the pragmatic chef™

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January 28, 2009

No surprise here

(Photo: In-N-Out's Double Double, grilled onions for me thankyouverymuch.)

The title of the article is a bit silly- In-N-Out Burger vs. McDonald’s: Guess Who Won?, but some interesting insight into how much better regional chains do at satisfying customers compared to the (inter)national brands:

In a survey of 94,000 users last year, In-N-Out Burger of Irvine, Calif., was the top winner in overall customer satisfaction, which takes into account, among other things, quality of food and service, cleanliness and value for the money, in the 2008 Quick-Track Awards of Excellence.

“It’s probably easier to maintain the highest standards if you’re only operating in a couple of states,” says Paul Clarke, vice president of sales and marketing at Sandelman & Associates. “So, customers recognize the difference.”

There's much more pressure when you're a publicly traded company to increase profitability even when sales are down. In-N-Out, I know, is family owned. Check out the article to see the results of the poll.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:01 AM | Comments (0)

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December 11, 2008

Coffee Wars- I'm Lovin' it!

(Disclosure: I've been a Starbucks shareholder over the years, and if I was masochistic enough to look at a brokerage statement these days I could tell you for sure if I'm in the stock now.)

I haven't been a Starbucks fan for quite a while now for one main reason- their coffee has gone way downhill since their meteoric expansion. They've been a victim of their own success- it's much, much harder to source a million pounds of quality coffee beens than it is to procure 100,000 pounds. I get that, really.

You either buy into the whole half-caff mocha java tall/grande/venti one Equal one Splenda no foam whip Frappicino thing or you don't, but my main beef is the quality of the coffee and the mass produced pastries that are so heinously overpriced it offends me when I have to spend money there while at an airport.

Having said all that, I was fascinated by an article I came across today that really made me aware of the nasty coffee war going on against Starbucks:

McDonald's has erected a billboard in sight of Starbucks headquarters declaring, "four bucks is dumb."

If Dunkin' Donuts' taste test commercials were the schoolyard equivalent of blowing spitballs at the coffee giant from afar, then the latest from McDonald's is like pulling a wedgie. Starbucks employees driving northbound can see the billboard on their way into the city.

Another billboard slogan jabs, "large is the new grande." The two phrases are displayed on 140 billboards in Western Washington, some of them near Starbucks cafes.

Ouch.

Have a favorite coffee? I pick up a few coffees I like at Sprouts, but I've enjoyed a lot of Peet's coffee over the years.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:36 PM | Comments (3)

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November 5, 2008

ZSweet revisited

Interesting feedback from someone named Vasachi about the ZSweet post I did a while back:

I just received my order of Zsweet. First thing I did was open the container and taste it. It is almost as sweet as regular table sugar, hardly can tell the difference. I couldn't wait to make a pot of coffee to try it out. Normally I use 2 teaspoons of sugar in my coffee. It took 2.5 teaspoons of Zsweet to make my coffee taste the way it does when I use regular sugar. There is absolutely no after taste and no bitterness. I bought it in granular form next I will try the powdered form for baking. I am very pleased indeed. I just hope that down the road I don't find out it has something hidden in the "natural flavoring" that is not good for me. It has become difficult for me to trust any company making sweetners after the Aspartme lies. If anyone else has information regarding Zsweet please post it. Thanks and I hope this has been helpful.

Anybody else tried it?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 2:00 PM | Comments (0)

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October 28, 2008

7 Stress relieving foods

I knew there was a reason I made guacamole on Sunday...:

2. Guacamole If you're craving something creamy, look no further. Avocados are loaded with B vitamins, which stress quickly depletes and which your body needs to maintain nerves and brain cells. Plus their creaminess comes from healthy fat. Scoop up the stuff with whole-grain baked chips-crunching keeps you from gritting your teeth.

Lots of other good stuff we've been making a point of eating, too.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:22 AM

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October 27, 2008

More Beans, Mr. Taggart?

They're good for ya!:

The unpleasant aroma of the gas, called hydrogen sulfide (H2S), can be a little too familiar, as it is expelled by bacteria living in the human colon and eventually makes its way, well, out.

The new research found that cells lining mice's blood vessels naturally make the gas and this action can help keep the rodents' blood pressure low by relaxing the blood vessels to prevent hypertension (high blood pressure). This gas is "no doubt" produced in cells lining human blood vessels too, the researchers said.

Obviously the healthiest scene in movie history, then...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 6:45 AM | Comments (0)

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October 21, 2008

What? No more Zima?? AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!

How can they kill a classic?

The joint venture between SABMiller's U.S. unit and Molson Coors Brewing Co. told distributors in a letter Monday that production of the malt liquor beverage was discontinued as of Oct. 10. Chief Marketing Officer Andy England says the decision was due to weakness in the "malternative" segment and declining consumer interest.

Classic what, I have no freaking idea. Did anyone ever even try one?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 12:22 PM | Comments (2)

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October 20, 2008

I'll trade 'em bananas for Sushi

I guess bananas in Japan aren't expensive enough to keep a new diet craze from making them scarce:

The Morning Banana Diet regime is simple: A banana (or as many as you want) and room temperature water for breakfast; eat anything you like for lunch and dinner (by 8 p.m.). A three o'clock snack is okay, but no desserts after meals, and you have to go to bed before midnight. Sumiko Watanabe, a pharmacist in Osaka designed this stress-free diet to help increase the metabolism of her husband Hitoshi Watanabe, who had been rather overweight. In due course, Mr. Watanabe lost 37 pounds and introduced the diet on mixi, one of Japan's largest social networking services.

I'd gladly trade them 100 pounds of bananas for 100 pounds of sashimi grade fish... think I can cash in before the craze fades?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:37 PM | Comments (0)

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October 14, 2008

Power to the Pectin!!

A new study has shown that apples may play an important role in fighting cancer (h/t Instapundit):

They have shown that a fragment released from pectin, found in all fruits and vegetables, binds to and is believed to inhibit galectin 3 (Gal3), a protein that plays a role in all stages of cancer progression. ... Pectin is better known for its jam-setting qualities and as being a component of dietary fibre. The present study supports a more exciting and subtle role.

Gee... what was that old saying again?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 5:41 PM | Comments (0)

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September 10, 2008

Dave DeWitt's new Fiery Foods Super Site is up!

I got an email blast from Dave DeWitt announcing that the new Fiery Foods site upgrades are done.

Check it out, the old site was a great resource for Chile Heads, I'm sure the new one is even better! I'm going to spend some time over there over the next few days, I'll post some links to extra great stuff.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:04 PM

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September 9, 2008

KFC's Security goes to 11 (spices)

Wow. I mean, I'd just about shoot anyone who would try to steal the recipe for Survival Spice® but me, but this is excessive:

Colonel Harland Sanders' handwritten recipe of 11 herbs and spices was removed Tuesday from safekeeping at KFC's corporate offices for the first time in decades. The temporary relocation is allowing KFC to revamp security around a yellowing sheet of paper that contains one of the country's most famous corporate secrets.

...

The recipe that launched the chicken chain was placed in a lock box that was handcuffed to security expert Bo Dietl, who climbed aboard an armored car that whisked away with an escort from off-duty police officers.

I think the real secret is that 6 of the 11 ingredients are salt.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)

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September 3, 2008

Shoppers continue to 'shop down market'

Apparently shoppers are continuing to change their shopping behavior:

COLUMBUS, Sept. 2, 2008—Shoppers have shifted their shopping patterns as gasoline and food continue to grab a larger share of wallet. In American ShopperScape™ 2008, TNS Retail Forward reports that shoppers are trading down to save money and seeking one-stop shopping venues and stores closer to home to save time and gasoline. Discount and value retailers are benefiting from an influx of cost-conscious shoppers at the expense of conventional and high-end retailers. And, store brands are benefiting at the expense of national brands.

Hey- I happen to know a great place to buy food stuff online!!! *hint hint*

I'll post our Food Fight winner tomorrow, sorry. Today was just nuts.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:30 AM

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August 13, 2008

Not exactly an Atkins Diet for Michael Phelps

I thought it was only appropriate to get an Olympics post in here somewhere that didn't involve those revolting pictures of Chinese delicacies that I've gotten via email numerous times, but the sheer gluttony that's partly responsible for Michael Phelps' success is kinda of hard to digest:

Phelps lends a new spin to the phrase "Breakfast of Champions" by starting off his day by eating three fried-egg sandwiches loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions and mayonnaise. He follows that up with two cups of coffee, a five-egg omelet, a bowl of grits, three slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar and three chocolate-chip pancakes.

At lunch, Phelps gobbles up a pound of enriched pasta and two large ham and cheese sandwiches slathered with mayo on white bread - capping off the meal by chugging about 1,000 calories worth of energy drinks.

For dinner, Phelps really loads up on the carbs - what he needs to give him plenty of energy for his five-hours-a-day, six-days-a-week regimen - with a pound of pasta and an entire pizza.
He washes all that down with another 1,000 calories worth of energy drinks.

He's truly a phenomenon, but I can imagine the tabloid pictures of him as an overweight, middle-aged guy, once he quits swimming around the world every 24 hours...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 11:41 AM | Comments (0)

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August 12, 2008

Tough Times for "Organic Boutique" Grocery Stores

Some interesting observations on the downturn in luxury grocery shopping in what I call "organic boutique" grocery stores like Whole Foods, by LA Times blogger Matthew DeBord:

A scientist would point out that the body doesn't care what you're feeding it, so long as it's nourishing. When times are tough, that means the value-pack bag of frozen chicken thighs wins and the vegetarian-fed, free-range whole fryer does not. Virtue is a funny thing: It has a hard time competing with an empty stomach. Or an empty wallet.

Whole Foods stock is down 30% of late, mainly because shoppers are turning to less expensive sources for organic and non organic products. Personally, I'm a big fan of Sprouts, but they don't have much national exposure yet.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:07 AM | Comments (0)

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August 11, 2008

Changes in fatitude, changes in attitude?

A new series of "flavor modulators" might make a Diet Coke drinking, broccoli eater out of you yet:

Healthy, sugar-free, low-salt foods that taste as good as their fattening, additive-ridden alternatives could soon be on sale - thanks to research into chemicals that trick our brain into believing we are eating the 'bad' things we crave.

Two companies in the United States have won new patents on ways to convince the brain we are consuming foods that are far sweeter or saltier than they actually are. The firms are working with Cadburys and Coca-Cola to create healthy yet appealing products.

I think they're going to have a tough time convincing the general public, and me, that this latest "better living through chemistry" attempt is something we'll want to spend money on. I could be wrong, though, what do you think?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:42 AM | Comments (2)

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August 7, 2008

Americans are drinking less

Say it isn't so!!! From Fox News:

Among the findings were:

— Americans are drinking significantly less beer and more wine, while hard liquor use has remained fairly constant.

— The number of people describing themselves as non-drinkers has increased.

— People born later in the 20th century drink more moderately than people born in the early part of the century.

— Alcohol consumption goes down as people age.

I know my drinking has slowed down a quite a bit over the years, but everything in moderation, including moderation, I say.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:58 AM | Comments (4)

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July 31, 2008

Berto's Ice Cream satisfies Tesco's sweet tooth

Not to harp on my Fresh & Easy post yesterday, but this story in the AZ Republic on what it takes to be a Tesco supplier is an interesting follow up:

Mark Barratt, a native of Britain and an assistant professor of supply-chain management at Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business, is a longtime observer of Tesco stores worldwide. He said DeBartolo's experience is typical for a Tesco supplier anywhere in the world.

"They are incredibly thorough, to the point of being anal about it," Barratt said. "Tesco recognizes that if they are going to have an exclusive supplier, they want someone who is going to help them help their business. In return, they help the suppliers by making them more competitive than they were before."

DeBartolo, who says his goal now is to be a "Tesco supplier for life," said his quality control is head and shoulders over what it used to be.

"As a manufacturer, we had really high-quality standards. But when Fresh & Easy came into our life, they took us to a whole new level of expectations," he said.

Berto's gelato is amazing, if you ever get a chance to pick some up, and the whole article is well worth the read.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 5:51 AM | Comments (0)

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July 30, 2008

When Competitors Attack

Update 8/1: A traffic spike from a pro Fresh & Easy blog tells me I'm not the only one bothered by this.

I rarely rant here, but imagine my incredulity when I got home last night to find these on our door knob.

There's a new Fresh & Easy market opening in our neighborhood. I've only been in an existing store two or three times to date, and I've always found the store spotless and well stocked. Not crazy about a few things- prepackaged vegetables and fruit, the lack of a meat counter, etc., but their business model is based on getting the consumer in and out quickly, with some pretty good stuff. Self checkout only, with a human standing by ready to help, but it's a very 'lean and mean' organization. I respect that.

It's also a non union shop, which is why the grocer's union is so relentless in trying to take them out before they really get rolling here in Phoenix. Did I mention that these door hangers were produced by the grocer's union? They were not produced by Albertson's and Kroger's, whose employees earnestly inform us about a few health infractions going back to 2004 on Tesco's UK operations. They tell us to wait to shop there until there's a proven track record of safe operation in the US, and they referred me to a website where I can sign an anti-Tesco petition. For what? I'm not buying it, sorry, and I'm a union member from way back.

Fight fair, guys. I've been in your local stores here, and found them frequently to be substandard, to say the least. I've bought your meat products, and returned them because they were inedible. I've marveled at the overpriced, aging produce you sell with a straight face. I'm not a snob. I find better quality goods, usually at lower prices, in places like Sprouts, or Costco, or the ethnic stores in our area, so it's a rare day when I visit a supermarket anymore.

Fight fair, guys. You're better than that. Aren't you?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:38 AM

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July 17, 2008

So- now what are we supposed to eat?

Back to a good 'ol greasy double cheeseburger, I guess. Now researchers say there's possible danger in tilapia. Sheesh:

The researchers found that farm-raised tilapia — the fifth most popular fish consumed in the United States -- could be potentially dangerous to people dealing with heart disease, arthritis and asthma.

That's because farm-raised tilapia has very low levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. "Perhaps worse, it contains very high levels of omega-6 fatty acids," the researchers said.

The combination "could be a potentially dangerous food source for some patients with heart disease, arthritis, asthma and other allergic and auto-immune diseases that are particularly vulnerable to an 'exaggerated inflammatory response.' "

Sounds like they're being awfully selective. I guess we're supposed to just lock ourselves in a dark closet with a lifetime supply of wheat grass.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 11:00 AM | Comments (0)

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July 15, 2008

Feeling the pinch on food prices?

I'm seeing articles like this in all my trade magazines, but a recent USA Today story made me feel compelled to post this today:

Overall, food prices climbed 4% in 2007, the biggest annual increase since 1990, and prices are projected to rise 4.5% to 5.5% this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In a recent USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 1,016 adults, 46% said the higher cost of food is creating a financial hardship. They said they have noticed an increase in the cost of milk, fruits and vegetables, meat, bread and eggs.

I have to say we're feeling it here, and a lot of it came from burning edible food like corn to produce ethanol. As corn prices surged, farmers rushed to plant more of it, leaving other less lucrative foods unplanted, which has led to shortages and outright starvation in parts of the world.

There are much more viable sources- field scraps, switchgrass, kudzu, etc., and as sanity prevails, prices should stabilize and hopefully come down a bit.

The next Food Fight will be economy based, I think. I'll have the details sometime this week.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:30 AM | Comments (0)

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February 11, 2008

High on the Hog Ham coming to the US

(Photo: AGRC Tropical, which has lots of really good information on Spanish ham.)

