It’s Only Natural To Compare March Madness To Food

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With the first day of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament upon us, there are a few questions we need to answer:

1) Can you out bracket our Commander-in-Chief?
2) How much money can you cost your company by watching espn360, instead of doing work?
3) Can you come up with 5 better NCAA players/coaches to food analogies than the ones below?

The challenge is simple: Think of a popular NCAA player/coach and ask yourself, if they were food, what type of food would they be?

We’ll start with an easy one:

1) Rick PitinoKobe Beef Cheeseburger

Let’s not kid ourselves here.  Rick Pitino looks GOOD.  He dresses nice, he slicks back his hair, and he probably has a nice watch.  But, the guy also comes to play.  Having a good time isn’t good enough for Rick Pitino.  You can’t wear a white suit and not mean business.  Kobe beef cheeseburger? Not all that different.  It is always presented well. It’s a slamming good time, but don’t be fooled by your excitement; you better bring your A-game when you take down a Kobe burger.

2) Hasheem Thabeet = Fruit by the Foot

Hasheem Thabeet is really, really tall.  He’s also pretty skinny.  You think he might be a pushover, but he isn’t.  He’s actually quite intense.  In fact, at the beginning of games, you might think you want a piece of him, but after a few drives to the basket, you realize you probably don’t.  Enter: fruit by the foot.  The longest and skinniest of the long and skinny variety.  It always sounds like a good idea.  “Yea, no big deal, I can put down a foot of chewy fruit tasting dessert.” But as you stare down that last bite, you don’t want anymore.

3) Gerald Henderson = 7-Layer Nacho Dip

Look, Gerald Henderson is freakishly good.  He jumps out of the building, frighteningly quick, and scarily athletic.  Is he polished? Probably not.  Are his fundamentals ready for the next level? Maybe.  But the fact remains, he has all the ingredients.  You know what else has all the ingredients? 7-Layer Nacho Dip.  Is it perfect? No.  There are always certain ingredients that you like more than others and favor when you go in for the dip.  But it’s also ridiculously good, no matter its imperfections.  I mean, you don’t make it to every single sports-watching party by accident.

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No Obama Food Sightings This Weekend…

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Damn! With President Obama sticking around town this weekend and his repub oppo busy worshiping at the altar of Limbaugh,we thought the Prez might have some free time to visit another DC restaurant. But the Eater-in-Chief opted to spend his Friday night out at the Wizards game instead.

Which is in a way good news because that means Round One of the Obama Eating Contest is still on — so don’t forget to cast your votes. The guesses so far:

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Feed Us Back: Comments of the Week

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Another week gone by already?! Here’s what everyone said while  T Piper and Maids were fighting…

– Gasie hit a nerve with her feminist critique of Super Bowl commercials:

Nick: Convinced me. Not that I have ever drank Pepsi… but definitely won’t start now. You are very right about super-bowl ads. It’s not even funny how bad the commercials are. There is also a large double standard on what commercials they allow during the SB. Sexy and Danica Patrick is okay. Sexy and vegetable-related is inappropriate. And when I saw the Doritos ad, I literally said, “This is going to end in a groin joke”. So predictable.

But Doug has a bone to pick: OK, maybe, just maybe, feminists should notice the routine anti-male sexual sadism in commercials and programming today. It was not very long ago that it was taboo to show men or women being sexually injured on TV. Now it is obligatory to have either commercials or programming show men being sexually injured as ‘humor’. I’m speaking of the Doritos ad, of course. I no longer watch the super bowl because of such obligatory ‘humor’. Indeed the last time that I watched the super bowl was the famous Janet Jackson breast-exposing affair (while everyone seemed to ignore that Budweiser showed an ad with a dog sinking its teeth into a mans genitals). Until feminists start taking notice of such sadistic, anti-male content on TV, it is hard for me to view them as advocates of HUMAN rights/dignity. Instead, I tend to view them as ONLY advocates for and ONLY caring about half the human race.

And Mariah Carey really sums it all up:

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Why I Love Football and HATE the Super Bowl

I’m a little riled up.

I went to the Fem 2.0 conference on Monday and learned how feminists can really make an impact in society, in communities and in lives through technology. We also learned how important it is to take the feminist message to broader audiences. So even though I’m a food blogger, I want to continue the conversation and demonstrate that there can be feminist lessons everywhere. Especially in Super Bowl food ads.

But I don’t want to straight up dis the sport. I love football because it’s the best sport there is. And the Eagles will one day be recognized as the most dominant force in the league. Well, recognized and will win games against crappy teams like the Cardinals and Bengles. And one day, drunk off Yuengling and mysterious green shots, I will cry in the arms of my fellow fans as Donovan McNabb hands off the football to Brian Westbrook, who then dives into the end zone, for a game winning touch down. And then Brian Dawkins sprouts wings and flies around the stadium.

