Al Dente

Pork Chop 'N' Gravy Biscuit

Hey kids! Did ya hear?  Hardee's has introduced a new breakfast item, on account of people beggin for it:

“We first introduced a Pork Chop Biscuit a few years ago and, even though we stopped selling it last year, we still get many requests from people asking us to bring it back,” said Brad Haley, Hardee’s Executive Vice President of Marketing. “And, since we had many reports from our restaurants that people were ordering a side of our famous sausage gravy to dip the biscuit in – which I usually do myself, by the way – we decided to re-test it with sausage gravy already on it and it was more popular than ever.  So, I guess the old saying among our test kitchen people is true: ‘The only way to make it better is to add gravy to it!’.”

**Aside: Do you think Christopher Kimball and those folks in America's Test Kitchen feel queasy to see their title affixed to these fry cooks? Consider the fingers of my gauntlet licked and thrown. I dare those high-brow, short-haired Cooks Illustrated beans to tell how to replicate the Pork Chop 'N' Gravy Biscuit at home. (read as, Please, oh Please! tell us how to make Pork Chop and Gravy Biscuits at home!)

Mmmmmmm, pork chop 'n' gravy biscuit. You no longer have to fear hangovers. Its an all-in-one fix for, well, everything.

Now I hail from the very rock out from under which Hardee's was born. Nobody on the West coast knows what I'm talking about, but some of you less fortunate East coastees understand that the rivalry between Hardee's and McDonald's has been like that between Duke and Carolina. As far as I'm concerned, there is no contest. McD's just doesn't offer anything that compares to the PCNGB. Same way Duke has been flavorless lo these many years.

I propose that if enough people write to their governors, we might be able to get a Hardee's opened in the Northwest. And unless you think the Cooks Illustrated gang is actually right now stewing over a sausage gravy reduction (please Cook's Illustrated gang, be working on a sausage gravy reduction now), pick up your pen.

(You probably read about this heart-clogging new menu item on the Fast Food Fever website from those guys who invented the Froke (Wendy's Frosty + Coke), but I didn't...I read about it on Cattle Network, The Source For Cattle News. Shew, those are some relieved cows.)

Ode to a Hamburger

Few shows not on the Food Network have made me so hungry as last night's episode of How I Met Your Mother. The episode, entitled "The Best Burger in New York," followed Marshall's quest to find the burger joint where he'd enjoyed hamburger perfection. Here is his exquisite ode to the burger:

"...That first bite. Oh, what heaven that first bite is. The bun, like a sesame-freckled breast of an angel, resting gently on the ketchup and mustard below. Flavors mingling in a seductive pas de deux. And then… a pickle. The most… playful little pickle. Then a slice of tomato. A leaf of lettuce. A patty of ground beef so… exquisite… swirling in your mouth, breaking apart and combining again in a fugue of sweets and savories so… delightful. This is no mere sandwich of grilled meat and toasted bread, Robin. This is God, speaking to us through food."

Sigh...

If you're not hungry yet, watch the full episode here.

--KitchenMaus

Pork Brains in Milk Gravy. 'Nuff Said.

I just found a brilliant, all-natural way to curb my appetite--by looking at this picture. Yuck.

--AndreaLeigh

Pancake Bacon Banana Breakfast Tempts Me

I have no idea what this dish is called, but for the next few days I'm going to refer to it as "Saturday's breakfast". You take one buttermilk pancake and top it with bacon, caramelized banana, and a little maple syrup.

Image and recipe are from the Jack of All Trades blog. You can find this breakfast at the Bleeding Heart Tavern in London.

--Spanno

Kid Rock Branded Beer Coming Soon

Next Spring, you'll be able to enjoy a "premium domestic beer" branded with Kid Rock's name and/or likeness. The Dayton Daily News reported yesterday that Drinks America Holdings Limited, the makers of Donald Trump vodka and Willie Nelson bourbon signed a brew deal with "singer" Kid Rock.

