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/Pom Iced Coffee Consideredhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/04/pom-iced-coffee/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/04/pom-iced-coffee/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/04/pom-iced-coffee/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

bottle of pom iced coffeeAs we've noted, it's iced coffee time, folks. While we can all agree that the best version is that which is freshly brewed, sometimes you've got to make do with what can be grabbed out of the convenience store fridge. Starbucks' Frappuccino is a perennial favorite, and we're fans of their Doubleshot Energy Drink (especially the new Cinnamon Dulce flavor) when caffeine alone isn't quite enough.

Behold, however, a challenge to Starbucks supremacy from Pom Iced Coffee. Far from an unpleasant mix of joe and pomegranate juice (though it does feature a touch of the antioxidant-laced fruit extract), this is one smooth-blended iced coffee drink. The cafe au lait version is delightful, but it is the chocolate that may soon boast the title of best bottled iced coffee, with an addiction-inspiring taste reminiscent of a blend of Yoo-Hoo and chocolate Nestle Quik.

The only problem with this cooling nectar? It's only available at select stores and Whole Foods in the Northeast (though bottles have been spied at 99-cent stores on the west coast). If anything were to make a convenience store crawl or a trip to a pricey specialty grocer worth it, it is Pom Chocolate Iced Coffee. So stock up.

Note: Slashfood does not accept compensation of any sort in exchange for reviews.

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]]>antioxidantscaffeinefrappucinoiced coffeeIcedCoffeepompom iced coffeePomIcedCoffeestarbucksLissa Townsend RodgersMon, 04 May 2009 16:00:00 ESTEgg Creamshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/30/egg-creams/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/30/egg-creams/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/30/egg-creams/#commentsFiled under: , ,

junior's egg creamWhy aren't egg creams more popular? They're easy, they're cheap and they're one of the less hazardous methods of getting one's chocolate fix (low-carb fans take note). In New York City, they're practically an official beverage, with such august practitioners as Gem Spa on Second Avenue, Ray's on Avenue A and, of course, Junior's out in Brooklyn. You can even buy an egg cream kit!

This delightful beverage is hard to find beyond Gotham, however, and the few bottled varieties out there simply don't measure up. No, best to mix it up yourself: All you need is about one-half cup of milk, a few tablespoons of chocolate syrup (many swear by Fox's U-Bet, but Hershey's will do in a pinch) and about a cup of seltzer. There is some dispute as to whether to pour the syrup or the milk into your glass first, but mix them up with a long-handled spoon, then add the seltzer straight down the middle. Other flavors can be made by changing up the syrup, although again, the purists would squawk. Don't even go into the squabbles of who invented it or how -- the only thing egg cream fans can agree upon is that we'll have another.

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]]>egg creamEggCreamgem spaGemSpajuniorsnew york cityNewYorkCityraysLissa Townsend RodgersThu, 30 Apr 2009 11:00:00 ESTDairy Queen Midnight Truffle Blizzardhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/27/dairy-queen-midnight-truffle-blizzard/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/27/dairy-queen-midnight-truffle-blizzard/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/27/dairy-queen-midnight-truffle-blizzard/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

DQ BlizzardHooray for the Dairy Queen Blizzard, the dessert that combines ice cream, candy and sometimes even cookies all in one (swiftly melting) creation.

The sweet treat is given even greater pride of place on the DQ menu thanks to its "Blizzard of the Month" feature. Former BoMs have included caramel cheesecake and turtle Oreo (pictured), but it's the divine midnight truffle -- a blend of vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup and truffle bits -- that's enjoying an April shout-out.

If contrasting crunchiness is preferable in the creamy Blizzard, then the softness of the truffle chunks are a bit of a letdown. But if maximum richness is the goal, then their melt-in-your-mouth texture works quite nicely with the smooth chocolatiness of the ice cream. Fight the current heat wave to slurp this sucker down before it turns from a Blizzard into slush.

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]]>blizzardchocolatedairy queenDairyQueendessertice creamIceCreamtruffleLissa Townsend RodgersMon, 27 Apr 2009 15:00:00 ESTMint-Infused Bourbonhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/23/mint-infused-bourbon/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/23/mint-infused-bourbon/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/23/mint-infused-bourbon/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Mason jar of mintWith Derby Day racing round the bend and summer hot on its tail, it's mint julep time. Considering the current rage for infusing one's booze, it's only natural to combine bourbon with mint before the two even hit a glass.