Jamon Iberico is coming to the US:

This summer, a new European delicacy is scheduled to appear in fine restaurants and delicatessens in the United States.

At around $100 a pound, Jamon Iberico — or Iberian ham — is one of the world's priciest meats. The ham comes from acorn-fed, free roaming pigs in Spain, and the traditions surrounding how the pigs are raised and how their meat is cured go back centuries.

I've had some mighty fine ham in Europe, but I don't know if I've ever had this.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 11:07 AM | Comments (0)

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January 9, 2008

Fox & Obel buyout

This may only interest John in Chicago, but I saw in the trades that there's been a buyout of Fox & Obel, a great gourmet grocery powerhouse in Chicago. The whole announcment is here.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 11:51 AM | Comments (2)

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July 30, 2007

Give up my Survival Spice? Never!!!!!!

Nation's Restaurant News had a blurb about people losing their desire for the spicy stuff as they age. Do you think this will happen to you? I actually think it's more of a generational thing, myself. We have lots of Survival Spice™ fans that are well into the demographic group where theoretically they shouldn't be interested.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 4:45 PM | Comments (1)

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May 23, 2007

Death by Veganism

Busy day (again, I know) around here, and I don't mean to be a downer, but I just wanted to share a link to an article that John in Chicago sent me about the infant who died after being a fed a vegan diet for all of his too-short life.

Any thoughts on this? So sad.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:42 AM | Comments (2)

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December 22, 2006

What's on Le Menu today?

A light soup of savoy and napa cabbages, endive salad was dressed with basil vinaigrette, and braised New Jersey bison in wine and stock flavored with fennel and thickened with olive oil roux. Sounds good, right? And what fine Manhattan bistro served this on their menu lately?

The answer will surprise you.

John in Chicago sent along a link to a NY Times article on an Upper West side soup kitchen, housed in a local Presbyterian church.

Check it out, Michael Ennes sounds like an interesting guy, and a good chef to boot.

Oh, and John was nice enough to nominate this blog in the "best overall food blog category" (see his #62). Thanks, John, I had no idea it existed!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:07 AM | Comments (0)

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December 13, 2006

Hottest Chile pepper in the world???

(Photo: fiery-foods.com)

There's a great article for all you chile-heads over at Dave DeWitt's fiery-foods site that addresses what is really the hottest chile pepper in the world. I thought it was the red savina, myself, but they've stumbled on to a pepper called a Bhut Jolokia that's about 3-4 times as hot as a habenero.

Put your gloves on and check it out! It's a great site, full of lots of good chile and bbq tidbits that I know I've mentioned before, but it's worth making you aware of again.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:00 AM | Comments (8)

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November 14, 2006

Honeycrisp Apples

Julie files this report on the Honeycrisp Apple Phenomenon, along with a really cool picture:

Hi. I kept hearing about this new exciting type of apple called the Honeycrisp. I mean, if it's on the national news, it must be special, right?

I bought some at the grocery store. They were $2.99 a pound, while the regular old golden ones were .99 a pound. I bought 2 to try. And they are good. Lots of taste and crunch. But I kept thinking they were going to have the slightest taste of honey. They don't. Unless I'm just unable with my long-abused tastebuds to pick up the nuances. Too many years of hot salsa?

I'm wondering if you've tried them and if so, didja like them?

I've sent a photo, and you have to admit that this particular Honeycrisp does not look all that happy. It has a "face" kind of like the angry tree on the Wizard of Oz. Perhaps it has already grown tired of the paparazzi.

I picked some up the other day, and I found I really like them. They seem less dense somehow, with a flavor somewhere between a Golden Delicious and a Granny Smith. Pricey, but worth it. Thanks, Julie!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:19 AM | Comments (1)

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September 13, 2006

Health Benefits of Bananas

(the Pragmatic Chef's Banana Pecan Bread, recipe here.)

I got these facts on bananas in an email from Kathleen- thanks! Not sure how accurate it all is, but it makes sense to me.

Eat bananas and be healthy? It worked for Elvis, didn't it? Oh. Wait...

Continue reading "Health Benefits of Bananas"

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:46 AM | Comments (1)

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September 7, 2006

RUN AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!

(I couldn't find a picture of the new stuff, but you had to see this!)

Okay, I'm a Python fan, so when John in Chicago emailed this, I had to post it:

Hormel offers Something completely different

The makers of Spam are poking fun at themselves by launching a "collector's edition" Stinky French Garlic flavor, to coincide with the London stage opening of the Monty Python musical "Spamalot" this month.

RUN AWAY!!!!!!!!!!! Unless you love SPAM®, that is!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:30 AM | Comments (5)

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August 29, 2006

Crazy Chemistry in Cooking

John in Chicago has sent along another interesting link to a NY Times article that discusses the latest in sauce trends and technology:

For some time now, Achatz has been experimenting with jellies to create “solid sauces” — thin, flavorful liquids given mass and viscosity through a variety of techniques. The sauces evolved, he explained, from a recent period using vegetable purées to accompany meats and fish. “I thought it would be interesting to turn a sauce into a purée,” he said. “To make a purée, you just stick a solid in the blender. The challenge was turning a liquid into a purée. To purée a liquid, I realized I had to turn it into a solid and then purée the solid.”

To create his solids, he works with different gelling agents, from gelatin to seaweed extracts like agar and carrageen. Achatz’s first solid sauce was a yuzu fluid gel, which he made by heating the fragrant citrus juice with agar, cooling it to set, then puréeing the resulting jelly into a puddinglike sauce, which he served with sugar snap peas, yogurt and ham.

I've mentioned Grant's restaurant, Alinea before, but still haven't eaten there while in Chicago. Oh well, one of these days...

What's your take on this stuff? The idea of melting a sheet of sauce over a dish instead of just spooning it on seems a bit over the top to me, especially if the customer doesn't get the visual gratification of seeing the process, but I guess it would create a very even glaze.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:54 AM | Comments (0)

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August 9, 2006

Mangosteen- A Fruit I've never heard of

(Photo: from Wikipedia)

John in Chicago (thanks, John!) has passed along another interesting NY Times article about a fruit that I'd frankly never heard of that has become quite the rage in the food world:

There’s something about the mangosteen, amplified by its longtime unavailability, that has driven its devotees to obsession and hyperbole. Thus Rudyard Kipling wrote in 1902, entranced by the fruit’s mystique, “You’ll know what my riddle means / When you’ve eaten mangosteens.”

snip

“I’d love to be able to put them on the menu,” Sébastien Rouxel, the pastry chef at Per Se, said after tasting samples.

From Wikipedia:

There is a story, possibly apocryphal, about Queen Victoria offering a cash reward to anyone who could deliver to her the fabled fruit. Although available in cans and frozen, mangosteens are rarely sold fresh in Western countries except rarely in some Asian grocery stores; they are illegal to import without fumigation as whole fruit into the United States due to fears that they harbor the Asian fruit fly which would devastate US crops if it were ever introduced. In the future new irradiation techniques may allow importation of this delicacy. Products derived from the mangosteen are legally imported into the U.S. such as juices and nutritional supplements.

Has anybody ever eaten one?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:44 AM | Comments (2)

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July 20, 2006

ZSweet- What's ZDeal?

As I get older, I've become more aware of the pudgy hand of diabetes getting every closer. I was glad to see recently that another no calorie sweetener has entered the ring:

Zsweet™ is a proprietary blend of erythritol (a natural sweetener) and natural flavors to enhance sweetness. All of the ingredients in Zsweet™ are recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration and found in common fruits and vegetables.

Zsweet™ contains no artificial components (not even in trace amounts) and contains no caloric, sugar, or carbohydrate fillers, adding to our "No Worries" claim.

Zsweet™ does not use herbal extracts or dietary supplement ingredients and does not chemically alter any natural ingredients. Zsweet™ does not contain any known allergens such as dairy, wheat, gluten, corn, soy, nuts, or eggs.

Erythritol seems to be a sugar alcohol with a lower glycemic index than most, which makes it ideal for everyone trying to manage their blood sugar levels. I've been having some luck experimenting with Stevia, which is an herbal alternative, but I'd love to find something that tastes even better.

I'm curious to check ZSweet out. Has anybody tried it yet?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 1:16 PM | Comments (2)

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July 13, 2006

Mary Coyle's- A Phoenix Classic

A recent story, on a Phoenix institution:

For the past 55 years, the ice cream parlor has kept thousands of new and repeat customers happy with generous servings of ice cream made on the premises three times a week.

"We're the only game in town when it comes to making old-fashioned homemade ice cream," said Tom Kelly, 65, who has run Mary Coyle's for the past 10 years along with his wife, Ann, and son, Bob.

"We have about 40 flavors of ice cream, all homemade right here," he said.

Mary Coyle's rocks, with classic flavors and 'out there' conconctions such as Black Licorice. Personally, I don't think I'd ever be a fan of that, but I've had quite a few others, and really like them.

To me, though, it's as much about the old-time feel of the place, and the idea of supporting a family-owned business as much as the ice cream. I'm sure "Mr. Applebee" or whoever started the chain is/was very passionate about what he does/did, but I love local eateries.

I was I'm told their food is quite good, but haven't tried it yet. Maybe I should, they're just a few miles away...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:36 AM | Comments (1)

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July 11, 2006

Lights, Camera, Survival Spice™, Action!!!

(I love food, but what I really want to do is direct...)

"Lights, Camera, Survival Spice™, Action! was the subject line of an email I got from John in Chicago recently that linked to this article on the popular relationship between food and film:

In the coming year, however, a wave of ambitious studio films will try to capitalize on Americans' growing appreciation for all things epicurean. On Nov. 10, 20th Century Fox is scheduled to release "A Good Year," in which a London investment banker, played by Russell Crowe, inherits a vineyard in Provence. And Warner Brothers just finished filming a remake of the German film "Mostly Martha" in New York, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones as a controlling chef and Aaron Eckhart as her culinary opposite, an earthy Italian-American named Nick. Also on the horizon is "The Food of Love," based on the novel by Anthony Capella, which reimagines the Cyrano de Bergerac story as a contemporary romance set in Rome with gastronomy as the poetry of seduction. The project, scheduled to shoot in September, will combine two of the director Peter Chelsom's greatest passions: romance and Italian food.

What's more, Nora Ephron, a food enthusiast who helped make the joy of cooking and eating so palpable in "Heartburn," which she adapted from her own book, will write and direct Columbia Pictures' planned adaptation of the Julie Powell book "Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen," inspired by Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."

I've never seen Big Night. Hmmm... have to put that on the list.

Did Sideways really make you trade your Merlot for Pinot Noir? Personally, I've never been much of a Merlot fan, anyway. Thanks for the link, John!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:52 AM | Comments (3)

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July 5, 2006

Sushi- the trend is not your friend?

I love getting links to stories from everyone, especially when I'm in the hellish situation of not having time to do more than "eat to live", as I have recently. Your patience during this short phase is really appreciated! Email me anything you feel we all might like to know about.

This story from John on the izakaya craze caught my eye. Could it be that the sushi era in America is finally starting to wane?:

Continue reading "Sushi- the trend is not your friend?"

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 5:08 PM | Comments (0)

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July 3, 2006

Love in the Kitchen

Finding love through food:

This is the sweet story of a pretty pastry chef from Mexico City who moved to Chicago and fell in love with a handsome chef from the same hometown. Of how over the past five years they've built a successful bakery and restaurant business based on passion, shared goals and a love of first-rate cooking. The lesson? Never underestimate how far great taste and fabulous food can take you.

Awwww.... great stuff. Thanks to John in Chicago for the link.

Speaking of love in the kitchen, if you haven't been over to visit Shauna recently, she's got a great kitchen love story of her own...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:13 AM | Comments (0)

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June 29, 2006

Pizza Bianco

It's always interesting to hear about someone who's as passionate about food as Chris Bianco, owner of Pizza Bianco here in Phoenix. His pizza has been voted "Best in America", and this article is truly inspiring:

His hands are on every pizza that slides onto his tables. The menu offers just six pizzas, three salads and two appetizers. He grows his own herbs, designed his own oven, even painted some of the canvases on his walls. He starts work at 7 a.m., and stops around midnight. He hasn't called in sick/bored/in San Diego in four years. When he wants a vacation, as he does every August, the restaurant closes. He won't eat caramels, because he feels that the candy is in charge, and not him.

Great article about a true perfectionist, check it out.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:24 AM | Comments (3)

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June 28, 2006

Smoker bags?

Hmmmmmm...... interesting idea, anybody tried these?

Now the SAVU Smoker Bag comes in Hickory too! One bag smokes anything -- beef, pork, poultry, fish, seafood and veggies -- in your oven and on your grill! Just place your food inside the top layer of this 3-ply foil bag, seal it up and place it in your 475 degree oven or on a hot grill, and you've got a delicious smoked meal in minutes!

As far as I understand it, it's a foil bag lined with a type of natural wood oil/resin that imparts a smoked flavor to whatever you put inside. They give a few applications I can understand: in an indoor oven, and on public grills that are in tough enough shape that you wouldn't want to put your food directly on the grates without some serious scrubbing, but I can't imagine using them on your own grill, gas or otherwise. Even on my gas grill I have at home for weeknight meals, I've just inverted one of the V-shaped burner covers. I crank that burner up on high and just toss my soaked wood chips onto the cover, which gives good results. I would also recommend a cast iron smoker chip box, too.

So, what do you think? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:27 AM | Comments (4)

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June 27, 2006

A few words on the passing of Sam Arnold

(Disclosure:: I would get a tiny percentage if you bought this book through the link. What's 4% of $3.00? Lucrative!!!)

Sad news in the restaurant world:

Sam'l P. Arnold, restaurateur, food historian, raconteur and promoter of all things Western, died Thursday (June 8) in Phoenix. He would have been 80 on June 28.

...One of his proudest moments was hosting a Summit of the Eight dinner in 1997 for the visiting heads of state, including President Bill Clinton. The other was teaching Julia Child to open a bottle of champagne with a tomahawk, a feat she would later repeat on a late-night show.

I've eaten at The Fort a few times, and it was excellent both times. Though famous for its exotic game dishes, a faddish "tourist trap" it wasn't.

Sam Arnold, from what I've read about him over the years, was a real character, and quite an innovator in the world of food. Passionate and knowledgeable about every ingredient that went into The Fort's menu, I'm glad to see that the restaurant will live on.

I own the cookbook I linked to above, and enjoy the recipes, along with the colorful stories that accompany them. His style of cooking has been an influence on mine, particularly on dishes such as the Traditional New Mexico Pork Chile I posted about here last year. The way he celebrated simple, well-executed recipes was particularly inspirational.

Check out The Fort if you're in the Denver area. If you listen carefully, you might still hear Sam's cry of "Waugh!" that he was famous for.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 6:01 AM | Comments (2)

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June 21, 2006

I would gladly pay you Tuesday, and Wednesday, and...

(Photo: Yahoo)

... For a $100 burger today:

The burger debuted Tuesday at the restaurant in the Boca Raton Resort and Club, where a membership costs $40,000 and an additional $3,600 a year.

"We've never had a hamburger on our menu here so we really wanted to go to the extreme," restaurant owner Marc Sherry said, calling it "the most decadent burger in the world."

At about 5 1/2 inches across and 2 1/2 inches thick, the mound of meat is comprised of beef from three continents - American prime beef, Japanese Wagyu (Kobe) and Argentine cattle.

Okay, it's probably great, but geez, it doesn't even come with a Coke! I've seen places that have a $100 deal, but it's a burger with a bottle of Dom Perignon. That's more like it.

