OK, this is a little quirky, but, kind of cool. Who would have thought somebody had the time to collect all that “food”
We’re in the middle of a great, but hot summer. What could be better than a lobster for a summertime treat.
Since they can be expensive, you had better know what to do with them once they’re on your plate. Here’s a lesson on the proper cracking and eating method.
How to crack and eat a whole lobster (via the kitchn)
(Images: Flickr member tuppus licensed under Creative Commons)
Tags: lobetr eating, lobster, lobster cracking
Here’s the rundown of the worst foods you can eat. Oh No – NOT BACON!!
Tags: fat, sugar, worst foods
I know this has been around the web a while, but, it’s still a pretty cool video.
Tags: food fight, movies, video
Here’s what looks to be a basket of Poona Kheera Cucumbers. Although, I’ll have to admit that I’m not really all that familiar with this particular vegetable. Do you grow Poona Cukes? Do you have any great recipes using this odd looking ingredient. Is $1.00 each even a good price for these?
Lots of questions, maybe someone has some answers…
Tags: Poona Cucumbers
I must be missing something. I like to snack on pretzels because they are generally sat fat free, reasonably flavorful and easy to eat. Why then would a company who makes great cookies and snack foods take the pretzel and turn it into something that is pretty much nothing like the original concept? I think it’s in an effort to “think thin”. I mean that’s all I can think of.
I recently bought a box of Pepperidge Farm’s Pretzel Thins thinking that it looked like a pretty interesting pretzel concept. And, to be honest these pretzel snacks did look pretty cool, but, taste was something else. There wasn’t much of it.
They were super crunchy (which I liked), but, they really lacked any significant flavor. Not salty, or doughy, or even yeasty. They just didn’t taste like much. The pretzels also had a weird kind of sheen to them, almost a little bit sticky. It was like they had been spray coated with something during the baking process. My son noticed that they could even adhere to his lip! A potentially cool bar trick!
Even though these thin pretzel like snacks didn’t completely hit the mark, it didn’t stop the two of us from devouring and entire box in one sitting. I think we may have been to lazy to go to the pantry for that bag of Goldfish.
I really like most of Pepperidge Farm’s products. Their Toasted Sesame Snack Stix are one of my all time favorites snack foods. But, I think they may want to send this “half baked” product back to the lab for a little additional tweaking.
Tags: pepperdige farms, pretzels, Reviews, snacks
There used to be a time in the not so distant past when the mechanics of making a meal was VERY different. You either opened up an oil stained cookbook or just cooked from memory and taste. All of that is changing and changing rapidly.
This past weekend I not only cooked with my Mac laptop sitting on the counter, BUT, I cooked using my iPhone! AND, I enjoyed it!
New York Times columnist, author and food journalist, Mark Bittman is at the forefront of making that change happen. His How To Cook Everything app for the iPhone is just another example of how our everyday kitchen “tools” are evolving.
I decided to check out how cooking off your phone would be. I know it’s really a miniature computer, but, it’s still a phone. But, what to try first. The Bittman app is loaded with thousands of recipes, tips and helpful kitchen hints. I figured I would let the wisdom of the crowds guide my decision. It turned out to be a good choice.
One of the features of the application lets users give a “thumbs up” to recipes they have tried and liked. I start my journey with the most popular one. Boiled Water.
How could a recipe for boiled water be the favorite of so many people (734 votes as of this writing)? I was going to get to the bottom of this. This isn’t really a review of the app itself (I’ll save that for a later time), but, a recipe review. And, here we go.
The recipe is described as “a Mediterranean classic” that is almost as simple as boiling water. As it turns out that isn’t too far from the truth. Here’s what you’ll need to make this quick and easy recipe.
Ingredients
6-10 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 Bay Leaf
4 cups water
1/4 cup, Olive Oil
4 Slices French Bread
1/2 cup, freshly grated Parmesan, Pecorino or Romano cheese
Chopped parsley for garnish
Method
In a large saucepan or small stockpot add water, bay leaf, garlic and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover partially and reduce heat to very low. Low enough for the cooking liquid to boil gently. Boil for 15 minutes.
In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. When heated add the bread slices. Brown on both sides, turning once for a total of about 5 minutes.
When bread has browned, place in bowls and top with grated cheese. Strain solids from the soup and pour into the bowls. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve.
Serves 4
This really could not have been easier to make. I poured my broth over the cheese topped bread. I figured this would melt the cheese a little.
