Commie-loving PepsiCo.--the first American cola in Russia. Pepski just finalized a $1.4 billion deal to buy Russian juice maker JSC Lebedyansky, solidifying their stake in Russia's soft drink market. American democracy is sponsored by various multi-national corporations, which sharply contrasts Russia's Gazprom-sponsored democracy. So until Colbert gains two or three more sponsors, every time he sinks his teeth into those Sweet Spicy Chili chips, democracy dies a little.

#1. Pop-Tarts
A study released this month stated that breakfast is extremely important for kids who don't want to be fat. A pediatrician interviewed for an article on the study specifically called out Pop-Tarts as not being breakfast worthy, despite their essential vitamins and minerals. Two conclusions can be reached from this: Pop-Tarts will make you fat--which is the same as not eating breakfast--or eating Pop-Tarts is worse than not eating breakfast. I guess it really doesn't matter--according to Pillsbury, every kid's school locker is filled with uneaten Pop-Tarts and the kids just end up eating their friend's Toaster Strudel.

--Spanno

Bananas for Twinkies

Back by popular demand, banana cream-filled Twinkies return to shelves. According to Wikipedia, the Twinkie was invented in 1930 and originally contained a banana cream filling that was replaced with a vanilla version during a banana shortage caused by World War II. Formerly only available for special promotions, the banana version is now here to stay.

More Twinkie fun facts:
- About five hundred million Twinkies are produced each year
- Twinkies don't last forever--the shelf life of a Twinkie is about 25 days
- Bill Clinton chose a Twinkie as an "object of enduring American symbolism" for the National Millennium Time Capsule in 2000
- In Latin America and Mexico, Twinkies are sold under the name "Submarinos" and come in regular or strawberry flavors

Want more mileage out of your Twinkies? Hostess.com offers tons of weird and wonderful Twinkie recipes including Twinkie smores, Twinkie tacos, Twinkie-misu, and Twinkie sushi.

--AndreaLeigh

James Beard Foundation Awards: 2008 Finalists Announced

Following last Monday's reveal of the 2008 IACP finalists, today the James Beard Foundation announced their nominees for 2008 (along with a snazzy update to their website).  Hailed as "the Oscars of the food world," the Beards honor cookbooks, chefs, journalists, food writers, and food and beverage professionals. Winners will be announced in a black-tie ceremony at Lincoln Center on Sunday, June 8.

Ten Speed Press led the pack with the most IACP nominations and continues their run with the most James Beard nods (6 total, including their Celestial Arts imprint).

Titles Nominated in More Than One Category: The Country Cooking of France (International, Photography)

Total Nominations Per Publisher:

Ten Speed Press: 6
John Wiley & Sons: 5
HarperCollins: 4
Artisan: 3
Penguin Books: 3
Stewart, Tabori & Chang: 3
Chronicle Books: 2
University of California Press: 2
W.W. Norton & Company: 2
Bloomsbury: 1
DK Publishing: 1
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: 1
Flammarion: 1
Kyle Books: 1
Little, Brown & Co.: 1
Scribner: 1

Congratulations to Amazon in-house favorite Junot Díaz (who seems to make almost every book-awards shortlist), who was nominated for the M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award in the Broadcast Media Awards category for his piece "He'll Take El Alto," which ran in last September's Gourmet. He's up against Alan Richman and Francine Prose.

And on the Seattle front, we raise a glass of Veuve to these local nominees:

Tom Douglas (Outstanding Restaurateur)
Canlis (Outstanding Service)
Maria Hines, Tilth (Best Chef: Northwest)
Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita (Best Chef: Northwest)
Ethan Stowell, Union (Best Chef: Northwest)
Jason Wilson, Crush (Best Chef: Northwest)
Maneki (American Classics Award)
Sara Dickerman (Multimedia Writings on Food)

Ribs: Mike Mills Style

So, we’ve touched on Texas, and North Carolina. Now how about a little rib action? I have never met a man, woman, or child who isn’t crazy about my good friend and rib master Mike Mills. 