Ever had Kobe beef? What's your favorite burger? Mine includes Survival Spice™, of course...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 4:25 PM | Comments (5)

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June 14, 2006

An army travels on its stomach...

Busy day around here, but I wanted to post a link sent to me by John a while back about how the food our troops overseas eat every day has changed:

Advances in coffee culture have even extended to "meals ready to eat," the portable field rations that are a constant source of nutrition in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of the newest versions will contain chocolate-covered espresso beans.

And in a nod to the increasing ethnic diversity of troops, some M.R.E.'s will soon include snack bread flavored with chipotle, packets of salsa verde and spice mixes from the New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme.

"The culinary expectations of our war-fighters are rising each year and we want to make sure the palate is well entertained," said Gerald Darsch, director of the Department of Defense Combat Feeding Directorate.

Other new field rations include an expanded line of vegetarian dishes, including lasagna and chicken pesto pasta.

The article also mentions some home-based organizations like Treat the Troops.org that send cookies and other goodies to soldiers.

Lots of links to organizations that help, give what you can.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:03 AM | Comments (0)

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June 5, 2006

Difficult Dishes, but so worth the effort

(Photo: Mary, of TPC's Hollandaise, before garnishing with parsley and asparagus)

Great article in the NY Times, sent to me by John that discusses difficult dishes and ways to prepare them:

If you build it, they will eat it. But in the case of some of the most impressive — and even basic — dishes, the architecture is flimsy at best. Among the most feared kitchen failures are fallen soufflés, broken sauces, polarized vinaigrettes and molten baked Alaskas. All are items that require a solid foundation, a meticulously followed blueprint and dogged optimism — or an unshakable ego. But do try them at home. The building blocks to the shakiest classics follow. The ego is up to you.

Good information and some great looking recipes, check it out! I've never made Baked Alaska, but I'm looking for the occasion to give it a try.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:43 AM | Comments (0)

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May 16, 2006

Dave and Ray's Excellent BBQ adventure

Dave DeWitt, publisher of Fiery Foods magazine which hosts the Scovie Awards each year, and his cohort Ray Lampe set out recently on an exploration of North Carolina barbecue. Check it out, especially if you're living vicariously through them like I am! I'd definitely love to take a trip like that one of these days, though personally vinegar sauces aren't really my preference.

I've had people ask me how I would classify Survival Spice™, and to me anyway, it's a Tennessee meets Texas meets Arizona kind of blend. I guess that makes it unique, don't you think?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:03 AM | Comments (0)

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May 9, 2006

Now Here's a Trade Show I'd like to Attend

Dig this:

The Great American Dessert Expo is co-located with Coffee Fest in Las Vegas. For the dessert industry not only was the show an opportunity to showcase some of the best products in the multi-billion dollar dessert industry; it was an opportunity to take advantage of a significant common visitors base of the premier coffee show. The show attracted 4,000 retailers, chefs, food service operators, gourmet shops, coffee shops, caterers, restaurants and wholesalers.

I can't even imagine going to the Dessert and Coffee show. I'd come home in a twitching, diabetic coma.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:44 AM | Comments (0)

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April 19, 2006

Is Moo Bella Mo Betta?

What a cool concept:

The company [Moo Bella] invented a computer-controlled vending machine that makes ice cream on demand from room temperature ingredients, flash freezing it in 10 seconds. ... On the machine's front is a computer screen running on a Linux operating system. It displays menus of possible flavors and allows the user to create any combination, such as low-fat coffee ice cream with Oreo cookies. If the machine runs out of a flavor, it stops putting it on the menu and sends a message to MooBella asking for a refill.

The press has spanked MooBella for one serious glitch: a failure so far to offer chocolate ice cream. Which is like opening a bar without beer. "Chocolate is a challenging flavor," Ginsberg says. "It's not ready yet. One of our overriding principles is whatever we bring out will be delicious."

Me, I'm into chocolate chip and Cherry Garcia®, but you can keep the mint stuff.

What's your favorite flavor?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 12:40 PM

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April 6, 2006

Schizophrenic Gourmets

A growing trend in the restaurant biz is to create two dining spaces, each with their own ambience and price point, with a common kitchen, as a way to provide diners with a way to match their appetites to their mood, as a recent NY Times article sent to me by John (thanks!) explains:

Faced with a choice of giving diners a formal or casual experience, the restaurateurs behind these projects have elected both, creating multilevel, multifaceted enterprises.

And they have expanded the city's population of multiple personality restaurants, which have a cunning, a chemistry and a set of confusions all their own.

These restaurants reflect chefs' big ambitions, restaurateurs' hedged bets and diners' divergent appetites. And sometimes they represent riddles, their components inviting different responses.

Does this make sense to you? As a diner that's generally more food than fashion conscious myself, I like the idea of great food in an informal setting, but it dilutes the identity and the branding of the concept somewhat.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:27 AM | Comments (1)

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April 1, 2006

Emeril Loves Survival Spice™

DIF Newswire April 1, 2006 --New Orleans, LA --

Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse raved today about Survival Spice™, after one of his employees gave him a tin:

WOW!!! All I can say is BAM!!! BAM BAM BAM!!!!! This stuff is fantastic!!! It puts my Essence blends to shame! You'd be crazy not to go to Desert Island Foods™.com and order some!

###

Please check out Emeril's complete review by clicking here.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:02 AM | Comments (13)

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March 14, 2006

Got more fruit than you know what to do with?

(Photo: www.menton.com)

I guess this is France's answer to the Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade:

In 1929, Menton is still the main lemon producer of the continent. The owner of a hotel had the idea of organising a flower and citrus fruits exhibition in the gardens of the Hotel Riviera. It had such a huge success that the following year the festival was held in the streets: parade floats with lemon and orange trees showing off together with the charming Menton girls. The Municipality, which hoped to develop the tourist trade, tried to give the Carnival a typical local aspect: the Fête du Citron® was born in 1934. Two years later, the first citrus fruit and flower exhibition was opened in the Biovès gardens. François Ferrié was in charge of conceiving the orange and lemon look of the parade floats and the motives of the gardens. It was a success confirmed in the following years.

Lots more cool images here, but you have to wonder what they do with all that citrus once the festival's over, do you think that's what the recipes and cocktail suggestions are for?

Thanks to Sharon for sending me this!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:23 AM | Comments (2)

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March 8, 2006

Trader Joe's

Interesting write up in the NY Times about Trader Joe's:

The stores are small, the selection is uneven and the corporate culture can be described as dorky. But because its products are often not available anywhere else; because they mysteriously appear, disappear, then reappear on the shelves; or perhaps simply because they often taste very, very good, Trader Joe's has become tremendously popular among Americans who like to be entertained and educated by what they eat, as well as nourished by it.

For those who aren't familiar with TJs, or who aren't lucky enough to have a store in their area, Trader Joe's has been around since the 70s. For the 20 or so years that I lived in LA, I was thrilled to have one in my neighborhood. They're eclectic, but man do they have the goods at a reasonable price. Their introduction of "Two Buck Chuck" a few years back created a huge buzz. They've done a fantastic job with their private label products, too.

Read the article for more on these great stores. Thanks to John for the link! If you have a cool news story to share, email me, just don't forget to take out the REMOVETHESEWORDS from the email address that are there to prevent spam.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:20 AM | Comments (1)

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March 2, 2006

Wake n' Bacon

(Photo: Wake n' Bacon)

Who loves bacon? (counts all the raised hands...)

Me, too. If you'd like to wake up to bacon in the morning, and I can think of a few, the Wake n' Bacon is for you. Wow, 5 links in 6 words, I think that's a record for me. There's 4 bacon-loving blogs there, check 'em all out!

It's an alarm clock that you put a strip of frozen bacon into before you go to bed.

Thanks to Biggles for the link.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:43 AM

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February 23, 2006

Teflon®- a Sticky Situation?

Is Teflon® carcinogenic? I've been seeing a lot about this over the last year, and when I got an email asking my opinion on the possible dangers of Teflon®, I thought I'd write about it here. Normally I prefer 'sticking' to more appetizing topics, but I feel informed cooks are better cooks.

I'll continue in the extended entry, so you can skip over this if you're so inclined...

Continue reading "Teflon®- a Sticky Situation?"

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:41 AM | Comments (7)

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February 22, 2006

McDonald's Celiac customers are chaffed...

McDonald's is being sued over something in their french fries again:

McDonald's Corp. faces at least three lawsuits claiming the fast-food giant misled the public after it acknowledged earlier this week its french fries contain milk and wheat ingredients.
...
Her attorney, Thomas Pakenas, said his client has celiac disease, which causes gastrointestinal symptoms set off by eating gluten, a protein found in wheat.

The french fry page I got the image from doesn't mention wheat and dairy contents yet, but it does still mention beef flavoring. I say get rid of the wheat and get back to frying them in beef tallow!

Thanks to Michael for the link.

In related news, Survival Spice™ is still gluten free...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:20 AM | Comments (3)

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February 9, 2006

Lucy would be proud...

This is a really cool idea:

A winemaking revolution has started on the West Coast as more than 200 customers of Crushpad can now pour a glass of wine perfectly matched to their palate because they were able to work with Crushpad to choose a vineyard and make their own wine no matter where they live. Crushpad is opening up 2006 grape source allocations this month so that even more wine aficionados can sign up to become "citizen winemakers." The winery is also readying MyCrushpad 2.0, its online "virtual winemaking" site that enables customers from around the world to participate in the process without physically being at the winery.

You can choose your grapes and the way the wine is made, and follow the progress online. You can do as little as a barrel, which is about 25 cases. I'm sure it's pricey, but it would be uber-hip to have your own custom blend. I could drink 25 cases a year, I think, but I'm not sure how my liver would hold out.

Lucy would dig it, I think. A nice glass of Cabernet with a shot of Vitameatavegamin would be a great way to finish the day...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:29 AM | Comments (0)

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January 31, 2006

Let's be careful out there!

Sorry, didn't mean to sound like a bad "Cop Rock" episode, but a new FTC press release reminds us that we need to be vigilant about our purchases. The article is here, but I'll post the whole release below the fold, because I think it's important.

The article mentions that online fraud accounts for 46% of the complaints filed last year which, as the owner of a business that sells online, makes me redouble my efforts to stay informed on these issues.

I thought I'd take a second and tell you a bit about our security measures:

1) Our Desert Island Foods™.com site is secured via an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate.

2) Our system does not store your credit card information once your transaction is complete. This means you have to enter your credit card number every time you order, but after thinking about it a lot, I decided that the small inconvenience is worth the extra level of security. I hope you do, too.

3) Our customer information is never sold or passed on to marketing companies.

So be vigilant, and do business only with companies you trust, and if you get a 'spoof' email from a company, please do us all a favor and take the time to forward it to the legit company the email is spoofing.

Thanks to John for sending me the link.

Continue reading "Let's be careful out there!"

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:51 AM | Comments (0)

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January 27, 2006

The Waiting is the hardest part

(Photo: Jim Galante, whose site is full of great photographs.)

You have to give Frank Bruni, NYTimes food critic, four stars:

I usually spend my nights on the other side of the table, not only asking the questions and making the demands but also judging and, I concede, taking caustic little mental notes. And it's been 20 years since I walked in a waiter's shoes, something I did for only six months.

But last week I traded places and swapped perspectives, a critic joining the criticized, to get a taste of what servers go through and what we put them through, of how they see and survive us. My ally was Chris Schlesinger, a well-known cook and author who owns the East Coast Grill, in Cambridge, Mass., and has no business interests in New York. So that my presence in the restaurant wouldn't become public knowledge, he introduced me to his staff as a freelance writer named Gavin doing a behind-the-scenes article to be placed in a major publication.

Read the whole tale of Frank's week as a waiter, I really commend him for making the effort to see how the other half lives. The vast majority of restaurant patrons have no idea how demanding waiting tables is, physically and mentally.

Is it any wonder that I've always preferred the back of house?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:05 AM

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January 25, 2006

Stevia- the Unknown and Undeclared sweetener

One thing we're researching here at Desert Island Foods™.com is Stevia, to use in some new products in development.

Stevia is controversial stuff, and a real political hotspot. Let's start here:

From the first time he tasted a Stevia leaf, Jim May was impressed with its sweetness, which is said to be at least 30 times as sweet as sugar. He first thought he was being offered an illicit drug in 1982 when a man who had just returned from a stint with the Peace Corps in Paraguay showed him a cellophane bag with leaves in it.

He finally tasted a leaf and discovered that the longer it stayed in his mouth, the sweeter it became. May was so impressed with the Stevia herb that he invested his life savings to order more leaves and began selling Stevia-sweetened herb teas out of his garage in Phoenix.

Read the article. More on the FDA controversy can be found at the Stevia.net site in the FDA section. Interesting stuff, and a classic example of established industries fighting innovation tooth and nail.

A marketable ingredient or a potential albatross around my neck? Would you avoid products that contained Stevia or seek them out?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:27 AM | Comments (7)

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January 24, 2006

"Currant" events, or Raisin hope for Alzheimer's cure...

(Photo: Wikipedia, which has some good information on currants.

The BBC reports:

A study shows blackcurrants and their US cousins, boysenberries, are full of potentially beneficial anti-oxidant compounds.

Research in the Journal of Science Food and Agriculture found these compounds could block the cell damage which leads to Alzheimer's disease.
...
The berries contain a cocktail of chemical compounds including anthocyanins - which cause the deep colour in blue and purple fruits - and polyphenolics - which can be found in red wine and chocolate.

Other studies have found blueberries to be a powerful anti-oxidant as well, for the same reasons.

I like to use currants in scones, but I can't remember any other uses off the top of my head...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:03 AM | Comments (4)

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January 23, 2006

Fight the Chill with the Grill

Man, isn't that the saddest thing you've ever seen? Okay, don't click 'send' on that nasty email you were going to send, Old Yeller was really sad, too...

C'mon, all of you back East, fire up those grills! You don't have much snow back there at the moment, and apparently it'll cheer you up!:

Chef, cookbook author and TV Food Network star Bob Blumer, aka "The Surreal Gourmet," says that winter grilling with pork is an easy way to head off the winter blahs and invigorate your appetite for mealtime adventure. "I refuse to let winter weather dictate monotonous menus. My solution? Bundle up and beat the chill by firing up the backyard grill. As far as I'm concerned, grilled pork recipes are never out of season," says Blumer.

Blumer is not alone. Americans surveyed said that in addition to snow flurries, they also would be willing to brave rain (41 percent), falling snow (37 percent) and below-freezing temperatures (32 percent) in order to grill. Nearly one in 10 grillers (8 percent) is even brave enough to grill in blizzard conditions, taking on squalls or Nor'easters, all for the great flavor of the grill.

I haven't lived in the Midwest for a long time, but my friends and I used to cook out on the patio, freezing our butts off. The tricky part was compensating for the low ambient temperature, which bred good grilling habits. Opening the lid too often would really drop the grill temperature and lengthen cooking times, not to mention letting out all that good smoky flavor.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:00 AM | Comments (2)

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January 20, 2006

Gouda Grief! What's that smell?

(Photoshop: TPC)

Happy Friday, everyone! Today's topic is stinky cheese, inspired by this:

SCIENTISTS NAME WORLD’S WHIFFIEST CHEESE

"Vieux Boulogne, a soft, yet firm French cheese made from cow’s milk and matured by washing with beer, tops a list of the smelliest cheeses reveals scientists today. The artisan-made cheese was tested for its smell along with other known pungent cheeses by Cranfield University on behalf of Fine Cheeses from France.

