Slashfood

Capsaicin kills prostate cancer cells

Keith McDuffee — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 11:29:00 EST

Gather 'round, men, for the spicy food cook-off. You don't want to miss this one; it could save your life.

Capsaicin, the chemical in hot peppers (particularly cayenne and habenero) that makes them hot, literally stops prostate cancer cells in their tracks. Really. They actually commit suicide (apoptosis), leading to an eighty percent reduction in the size of the tumors compared with the mice spared from the hot stuff.

This is great news, but not really a surprise that the cancer cells commit suicide when exposed to the capsaicin. After all, haven't there been times you've wanted to kill yourself when eating those nuclear-hot buffalo wings or that seven-alarm chili? Makes perfect sense to me.

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Slashfood Ate (8): Things to do with leftover cilantro

Keith McDuffee — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 11:13:00 EST

Filed under: Slashfood Ate, Ingredients

It has happened to all of us at one time or another. You needed to buy fresh cilantro (or as some call it, coriander) for one recipe, that called for a tablespoon or so, and now you have this giant bunch of cilantro rotting in your fridge. How can you let such a special herb go to waste? Here are eight fun things we do with our leftover cilantro.

1. Add to homemade ginger lime salad dressing -- just lime juice, cider vinegar, ginger, olive oil, a splash of sesame oil and fresh cilantro, all to taste.

2. Blend into hummus, either homemade or store-bought, with a bit of cumin. Voila -- instant clash of the ethnic flavors, but all in good fun.

3. Slow cook eggplant, chick peas, garlic and onions in a can or two of diced tomatoes, with cumin, coriander and cinnamon. Sprinkle on cilantro and crispy onions and garlic before serving.

Continue reading Slashfood Ate (8): Things to do with leftover cilantro

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Heinz holiday ketchup packets

Keith McDuffee — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 10:04:00 EST

Filed under: Food Oddities, Ingredients

If the media hasn't overdosed you with enough holiday spirit this year, maybe you'll get your fill at a fast food restaurant.

Heinz has released a limited edition set of holiday ketchup packets sure to set your holiday spirits soaring. Or at least to inspire some collectors. Or burger lovers. Or Santa Claus. Someone will appreciate them, I am sure.

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A new venue for Cheetos

Keith McDuffee — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 09:02:00 EST

Filed under: Food Oddities

I hesitated to even write this post up for Slashfood, as I am not sure that Cheetos qualify as food, but I digress . . .

Yep, there is now a Cheetos lip balm. For those of you who can't get enough of that lip-smackin' orange cheesy taste, you can now wear it on your lips 'round the clock. What's next, Doritos lip balm (with Cool Ranch flavor)? Can someone please tell me what would posses someone to want to rub some of this on their lips?

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Tab, Tab Cola: Energy for beautiful people

Keith McDuffee — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 19:04:49 EST

Filed under: Pop Food

Ah, memory lane. Remember those Tab Cola commercials? Tab, you're beautiful to me. Well, nostalgia, step aside and make room for the new and improved Tab Cola, complete with a new recipe, boasting extra caffeine. The reinvented cult classic comes in a retro extra-slim can to make it attractive to young women.

What's next? Doublemint Gum with a little extra punch of green tea? Or maybe they'll just sell it in a Mork and Mindy lunchbox.

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Food Oddities: Shitake mushroom log

Keith McDuffee — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 10:55:37 EST

Filed under: Farming, Vegetarian, Food Oddities, Ingredients

Now I have seen it all. I have heard of growing your own 'shrooms, but apparently the hippies of yesteryear have gone gourmet. Here is a shitake mushroom log that will produce mushrooms for years, every eight to twelve weeks. The pros? How about delicious shitake mushrooms at your fingertips, whenever you have the urge to throw them into pasta, decorate a pizza with them or make some kind of amazing spring roll ala Ming Tsai. The cons? If you have the slightly browned thumb as opposed to the green thumb needed to care for this log, you won't end up with many mushrooms. I also wonder if it would yield enough to really use them for cooking.

All in all, a pretty fun idea for the gourmet who has it all.

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Grilled Wheat Gluten Free Pesto Sausage and Goat Cheese Pizza

Keith McDuffee — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 16:01:49 EST

Filed under: Pizza Day, Methods

Back in July, I posted a small round-up of my own on wheat-gluten free pizza doughs. If you're not up to trying the non-wheat variety, you're sort-of missing out when it comes to grilling. I've had better luck using gluten-free dough on my grill than the standard pizza dough, as it shrinks less, retains more of that grill smoky flavor, and has the perfect crunch.

