Endless Simmer - A Food Blog

Left to Right: Wilo Benet, Cindy Pawlcyn, Ludo Lefebvre, Rick Bayless

Another week has come and gone on Top Chef Masters and last week’s LOST Supper episode was a fairly entertaining event. TCM managed to incorporate one of my all-time favorite shows with the LOST theme, we saw the return of the long lost Vending Machine quickfire, Wiley D proved he has quite the potty mouth, and we saw a very unassuming Suzanne Tracht kick some serious culinary ass without so much as raising her eyebrow.

This week we’re looking forward to the likes of Rick Bayless, Cindy Pawlcyn, Wilo Benet and Ludo Lefebvre battling it out for their respective charities. Once again, ES got to sit down with the foursome to talk reality tv and gastronomic inspiration. And once again our panel of well adjusted, professional chefs had nothing but praises, laughter and respect for each other.

Guys.. seriously, I hate dramatically engineered reality shows as much as the next guy, but give us something!

I didn’t want to have to tap into my DC political wonkiness, but you’ve left me no choice. You want to be civil? Fine, maybe a few Sarah Palin quotes will inspire some more trash talking banter next interview. Rednecks clinging to their guns after the jump..

• Continue reading or Comments (2)

When I was asked for my last meal on earth, I immediately went Italian. I have a bit of Italian blood in me, but I’m not the typical New Jersey goombah.  No, I’ve never worn a track suit and gold chain and you wouldn’t mistake me for an extra from The Sopranos.  But it’s certainly the cuisine with which I most closely identify.  I’m actually more Irish than Italian, but you’ve got to be kidding me if you think I’m spending my last moments with potatoes, cabbage and corned beef.

Looking at the list of my fellow ESers, I was struck by how many of them went for simple dishes that undoubtedly remind them of home, family, heritage and the positive memories of life around the dinner table.  Nobody picked the twelve course tasting menu at The French Laundry.  I briefly toyed with the idea of a star-studded mega-meal, but it just didn’t feel right. If you have one last shot, I think it’s best to go with something that reminds you of all the good stuff in your life.

Another wise choice for a last meal?  How about a smörgåsbord?

- Well, if you were going to go high-end for your last dinner, you might want to go Jean-Georges.  If he’s good enough to cook for the past four presidents, he’s good enough for you.

- James Beard winner, Philly food rock star and my personal foodie man-crush Jose Garces makes fish tacos on the Today Show.  He’s pretty good on camera (hint, hint, Food Network folks!)

After the jump:  a politico makes a bold statement on communicable diseases, a food festival as envisioned by William Golding, and the perfect gift for the Giada-stalker in your life.

• Continue reading or Comments (0)

- Breaking news from the Endless Simmer DC Bureau. I would like to pre-emphasize that this is not a joke. The DC City Council is considering banning jumbo slice pizza:

Ward 1 D.C. Councilman Jim Graham, who represents Adams Morgan, says the pizza parlors selling single slices along 18th Street, some of which are open until 4:30 a.m., are part of the problem when it comes a recent rash of street fights, stabbings, muggings and even a shootout involving two plainclothes police officers…

While most people who spoke with ABC 7 in Adams Morgan thought the proposal was a joke, Councilman Graham said he is very serious. He says he’s already talked to the mayor about the issue and is drafting legislation.

People like Jim Graham are the reason the Libertarian Party exists. Give me pizza or give me death!

- Down at the White House, President Obama doesn’t have to worry about his girls gorging on any dangerous jumbo slice. All Sasha and Mahlia want is some Pinkberry. And since DC has no Pinkberry stores, the White House chef has learned to recreate the recipe, and even lets the girls make up their own flavors. Sweet deal.

- Speaking of the Obamas, we leave you today with further concrete proof that the President is a foodie. The NYT just dug up this poem Obama wrote while enrolled at Occidental University:

Underground

Under water grottoes, caverns
Filled with apes
That eat figs.
Stepping on the figs
That the apes
Eat, they crunch.
The apes howl, bare
Their fangs, dance,
Tumble in the
Rushing water,
Musty, wet pelts
Glistening in the blue.

–Barack Obama

Now write us one about bacon, Barack!

(Photo: mp459)

• Comments (1)

Some of you are probably Obama-burgered out.  But we had to report on this new tidbit on Dijon-gate.  You know how Sean Hannity totally dissed the Prez’s codiment choice last week, implying the decision to put grey poupon on a burger was as commie/unAmerican as Nikita Khruschev?