“Love it or loathe it, the sign of a fine cheese is often its characteristic smell as well as its flavour and texture and we wanted to find out if France’s reputation for producing smelly cheeses was true,” said Sally Clarke from Fine Cheeses from France.

Interesting read, I didn't know that the smelly cheeses are enhanced like this.

How adventurous are you? I've grown to really like brie and camembert, and I'm easing into blue cheeses. I have to say I've never tried limburger, but Barrett over at Too Many Chefs has a limburger/red onion/mustard sandwich he really likes. (Note to Barrett, 'A' - you rock, and 'B' - Man, that's one hardcore sandwich!)

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:00 AM | Comments (1)

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January 19, 2006

Peroni.... smooth. And the beer's good.

In another imported beer-related story, I think this is a smart move (h/t Fark):

Free beer while shopping -- it’s a new idea launched in Atlanta.

While shoppers browse $150 jeans at the Bill Hallman Boutique in Virginia-Highlands, they can sip an imported beer from Italy.

Sounds like what might be expected in an upscale designer clothing store. There’s plenty of foot traffic in the Virginia-Highlands neighborhood. Good exposure for the store, good exposure for the beer.

I like this idea, and we're going to see more of this cross-marketing in the next few years. It's a good way to keep men in the stores while their significant other is shopping, and it's a terrific way to get a window shopper into the store.

Plus, Peroni is good stuff. It's definitely my beer of choice when in Italy, though as far as major brands go, I like the Moretti dark as well.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:50 AM | Comments (2)

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January 9, 2006

Food for Thought, Organically speaking...

What's your take on organic farming, and organic food in general? I'm in the middle of some research on sources and methods because I'm working on a new spice blend that I'd like to produce organically, if possible, so it's been on my mind a lot lately. Once again in May I'll be attending the Organic Expo in Chicago, where I met a lot of interesting people from companies that create some really exceptional products.

Keep reading, if this stuff interest you.

Continue reading "Food for Thought, Organically speaking..."

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:25 AM | Comments (9)

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December 22, 2005

Best and Worst Food Trends of 2005

(Photo: Meg, of Megan's Su Dong Pork

Epicurious.com has posted its 15 Best and 13 Worst food trends of the last year. Check 'em out!

Agree? Disagree? Got your own? Let's hear them, I'll bet between us we can come up with some interesting picks. Leave your suggestions in the comments, and I'll put together a list of our top choices.

I do agree with quite a few of theirs, though. Chipotles are so 2003. On the other hand, we love pork bellys, call them whatever you want as far as I'm concerned.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:43 AM | Comments (0)

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December 20, 2005

The Big Easy is coming back

(Photo: Sara Essex, of Court of Two Sister's Shrimp Toulouse, recipe here, then click on 'recipes'.)

Like the mighty Mississippi, there's slow but steady progress in the restaurant scene of New Orleans, which according to Tom Fitzmorris, editor of N.O. Menu.com. Check it out, it looks to be a terrific resource for those who want to keep tabs on what's going on in the Big Easy. I found Tom's site through an article in National Restaurant News written by Ron Ruggless (registration required, so I'll excerpt a bit):

"At the risk of sounding like an impossibly optimistic booster," Fitzmorris said, "I must tell you that I think the outlook for restaurants in the segment that I cover — namely, restaurants with significant culinary interest and appeal for local people — is very bright indeed.

"Every restaurant I go to, every night of the week, is a packed house," he said. "I've heard of a few exceptions to this, but not seen them, and most reports from my readers confirm my observation." Some employees are trekking back to the city, restaurant owners said, but finding workers remains a big challenge.

"The No. 1 problem right now is staffing," Fitzmorris said. "Many would-be restaurant employees are absent because they don't have a place to live. Between one-fourth and one-third of the area's housing is currently uninhabitable and will be for quite some time. That is the big challenge. On the other hand, most restaurateurs are telling me that their staffs are growing from the 25 percent they opened with to about 50 percent now. The hardest people to get are back-of-the-house workers."

Restaurants mentioned that are now open include Court of Two Sisters, Arnaud's, Café Adelaide, and Bourbon House, with 3 or 4 restaurants opening daily. Should be lots of places to eat during the first scaled-down Mardi Gras this year. Laissez les bon temps rouler!!!!

It would be fun to do a foodie crawl through New Orleans, wouldn't it?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:12 AM

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December 15, 2005

Good information on Gluten

(Photo: foodprocessing-technology.com)

Interesting article at Baking Business.com, with a lot of good information on gluten and Celiac disease, which as the article states is probably more widespread than previously recognized:

Recent studies suggest that more than 2 million Americans are afflicted with celiac disease; however, this number may be a gross underestimation of the actual number of cases. Because it is hard to diagnose, there may be many more "silent" cases. Also, some evidence suggests that people with disorders in the autistic spectrum may also be sensitive to gluten as well as casein. It is estimated that the number of sufferers of celiac disease will increase worldwide by a factor of ten during the next few years.

Thanks to a conversation I had with Shauna a while back, I've had Survival Spice™ certified gluten free, which is something very few spice blends can achieve.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 11:33 AM | Comments (2)

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December 8, 2005

"Survival Spice™ of the Fittest"

A great email and pics, from Mary:

My husband and I took Survival Spice with us to the Galapagos Islands last month. Not only do we love it, but so do the land iguanas and giant tortoises! Thank you for a wonderful product, we will be taking it with us on all future trips.

Cool idea, actually. They took Survival Spice™ with them in case they needed to spice up some boring dishes.

Darwin would be proud. Or something.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:58 AM | Comments (3)

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November 30, 2005

Like buttah...

We all know the heartbreak of slicing through hard butter. Finally, finally, help is here:

A UK-based company has launched a portable, temperature-controlled butter dish, ButterWizard, which keeps butter at what it says is the optimal spreadable temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

It has a built-in fan and a chip which together control the temperature, adjustable for different textures, be it super-soft bread, crusty toast or delicate biscuits.

Sheesh. As far as the sarcasm on my part, do you think I was spreading it on too thick?

The last day of the road trip continues, home late tonight or tomorrow sometime. Last night's dining experience was terrific sushi at Niko Sushi in Tarzana, CA. Big slabs of really fresh fish with a few cold Sapporos. Life was good.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:48 AM | Comments (4)

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November 29, 2005

Bring back the Paw Paw

Interesting article via Specialty Foods News. Frankly, I know next to nothing about Paw Paws, but apparently they're worth bringing back!:

The pawpaw's official name is Asimina triloba but it also goes by false banana, custard apple, Michigan or Kentucky banana, and sometimes — mistakenly — papaya.

It is the largest North American edible tree fruit and is native from southern New York and southern Ontario in Canada as far west as eastern Kansas and Texas. The pulp is high in vitamin C, minerals and anti-oxidants.

Interesting stuff, I thought.

Ever had Paw Paw?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 2:03 PM | Comments (4)

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November 18, 2005

2005 DIF Survival Gift Box- Sneak Peek

(Photo: Mary. Please Note: Shrubbery not included...)

Here's the 2005 DIF Survival Gift Box! It comes in this cool white window box and features:

• Quality, all cotton, red Desert Island Foods™ apron with 2 pockets and an adjustable strap.
• A Gift tin of our Scovie Award winning Survival Spice™, along with a companion booklet with tips and uses for novice and experts alike.
• A 10" E-Z Hook®, which is a really versatile barbecue utensil I've been evaluating for a while. It's easy to use and takes up very little room. Great for grilling, turning bacon or picking olives or pickles out of a jar!
• A DIF Refrigerator Magnet, with room to jot down important phone numbers for quick access when you need them.

The whole thing ships assembled in a sturdy cardboard mailer.

It's a great gift for the cook in your life (or yourself, why not?) at just $39.99. You'll be able to pre-order next week, and they'll go fast, so please let us know if you're interested in a quantity of them at our contact page so we can accomodate everyone. Gift boxes will begin shipping December 1st.

I'd love to get your initial reaction. What do you think?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:19 AM

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November 17, 2005

Nothin' but a Paté...

From the "Why do they do it?" files:

Jones Soda has unleashed introduced a new "Smoked Salmon Paté" soda special version of their 2005 Regional Holiday Packs. Why? Because it tastes great? No. It's so schlubs like me will write about it. Okay, there's also a very good reason, from a Jones Soda press release:

The goal of this regional Jones Holiday Pack is to raise $50,000 for Toys for Tots, which is one of the nation’s most visible Holiday Season charitable causes with local Toys for Tots campaigns conducted from October through December each year, in 456 communities nationwide. Jones has asked that these proceeds be focused toward Katrina Hurricane victims.

A pretty darn good cause. Still, does this mean that it tastes good? Ask the CEO:

"When you smell it, it's got that smoked salmon aroma," said Peter van Stolk, chief executive of Jones Soda.

Wait. I asked if he liked it:

Asked whether he liked his new salmon soda, van Stolk said: "I cannot finish a bottle, I just can't."

So, I'm dying for a review. Any takers in the Pacific Northwest? Meg? Shauna? MC? Anyone else? I've got a tin of award-winning Survival Spice™ and a DIF T-shirt for the first review, accompanied by a picture of you drinking it.

C'mon, it's for a good cause! Take one for the team!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 5:40 AM | Comments (2)

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November 16, 2005

It just Felon to their lap...

The inmates of the Hillsborough County, Florida jail have a new gig- making hot sauce:

The sauce is made from a mixture of several varieties of herbs and hot peppers, all grown on more than 6 acres behind the jail. Among the peppers are habaneros, scotch bonnets and jalapenos.

Inmates say they prefer their own version of Jailhouse Fire, which is considerably hotter than what they sell for mass consumption.

What's up with that? Keeping the good stuff for themselves? It oughta be a crime.

I was going to pepper this post with more spicy language, but I decided to just plant a few seeds...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:23 AM

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November 10, 2005

Survival Spice™ wins a Scovie Award!!!!!

Update: This post will remain on top for a few days, so please scroll down for the latest. Thanks! And hey, have you put yourself on our Frappr map yet? It's easy, and we love to see everyone that hangs out here.

Update 11/10: Okay, I'm waiting for clarification on this now. I think our Scovie is for "Best Packaging", and we were a runner-up in "Best Rub", but we'll take it!

Desert Island Foods™ is thrilled to announce that we've won a 2006 Scovie Award! Survival Spice™, our all natural, gluten free barbecue rub, has won third prize in the"Best Rub" category from Fiery Foods Magazine. We're proud and grateful to have received this recognition in our first year of business in a tough shoot-out, a blind tasting among numerous professional chefs, writers and foodies.

I'll have more about the competition in the next newsletter, Island Currents, along with information on our new gift box, stay tuned. Please remember, our gift tin of Survival Spice™ makes a great stocking stuffer!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:04 AM | Comments (18)

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Good article on 5 terrific sauces

Would you like to spend a year in a fancy culinary school learning to make great sauces, but reality pulls the plug? This is a good article that I read in the AZ Republic this morning that should help make a saucier out of you. It originally appeared in the Orange County Register:

It seems that many home cooks feel stymied when it comes to sauces to pair with meat or fish, poultry or vegetables. They assure me that they know all the basics of grilling, broiling and roasting. But when the subject turns to toppings, their voices take on the dreamy tone of an out-of-shape hiker talking about tackling Mount Everest.

Check it out for a quick take on beurre blanc, wild mushroom sauce, aioli, ponzu and salsa verde- five great and simple sauces to add to your repertoire.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:00 AM | Comments (0)

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November 3, 2005

Sauerkraut biz making a lot of cabbage

Interesting:

Sauerkraut sales are going through the roof, with some Midwest stores reporting an 850% spike just last week on a recent report that scientists at Seoul National University successfully used Kimchi Sauerkraut to treat chickens infected with Avian Flu. Both Kimchi and traditional Sauerkraut are made by fermenting sliced cabbage, producing a high level of lactic acid, which may be the critical element in preventing Avian Flu.

Is this for the birds? Who knows, but I like to drain canned sauerkraut well, add diced apples, chicken stock, crispy bacon, sauteéd onions, a touch of allspice, cinammon, and a splash of lemon juice or white wine vinegar to mine, and let it cook down. Mmmmmm....

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)

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Mercury rising over Prop. 65 case -or- Charlie ain't no thermometer

The Tuna industry has begun its' defense in the Proposition 65 trial over warning labels underway in San Francisco. In a press release by the U.S. Tuna Foundation:

Beyond the underlying conflict with Federal law, the Attorney General [Bill Lockyer} admits that the science used in his case bears only a tenuous connection to tuna.

Lockyer's science is based on studies of people in Denmark who ate pilot whale meat and blubber, which are both very high in naturally occurring mercury, in addition to chemicals like PCBs. The level of mercury in both pilot whale meat and blubber are exponentially higher than that found in tuna.

"What we've learned from the first full week in this trial is that Lockyer's case would be much more appropriate for whale meat than canned tuna," said David Burney, Executive Director of the U.S. Tuna Foundation. "Warning labels would cause real harm as people would be discouraged from eating a food that science has time and again shown to have overwhelming benefits for people of all ages. The Attorney General has one study underpinning his entire case, and it involves whales, not tuna."

I find this stuff interesting, as I've been exploring the possibliity of carrying a line of low-mercury canned fish products at Desert Island Foods™.com. While this press release is obviously pro-business, I found some articles at the Tuna Facts.com worth reading. If anyone has a link that more fairly outlines the AG's case, email me, please.

What do you think of this?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:57 AM | Comments (0)

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November 2, 2005

New Orleans update

(Photo: N.O. School of Cooking)

A good article at the NYT on the status of the restaurants of New Orleans. H/T John:

All the panelists expressed optimism of some sort that eventually New Orleans and its food culture could be rebuilt. But they also aired their concern that it would be rebuilt as a kind of Disneyland, rather than what Mr. Elie called "a good facsimile of the old New Orleans, with all the things we loved about it."

He and others bemoaned what they termed a lack of leadership - not only in the political sphere, at the federal, state and local levels, but also within their industry. Many voiced disappointment with Emeril Lagasse, the city's most famous chef, who has three restaurants here and two daily television shows on the Food Network. Mr. Lagasse has returned to the city only briefly since the storms, his restaurants remain shuttered, and his colleagues said he had not spoken out vigorously enough on the problems they all face.

But Mimi Rice, Mr. Lagasse's spokeswoman, said he has worked on several hurricane relief events. Two of his New Orleans restaurants will reopen soon, she reported, Emeril's on Dec. 8, NOLA on Dec. 13. Emeril's Delmonico, heavily battered, will reopen next year.

If anyone in Oxford had lost sight of what was at stake - what was so worth preserving - they were reminded at a smack-up New Orleans lunch cooked by Ms. Clevenger's chef, Ken Smith. It began with a duck étouffée, served with cornbread enlivened by a smear of pepper jelly. Then came a salad of bitter greens with feta cheese and sugared pecans, and sautéed Cane River country shrimp, sauced with shrimp bisque, with wedge-shaped deep-fried grits cakes. Crunchy on the outside, moist inside, the cakes made a big hit, as did a miraculously light version of that often gluelike Southern favorite, banana pudding, made by Dana Logsdon of La Spiga Bakery in New Orleans. One of the exiles, she is camping out in Baton Rouge.

Lots of updates. I can understand the frustration expressed by the attendees, but restaurants are businesses too, and the supply of restaurants will have to keep pace with the demand for them, as visitors and conventions gradually return. The available labor in the area is sorely lacking at this point, too.

