Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com/media/feedlogo.gif Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com en-us Copyright 2009 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Pomegranate Cranberry Sauce - Feast Your Eyeshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/26/pomegranate-cranberry-sauce-feast-your-eyes/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/26/pomegranate-cranberry-sauce-feast-your-eyes/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/26/pomegranate-cranberry-sauce-feast-your-eyes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

pomegranate cranberry sauce

Pomegranate cranberry sauce. Photo: rachel is coconut&lime, Flickr.

Cranberry sauce is the most ubiquitous Thanksgiving condiment -- perhaps even more so than gravy. Whether it's conditioning or tradition (or force feeding from our parents at a young age), it seems to go perfectly with everything on a late November plate. And though a glob of it straight out of a can is hilarious to look at, it pales in comparison to homemade cranberry sauce, which happens to be ridiculously easy to make.

This version from Flickr user rachel is coconut&lime is a little more time-consuming than most, but only because there are pomegranate arils (seeds) in the sauce.

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]]>arilscranberriescranberry saucepomegranatesaucesthanksgivingEmily Farris2009-11-26T10:00:00+00:00Cayuga Blue - Cheese Coursehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/24/cayuga-blue-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/24/cayuga-blue-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/24/cayuga-blue-cheese-course/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Cayuga Blue

Photo: 365 Cheeses.

The mere thought of blue cheese evokes a surge of flavor memories -- sweet caramel, piquant peppers and earthy aromas. Favorites such as Gorgonzola Piccante, Rogue River Blue, Fourme d'Ambert and Vaquero all come to mind. But Cayuga Blue from Lively Run Goat Dairy eschews the standard flavor profile of a blue cheese. Instead, it's downright subdued with an herbaceous grassy taste reminiscent of a goat's milk tomme-style cheese, similar to Twig Farm's Goat Tomme.

The blue veins interestingly seem to function as a slightly spicy "topping" to this already flavorful cheese. The delicate goat's milk comes across first before you're hit with the mild tang of blue molds. Aged for two months, the cheese develops a firm dry texture that becomes soft and velvety on the palate. Altogether, it makes for a subtle blue, toned down with a rich, creamy taste.

At the Lively Run Goat Farm in the Finger Lakes region of New York, meticulous care of the several different goat breeds (Alpine, Nubian, Saanen and South African Boer breeds, and even crossbreeds) results in the flavorful aromatic raw milk used to create the cheese. In addition to the milk from her own farm, Susanne Messmer mixes goat's milk from five other sustainable farms in the area with hers to produce Cayuga Blue.

Continue reading Cayuga Blue - Cheese Course

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]]>blue cheeseBlueCheesecheesegoat cheeseny cheeseMax Shrem2009-11-24T16:00:00+00:00Classic Mac 'n' Cheese - Feast Your Eyeshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/18/classic-mac-n-cheese-feast-your-eyes/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/18/classic-mac-n-cheese-feast-your-eyes/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/18/classic-mac-n-cheese-feast-your-eyes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

mac and cheese

Macaroni and Cheese. Photo: Ezra Pound Cake, Flickr.

There are few dishes more American than macaroni and cheese. Forget that we credit the Italians for pasta and the French for "the good cheese" -- it's here in the United States where we bring the two together together in glorious, comforting harmony.

Rumor has it that Thomas Jefferson introduced the dish to the United States. And though a boxed version was made wildly popular by Kraft over many decades, home and professional chefs have taken back the comfort food, and now make gourmet versions like this one from blogger Ezra Pound Cake.

This take on classic macaroni and cheese, adapted from a recipe in "The Gift of Southern Cooking," is made with grated onion, sour cream, half-and-half, heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, eggs and cayenne pepper, as well as noodles and cheddar cheese. Fattening and flavorful -- just the way American comfort food should be.

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]]>cheesegourmet mac and cheesemac and cheesemacaroni and cheesepastaEmily Farris2009-11-18T10:00:00+00:00Sarabande - Cheese Coursehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/17/sarabande-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/17/sarabande-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/17/sarabande-cheese-course/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Sarabande

Photo: Vermont Cheese Council.

