http://www.slashfood.com Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.slashfood.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/Na_MaihgfuE/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/sonic-premium-chicken-sandwiches/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/sonic-premium-chicken-sandwiches/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/poultry/" rel="tag">Poultry</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/raves-and-reviews/" rel="tag">Raves &amp; Reviews</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/america/" rel="tag">America</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/fast-food/" rel="tag">Fast Food</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/sandwiches/" rel="tag">Sandwiches</a></p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kb35/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" align="right" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/sonic.jpg" alt="Sonic Neon Sign" /></a>When fast food joints decide to expand beyond the burger, the first place they go is typically the chicken sandwich. After all, the kids in the back of the joint can basically do all the same things, just to a different patty. (Why don't the bigwigs just pick fish? Well, you know, the whole <a target="_blank" href="http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Simpson_and_Delilah">tartar sauce</a> issue.) <p> </p> <a href="http://www.sonicdrivein.com/home.jsp">Sonic Drive-In</a> has recently added two new "premium" chicken sandwiches to its menu: Chicken and chicken bacon ranch. Both come either fried or grilled with an option for a "wheat" bun option (that apparently, per the nutritional details, does not actually contain any whole grain). As far as I can tell the quote-unquote wheat bun and slightly larger size are what make these suckers "premium." <p> </p> Between the chicken and the bacon ranch chicken, guess which one tastes better? Well, the plain chicken (which I ordered grilled) is just that: Plain. A chicken patty arrives topped with lettuce, tomato and mayo on a less-squishy-than-usual bun. Though it's not that thrilling, at under 500 calories it's one of the less-heinous fast food options out there. <p> </p> Naturally, the fried version with bacon and ranch dressing is more exciting even if it could use a bit more bacon or another dollop of ranch and you'll have to scurry double-time on the treadmill later. Is it tastier than the other chicken sandwiches on the market? Eh. Sonic falls into the chicken spectrum thusly: Superior to a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/03/the-mcgangbang-a-mcchicken-sandwich-inside-a-double-cheeseburger/">McChicken</a>, worse than a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.slashfood.com/search/?q=carl%27s+jr.&amp;searchsubmit=">Carl's Jr.</a> and can't compete at all with chicken-specializing chains like KFC or Popeye's. On my next trip to Sonic I think I'll just stick to burgers and <a target="_blank" href="http://always-seek.blogspot.com/2008/01/sonics-java-chillers-starbucks-cousin.html">Java Chillers</a>. <p> </p> Got a fave fast-food chix sandwich that makes the others look like frauds? Let us know in the comments.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/sonic-premium-chicken-sandwiches/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1513267/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/sonic-premium-chicken-sandwiches/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/R6JO7-Kuh_4-Nx_uB4983KpQVs8/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/R6JO7-Kuh_4-Nx_uB4983KpQVs8/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=Na_MaihgfuE:7IjQdb19O9c:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=Na_MaihgfuE:7IjQdb19O9c:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=Na_MaihgfuE:7IjQdb19O9c:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=Na_MaihgfuE:7IjQdb19O9c:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/Na_MaihgfuE" height="1" width="1"/>chickendrive-thrufast foodFastFoodpremium chicken sandwichPremiumChickenSandwichsandwichsonic2009-04-14T13:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/sonic-premium-chicken-sandwiches/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/9_fKv7dFcNc/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/midwest-tuesdays-the-chicago-tribune-in-60-seconds/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/midwest-tuesdays-the-chicago-tribune-in-60-seconds/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/in-sixty-seconds/" rel="tag">In Sixty Seconds</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" alt="brownies" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/brownies041309.jpg" /><br /> <ul> <li>Staffers taste-test four <a target="_blank" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-tc-food-testings-0327-0401apr01,0,1702818.story?track=rss">brownie recipes</a> from brand-new cookbooks to find out which is best. (Rough day on the job.)<br /></li> <li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-tc-food-ham-0403-0408apr08,0,3837895.story?track=rss">All about ham</a>: Bones, carving, how to rustle up a flawless one and what to do with leftovers.</li> <li>"<a target="_blank" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-tc-food-book-dames-0403-0408apr08,0,2846789.story?track=rss">Cooking with Les Dames d'Escoffier</a>," a collection of recipes from top female food fiends like Lidia Bastianich and Dorie Greenspan, snags a positive review. <br /></li> <li>A tasty-looking recipe for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-tc-food-simple-lamb-0403-040apr08,0,2473156.story?track=rss">Braised Lamb Shanks with Toasted Almond Gremolata</a></li> <li>Ever wonder how different stores price organic goods? Check out a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-0408-price-check-organicsapr08,0,5330556.story?track=rss">chart</a> that pits TJ's against Whole Foods.</li> </ul><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/midwest-tuesdays-the-chicago-tribune-in-60-seconds/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1516079/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/midwest-tuesdays-the-chicago-tribune-in-60-seconds/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/VBmeh0Lz_NTwLIx3fwI10CLCLWA/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/VBmeh0Lz_NTwLIx3fwI10CLCLWA/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=9_fKv7dFcNc:9_Agrs_r4N4:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=9_fKv7dFcNc:9_Agrs_r4N4:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=9_fKv7dFcNc:9_Agrs_r4N4:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=9_fKv7dFcNc:9_Agrs_r4N4:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/9_fKv7dFcNc" height="1" width="1"/>brownie recipesBrownieRecipesCooking with Les Dames dEscoffierCookingWithLesDamesDescoffierlamb shanksLambShanksorganic food pricesOrganicFoodPricespicking a hamPickingAHamThe Chicago TribuneTheChicagoTribune2009-04-14T12:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/midwest-tuesdays-the-chicago-tribune-in-60-seconds/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/H5jjJ-HmI0c/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/hoja-santa-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/hoja-santa-cheese-course/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/dairy/" rel="tag">Dairy</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/cheese/" rel="tag">Cheese</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/artisan-foods/" rel="tag">Artisan Foods</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/cheese-course/" rel="tag">Cheese Course</a></p><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mozzco.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.100.exe/scstore/p-gm7.html?L+scstore+jhld1770+1239626178"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" alt="Hoja Santa Cheese" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/hoja_goat.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Hoja Santa cheese looks as though it's been gift-wrapped by Mother Nature. <p> </p> Pronounced OH-ha SAHN-tah, the goat's milk cheese is aged in the minty leaves of a Texan plant called hoja santa ("sacred leaves," in Spanish). It's a gift for the palate, too (unlike some cheeses wrapped in chestnut, grape or fig leaves) -- not too funky, with a clean finish reminiscent of sassafras, eucalyptus and lingering mint.<br /><br />A relatively recent discovery in <span style="font-style: italic;">fromage </span>terms, this cheese arrived on the scene courtesy of Texan <span style="font-style: italic;"></span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mozzco.com/lamberty.html">Paula Lambert</a>, a self-proclaimed "urban cheesemaker" who has been crafting it since the early 1980s. After seeing hoja santa used to wrap salmon at a local restaurants she had a "Eureka!" moment a few years later while pondering the French <span style="font-style: italic;">banon</span>, which is covered with chestnut leaves. Wishing to create a Texan incarnation, she found herself stumped for greenery: "I wanted to use something local," she recalls, "and had a hoja santa plant in my garden. Then I remembered [those] fish dishes and <span style="font-style: italic;">voila</span>!" <p> </p> This mix of cakey, creamy goat's milk cheese and mint is a truly unique gastronomic experience. If the typically strong flavors of wrapped French cheeses are a bit much for you, give it a try. Purchase it directly from Lambert's Mozzarella Company <a href="http://www.mozzco.