Can you see yourself visiting New Orleans anytime soon?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:24 AM | Comments (0)

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October 31, 2005

California Coastline needs Kelp

(Photo: Reuters)

Sea urchin, also called uni, is being credited with saving large beds of kelp along California's coastline:

Divers in the state now harvest 800,000 pounds of Uni annually, the Sea Urchin Commission said, adding that it expects growing consumer demand for Uni in the United States.

What's your take on uni? I'm a big fan of sushi, but I have to admit I have a bit of a problem eating it. The flavor is wonderful, though.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:56 AM | Comments (7)

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October 20, 2005

I would gladly sue you Tuesday for a Cheeseburger today...

(This is the French McDonald's double cheesburger, and it actually looks somewhat edible.)

In what has been an ongoing stuggle between Congress and food manufacturers, the "Cheeseburger bill", after a long, bitter battle has been passed. In a rare bit of bipartisanship, the "Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act" easily passed by nearly a 3 to 1 margin:

The bill would block in state and federal courts what backers consider "frivolous lawsuits against the manufacturers, distributors or sellers of food or nonalcoholic beverage products" arising from obesity claims. It would not block civil lawsuits stemming from tainted food.

The bill comes amid growing awareness of the public health implications of the U.S. obesity problem. But supporters of the bill said obesity and overeating should be dealt with by doctors, exercise routines and personal responsibility, not by lawyers and courts.
...
The best-known case, filed by several teenagers against McDonald's Corp., was thrown out of federal court. Part of the case was later reinstated.

What's your take on this?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:24 AM | Comments (0)

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October 18, 2005

Soup is hot

(TPCs Smoked Beef and Hatch green chili stew. Okay, it's not exactly soup. This is my crime.)

Soup is making a real comeback, after years of declining sales, mostly because customers and restaurant owners alike see it as a quick, healthy way to provide lots of flavor at a reasonable price point.

From National Restaurant News (registration required):

"It's a comforting product with very little fat and a high flavor profile," Freedman says. Creating comforting food is one of the goals of Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. of San Diego, operator of 97 Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes buffet restaurants, which offer six to eight soups daily.

"We really try to take things that are familiar to people and put our own spin on them," says Joan Scharff, executive director of marketing for Garden Fresh. That approach recently yielded the promoted pairing of creamy tomato soup with three-cheese focaccia "dippers."

Garden Fresh received so many requests from customers who wanted the company's cream of mushroom soup available more often, "We gave it its own day," Scharff says. Restaurant companies that are highly dependent on soup sales may face increasing pressure from specialty soup concepts. Among them are three-unit Zoup! Fresh Soup Co. of Southfield, Mich., and 10-unit San Francisco Soup Co. of San Francisco. "With soup you can serve high-end food in a quick-service format," says Steven Sarver, co-founder of San Francisco Soup Co. His restaurants sell soups starting at $4.50 for a 12-ounce bowl.

Are you eating more soup these days? What's your favorite?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:00 AM | Comments (4)

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October 17, 2005

Survival Spice™ goes tailgating

Paul, aka Chilebrown, took some ribs slathered with Survival Spice™ to the Raider's game Sunday, and from his email they got a big thumbs up:

Hey your rub was a hit. I took credit of course. (Just kidding!) The Raider nation gives you a thumbs up. We did not even use any barbeque sauce. Your rub was enough!! Peace Paul.

Thanks, Paul! I love getting stuff like this.

Got a picture of Survival Spice™ in action or one of you wearing your DIF T-shirt? Email me!

Looks like a great day in the Bay, even if the Raiders lost. More of Paul's pics in the extended entry.

Continue reading "Survival Spice™ goes tailgating"

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:27 AM | Comments (2)

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A charming tradition or a nightmare that doesn't end?

(Photo: TPC's holiday fruitcake. Yes, I made fruitcake on a dare last year, sue me.)

A submarine, the U.S. Nebraska has received a gift of fruit cake from the Beatrice Baking Company since 1996, to show its support:

The crew works an irregular schedule on the sub and sometimes getting a meal is difficult, Burroughs said. So having the fruitcake on board is helpful.

On Thursday, the sailors gave the bakery a plaque to show the crew's appreciation. Burroughs said he doesn't know of another submarine that gets such treatment from its namesake state.

I'm sure they're grateful, and it's terrific that Beatrice Baking is so supportive, but I can just imagine a conversation on the "poop deck":

"Fruitcake? Sheesh. Why couldn't Omaha Steaks take a liking to us?"

No word on how much ballast the crew had to dump to remain buoyant.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:01 AM | Comments (2)

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October 6, 2005

I'm going back to high school

(Photo: Cafeteria food, as I remember it)

Wow, could this be true? High school students now spend $65 to $80 a week on lunch? I read this at NRN, and it floored me. Apparently kids have a taste for restaurant chain food, and are thumbing their noses at traditional cafeteria crap, so schools are creating upmarket food concepts.

Smoothie bars? Whole-wheat pancakes and waffles?? Rice Bowls with jasmine rice, tandoori chicken and mango chutney??? Man, I remember "Pizza Fridays" being a treat.

Okay, you've all got some cafeteria horror stories. Let's hear 'em!

Registration required, so I'll quote a bit of it below the fold.

Continue reading "I'm going back to high school"

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:38 AM

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October 3, 2005

New coffee survey is a jolt

A recent poll done by Business Week found that 82% of coffee drinkers between the ages of 25 and 45 drink traditional supermarket coffee more than other kind, and 63% go to premium coffee houses to get their fix:

Buying coffee at premium coffee bars like Starbucks is popular with 63% of the coffee drinkers 25 to 45. This is a worry for the big food companies, such as Kraft, Procter & Gamble , and Sara Lee, who are seeing declining sales for their grand old brands like Maxwell House, Folgers, and Chase & Sanborn.

Sales of specialty coffees, now $10 billion today, are expected to grow 7% annually, while sales of traditional coffee brands slide downward. Maxwell House alone dropped $75 million in supermarket sales in the past two years, about one-fifth of its overall supermarket sales.

Some interesting stats there, I was surprised that there is still so much room for growth in the upscale market.

[disclaimer- TPC is a Starbuck's shareholder, though personally not a huge fan.]

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:01 AM | Comments (1)

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Absolutly chilling

(Photo: AP)

Don't you just hate it when your martini gets warm? Belly up to the Absolut Icebar, now open in London. But dress warmly, because the entire room, furniture and decorations are carved from ice:

"It's an experience rather than a traditional bar. We feel we're really offering something different," said Anette Eliasson, manager of market communications for V&S Absolut Spirits vodka company, which is opening the bar with partner company Icehotel.

For 22 dollars, you get a frosty reception, a cape, and a chance to freeze your butt off for 45 minutes in a room kept at 23 degrees below zero.

No plans have been announced for a Phoenix location yet. Man, I can just imagine walking in there when it's 115º outside. Talk about brain freeze...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:20 AM

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September 23, 2005

The BLT and beyond

Beware, purists, the BLT is undergoing a makeover! Restauranters are giving the BLT an upscale touch in a lot of different ways, by adding gourmet ingredients and developing new presentations.

The article in National Restaurant News is lengthy, and registration is required, so I'll excerpt generously, but if you want to read regularly, and I encourage you to, the link is here. Lots of good information for pros and foodies alike.

What do you think about messing with a classic? Is it fooling with Mother Nature?

Continue reading "The BLT and beyond"

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:36 AM

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September 16, 2005

Survival Spice™ eligible for 2006 Scovie award!!!

Desert Island Foods™.com is proud to announce that Survival Spice™, our all natural, premium BBQ spice rub, is eligible to win a 2006 Scovie Award for Best Rub. Wish us luck!!!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:44 AM | Comments (6)

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Carnival of the Recipes #57...

... is now up at trub.blogspot.com.

Jeff did a very cool thing- he organized the recipes this by according to stages in beer making. Go check out the recipes submitted this week, including the gumbo recipe I posted here recently!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:04 AM | Comments (0)

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September 15, 2005

Paper Chef #10 Entries and Winners!

Food Fight isn't the only cooking contest in the blogosphere by far.

Owen at Tomatilla has a complete list of the latest Paper Chef entries, while Kevin at Seriously Good announces the winners.

Congratulations to all the winners and to Shauna for her special prize. Don't get cocky, kid, that ain't gonna help you win Food Fight!!!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 2:29 PM | Comments (2)

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September 14, 2005

Australian truffles- Good on ya!!!

(Photo: tastruffles.com)

The burgeoning Australian truffle industry is expanding to the west coast of Oz:

As Mr. Fabrègues explained, it was one of the early fruits of an audacious project on a farm near Manjimup, south of Perth, where 13,000 hazelnut and oak trees were planted in 1997, in the hope that truffles would develop on their roots. Quantity has been variable, but quality is superb, as I was soon to discover.

My wife, Betsey, and I had driven out from Perth because we had learned that Mr. Fabrègues, a protégé of Joël Robuchon, held the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France, a distinction accorded to only a handful of chefs. (We had also been warned by a few trendy friends in Sydney that the Loose Box was a showcase for shopworn classical cooking. They could not have been more wrongheaded if they tried.)

A slim, smiling man with a brisk mustache, Mr. Fabrègues, 56, gave us our choice of ordering from the regular menu or indulging in a five-course truffle menu. Ever ascetic, we opted for the truffle extravaganza, of course.

Good call. Soft-boiled eggs in their shells, subtly enriched with Parmesan cheese and a truffle coulis, came to the table with toast soldiers for dipping, followed by poached yabbies - local crayfish - served on slow-cooked tomatoes with a saffron beurre blanc and showered with truffle batons. Then little cabbage rolls stuffed with foie gras and truffles, in a transparent Madeira sauce, and poached chicken with sliced truffles under the skin. The chicken, a version of a famous dish invented in Lyon before World War II by Eugénie Brazier, came with poached root vegetables. Betsey voted it her favorite dish of the entire year.

Dessert was a chocolate truffle, naturally, with a voluptuous apricot sorbet made from the fruit of trees on the property. This was modern cooking, full-flavored but notably light, with just a touch of cream in just one course, and mercifully fad-free. The Pacific Rim seemed far away, as indeed it was; Perth is on the Indian Ocean.

The picture is of the first truffle harvested in Tasmania in 1999. More information on the Australian operation of Perigord here.

Truffles, love 'em or hate 'em? I guess "never tried 'em" is a valid third option...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)

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Hard core coffee drinker?

You're going to love IDC's new one gallon coffee 'mug'! The Hanover, MD company has received a patent for this innovative idea- a refillable carafe that can be taken to the office, job site or meeting capable of keeping coffee hot up to three hours:

Granted, IDC's container looks doesn't have the same shape. The Beverage Carafe is comprised of a sterile, flexible, nylon pouch attached to a rigid plastic frame, with corrugated side panels that attach to the outside of the frame. A utility patent for the carafe was granted to IDC by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office in April 2002.

7/11 will be the first major chain using it, starting on Oct. 1. Me, I'm still waiting for an easy-to-use IV drip...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:23 AM | Comments (2)

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September 13, 2005

Beyond*Sugar™

A new sugar substitute is coming on the market:

Known for its next generation formula and healthy qualities, Beyond*Sugar(TM) is made entirely from natural sugars; it contains no sugar alcohols or synthetic chemicals. Beyond*Sugar(TM) is a GRAS substance, i.e. Generally Recognized As Safe, a designation of food safety by the US Food & Drug Administration. Beyond*Sugar(TM) is low caloric, low glycemic and thermogenic, thereby, inhibiting some metabolic pathways responsible for obesity and some associated diseases, and increasing the possibilities to help reduce the global burden of chronic disease and disability.

Interesting stuff, read the whole thing.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 11:34 AM

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September 9, 2005

New Orleans food and restaurant update...

... via Specialty Foods Magazine:

New Orleans' restaurateurs vow to return, and when they do, it is expected that they will be limited to the French Quarter and Garden District, reported Tampa Bay Online. Full Story

The 700,000 bags of coffee stored in New Orleans warehouses operated by Port Cargo Service Inc. were not damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The privately held New Orleans company operates 28 warehouses in New Orleans, including coffee facilities licensed by the New York Board of Trade. Full Story

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 11:51 AM

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More Health Benefits found in Olive Oil

Premium extra virgin olive oils, such as our Tibvrtini Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva, are thought to contain an anti-inflammatory agent, according to a new study:

Monell sensory scientist Paul Breslin, PhD, who directed the research together with Beauchamp remarks, "The Mediterranean diet, of which olive oil is a central component, has long been associated with numerous health benefits, including decreased risk of stroke, heart disease, breast cancer, lung cancer, and some dementias. Similar benefits are associated with certain NSAIDs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Now that we know of oleocanthal's anti-inflammatory properties, it seems plausible that oleocanthal plays a causal role in the health benefits associated with diets where olive oil is the principal source of fat."

The article is fairly geeky, but it's just more evidence to support the benefits of the Mediterranean diet.

Thanks to Gail for the link!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 11:34 AM

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September 7, 2005

New Orleans food biz update

Courtesy of Specialty Foods Magazine's newsletter:

Coffee prices are set to surge to their highest levels in years as traders and roasters discover the full extent of hurricane damage to stocks held in New Orleans, industry sources said. Prices for arabica coffee, currently around $1 a pound, could surge above $1.45 a pound in the coming months, reported CNNMoney.com. Full Story

American grain shipments have been exiting the Mississippi River headed for overseas markets after being stalled by Hurricane Katrina. In addition, vessels full of imported goods have been unloading their wares at alternate ports eager for the business. At a staging area near the river's entrance, the number of idled ships dwindled to 19 on Sept. 6 from 86 about a week earlier, reported The New York Times on the Web. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

Cookie Jill, over at Cookies in Heaven, continues to do a terrific job keeping us up to date. Lots of good links, so check her out.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 12:11 PM

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September 6, 2005

N.O. restauranters vow to rebuild

Here's an update with what's going on with the New Orleans restaurant scene I received in my Specialty Foods newsletter today.

Update:Jill at Cookies in Heaven, a blog I hadn't heard about until now, has more.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 1:28 PM

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September 2, 2005

New Orleans Update

This is from the Specialty Foods Magazine newsletter I receive:

Voluntary organizations are seeking donations to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina in Gulf Coast states. To see a list of those groups provided by FEMA click here.

Chef Paul Prudhomme's Magic Seasoning Blends headquarters in Elmwood-River Ridge, LA sustained only minor damage, according to a report from the NASFT member. They have no information about the condition of K- Paul's Louisianan Kitchen restaurant in the French Quarter, however. They are presently unable to access email addresses for business contacts, and are working on setting up a special email address to deal with specific issues concerning employees and business operations.

The first assessment of New Orleans' port conditions indicated it might be next year before cargo movement returned to normal there and upriver at the even bigger Port of South Louisiana, reported The Los Angeles Times. Coffee industry experts predicted that the loss of the tens of thousands of tons of coffee stored in New Orleans would take a year to replace. Coffee contracts have risen 11% this week in New York trading. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

New Orleans, in case you didn't know, is the second biggest port for coffee importation in the country.

Help. Please? And Food Fight entries? Keep 'em coming. I'm going to make gumbo this weekend.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 12:43 PM | Comments (1)

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August 29, 2005

Coffee study

(Photo: http://www.kokoespresso.com/)

Researchers are now finding that coffee has many of the same health benefits found in tea and vegetables, and hints that Americans may actually get more anti oxidants from coffee than any other food source. The whole AP article has a lot of good stuff, and is worth reading with coffee in hand:

The findings by Joe A. Vinson, a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton, in Pennsylvania, give a healthy boost to the warming beverage.