Well watch out Hannity, Kraft foods totally has the Prez’s back!  TOTALLY! They’ve issued the following press release that we just had to feature for the delight or disgust of ESers everywhere:

May 8, 2009

The Honorable Barack H. Obama
President of the United States
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006

Dear Mr. President:

We applaud you, Mr. President, for exercising your freedom of taste when recently ordering a burger with Dijon mustard. We’re always happy to see people use Dijon mustard to add flair and flavor to their favorite foods. The right to choose condiments freely is quintessentially American and embodies the spirit of our democracy.

So we urge you to respond to “Dijon-gate” by issuing a “pardon” to any American who has ever been criticized for putting a liberal spread of Dijon mustard on a burger or a conservative dollop on a ham & cheese sandwich. These “Pardon Me for Loving Dijon” proclamations will empower the millions of Dijon mustard-loving Americans to ask for their favorite condiment with pride.

Respectfully yours,

The GREY POUPON Team
www.greypoupon.com

Pic: Grey Poupon Pardon

Let’s put it to the people:  Is yellow mustard more inherently American than Grey Poupon? Discuss!

• Comments (20)

Barack may trek out to NoVa for his socialist burger fix, but his ladyfriend knows you don’t have to leave the Hill for a quality beef patty. Yup, Michelle Obama was spotted today lunching at Good Stuff Eatery, the burger joint owned by ES BFF Spike Mendelsohn, of Top Chef fame.  No word yet on what she ordered. Anyone see her?

And more important, will Michelle bring Barack back next time? Make sure to get your guess in for the Where Will Obama Eat Next contest.

(Photo: DC 365)

• Comments (3)

- Charles Thompson seconds our outrage about Barack Obama’s burger order: I’ve been eating rare to medium rare burgers for years and have never gotten sick. I just don’t understand anyone who eats meat cooked in the ‘well’ category. It’s not really meat by that point!

Although the aptly named Michael Cook begs to differ: I’m all for having a steak medium rare, but never for a burger. Most harmful bacteria lives on the outer surface of meat, which for ground meat becomes the inside as well…

But good ol’ Sean Hannity had our favorite response to the eater-in-chief’s burger run: How dare he order socialist mustard!

- Meanwhile, mariah carey is not impressed with Tom Colichhio’s sandwich chain:

• Continue reading or Comments (0)

While my colleagues here at Endless Simmer are focusing on the President’s restaurant choices, I’ve become a bit preoccupied by another food-related Obama item.  In the heady, post-inauguration days of January, I was somewhat bothered by the fact that his first ride on Air Force One included a medium-well hamburger.  But I was prepared to chalk it up to a severe hangover that ruled out a nice piece of bloody red meat. So it was with great sadness that I listened to the radio this morning and heard about the little POTUS/VPOTUS burger run that transpired yesterday at Ray’s Hell Burger in Arlington (which  espressodog shouted out to us earlier, and again, none of you guessed!) So what did the ‘bam eat this time? Medium-well.  Again.

They say that three times makes a trend, but I’m going to go ahead and put my foot down after two…Mr. President, you’re absolutely killing me.  Don’t you know that people are looking up to you?  In these difficult times, we must all be living our lives in a manner that reflects positively on our country and our values.  By perpetuating the unfortunate and offensive notion that medium-well is an acceptable burger choice, you are hurting the children of America.  Mr. President, please think long and hard about your choice before you order your next burger. And don’t be afraid of a little blood.

On to the smörg, which will always order its burger medium-rare — at most!

- Is that Guy Fieri at a Kansas City Royals game.  Ha, actually it isn’t. And your first clue should have been that this television host can’t seem to string together an entire sentence.

- Here’s one from the “condecending to women” file:  Boulud and Keller weigh in with their favorite female chefs.  But I’m happy because both include TVFF’s favorite kitchen goddess, Lidia Bastianich.

After the jump…a Hollywood story from the Chicago food scene, a list of award winners that doesn’t include me and Bobby Flay plays the ponies.

• Continue reading or Comments (7)

So I usually don’t listen to anything cable news talking head Glen Beck says, because, well, he’s stark raving mad. But the above clip caught my attention. Beck, who makes a nice little living convincing Americans that our government is out to fuck us all, now informs us that Congress is about to pass a law that will destroy all small farms and possibly even make it illegal for you to grow basil on your windowsill.

I’ll be honest, I’m too lazy to research this one, so I have no idea if it’s at all based in fact or just random lunacy. Anyone?

(Via: The Pink Peppercorn)

• Comments (4)

It took two and a half months, but Michelle and Barack Obama finally fit in another DC date night. And the winning restaurant was…

• Continue reading or Comments (9)