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.100.exe/scstore/p-gm7.html?L+scstore+jhld1770+1239626178" target="_blank">online</a> for $21 per pound or in specialty food shops where available. <p> </p> Have you tried hoja santa or other wrapped cheeses? Got a favorite?<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/hoja-santa-cheese-course/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1515312/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/hoja-santa-cheese-course/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/9s_51mG4AJgNmn3fQe4ZR46ofFU/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/9s_51mG4AJgNmn3fQe4ZR46ofFU/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=H5jjJ-HmI0c:2zuRZFpjps0:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=H5jjJ-HmI0c:2zuRZFpjps0:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=H5jjJ-HmI0c:2zuRZFpjps0:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=H5jjJ-HmI0c:2zuRZFpjps0:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/H5jjJ-HmI0c" height="1" width="1"/>cheesecoursegoat cheeseGoatCheesepatricia quintanaPatriciaQuintanapaula lambertPaulaLambert2009-04-14T11:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/hoja-santa-cheese-course/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/s0tP958MX0Q/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/burger-pop-and-a-shake-feast-your-eyes/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/burger-pop-and-a-shake-feast-your-eyes/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/lunch/" rel="tag">Lunch</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/dinner/" rel="tag">Dinner</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/dessert/" rel="tag">Dessert</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/food-porn/" rel="tag">Food Porn</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/dairy/" rel="tag">Dairy</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/beef/" rel="tag">Beef</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/america/" rel="tag">America</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/comfort-food/" rel="tag">Comfort Food</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/local-eating/" rel="tag">Local Eating</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/feast-your-eyes/" rel="tag">Feast Your Eyes</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/sandwiches/" rel="tag">Sandwiches</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/burger.jpg" alt="burger" /><br />This <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/suomynona/3430603436/">photo</a> makes us want to skip on down to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.johnnyrockets.com/index2.php">Johnny Rocket's</a>, pop the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.theshirelles.com/">Shirelles</a> on the stereo and sip milkshakes two-straws-to-a-glass -- all before 10am. <p> </p> But of course what looks to be a simple burger and mac combo platter with a sweet side of Moxie is actually a duck-pork patty slathered with seven-pickle relish accompanied by a gorgonzola and cheddar mac 'n cheese. We're pretty sure that's not what the Fonz was noshing on back in the day. Gotta love that fresh strawberry shake served up in a laboratory glass, too. Click over to the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/suomynona/3430603436/">snapshot</a> to learn what those lunchboxes have printed on 'em, part of the cutesy theme at Seattle's <a target="_blank" href="http://seattlest.com/2009/01/20/dishin_the_highs_and_lows_of_lunchb.php">Lunchbox Laboratory</a>. <p> </p> If you're not in our Flickr <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/search/?s=rec&amp;q=slashfood&amp;m=tags">pool</a> yet it's time to jump in, start tagging photos "slashfood" and show off your skills already. And tell us if this pic makes you get a burger for lunch.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/burger-pop-and-a-shake-feast-your-eyes/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1516225/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/burger-pop-and-a-shake-feast-your-eyes/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/kMXs-RuLH5aPpjUs84WzPjUAYpc/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/kMXs-RuLH5aPpjUs84WzPjUAYpc/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=s0tP958MX0Q:SsMUU95XZMQ:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=s0tP958MX0Q:SsMUU95XZMQ:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=s0tP958MX0Q:SsMUU95XZMQ:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=s0tP958MX0Q:SsMUU95XZMQ:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/s0tP958MX0Q" height="1" width="1"/>americaamericanburgerduckmilkshakeporkseattle2009-04-14T10:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/burger-pop-and-a-shake-feast-your-eyes/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/bNo_7wyJDw0/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/brewers-association-names-top-50-breweries/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/brewers-association-names-top-50-breweries/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/beer/" rel="tag">Beer</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/food-news/" rel="tag">Food News</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/beers.jpg" alt="beer" /><br /><br /><strong><em>by Pervaiz Shallwani<br /></em></strong> <p>The list of America's top 50 craft brewers is <a href="http://www.beertown.org/ba/media_2009/Top_50_Release.html" target="_blank">out</a> and while big boys Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada and New Belgium (Fat Tire) are again on top, there is a newcomer to list.</p> <p>After 20 years of brewing, the Saint Louis Brewery - makers of Schlafly - has joined the ranks of top craft brewers. (If you can find it, try their creamy Oatmeal Stout.)</p> <p>Released by the Brewers Association, the industry arm of the craft-brew industry, the annual list of craft and overall brewers looked at sales for the year 2008. Compared to 35 last year, 37 of the top brewers are on this year's overall list were small independent companies producing less than 2 millions barrels a year.</p> <p>Big Sky Brewing Co. from Missoula, Mont., and Mac &amp; Jack's Brewery of Redmond, Wash., joined the overall list where the real Big Boys, including Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors Brewing Co., hold court.</p> <p>A little consolidation, of course, helped. The merger of Miller and Coors - Nos. 2 and 3 last year - opened up a slot as did the union of Widmer Brothers and Redhook Craft Brewers into what is now Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc.</p> <p>As it's one of the few industries growing in this economy - 5.8 percent in 2008 - as we head into happy hour, time to cozy up to the bar and skip the Bud for a local draft.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/brewers-association-names-top-50-breweries/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1515897/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/brewers-association-names-top-50-breweries/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/lnyNCQU6IJgHUNAuTlsGS3fBOW4/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/lnyNCQU6IJgHUNAuTlsGS3fBOW4/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=bNo_7wyJDw0:NPCKbEnJ5hI:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=bNo_7wyJDw0:NPCKbEnJ5hI:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=bNo_7wyJDw0:NPCKbEnJ5hI:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=bNo_7wyJDw0:NPCKbEnJ5hI:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/bNo_7wyJDw0" height="1" width="1"/>beerbreakingnewsbrewersbrewersassociationmicrobrewmicrobreweries2009-04-13T17:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/brewers-association-names-top-50-breweries/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/5bI25l5kXQc/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/cafe-caribe-mediocre-coffee-super-cool-can/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/cafe-caribe-mediocre-coffee-super-cool-can/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/coffee/" rel="tag">Coffee</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/food-quest/" rel="tag">Food Quest</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/america/" rel="tag">America</a></p><img width="200" vspace="4" hspace="4" height="300" border="0" align="right" alt="coffee" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/cafecaribe.jpg" />In our search for the perfect <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/28/cafe-bustelo-an-experiment-in-super-cheap-coffee/" target="_blank">cheap</a> <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/19/medaglia-doro-a-cheap-coffee-to-avoid/" target="_blank">coffee</a> -- being