When it comes to American cheese, shapes and sizes can be deceiving. Smaller cheeses that come in the shape of a pyramid or disc (think Valençay or Selles-sur-Cher) are often associated with goat's milk cheeses. However, there are several American cheesemakers, like Cowgirl Creamery, that are defying these expectations by producing an array of cow's milk cheeses, including Inverness, in the shape and size of French chèvres.

Sarabande, a raw cow's milk cheese from Dancing Cow Farm in Vermont, is an astonishing example of this innovation. In a pyramid shape reminiscent of a Valençay, it shares more similarities with Taleggio and Langres.

"We have low production pastured cows that don't give a lot of milk, say 30 pounds a day average, but they give a very rich, flavorful milk," says Karen Getz, who co-owns Dancing Cow Farm with her husband, Steve. "We make cheese every day from warm, straight out of the cow milk [...], because milk is very fragile and starting with fresh milk each day allows the flavors of the pastures to shine."

Continue reading Sarabande - Cheese Course

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]]>cheeseCheeseCoursesarabandeVermont CheeseVermontCheeseMax Shrem2009-11-17T16:00:00+00:00Happy National Guacamole Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/14/happy-national-guacamole-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/14/happy-national-guacamole-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/14/happy-national-guacamole-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

chipotle guacamole

Chipotle guacamole. Photo: rachel is coconut&lime, Flickr.

Happy National Guacamole Day! The culinary cosmos of guacamole and pickles may infrequently overlap, but at least today's national food holidays both celebrate zesty green condiments.

Though the lusciously creamy avocado mash is most often associated with summertime BBQs and beer, there's no reason you shouldn't be eager to make use of your mortars and pestles year-round. Check out our guacamole primer on Slashfood, or venture to AOL food for Rosa Mexicano's classic Guacamole en Molcajete recipe -- their trick is mashing the onion, jalapeno and cilantro into a paste for evenly distributed flavor -- though some consumers prefer their avocados hefty, and take pleasure in the zesty chunks of jalapeno, tomato, poblano peppers, green onion, etc.

What are your favorite guacamole additions? Share your secret ingredients after the jump.

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]]>guacamoleguacamole dipguacamole en molcajeteGuacamoleDipGuacamoleEnMolcajetemortar and pestleMortarAndPestlenational guacamole dayNationalGuacamoleDayrosa mexicanoRosaMexicanosecret guacamole ingredientsSecretGuacamoleIngredientsAlexa Weibel2009-11-14T13:15:00+00:00Vaquero - Cheese Coursehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/10/vaquero-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/10/vaquero-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/10/vaquero-cheese-course/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Photo: Willow Hill Farm.

The days when only Maytag Blue represented American blue cheese are long gone. From sweet and peppery Bayley Hazen Blue to the mineral-like taste of Tilston Point and the fruity pear flavor of Rogue River Blue, the options for American blue cheeses have dramatically increased. And, now, there's a new distinctly rustic blue cheese to add to this growing list -- Vaquero from Willow Hill Farm in Vermont.

Unlike other American blue cheeses, Vaquero has a creamy taste with a fascinating and delicious crispy dark chocolate flavor. "I would have to say it's the milk combination," explains Willow Smart, who co-owns the farm along with her husband, Dave Phinney. "We milk both sheep and cows, hence the yellow-ness from the cow's milk. We milk Brown Swiss and Dutch Belted cows, which always have very yellow milk as the beta-Carotene [red-orange pigment] from the pastures comes through in their rich milk."

Vaquero's rustic-looking rind, pale-yellow paste, and thick buttery consistency also make it stand apart from other blues. The natural exterior of the wheel appears similar to that of a Tomme de Savoie. Indeed, the cheese has the same brown Tomme de Savoie mold. Aged for three to five months, the molds, flavor and spreadable texture develop in caves that Willow and Dave built back in 1999.