Said company CEO J. Patrik Kenny, "Kid Rock is a reflection of great American rock 'n' roll music and the American spirit, and we think we can create a beer in that same image." I'm going to assume he's referring to Lynyrd Skynyrd-ripoff Kid Rock and not pseudo-rapping Kid Rock.

While Mr. Rock does remind me of a 70's rocker (minus the talent), I don't see the need for another brand of 70's-style crappy American beer. Our collective taste in beer has shifted dramatically since then. Yes, Bud Light and Miller Light still dominate the market, but microbrews have exploded to the point that the largest beer makers are getting in the action with their own brands of craft brews. Kid Rock's beer will undoubtedly harken back to our watered-down roots. Afterall, the guy lives on cigarettes, Budweiser, and stripper sweat. Does anyone really think he'd put his name on something tasteful?

--Spanno

Weekend Recipe: Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

It seems like everyday someone comes up with a novel and ingenius use for bacon. The geniuses over at Bacon Today came up with a simple, yet delicious-looking recipe that you really need to try this weekend.

According to Mr. B., "The taste was both sweet and salty, a perfect combination for a morning pick-me-up meal. Highly recommended for any bacon lover!" Recipe below.

Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
1 tube ready-to-cook cinnamon rolls
1 uncooked slice of bacon per roll

Directions:
1. Unroll the rolls, place one piece of bacon on each roll.
2. Follow printed cinnamon roll directions.

--Spanno

The Microwave S'mores Maker: A Gadget You Don't Need...But You Know You Want

I am a big, BIG fan of s'mores. I've been known to make them on my electric stovetop in the dead of winter. This is why I was so delighted about what I like to call the S'mores Revolution. Several years ago it seemed that major food manufacturers had discovered what I'd known all along--s'mores are delicious. Henceforth came a deluge of s'mores-flavored baked goods, candy bars, ice creams, and whatnot. And, of course everyone wanted to make more s'mores at home, so there came various sorts of s'mores makers, so that one may enjoy the deliciousness of s'mores without having to fire up the grill, or, heaven forbid, leave the kitchen and go camping.

The latest product in the S'mores Revolution is the microwave s'mores maker by Progressive. Making s'mores has truly never been easier. Now, while it is certainly true that you can't get that great charred flavor so essential to a classic s'more, this gadget does somehow achieve a perfectly melted marshmallow (not too much, not too little, just right), gooey chocolate, all the while retaining the crispness of the graham crackers. "Just add water," says the manufacturer. The gadget has this little reservoir you fill up with approximately a cup of water. Then you assemble the s'mores ingredients under the "hands," pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds, and voila! Gooey happiness.

I can't say I'd ever give up a real, over-the-grill s'more for a microwave s'more, but when it comes right down to it, I'll take my s'mores where I can get them. Plus, I'm thinking this little gadget will be a safe and fun way to make snacktime special for my son. And maybe that's really who the microwave s'mores maker is for--kids. Or, kids at heart.

--KitchenMaus

Happy Hour Drink Recipe: Golden Apple Cider

The first day of Fall was this week, and with it came the onset of the chilly weather Seattle is home to for most of the year. Don't get me wrong, I'm fine with weather like this--what better excuse to start using the fireplace and making delicious drinks like Golden Apple Cider? This recipe is super simple (microwave apple juice or use instant cider packets in a pinch) and always puts a smile on the drinker's face.

Ingredients
6 ounces hot apple cider
1 ounce cinnamon schnapps

Directions
Combine the schnapps and hot cider in a mug. Garnish with a cinnamon stick if you're feeling fancy.

--AndreaLeigh

Bacon Lover's Paradise?

Okay, I like bacon as much as the next person, but this twisted take on that scene from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is kind of giving me the creeps.

--AndreaLeigh

Almost (In)Edible Photo: Spaghetti Cupcakes

Thankfully they're not made with real spaghetti or sauce. According to the creator, "They're white chocolate cupcakes...with vanilla frosting (the spaghetti) and Ferrero Rocher chocolates covered in strawberry preserves. Gooey and yummy!"

Image and description courtesy of flickr.

--Spanno