devoted caffeine freaks, we also cover it <a href="http://food.aol.com/instant-coffee" target="_blank">here</a> -- Slashfood decided to give Caf&eacute; Caribe a shot. Look at that <em>muy tropical </em>can<em>; </em>who wouldn't? <p> </p> The brand indulges in similar identity politics to its competitor (and current frontrunner) Caf&eacute; <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/28/cafe-bustelo-an-experiment-in-super-cheap-coffee/" target="_blank">Bustelo</a>. The label is printed in both English and Spanish and proudly proclaims "Caf&eacute; Para El Gusto Latino: NUESTRO CAFE," or "Coffee for the Latin taste. OUR COFFEE." In the Bronx (the New York City borough this writer is proud to call home) Dominicans and Puerto Ricans take a lot of pride in their coffee, so we can see why Caf&eacute; Caribe is taking such a direct marketing approach. <p> </p> Beyond that, Caf&eacute; Caribe is also among the cheapest coffees in the store. At $2.59, it's a dollar less than Bustelo and about one third of the price of <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/19/medaglia-doro-a-cheap-coffee-to-avoid/" target="_blank">Medaglia D'Oro</a>. <p> </p> The biggest draw, though, was the can. With bright colors, cartoonish writing and a cute little drawing of a hacienda amid palm trees, it is incredibly cheering. Over the last few weeks we've had a lot of gray days and the explosive yellow can has provided a lingering gleam of sunshine.<p><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/cafe-caribe-mediocre-coffee-super-cool-can/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Café Caribe - Mediocre Coffee, Super Cool Can</em></a></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/cafe-caribe-mediocre-coffee-super-cool-can/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1509466/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/cafe-caribe-mediocre-coffee-super-cool-can/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/Veq-RPacC9pZm5hLZ3XVxJyvAks/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/Veq-RPacC9pZm5hLZ3XVxJyvAks/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=5bI25l5kXQc:qtwKQXcvbU8:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=5bI25l5kXQc:qtwKQXcvbU8:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=5bI25l5kXQc:qtwKQXcvbU8:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=5bI25l5kXQc:qtwKQXcvbU8:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/5bI25l5kXQc" height="1" width="1"/>Cafe CaribeCafeCaribecheap coffeeCheapCoffeeCoffee questCoffeeQuest2009-04-13T16:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/cafe-caribe-mediocre-coffee-super-cool-can/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/Zs0tsci8T6o/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/absolut-mango/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/absolut-mango/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/vodka/" rel="tag">Vodka</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/raves-and-reviews/" rel="tag">Raves &amp; Reviews</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/new-products/" rel="tag">New Products</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/liquor-cabinet/" rel="tag">Liquor Cabinet</a></p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28400761@N02/"><img hspace="4" border="0" align="right" vspace="4" style="width: 200px; height: 215px;" alt="absolut mango bottle" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/mango.jpg" /></a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.absolut.com/us">Absolut</a> has added another variety to its line of flavored vodkas: Mango. With its tropical taste and groovy, painterly swirls <a href="http://www.globalpackagegallery.com/main.php/key/TheDieline?g2_itemId=91969">on the bottle</a> it's a bit surprising that it took until No. 10 for Absolut to add this one to their repertoire.<br /><br />Or not. After I ordered a mango 'n' tonic at a bar recently, the bartender looked slightly askance and asked if I was "sure," explaining that "a lot of people don't like it."<br /><br />One taste had me in agreement: As a straight-up shot or with a non-masking <a target="_blank" href="http://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/18/mixing-up-your-mixers/">mixer</a> like tonic water, Absolut Mango has a peculiar taste. It starts fruity-mango and ends fruity-mango, but there's some strange bit in the middle that sort of flops on the tongue like mango detergent.<br /><br />This is especially odd since Absolut so adroitly used mango in its <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2007-07-18-absolute-new-orleans_N.htm">New Orleans</a> flavor, but perhaps the hit of black pepper that elevated that vodka above its peers also helped disguise the troubling mango notes (not to mention its super-cool <a target="_blank" href="http://www.absolutads.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/absneworleans.jpg">design</a>).<br /><br />Absolut Mango does work nicely when blended into a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.unlimiteddirt.com/offroad/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=927:absolut-vodka-world-true-taste-comes-naturally-touch-tropical-recipes&amp;catid=156:liquor-mixed-drinks-cocktail">cocktail</a> or combined with juice: She's just not a sipper.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/absolut-mango/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1514567/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/absolut-mango/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/sq289I7F2j8ujrdT8Hrnzu0FCtg/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/sq289I7F2j8ujrdT8Hrnzu0FCtg/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=Zs0tsci8T6o:ojXXI_5uJko:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=Zs0tsci8T6o:ojXXI_5uJko:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=Zs0tsci8T6o:ojXXI_5uJko:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=Zs0tsci8T6o:ojXXI_5uJko:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/Zs0tsci8T6o" height="1" width="1"/>absolutabsolut mangoabsolut vodkaAbsolutMangoAbsolutVodkaflavored vodkasFlavoredVodkasliquormango vodkaMangoVodkavodka2009-04-13T15:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/absolut-mango/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/aui64zslw-Q/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/tacos-cookbook-of-the-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/tacos-cookbook-of-the-day/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/books/" rel="tag">Books</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/cookbook-of-the-day/" rel="tag">Cookbook Spotlight</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/food-news/" rel="tag">Food News</a></p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580089771?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=aolfood-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1580089771"><img hspace="4" border="0" align="right" vspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/tacos-book-200.jpg" alt="taco book cover" /></a><strong>'Tacos'</strong><br />Mark Miller<br /><em>Ten Speed Press -- 2009</em><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580089771?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=aolfood-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1580089771">Buy it at Amazon</a> <p>Most Americans equate tacos with a "run for the border," but a really good taco takes far longer than the average fast food.</p> <p>"Tacos," written by the founder of the Coyote Caf&eacute; in Santa Fe, N.M., is a vision quest of sorts for lovers of all things tortilla. You <em>will</em> learn the basic philosophy of this traditional Mexican street food; it isn't until you get into the recipes, though, that you realize just how laborious it can be to make that yummy treat.</p> <p>Along with approximately 44 taco fillings, Miller shows how to make homemade tortillas, offers a slew of salsa recipes and even gives a Mexican breakfast section sure to make you salivate.</p> <p>Miller does a bang-up job pairing each of his taco fillings with a wine or beer choice, a tortilla recommendation and the proper salsa accompaniment. With the latter, it gets tricky: If you see a salsa paired with the filling, plan on an extra hour for the preparation.</p> <p><strong>Takeaway tips:</strong> Tacos take work ... lots of it!</p> <ol> <li>The word taco comes from the Nahuatl word "ac," which means flat.</li> <li>Make your own tortillas at home.</li> <li>Sixty percent of a chile's heat is in the ribs or veins.</li> <li>"If you can do as much of the preparation as possible in advance, you can have everything ready and waiting for your guests." Live that warning, love it and you'll be a happy taco eater/chef.</li> <li>Be warned: You will have to buy exotic ingredients that may be hard to find.</li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Quality of pictures:</span> A varied assortment of luscious taco shots peppered with ingredient closeups</p> <p><strong>We tested:</strong> Smoky Bacon Tacos with Cascabel Chile-Blackened Tomato Salsa and Chicken with Chorizo Tacos with Salsa Fresca<br />These recipes looked delicious and having made some laborious Rick Bayless gems, we were hoping they wouldn't be quite as much work. We were wrong.