Some folks just toss the two together, steeping a few handfuls of leaves in a glass jar. Here's a slightly more precise recipe: Combine about 2 cups loosely packed mint leaves with 3 cups of bourbon, cap tightly and let sit for 4 to 5 days. If short on time, steep overnight (though another cupful of leaves will be necessary -- perhaps more if a very minty taste is desired). Once the liquor is infused, it's a quick jump to mint julep time: Just mix with simple syrup and pour over crushed ice, no messy muddling required. Some prefer to combine liquor, mint and sugar for an all-in-one infusion, but this mint-only rendition allows more flexibility for various levels of sweet tooths. The concoction also makes for a fine Jack n' Ginger (be wary of bourbon purists!), or an excellent Manhattan.

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]]>bourbonderby dayDerbyDayfeaturedinfusedinfusionliquormintmint julepMintJulepwhiskeyLissa Townsend RodgersThu, 23 Apr 2009 14:00:00 ESTSonic Premium Chicken Sandwicheshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/sonic-premium-chicken-sandwiches/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/sonic-premium-chicken-sandwiches/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/sonic-premium-chicken-sandwiches/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Sonic Neon SignWhen fast food joints decide to expand beyond the burger, the first place they go is typically the chicken sandwich. After all, the kids in the back of the joint can basically do all the same things, just to a different patty. (Why don't the bigwigs just pick fish? Well, you know, the whole tartar sauce issue.)

Sonic Drive-In has recently added two new "premium" chicken sandwiches to its menu: Chicken and chicken bacon ranch. Both come either fried or grilled with an option for a "wheat" bun option (that apparently, per the nutritional details, does not actually contain any whole grain). As far as I can tell the quote-unquote wheat bun and slightly larger size are what make these suckers "premium."

Between the chicken and the bacon ranch chicken, guess which one tastes better? Well, the plain chicken (which I ordered grilled) is just that: Plain. A chicken patty arrives topped with lettuce, tomato and mayo on a less-squishy-than-usual bun. Though it's not that thrilling, at under 500 calories it's one of the less-heinous fast food options out there.

Naturally, the fried version with bacon and ranch dressing is more exciting even if it could use a bit more bacon or another dollop of ranch and you'll have to scurry double-time on the treadmill later. Is it tastier than the other chicken sandwiches on the market? Eh. Sonic falls into the chicken spectrum thusly: Superior to a McChicken, worse than a Carl's Jr. and can't compete at all with chicken-specializing chains like KFC or Popeye's. On my next trip to Sonic I think I'll just stick to burgers and Java Chillers.

Got a fave fast-food chix sandwich that makes the others look like frauds? Let us know in the comments.

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]]>chickendrive-thrufast foodFastFoodpremium chicken sandwichPremiumChickenSandwichsandwichsonicLissa Townsend RodgersTue, 14 Apr 2009 13:00:00 ESTAbsolut Mangohttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/absolut-mango/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/absolut-mango/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/absolut-mango/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

absolut mango bottleAbsolut has added another variety to its line of flavored vodkas: Mango. With its tropical taste and groovy, painterly swirls on the bottle it's a bit surprising that it took until No. 10 for Absolut to add this one to their repertoire.

Or not. After I ordered a mango 'n' tonic at a bar recently, the bartender looked slightly askance and asked if I was "sure," explaining that "a lot of people don't like it."

One taste had me in agreement: As a straight-up shot or with a non-masking mixer like tonic water, Absolut Mango has a peculiar taste. It starts fruity-mango and ends fruity-mango, but there's some strange bit in the middle that sort of flops on the tongue like mango detergent.

This is especially odd since Absolut so adroitly used mango in its New Orleans flavor, but perhaps the hit of black pepper that elevated that vodka above its peers also helped disguise the troubling mango notes (not to mention its super-cool design).

Absolut Mango does work nicely when blended into a cocktail or combined with juice: She's just not a sipper.