I first met Mike on the banks of the Mississippi. It was my first year at the Memphis in May International Barbecue Contest and, as it turned out, it was his last year competing. I was a neophyte and he was the Grand Master. That year, he won his final Grand Championship and retired from competing.

That same year, I had my barbecue epiphany. It was the first time I ever had real pit-cooked ribs. I couldn’t believe how sweet and succulent and smoky they were. At that time, most rib restaurants steamed their ribs until they fell off the bone and then slathered them with sweet sauce—often accented with liquid smoke. And as hard as it is to believe, even today a lot of restaurants prepare ribs this way.

The best news of course is that you can make them yourself on a backyard grill or go to restaurants that use actual smokers and slow cook the meat before serving. This brings me back to Mike. In his retirement from the barbecue circuit, Mike has worked even harder to spread the good word of championship ribs. He operates 7 restaurants in southern Illinois (17th Street Bar and Grill) and Las Vegas (Memphis Championship Barbecue) and he consults with Blue Smoke in NYC. In his spare time, he runs a “best of the best,” barbecue contest in Murphysboro, Ill., and cooks at special events like the Big Apple BBQ Block Party. If you are ever anywhere close to any of these venues, you must stop by for a chat and a chew of his award-winning ribs.

In the meantime, here's a recipe for his trophy-winning rub and a recipe for making the ribs in your own backyard. Mike uses apple wood for his ribs, and I have to agree that the apple wood makes a big difference in the sweetness of his ribs. Use a low heat (about 275-300°F) to cook the ribs and take them out when they feel done. It may take you a little longer or a little less time than the recipe states.

The ribs should have a mahogany color, a nice dark crust, and a little “spring” to the meat when you fold the rack back on itself. You should be able to tear the bones apart, but you still want some “chew.” If the bone slips out easily, without any meat on the bone, the ribs are over-cooked. Finally, no matter what you do, never, ever, par-cook the ribs in a pot/pan of water. That technique will remove all the fat, and fat is flavor! Besides stripping the ribs of all of it’s flavor and color—the meat will turn grey—you’ll have one horrible pot to wash.

Happy ribbing!

Easter Eats: Lemon Custard Cakes

With the first day of spring behind us, it's time for lighter tasting desserts. And, what better flavor and color to bring to the Easter table than tangy, bright yellow lemons. I've been storing this recipe in my e-mail recipe folder for years--it's from Martha Stewart. I prefer to eat these citrusy sweets warmer than room temperature, but that's probably an indication of my patience level.

Lemon Custard Cakes

Ingredients:
Unsalted butter, room temperature, for custard cups
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 to 3 teaspoons grated lemon zest, (1 lemon)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set a kettle of water to boil. Butter six 6-ounce custard cups and place in a dish towel-lined baking dish or roasting pan. (Dish towel prevents cups from sliding when moving the roasting pan.)
2. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until light; whisk in flour. Gradually whisk in lemon juice, then milk and zest.
3. With an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Add to lemon batter and fold in gently with a whisk (batter will be quite liquid).
4. Divide batter among prepared custard cups; place baking dish in oven and fill with boiling water to reach halfway up sides of cups. Bake until puffed and lightly browned (but pudding is still visible in bottom), 20 to 25 minutes. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners’ sugar.

Serves 4-6.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Easter Eats: Smith Island 10-Layer Cake

The Smith Island Cake, a Maryland tradition, is poised to become the state's official dessert. True, this isn't a standard Easter recipe, but I guarantee that if you show up for Easter festivities with a chocolate-drenched 10-layer cake, you won't be turned away. You could try bringing bibbibabka, the official dessert of Mypos, but someone might get hurt. This recipe is courtesy of NPR.org.

Smith Island 10-Layer Cake

Ingredients (Frosting):
2 sticks butter
2 12-oz. cans evaporated milk
8 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 lbs. confectioners sugar

Directions (Frosting):
1. Melt butter. Stir in evaporated milk (off heat).
2. Whisk in cocoa until smooth, return to heat and cook for approximately 10 minutes. DO NOT BOIL or scorch.
3. Remove from heat and whisk in confectioners sugar slowly.
4. Cook slowly until thickened and will stick to back of a spoon or to the whisk. (It will form a ribbon when you drizzle a spoonful onto mixture while cooking.)

