Russell Warnick -

by Russell Warnick

The World Cup of Food

Image Courtesy of Nestor Cerami

We couldn’t let soccer’s 2010 FIFA World Cup go by without throwing in our two cents — which as you might expect, has less to do with our feet than with our mouths. So while serious sports fans spend this week debating which squads got the crap draw and which teams are most likely to make the second round, foodies can put all that aside and take a look at our 2010 World Cup Food and Drink Rankings, in which we’ve ranked the 32 participating nations from worst to best, based not on soccer skills but on the appeal of each country’s most iconic dish.

For the record, I offer no apologies for the dishes or the order in which they are ranked—I had many discussions with my international friends when researching these and they have disagreed with me on many—for that, you can leave your opinions in the comments.

#32. Australia – Vegemite on Toast

Usually when there is a petition on Facebook in support of something, you know it’s a desperate plea, and Vegemite on Toast is no exception. This isn’t one of those love-it-or-hate-it kind of foods, this is simply a hate it kind of food. Yes, there are nearly 111,000 facebook users on the record as supporting it, but I’m pretty sure that’s roughly the population of Australia, right? Let’s hope for their sake that the Aussie lads find something better to chow on before their matches in South Africa.

#31. Ivory Coast – Kedjenou

Factoid: the current coach of the Ivory Coast team is former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. I’m sure old Sven has some tricks up his sleeves planned for the field, but you’ve got to admire the Ivory Coast’s cooking tricks, too. Kedjenou, like many other West African dishes, starts with some tough old chickens and basically cooks the shit out of them ’til they’re edible. It may not be the quickest way to make a meal taste good, but it sure as hell beats Vegemite.

#30. Slovenia – Buckwheat

I task you with something — Google “Slovenia” and “food.” Whatever the result is it’ll surely include buckwheat. Buckwheat, buckwheat and more buckwheat. Could you be any more boring, Slovenian cooks? If you must have a Slovenian soccer dish, I sifted through the ES archives and stumbled upon this tasty dish, vegetarian too — Wilted Greens with Buckwheat Noodles (and an egg).

by Russell Warnick

ES Local: What’s Eating DC

Our weekly local roundup of the best eating and drinking events going down in Washington, DC

Event of the Week: National Fucking Doughnut Day is tomorrow. The two best places that serve these suckers have specials going on: Birch & Barley and Eatbar.

View ES Local: What’s Eating DC in a larger map

Remember, you can check out the constantly updated map any day of the week.

If you represent a restaurant or bar and wish to have your event listed on the ES Local: What’s Eating DC map, please write to me at britannia(at)endlesssimmer(dot)com

in Restaurants 2 comments

by Russell Warnick

The Candidates Cookbook: Jason Anderson

A special ES Local series, The Candidates Cookbook profiles each of the 2010 D.C. Mayoral candidates — from a foodie’s P.O.V.

Running as an independent, Jason Anderson refers to himself as an “enigma.” Reflecting this, the underdog candidate chose not to provide a photo or campaign logo for this story. He did, however, have plenty to say about food.

The D.C. Food Desert
“Food is a business, and the first priority for businesses and corporations is money,” laments Anderson. “Making money is more important [to corporations] than healthy living, which is a major contradiction, so it is more profitable to serve unhealthy foods and have people be unhealthy.”

This, explains Anderson, is why many D.C. neighborhoods are packed with fast food options but after 7pm have no healthy alternatives, “which plays a crucial part in obese Washingtonians.” As mayor, Anderson hopes to enact policies to diversify what he calls D.C.’s “food desert,” by making it financially viable for D.C. residents to open independent, healthy restaurants.

Back to the Farm
Anderson calls the “Healthy Schools” legislation a good start and says “a second step would be to teach students agriculture and introduce them to the farms. Youth only know the grocery store. Connect them with the food — not just the corporate connection.”

One organization Anderson points to as “important to the culture of learning,” is Heal Our Hood, a local initiative that provides nutritional and political education, including urban gardening, to the African community in DC. As mayor, he would work to expand similar programs throughout the school system.

in Politics 2 comments

by Russell Warnick

ES Local: What’s Eating DC

Our weekly local roundup of the best eating and drinking events going down in Washington, DC

Event of the Week: If you’re not headed to the beach this Memorial Weekend, there are plenty of eats to keep you stuffed here in DC, from crabs at Sou’wester to pigs in Arlington and chili at St. Ex. Check out the map to see where the party’s at.

