Thursday, January 17, 2008
Fast Food
To all of you who frequent LAX and know the awesome power that In-N-Out Burger holds over every Southwesterner like the Sword of Damocles, there is now a shuttle to the nearest In-N-Out location if you ever get laid over LAX.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
This Week in Food
What's in Season?
- broccoli
- brussels sprouts
- butternut squash
- collard greens
- fennel
- leeks
- potatoes
- sweet potatoes
- turnips
- grapefruit
- kiwi
- oranges
- tangerines
- duck
- venison
- quail
- rabbit
- clams
- crab
- oysters
- mussels
- scallops
++++++++++
Anthony Bourdain's feature in The Onion AV Club pays special attention to his show, No Reservations, as well as some aspects of his personal life. The most interesting thing was how he, like the rest of America and real cooking, wanted to slap Sandra Lee upside the head because of that god-awful show she has on the Food Network.
++++++++++
Also in The Onion AV Club, Patton Oswalt eats his way (painfully) through a KFC Famous Bowl. In one of Oswalt's earlier comedy bits he refers to the fast-food product as a "failure pile in a sadness bowl." (It's not really that far from the truth.) A definite must-read if you need a laugh this afternoon.
++++++++++
Michael Pollan's new book, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, is a wonderful addendum to his previous opus, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. Designed to empower us into eating better as a society and as a Culture, Pollan's mantra, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants," is summed up well in a three-section book in a treatise against nutritionism and reductionist science when it comes to one of the most essential survival tools: eating.
Pollan sets a few guidelines regarding how we should go about eating better, keeping in mind that old adage of "quality over quantity" that Americans seem to have all but forgotten. One particular fun "rule" sounds good to us: he advises that we should have a glass of wine with dinner. We raise a toast to that.
We hope you pick up your copy soon.
++++++++++
The vodka experiment is finally in motion. We'll keep you posted on our adventures.
- broccoli
- brussels sprouts
- butternut squash
- collard greens
- fennel
- leeks
- potatoes
- sweet potatoes
- turnips
- grapefruit
- kiwi
- oranges
- tangerines
- duck
- venison
- quail
- rabbit
- clams
- crab
- oysters
- mussels
- scallops
++++++++++
Anthony Bourdain's feature in The Onion AV Club pays special attention to his show, No Reservations, as well as some aspects of his personal life. The most interesting thing was how he, like the rest of America and real cooking, wanted to slap Sandra Lee upside the head because of that god-awful show she has on the Food Network.
++++++++++
Also in The Onion AV Club, Patton Oswalt eats his way (painfully) through a KFC Famous Bowl. In one of Oswalt's earlier comedy bits he refers to the fast-food product as a "failure pile in a sadness bowl." (It's not really that far from the truth.) A definite must-read if you need a laugh this afternoon.
++++++++++
Michael Pollan's new book, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, is a wonderful addendum to his previous opus, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. Designed to empower us into eating better as a society and as a Culture, Pollan's mantra, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants," is summed up well in a three-section book in a treatise against nutritionism and reductionist science when it comes to one of the most essential survival tools: eating.
Pollan sets a few guidelines regarding how we should go about eating better, keeping in mind that old adage of "quality over quantity" that Americans seem to have all but forgotten. One particular fun "rule" sounds good to us: he advises that we should have a glass of wine with dinner. We raise a toast to that.
We hope you pick up your copy soon.
++++++++++
The vodka experiment is finally in motion. We'll keep you posted on our adventures.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
The Vodka-Infusing Experiment, Part One
We here at OSF have just acquired six wonderful four-ounce mason jars for experimentation with infusing vodka. Pray tell the commercialization of these spirits have already clouded the perception of many but, food purists as we are, we've decided to try our hand in infusing some not-so-common flavors; i.e. flavors that haven't been bottled for mass consumption.
And the flavor assignments are as follows:
Salami. - This was borne from seeing a lack of savory vodka flavors on the shelf of our friendly neighborhood bar, and we were hankering for a dirty martini with a little extra 'oomph.' We've tested on salami before on a smaller scale, and were very impressed with the results, but in a full-blown martini we're hoping this lives up to its expectations.
Black Pepper. - Black pepper would make for a very spicy vodka, not just because of its inherent pungency but also because of its oil content. These oils enhance that bouquet and flavor, but we're experimenting to see if it's more astringent than that chili pepper vodka we see all over the place. And don't get us started on the Bloody Mary.
Basil-Garlic. - We're interested to see this just for its versatility in cooking. How many Italian recipes do you come across with basil and garlic? And to produce a cream sauce that will be white but taste of basil would surely be amazing.
Melon. - Sure, there's Midori in its alien green, but a true melon vodka, just hinting at a light, subtly sweet, punchy alcoholic beverage? We're on a quest. Just think of a prosciutto garnish on that martini.
Star Anise. - The star of Chinese five-spice, this darling should be a shoo-in for the winner, if the smell is indicative of its flavor. None of us here have had star anise in huge quantities, but it sure seems appealing enough for us to make a yummy drink out of it.
Honey-Oat. - We're a little skeptical at this, but if it pulls off, it'll be an amazing thing to have in our repertoire. Breakfast cereals step aside: let's drink breakfast instead!
Thanks to the thread boards at Yelp NY! We'll keep you all posted as to what's going on with our vodka, and the video of part one should be up shortly on our YouTube anchor.