Approx time: 45 minutes.

Ingredients (Cake):
2 cups sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into chunks
5 eggs
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 cup evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup water

Directions (Cake):
1. Cream together sugar and butter.
2. Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.
3. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Mix into egg mixture one cup at a time.
4. With mixer running, slowly pour in the evaporated milk, then the vanilla and water. Mix just until uniform.
5. Put three serving spoonfuls of batter in each of 10 9-inch lightly greased pans, using the back of the spoon to spread evenly.
6. Bake three layers at a time on the middle rack of the oven at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. A layer is done when you hold it near your ear and you don't hear it sizzle.
7. Start making the icing when the first layer goes in the oven. Let the layers cool a couple of minutes in the pans.
8. Put the cake together as the layers are finished.
9. Run a spatula around the edge oft the pan and ease the layer out of the pan. Don't worry if it tears; no one will notice when the cake is finished.
10. Use two or three serving spoonfuls of icing between each layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the icing. Push icing that runs onto the plate back onto the cake.

To Ice the Cake:
Take one slightly cooled layer and spread with cooled frosting. Add crushed candy randomly on layer. (Reese's cups, Snickers, Milky Ways or whatever your favorite is — candy is optional as well.) Add next layers, frosting, candy and repeat process till the 10th layer. Do not add candy to final layer. Finish frosting the cake and sides. You may have to wait to ice the top and sides until the icing cools.

--Spanno

Easter Eats: Green Salad with Orange, Fennel, and Asparagus

This salad, with its bright green asparagus, zesty orange slices, and crunch of fennel, sounds absolutely delightful for a spring dinner. It would be lovely paired with Monsieur Hulot's Garlic and Herb-Crusted Lamb. Try it also with blood oranges, for an extra burst of color. The recipe comes from Epicurious.

Green Salad with Orange, Fennel, and Asparagus

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 pound thick asparagus, ends trimmed
3 medium oranges
1 small bulb fennel, trimmed, quartered, cored, and very thinly sliced crosswise
3 quarts loosely packed baby salad greens
1/3 cup fresh chives, finely chopped

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in oil, then zest.
2. In a large sauté pan, bring 1 inch water to boil. Add asparagus and simmer until bright green, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold running water until cool. Thinly slice on the diagonal and transfer to a large bowl.
3. Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over a medium bowl, cut between membranes to release segments. Add segments and any juice from the medium bowl to the large bowl of asparagus; squeeze juice from membranes into dressing and whisk to combine.
4. Add fennel and then salad greens to a large serving bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently. Sprinkle chives on top and serve immediately.

Serves 10.

--KitchenMaus

Tap Project: Support UNICEF During World Water Week

Americans are lucky ducks. We have access to clean tap water every day and often take it for granted. But, during the last two days of World Water Week (March 16-22), you can make a donation to UNICEF and feel a little less guilty about your birthright.

When you order tap water at restaurants in select U.S. cities, Tap Project will donate your dollar to UNICEF for one child to have clean drinking water for 40 days. Last year, Tap Project was a huge success--earning over $300,000 in New York City alone. This year, dine out in your hometown and help children in the developing world get access to cleaner water.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Al Dente Taste Test: Vitamin Enhanced Water

The "vitamin enhanced water" market began in the late 90's and has only increased in popularity, thanks in part to (now) Coke's Glaceau Vitamin Water. So is this stuff any good? Aside from the occasional Vitamin Water, the Al Dente team had never had anything this market now offers. Consequently, we put seven of these juice-free juggernauts to the test.