"The point is, people are getting the most antioxidants from beverages, as opposed to what you might think," Vinson said in a telephone interview.

...

They concluded that the average adult consumes 1,299 milligrams of antioxidants daily from coffee. The closest competitor was tea at 294 milligrams. Rounding out the top five sources were bananas, 76 milligrams; dry beans, 72 milligrams; and corn, 48 milligrams. According to the Agriculture Department, the typical adult American drinks 1.64 cups of coffee daily.

Okay, I drink a few cups of joe in the morning, so I'm happy to hear it, but I really hate studies. Wasn't this stuff supposed to be bad for you?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:20 AM | Comments (0)

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August 25, 2005

Americans are Gallup-ing in to praise the restaurant biz

The restaurant industry received the highest customer-satisfaction ratings of all 25 major industries in a recent Gallup poll I read at Restaurant.org:

Fifty-eight percent of Americans had a positive attitude toward the restaurant industry, 8 percent had a negative attitude, and 31 percent were neutral toward the industry, for a net image of +50 percentage points.

There's a lot of people bustin' their butts cranking out great food night after night. And a lot of crap, too, but let's skip them for now.

Here's the chart, below the fold:

Continue reading "Americans are Gallup-ing in to praise the restaurant biz"

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 12:57 PM | Comments (1)

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New meaning to Room Service

I read an interesting article in the MJS that I found through EGullet on the popularity of hotel guests cooking in their rooms:

"We don't look for people to use the guest rooms as kitchens, unless they're set up that way," said Joe McInerney, president and CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association. Although hotels generally don't have a policy to specifically address the issue, "we wish (guests) wouldn't do it," he said.

Although it's customary for hotels to turn a blind eye to the practice, McInerney said that housekeeping personnel do keep an eye out for anything suspicious; while it's OK to make a meal, they don't want rooms being used to cook up illegal drugs.

When it comes to food preparation, industry insiders such as McInerney are well aware of the strangest of tricks. When asked about the practice of preparing cheese sandwiches, wrapping them securely in aluminum foil and hauling out the iron and ironing board to press them until the cheese melts, he doesn't even flinch.

"Everybody's done that once in a lifetime," he said, laughing.

Uh, everyone? All I know is that if someone fires up a deep fryer on my floor, I'm going in like Rambo. Grill all the cheese sandwiches you want, but no deep frying.

I've gone as far as carrying my own coffee maker, back before they were fairly ubiquitous, but that's about it. Room service, and the service charges that go along with it, have gotten really pricy, so I can see why this is becoming more popular.

Have you ever cooked in a hotel room that didn't have kitchen facilities? C'mon, fess up. You know you want to.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:13 AM | Comments (2)

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August 23, 2005

A few favorite food blogs of mine

(Photo: Becks & Posh, of Sam's English Muffins)

Well, I've got a busy first day back and I haven't cooked anything lately, but these folks are always cooking and writing up a storm:

Sam, the proprietoress of Becks & Posh, makes English Muffins and continues to eat locally. Always an interesting read.

Meg at I Heart Bacon is blogging up a storm as usual. Check out her post on the Ballard Seafood Festival and her terrific recipes section.

Dr. Biggles, over at MeatHenge describes in detail his latest orgy. Okay, it was a fried chicken orgy, but y'know...

The Food Whore introduces a potential client to reality, and they seem to have never met.

Kiplog has tons of great food blog links and some terrific restaurant reviews. Go visit Paul when you get a chance.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:02 AM

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August 18, 2005

Foodies of the world, unite!

18% of the American food buying public now consider gourmet versions of food products first, according to a Simmons Market Research Bureau report. More here:

"More gourmet products are using natural and organic ingredients (and appealing to consumers' social consciences by offering products that are good for the environment and for the workers who produce them), and more natural foods retailers are carrying upscale, gourmet food and beverage items that meet their quality standards," said Don Montuori, publisher of Packaged Facts.

I fully expect this trend to continue. As reasonably priced gourmet products penetrate the market, economies of scale come into play and will motivate other companies to follow suit. Eat local, and buy smart!

Not to beat you over the head with a sales pitch, but that's good news for use at Desert Island Foods™.com. Have I mentioned our all natural, fairly priced gourmet products lately?

I feel so cheap.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)

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August 17, 2005

Biggles' Big Bay Blogger Bash- oh boy!!!

(Photo: Meathenge Labs)

I missed Dr. Biggle's San Francisco Bay Area Food Bloggers Picnic last weekend, and I'm still kicking myself.

45 Bay Area chefs, food writers and bloggers convened at Meathenge Labs to eat, drink and be merry. Oh well, maybe definitely next year. Strap a bib on, go visit Biggles and follow the links.

Warning: Don't go hungry!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:30 AM | Comments (4)

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August 11, 2005

No link between sugar and obesity...

... according to the president of the Sugar Association, Andrew Briscoe:

"Every major, comprehensive review of the total body of scientific literature continues to exonerate sugars intake as the causative factor in any lifestyle disease, including obesity,"

The Reuters article goes on to explain his logic:

The group's main point is that excessive consumption of calories and a lack of exercise would spur weight gain, regardless of sugar consumption.

Briscoe said that U.S. per capita consumption of sugar has declined to an estimated 63 pounds in 2002 from 102 pounds in 1972. Including waste, spoilage and other loss, the actual per capita sugar consumption figure declines to 45 pounds per person.

Not sure I'm buying that. You?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:24 AM | Comments (0)

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August 9, 2005

Something new from the des(s)ert world

Camel milk chocolate?

A chocolatier from Austria is trying to get "over the hump" by creating a new delicacy. Apparently camel's milk has a higher sugar content and is lower in fat, according to thisarticle:

Vienna-based Chocolatier Hochleitner took six months to develop the treats using milk from the Al Ain Camel Farm and Dairy in the UAE. ... "We have combined camel's milk from the farm in Al Ain with honey from Yemen and have developed a healthy and delicious new type of chocolate," said Hochleitner.

May their journey to profitability be blessed with the sweet milk of 1,000 camels...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:43 AM | Comments (0)

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August 8, 2005

I think I love her...

Wow. Sonya Thomas (center) has done it again. The day after eating 22 grilled cheese sandwiches, she wins again by eating 35 Johnsonville Brats in 10 minutes. Seriously. 35 brats/10 minutes.

I've mentioned her before here and here and find myself fascinated with her. She weighs 100 pounds and says her stomach can expand to hold 16 pounds of food. That's a bowling ball!

I read that she manages a Burger King in Virginia. Do you think she trains there? I guess it could be worse, she could be in a White Castle uniform eating left over French Onion burgers by the sack.

Ow. I actually shuddered as I typed that.

What's keeping you from being a competitive eater?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:35 AM | Comments (4)

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August 1, 2005

65 year old Taquito still popular

El Indio, a landmark San Diego Mexican restaurant, is celebrating the 65th birthday of the taquito. El Indio actually opened its doors as a tortilla factory in 1940, but the quick popularity of the taquito (little taco) changed that forever.

There have been so many bad versions of the taquito in chain restaurants, which is just a corn tortilla variation of the flauta, that I'm not sure many people have ever an authentic one. A good taquito is not just a crispy tortilla, it should be full of flavor and a pleasure to eat.

Have you ever had a really good taquito? Go out and try some if you haven't, or make them at home.

Thanks to Chuck for the link.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 1:08 PM | Comments (0)

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July 28, 2005

Hot Dog War- Chicago vs. New York

Wow, they're going to the mattresses! After New York barely beat out Chicago in a National Hot Dog and Sausage Council survey of the favorite hot dog town in America, Chicago is fighting mad:

"People are absolutely outraged," says Vienna Beef chairman and owner Jim Bodman. "We've had calls from people telling us we need to defend Chicago's honor."

Vienna Beef has challenged New York to a taste test.

"We challenge any New York hot dog to a taste-off any place, anytime. It's time to set the record straight about the world's best hot dog."

I really like Vienna Beef and I've eaten a bunch of them and I like Nathan's, but have never been to the original Coney Island stand, but my favorite is Pink's in Hollywood. Good stuff.

What's your favorite hot dog?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:57 AM | Comments (3)

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July 27, 2005

Good news for guys that can cook

Save your money, guys. The ladies aren't buying it, according to an Imperial College London study:

"Guys are less likely to offer expensive gifts to females they don't have a long-term interest in. And girls won't be impressed with cheap gifts. By offering expensive but worthless gifts, such as dinner and theater trips, the male pays no cost if the invitation isn't accepted," said Dr Peter Sozou, of University College London (UCL).

If women are not interested they are unlikely to accept the invitation, according to the research published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B.

What do you think, is food the way to a woman's heart? What's your dream romantic dinner?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:33 AM

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I'll drink to that!

The Museum of the American Cocktail is a work in progress but very cool:

A global network of the most passionate and talented bartenders, collectors, historians, and writers on the subject of drink are in the process of establishing the world's first Museum devoted to the American Cocktail. It is a huge undertaking that is rapidly gaining momentum and generating excitement among restaurateurs, chefs, mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts throughout the world.

"The museum's goal is to establish a self-sustaining, non-profit museum and tourist attraction that celebrates and preserves a truly rich aspect of our culture: the American Cocktail," says Dale DeGroff, one of the museum's primary founders as well as the world's premiere mixologist.

They're raising money to find a permanent home to set up the museum. Not a lot of content on the site yet, but some links to some really good mixology books if you're a cocktail lover or a home bartender looking for some new recipes.

Get pickled and help preserve our heritage!! Thanks to Jason for the link.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:30 AM | Comments (0)

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July 26, 2005

Scharffen Berger gets a kiss from Hershey's

(Photo: Scharffen Berger)

In a move to enter the burgeoning and lucrative gourmet chocolate market, Hershey has issued a press release annoucing their purchase of Scharffen Berger, a fast-growing chocolatier. From the press release:

"The premium chocolate segment represents a strategic opportunity for Hershey based on increasing consumer demand for distinctive, high-end chocolate and for the antioxidant benefits of dark chocolate," said Richard H. Lenny, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Hershey Company. "Scharffen Berger's exceptional, on-trend products and entrepreneurial spirit have made it one of the fastest-growing companies in the $1.7 billion premium chocolate segment. We look forward to leveraging our extensive distribution network and technology to broaden consumer reach and expand our leadership position in the confectionery market."

"This is a tremendous opportunity for Scharffen Berger," said John Scharffenberger, Co-Founder, Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Inc. "With Hershey's resources we can accelerate our growth and leadership in the premium chocolate segment. Hershey's heritage, values and deep commitment to social responsibility are a perfect match for Scharffen Berger. The acquisition will enable us to preserve the artisanal roots that have made Scharffen Berger so successful, while introducing a wider range of consumers to our unsurpassed, high-quality dark chocolate."

I'm working on a recipe using Scharffen Berger now. It's good stuff and it's great to work with, but it has such a high cacao content you really need to taste your recipe before baking, as it can be a bit overwhelming the first time you use it.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:25 AM | Comments (4)

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July 21, 2005

Sushi- Love it or hate it?

The Japanese government will spend the next 5 years trying to promote its culture to the world, according to an article I read:

If the effort is successful, within five years 1.2 billion people around the world will dine on sushi, tempura or other Japanese dishes at least once a year.

The 14-member private-sector panel led by Yuzaburo Mogi, chairman of the world's top soy sauce maker Kikkoman, got to work in the wake of a government report on better marketing of Japanese brands abroad.

"The Japanese food culture is a speciality that we should spread around the world," Kikkoman spokesman Takaharu Nakamura said.

But he said the campaign has one big obstacle: raw fish.

Nakamura said some non-Japanese cooks were not careful enough in handling raw fish, causing problems over freshness or parasites.

"In terms of food safety, we need to solve these problems. Otherwise they would worsen Japan's image," he said.

Duh.

How about you? Do you love sushi or hate it? And what's up with the fake plastic grass thingees anyway?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:55 AM | Comments (23)

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July 20, 2005

Swan son(g) for TV dinner inventor

Gerry Thomas, widely credited for inventing the TV dinner, died here in the Phoenix area Monday of cancer at age 83.

From the AP release:

He recalled that the inspiration came when he was visiting a distributor, spotted a metal tray and was told it was developed for an experiment in preparation of hot meals on airliners.

"It was just a single compartment tray with foil," he recalled. "I asked if I could borrow it and stuck it in the pocket of my overcoat."

He said he came up with a three-compartment tray because "I spent five years in the service so I knew what a mess kit was. You could never tell what you were eating because it was all mixed together."

Since interest in television was booming, he added: "I figured if you could borrow from that, maybe you could get some attention. I think the name made all the difference in the world."

Read the whole article, but I thought it was interesting that he got so much hate mail from enraged husbands when they first came out. No word if he will be buried on an aluminum tray in a cardboard casket, but I'm guessing not.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 11:04 AM

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July 14, 2005

Using local ingredients- what a concept!

(Photo:NRN -At 26 brix chef-owner Mike Davis combines seared diver scallops with locally grown micro greens and flowers, Oregon black truffles, shown in spoon, and basil pistou.

Nation's Restaurant News has a good article on a trend that while not new, is certainly worth celebrating- local chefs using local small farm products. (Free one-time registration required to read the whole article but worth the trouble to register, as it's an excellent resource for what's going on in the restaurant world, IMHO.)

This particular article spotlights the Northwest, but it's great to see chefs getting back to basics.

"We've tried to use small purveyors," says Mike Davis, chef-owner of 26 brix Restaurant, the 1-year-old, 110-seat French bistro located in Walla Walla. "With our style of food, if you start with mediocre products, you end up with mediocre products."

It's not just the indie restaurants, either. Smaller chains are getting into the act:

Burgerville, the 39-unit sandwich chain owned by Vancouver, Wash.-based The Holland Inc., has a large following for seasonally promoted and regionally produced specialty items. They include milk shakes and smoothies flavored with Northwest fruits and Walla Walla sweet onion rings.

Along with the onion rings, which are now in season and sell for $1.99 for the "semi-huge" size and $2.99 for the "huge," Burgerville this month is selling raspberry lemonade made with local berries for $1.89.

It's great to see this 'back to basics' approach. While I like a lot of the fusion/smashing together of different types of cuisine, I think we've gotten away from pure indigenous food- using what is produced locally.

It's the availability of ingredients that gives different regions of the world it's unique flavors. A great example is the gradual transition of food as you go from Japan to India. Each country in between- Korea, China, Vietnam, Thailand, etc. all have different indigenous herbs and spices that have defined each country's cuisine.

Smash 'em up and combine them? Sure. But I think a lot of 'nouveaux foodies' have started with the fusion stuff before they've studied each cuisine in and of itself. I think it's important to educate yourself in the basics to really enjoy what you're tasting.

Am I wrong?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:36 AM

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July 13, 2005

McAngry lawyer files suit over shirt

(Photo:AFP)

Australian attorney Malcolm McBratney is McTicked off. Sponsor of a local rugby team called the "McBrats", McDonalds has challenged his right to use the term, alleging a conflict with a trademark they own on "McKids".

According to an AFP article:

"What it boils down to is that McDonald's seems to be trying to own not only the McDonald name but everything beginning with Mc," said McBratney, who is a specialist in intellectual property rights.

"There are a lot of people with Irish and Scottish heritage who'd dispute that, including me, and I'm prepared to take them on."