Continue reading Vaquero - Cheese Course

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]]>artisan food storeArtisanFoodStoreblue cheesebluecheesecheesecheesecoursemurraysvaquerovaquero cheeseVaqueroCheesevermontcheeseWillow Hill FarmWillowHillFarmMax Shrem2009-11-10T17:00:00+00:00Happy National Nachos Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/06/happy-national-nachos-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/06/happy-national-nachos-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/06/happy-national-nachos-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

TGIFridays nachos

Chicken nachos at TGIFridays. Photo: Scorpions and Centaurs, Flickr.

Though true queso lovers don't need a national holiday to celebrate the glorious cheese-chip pairing, we're pleased to announce once again that today is National Nachos Day.

The festive gooey treat was first served 66 years ago by ingenious maitre d' Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya in a Piedras Negras, Mexico, restaurant, located across the Rio Grande from Texas. According to legend, some Americans happened to stumble upon the eatery just as the chef had stepped out, so Nacho cleverly satiated them by piling a platter of tortilla chips high with cheese and topping them with a zesty jalapeno garnish.

And the carb-heavy dish has been improving ever since, with the additions of everything from Rotel to radishes, cilantro to crema, guacamole to Velveeta, pinto beans to pulled pork.

What are your favorite nacho variations? Spill the beans, after the jump!

View Poll

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]]>ignacio anayaIgnacioAnayanachonachosnational food daysnational nachos dayNationalFoodDaysNationalNachosDayAlexa Weibel2009-11-06T13:15:00+00:00Soups, Steakhouses and Beer Samples - The Denver Post in 60 Secondshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/05/soups-steakhouses-and-beer-samples-the-denver-post-in-60-seco/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/05/soups-steakhouses-and-beer-samples-the-denver-post-in-60-seco/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/05/soups-steakhouses-and-beer-samples-the-denver-post-in-60-seco/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

thai chicken soup

Thai chicken soup. Photo: elana's pantry, Flickr.

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]]>beerbeer festivalBeerFestivalcoloradocolorado springscoloradobeerfestivalColoradoSpringscream liqueurCreamLiqueurdenverduckfestivalsgastropubrecipesscallopsSimmsSteakhousesoupsteakthe denver postTheDenverPosttucker shawTuckerShawwynkoopbreweryEmily Farris2009-11-05T12:00:00+00:0020 Worst Kids' Foods in Americahttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/22/20-worst-kids-foods-in-america/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/22/20-worst-kids-foods-in-america/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/22/20-worst-kids-foods-in-america/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Photo: Little Grey, Flickr.

America: the land of the free... and the fat. In the nation's more-is-more eating culture, three in five Americans are officially considered overweight -- and kids are no exception, one in three of whom reportedly eats fast food on a daily basis. But waistline-watchdog MSNBC has culled a list of "20 Worst Kids' Foods in America," to shed light upon some particularly fattening kids'-meal culprits.

Categories range from "worst homestyle meal" (Boston Market's Kids' Meat Loaf with Sweet Potato Casserole and Cornbread, which packs a whopping 890 calories into a tiny TV dinner), to "worst beverage" (the super-saccharine SunnyD Smooth Style, which boosts 60 grams of sugar into one measly cup -- triple that of a cup of Tropicana), to the "worst kids' meal in America": Uno Chicago Grill's Kid's Combo with French Fries, a monochromatic carb-fest cramming kids with cheese sticks, chicken nuggets and fries, a monster of a meal weighing in at 1,250 calories and 2,850 milligrams sodium.

It's no wonder that 16 percent of today's youth, aged 6 to 19, is overweight or obese with the gut bombs like those listed in the regular meal rotations, according to the report. Shockingly, "today's children may turn out to be the first generation of Americans whose life expectancy will actually be shorter than that of their parents" because of obesity-related health problems, Michael Pollan writes in "The Omnivore's Dilemma."

What do you think is to blame for the rise of childhood obesity -- is it fair to blame fast-food providers or the parents?