View ES Local: What’s Eating DC in a larger map
Remember, you can check out the constantly updated map any day of the week.

If you represent a restaurant or bar and wish to have your event listed on the ES Local: What’s Eating DC map, please write to me at britannia(at)endlesssimmer(dot)com

in Restaurants 1 comments

by Russell Warnick

The Candidates Cookbook: Dennis Sobin

Editors’ Note: While our first love here at ES is unquestionably food, we have to admit we get nearly as riled up about another favorite topic — politics. We’re always on the lookout for ways to combine the two, which brings us to our newest series, The Candidates’ Cookbook, in which DC-based correspondent Britannia interviews the 2010 Washington, D.C. mayoral candidates. He’ll ask each one to share their opinions on nutrition, obesity and of course, where and what they eat. All DC Mayoral candidates were invited to participates, so look for a new interview in this space each week.

Dennis Sobin is certainly one of the more colorful Democratic characters running for Mayor, and in a D.C. election, that says a lot. At a recent debate, instead of handing out leaflets promoting his campaign, Sobin handed out flowers, which he believes generated a greater impact on attendees. It’s also safe to say he’s the only candidate who was imprisoned as recently as 2009, which he credits for curing him of an illness. But enough with that — let’s hear what he has to say about food.

The Food Police
I asked Sobin if he would consider introducing bans on trans fats, as New York has done. He stressed that education, not legislation, is the key. “Educate the consumer and then let them choose what to eat. I’m not for putting the food police in restaurants, weighing people before and after they eat.”

“The head of a city has to lead by example, showcasing one’s easting habits, maintaining a good shape—exercise, home-cook and grocery shop carefully,” continued Sobin, who also talked of a personal habit he picked up from none other than my favorite Girl, Betty White.

“A good eating tip I got from reading about Betty White—she weighs herself every morning and if she weighs more than she did the day before she alters what she eats for the day. ” AMAZING! Sobin acknowledges that Mayor Fenty is indeed healthy and a good role model in that respect, but he believes it doesn’t compensate for the Mayor’s “corrupt and over-privileged government,” something Sobin hopes to eradicate should he be elected.

Food in the Schools
On nutritional standards in DC public schools, Dennis tells me that “good eating habits begin at an early age—you go to school to improve your mind so it doesn’t do much good if children leave with a bad body.” I asked whether he believes schools or the government should impose calorie limitations in school meals, and Sobin explained that he was a consultant for the USDA and appreciates the work they do, so he doesn’t see a problem with schools setting their own calorie limits, as long as they use the national standard and don’t over-legislate.

About that Prison Food…

in Politics 3 comments

by Russell Warnick

ES Local: What’s Eating DC

Our weekly local roundup of the best eating and drinking events going down in Washington, DC

Event of the Week: Head over to the 930 Club for the Soundbites – Music*Food*Change event on Sunday night, an evening of song, food and a chance to feel good for donating to the D.C. Central Kitchen.
View ES Local: What’s Eating DC in a larger map

Remember, you can check out the constantly updated map any day of the week.

If you represent a restaurant or bar and wish to have your event listed on the ES Local: What’s Eating DC map, please write to me at britannia(at)endlesssimmer(dot)com

in Restaurants 2 comments

by Russell Warnick

Shrimp and Grits (and Buttermilk too)

There are few times when the BF and myself have an opportunity to cook together. Either he’s cooking a pasta dish or grilling some chicken which needs no more than one person, or I’ve taken over the kitchen and he doesn’t dare come near me, which is a shame really as the BF can actually cook.

On this occasion our cooking together was brought on as we were hosting a birthday brunch for our friend Butter, who has recently moved to DC from Jersey. Butter and I were having a cocktail at our local haunt and there were two women dining at the bar. Butter couldn’t quite determine what they were eating but was intrigued — so she asked. It was shrimp and grits. Butter had heard of grits but never tried them, so I figured shrimp and grits would be a nice surprise for her birthday brunch.

in Bacon / Breakfast / Cheese / Recipe 3 comments