January 2011


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A Chef’s Revenge

Every aspiring food writer has had that recurring nightmare where they’re kidnapped by a celebrity chef/serial killer, tied up, and forced to make perfect eggs for eternity, right? No? Just us? Regardless, I’m pretty sure you’re all going to be excited about the movie Bitter Feast, in which a disgruntled chef kidnaps a critic who wronged him and forces him to cook his own perfect dinner. Completely unclear why this one was not released in theaters, but it’s available on DVD now.

in Celebs 5 comments
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Building a Better Eater

4588766931_7e714e099c

As you may know, we recently had a new addition to the TVFF household. She’s a bundle of joy and all that good stuff, but I have to admit that I haven’t been too impressed with her one-ingredient diet. It’s not quite the wide-ranging palate that I had hoped for from my offspring.

OK…I understand that we’re doing the best thing possible for her health by feeding her exclusively breast milk. To tide myself over, I’m already dreaming up combinations of pureed goodies that I’ll be making in lieu of buying those jars of baby food. But isn’t there anything that I can be doing now to turn my kid into a gourmand?

Apparently, according to What to Expect the First Year, there just may be…

Because what you eat affects the taste and smell of your breast milk, your breastfed baby is exposed to different flavors well before he or she is ready to sit down at the dinner table, which may help shape future eating habits.

It goes on to theorize that spicy foods like salsas and curries eaten by the mother may help young children be better able to handle those sorts of bold flavors once it’s time for him or her to move on to solid foods. Needless to say, that meant that the nightly dinner menu has been significantly revamped to include a wide variety of Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Malaysian and Polish items.

How effective will this be? Who knows. But I’d be interested if anyone out there has seen any kind of evidence — anecdotal or scientific — that supports the fact that I can be doing something now that will result in not having to find “chicken nuggets” on the menu every time I take my kid out with us for dinner.

More On Kids’ Eating:
 Feeding Monsters
Why America Eats Shit
Kids Are People Too

(Photo: The Adventures of Kristin & Adam)

in Personal 9 comments
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Never Said About Restaurant Websites

horrible restaurant website

One of the great unanswered questions of the food world is: why does every restaurant website have to be such a goddamn shitshow? I’ve already complained about the ubiquity of inane, unnecessary music on restaurant websites, not to mention horrible flash intros and just all-around poor usability. Why is it that every single restaurant owner thinks a high-concept, interactive, 17-page site is better than the simple layout of menu/address/phone number/reservation system?

Finally someone has made it their mission to take down restaurant websites. The exceedingly clever Never said about restaurant websites tumblelog is a database of complimentary things that people would never, ever, say about the inexplicably horrible world that is restaurant websites. A few gems:

“Who needs the phone number of a restaurant when you could be enjoying stock photos of food?”
-Zero people in the history of time

“My favorite thing about this restaurant is actually its nearly abandoned Twitter feed with links to irrelevant news articles. I really appreciate that level of effort.”

-Zero people

“I enjoy clicking on separate menu links to view the Appetizers, Salads, Meat Entrees, Fish Entrees, Pastas, and Desserts.”
-Nobody
“It was like the restaurant was reading my goddamned mind when the website cleared up whether or not it was open for brunch on labor day last year.”
-Not a soul
“Why would anyone want to skip this intro? I think I’ll watch it again.”
-Zero people

Agh! The funny thing is that these kinds of websites are not the exception but the rule. Seriously, WHAT IS THE DEAL, PEOPLE?!

Read more and add your own at Never said about restaurant websites.

in Rants & Raves / Restaurants 6 comments
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The Evolution of the Reusable Tote

whole foods six pack beer bag

It’s comparing presents time. 80P and I just got back from our long winter break, bringing back to the apartment new jackets (him), cardigans (me, although I really wish he would cave to that trend!) Converse sneakers (him), over-the-knee boots (me), and for both of us, a  Blu-Ray player (thanks 80P’s parents!)

As we took a couple hours to put everything away, I noticed a most adorable Whole Foods reusable tote bag. 80P’s mom filled it with gifts of sake. But it was no ordinary tote – there are interior dividers, morphing the bag into a reusable 6-pack container.

In fact, could there be more totes going on right now? DC charges per use of plastic bag (and gives the proceeds to the Anacostia River Protection Fund) so you will see plenty of shoppers lugging totes around to not only the farmers’ markets, but to grocery stores as well. But I’ve yet to see a clever upgrade of the tote. And as the girlfriend of a boy that is always bring a mixed-beer pack to friends’ houses, I’m excited by this development.

And while claims exist about reusable totes’ unsanitary qualities, this must be better for our lives than all that darn plastic.

in Drinks 7 comments
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Foodie’s First Beer

homebrewing

As far as cooking resolutions go, I think “try something new” is one every ES-er can agree to commit to. In my case I’m resolved to finally use the Smithwick’s home brewing kit that’s been sitting in my dining room for a few weeks now. (Aside: you can win one of these bad boys yourself by linking to Smithwick’s contest page on facebook.)

I’ve never brewed beer at home before, but I’m eager to try. Here’s the problem: showing restraint will never, ever be my New Year’s resolution, in the kitchen or anywhere else. Cooking for me is all about experimentation, and if I’m going to cross over and put in the many hours of wort chilling and yeast fermenting that it takes to brew beer at home, I want it to be significantly different from the sixer I can easily pick up at the corner bodega, right?

As usual, the veggie gf disagrees and has urged me to make my first homebrew a simple one, ensuring that I can make something that tastes good before I go for something that blows minds. She wants me to resist the temptation to brew up a pine nut and avocado lager or a cream cheese and bacon stout.

Fine, I get that. But I don’t want to make something that tastes like C-grade Miller Lite either. So what’s a crossover foodie to do? I know there are a lot of homebrewing enthusiasts out there, so feed a brother back:

1) What’s the craziest beer you’ve ever brewed / heard of someone home brewing?

2) What’s a good entry-level recipe for a home brewer who has absolutely no idea what he is doing but wants to make something unique?

(Photo: ilovebutter)

in Drinks / Personal 2 comments
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New Year’s Food Resolutions for the Beginner and the Brave

davidspadetwitter

Once the holiday season is over and we’ve finished indulging in turkey, ham and stacks of gifts, there are slightly less exciting things to look forward to: resolutions. We are all forced to make them, and of course we’ll eventually break them before January is out. But in the spirit of all things new again, here are some New Year’s resolutions for both the beginner and brave food lovers.

Tell us how you will resolve to make 2011 a better food year.

New Year’s Food Resolutions: The Beginner

By Brit

Try Something New
Skip the #34 Kung Pao Chicken and choose something new, something that scares you, something that’s blue.

Meatless Monday
It’s no secret that we’re a fan of Sid Lerner, the pioneer of Meatless Monday. For one day a week you can avoid meat and eat a little healthier, save a little cash and reduce your carbon footprint.

Cook More
I love eating out as much as the next person, but there’s nothing more satisfying than cooking and enjoying your own meal. 

Read More›
in Holiday 2 comments
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