McDonald's maintains it is only protecting intellectual property, but McBratney is trying to throw out McDonald's trademark, claiming it was filed in 1987 and has not been used in recent years.

"I think it smacks of corporate arrogance that even though McDonald's is not using the McKids trademark in Australia, it still thinks it can block the registration of a separate trademark that has nothing to do with its business," McBratney said.

I think he has a case. I don't know anything about Aussie law, and very little about law in general, but I know from experience from registering some of my trade names like Desert Island Foods™ and Survival Spice™ that when you register a trademark or service mark here, you have to demonstrate current use or intent to use. A trademark is not granted in perpetuity, and once the conditions for filing are not met it is challengable in court.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:13 AM | Comments (1)

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July 12, 2005

Happy Birthday to the Slurpee®!!

Wow, 40 years of 'Brain Freeze®'. It's an interesting story of a broken soda fountain becoming a happy accident. From the Slurpee® website:

When Omar Knedlik's soda machine broke at his drive-in hamburger restaurant, he began serving icy-cold bottled soft drinks from his freezer. Customers fell in love with the slushy drinks, sparking Knedlik to come up with the idea of creating soft-serve frozen drinks.

...

The Slurpee mark was created in May 1967 during a brainstorming session at 7-Eleven's in-house ad agency. While drinking the product through a straw, agency director Bob Stanford commented that it made a slurping sound. The Slurpee® drink phenomenon was born. For the past 32 years, Slurpee® drink has evolved from Fulla-Bulla to Fire Water to Shrek-a-licious. But no matter the flavor, it will always be The Coolest Drink on Earth™.

I don't get the 40 year thing, though. It was created in 1959 and was named in '67. What's up with a 40th birthday?

Read the whole story, especially if you've ever staggered around a 7-11 parking lot as a kid, with a frozen mouth and a cherry red tongue.

I have to say that Coke was my favorite flavor, though. How about you?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:51 AM | Comments (0)

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July 6, 2005

Dutch Oven Cook Off

I saw a cool press release yesterday announcing the "United States Dutch Oven Champion" cookoff to be held in Murray, Utah this Friday. From the release:

Wheeler Historic Farm hosts the competition, where each two-person team must prepare a main dish, bread and dessert using Dutch ovens. The event is the perfect culinary complement to the Days of '47 activities.

The winning team will receive $1,000 in cash from Camp Chef, a Logan, Utah-based manufacturer of Dutch ovens and other outdoor cooking products. The Utah Beef Council will also present the winning team with a check for $500 for cooking with beef, a staple for nutrition among the pioneers. Teams will also go home with the largest gift packages awarded in Dutch oven competitions, with more than $6,000 in gift certificates, products and prizes from local and national companies.

The winner from the cook off wins a chance to compete at the International Dutch Oven Society's World Championship Cook Off in early 2006.

Sounds like fun. I have a few large cast iron dutch ovens I use for chile, pulled pork, BBQ beef, baked beans and cornbread. Some people are put off by the maintenance of cast iron but they're inexpensive and they last forever if you take care of them properly.

How about you? Are you a cast iron devotee? What's your latest cast iron dish?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:16 AM | Comments (1)

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July 1, 2005

Rubio's lobster suit boils over

(Photo of a Langostino Amarillo)

This is an interesting lawsuit.

A woman is suing Rubio's for deceptive advertising. In the suit filed in California June 28th, Lisa Marie Meier is seeking for a refund to all Rubio's customers who have purchased a lobster burrito or taco since their introduction.

From the Reuter's article:

Rubio's Chief Executive Sheri Miksa said Chilean langostino is classified as a lobster in seafood literature and by industry groups like the National Fisheries Institute.

"We had always believed that the product we were serving was lobster," Miksa said in an interview. Rubio's has changed the name of the product to the "Langostino Lobster Burrito".

Rubio's is using Chilean langostino, also known as a langostino amarillo, or yellow prawn. They have the claws of a lobster, although they're quite small. Technically, the prawn is a member of the lobster family and indeed, the Spanish word for prawn is langostino.

But to me, Rubio's was a bit disengenous in that when a customer sees the word 'lobster', they think of the large type. Langostinos aren't ubiquitous enough for most people to be aware of the similarities and differences.

Rubio's has now added Langostino to the name of the dish, which is I think is adequate as the taste, especially combined with other ingredients, is very similar to a regular full-sized lobster and certainly close enough for a frickin' taco.

Does she have a case? What do you think?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:24 AM | Comments (7)

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June 30, 2005

Belgian Fries

Man, is Michel (aka King Cone) obsessed with French Belgian Fries! Here's a Belgian website dedicated to the fried potato. The site includes a section dedicated to the "frietkot" or fry shack, little booths that serve only fries.

He also includes the recipe for preparing and cooking a proper fry, which I endorse. The twice cooked method is the ultimate way of insuring a crispy fry that's tender inside. Unfortunately there's no direct link to the recipes section so follow the main link above and click on 'recipes' in the left sidebar.

BTW, a Belgian fry is never served with ketchup or vinegar, only mayonaise. Okay, he kinda loses me there...

Check out the site, this guy is really into it!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:52 AM

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June 29, 2005

Spicy broccoli for better health

While I was at Fiery Foods.com, I noticed an article (no permalinks, scroll to "Dietary Agents in Red Chile Pepper...") on the health effects of capsaicin:

The first study, abstract number 2469, looked at the chemotherapeutic potential of capsaicin, the “hot” ingredient in red chile pepper that is often associated with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities, and found that it exhibited anticancer activity against pancreatic cancer cells.

The report also mentions brocolli but the Fiery Foods article naturally focuses on the hot stuff.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:34 AM

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June 28, 2005

Keep yer hands off my Grand Slam®!

Denny's has announced a make-over of their menu to be headed by Peter Gibbons, a CIA grad with 25 years experience in the biz, including Burger King's recent menu changes.

I've stumbled into a few Denny's in the wee hours more times than I care to admit, but I never thought I'd see a Grand Slam® Rossini on the menu. How he's going to be able to offer truffles and foix gras along with 2 eggs, bacon, sausage, and 2 tasty pancakes for only $5.95?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:50 AM

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June 27, 2005

Stocking up for the 4th

A Stop & Shop press release out today details the preparations they're making for the Fourth of July weekend coming soon:

Stop & Shop estimates that 220 tons of charcoal briquettes will be spirited away by barbecue-crazed shoppers for this holiday weekend, as well as 240,000 bamboo barbecue skewers. Not to be overlooked are the 3 million ears of corn about to disappear from the produce section at the supermarket chain. An estimated 125 tons of deli salad will be tamped down into those little containers, 1.8 million pounds of cherries will find their way hopefully unscathed into grocery bags on July 4th weekend. Plus, there will be a huge demand for American cheese: 250 tons of it! Anyone for a cheeseburger?

It also looks like there will be much singing around the campfire on Independence Day weekend. Stop & Shop estimates they will sell 150,000 bags of marshmallows.

Hey, speaking of stocking up, don't forget the Survival Spice™! In addition to being the ultimate dry spice rub for ribs, steaks, chops and chicken it's great mixed in with ground beef for your burgers!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:22 AM

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June 26, 2005

Do you Heart Dark Chocolate?

(Photo: Scharffen Berger)

Apparently you should. Recent studies have confirmed that dark chocolate contains epicatechin, a plant flavinoid that reduce the risk of blood clots and prevent cholesterol from clotting in blood vessels.

About half of the flavinoids in dark chocolate are typically destroyed in the manufacturing process but new processes can keep up to 95% of the epicatechin intact, says an article I read at Web MD.com.

A Reuters article describes the effects of dark chocolate on the body:

The researchers examined the effects of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate on blood-vessel function in 17 young, healthy volunteers over a 3-hour period after they consumed 100 grams of a commercially available dark chocolate.

The investigators saw that an artery in the arm dilated significantly more in response to an increase in bloodflow. Chocolate consumption also led to a significant 7-percent decrease in aortic stiffness.

"The predominant mechanism appears to be dilation of small and medium-sized peripheral arteries and arterioles," (Dr.) Vlachopoulos and colleagues suggest.

Where do you sign up for a chocolate-eating study? One bad side to this- chocolate still has a lot of calories, so you're going to give up something else to compensate.

So, after a lot of thought, I've decided to give up vegetables- hey, it's for science!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 11:14 AM

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June 24, 2005

IT IS ALIVE!!!

The new Desert Island Foods™.com site is now live for your drinking, dancing and hopefully shopping pleasure!

Please check it out and let us know what you think.

I'd like to again thank Gary Sanders at iBlue.com for all his hard work on the programming. Nicole and Gabe Bonilla at Bonilla Design provided the visual design for the site and our packaging and marketing artwork.

These people are true professionals and do creative and meticulous work, which is a rare combination of attributes.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:43 AM

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The great bagel bounce back...

(AP Photo)

Here's a great story from the AP to chew on this morning:

VERONA, Va. - Janet Dob found a better way to boil a bagel, quite by mistake.

Her accidental invention gave rise to a business, entangled her in red tape, left her morose in her pajamas, exposed her to the helping hands and hurdles of government and finally became her life's work.

So it goes for those who create a small business in America.

Perils exist at every turn. Many startups rapidly fail, and only about half survive as long as five years, says the National Federation of Independent Business.

Dob, 52, has yet to get rich, but she's plenty busy, and her business making Bake'mmm bagels is, finally, growing, now posting $750,000 in sales in a year. The business operates in the Blue Ridge Mountain town of Verona — population 3,638.

Truly an inspiring story of entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and perserverance.

Go read the whole thing and get inspired!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:51 AM

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June 21, 2005

Fourth of July food- burgers, hot dogs, and plantain escabeche?

Steak grilled Thai-style (Photo- Linda Spillers, NYT)

Good story in the NY Times about the 39th annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, a 10-day event starting tomorrow on the National Mall in Washington:

For the first time, the festival will devote an entire program to food culture, celebrating the revolution in cooking and farming that has taken place in the United States over the last 40 years. The tradition and innovation of American cuisine will be explored through the cooking of recent immigrants, as Ms. Daks once was; the sustainable agriculture movement; and the role chefs and cooks play.

"The intersection is where the term food revolution comes from," said Stephen Kidd, a curator of the program. "Things people think of as new have a strong connection to the culture of the past,"

Interesting perspective on how accesible ingredients that were once considered exotic in this country are now, and the continuing assimilation of our culture through food.

Well worth reading the whole thing, I think.

Thanks to John for the link.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 6:09 PM

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A healthy acid trip...

I read an interesting article from the AP about a Dutch study showing high doses of folic acid may slow the onset of Alzheimer's disease:

In the study, 818 cognitively healthy people ages 50 to 75 swallowed either folic acid or a dummy pill for three years.

On memory tests, the supplement users had scores comparable to people 5.5 years younger, Durga said. On tests of cognitive speed, the folic acid helped users perform as well as people 1.9 years younger.

That's significant brain protection, with a supplement that's already well-known to be safe, said Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist Marilyn Albert, who chairs the Alzheimer's Association's science advisory council.

"I think I would take folic acid, assuming my doctor said it was OK," Albert said. "We know Alzheimer's disease, the pathology, begins many, many years before the symptoms. We ought to be thinking about the health of our brain the same way we think about the health of our heart."

It makes sense, really. It is known already that folic acid is essential for new cell growth. A B-complex vitamin, it occurs naturally in strawberries, leafy greens and oranges but is mostly destroyed in the cooking process. Cereals have been fortified with it for quite a while now, too.

The study also mentions the importance of being active mentally as you age. Well worth reading, especially if the disease runs in your family.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 1:00 PM

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Don't eat it, it's really good !!!

(Photo: Reuters)

What good is having your own sandwich if you can't eat it? Sarah Ferguson got a signature sandwich creation courtesy of New York's Stage Deli called the "Duchess of York"- grilled chicken breast topped with melted Muenster cheese and wasabi horseradish mayonnaise.

From Reuters:

"You can have a bit of this sandwich as I have," she told reporters, standing behind the counter at New York's Stage Deli. "Just don't eat the whole thing."

An endorsee of GourMayo and Weight Watchers, the article fails to mention the type of bread it is featured on. What's up with that? Can't these guys write food articles?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:05 AM

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June 20, 2005

I will gladly pay you Tuesday (2041), for mu shu pork today.

Talk about running up a tab!

The officials of a Shaanxi province in China have run up such a large tab that the restaurant owner estimates it will take 36 years to pay off:

"The town government can only pay 5,000 yuan a year and they owe 180,000 yuan, so it will take 36 years to pay back -- that's a lifetime," Wei Zhongqin, the owner of the now bankrupt restaurant, was quoted as saying.

What's this guy serving- gold plated duck?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:33 AM

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June 19, 2005

Not to Nettle in other people's business but...

I love England. The people, their long history, the beautiful countryside, and their amazing beer but ya gotta admit, they'll eat anything when they're bored!

Last month I posted about their fondess for rolling down hills to catch a lump of cheese and now this -feasting on stinging nettles.

From the Reuters article:

Competitors must pluck and eat as many leaves as they can from the feathery, stinging plants in the space of one hour. Their achievement is measured in feet and inches -- the combined length of the bare stems they discard.

"You have to adopt the correct technique to stand any chance of winning," said Shane Pym, landlord of the Bottle Inn. www.thebottleinn.co.uk.

"The art is to fold the top of the leaf inwards, get it past the lips, crunch it and then get it down the neck. You can't let your mouth get dry or you will get stung."

Beer drinking is allowed but mouth numbing drugs are not. I guess the brain-numbing will have to do.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:01 AM

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June 17, 2005

Owl have to tune in for this Hooter's pageant...

Okay, enough studies! Here's something to really give a "hoot" about, from a recent Hooter's press release:

One hundred nine Hooters Girls from the famed Hooters Restaurants have won a chance to compete in the 9th Annual Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant, it was announced today by Hooters of America Vice President Mike McNeil. "We congratulate the Hooters 109," said McNeil.

The finalists were selected from the over 15,000 Hooters Girls worldwide who presently work in the chain's 400 restaurants. Hooters Restaurants are well established eateries in 46 states and 16 countries. "Name me one other pageant that can introduce Ms. Zagreb to Ms. Atlanta and have them have the Hooters experience in common," quipped McNeil.

The 2005 Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant will be welcomed back to Miami this year by a sold out live audience. It is seen by thousands of customers who watch the events unfold on television in Hooters restaurants everywhere. Hosted this year by popular TV personality Brooke Burke, the Pageant will be aired live via a closed circuit broadcast from the Jackie Gleason Theater on Tuesday, June 28, 2005, beginning at 7:00 p.m. EST.

A panel that includes NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Chris Rose and Leeann Tweeden of the Best Damn Sports Show and soon to be seen on NASCAR Nation will judge the contestants.

Man, they've really played this for all it's worth, haven't they? First a restaurant chain, then an airline and now a casino to open in Vegas in 2006. You can watch the contest at Hooter's on June 28th.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:18 AM

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Kids prefer fruit over candy? More studies...

Hmmm, not sure about this one I saw at Reuters.

Apparently, the message is getting out. Since food manufacturers have responded to public pressure and introduced healthier foods, as well as targeting older snackers with junk food advertising, kids 2 to 12 have indicated their #1 snack food preference is fruit.

Older teens and adults still favor gum and chocolate, according to the article:

"It's surprising to see that the number one category of snacks consumed by children is fresh fruit," Harry Balzer, vice president at NPD Group, said in a statement. "As we age, the importance of fruit drops as convenient snacks take hold."