</p> <p> </p> <p>The Smoky Bacon Tacos seemed quick enough -- fry up the bacon, fry up the onion in the bacon grease, mix together with honey, salt and two chile powders. However, the salsa -- Cascabel Chile-Blackened Tomato Salsa -- took a bit more than the 20 minutes listed as the prep time, and we couldn't even find cascabel chiles in Whole Foods (so we substituted with a blend of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/some-like-it-hot/">arbol</a> and chipotle). That said, these were delicious and original, and we'd make 'em again.</p> <p>The Chicken with Chorizo Tacos were somewhat easier, though we had to pull the leaves off an entire bunch of cilantro (add another 15 minutes to prep time) and let the chicken marinate for more than an hour. The results were subtle and good, though not quite as tasty as the Smoky Bacon Tacos. </p> <p>Slashfood started dinner at 6 p.m., ate at 9:45 and gave up trying to make corn tortillas from scratch because of fatigue.</p> <p><strong>Worth the investment:</strong> These are labor-intensive recipes -- only for those who love their Mexican food and are willing to put in the hours to get it.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/tacos-cookbook-of-the-day/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1515656/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/tacos-cookbook-of-the-day/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/nZsJAYSj6Z0T7GGEDKLlEt8dBfw/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/nZsJAYSj6Z0T7GGEDKLlEt8dBfw/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=aui64zslw-Q:T_ODocVWKeg:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=aui64zslw-Q:T_ODocVWKeg:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=aui64zslw-Q:T_ODocVWKeg:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=aui64zslw-Q:T_ODocVWKeg:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/aui64zslw-Q" height="1" width="1"/>cookbook of the dayCookbookOfTheDaymark millerMarkMillertacos2009-04-13T14:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/tacos-cookbook-of-the-day/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/48XhxUJ11uk/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/some-like-it-hot/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/some-like-it-hot/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/vegetables/" rel="tag">Vegetables</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/recipes/" rel="tag">Recipes</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/spices/" rel="tag">Spices</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/ingredient-spotlight/" rel="tag">Ingredient Spotlight</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/the-skinny-chef/" rel="tag">The Skinny Chef</a></p><img hspace="4" vspace="4" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/finger-chili.jpg" /><br /><br />Tear-jerking, hot, spicy, smoky, sweet and sour and even herbaceous can all be descriptors of chilies and the distinctive aromas and flavors that they can impart to food. But if we're just talking heat, the Bhut Naga Jolokia, hailing from Northeastern India and also cultivated in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, is reputed to be the world's hottest chili -- and I've eaten it. In large amounts it's dangerously hot, but out of all the dried chilies I've cooked with, the Naga Jolokia is a staple in my spice drawer because it has a unique tang that's much more than just heat. There are hundreds of chilies to choose from, but I have my favorites, both dried and fresh.<br /><br /><strong>Dried Ground Allepo Chile</strong><br /><br />Sun dried Allepo chiles come from Syria and have a rich, lightly smoky yet fruity flavor. They can be found in gourmet spice shops; I bought mine at <a target="_blank" href="http://kalustyans.com">Kalustyan's </a>in New York City. Allepo can be added to any traditional beef stew recipe, but it pairs especially nicely with tomato-based soups, stews and chili. I just add a tablespoon to my beef cubes before coating them in flour and browning them in oil, or I sprinkle it over the ground meat before browning chili meat.<br /><br /><strong>Fresh Serrano and Finger Chilies</strong><br /><br />Serrano chilies are grown in Mexico and California and can be found fresh in gourmet grocery stores. Use it much as you would a jalapeno; I like it in my guacamole. They're also great in marinades mixed with fresh cilantro, garlic, and olive oil.<br /><br /><strong>Dried Arbol Chilies</strong><br /><br />Dried arbol chilies, primarily grown in Mexico and a cousin to the cayenne chile, can be found in Latin groceries stores. I love arbol with sweet oranges. The simple combination with a little olive oil can make for a killer sauce for saut&eacute;ed shrimp. But this morning, I had a craving for a mall-style Orange Julius. I wanted to make a sweet drink for myself, but with less sugar, more nutrition, and a little extra kick. This one tasted like the real deal, but packed extra spice from arbol.<br /><br /><em>After the jump, get Jennifer's recipe for a Chile Spiked Orange Smoothie.</em><p><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/some-like-it-hot/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Some Like It Hot</em></a></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/some-like-it-hot/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1515506/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/some-like-it-hot/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/soIiaXSPHcY0sTyDYRFINdrcho4/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/soIiaXSPHcY0sTyDYRFINdrcho4/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=48XhxUJ11uk:s9EmNMTZg_c:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=48XhxUJ11uk:s9EmNMTZg_c:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=48XhxUJ11uk:s9EmNMTZg_c:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=48XhxUJ11uk:s9EmNMTZg_c:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/48XhxUJ11uk" height="1" width="1"/>hottest pepperHottestPepperjennifer iserlohJenniferIserlohNaga JolokiaNagaJolokiapeppersscoville scalescoville unitsScovilleScaleScovilleUnitsskinny chefSkinnyChef2009-04-13T13:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/some-like-it-hot/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/CUdVqFXesLY/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/lamb-shoulder-crazy-patrons-and-more-the-san-francisco-chron/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/lamb-shoulder-crazy-patrons-and-more-the-san-francisco-chron/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/in-sixty-seconds/" rel="tag">In Sixty Seconds</a></p><img hspace="4" border="0" vspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/lamb041309.jpg" alt="lamb" /><br /> <ul> <li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/05/FDOG16NN60.DTL&amp;feed=rss.food">Lamb shoulder</a> has it all -- affordability, flavor and tons of tasty variations.</li> <li>We always hear about diners' complaints, but here's a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/09/DDFT16SDJ3.DTL&amp;feed=rss.food">report</a> about the crazies (um, that'd be us civilians) the restaurant <em>staff</em> has to deal with.</li> <li>Gluten-free noodles from Italy's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/10/FD9516T2C5.DTL&amp;feed=rss.food">Rustichella d'Abruzzo</a> are here. The verdict: The rice is not so nice, but the corn is totally sweet.</li> <li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/10/FD9516T2HI.DTL&amp;feed=rss.food">The Cupcake Kit</a>: An "all-encompassing" kit to make cupcakes a bit more festive.</li> <li>Berkeley's Sea Salt offers a revamped <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/09/NS4216R1BD.DTL&amp;feed=rss.food">bar menu</a> with nibbles including devilled duck eggs and ahi tuna mini-burgers.</li> <li>French Laundry gets a new <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/08/DD1S16QRH8.DTL&amp;feed=rss.food">chef de cuisine</a>; Corey Lee heads out on his own and Timothy Hollingsworth takes over.</li> <li>Tom Colicchio (head judge of "<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef">Top Chef</a>") and sous chef Sisha Ortuzar have cooked up a new book of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/03/FDCJ16OCQG.DTL&amp;feed=rss.food">"'Wichcraft."</a></li> <li>Did you know that there are a myriad of olive oils to suit different needs in the kitchen? <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/03/FDI616KDRM.DTL&amp;feed=rss.food">A new book</a> might help enlighten you.