The Guidelines
This was a blind test with eight tasters and seven vitamin-enhanced flavored "waters". The water had to be non-carbonated, not diet, and all were similar in flavor (berry). We ranked the water in accordance with the Wine Enthusiast 100-point scale:
<80:  Unacceptable
80 – 83:  Acceptable
83 – 87:  Good
87 – 90:  Very Good
90 – 94:  Excellent
94 – 98:  Superb
98 – 100:  Classic

The Contestants

Brand:  Dasani Plus
Company:  Coca-Cola
Claims to fame:  vitamin enhanced, zero calories, “cleanse and restore”
Notable ingredients: Vitamins E, B3, B5, B6, B12; sucralose
Calories:  none
Taste: "almost gag inducing", "got worse the more you drank", "gross"
Ranking:  81.25

Brand:  Life Water
Company:  Sobe Beverages
Claims to fame:  vitamin enhanced, “herbal content”
Notable ingredients: Taurine, ginseng; Vitamins C, E, B5, B6, B12
Calories:  100
Taste: "tastes like Juicy Juice", "powdery and unpleasant finish"
Ranking:  83.62

Brand:  Vitamin Water Formula 50
Company:  Glaceau
Claims to fame:  vitamin enhanced, endorsed by rapper 50 Cent.
Notable ingredients: Vitamins E, B3, B5, B6, B12, C
Calories:  125 (that’s 'fiddy' per serving)
Taste: "riding a nice middle ground", "mild and somewhat appealing flavor"
Ranking:  85.50

Brand:  Propel Invigorating Water
Company:  Gatorade
Claims to fame:  vitamin enhanced, contains 20 mg caffeine
Notable ingredients: Caffeine; Vitamins B5, B6, B12
Calories:  20
Taste: "very fruity", "a little medicinal", no "weird aftertaste"
Ranking:  87.12

Brand:  Propel Fit Water
Company:  Gatorade
Claims to fame:  “vitamins” (seriously, that’s all it says; not “contains vitamins” or “vitamin enhanced”)
Notable ingredients: Vitamins C, E, B5, B6, B12; sucralose
Calories:  30
Taste: "watery in a good way", "better balance of water and flavor", "I could drink a bottle of this"
Ranking:  87.87

Brand:  Snapple Antioxidant Water
Company:  Snapple
Claims to fame:  vitamins, electrolytes, antioxidants; “The power to defy” (aging, but I’m not sure how they measure something like that)
Notable ingredients: Vitamins A and E; calcium; grape seed extract; real juice; real sugar
Calories:  120
Taste: "horrible--can’t overstate that", "bland"
Ranking:  84.75

Brand:  Powerade Option
Company:  Coca-Cola
Claims to fame:  B vitamins; 80% fewer calories than the leading sports drink (Gatorade, I assume)
Notable ingredients: Vitamins B6 and B12; sucralose
Calories:  40
Taste: "extremely sweet", "way too sweet", "reminded me I need to go to the dentist"
Ranking:  81.50

And the Winner is...
The overall winner was Propel Fit Water, with Propel Invigorating Water coming in a very close second. The graph shows the drinks in order of consumption--which was chosen at random. Due to the parabolic results, I assume our taste buds could only handle so much of this stuff.

--Spanno

Easter Eats: Garlic and Herb-Crusted Lamb

Easter brings to mind chocolate bunnies, hard-boiled eggs, and, oh yes, savory meat dishes. As a self-described "garlic-dish gourmand," it is only fitting that I should christen my first blog post with a luscious lamb entrée shown on MyRecipes that, thrillingly, requires four whole garlic heads! 

