by Kristy
Great article on Saveur.com about the history of food blogging. Did you know the term weblog was coined in 1997? Me neither.
http://www.saveur.com/article/Kitchen/A-Brief-Food-Blog-Timeline
Two of my favorite local (Boston) food bloggers who were missing from the list:
1. Cheap Beets – a mostly vegetarian guide to eating well in the recession
2. The Food Monkey – Eat No Evil!
10 more great foodie sites:
1. Local Dirt
by Anonymous
** These inane questions have really been asked at a grocery store
1. Where is the champagne opener?
2. Do you have any aluminum foil without aluminum?
3. Are these pasteurized* eggs? (*this was a misinterpretation of pasture-raised eggs)
4. This dish soap is organic, right?
5. Do you open all the boxes in the store? (asked to an employee opening boxes, and follow-up question was regarding a product across the store)
By Kristy
Nerdiest Chefs:
1. Heston Blumenthal (Fat Duck, UK).
A centrifuge for sauces? An auditory scientist to assist in making the perfect crunch on your fish and chips? Only Blumenthal would do this. As a self-taught chef, he furthers the gastronomical education of other nerd-cooks by sponsoring a Ph.D. program in the UK, and by demonstrating his research and recipe-testing procedures through his cooking shows (which to my knowledge are not available in the US – but if you can find his series on Fantastical Feasts, where he recreates historical meals, you’ll thank me). His cookbooks are also educational, but would require an extensive scientifically-equipped kitchen to carry out the recipes. The Fat Duck is outside London, in Bray, but the newly opened Dinner is conveniently located in London proper.
2. Ferran Adria (El Bulli, Spain)
Blumenthal and Adria are constantly vying for the Top Restaurant in the World status, but in my mind Blumenthal is #1 (plus, he was the predecessor according to Herve This). El Bulli is taking a break now until 2014, in part to reformulate their recipes, but there is no doubt that Adria is a culinary God, and a masterful nerd-chef. His creations extend well beyond the look, feel, and sound of a typical meal, and he constantly strives to recreate the restaurant and culinary experience. Of note, he took part in Harvard’s science of cooking lecture series this past year, and has created a foundation to serve as a think-tank for gastronomical creativity.
3. Joel Robuchon, the French chef who may have begun the molecular gastronomy movement, and who now condemns it
by Kristy
Before street food gets any more good press and clever marketing, I need to stake a claim to my 5 favorite street foods.
1. Chicken Satay (Panang, Malaysia). Something about the combination of lemongrass, peanuts and a very dirty grill make this the best Satay in the world. For the last 11 years I have tried to find this distinct flavor everywhere, and I’ve never managed it. I even wrote to Saveur magazine begging them to unearth this recipe after they devoted an entire issue to street food. Alas, I may never taste this chicken perfection again. Luckily, while in Malaysia, street satay was my daily breakfast.
2. Curry-wurst (Berlin, Germany). This is only one of purportedly hundreds of sausage varieties in Germany, but its amazing. Essentially, its a kielbasa with a curried tomato sauce, but with a pint of German beer, you’ll think it has to be more clever than that.
What it’s REALLY like to go 1 week without caffeine, dairy, wheat/gluten, sugar, alcohol, or red meat
by Kristy
List of day, after miserable day:
Day 1:
I’ll admit it. I’m a skeptic. Friends have tried this limited diet before and regaled me with how great they felt…but I needed to conduct the experiment to see for myself. For me, this plan is not for weight loss or detox (that is SUCH a misnomer…anyone heard of these great organs called Liver and Kidney?). Instead, it’s an experiment in how we feel – how what we eat affects our moods, energy levels, and ability to think with a clear head. Needless to say, I was able to rope Zero friends into doing this with me, but my husband has agreed to try it.
On this initial day, we feel quite accomplished when visiting a healthy diner for breakfast and ordering a veggie-egg sandwich (no cheese!) and decaf coffee (OK, there is a tiny bit of caffeine in there, but shuttup – there was no milk or sugar at least). Later in the day I try a soy-decaf-sugar-free-latte-with-truvia. Tastes terrible. Much later in the day we realize the damn egg sandwich had wheat (it was a nice whole-wheat English muffin, no butter…but it’s against the rules). Day 1 is a bust, so to prevent future failures, tomorrow is dedicated to meal-planning and shopping for proper groceries.
by Lizzy
Provided are sections extracted from a double sided 81/2 x 11 list. As you might have determined…this is my grocery list. I will give you a minute to take in that concept….
