Exploring the trend of expensive milkshakes over at Diner's Journal. (Which is no longer just Frank Bruni but other Times writers as well.) Why are milkshakes getting so expensive? At a place near my office, the shake is $5.50, but they use local milk so I assume that raises the cost. Still, an $8 shake? Or more? That's insane.
Month: February 2007
In an event dubbed as…
In an event dubbed as the "Tacoton," the meat for a pastor taco weighed 3.9 tons and was 13 feet high. "Tacoton" means "really big taco" in Spanish, and the folks behind this event in Mexico made a world record for their kebab of pork meat. The picture here shows a normal skewer of meat for a taco al pastor. Now imagine that 13 feet high. Delicious! Mmmmm…
Cereal companies are starting to…
Cereal companies are starting to hop onto a cacao-covered bandwagon, reported candy blog Candy Addict back in January. There's also a link to a USA Today article about the "chocolate is nutritious" trend. What's interesting is that neither cereal is using quality dark chocolate (that supposedly has the healthy benefits), they're using "chocolatey" bits concoted from cocoa and partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil. Which goes to show: if you're trying to eat healthy, adding chocolate cereal to your diet is probably not the right step.
Trend alert: chocolate cereal! Over…
Trend alert: chocolate cereal! Over the weekend I saw TV ads for Life Chocolate Oat Crunch and Kellogg's Special K Chocolatey Delight. I guess cereal is trying to move out of the breakfast corner and into the world of 24 hour snack option. One of the ads (I think it was Life) said something like "rather than eat a whole chocolate bar, enjoy a bowl of chocolate cereal." I can't even imagine eating a bowl of this.
Food drama
In case you haven’t been keeping up, Anthony Bourdain slams the Food Network and its stars over at Michael Ruhlman’s blog. Then Ruhlman defends Bourdain and describes the Food Network as a bastion of mediocrity. And then today Grub Street steps in to defend Rachael Ray and accuses Ruhlman of snobbery for calling the network and its stars mediocre. It’s nice to see, even on a slow Friday, someone’s still looking out for the common man, though I rather suspect Grub Street’s wishing they’d gotten Bourdain’s post instead. It’s hard to believe any food writer worth his weight would defend Sandra Lee, or encourage someone who uses the word “sammy.”
You're really cool when you…
You're really cool when you order Secret Off the Menu Items. But how do you know what they are if they're secret and, uh, off the menu? Buzzfeed has the link. And now you too can get the secret rib-eye at Nobu.
Here's a food trend I'd…
Here's a food trend I'd like to see in New York City: mâche. Enough with designer burgers, fancy pizza, chocolate in savory dishes, and heritage pork. Bring on the yummy French lettuce! It's easy to get mâche in Paris, but hardly anyone ever serves it here. Could we please replace ramps this spring with mâche, trendmakers? I'd be very appreciative.
Update: Several readers have emailed to point out the Trader Joe's sells pre-washed bags of mâche. Good to know, I will check this out asap. Thanks!
Oysters vs. Chocolate: Which Is…
Oysters vs. Chocolate: Which Is Sexier? "Judges will be fed a three-course meal of oysters, then go home and have sex. In the second round, they will be fed an equally delicious and light three-course meal of chocolate, then go home and have sex. After each round, judges will fill out a brief 'Sextionnaire' asking them to rate their arousal and pleasure on a scale of one to ten." Finally! Some journalists willing to undertake important work in the name of food.
Spin the Wheel of…
Spin the Wheel of Food and get a recommendation for a place to eat in your neighborhood. Pretty fun, though I didn't like what it proposed for me today. I think it needs some more sources, though it's using Yahoo Local for information. Still, fun! [via Matt]
Anyone can cook from any…
Anyone can cook from any cookbook out there, but it takes a special kind of nutjob to attempt every recipe in The French Laundry Cookbook. It's like the Julie/Julia Project but with less recipes, and more insane amounts of work. Hats off to you Ms. Diner Girl, I wish you all the best. And I look forward to the day you attempt the torchon of foie gras.