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]]>absolutabsolut mangoabsolut vodkaAbsolutMangoAbsolutVodkaflavored vodkasFlavoredVodkasliquormango vodkaMangoVodkavodkaLissa Townsend RodgersMon, 13 Apr 2009 15:00:00 ESTLiquor Cabinet Maintenancehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/24/liquor-cabinet-maintenance/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/24/liquor-cabinet-maintenance/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/24/liquor-cabinet-maintenance/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

bottles in cabinet

One of the best things about being an adult is having a liquor cabinet.

Not just a few pints stashed away atop a refrigerator, but a proper piece of furniture -- or at least a designated shelf -- to keep one's array of bottles, glassware, shakers and swizzle sticks. However, many of us shove and stack and forget about that old quart of Kahlua or the sticky shot glasses and ruin the whole effect.

In order to reap the full Nick and Nora je ne sais quoi from your liquor cabinet, you also must do a little maintenance at least every six months.

Slashfood's tips to cleaning up your liquor cabinet after the jump.

Continue reading Liquor Cabinet Maintenance

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]]>featuredhome barHomeBarliquor cabinetLiquorCabinetmaintenancespring cleaningSpringCleaningLissa Townsend RodgersTue, 24 Mar 2009 15:00:00 ESTExtreme Potato Chipshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/20/extreme-potato-chips/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/20/extreme-potato-chips/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/20/extreme-potato-chips/#commentsFiled under: ,

pringles closeupPringles is among the here-since-the-70s foods that persistently redesign/refocus to make themselves either upscale or trendy enough to draw 21-century folks.

While Pringles has taken a shot at the gourmet market with their Pringles Select flavors, they really just want to appeal to the kids. Thus, we have the new Pringles Extreme flavors, the latest attempt to make something cool just by adding the word "extreme" to it. (Just like extreme sports drinks, extreme chewing gum and extreme ice cream.)

There's Blazin' Buffalo Wing, Kickin' Cheddar and Screamin' Dill Pickle. Only taste will tell whether it's got kick.

Continue reading Extreme Potato Chips

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]]>cheddar flavorCheddarFlavorextremepotato chipPotatoChippringlessnackspicyLissa Townsend RodgersFri, 20 Mar 2009 16:00:00 ESTBourbon and Burritos at Carl's Jr.http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/19/bourbon-and-burritos-at-carls-jr/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/19/bourbon-and-burritos-at-carls-jr/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/19/bourbon-and-burritos-at-carls-jr/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Carl's Jr. SignOut of all the fast food restaurants, Carl's Jr. probably changes -- or at least augments -- its menu the most often. There's always some newish, vaguely titillating, really-bad-for-you item advertised with a giant banner outside.

On this go round through the drive-in, the wind-fluttered photos were pushing the Mint Oreo Shake, Farmer John's Jumbo Chili Dog, Carl's Catch Fish Sandwich, Crisp Burritos and the Kentucky Bourbon Burger.

While we could have made this a multipart series entitled "Lissa Becomes Quite Hefty Indeed," I decided to restrict myself to the latter two choices, the burritos and the bourbon burger.

Continue reading Bourbon and Burritos at Carl's Jr.

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]]>burgerburritoscarls jrCarlsJrcheeseburgerdrive thruDriveThrufast foodFastFoodgreen burritoGreenBurritokentucky bourbon burgerKentuckyBourbonBurgersix dollar burgerSixDollarBurgerLissa Townsend RodgersThu, 19 Mar 2009 12:00:00 ESTSuzanne Sugarbaker Cocktailhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/18/suzanne-sugarbaker-cocktail/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/18/suzanne-sugarbaker-cocktail/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/18/suzanne-sugarbaker-cocktail/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

woman with cocktail glass and shakerWhen it comes to naming drinks after people -- whether they be real or fictional -- what comes first? Do you decide to honor a personage and then make the appropriate cocktail, or do you mix it up and then go, "Hmmm... who does this remind me of?"

For the Suzanne Sugarbaker, it was definitely the latter. A cocktail made with sweet tea vodka and rose petal nectar seemed rather Southern belle-like and, given that there is already a Scarlett O'Hara, this seemed the way to go.

