Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com/media/feed_logo.gif Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/My CuppaTea color codes your coffeehttp://www.slashfood.com/2007/09/17/my-cuppatea-color-codes-your-coffee/http://www.slashfood.com/2007/09/17/my-cuppatea-color-codes-your-coffee/http://www.slashfood.com/2007/09/17/my-cuppatea-color-codes-your-coffee/#commentsFiled under: , ,

mycuppatea mugsIt's just a matter of time before MyCuppaTea takes its rightful place on my kitchen counter. Finally, a coffee cup that understands that no one in his or her under-caffeinated mind thinks of adding one or two exacting teaspoons of milk to one's coffee. In my pre-java, pre-verbal state, all I do is pour enough milk to create a cozy, very con leche brew. It's all blind pourpourpour -- stir, then slowly sip to wakefulness. Gizmodo found this mug from that subscribes to the PANTONE school of coffee coloration. Now you can gauge your coffee-milk ratio by a burnt sienna for Just Tea to a bisque for Milky. While taking my coffee black would probably add a certain edgy elegance, I land somewhere just this side of Classic British. Just enough milk to blanket a bold French Roast without taming it.

I'd love to see the PANTONE principle adopted in other culinary realms from meat -- "I'd like my steak done Flamingo" -- to baked goods -- "Those cookies should be Mojave Sand not Colorado Timber!" -- to vegetables -- "Shouldn't broccoli florets come out a little more Lily Pad and a lot less Algae?".

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]]>beveragescoffeedrinksmugsserving wareServingWareKara SirmansMon, 17 Sep 2007 15:50:00 ESTPart cat, part fish, all goodhttp://www.slashfood.com/2007/08/28/part-cat-part-fish-all-good/http://www.slashfood.com/2007/08/28/part-cat-part-fish-all-good/http://www.slashfood.com/2007/08/28/part-cat-part-fish-all-good/#commentsFiled under:

catfishYou've seen it laying about at the fish counter in the grocery store -- don't pretend you haven't. But while you were busy averting your gaze, you've been missing one of the holy of holies of southern cooking: catfish.

August is National Catfish Month and if you've turned up your nose at this surprisingly healthy (and easy to get fresh) fish, you're just being -- as my sorta-Southern mama would say -- uppity. Fried catfish is nearly as iconic as hush pups, sweet tea and pulled pork. Now the Catfish Institute is trying to dust off its second-class seafood image and go national. Fittingly enough, Iron Chef Cat Cora has signed on as its celebrity chef spokesperson. I haven't made any of her recipes but coconut catfish can never be a bad thing.

Catfish has long been a secret weapon in my cooking arsenal. I stopped telling people which fish they were eating until after the initial "Really?!" This is usually followed by a request for the recipe. My version (cobbled together from various sources) starts by marinating it in beer (Dixie would be appropriate, don't you think?) for 30 minutes, dredge in flour, cracker or cornmeal spiked with Zatarain's or another seafood seasoning mix, lay fillets in a medium-hot greased pan top-down, flip about 3-4 minutes (depending on the size of your fillet). You end up with a lightly zingy crust that melts into a firm white fish that has just a little bit of tang from behind the bar. Dress it up with cheese grits and cucumber salad or down with corn sticks and fried okra. Guess which I suggest? For hardcore fans, this recipe from Soul Food and Southern Cooking is a good place to start.

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]]>catfishfishfriedsouthern cookingSouthernCookingKara SirmansTue, 28 Aug 2007 12:45:00 ESTCan't pronounce "caipirinha," but it sure tastes goodhttp://www.slashfood.com/2007/08/17/cant-pronounce-caipirinha-but-it-sure-tastes-good/http://www.slashfood.com/2007/08/17/cant-pronounce-caipirinha-but-it-sure-tastes-good/http://www.slashfood.com/2007/08/17/cant-pronounce-caipirinha-but-it-sure-tastes-good/#comments caipirinha

As cheesesteak is the unofficial food of Philly, or margaritas the drink of a certain Key off Florida, this cocktail is the patron saint of posh lubricated Brazil. I was thrilled to find it stateside recently with fresh variations on this classic quencher.

Caipirinha (KYE-puh-reen-ah) is made from cachaca, sugar and a whole lotta limes. I first encountered it in hotel bar in Sao Paolo this summer, a Casablanca moment if there ever was one. The bartender scooped sugar into the bottom of a low ball, pulverized ripe limes on top of it, tumbled cubes on top and finished it off with a staggering pour of cachaca, a cousin on rum made from sugar cane in Brazil. One drink was enough to put a golden bossa nova glaze over the rest of the afternoon.

Chow has a recipe for the classic here. But new variations include other crushed fresh fruits including raspberries, pineapple and watermelon. My personal favorite is the strawberry with basil which has a garden fresh taste with of sweet fruit and gentle herb. A blackberry agave variation though could be next on the list.

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]]>Kara SirmansFri, 17 Aug 2007 15:26:00 EST