[Via MSNBC]

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]]>boston marketBostonMarketfast foodFastFoodfatMSNBCobesityobesity in americaObesityInAmericasunnyduno chicago grillUnoChicagoGrillworst kids foodsWorstKidsFoodsAlexa Weibel2009-10-22T16:00:00+00:00Rogue River Blue - Cheese Coursehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/20/rogue-river-blue-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/20/rogue-river-blue-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/20/rogue-river-blue-cheese-course/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Rogue River Blue. Photo: Artisanal.

With the rise of artisan American cheesemakers, it shouldn't be a surprise that some of them, like Rogue Creamery and Uplands Cheese Company, are exporting their cheeses to markets abroad. Tasting even a small bite of the lusciously creamy Rogue River Blue (now, imported to England by Neal's Yard Dairy) makes it clear that stateside cheesemakers mean business when it comes to quality.

Hand wrapped in grape leaves, Rogue River Blue has a smooth complex flavor that ranges from sweet and fruity to nutty. Its texture is intensely rich, reminiscent of a Roquefort Baragnaudes. However, unlike Roquefort -- which is produced from raw sheep's milk -- this blue is made from raw cow's milk. And in contrast to many blues, like Gorgonzola Piccante, this one is more sweet than spicy. So, for those of you whose palates have been traumatized by overly-pungent blues, this one is sure to win you over.

Like most delicious artisanal cheeses, the craftsmanship (and local collaboration) involved in producing Rogue River Blue is directly responsible for its brilliant taste and consistency. The cheese comes from Rogue Creamery in Central Point, Ore. There, in the Rogue River Valley, the wheels are covered in grape leaves that are harvested from nearby Carpenter Hill Vineyard. But these aren't just any grape leaves: They're all macerated in Clear Creek's Pear Brandy and then tied to the cheese with strands of raffia.

Continue reading Rogue River Blue - Cheese Course

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]]>blue cheeseBlueCheesecheesecourseOregonrogue cheeserogue creameryRogue Riverrogue river blueRogueCheeseRogueCreameryRogueRiverRogueRiverBlueroquefortMax Shrem2009-10-20T17:00:00+00:00Taco Zone - Street Cart Chichttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/16/taco-zone-street-cart-chic/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/16/taco-zone-street-cart-chic/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/16/taco-zone-street-cart-chic/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Taco Zone customers never sleep. Photo: Alexa Weibel.

While most mobile food trucks have dealt with the animosity of less than enthusiastic local eateries, few are subjected to veritable street-meat turf wars. Yet the revered Los Angeles street vendor, Taco Zone, was set fire to one Friday night this past June, reported the Los Angeles Times. The subject of much debate, the fire's origin was never ascertained -- but motives are surmised to include hate crime, envious competitors, vandals or gang activity.

Regardless, in a city brimming with taco trucks on nearly every corner, Taco Zone reigns supreme in Los Angeles. The no-frills Echo Park truck -- outfitted in a plain metal exterior and typically parked just outside a Von's parking lot -- may be as visually unremarkable as the rest of the fleet of local food trucks, but has garnered a cult following for its zesty authentic Mexican tacos.

More on Taco Zone -- and a photo of their fare -- after the jump.

Continue reading Taco Zone - Street Cart Chic

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]]>food truckFoodTrucksave our taco trucksSaveOurTacoTrucksstreet cartstreet cart chicstreet vendorsStreetCartStreetCartChicStreetVendorstaco zonetacosTacoZoneAlexa Weibel2009-10-16T11:00:00+00:00The Art of Affinage - Cheese Coursehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/13/affinage-in-the-lower-east-side-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/13/affinage-in-the-lower-east-side-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/13/affinage-in-the-lower-east-side-cheese-course/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Pipe Dreams Demi. Photo: Max Shrem.
While affinage -- the process of aging cheeses -- is common in Parisian cheese shops, it's a striking novelty here in the U.S. So it makes sense that cheese shops like Artisanal and Murray's would reach out to our French cousins, fromageries like Alléosse, to perfect this age-old craft. Recently, we discovered beautifully aged cheeses, notably Pearl and Pipe Dreams Demi, from Saxelby Cheesemongers on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Like Voltaire, the 18th-century French philosopher who compared the intellectual work of assembling the Encyclopédie to cultivating a garden, Anne Saxelby also compares affinage to tending a garden: "I check up on them [the aging goat's milk cheeses] every half hour, moving stuff around and turning the cheeses," says Saxelby, who has been aging cheeses now for about two years.

