Satin Black, Biscuit Cream: A Writer's Blog

Ghalia Mahmoud: Egypt's Answer To Rachael Ray

2012-05-04T18:47:00.000-04:00

Her specialty is feeding large families on a tight budget - and in the wake of the Arab spring, her television show has made her a star In Cairo. She's more commonly known as el Set (the Lady) Ghalia. And in Egypt, this honorary title usually means a working-class woman who is known and loved in her neighborhood.

Ghalia Mahmoud has become an unlikely celebrity chef in Egypt with her 90-minute television show broadcast on the 25 January satellite channel, and created in the wake of the 2011 uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak.

"Under the previous regime, you wouldn't see anyone like me on television," she says. "The chefs on TV were bigger than movie stars and spoke English and French. - who would appreciate me?"

Reports have it that the Mubarak regime preferred only to present a veneer of sophistication, to gloss over the hardships to which it subjected so many of its people. But reality, Cairo is said to be immense, overcrowded, and mired in poverty, and Mahmoud hails from an area that exemplifies all these things. But with her newfound TV popularity these days, this has all changed.

Like I said, picture Rachael Ray, Sandra Lee, or any other TV food show star becoming so influential, that people begin calling on them -- to run for Secretary of State.

Read more here

The Wine Opener of Your Dreams… (Or, Not)

2012-04-01T09:03:00.001-04:00

I would imagine you could open that Easter bottle of wine...probably in the time it takes to cook the entire Easter meal with one of the oddest looking contraptions I've seen in a while.

Clearly, it's one of those inventions you simply stare at, then ask the question: "Um, but why?"

Anyway, cheers, bottoms up, and watch this video clip. (Corkscrews sold separately if all else fails.)

Hunger Games For the Cause

2012-03-02T15:49:00.000-05:00

Like so many others who read this awesome dystopian novel written by Suzanne Collins, needless to say I'm a huge Hunger Games fan. But just before this phenomenal story hits the big screen later this month, Feeding America has joined forces with the cast to fight hunger right here in America.

And if you already think you know hunger, then feel free to take this little hunger quiz. Trust me, you'll be surprised.

Catch a peek at the video clip here:

Serious Eats. (Seriously)

2012-02-17T10:10:00.000-05:00

It seems the good folks at the Clarkson Potter imprint of the Crown Publishing Group at Random House have done it again by publishing what I consider a must-have for the on-the-go cookbook shelf titled, Serious Eats: A Comprehensive Guide to Making and Eating Delicious Food Wherever You Are.

I picked this one up a few days ago, and just as described, it's 368 full-color pages and simply one impassioned study of favorite eats from across the country—from food trucks to fine dining and everywhere in between. (Ah, food trucks…what would the congestion of downtown Manhattan be without 'em?) It also covers the best pies and sliders and brisket and croissants and fried chicken, as well a. 50 recipes developed by J. Kenji López-Alt. and mouthwatering photos from Robyn Lee. Not to mention tales from the road, introductions to many of the fine folks making this fine food, and theories on oatmeal and American cheese, pizza ovens and sandwich construction…and more.

This of course is along with a few classic Serious Eats website gems you've seen before such as the heralded: Hamburger Fatty Melt.

*Ahem* I think this one's a keeper. Buy it here

Super Bowl Suds

2012-02-03T19:48:00.000-05:00

There's certainly no doubt that Super Bowl Sunday is a great day for beer drinkers.
And as with football itself, there are some unwritten rules (always have been -- always will be).

First, aim to please a crowd, so stick to familiar flavors. That means nothing overly sweet or sour.

Second, serve brews that will complement, not overwhelm, your dishes.

Third, since the game lasts many hours, pace the food and the boozing. Avoid high-alcohol beers—you don't want the lightweights to fall asleep...or worse.

And finally, offer some sort of variety so there's something -- for everyone.

So with that said, here are five beers sold nationwide that represent a healthy mix of light/dark, can/bottle, domestic/foreign, and familiar/obscure. And yes, they all work with pizza.

GO, BIG BLUE !!!

Negra Modelo, Mexico

($9 per six-pack)
5.4 percent ABV
Corona may be the best-selling nondomestic beer in the USA, but Negra Modelo, first brewed by Austrians in Mexico in 1926, is a better choice if you're thinking about food pairings. With its copper color, Negra pours darker than most lagers. It is sweet, with hints of nuttiness on the nose, and has a refreshingly potent carbonation. A hoppy bitter finish adds complexity. Lime wedge optional.

Cold Recipe Pairing:	Hot Recipe Pairing:
Guacamole Taquero The beer's caramelized malty sweetness cuts through this dish's tart tomatillos, creamy avocado, and spicy chiles.	Turkey Nachos Negra is strong enough to stand up to the jalepeño sour cream but doesn't overwhelm the lime-tossed turkey or bell peppers.

Sam Adams Light, United States

($9 per six-pack)
4.3 percent ABV
Unlike many other flavorless and appallingly watery light beers, Sam Adams Light shows real depth: toasty/bready aromas, gentle spiciness, and even a hint of tropical fruit. With only a slight trace of bitterness, this is a malty, crisp beer that goes down smooth. As an alternative to Bud, Miller, and Coors, Sam Adams Light is perfect for fans of mindless chugging and ideal for folks who are watching their weight. Note, however, that with 124 calories per 12-ounce bottle, this isn't exactly a 55-calorie beer.