</li> </ul><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/lamb-shoulder-crazy-patrons-and-more-the-san-francisco-chron/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1515160/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/lamb-shoulder-crazy-patrons-and-more-the-san-francisco-chron/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/pNvSXWB2wX_wy6tzH_M6iFgR1wU/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/pNvSXWB2wX_wy6tzH_M6iFgR1wU/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=CUdVqFXesLY:wCr9ErNptMo:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=CUdVqFXesLY:wCr9ErNptMo:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=CUdVqFXesLY:wCr9ErNptMo:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=CUdVqFXesLY:wCr9ErNptMo:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/CUdVqFXesLY" height="1" width="1"/>cupcakesFrench LaundryFrenchLaundrygluten-free noodlesGluten-freeNoodleslamb shoulderLambShoulderolive oilOliveOilrestaurant complaintsRestaurantComplaintsSan Francisco ChronicleSanFranciscoChronicleSea SaltSeaSaltWichcraft2009-04-13T12:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/lamb-shoulder-crazy-patrons-and-more-the-san-francisco-chron/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/RYFc9PnpAfw/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/new-york-pinot-noir-wine-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/new-york-pinot-noir-wine-of-the-week/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/wine/" rel="tag">Wine</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/wine-of-the-week/" rel="tag">Wine of the Week</a></p><img hspace="4" height="333" border="0" width="425" vspace="4" alt="Pinot Noir grapes" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/nypinot.jpg" /><br />On paper <a href="http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/hort/faculty/pool/pinot_noir_folder/introsummary.html" target="_blank">New York looks like a good growing region for Pinot Noir</a>: Its climate and soil type is similar to Burgundy, where the world's best Pinot Noirs are made. <p> </p> But, as the Cornell study notes, Pinot Noir is a fickle grape -- difficult to grow and especially difficult to grow well. New York winemakers should only get into Pinot Noir if they're committed to producing wines of quality. <p> </p> Happily enough, some of them seem to be. <p> </p> One caveat: Fans of big, ripe <a href="http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/368336">heavily extracted</a> Pinots with sweet cherry cola flavors and plenty of body and alcohol won't like Pinots from the Finger Lakes, a region upstate.The cool-climate region is similar to Burgundy in that it struggles to produce grapes of optimum ripeness in some years. Vinos of these vintages generally have a low concentration, lower alcohol (12-13 percent rather than upwards of 14 percent), a subtle bouquet and a taste suited to a more sensitive palate. We found two we love. <p> </p> <em>Read more New York Pinot Noir - Wine of the Week after the jump.<br /><br /></em><p><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/new-york-pinot-noir-wine-of-the-week/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>New York Pinot Noir - Wine of the Week</em></a></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/new-york-pinot-noir-wine-of-the-week/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1512853/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/new-york-pinot-noir-wine-of-the-week/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/L2qmkhs4dFSsH6SxAwSJAUR_Vc8/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/L2qmkhs4dFSsH6SxAwSJAUR_Vc8/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=RYFc9PnpAfw:blRsDx9gqlw:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=RYFc9PnpAfw:blRsDx9gqlw:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=RYFc9PnpAfw:blRsDx9gqlw:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=RYFc9PnpAfw:blRsDx9gqlw:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/RYFc9PnpAfw" height="1" width="1"/>burgundyfinger lakesnew yorkNewYorkpinot noirwine of the weekWineOfTheWeek2009-04-13T11:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/new-york-pinot-noir-wine-of-the-week/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/XTQz_1q0gEQ/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/thai-beef-salad-feast-your-eyes/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/thai-beef-salad-feast-your-eyes/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/lunch/" rel="tag">Lunch</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/dinner/" rel="tag">Dinner</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/beef/" rel="tag">Beef</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/soups-salads/" rel="tag">Soups/Salads</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/feast-your-eyes/" rel="tag">Feast Your Eyes</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" align="right" alt="beef" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/thaibeef.jpg" />Zesty, spicy and sweet in equal parts, Thai beef salad may be the ideal <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/thai-beef-salad-2?autonomy_kw=thai%20beef%20salad&amp;rsc=header_1" target="_blank">dish</a> for spring. Though it might simply look like beef plunked on top of greens, its almost-invisible ingredients -- lime juice, minced red chiles and fish sauce -- lend it a flavor profile we crave again and again. Packed with protein, it also features enough veggies that one can walk away feeling a bit lighter on her feet than after, say, downing a porterhouse. <br /><br />We were reminded how much we love this salad when we came upon La Fille de La Ville's <a href="http://filledelaville.com/2009/01/27/thaisalad/" target="_blank">photo</a>. Why La Fille de la Ville? It's pretty literal, we discovered when we emailed her: "I'm just a girl of the town!" she exclaimed. Sounds like a typical New Orleans resident smitten with her city. She's a newbie there but sounds pretty darn enthused about NOLA's "epicurean delights." Find her recipe -- and breathless gastronomical reports -- on her <a href="http://filledelaville.com/" target="_blank">site</a>.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/thai-beef-salad-feast-your-eyes/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1515336/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/thai-beef-salad-feast-your-eyes/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/T_LxlDWghUhazcPXTJ_KIfnb0-I/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/T_LxlDWghUhazcPXTJ_KIfnb0-I/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=XTQz_1q0gEQ:VDgXziTfRc0:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=XTQz_1q0gEQ:VDgXziTfRc0:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=XTQz_1q0gEQ:VDgXziTfRc0:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=XTQz_1q0gEQ:VDgXziTfRc0:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/XTQz_1q0gEQ" height="1" width="1"/>asianbeefsaladthai2009-04-13T10:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/thai-beef-salad-feast-your-eyes/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/KDrPCYEDdMk/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/weekend-rehash/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/weekend-rehash/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/gin/" rel="tag">Gin</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/lovely-leftovers-day/" rel="tag">Leftovers</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/spring/" rel="tag">Spring</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/tinfoil-swan/" rel="tag">Tinfoil Swan</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/3341_79607907111_624087111_2420255_5800175_n.jpg" /><br /><br />We can only imagine it wasn't just us having a culinarily significant weekend, what with the late-breaking Seders and Easter feasting. Sure, Monday drudgery is upon us, but howzabout dishing up your biggest cooking tales of the past few days?<br /><br />We'll go first. 'Round these parts, we rustled up our very first <a target="_blank" href="http://recipe.aol.com/recipe/sweet-potato-kugel/135647">Sweet Potato Kugel</a> (Elijah even asked for seconds), braised and glazed an Easter ham in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cheerwine.com/">Cheerwine</a> cherry soda, bourbon and pomegranate molasses, and shook up a few <a target="_blank" href="http://www.slashfood.com/2006/02/28/mardi-gras-cocktail-ramos-gin-fizz/">Ramos Gin Fizzes</a> from all the extra eggs lying about. Somehow, it all managed to coexist quite peacefully in both our hearts and digestive systems, and while we didn't get 'round to sourcing the lambs' blood for the <a href="http://kisacat.blogspot.com/2006/10/sltur-and-not-so-full-scottish.html" target="_blank">Icelandic Slatur</a> we've been double-dog-dared to make, there's always next weekend.<br /><br />For now, we're hungry for your tales of kitchen woes and triumps. Didja best a crust that's been troubling you, or experiment with an unfamiliar veggie? Dish 'em up in the comments below.