The report comes as concerns about the roughly 15 percent of U.S. children and adolescents who are overweight or obese have received widespread media attention.

Interesting but I'm a bit skeptical about the size and demographics of the study group. I would be curious what the most popular fruit was. Apple? Banannas?

What's your favorite fruit?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:04 AM

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Rosemary? Oh, baby!

More studies on food safety have come out in the last few days. This one indicates that a compound found in rosemary and also in oregano, basil and sage reduce cancer-forming compounds when added to ground beef before cooking. This from Reuters:

The investigators found that when they added antioxidants extracted from rosemary to ground beef, the hamburgers contained smaller amounts of heterocyclic amines, or HCAs, carcinogenic compounds that form when muscle meats like beef, pork and poultry are cooked at high temperatures.

The antioxidants likely reduce HCAs by blocking the chemical process that creates the cancer-causing compounds, Smith noted.

I don't think anybody is exactly sure what happens in the cooking process but a concensus seems to be forming- avoid flare-ups when grilling and don't eat the charred bits. Of course, when grilling you should be doing this anyway...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 6:50 AM

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June 15, 2005

Those diet sodas can really put the pounds on...

Ah, the law of unintended consequences! A new 8 year study has noted a correlation between diet soft drinks and obesity. No surprise there, but a theory suggests the body may crave additional calories after ingesting a substance it perceives to be sweet. Leslie Bonci, sports nutritionist, states in a Fox News article:

"People think they can just fool the body. But maybe the body isn't fooled," she says. "If you are not giving your body those calories you promised it, maybe your body will retaliate by wanting more calories. Some soft drink studies do suggest that diet drinks stimulate appetite."

The article also points out there is no direct link between diet drinks and obesity and there are other issues involved.

Personally, I don't drink diet drinks because I don't like the taste and I have a real aversion to 'space age polymers' in what I eat anyway. To me, these studies leave a lot to be desired and this one reminds me of the debate on whether red wine is good for you. Is it something in red wine (it's pretty well accepted now that there is) or is the fact that you're taking an hour or so to relax that does you the most good? Moderate wine drinkers tend to be higher wage earners that presumably have access to better health care, too, if they take advantage of it. Could that contribute as well? Okay, I digress...

Lots of good stuff in the article, take a minute to check it out if you're so inclined.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:32 AM

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A Dinosaur concept comes back to life...

Apparently, concept restaurants aren't extinct after all. A dinosaur-themed concept is set to launch next year in Kansas City, created by Steve Schussler, who brought the Rainforest Café into the restaurant jungle originally.

This from an a Motley Fool article:

With cascading waterfalls and robotic critters, the concept doesn't seem too far off the mark from Schussler's original creation. This one takes a prehistoric bent, with ice caves, fossil dig sites and bubbling geysers. The dinosaur-themed dining and shopping concept will debut in Kansas City next year, with seven more locations to follow.

Interesting article on the business side of concept restaurant investing, if that sort of thing interests you.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:45 AM

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June 13, 2005

Ronald delivers!

To continue the breakfast theme this morning, Ronald McDonald® is getting into the delivery biz. Er, if you're a cop, fire fighter or hospital employee in the Philly area this week, at least. Via Yahoo:

"These breakfast deliveries are just a small gesture of our appreciation for the hard work and long hours our local heroes dedicate to the businesses and people in our communities," said Mike Anton, President of the McDonald's Owner/Operator Association of the Greater Philadelphia Region.

This is part of an advertising campaign to promote Mickey D's "When You're Up, We're Up" campaign but still a nice thing to do.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 5:40 AM

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Trimming the fat?

Hope you had a good weekend! Here's something to read with the morning coffee, but this isn't a good sign for Krispy Kreme. Via Reuters:

The court-appointed monitor of a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc.(KKD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) franchisee in Canada that has suffered steep losses began selling the operator's doughnut-making equipment, store leases and other assets, the Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site Friday.

[edit]

Krispy Kreme, based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, owns 40.6 percent of the operation, which once planned to open more than 30 stores but had only a dozen as of April, the newspaper said.

C'mon, Canada, get out there and have a doughnut this morning!! Hmmm, gives idea...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 5:18 AM

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June 8, 2005

For the foodies

Interesting article I had missed in the Guardian I found over at EGullet.

Written in time for the Observer Food Monthly's fiftieth edition, they asked British food notables for their lists of "50 things to do before I die" and assembled them into this interesting list, which sadly I barely made it into double digits on. I'd especially like to cross off #11!

How many have you done?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:45 AM

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June 6, 2005

Why didn't I think of that?

I read about this in a cool business ideas.com article that unfortunately didn't link back to its source but I found it interesting:

Scott Matthew knows there's nothing like a hot pizza delivered to your door on a January night.

One such night last year, when an hour seemed too long to wait, he went to bed hungry, but woke up inspired.

"If you bake the pizzas in vans on the way to you, it would be so neat. You could probably get it there in 20 minutes," Matthew said.

He jotted down the idea on a Post-it note and incorporated two weeks later. Now his employees roam this central Wisconsin city of 42,000 in a pair of Super Fast Pizza vans, cooking pizzas in mobile kitchens and delivering them - with the cheese still bubbling when they reach people's doors - in about 15 minutes.

"Most of the time, pizza is cool and soggy when it's delivered, especially in northern climates," said Dave Ostrander, a pizza business consultant whose Big Dave's pizzeria was once ranked among the busiest in the nation. "I think this solves a huge problem."

The company uses Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, high-roofed vehicles used as ambulances in Europe that cost about $32,000. For another $65,000 they were outfitted with coolers, five small pizza ovens and touch-screen monitors connected to an Internet-based ordering system staffed by a call center in Nebraska.

I wonder if it automatically tips the pizza on its side when it's done so the cheese all runs off into a pile?

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 6:13 AM

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June 1, 2005

Alfalfa sprouts at dawn!!!

The rainforests of Brazil are being razed at an alarming rate. Nothing new there, right? Well, apparently there is, according to a recent CBC show I heard about at EGullet.

The latest twist is that they're being deforested to grow soybeans. After years of touting the nutritional (and rightly so) benefits of soybeans, the world is listening. Brazilian farmers are profiting in a major way:

Precisely because of these many health claims, there has been a dramatic rise in soy consumption around the world. And while soy bean producers and traders have been rubbing their hands gleefully, environmentalists are worried about the crop's popularity--especially in Brazil. Because as long as soy remains lucrative, more saws will continue clear bigger swaths of the Amazon rainforest.

Environmental group Greenpeace has been loudly criticizing the Brazilian government of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. It says President Lula should be restricting soy plantations to areas that are already cleared.

Don't have a cow yet, though:

The governor is on the record as denying that soy production leads to the rainforest's destruction. In an interview he gave Reuters news service last week, he said he encourages sustainable farming, claiming almost half of the rainforest cut down in his state last year was legal and that 95 percent of the illegal loggers had been fined. He also said it's been 10 years since his own company actively cleared land for soy production.

Interesting stuff, I think.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:47 AM

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Arnie Morton, a true entrepreneur

Arnie Morton, co-founder of the famous Morton's of Chicago steakhouse chain, died May 28th at the age of 83 of Alzheimer's and cancer.

When Morton's opened in 1978, it broke new ground, a public restaurant with the plush, decadent atmosphere of a private club. Arnie could really work a room, though, and when he sold his interest in Morton's in 1989, there were nine restaurants across he country.

A true entrepreneur and innovator, he was also involved with Hugh Hefner in opening the first Playboy Club in 1960.

I've been lucky enough to eat in several Morton's across the country, and they do a great job every time. Truly a great place for a special occasion. Their soufleés are made to order, try the Grand Marnier or chocolate if you go.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 6:37 AM

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May 26, 2005

Udder nonsense

Norma Lyon, known to Iowans as The Butter Cow Lady, is famous for her life-like butter sculptures.

This year's entry for the Iowa State Fair- Tiger Woods.

A major fan of Tiger's, she plans to model him beside a real Tiger, according to the AP:

"I've watched when he hasn't played, but it's not near as fun," she said.

This may sound politically incorrect, but didn't she read "Little Black Sambo?" All the tigers turn into butter.

UPDATE: I felt a little uncomfortable making the "Little Black Sambo" association, so I did a little Googling. Here's an interesting wiki about the history of the word and the book. Interesting that it was set in India and that the butter is actually ghee, which is clarified butter that is then browned.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:56 AM

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May 24, 2005

Thurl Ravenscroft was truly GRrrrreeeeeaaaaattttt!!!

Thurl Ravenscroft, whose name you may not recognize but was known throughout the world as the voice of Tony the Tiger, died in California of prostate cancer Sunday at age 91.

A terrific singer, he also sang the classic song "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch", though was never credited for his work. He also did a lot of work for Disney amusement park rides like "Pirates of the Caribbean".

For more about this talented man's life, click here and here.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 1:10 PM

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Coors is Cooler

(Photo:PRN)

Coor's has introduced the "Cooler Box", an 18-pack of Coors or Coors Light plastic bottles in a plastic box that can be iced down by removing the top of the packaging.

I think this is a great idea but isn't Coors from Colorado via Molson's in Toronto? What in the world is a Pittsburgh company doing helping to shill Coors and not Iron City? Because if you could get IC cold enough, it might be drinkable.

Okay, maybe not. But I do like a cold Rolling Rock once in a while.

Blogging is thirsty work. What time is it, anyway?...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 9:50 AM

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Grapes get a new wrinkle...

(Photo: AFP)

French biologist Pascal Commenil has introduced a new wrinkle into the high end cosmetics industry- a face cream made from grapes.

In an AFP story, Commenil hopes discriminating consumers will want to 'save face' by paying $130 per jar of the fruity goo, which he justifies by the fact that it takes 10,000 pounds of grapes to make a pound of product.

Is he nuts? This may be sour grapes, but can't they make Champagne with those? Judging by the look on his face, I hope it works better than it tastes...

This may be a new record, I managed to work in at least one bad pun per paragraph. Please forgive me for not leaving them to 'wither on the vine'... Feel free to groan in the comments, I probably deserve it. Probably.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:00 AM

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May 20, 2005

2005 Asparagus Queen

Okay, this is a little too cute for me but it's a slow news day.

Noodles & Company, a Colorado-based restaurant chain in 10 states I'd frankly never heard of that features noodle-based dishes (oddly enough!), ran a "National Asparagus Queen" contest. It's hard to believe that Donald Trump hasn't gotten ahold of this one yet.

This year's winner is Allison Doyle From Brookfield, Wisconsin, who beat a field of 7,500 entries More information about Allison and the contest is here.

Have a great weekend, everyone. And remember to get your Food Fight™ entries in!

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:44 AM

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May 18, 2005

Grapes may protect urinary function

Okay, not a lot to laugh about here but a new study indicates that a diet rich in grapes may alleviate and even help to reverse the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate in older men. The study was done by the Albany College of Pharmacy and released by the California Table Grape Commission.

"We are amazed at just how potent grapes appear to be in protecting against these urinary dysfunctions," said lead investigator Robert Levin, Ph.D., of the Albany College of Pharmacy.

"We saw more impact with the grape preparation than with other agents tested. The results from this study are highly relevant to our male population: eating grapes every day might significantly reduce the progression of bladder dysfunction resulting from an enlarged prostate."

Levin added that "the sooner men begin this regimen the more effective it would be."

Read the whole thing, especially if you're entering the age where this comes into play. Obviously the CA grape folks have a vested interest in this so expect a little bias there, but it seems to be good news.

I, for my part, am going to double my wine intake. Hey, it's for science...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 7:48 AM

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May 17, 2005

French Fries- health food?

In an effort to woo more health-conscious consumers, McDonald's has been working on a slightly healthier version of their famous French Fries by lowering the amount of trans-fat in the oil the potatoes are fried in.

Trans-fats, for those who aren't familiar with the term, are partially hydrogenated fats, which are created to make a solid fat out of something that wouldn't normally be solid at room temperature. This process is the reason that most peanut butter doesn't seperate at room temperature unless it's all-natural and is used in countless other products like pie crusts and margarine.

Basically, the process involves bubbling a hydrogen gas through the oil, which gradually makes the oil become a fat as it absorbs the gas. Although it naturally occurs in meat and dairy products, trans-fats are now thought to increase bad (LDL) cholesterol and destroy the good (HDL) stuff.

Of course, this could backfire, as an A/P article I found at Forbes points out:

But rolling out a new cooking oil for its fries could pose a risk to sales of one of McDonald's most popular menu items, said Janna Sampson of Oakbrook Investments, which owns more than 1 million McDonald's shares. "It's hard to imagine they can do that without some effect on the taste or texture of the fries," she said.

"I just don't think the people buying fries care that much" about trans fat, Sampson added.

Exactly right. If you're watching your cholesterol levels, avoid French Fries in the first place.

I like to make my own by slicing potatoes into wedges or 1/4" slices. drizzling them with canola or olive oil then sprinkling them with Survival Spice™ and roasting on a sheet pan in a 300º oven until tender, then cranking the oven up to 425º until they're as crispy as you like them.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:39 AM

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May 3, 2005

15 pound burger, it's about time...

Still in Chicago after two days of serious snacking, so light blogging today, except for this rather filling story from the AP:

CLEARFIELD, Pa. (AP) - The burger war is growing. Literally. Denny's Beer Barrel Pub, which lost its crown as the home of the world's biggest burger earlier this year, is now offering a new burger that weighs a whopping 15 pounds.

Dubbed the Beer Barrel Belly Buster, the burger comes with 10.5 pounds of ground beef, 25 slices of cheese, a head of lettuce, three tomatoes, two onions, a cup-and-a-half each of mayonnaise, relish, ketchup, mustard and banana peppers - and a bun.

It costs $30.

"It can feed a family of 10," said Denny Liegey Sr., the restaurant's owner.

Mercifully, there's no pictures. Read the whole thing, if it doesn't gross you out...

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:41 AM

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April 29, 2005

The Pragmatic Chef™ comments on the new Food Pyramid

Does this mean that the more I exercise, the less I can eat? Screw that.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 8:45 AM

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April 27, 2005

Sourdough beats baguette, basically...

From the Bread Baker's Guild website:

April 19, 2005, Pittsburgh, Pa. –America’s top bakers today captured the prestigious Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (World Cup of Baking) in Paris. The World Champion Bread Bakers Guild Team USA 2005 took the gold, followed by the second place French team. The defending world champion Japanese team took third. It was a thrilling victory for Bread Bakers Guild Team USA 2005, which reclaimed the title of World’s Best Bakers at the three-day international event. It was hard-fought and arduous competition with no clear winners early on. Prior to announcing their decision, Coupe du Monde officials noted that the level of competition and quality of product was very high, making their selection extremely difficult. “It was awesome. We had a good day of baking,” said Team Manager Tim Foley of Stevensville, Mich. “This is a victory for the artisan bakers in the U.S. – a victory for the bakers who sweat it out all night in their bakeries.”

The U.S. team beat 11 other countries including France, long considered to produce the best bread in the world. More photos here.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:36 AM

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April 26, 2005

Color me skeptical

Would you let this tell you when your fruit is ripe?:

The ripeSense™ sensor works by reacting to the aromas released by the fruit as it ripens. The sensor is initially red and graduates to orange and finally yellow. By matching the colour of the sensor with your eating preferences, you can now accurately choose fruit as ripe as you like it.

This will supposedly keep shoppers from squeezing fruit to the bruising point to see if it's ripe.
Ease up on the bionic fruit grip, folks, a gentle squeeze and a sniff will do it.

Company link here.

Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at 10:15 AM