Continue reading Grilled Wheat Gluten Free Pesto Sausage and Goat Cheese Pizza

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Yes, we'll have no bananas?

Keith McDuffee — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 19:34:39 EST

Filed under: Science, Ingredients

Here's a little known fact for you. "Cavendish" is the name of the variety of banana you most often see on the shelves of your supermarket, but that wasn't always the case. Up until a fungus called "Panama disease" struck banana producing countries in the 1960's, the "Gros Michel" was the common variety. The disease wiped out almost all harvests of the Gros Michel variety, causing a scramble for a replacement, the Cavendish. Now a new Panama disease-like fungus is seriously threatening the Cavendish, possibly causing us to see another replacement in the future. Popular Science has a lengthy article up on the possible extinction of what Chiquita says is "quite possibly the world's perfect food."

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Drool vicariously on the web if you can't eat out tonight

Keith McDuffee — Mon, 12 Sep 2005 17:05:30 EST

Filed under: Chefs & Restaurants, Restaurants

As a Bostonian, I have certainly taken advantage of the multitudes of amazing restaurants in my fine city and surrounding 'burbs. But with a nine month old baby, my wife and I don't eat out like we used to, unless it is take out at a local restaurant or sushi bar.

Occasionally, I like to drool at bostonchefs.com. Not only are the restaurants and chefs listed, but the menus are all online along with photos of the culinary creations. Tonight, I think I'll have some of the Yellowfin Tuna Trio from No. 9 Park to start, followed by the Grilled Lamb and Apricot Skewer from Casablanca. For dessert, it will have to be the Chocolate Bliss for Two from Finale. I sure hope my wife is free for dinner. If you haven't noticed, one of the perks of eating out on the internet is that you can vicariously indulge in different courses from different restaurants. Yum.

Incidentally, they have sites for many major cities. When my wife and I traveled to Chicago a few years ago, we used the site to find restaurants in the windy city, and we didn't have a bad meal the entire trip.

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Food Oddities: Hoops Donuts

Keith McDuffee — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 13:49:19 EST

Filed under: Food Oddities, Chefs & Restaurants, Restaurants

What is it these days with wasabi-ing everything? I was in Trader Joes the other day, and there are bags of wasabi coated things I'd never thought of. Wasabi pretzels. Wasabi chips. Wasabi peas! Just when I thought it couldn't get stranger, here comes Hoops Donuts which has, among other strange flavors, wasabi donuts (though they are not listed on their website, as far as I can tell). Unfortunately they're only located in the Philippines right now. Wait a minute... they have coffee dipped donuts?! I'm making a Homer Simpson yummy sound right about now.

[via Strange New Products]

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Man cannot live on tomatoes alone...or can he?

Keith McDuffee — Thu, 08 Sep 2005 15:15:23 EST

Filed under: Ingredients

Don't you just love having your own garden? The tomatoes somehow taste that much sweeter when they are grown with your own hand. And that's a good thing, because if you have a good healthy garden this year like I do, you'll be eating a lot of them.

Around our house, we have gotten creative with the tomatoes lately. We really don't even feel like we are eating tomatoes every night because we have prepared them so differently. Here is what we did tonight for dinner.

Continue reading Man cannot live on tomatoes alone...or can he?

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Breakfast Cinnamon-Raisin Apple Grilled Goat Cheese

Keith McDuffee — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 07:04:46 EST

Filed under: Alt-SlashFood, Grilled Cheese Day, Ingredients, Methods

As I've said before, my wife and son both have food allergies that force us to be creative with our meals. The grilled cheese assignment was definitely one I had to think about for a while, as they're cow dairy and wheat intolerant. Originally I thought I'd make a simple Ezekiel bread grilled goat cheese, but no, I wanted more. Behold, the wheat flour-free, cow dairy-free, Breakfast Cinnamon-Raisin Apple Grilled Goat Cheese.

Continue reading Breakfast Cinnamon-Raisin Apple Grilled Goat Cheese

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Alt-SlashFood: Pineapple Upside Down Cake turned upside down

Keith McDuffee — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 20:24:51 EST

Filed under: Alt-SlashFood

We know you've been waiting for it: How to turn a pineapple upside down cake into a nearly guilt-free dessert and still have it taste good with a few simple substitutions. Our Blond Brownie recipe was a hit, so now sink your teeth into this revamped cake recipe.

Continue reading Alt-SlashFood: Pineapple Upside Down Cake turned upside down

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An egg is an egg is ... ground flax seed?