And the flavor assignments are as follows:
Salami. - This was borne from seeing a lack of savory vodka flavors on the shelf of our friendly neighborhood bar, and we were hankering for a dirty martini with a little extra 'oomph.' We've tested on salami before on a smaller scale, and were very impressed with the results, but in a full-blown martini we're hoping this lives up to its expectations.
Black Pepper. - Black pepper would make for a very spicy vodka, not just because of its inherent pungency but also because of its oil content. These oils enhance that bouquet and flavor, but we're experimenting to see if it's more astringent than that chili pepper vodka we see all over the place. And don't get us started on the Bloody Mary.
Basil-Garlic. - We're interested to see this just for its versatility in cooking. How many Italian recipes do you come across with basil and garlic? And to produce a cream sauce that will be white but taste of basil would surely be amazing.
Melon. - Sure, there's Midori in its alien green, but a true melon vodka, just hinting at a light, subtly sweet, punchy alcoholic beverage? We're on a quest. Just think of a prosciutto garnish on that martini.
Star Anise. - The star of Chinese five-spice, this darling should be a shoo-in for the winner, if the smell is indicative of its flavor. None of us here have had star anise in huge quantities, but it sure seems appealing enough for us to make a yummy drink out of it.
Honey-Oat. - We're a little skeptical at this, but if it pulls off, it'll be an amazing thing to have in our repertoire. Breakfast cereals step aside: let's drink breakfast instead!
Thanks to the thread boards at Yelp NY! We'll keep you all posted as to what's going on with our vodka, and the video of part one should be up shortly on our YouTube anchor.
Monday, January 7, 2008
The YumYum Revolution is Underway.
Welcome, everyone!
We are Foodie Yum Yum. We're foodies committed to educating the masses about what they're eating and why it's important. Besides the obvious fact that food is necessary for survival, we believe that food is culturally important, should be respected, tastes delicious, and nourishes the soul.
Food is necessary for survival for all mankind; without it, and without our knowledge of cultivating it properly, the human race as we know it would still be chasing giant mammals and risking getting eaten by creatures with sharp claws and big teeth.
Food is culturally important in many different ways. A vegetable can change the world, as Cézanne once said: "The day is coming when a carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution." The tomato forever changed the landscape of Italian cuisine. Tariffs on tea began an outrage and eventually the American Revolution. The Chinese wedding ceremony centers around a plentiful banquet. As a society, we've even awarded people who can eat the most hotdogs in a twelve minute period. Food ties us all, as we all need to eat; it's this expression of ourselves as individuals that makes the varieties on food exciting and tasty.
Food should be respected because of its power and because of where it comes from. You are what you eat. The way food gets to you and the way you get food should be fair to the earth, the workers, and the future. There are myriad ways that this process can go sour, from bad agribusiness to horrible migrant labor conditions, but for the price we pay to get an apple for under a dollar, we should pay attention to the consequences of those actions. If it's better for the environment that we buy the local apples versus the organic ones flown in from somewhere else, the choice should be easy.
Food tastes delicious. There is no question about it that there's no good excuse for enjoying every bite that passes our lips; food is a memory that lasts. You'll always have a favorite ice cream flavor or a favorite fruit, and that's because you enjoy those things that have that delicious quality to them.
Food nourishes the soul when we gather around a table and enjoy good company. When we open a bottle of wine to be enjoyed in a moment of sensory and sensual bliss, that experience stays with us. Many pivotal scenes in books and cinema, sometimes without even knowing, focus on the interaction of people around food. Food is then not only a necessity but a comfort, a luxury per se.
Once again, welcome. We'll be adding more posts and uploading some videos on our YouTube anchor, so stay tuned. You'll be glad you did.
We are Foodie Yum Yum. We're foodies committed to educating the masses about what they're eating and why it's important. Besides the obvious fact that food is necessary for survival, we believe that food is culturally important, should be respected, tastes delicious, and nourishes the soul.
Food is necessary for survival for all mankind; without it, and without our knowledge of cultivating it properly, the human race as we know it would still be chasing giant mammals and risking getting eaten by creatures with sharp claws and big teeth.
Food is culturally important in many different ways. A vegetable can change the world, as Cézanne once said: "The day is coming when a carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution." The tomato forever changed the landscape of Italian cuisine. Tariffs on tea began an outrage and eventually the American Revolution. The Chinese wedding ceremony centers around a plentiful banquet. As a society, we've even awarded people who can eat the most hotdogs in a twelve minute period. Food ties us all, as we all need to eat; it's this expression of ourselves as individuals that makes the varieties on food exciting and tasty.
Food should be respected because of its power and because of where it comes from. You are what you eat. The way food gets to you and the way you get food should be fair to the earth, the workers, and the future. There are myriad ways that this process can go sour, from bad agribusiness to horrible migrant labor conditions, but for the price we pay to get an apple for under a dollar, we should pay attention to the consequences of those actions. If it's better for the environment that we buy the local apples versus the organic ones flown in from somewhere else, the choice should be easy.
Food tastes delicious. There is no question about it that there's no good excuse for enjoying every bite that passes our lips; food is a memory that lasts. You'll always have a favorite ice cream flavor or a favorite fruit, and that's because you enjoy those things that have that delicious quality to them.
Food nourishes the soul when we gather around a table and enjoy good company. When we open a bottle of wine to be enjoyed in a moment of sensory and sensual bliss, that experience stays with us. Many pivotal scenes in books and cinema, sometimes without even knowing, focus on the interaction of people around food. Food is then not only a necessity but a comfort, a luxury per se.
Once again, welcome. We'll be adding more posts and uploading some videos on our YouTube anchor, so stay tuned. You'll be glad you did.
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