The list, in its entirety, is glorious. Notice the lines that enable quantities to be displayed. Additional space has been added in order to fill in any of those last minute needs. Never again do you face a Monday morning, glaring at the fridge, knowing you need to examine its contents in order to have a successful grocery trip after work, ALONE! With my comprehensive, customizable list you simply let it tell you (or your husband/partner) what the hell to buy! What you like! Alone, one may forget important items like beer or toiletries. But, if the list is utilized correctly, you will find yourself properly prepared for any of life’s nastiest messes.
By Kristy (with input from Kristen)
The cocktail was born in the USA, one of the few culinary movements we can claim credit for. Therefore, regional cocktails have popped up in many of our cities. Here are some of our favorites:
** All recipes based on cocktails.about.com
New Orleans: New Orleans is largely known for the sugary concoction that is the Hurricane, but far more clever and classic cocktails call NOLA home:
-The Sazerac (made with Peychaud’s bitters, another New Orleans specialty)
-Ramoz Fizz
-Vieux Carre
Boston:
Boston may have the eponymous cocktail shaker named after it, and Mr Boston’s cocktail guide, but while it lacks a cocktail recipe of any historical significance, it is now known for its modern cocktail concoctions. Visit http://drinkboston.com/ to find the best bars with the most creative mixologists. There are locally made bitters (Bittermens from Somerville, MA), locally made potato or blueberry vodka from Maine (Cold River), or visit one of the local distilleries (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/28/entrepreneurial_spirits/).
Dinner By Kristy, Cocktails by Kristen
If you cook for yourself often, the end of the week will bring stacks of leftovers, just waiting to be re-appropriated for another dish. Pizzas, stir-fry’s, salads and sandwiches are great ways to use up random leftovers, but our favorite way is a big plate of messy Nachos.
Here are our favorite toppings (feel free to mix and match):
1. Salsas: spicy bean salsa, mango salsa, fresh salsa, salsa verde, homemade heirloom tomato salsa with herbs from the garden, whatever you have in the pantry
2. Cheese: Queso Fresco, Grilled Haloumi, mixed shredded cheeses, fresh mozzarella, smoked gouda, any mixture as long as it melts (this means no soy!)
3. Meats/proteins: bits of pork loin, buffalo steak, or any meat you’ve cooked in a delicious sauce the night before; canned beans, tofu/tempeh (as long as its been drenched in spices/flavors)
4. Onions: Carmelized in beer, pickled, onion substitutes (shallot, scallion, leek)
5. Veggies: canned artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, spinach, stir-fried peppers & onions, olives, pickled vegetables (like asparagus, beans, carrots), hearts of palm, fresh tomato, any variety of hot peppers
by Kristen
Raised in Maine, I faced some serious culture shock when I moved to Savannah, Georgia, in 2004. I had to learn to slow down and loosen up. As the city thawed this cold Yankee heart over the years, I realized I was having the time of my life but couldn’t remember any of it. Why? Savannah runs on booze. I worked at several bars (none of which you can visit because they were all either shut down by the city, went out of business, or burned down), where I got to know the locals until I became one. Therefore, as a professional, I suggest that you go there for your next party vacation.
(Side note: There are many sober, cultural things to do, but that is for another list…)
1. You can drink on the streets!
Don’t like the vibe in the bar? Take the drink to go! You won’t be alone either. The freedom to publicly drink fuels downtown shopping, a stroll through the park, and most of the petty crime that takes place.
2. Quirkiness! History!
While the Southern charm stopped Sherman from burning Savannah back in the day, nothing can stop the influx of chain restaurants and bars. So get down there before it looks like where you already live! The Pirate’s House has been a drinking spot since 1753 when it was filled with, well, pirates (now it is a tourist nightmare), Colonial Park Cemetery has gravestones vandalized by bored soldiers from the Civil War, and every building on the 22 historic squares has a ghost story. But what is the best thing? Everybody there is crazy and they want to talk to you.
Tyrannosaurus Lists! 