We’ve had this discussion before, but the NY Times is now on the ball.
Food
Jamie Oliver Can SUCK. ON. THIS…
This is just what we needed:
Last August, we wrote about the “Double Down,” a mysteriously tempting (and potentialy lethal) new food item being tested by KFC. For those coming late to the story, it’s bacon and cheese sandwiched between two pieces of fried chicken. And now, many months later, I’ll finally be able to get my hands on one.
KFC announced the decision to go live with the Double Down yesterday, but we weren’t sure they weren’t playing a April Fools gag. But no, they truly are going nationwide with the delicacy on April 12.
This is excellent news for… cardiologists.
Open Thread: Thursday Night Menu
Take it away, Bad Horse’s Filly:
I hadn’t made the poppy seed cake in a while and since I love poppy seed cake and raspberries, I thought I’d go ahead and recipe test it once again before tonight’s menu went up. I know, I know, the things I do for you guys. Decided to take most of it into work today and since there is none left, I’m going to declare this one a success.
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On the board tonight:__
1. Lemon-Nut Pork Chops
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2. Baked Potatoes
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3. Steamed Asparagus
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4. Raspberry Poppy Seed Cake
Recipes and shopping list at the link, as always.
Charlie Vergos RIP
We’ve had a lot of discussions of barbecue here, but I didn’t know this about the origins of Memphis dry rub:
Mr. Vergos, whose parents immigrated to the United States from Greece, opened the Rendezvous in 1948, selling ham and cheese sandwiches and beer. His signature pork ribs, charcoal-grilled, basted with vinegar and sprinkled with what has come to be known, in popular parlance, as dry rub, came later, around 1954 or 1955.
When barbecue obsessives talk about the dry rub style, often referenced as the Memphis style, they’re talking about the style that Mr. Vergos forged, by sprinkling ribs with his variation on a Greek seasoning mix.
Random food blogging
Since it’s a Friday night, I thought it would be appropriate to end with this, rather than with all the heath care/Middle East/priests-gone-wild Sturm und Drang….
Some of you were making fun of the Times article on breakfast tacos in Austin the other day. I agree that it was stupid. First off, it’s really news that people in Texas eat tacos for breakfast? Secondly, breakfast tacos just aren’t that exciting and it’s a waste to go to Austin just to eat them, especially since Austin has such a great food scene. Finally, at a certain point, there has been one too many articles in Times about hipsters eating ethnic food. I guess it beats another article about the not-quite-rich-enough.
By chance, I was actually in Austin when I read the article, visiting a friend and speaking to some people I work with at UT. My friend and I did a bit of a whirwind food tour. I apologize in advance if I sound at all like Megan McArdle here…
Vespaio and Garrido’s were fantastic. Taqueria El Meson, Fonda San Miguel, and Sagra were very good. Lambert’s was okay (it was better the other times I’ve gone and it’s a fun place anyway). Mansion at Judges’ Hill was truly awful (though the hotel, which is where I stayed, is very nice).
Probably the single most delicious thing I had was the pizza at Vespaio, the best pizza I’ve ever had, but my favorite place was Garrido’s. I liked it better than the legendary Fonda San Miguel, even though the mole at the FSM was amazing. Garrido’s served things like fried oyster tacos and a torta made with pork milanese. The flavorings were all traditional, but the level of spice was more just so, the combinations were unusual, and the food was lighter. Also, it wasn’t at all expensive (10 bucks a person plus tax, tips, drinks).
I guess people describe the style as “nuevo Tex Mex”. Have any of you been to places that do stuff in this style? I don’t mean the whole southwestern chipotle-marinated bullshit, I mean regular Mexican food given a more modern treatment. I would eat that kind of food everyday if I could find it.
Tasty Treats
I just made a little trail mix with some dried fruits (cranberries, cherries, and raisins) and some almonds and other assorted nuts with a little touch of dried coconut flakes, and I threw in a little crystallized ginger, and I have to say, it really kicks up the trail mix a bit! It might not be for everybody, but it added a zip to an otherwise sweet/sour and umami dominated mix.
I liked it a lot, in other words!
*** Update ***
Damnit to hell. Crystallized ginger. Why must every random open thread have a c-object? I’m not trying to do this, folks, I swear.
Another Open Thread
New Southland tonight on TNT, for those of you who are interested (10 pm EST).
Also, I saw this smoothie on Good Eats last night, made one today, and it was delicious. Anyone have an estimate of how many calories are in it? Trying to regain my girlish figure (or at least acquire one that looks less like Rosie O’Donnell) after sitting on my ass for six weeks.