Garlic and Herb-Crusted Lamb

Ingredients:
4 whole garlic heads
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
1 (8-pound) leg of lamb
12 fresh garlic slices
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups fresh French breadcrumbs (about 4 ounces)
2-1/4 cups low-salt beef broth
1/2 cup Merlot or other dry red wine
2-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Remove white papery skin from garlic heads (do not peel or separate the cloves). Cut off top portions of garlic heads. Wrap garlic heads in foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Squeeze garlic heads to extract pulp. Discard skins. Place garlic pulp, mustard, and oil in a food processor; process until smooth. Stir in chives and thyme leaves.
3. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
4. Trim fat from lamb. Cut 12 3/4-inch slits in lamb; place a fresh garlic slice in each slit. Sprinkle surface of lamb with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; rub with roasted garlic paste mixture. Press breadcrumbs over surface of lamb. Place lamb on a broiler pan. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of lamb, making sure not to touch bone.
5. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake an additional 2 hours and 10 minutes or until thermometer registers 140 degrees F (medium rare) to 155 degrees F (medium). Remove lamb from rack; place on a shallow serving platter. Lightly cover with foil; let stand 15 minutes.
6. Drain fat from bottom of pan (do not scrape pan). Place broiler pan on stovetop over medium-high heat. Add broth, and bring to a boil, scraping to loosen browned bits.
7. Combine red wine and cornstarch, and stir with a whisk. Add to beef broth and return to boiling. Cook 1 minute or until mixture is slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt, and serve immediately with lamb. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Serves 20.

--Monsieur Hulot

Midweek Happy Hour: Apple Soju Cocktails

Looking for a little something different to add some kick to your Wednesday? Try one of these refreshing apple cocktails. The unique flavor of the soju will have everyone guessing what kind of elixir you've dreamed up. This recipe appeared in the November 2007 issue of Gourmet.

Apple Soju Cocktails

Ingredients:
1 Pink Lady or Granny Smith apple
2 cups soju or sake
5 cups chilled tonic water (40 fluid ounces)
8 lime wedges

Directions:
1. Cut apple into matchsticks with an adjustable-blade slicer fitted with a 1/4-inch julienne blade, discarding core. Put matchsticks in a pitcher and stir in soju. Let macerate, covered and chilled, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
2. Fill 8 (12-ounce) double Old Fashioned glasses with ice. Strain about 1/4 cup soju into each glass, then add some apple pieces to each glass. Top off drinks with tonic and serve with lime wedges.

Makes 8 cocktails.

--KitchenMaus

The Wednesday Wrap: Food News to Go

Big-Boned Bloggers: Kim Severson weighs on the "Fat Pack," the bloggers, food writers, and chefs who are suddenly discovering what too many pork bellies can do to your own belly (and cholesterol). [NY Times]

I'm Sorry, But We're Completely Booked... Through 2009: Talula's Table, a restaurant in the "flyspeck town" of Kennett Square, PA, proves to be the toughest table to book in all of America. [Conde Nast Portfolio via Eater]

How Much Is that Croissant in the Window?: Karen Gaudette takes a local look at the rising costs of wheat and how it's affecting everyone from Costco to neighborhood bakeries. [Seattle Times]

You Don't Know (Jelly) Beans: Twelve brands of jelly beans are put to the taste test. [The Boston Globe]

Cookbook Award Season Is Here: On Monday, the International Association of Culinary Professionals announced the finalists for their 2008 cookbook awards, and the James Beard Foundation does the same this coming Monday night.

Bruni Beat: It's one lone star ("good") for "the oddly compelling little bistro La Sirène." [NY Times]

--BTP

Easter Eats: Poached Egg Brioche

With Easter coming up this weekend, we here at Al Dente are talking recipes, Peeps, and how to eat a chocolate bunny. Check in every day this week and get a new recipe to try this Sunday. This recipe is currently featured on Epicurious and originally comes from entertaining guru Colin Cowie. Epicurious users gave it a 4-fork rating, and it's a simple and delicious centerpiece to your Easter brunch. For tips on poaching eggs, check out this informative video. For foolproof poaching, you might want to pick up a classic egg poacher or one of the new silicone poach pods.

Poached Egg Brioche

Ingredients:
12 large eggs (or 24 small eggs)
12 brioche slices, lightly toasted
12 thin slices Canadian bacon or smoked ham
12 slices tomato (from 2 to 3 tomatoes)
12 thin slices red onion (from 1 medium onion)
3/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces)
3/4 cup grated Swiss cheese (about 3 ounces)
Paprika for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler. Line a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with aluminum foil.
2. Over high heat, bring a large pot of water to boil, then reduce heat to medium. Crack 4 eggs, 1 at a time, into simmering water. Poach until whites are set but yolks are still soft, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, carefully transfer to paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Poach remaining eggs, 4 at a time.
3. In baking dish, place 12 brioche slices. Top each with 1 slice Canadian bacon, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice onion, and 1 (or 2 if using small eggs) poached egg. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon Cheddar and 1 tablespoon Swiss cheese. Broil until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle each egg with paprika and serve immediately. Can be prepared in advance and placed under broiler for 3 to 4 minutes before serving.