Continue reading Suzanne Sugarbaker Cocktail

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]]>cocktailsdesigning womenDesigningWomendrinksrose petal nectarRosePetalNectarsencesitcomsitcomesuzanne sugarbakerSuzanneSugarbakersweet tea vodkaSweetTeaVodkavodkaLissa Townsend RodgersWed, 18 Mar 2009 17:00:00 ESTSave the Endangered Tonga!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/13/save-the-endangered-tonga/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/13/save-the-endangered-tonga/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/13/save-the-endangered-tonga/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

tonga roomAnother legendary American drinking/dining outpost is under threat of demolition. San Francisco's Tonga Room, located in the Fairmont Hotel, may be forced out after more than seven decades of pushing Mai Tai and pu-pu. It seems the tower of the Fairmont in which the Tonga and its adjacent Hurricane Bar located is slated for redevelopment into condominiums. Plans for the new construction do not include the restaurant.

No definitive word has been said, but blogs and forums are buzzing over the developments and petitions are circulating to save the tiki landmark. Now, some may say that the Tonga's food is somewhat meh or the drinks are overpriced, but who can argue with an indoor rainstorm? Or an indoor lagoon with a band floating on a little raft playing luau music? Multi-headed goddesses and a buffet in a canoe?

The Tonga underwent a big-budget renovation only last year, so it seems silly to tear it down now but, hey, it also seems silly to build luxury condos during a real estate downturn.

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]]>colsingfairmontfairmont hotelFairmontHotelmai taiMaiTaipolynesianpu-pu platterPu-puPlattersan franciscoSanFranciscotikitiki barTikiBartonga roomTongaRoomLissa Townsend RodgersFri, 13 Mar 2009 17:55:00 ESTMaking Pizza From Leftovershttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/12/making-pizza-from-leftover/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/12/making-pizza-from-leftover/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/12/making-pizza-from-leftover/#commentsFiled under:

pizza closeupWhat to do with the leftovers? It's one of the great questions of cooking, if not of life. Lately, I've been making pizza with them. Truly, if you keep some pre-made crusts on hand (or mix up your own dough in advance), you can quickly turn last night's dinner into today's lunch.

For example, faced with leftover pork cutlets and some bacon that needed to get used up, I added some red onions, red peppers, mozzarella cheese and canned pineapple to make perhaps the greatest Hawaiian pizza I have ever had.

Some leftover chicken and an abundance of cilantro was turned into Thai pizza with the addition of some shredded carrots, green onions and peanut sauce. Made tacos last night? Taco pizza. Leftover steak and mushrooms? Philly cheesesteak pizza. Got a lot of bits left over from last night's hostessing cheese plate? Super-extra cheese pizza. There are as many possibilities as your imagine and your refrigerator can hold.

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]]>leftoverspizzaLissa Townsend RodgersThu, 12 Mar 2009 09:05:00 ESTVitamin Water Goes Lo-Calhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/11/vitamin-water-goes-lo-cal/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/11/vitamin-water-goes-lo-cal/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/11/vitamin-water-goes-lo-cal/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

vitamin watersVitamin Water has been in the news lately with some contretempts over the caloric content of their brightly colored, somewhat nutritious beverages. So it's fortuitous timing that they're coming out with 10-calorie versions of several flavors. Up for the dietetic treatment are Energy (tropical citrus/yellow), XXX (acai-blueberry-pomegranate/magenta), Multi-V (lemonade/white) and Essential (orange/orange).

Can you tell the difference between the 25-calorie bottle and the 125-calorie bottle? Well, the Essential lo-cal version is, weirdly, sweeter than the original, while the Multi-V is about the same. Along with the lighter revisions. Vitamin Water has also come out with two new standard-calorie flavors: Tranquilo (tamarind-pineapple/chartreuse) and Sync (berry-cherry/lavender).

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]]>dietflavored waterFlavoredWaterglaceaulow-calorieorangesynctranquilovitaminwaterLissa Townsend RodgersWed, 11 Mar 2009 12:55:00 ESTLas Vegas' Best Food Is Far From the Bright Lightshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/05/las-vegas-best-food-is-far-from-the-bright-lights/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/05/las-vegas-best-food-is-far-from-the-bright-lights/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/05/las-vegas-best-food-is-far-from-the-bright-lights/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Dish at Lotus of SiamLas Vegas is known for its over-the-top restaurants. It seems that every new casino must have at least one elaborately decorated, celebrity chef-endorsed eatery and some host a half-dozen. As a result, over the past half-decade, Vegas has promoted the dining table nearly as much as the craps table, but mostly sticks to the big names and big houses.