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/weekend-rehash/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1515068/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/weekend-rehash/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/Uoph23W06hvmwTptuOKozyRRpAc/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/Uoph23W06hvmwTptuOKozyRRpAc/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=KDrPCYEDdMk:6fZsvmjd3t0:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=KDrPCYEDdMk:6fZsvmjd3t0:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=KDrPCYEDdMk:6fZsvmjd3t0:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=KDrPCYEDdMk:6fZsvmjd3t0:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/KDrPCYEDdMk" height="1" width="1"/>cheerwinecheerwine hamCheerwineHameasterhamkat kinsmanKatKinsmanleftoversramos fizzRamosFizzslaturtinfoil swanTinfoilSwanweekend rehashWeekendRehash2009-04-13T09:30:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/weekend-rehash/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/aA6u6O69aWQ/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/second-helping-of-slashfood-april-10/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/second-helping-of-slashfood-april-10/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/food-news/" rel="tag">Food News</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" alt="Homemade Peeps" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/002hpeeps.jpg" /><strong><br />Religious Festivals Edition</strong> <p>... Wherein we learn that Peeps sometimes are <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/07/homemade-peeps-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/" target="_blank">created</a> and not just born ... and sometimes they're ready for their <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/08/smeeps/" target="_blank">closeup</a>. Do you hear that Mr. DeMille?</p> <p>If you're not a Peep, uh, person, then we have four other homemade Easter treats you can tackle this weekend: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/09/peanut-butter-chocolate-eggs-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/" target="_blank">peanut-butter chocolate eggs</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/08/lemon-truffles-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/" target="_blank">lemon truffles</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/06/tempering-and-molding-chocolate-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/" target="_blank">handcrafted chocolates</a> and "<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/easter-candy-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/" target="_blank">Easter Candy</a>." And if you want a real peeper, check out <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/09/three-chicks-a-day-urban-farming-gets-three-adorable-role-model/" target="_blank">Three Chicks a Day</a>. There's been lots of egg talk too, what with the <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/how-to-poach-an-egg-foodie-flicks/" target="_blank">poaching</a> and the <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/hard-boiled-eggs-safety-and-usage/" target="_blank">hard-boiling</a>.</p> <p>We celebrated the joys -- yes, joys -- of <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/08/passover-food-the-joys-of-gefilte-fish/" target="_blank">gefilte fish</a>, pondered seder <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/09/best-bites-from-yumsugar/">quizzes</a> and <a href="http://food.aol.com/matzo-balls">matzo balls</a>, and learned more about <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/06/maple-pork-and-passover-the-toronto-star-in-60-seconds/">Passover celebrations</a> north of the border.<br /></p> <p>In secular food news, while it may be Miller time all the time in Milwaukee, the home of the Brewers still makes room for beers like <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/08/whats-on-tap-milwaukee-romans-pub/" target="_blank">Goose Island</a>. It's also baseball season and we wonder, will you be buying a $9 <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/09/beer-n-baseball-slashfood-ate-8/" target="_blank">brewski</a> at the stadium?</p> <p>The <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/09/my-registry-part-ii-pots-and-pans-the-hungry-bride/" target="_blank">Hungry Bride</a> solicited advice on what pots and pans to choose for her new home. Hungry editors, meanwhile, who have been singing "<a href="http://food.aol.com/filet-o-fish-commercial" target="_blank">Gimme That Fish</a>" for days now, went off on annoying <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/06/annoying-food-commercials/">food advertisements</a>.</p> <p>Do you have true grits? How bout trying this <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/09/true-grits/" target="_blank">shrimp-and-grits recipe</a> in honor of the National Grits Festival. Or do you hanker for the 1970s and Aunt Evie's <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/07/flashback-to-the-seventies-chicken-stroganoff/" target="_blank">chicken stroganoff</a> recipe?</p> <p>Can't get enough "Top Chef"? Wait till June when Neil Patrick Harris -- yes that Neil Patrick -- and some "Lost" writers join celeb chefs like Hubert Keller and Wylie Dufresne for "<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/08/top-chef-masters-contestants-announced-guest-judges-include-ne/" target="_blank">Top Chef Masters</a>."</p> <p>Oh, and we tried and failed to beat a <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/08/slashfood-vs-the-volcano/" target="_blank">volcano</a>. A bacon-filled volcano.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/second-helping-of-slashfood-april-10/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1514036/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/second-helping-of-slashfood-april-10/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/--1M2x8ebW8lIWyvOCBqnB8bdTM/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/--1M2x8ebW8lIWyvOCBqnB8bdTM/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=aA6u6O69aWQ:MzWnYZwF-H4:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=aA6u6O69aWQ:MzWnYZwF-H4:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=aA6u6O69aWQ:MzWnYZwF-H4:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=aA6u6O69aWQ:MzWnYZwF-H4:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/aA6u6O69aWQ" height="1" width="1"/>easterfeaturedpassoversecond helping of slashfoodSecondHelpingOfSlashfood2009-04-10T18:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/second-helping-of-slashfood-april-10/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/Sz_56OCofUM/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/easter-candy-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/easter-candy-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/recipes/" rel="tag">Recipes</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/candy/" rel="tag">Candy</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/how-to/" rel="tag">How To</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/easter/" rel="tag">Easter</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/eastercan040809.jpg" alt="Easter Candy" /><br /><br />Here at last is the final installment of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/06/tempering-and-molding-chocolate-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/">5</a> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/07/homemade-peeps-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/">Easter</a> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/08/lemon-truffles-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/">Candies</a> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/09/peanut-butter-chocolate-eggs-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/">in</a> 5 Days before we send you off with a sweet <span style="font-style: italic;">adieu </span>for the weekend. It's worth keeping in mind that these treats can be made any time of year. In fact, the darling flowers and bunnies from "The Ultimate Candy Book" shown above are actually found in the "Halloween Candy" section, but are the "Easter" variation. Confusing, we know ... but deliciously confusing. It strangely makes sense because the taste of these pretty blooms will remind you instantly of an autumnal treat -- candy corns. <p> </p> Regardless, the treats are delish, and this recipe makes a firm sugary mixture that can be molded into nearly any pastel configuration for the Easter basket or springtime candy bowl. Press it into molds for an assortment of cute bunnies and chicks for a perfect family afternoon project. The candies come together much like fondant truffles, but this recipe doesn't take a lot of fuss, just a little help. Four or six hands are better than two, so get some kids, get cookin' and have fun!