Serves 12.

--KitchenMaus

IACP Cookbook Awards: 2008 Finalists Announced

The cookbook award season is officially on the front burner. Earlier this evening the International Association of Culinary Professionals announced the 2008 finalists for their annual cookbook awards. If the James Beard Awards are the "Oscars of the food world," then that would probably make the IACP awards the gourmet Golden Globes.

As in past years, the  "international" aspect of the IACP awards comes into play with the occasional title that isn't that familiar (or easy to locate) in the States (Pier and Turquoise anyone?). While Ten Speed Press had five featured finalists, I was disappointed that one of my favorite books they published in 2007, David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop didn't make the cut. The same goes for two of my other favorite titles from last last year, David Pasternack's The Young Man and the Sea and Gina DePalma's Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen.

It's always difficult to predict the winners, but when thinking about Cookbook of the Year, I'd start by seriously considering any title nominated in more than one category. Using this less-than-sure-fire method, here are this year's double-nominees: Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges (Chefs and Restaurants, Food Styling and Photography), Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking (Chefs and Restaurants, First Book), Sweet Myrtle and Bitter Honey by Efisio Farris and Jim Eber (First Book, International), and Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist (Food Photography and Styling; Wine, Beer, or Spirits). The prolific Mark Bittman is also nominated twice, but for two different books: Mark Bittman's Quick & Easy Recipes from the New York Times and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food.

Full disclosure: We are over-the-moon thrilled for Amazon's very own A.J. Rathbun, all-around raconteur and author of the IACP double-nominee, Good Spirits. Congratulations, A.J.! This year's winners will be announced on Friday, April 18 at an awards ceremony in New Orleans, LA.

--BTP

2008 Finalists

American:
Crescent City Cooking: Unforgettable Recipes from Susan Spicer's New Orleans by Susan Spicer and Paula Disbrowe
A Love Affair with Southern Cooking by Jean Anderson
The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style by Rebecca Rather and Alison Oresman

Bread, Other Baking, and   Sweets:
Local Breads: Sourdough and Whole-Grain Recipes from Europe's Best Artisan Bakers by Daniel Leader and Lauren Chattman
Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor by Peter Reinhart
Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich

Chefs and Restaurants:
Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking by Masaharu Morimoto
Pier by Greg Doyle, Grant King, and Katrina Kanetani

Compilations:
Baking Boot Camp: Five Days of Basic Training at the Culinary Institute of America by The Culinary Institute of America and Darra Goldstein
Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Techniques for the Artisan Confectioner by The Culinary Institute of America and Peter P. Greweling
Mark Bittman's Quick & Easy Recipes from the New York Times by Mark Bittman

First Book (The Julia Child Award):
Elizabeth Falkner's Demolition Desserts: Recipes from Citizen Cake by Elizabeth Falkner
Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking by Masaharu Morimoto
Sweet Myrtle and Bitter Honey by Efisio Farris and Jim Eber

Food Photography and Styling:
Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist by A.J. Rathbun
Rosa's New Mexican Table by Roberto Santibanez

Food Reference/Technical:
Discover Chocolate: The Ultimate Guide to Buying, Tasting, and Enjoying Fine Chocolates by Clay Gordon

Food: The History of Taste by Paul Freedman
Geography of Oysters: The Connoisseur's Guide to Oyster Eating in North America by Rowan Jacobsen    

General:
Chez Jacques: Traditions and Rituals of a Cook by Jacques Pepin
Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You A Better Cook by Jamie Oliver
Cooking by James Peterson