Yet some excellent restaurants are far from the bright lights of Las Vegas Boulevard and the dominion of corporate megacasinios--some could even argue that the three best restaurants in town reside in strip malls rather than on the Strip. Rosemary's, Raku and Lotus of Siam are all definitely worth the taxi trip.

Continue reading Las Vegas' Best Food Is Far From the Bright Lights

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]]>Lissa Townsend RodgersThu, 05 Mar 2009 18:05:00 ESTBarefoot Busts Out More Bubblyhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/05/barefoot-busts-out-more-bubbly/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/05/barefoot-busts-out-more-bubbly/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/05/barefoot-busts-out-more-bubbly/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

barefoot bubbly capAh, bottle of champagne, most delightful of ways to waste a spring's day. However, with the season just beginning and the economy showing no signs of improving, you'd best make that bottle of champagne an inexpensive one. How convenient then, that the good people of Barefoot have added a few new varieties to their line of sparkling wines.

Brut Cuvee and Extra Dry have been joined by Pinot Grigio and White Zinfandel, with the Chardonnay getting pretty new blue packaging to match the others' yellow and pink. The colors go with the light, fruity flavors and the pleasant, somewhat pastel buzz you feel after a few glasses. With the bubbly running less than $10 a bottle, you can even stockpile a few for April and May.

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]]>barefootbarefoot bubblyBarefootBubblychampagnecheap champagneCheapChampagnesparkling wineSparklingWinespringwineLissa Townsend RodgersThu, 05 Mar 2009 11:55:00 ESTDunkin Donuts Waffle Sandwichhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/17/dunkin-donuts-waffle-sandwich/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/17/dunkin-donuts-waffle-sandwich/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/17/dunkin-donuts-waffle-sandwich/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

waffle breakfast sandwichThe breakfast sandwich market gets a little more crowded with Dunkin Donuts' newest creation: The Waffle Breakfast Sandwich. Yes. I know. Calm down. The sandwich consists of egg, cheese and bacon between two maple syrup-flavored waffles.

The composition evokes memories of Junior's Restaurant's brisket-on-latke sandwich, but the DD sandwich's taste overkill is more reminiscent of the famous Jimmy Dean sausage-in-a-pancake-on-a-stick. And, like the sausage-in-a-pancake-on-a-stick, the bacon-egg-cheese-maple-waffle sandwich possesses a dubious deliciousness.

The mix of artery-clogging morning cholesterol with the sweetness of maple syrup is almost too much to bear, yet somehow you cannot resist devouring the last sticky crumb. Devouring, wishing that the waffle was truly waffle-sized and not English muffin-sized. And hating yourself for wishing that. And swearing to go straight to the gym as soon as you are done. And craving another one.

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]]>baconbreakfastcheesedunkin donutsDunkinDonutseggfast foodFastFoodjimmy deanJimmyDeanjunk foodJunkFoodwaffleLissa Townsend RodgersTue, 17 Feb 2009 12:05:00 ESTPlan a Taco Party!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/16/plan-a-taco-party/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/16/plan-a-taco-party/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/16/plan-a-taco-party/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

pretty tacosI've always been a fan of the theme party, where the menu, music, cocktails, and decor all play into the same motif. The last big-themed party I had was my "Leon Trotsky in Mexico" party, so called because it fell on a date right between May Day and Cinco de Mayo. While I did play some tango records and mix up a fair amount of Bloody Marys and anything else made with Russian vodka, the party's big attraction was the make-your-own-taco bar. It really is one of the easiest and most crowd-pleasing menus I've ever served. Suggestions for your spread include...

Continue reading Plan a Taco Party!

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]]>Lissa Townsend RodgersMon, 16 Feb 2009 16:05:00 ESTGoodbye (Some) Albertson'shttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/16/goodbye-some-albertsons/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/16/goodbye-some-albertsons/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/16/goodbye-some-albertsons/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Albertson's shopping cartsAdd Albertson's to the roll call of companies shutting doors due to the recession. The grocery chain has announced that they will be closing multiple stores in economically slammed locations like Florida, Texas, California and Nevada. Albertson's will still be the second-biggest supermarket chain in the U.S., but a bit of the bloom will be off the rose (or, if you prefer, ripeness off the tomato or mayo off the macaroni salad).