Keith McDuffee — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 12:02:40 EST

Filed under: Vegetarian, Vegan, Alt-SlashFood, Methods

If you are allergic to eggs but love food, you've got a predicament. Baked goods, custards, quiches, all rely on eggs to make them delicious.

Got a hankerin' for a sweet chocolate treat? Veganmania has a list of egg substitutes that are good enough to eat. When we made brownies using a banana and applesauce in place of eggs, even the non-alternative eating crowd in my wife's family went back for seconds and thirds. Who doesn't love a good brownie, even with no eggs?

We also tried pancakes with the suggestion of ground flax seeds simmered in water and they were actually wonderful. The addition of sunflower seeds, fresh blueberries and flavorful grade B maple syrup didn't hurt, either.

Next up? Maybe a tofu quiche ... ?

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Food Oddities: Skinny Water

Keith McDuffee — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 11:06:39 EST

Filed under: Food Oddities, Drink Recipes

So you're looking to cut back on your caloric intake. First you stopped drinking sugary sodas, then went to diet sodas, but that wasn't good enough. So you replaced sodas with fruit juices, then fruit juices with water. Still not good enough for you? Enter Skinny Water, a "Super CitriMax" water that supposedly helps suppress the body's appetite, increase metabolism, and block carbohydrate absorption if drank 30-60 minutes before each meal. For those looking to put on some extra weight, I hear "Fat Water" will be available at convenience stores next year.

[via Strange New Products]

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Food Oddities: Fancy Bibs

Keith McDuffee — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 17:06:00 EST

Filed under: Food Oddities

What I don't understand about the website for Fancy Bibs is why they seem to be targeting the elderly with their products. Sure, statistically, the elderly are more prone to suffering strokes which can lead to shaky hands, but I've dropped that damn meatball on my shirt just as many times as the next ~~slob~~ person. Unfortunately, the available styles are only appropriate for lumberjacks.

[via Strange New Products]

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Food Oddities: Steven Seagal's Lightning Bolt Energy Drink

Keith McDuffee — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 10:15:19 EST

Filed under: Food Oddities

"I have traveled the world creating this drink; there is none better that I know. I have included in this drink everything I could to strengthen the body." -- Steven Segal

Steven Seagal's Lightning Bolt Energy Drink's description reads like one of Segal's movie characters might spout off, right before he snaps your wrist and kicks the crap out of you. You have to admit, having Segal as a spokesperson for an energy drink seems a lot more convincing than a fat gamer sitting in front of an XBox would. Among the drink's unique ingredients is Asian Cordyceps, "one of the most rare and treasured herbs used in Chinese and Tibetan medicine for thousands of years." Tell me, how can something be rare and be used for thousands of years, nevermind being available for a mass produced energy drink? Look for this on the shelves of your favorite Tibetan grocer on September 8.

[via Strange New Products]

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Hacking Food: Windshield shade solar funnel cooker

Keith McDuffee — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 15:53:41 EST

Filed under: Science, Hacking Food, Methods

So you're looking for yet another creative way to cook food in the great outdoors. Liquid oxygen is too dangerous, burning wood is mean to the trees, and propane is so passé. Got a reflective accordion-folding car sunshade, velcro and a black cooking pot? Well then, my friend, you're in luck.

Be sure to check out all the other plans those crazy cats of Solar Cookers International have up as well.

[via Hack A Day]

Related:
Solar Cooking

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Top 25 food hacks

Keith McDuffee — Fri, 19 Aug 2005 11:31:00 EST

Filed under: Science, Hacking Food

Here are 25 ways we humans show we can't ever be satisfied with the "usual" ways of preparing, cooking and even eating our food. Make it yourself. Do it yourself. Hack it yourself. There's something for everyone here.

Continue reading Top 25 food hacks

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LifeStraw: Drinkable water for one year for two dollars

Keith McDuffee — Wed, 17 Aug 2005 13:36:36 EST

Filed under: Science, Drink Recipes

It's likely you've seen or at least heard of the small portable water purifications systems meant for campers looking for potable water when their canteens have run dry. Some of those units can run you $80 a pop, so they're not really for everyone. It's especially not feasible to outfit one of these to each of the billion people in the world living without clean, safe drinking water every day. Enter the LifeStraw, a small plastic pipe filter developed to filter out much of the common waterborne bacteria that bring on disease. Each unit is capable of filtering one person's water supply for an entire year before needing replacement. If purchased singly, each LifeStraw costs about $2, so it stands to reason these would run much cheaper if bought in much larger quantities. It will be interesting to see if any large-scale efforts to outfit people with these devices will crop up in the near future.

[via GizMag]

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