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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 09:07 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 08:42 AM | Comments (2)
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August 07, 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 05:51 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 07:38 AM | Comments (5)
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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 08:30 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 09, 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 04:45 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 08:42 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 07:07 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 08:00 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 08:19 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 07:46 AM | Comments (1)
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September 07, 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 differentThe 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!
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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 07:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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August 09, 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 08:44 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
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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 01:16 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
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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 09:36 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
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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 09:52 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
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July 05, 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?"
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July 03, 2006
Love in the Kitchen
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 09:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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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 09:24 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
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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 07:27 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
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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 06:01 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
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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 04:25 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
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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) | TrackBack
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June 05, 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) | TrackBack
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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 08:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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May 09, 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 07:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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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 | Comments (3)
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April 06, 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 07:27 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
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April 01, 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 07:02 AM | Comments (13) | TrackBack
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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 09:23 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
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March 08, 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 09:20 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
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March 02, 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 08:43 AM | Comments (7)
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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 09:41 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
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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) | TrackBack
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February 09, 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 09:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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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 07:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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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 07:05 AM | Comments (3)
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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 09:27 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
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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 09:03 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
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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 09:00 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
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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 09:00 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
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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 07:50 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
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January 09, 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 09:25 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
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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 09:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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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 08:12 AM | Comments (1)
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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) | TrackBack
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December 08, 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 07:58 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
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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 09:48 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
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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 02:03 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
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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 | Comments (5) | TrackBack