Of course, this means that there are bargains to be had at stores that are being terminated, with discounts of 10-90% off. I myself have picked up bags full of Indian specialties for 75% off (thus, my normally overpriced $4 jaipur vegetables are now a solidly discounted dollar), as well as staples like soup and beans for less than a buck and stacks of disposable foil baking pans for a dime apiece. I also scored some Bumble & Bumble hair products for under $10, but you can't eat those.

If you see an Alberston's with a "Store Closing" sign, it's worth checking out.

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]]>albertsonsclearanceclosingdiscountgroceryhoustonmemphisnashvillerecessionsalesan antonioSanAntoniosupermarketLissa Townsend RodgersMon, 16 Feb 2009 11:55:00 ESTIron City is Steeler Beerhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/30/iron-city-is-steeler-beer/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/30/iron-city-is-steeler-beer/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/30/iron-city-is-steeler-beer/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Iron City Steeler BeerNot every football team has a (semi-) official beer, but the Steelers certainly do: Iron City. Brewed in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Iron City has long paid homage to the hometown team, even designing a series of beer cans in their honor back in the late 70's days of the famed "Steel Curtain" defense, as well as a Jerome Bettis can a few years back.

Despite the fact that Iron City's roots go back over 100 years, 'tis no microbrew. No, think more along the lines of a Pabst or Genesee: A blue-collar beer that gets the job done. Rather like the team it shares a nickname with. As such, Iron City always feels a bit of a sales bump whenever the Steelers hit the Super Bowl. The brewers are especially hopeful this year, as many of the workers in their Pittsburgh plant have been temporarily laid off. It's apparently just until some kind of trouble with the manufacturing line can be solved. Once it is, everyone will be back.

We certainly hope so: There was a time when the Steelers had two beers, back when Rolling Rock was brewed in Latrobe, a town northwest of Pittsburgh where the Steelers had their training camp. The brewery was bought by Anheiser-Busch, who then closed it and moved all operations to New Jersey, thus severing all ties with all things Pittsburgh. Given that I have family in Latrobe, I myself haven't let a drop of the stuff pass my lips since the sale. So, if you want to honor the Steelers on Super Bowl Sunday, go for the Iron City, not the Rolling Rock.

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]]>beerbeer cansBeerCansfeaturediron cityiron ciytIronCityIronCiytlatrobelawrencevillepittsburghsuper bowlSuperBowlLissa Townsend RodgersFri, 30 Jan 2009 18:55:00 ESTSwitch up Your Standard Chiphttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/26/switch-up-your-standard-chip/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/26/switch-up-your-standard-chip/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/26/switch-up-your-standard-chip/#commentsFiled under: , ,

banana chipsWhen snacking, the tendency is to automatically reach for whatever tortilla or potato chip is within reach. Pity, since there is a whole scrumptious world of other options. So, just in time to have everyone over to watch the big game, here are a few ideas to put something else in the basket on the coffee table and also a few suggestions about dips they might pair with.
  1. Lime Tortilla Chips - Light-years ahead of the plain kind. Tostitos makes the tastiest ones. There go very well with fruit salsa, usually mango or peach.
  2. Sweet Potato Chips - Everyone from Pringles to Terra manufactures these, though I would swing toward the latter, since the Pringles also have cinnamon. They match nicely with corn salsa or bean dip.
  3. Banana or Plantain Chips - Yes, I know they're not the same thing, but close enough for my purposes. Another standout with fruit salsa, though I also like them with guacamole.
  4. Pretzel Chips - A nice combo of two great salty snacks, the chips and the pretzel. Try with spinach or onion dip.
  5. Tabasco Cheez-Its - Don't put anything on these. You'll wind up devouring much of the box and you don't want anything to get in your way.

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]]>banana chipsBananaChipscheez-itschipsdiplime tortilal chipsLimeTortilalChipsplantain chipsPlantainChipspretzel chipsPretzelChipspringlessnacksweet potato chipsSweetPotatoChipstabascoterra chipsTerraChipstortilla chipsTortillaChipstostitosLissa Townsend RodgersMon, 26 Jan 2009 10:55:00 EST