We decided to try an un-aged Pipe Dreams Demi next to one that's been aged a week and a half to taste the difference (visually, they're extremely apparent - see the photo above). Upon cutting into the younger one (on the left), the paste tends to run from under the beautifully developed bloomy rind. The taste was surprisingly pungent and aggressively remained on the palate for several minutes. On the contrary, the aged Pipe Dreams Demi seemed like an ideal redistribution of the younger one's tanginess. The spicy taste, reminiscent of walnuts and similar to an aged Pouligny Saint Pierre, came in nearly perfectly measured successions.

Continue reading The Art of Affinage - Cheese Course

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]]>affinageaffineurcheesecheese courseCheeseCoursePipe Dreams DemiPipeDreamsDemiSaxelbyCheesemongersMax Shrem2009-10-13T17:00:00+00:00October Food Festivalshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/30/october-food-festivals/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/30/october-food-festivals/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/30/october-food-festivals/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Barbecue ribs. Photo: biskuit, Flickr.
Oktoberfests are ubiquitous this month. For those not interested in the chug-a-thons and oompah bands, check out this list of alternative options.

Dixon Lambtown USA, Dixon, Calif., Oct. 3: Break out the mint jelly! Attendees can participate in such culinary slugfests as the National Lamb Ribs Eating Contest and Barbecue Cook-Off, not to mention a shearing competition and sheepdog trials. For the kiddies, there's Mutton Bustin' -- a buckin' bronco bruising of the woolly kind.

The Food Network New York City Wine and Food Festival, New York, Oct. 8-11: Hosted by and benefiting the Food Bank for New York City and Share Our Strength, this festival brings the toque and the home cook together. Everyone from sous chefs to casserole queens can attend wine seminars, recipe-creation panels and cooking demonstrations. For the kiddie cook, check out the Kids Get Cooking! series. Your favorite celebrity TV chefs will be there, en masse, including Ming Tsai, Paula Deen, Rachael Ray and Anthony Bourdain, as well as culinary heavyweights such as Sue Torres, Marcus Samuelsson, Odette Fada, Daniel Boulud and David Chang.

Continue reading October Food Festivals

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]]>bank for new york cityBankForNewYorkCitybarbecuechilielberta german sausage festivalElbertaGermanSausageFestivalfood festivalsfood network new york city wine and food festivalFoodFestivalsFoodNetworkNewYorkCityWineAndFoodFestivalgeo:30.4142 -87.597801geo:35.615002 -87.035301geo:35.797199 -84.256104geo:38.445599 -121.822197geo:42.7533 -84.746399lamblambtown USALambtownUsamaury county chili cookoffMauryCountyChiliCookoffmichigan stoup competitionMichiganStoupCompetitionsausageshare our strengthShareOurStrengthsoupsstewsstouptennessee state bbqTennesseeStateBbqWhere:Columbia-TNWhere:Dixon-CAWhere:Elberta-ALWhere:Grand-Ledge-MIWhere:Lenoir-TNwine and food festivalWineAndFoodFestivalJose Ralat Maldonado2009-09-30T15:00:00+00:00Manchester - Cheese Coursehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/29/manchester-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/29/manchester-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/29/manchester-cheese-course/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Photo: Max Shrem.
Unlike a book not to be judged by its cover, you can always judge a cheese by its rind. Manchester, a raw goat's milk cheese from Consider Bardwell Farm in West Pawlet, Vt., has a stunning rustic rind (that must be eaten!) with ridges and brownish-yellow molds. In the U.S., we tend to associate mold with spoiled food; however, when it comes to artisanal cheese -- especially Manchester -- this association is just plain wrong.