Cold Recipe Pairing:	Hot Recipe Pairing:
Chile-Rubbed Shrimp with Avocado Corn Cocktail Sweet, malty characteristics of this Sam Adams contrast nicely with the grilled shrimp and its corresponding chile kick, while the smooth creaminess of the beer mirrors that of the avocado.	Bratwurst in Beer It's a classic tailgate/grilling pairing. Cook the mild-flavored sausage in Sam Adams to bring out perfectly complementary flavors.

Dale's Pale Ale, United States

($9 per six-pack)
6.5 percent ABV
Thanks to Oskar Blues Brewery, fans of hops, IPAs, and canned beers have had Dale's to rave about since its debut in 2002 when the company launched its canned beer business. With its hazy orange coloring, citrus flavors, and notes of pepper and pine, the stuff certainly stands out in a crowd (it's won numerous awards). And because it is the Super Bowl, there's the inevitable horseplay—"catch this!" and "toss me one!" come to mind—making these cans perfect for the day's event. Not only do cans protect beer from light and oxygen better than most bottles, they're easily transported (lighter and more compact than bottles), and don't shatter when dropped. No fumbling here.

Cold Recipe Pairing:	Hot Recipe Pairing:
Muffuletta The bitter hops cut right through the salami and mortadella, while the caramel maltiness serves as the perfect contrast to the salty capers and olives.	Garlic-Roasted Potato Skins Dale's citrus and pine notes balance out the potato skins' highly aromatic butter and garlic flavors.

Guinness Extra Stout, Ireland

($10 per six-pack)
5.0 percent ABV
Contrary to popular myth, Guinness is not necessarily stronger in flavor than other beers, nor is it more alcoholic. Thus, it is a perfectly acceptable brew for Super Bowl Sunday, especially when paired with dishes that use stout in the recipe—of which there are many. The Extra Stout pours an oily black and boasts a combination of dry, smoky/toasted, and bitter flavors (some enthusiasts also detect hints of coffee and chocolate), and is known for its thick, creamy head. Fans in Ireland, where Guinness was born more than 200 years ago, have traditionally consumed it alongside either a ploughman's lunch (think cheese, pickles, and bread) or heartier roasts and beefs stews.

Cold Recipe Pairing:	Hot Recipe Pairing:
Spiced-Up Grilled Cheese The toasted malt flavors of Guinness have long been matched with hard-to-pair sharp Cheddars, but the stout will also stand up to the chipotle chiles and molasses in the recipe.	Chili con Carne The beer brings out the smoky flavors in the chili, and you can even use Guinness as the "one bottle of dark beer" in the recipe.

Hitachino Nest White Ale, Japan

($14 per 24-ounce bottle)
5.0 percent ABV
It sounds like a gamble to serve something as odd as Japan's Hitachino Nest White Ale at a Super Bowl party. But with hints of orange peel, coriander, nutmeg, and clove, this Belgian-style wheat beer has turned out to be a major hit in the U.S., and appears on beer lists at all kinds of restaurants. Kiuchi Brewery, established in 1823, only started offering Hitachino Nest in America in 2000, but the recipe likely borrows from the medieval times, when beers were brewed with spices and herbs instead of hops.

Cold Recipe Pairing:	Hot Recipe Pairing:
Ginger-Garlic Hummus Only a beer with spice, fruit, and herbs like Hitachino's can draw out the ginger and star anise while allowing the hummus to take center stage.	Sweet Chili-Glazed Chicken Wings Though chicken normally begs for a lager or Pilsner, these wings need the beer's juicy spiciness to tame the peanut oil, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, and crushed red peppers.

On Valentine's Day: What Chefs Want

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Miss you, Julia.

Ginger Margarita: Not Just For Summer

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

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

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

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

Watch the clip. Ming shows you how.

The Future of In-Flight Meals

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

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

Happy 2012. I'm baaaaccck.

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

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

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

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

To find out more, read here.

Gourmet Live

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

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

They start in the kitchen with contributor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez, who scores on all three counts by turning out five very different cookies from one simple dough. On the savory front, They're sharing a sumptuous new recipe for Provençal Short Ribs with Olives and Herbs. The active time is just an hour to make this impressive centerpiece for your Hanukkah feast or other celebratory spread.

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

T'is The Season

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

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

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

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

Read More here

The "Non" Recipe Cookbook

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

No, seriously.

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

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

I like it!

Read more here, and watch the clip below.

Anthony Bourdain, Publisher

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

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

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

Read more here

A "Zobster" By Any Other Name

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

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

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

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

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

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

Really, Mr. Zabar?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sigh.

Anyway, read more here ...and here

London Riots: And One Organic Chef Gone Wild

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more here

The Doughnut Quacks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bon apetit. (Or, not.)

Really Cookin'

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

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

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

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

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

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

A New Force: Martha Stewart Comics

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

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

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

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

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

Anyway, read more about it here

Robe Lowe...As the Candy Man?

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

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

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

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

Watch this.

Food Styling: Now That Looks Good

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

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

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

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

Read more here

The 2011 JBA Winners

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

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

The big winners:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best Chef: New York City: Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Emeril's Breakfast

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

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

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

Cabury Egg Crash Test

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

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

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

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

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

Erica Out, Food In

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2011 James Beard Foundation Awards

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

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

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

2011 James Beard Foundation Awards Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalists

See the entire list here

All Things Foodie: Yep, It Sells

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

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

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

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

Enough said.

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