There were a couple of issues that came up. First when you add the bread to the skillet, side one soaks up 90 percent of the oil in the pan. This leaves no oil for toasting the second side. The recipe suggests using slightly stale bread. That may help a little with that problem.
Second, The bread turns soft and broth soaked rather quickly, not a problem really just more of an observation. I liked the texture of the mushy bread. It gave the soup a little more body.
I was surprised at how much flavor this recipe actually had given the few ingredients that it contains. It really has a lot of depth to it. A pleasant surprise.
When we finished slurping, all of my tasters agreed that this would make an excellent first course for a roast chicken dinner. Nice and light, but, more than enough taste to carry the dish.
If this is what boiled water tastes like then I’ll make sure and keep a pot on the stove!
Next on my iPhone recipe hit list is Marks’s Meatloaf.
Tags: Bittman, garlic, iphone, Mark Bittman, soup
A lot of people start their day out with a glass of some type of fruit juice. Orange, grapefruit and tomato seem to be the most popular choices. Let’s get one thing straight, I am not a purist. Well, I might be on some things, fruit juice is not among them.
When I cruise though the grocery aisles I tend to pick up something that says new. OK, I said it. I’m one of those people. Packaging gets my attention.
I was making my way through the refrigerated section of my local supermarket the other day when one of those packages jumped off the shelf at me. Simply Orange with Mango.
I’m a lover of the other Simply Orange products so this one seemed like an easy choice. Their medium pulp OJ is the closest I’ve found to the real deal.
My wife’s birthday was a few days ago, so, I figured what would go better with her birthday Eggs Benedict than a chilled glass of orange/mango. I thought it would make the meal a little more special.
It pours great out of the container. A little thicker than straight orange (as you would expect). I bought a no pulp version because it was the only option available. I would have preferred a juice with some pulp in it. I think it makes it taste more like natures version and gives it a little texture.
The juice tasted great. I little heavy on the mango side, but, still very drinkable. I good change of pace from a straight OJ. We had some with and without ice. No real difference there.
If you were a smoothie drinker this would be an awesome substitute for orange juice in a frozen drink. Some ice cubes, a banana, some frozen fruit, fat free vanilla yogurt and a splash of the orange/mango juice would be fantastic.
The Bottom Line: This new Simply Orange product is a nice change from the everyday routine. Great over ice and even better in your favorite blended smoothly.
Tags: breakfast, juices, mango, Orange Juice, Reviews
Everybody likes pretzels, right? I don’t think I know many (or any) people who outright reject this versatile snack food. The thing about pretzels is that you can usually find a flavor, shape or size that fits most tastes.
There are rods, sticks, nubs and twists. Enjoy sourdough, honey mustard, Cajun or whole wheat. You can even get one brand that has a pretzel on one side and a cracker on the other. Like I said, something for everyone.
Even though there are virtually an endless variety of pretzels types available today, we’re here to talk about one in particular. Salty Stix. The H.K. Anderson Bakery’s ultrathin, pretzel treat.
These particular pretzels are super thin and crispy. Each little stick is covered in just enough salt to make you want just one more. Now I have to admit, given my choice between salty or sweet, I’m going salty every single time. So, I may be a little pre-disposed to loving these tiny treats.
It says on the box that H.K. Anderson has been making pretzels since 1888. It also says that Benjamin Harrison was our President way back then. I wonder if he ever had the chance to chase down a bowl of Salty Stix with an ice cold Saranac Beer? Hey, even the President needs a snack break.
The Bottom Line: OK, here’s lowdown. H.K. Anderson’s Salty Stix are at the top of my pretzel scale. They’re addicting actually. If you sit down with a full box (or at least if I do), half will be gone before you can even make it the fridge for a beverage. If you’re watching a movie, forget it. You may need a backup box.
There is only one problem with Salty Stix. They are not that easy to find. Wal-Mart stores that have grocery section are a pretty good bet. If you really want to give them a try and you’re having a tough time finding a retail outlet, you can order on line by clicking here.
Tags: H.K. Anderson, pretzels, product review, snacks
Does your town have it’s own locally distilled rum? Mine does. Check out these bottles of Siesta Key Rum. Made right here in sunny Sarasota by Drum Circle Distillery, this rum is guaranteed to bring out the best in any drink. Light and smooth, but still full flavored. Perfect on the rocks on a nice summer day or as a mixer in your favorite drink.
Tags: mixed drinks, rum, sarasota, siesta key
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