<p><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/easter-candy-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>"Easter" Candy - 5 Easter Candies in 5 Days</em></a></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/easter-candy-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1511982/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/easter-candy-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/LBjxHjHIeDZaGESPxRoNkXeS854/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/LBjxHjHIeDZaGESPxRoNkXeS854/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=Sz_56OCofUM:wx6A4IIJ0dg:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=Sz_56OCofUM:wx6A4IIJ0dg:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=Sz_56OCofUM:wx6A4IIJ0dg:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=Sz_56OCofUM:wx6A4IIJ0dg:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/Sz_56OCofUM" height="1" width="1"/>5 Easter Candies in 5 Days5EasterCandiesIn5Dayscandy cornCandyCornEaster CandyEasterCandyhomemade candyHomemadeCandykids2009-04-10T17:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/easter-candy-5-easter-candies-in-5-days/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/BfQSY3lRGZY/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/crazy-for-casseroles-green-eggs-and-ham/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/crazy-for-casseroles-green-eggs-and-ham/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/lunch/" rel="tag">Lunch</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/breakfast/" rel="tag">Breakfast</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/dinner/" rel="tag">Dinner</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/dairy/" rel="tag">Dairy</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/eggs/" rel="tag">Eggs</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/easter/" rel="tag">Easter</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/spring/" rel="tag">Spring</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/green_eggs.jpg" alt="casserole" /><br /><em>They're cheesy, cheap and classic. What are talking about? <a target="_blank" href="http://recipe.aol.com/recipe/search?query=casserole">Casseroles</a>, of course! In this brand-new series food writer and blogger <a target="_blank" href="http://casserolecrazy.com/">Emily Farris</a>, author of "<a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Casserole-Crazy-Stuff-Your-Oven/dp/B001RNI3CG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1239389335&amp;sr=1-1">Casserole Crazy: Hot Stuff for Your Oven</a>" crafts tasty new casseroles exclusively for Slashfood readers. Green Eggs and Ham is her premier dish -- just in time for Easter.</em> <p> </p> <em><strong><em>by Emily Farris</em></strong></em> <p> </p> As a kid, I never understood why Easter dinner was called "dinner" if it happened at noon. Luckily, one of the great things about being an adult is that we can make our own rules and name our own meals. And because I still can't bring myself to call a meal that happens that early "dinner," this year I'm hosting Easter brunch. <p> </p> Am I making a 10-pound ham and scrambling three-dozen eggs while my guests drink free-flowing mimosas? Nope, this thing is happening potluck style. Like most people I know, I can't afford to host lavish brunches (not to mention dinners!), but wanted my meal to incorporate the different elements of Easter and, well, be a little brunch-y. So green eggs and ham it was, with eggs, ham, spinach, biscuits and my favorite thing in the world: cheese. <p> </p> After a bit of experimentation, I wound up with a sort-of upside-down quiche with a biscuit crust, and who wouldn't go crazy for that? Although it'd be a wonderful meal for Easter brunch or supper, it's also a great way to use up that leftover Easter <a target="_blank" href="http://food.aol.com/sunday-suppers/how-to-cook-ham">ham</a>. Regardless, it's the sort of thing that would make Dr. Seuss -- or the Easter Bunny -- proud.<p><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/crazy-for-casseroles-green-eggs-and-ham/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Crazy for Casseroles - Green Eggs and Ham </em></a></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/crazy-for-casseroles-green-eggs-and-ham/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1514082/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/crazy-for-casseroles-green-eggs-and-ham/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/qcT_pz26n8CwVAOKmJo0IQmRnTo/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/qcT_pz26n8CwVAOKmJo0IQmRnTo/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=BfQSY3lRGZY:qd5vhIKs6RU:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=BfQSY3lRGZY:qd5vhIKs6RU:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=BfQSY3lRGZY:qd5vhIKs6RU:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=BfQSY3lRGZY:qd5vhIKs6RU:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/BfQSY3lRGZY" height="1" width="1"/>casserolecasserole recipesCasseroleRecipescasseroleseastereaster eggsEasterEggseggsham2009-04-10T16:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/crazy-for-casseroles-green-eggs-and-ham/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/9CNcyh_pqJU/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/hard-boiled-eggs-safety-and-usage/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/hard-boiled-eggs-safety-and-usage/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/eggs/" rel="tag">Eggs</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/soups-salads/" rel="tag">Soups/Salads</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/easter/" rel="tag">Easter</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/passover/" rel="tag">Passover</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/spring/" rel="tag">Spring</a></p><p><img hspace="4" border="0" vspace="4" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/eggs-eric-425.jpg" /><br /></p> <p>Just as April showers bring May flowers, so do the hard-boiled eggs that arrive via Passover seder or an Easter egg hunt bring us, well, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2006/01/08/hard-boiled-eggs-perfect-every-time/" target="_blank">a lot of hard-boiled eggs</a>. What to do with them all?</p> <p>Many of those who celebrate Easter open a lunch box the first Monday thereafter to be confronted with a big scoop of <a href="http://recipe.aol.com/recipe/search?invocationType=hdfood&amp;query=egg+salad" target="_blank">egg salad</a>. And while that's always an option -- as is the <a href="http://recipe.aol.com/recipe/search?invocationType=hdfood&amp;query=cobb+salad" target="_blank">Cobb Salad</a> that centers many an April luncheon -- there are recipes out there beyond the standards. So hide your eggs and eat them too.</p> <p>First, though, safety is critical. <a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Focus_On_Shell_Eggs/index.asp" target="_blank">According to the USDA</a>, Easter eggs are safe to eat after the hunt provided you follow a few basic guidelines: Use food-safe coloring to dye the eggs and refrigerate them within two hours of boiling them. Boiling an egg removes a protective coating that occurs naturally on the shell, which leaves the shell vulnerable to bacteria. After the hunt, discard any eggs whose shells have cracked or that nestled in a bacteria-friendly environment such as dirt, hay or anywhere accessible to pets. Don't keep hard-boiled eggs away from the fridge for longer than two hours and use them within seven days of boiling them.</p> <p>Beyond the jump is a delicious recipe for using those safely-handled eggs. (Hint: It's a salad, but it's not egg salad).</p><p><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/hard-boiled-eggs-safety-and-usage/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Hard-Boiled Eggs - Safety and Salads</em></a></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/hard-boiled-eggs-safety-and-usage/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1511400/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/hard-boiled-eggs-safety-and-usage/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/DhkNvOBvj0UsCmlrA3EMd1-PaNg/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/DhkNvOBvj0UsCmlrA3EMd1-PaNg/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=9CNcyh_pqJU:L1qfX5XNMiU:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=9CNcyh_pqJU:L1qfX5XNMiU:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=9CNcyh_pqJU:L1qfX5XNMiU:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=9CNcyh_pqJU:L1qfX5XNMiU:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/9CNcyh_pqJU" height="1" width="1"/>eastereaster eggsEasterEggsegg saladeggsEggSaladleftovers2009-04-10T15:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/hard-boiled-eggs-safety-and-usage/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/r8_yvewmsOk/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/salumi-cookbook-of-the-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/salumi-cookbook-of-the-day/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/new-products/" rel="tag">New Products</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/cookbook-of-the-day/" rel="tag">Cookbook Spotlight</a></p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811864243?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=aolfood-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0811864243"><img hspace="4" border="0" align="right" vspace="4" alt="Salumi cookbook cover" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/salumi-cookbook-200.jpg" /></a><strong>'Salumi: Savory Recipes and Serving Ideas for Salame, Prosciutto and More' </strong><br />John Piccetti and Francois Vecchio with Joyce Goldstein<br /><em>Chronicle Books -- 2009</em><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811864243?