Anyway.

I hate the Super Bowl because every effing commercial is directed to what ad execs think the white male 30-year-old wants to see and hear and consume. And I don’t even want to get into the whole Danica Patrick tasteless, tacky and completely un-feminist ad campaign. She’s an athlete! Must she stoop to the level of a Playboy Bunny?!?!

So on to Pepsi Max.

KILL ME.

Okay, so the ad depicts stupid (mostly white) men doing stupid, stereotypical *men* things:

Male gets hit in head with golf club, proclaims, “I’m good”

Male gets bowling ball dropped on head, proclaims, “I’m good”

Male gets an electrical shock while doing male house repairs on roof and flies into trailer thirty feet away, proclaims, “I’m good”

Male announcer proclaims, “Men can take anything, except the taste of diet soda.”

And then magically Pepsi introduces a diet soda that is specifically designed so that men can still be macho while drinking this healthier option.

Here we go again.

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Feed Us Back: Comments of the Week

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Ya’ll were saucy this week, simmerites!

– TVFF really brought out the scallop-haters out there in webland.  Michael: I have to agree, but most especially with #5. Good sea scallops are good, but they have to be done just right, which happens about .00001% of the time. Also, I heard once that scallop meat is often faked, using skate or monkfish meat. Anybody know if thats true? Lemmonex: Here here! I will eat them but they are most certainly not a favorite. They are often just slimy.  Yvo: Why not just go with “They don’t taste good” or “They’re flavorless, which is why people say they’re the perfect “canvas upon which to paint your masterpiece”? :P Also – another great canvas to paint a masterpiece – fresh snow. I’m just sayin’.

–  Sushi is not happy about Britannia’s sneaky chocolate avocado pie: What’s the point of putting avocado in anything if you can’t taste it? That’s like having sex after getting an epidural.

– Reacting to the amazigness that is the hamburger bed, horrible-but-had-to-be-said pun of the week goes to Oxen Cox: Mmm… it makes me want to slide in between those buns. It looks quite comfy to be serious.

– And the Pittsburgh vs. Arizona Super Bowl Food-Off is bringing out quite the strong emotions. NASTY: Dude, seriously… have you ever TASTED that chili beer? That stuff was poured straight from the anus of the devil. Miles counters for the Cards: Cave Creek Chili Beer is a great way to find yourself drunk. It goes like this: (HOT Arizona day) 1) Mmmm, delicious cold beer! I’ll Have a swig of that! 2) Ahhhh! Cold and tasty! 3) WTF?!?! Why is my mouth on fire??? 4) Put something COLD in there! 5) Go to step 2. Repeat until drunk (20 minutes or so). GO CARDINALS!!!!

By the way, with more than 1,200 votes in, Pittsburgh is laying some serious whup-ass on ‘zona, leading with 72% of the vote. Jerry Sizzler, in what may be the comment of the year, explains why:

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Pittsburgh vs. Arizona Super Bowl Food-Off

Super Bowl week is here and ES is confused. With no cheeseheads, cheesesteak-heads, or scrappy underdogs to root for, and no Patriots to root against, we just don’t know what to do. This year’s game is between Pittsburgh, which we think has something to do with steel but we’re not quite sure what; and Arizona, which we can always find on a map given two guesses but don’t know much else about.

There’s nothing worse than showing up at a Super Bowl party and not knowing which team to root for, but how to decide? Between making dips, buying beer, and ordering pizza, there’s just no time to research the merits and demerits of the individual teams.

So we’re choosing who to root for the only way we know how — based on which team has the best food. Will it be Pittsburgh with its all-American blue collar traditions? Or Arizona, with it’s sun-baked spicy flair? (The Cardinals are based in Phoenix, but since they claim the whole state, we’re gonna go ahead and give it to them, since we suspect they might need a boost anyway). Without further ado, the Pittsburgh vs. Arizona Super Bowl Food-Off: 

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First Quarter: Best Sandwich

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 OK, we lied. Turns out we do know at least one thing about Pittsburgh. Namely, Steeltown is home to Primanti Brothers, one of the most outrageously amazing sandwich shops in the country. We can’t think of a more appropriate way to enjoy the big game than with a Primanti Bros. pastrami sandwich, piled high with perfectly spiced meat, coleslaw and french fries. Yes, fries inside the sandwich, not on top of or beside. The only problem is trying to stay awake for the second half. (Photo: The Halberg)