Health and Special Diets:
Allergy-Free Cookbook by Alice Sherwood
Cleveland Clinic Healthy Heart Lifestyle Guide & Cookbook by Bonnie Sanders Polin and Frances Towner Giedt
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman

International:
Sweet Myrtle and Bitter Honey by Efisio Farris and Jim Eber
The Country Cooking of France by Anne Willan
Turquoise by Greg and Lucy Malouf

Literary Food Writing:
Beans: A History by Ken Albala
Julia Child by Laura Shapiro
The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy by Sasha Issenberg

Single Subject:
Fish Forever: The Definitive Guide to Understanding, Selecting, and Preparing Healthy, Delicious, and Environmentally Sustainable Seafood by Paul Johnson
The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss
Vegetables: Recipes and Techniques from the World's Premier Culinary College by The Culinary Institute of America

Wine, Beer, or Spirits:
Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist by A.J. Rathbun
IMBIBE! From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, A Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar by David Wondrich
The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson  

Blasting Off with the Batter Blaster

Since Spanno's November post on the Batter Blaster, and the ensuing comments, I have had an unnatural curiosity about this product. Lucky for me, Sir Spanno located a can of this genius/heresy (you pick) and brought it to me for testing. My first comment? "Six dollars?! You can make a batch of pancakes from scratch in five minutes and it probably costs less than a buck." (For you mathematicians, Batter Blaster economics breaks down to approximately 21 cents per 4-inch pancake.) Now, as mom to a busy nine-month-old maus, I will admit to being quite the lover of convenience, but convenience for something so simple seem did indeed seem a little ridiculous. So, the question remained, would the fun novelty of the product pay off? And, of course, how would pancakes from a can taste?

With BabyMaus in his highchair eating Cheerios, I readied myself for my first round of testing. Skillet on the stovetop heating at medium-high according to directions on can? Check. Spatula? Check. Ready-made pancake batter in a can? Check. After shaking the can vigorously, as directed, I squeezed out my first dollops of batter. Very good, going well. As they started cooking I noticed large bubbles, approximately the size of a dime, floating to the top. Hmmm. Unusual. These were followed by tiny little bubbles all across the surface, much smaller than your average pancake bubbles. The pancakes looked lacy, and somewhat like the surface of the moon.

After flipping, finishing cooking, and then removing them to a plate, I was ready to taste. Without syrup, I took my first bites. Immediate reaction--hmmm, strange texture. The laciness was weird, and the overall quality was, well, a tiny bit rubbery. I would classify the taste as "not unpleasant, and definitely pancakey." Though, after a few bites I began to wonder about a slight sweet off-taste. Not prohibitive, necessarily, but also not really desirable to my palate.

As many pancake aficionados will tell you, never judge the first pancakes out of the pan. So, I made rounds two and three. Round two did not go according to plan. The medium-high heat seared the pancake too quickly, so I flipped it fairly soon, and turned the heat down to medium. Round three went similarly, and this time I turned the heat down to medium-low. In these two rounds, similar bubbliness occurred, but the overall pancake remained denser than the initial cakes. The rubbery texture was still present, as was the off-taste (plus a mild amount of over-browning due to the heat issues). I tasted all the rounds with syrup, and I will say the pancakes were quite improved. The maple really masked the off-taste, and I could pretend I had made them from scratch, perhaps overmixing my handmade batter so it ended up too stiff, imparting the slightly rubbery texture.

Now, for the last test, the non-chef and probably target consumer, my husband, LegoMaus. His comments: "Mmmm. Hmmm. They're very good. They're sorta thinner, firmer, and crispier. They're not like your big, fluffy buttermilk pancakes. They'd be good wrapped around a sausage, like pigs in a blanket. I like them."

Despite LegoMaus's sign off on the product, I will conclude that this is not a product I would buy again, even for the novelty. I will give that if you truly want to make just one or two pancakes, it could come in handy. But really, who ever eats just one or two? And what's so bad about having leftovers? Toasting a leftover pancake is quicker and tastier than squirting one out of a can. And as long as I'm the pancake maker in the house, I like my pancakes homemade.

--KitchenMaus