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=aolfood-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0811864243">Buy it at Amazon</a> <p>A couple years ago Slashfood sat before a monstrous plate of strange Italian salumi in Milan, blindly eating items that we only knew by the name "delicious." In hindsight, we wish we had had this book to learn the actual names.</p> <p>"Salumi," co-written by the owner of San Francisco's cured-meat giant Columbus Foods, is one part history, one part encyclopedia and three parts cookbook with recipes for antipasti, snacks, first and main courses, and salads and vegetables. </p> <p>Can't tell your cotechino from your sopressata? Consult the book. Not sure if you should eat that moldy casing? Consult the book. Need a way to dress up a lonely cucumber and carrot with salame? You guessed it ... the book.</p> <p><strong>Takeaway tips:</strong> Salumi should be made only with pork!</p> <ol> <li>Store salumi in butcher paper in the refrigerator.</li> <li>Toss the first slice you cut off a stored piece.</li> <li>Serve it in small portions.</li> <li>Salame is singular, salami is plural, salumi is the general Italian term for cured meats.</li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Quality of pictures:</span> Eye popping and mouth watering</p> <p><strong>We tested:</strong> Pane per la Pizza (basic pizza dough) and Pizza Alla Pancetta, Porri e Formaggio (pizza with pancetta, leeks and Gruyre<br />This is a traditional dough recipe, so allow time for it to rest, double in size and rest again. Slashfood (shame on us) didn't read the recipe as we began to prepare it on a time crunch and had to fall back on a quick dough recipe to get us through the first pie. That said, by the third pizza, the dough was ready and it turned out breadier with more bite than our thin-crust standby.</p> <p>It was the blend of toppings, though, that were really yum-zow-bam good. The toppings are precooked -- leeks sauteed in butter and seasoned with nutmeg, pancetta strips cooked long enough to render the fat -- and meld deliciously with Gruy&eacute;re for this "northern Italian pizza topping with a French accent."<strong><br /></strong></p> <p><strong>Worth the investment:</strong> Yes, for lovers of all things cured, this book gives a good history and background on Italian-style salumi.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/salumi-cookbook-of-the-day/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1513918/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/salumi-cookbook-of-the-day/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/jYhq-JAlP5aBaxjmn3dI6iE9tbQ/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/jYhq-JAlP5aBaxjmn3dI6iE9tbQ/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=r8_yvewmsOk:Ct_HEoJEuOs:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=r8_yvewmsOk:Ct_HEoJEuOs:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=r8_yvewmsOk:Ct_HEoJEuOs:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=r8_yvewmsOk:Ct_HEoJEuOs:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/r8_yvewmsOk" height="1" width="1"/>cookbook of the dayCookbookOfTheDaysalumi2009-04-10T14:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/salumi-cookbook-of-the-day/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/ey8MX3GB3k4/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/the-austin-american-statesman-in-60-seconds-matzo-balls-and-bb/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/the-austin-american-statesman-in-60-seconds-matzo-balls-and-bb/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/in-sixty-seconds/" rel="tag">In Sixty Seconds</a></p><a href="http://search.creativecommons.org/#"><img hspace="4" border="0" align="middle" vspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2009/04/eastereggs.jpg" alt="" /></a> <br /> <ul> <li><a _blank="" href="http://www.austin360.com/food_drink/content/food_drink/stories/2009/04/0404mcspadden.html" target="_blank">Wyatt McSpadden</a>, author of the recently published "Texas BBQ," leads readers on a tour of the seedy under (pork) belly of Austin's barbecue joints.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Viva cheap eats! <a _blank="" href="http://tacojournalism.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Taco Journalism's</a> Armando Rayo shows a reporter how to negotiate Austin's extensive <a _blank="" href="http://www.austin360.com/food_drink/content/food_drink/stories/xl/2009/04/0409xlcover.html/" target="_blank">taco truck</a> demimonde, exploring the good, the bad and the incredibly delicious.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Andrea Abel considers the many variations of the classic <a _blank="" href="http://www.austin360.com/food_drink/content/food_drink/stories/2009/04/0401matzoballs.html" target="_blank">matzo ball soup</a>, with tips on how to personalize a Passover favorite. <br /></li> </ul> <ul> <li>Addie Broyles explores the history of <a _blank="" href="http://www.austin360.com/food_drink/content/food_drink/stories/2009/04/0408relishaustin.html" target="_blank">Easter eggs</a> and gives tips for natural dyeing.<br /></li> </ul> <ul> <li>Charleston Chef Kevin Johnson talks about his favorite methods for going <a _blank="" href="http://www.austin360.com/food_drink/content/food_drink/stories/2009/03/0325pig.html" target="_blank">whole hog</a> with snout-to-tail-to-trotter pig preparation.</li> </ul><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/the-austin-american-statesman-in-60-seconds-matzo-balls-and-bb/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1513687/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/the-austin-american-statesman-in-60-seconds-matzo-balls-and-bb/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/NxmKA-rAtrcXRMAI36GjEQ0AYUQ/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/NxmKA-rAtrcXRMAI36GjEQ0AYUQ/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=ey8MX3GB3k4:5v3XkXLt2iA:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=ey8MX3GB3k4:5v3XkXLt2iA:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=ey8MX3GB3k4:5v3XkXLt2iA:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=ey8MX3GB3k4:5v3XkXLt2iA:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/ey8MX3GB3k4" height="1" width="1"/>austinbarbecuebbqeasterin 60 secondsIn60Secondspassover2009-04-10T12:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/the-austin-american-statesman-in-60-seconds-matzo-balls-and-bb/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/F_B2QxZjBPE/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/how-to-poach-an-egg-foodie-flicks/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/how-to-poach-an-egg-foodie-flicks/#comments<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/eggs/" rel="tag">Eggs</a>, <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/category/foodie-flicks/" rel="tag">Foodie Flicks</a></p><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Bxvxwk3TFPQ&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Bxvxwk3TFPQ&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <p>Everyone has his or her own way of poaching an egg. Some twirl the egg into a ghostly tornado in a pot of water , some buy special <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005NCWV">poachers</a> and some even cheat and bake them. (One of our favorites is cracking an egg into a greased ladle and holding it in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes.) This video, however, explains an even an easier way -- gently pouring eggs into vinegar-laced water.</p> <p>Bay Area food editor Jenny Slafkosky here describes the particulars of poaching and how a little vinegar will help the albumin in the egg white coagulate (or firm up) more quickly. This is quite a discovery for those of us who love poaching eggs, all of whom have probably experienced watching them shred mercilessly in a pot of boiling water.</p> <p>Slafkosky's simple method gets wonderful results, and -- a bonus! -- she also tells us how to make poached eggs for a whole crowd. Give it a click for flawless poached eggs down the road, and let us know how it goes!</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/how-to-poach-an-egg-foodie-flicks/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/forward/1504484/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/how-to-poach-an-egg-foodie-flicks/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a> <p><a href="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/8vkKHXUG986Qa_kYso2wdGuyb0o/a"><img src="http://feedads.googleadservices.com/~at/8vkKHXUG986Qa_kYso2wdGuyb0o/i" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=F_B2QxZjBPE:-TGmj1_h1-s:wF9xT3WuBAs"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=F_B2QxZjBPE:-TGmj1_h1-s:wF9xT3WuBAs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?a=F_B2QxZjBPE:-TGmj1_h1-s:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~ff/weblogsinc/slashfood?i=F_B2QxZjBPE:-TGmj1_h1-s:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~4/F_B2QxZjBPE" height="1" width="1"/>eggshow to poach an eggHowToPoachAnEggpoached eggsPoachedEggsvinegar2009-04-10T11:00:00 00:00http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/10/how-to-poach-an-egg-foodie-flicks/