Uh-oh, Pittsburgh. We did some research and it turns out America had outrageous sandwiches before the Italians got here – and we mean waaaaaaay before. If you ever find yourself around Mesa, Arizona, you’ll want to stop by Arizona Native Frybread and pick up a traditional Navajo Sandwich — golden frybread filled with grilled lamb meat and topped with lettuce, red onions, tomatoes and fire roasted green chilis. Now that’s a sandwich. (Photo: chowdownphoenix via Serious Eats)

Point: Arizona. Can’t hate on Primanti Bros, but that frybread is just too damn enticing.
Second Quarter: Best Pizza

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 We try not to eat pizza outside NYC, but we’d make an exception if we drove by Vincent’s Pizza Park, because that crust looks so crispy, the cheese so golden brown, and, um..for g-d’s sake there’s an entire pig on that pie! Might have to start carrying around a pic of this beauty so that every time we go into a pizzeria and see a pepperoni pie with five or six measly ‘ronis on it we can show them this craziness, where the pepperonis actually have to be placed sideways to make room for all of them. Bravo, Pittsburgh. Youse sure know how to eat some meat. (Photo: hanzabean)

 We gotta say we’re a little surprised by how many people out there on the Internets claim the very best slice in America is served up at a pizzeria in Phoenix. Specifically, they’re talking about Pizzeria Bianco. The thin-but-not-flimsy crust does look impressive (seriously, look) and the toppings are nothing if not ballsy. For example, the “Rosa” you’re looking at is topped with onions, parmagiana reggiano, rosemary and Arizona pistachios. Yes, that’s pistachios as in pistachio nuts. On a pizza. We’re intrigued. (Photo: roboppy)

Point: Pittsburgh. Arizona gets an A for effort, but this is the Super Bowl, not the Oscars, so pepperoni trumps pistachio.
Third Quarter: Best Hot Dog

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 Good gravy! If we had to paint a picture of what the Super Bowl means to America, it would probably look very much like this photo. The bacon and cheddar dog is one of just many heart-stopping options offered at Pitt favorite D’s SixPax & Dog’s, but in our humble opinion, it’s the most perfect. Nothing fancy, nothing complicated. Take meat. Cover with bacon. Douse in cheese. Pray for forgiveness. (Photo: Mr. Velocipede)

The legendary Sonoran Hot Dog may have originated in neighboring Mexico but it was made famous by the Hispanic-heavy neighborhoods of southside Tucson, Arizona. A bacon-wrapped hot dog is placed on an oversized bun and topped with pinto beans, tomatoes, onion, mustard, mayo, crema, relish, jalapenos…well, you get the point – basically whatever the hell else they have on hand. (Photo: Mr. Frosted)
Point: Pittsburgh. For pure all-American outlandishness, we’ve gotta give it to Pitt.
Fourth Quarter: Best Beer

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Iron City Brewing company has been drowning Pittsburgh’s sorrows for going on 150 years now, and the Steelers probably wouldn’t have won half as many games if their fans didn’t have this solid stand-by to get them through all those snowy seasons. (It’s also safe to say this brew probably played a hand in the invention of the three culinary delicacies presented above). (Photo: Iron City)

Daaaaaamn, ‘zona! Is there anything you people won’t put hot chilis in? It doesn’t get much more macho than drinking a beer laced with hot serrano chili peppers. Arizona gave the world just that with Chili Beer, a Cave Creek, Arizona original (now produced in Mexico). (Photo: srboisvert)


Point: Arizona. Hot, cold, and drunk, all in one bottle. What more could a fan want? Tie game!

Look’s like we’re headed to overtime, and it’s up to you, readers. Who cooked it better? Pittsburgh or Arizona? Vote below, and don’t forget to do the thing where you tell me how dumb I am and that everything I said is completely wrong.

[Poll id=”31″]

Previously on ES: 

March Madness: America’s Top 10 Drunk College Foods

America’s Real Best Ballpark Food

The Top 10 Foods Only America Could Have Invented

Green is the New Black

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So this is getting almost embarrassing, but this past week I have written posts either drunk or about how I was drunk while cooking.  I guess 2009 is off to a successful start.  Right now, however, I’ve hit a new low (or high.)  I’m a bit drunk and a bit hung over.  I spent the better part of Sunday at a bar WATCHING THE EAGLES WIN ANOTHER PLAYOFF GAME!

This entails Miller Lite pitchers, wings, fries, perogies (the bar we were at, Pour House, is actually a Steelers bar), soft pretzels, mozzarella sticks and GREEN SHOTS.  After we sent little boy Eli Manning home, Birds fan (ES fan!) and our bartender, Sarah, hooked it up with beautiful green shots.

Eli Manning Can Suck It Shot (ask for it by name)

–Vodka
–Melon Liquor
(And then one more ingredient I totally can’t remember, even though I asked her 8 times while she was making it. Hopefully I’ll have an update soon.)
–Sour Mix (see comments)

GO BIRDS!

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