The clay-like appearance of Manchester's ridges (which comes from the use of Italian cheese-basket molds) cannot be separated from the cheese's smooth, sweet aromatic flavor, which makes it comparable to a French Tomme de Savoie. In fact, it's the bacteria and mold around the cheese that contribute to this deliciously well-balanced masterpiece. Just eight weeks into the aging process, Manchester's rind already develops spots of red mold on what Peter Dixon, dairy foods consultant and cheesemaker at Consider Bardwell Farm, calls a "wild rind."

By "wild," does Dixon mean to say that the molds and the bacteria grow naturally out of nowhere? Well, yes and no. After making Manchester, Dixon uses a soft brush dipped in whey to wash the rind. "Whatever microbes like that [whey] will grow," says Dixon. "We make the cheese, and then create the look by turning the cheese and rubbing it a couple of times a week."

Continue reading Manchester - Cheese Course

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]]>cheesecheesecourseConsider Bardwell FarmConsiderBardwellFarmgoat cheeseGoatCheeselocal farmersLocalFarmersmanchestermanchester cheeseManchesterCheeseMax Shrem2009-09-29T17:00:00+00:00Flashback to the Seventies: All-Purpose Marinarahttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/28/flashback-to-the-seventies-all-purpose-marinara/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/28/flashback-to-the-seventies-all-purpose-marinara/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/28/flashback-to-the-seventies-all-purpose-marinara/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Ripe summer tomatoes. Photo: The Ewan, Flickr.
In this weekly series, home cook Bruce Watson works his way through a decades-old family cookbook, adapting the best recipes exclusively for Slashfood.

When I was a kid, the end of the summer brought with it a painful, unpleasant tradition. Every August, when the farmers' market was filled with tomatoes, my parents would buy a few bushels, and the whole family would spend a couple of days blanching, peeling and processing the fruits. Every time, the process resulted in clothing and skin that reeked of tomatoes, fingers that stung and a freezer full of watery tomato sauce that we would defrost throughout the year.

As an adult, I have continued the tradition, although I make my sauce in the fall, when cooking pleasantly warms and perfumes the house, rather than turning it into a sweatbox. I also prefer using canned tomatoes, rather than fresh ones: In addition to sparing my fingers from burns, they produce a sauce that is richer, more flavorful and has a better texture than my parents' marinara. On the other hand, I still use my mom's recipe, which she learned from her Italian godmother, although I add a little bit of red wine vinegar, which gives the sauce more depth. Ultimately, it's a spicy, fennel-accented marinara that freezes well, tastes delicious and is inexpensive to make.

Get the recipe for all-purpose marinara after the jump.

Continue reading Flashback to the Seventies: All-Purpose Marinara

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]]>beyond rice krispiebeyond rice krispie treatsBeyondRiceKrispieBeyondRiceKrispieTreatsmarinaraPortia SaponaroPortiaSaponarospaghetti sauceSpaghettiSaucetomato sauceTomatoSauceBruce Watson2009-09-28T11:00:00+00:00What Do Vending Machines Say About Corporate Culture?http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/24/what-do-vending-machines-say-about-corporate-culture/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/24/what-do-vending-machines-say-about-corporate-culture/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/24/what-do-vending-machines-say-about-corporate-culture/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A peak inside a vending machine.
Peek inside a vending machine. Photo: salimfadhley, Flickr.
What do AOL's vending machines look like? "White Castle burgers, five different varieties of Hot Pockets, Klondike bars and Oreo ice cream bars next to a sign offering a discount for Weight Watchers. I think it's safe to say that our vending machine area is being used as a Skinner box," reports Kristyn, a fellow AOL employee.

One employee's behavioral experiment is another's paradise. "I'm really, really jealous," says Jon over at MTV Networks, after being informed of AOL's snack excesses. Featuring far more pedestrian fare like Rice Krispies Treats, Nacho Cheese Doritos and Reese's Pieces, MTV's vending options won't turn any heads. Jon laments that the only real stand-out is the 25-cent can of Coke. "I guess that proves that international conglomerates are in cahoots!" he says. Or it's just a ploy to keep people awake and alert for optimum productivity.

Other big companies aren't faring much better. Jen gave us the scoop on IBM's snack selection, which was similarly standard, with plenty of chips, candy bars and the like. Still, they do try to push some healthier options. "There's a green leaf next to anything that is considered a 'balanced choice,' " says Jen. "It shows IBM's effort in trying to bring about some healthy options to a typically unhealthy way to get food." Don't expect to see any quarter Cokes, though. "The prices are really high, almost $2 for a small bag of chips," she notes. "Price alone would be the reason I wouldn't purchase from the vending machines." Maybe this is IBM's way of discouraging vending machine snacks in favor of fresh fruit or brown-bagged options?

Continue reading What Do Vending Machines Say About Corporate Culture?

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]]>candycandy barschipscorporate cultureCorporateCulturesnacksvendingvending machinesMike Pomranz2009-09-24T14:00:00+00:00Coupole - Cheese Coursehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/22/coupole-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/22/coupole-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/22/coupole-cheese-course/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Coupole
Coupole. Photo: Artisanal.
Unlike some goat's milk cheeses that have a pronounced grassy tang (that for some is unpleasant), Coupole has a mild vegetal taste that is sure to delight all palates. The chewy, dense, creamy texture of Coupole slowly dissolves on the back of the tongue, giving way to a subtle, sweet, yeasty flavor.

In fact, those interested in a beginner's goat cheese should look no further. Coupole is the perfect cheese to educate the less experienced palate on the grassy acidity of goat's milk. And, those who simply appreciate a well-made cheese will certainly be impressed by the well-balanced taste reminiscent of a "chicken-y risotto," according to Liz Thorpe, author of "The Cheese Chronicles" and vice president of Murray's.

Its taste may be atypically mild compared to other delicious goat's milk cheeses, like the ash-coated log from Pipe Dreams Farm, but its size and shape are definitely characteristic of a chèvre, such as Crottin de Chavignol -- a cylindrical dome. Indeed, Coupole's name translates from French to "cupola" or "dome."

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]]>cheesecoursecoupolegoat cheeseGoatCheesemurrays cheeseMurraysCheesevermont cheesevermontbutterandcheesecompanyMax Shrem2009-09-22T11:00:00+00:00185-Pound Burger Earns Title of 'World's Biggest'http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/18/185-pound-burger-earns-title-of-worlds-biggest/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/18/185-pound-burger-earns-title-of-worlds-biggest/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/18/185-pound-burger-earns-title-of-worlds-biggest/#commentsFiled under: , ,

biggest burger
Photo: Bill Mealbach
Go big or go home ... hungry.

That's the philosophy of Mallie's Sports Grill of Southgate, Mich., and its owner, Steve Mallie. The restaurant recently became the Guinness World Record holder for the largest commerically sold burger.

The aptly named "Absolutely Ridiculous Burger" is approximately 185.6 pounds, 3 feet tall and 26 inches round, Mallie told Slashfood.

It starts with 200 pounds of uncooked, ground beef (an 80/20 blend) and ends with a patty that takes a whopping 16 hours to cook and another eight hours of resting time. The bun takes an additional eight hours. Mallie's uses a large commercial oven for baking but does have a custom-made form to mold the patty.

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]]>biggest burgerBiggestBurgercheeseburgerguinnessguinness book of world recordsGuinnessBookOfWorldRecordsmalliesSteve MallieSteveMallieSarah LeTrent2009-09-18T16:30:00+00:00USDA Launches 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' Campaignhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/16/usda-launches-know-your-farmer-know-your-food-campaign/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/16/usda-launches-know-your-farmer-know-your-food-campaign/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/16/usda-launches-know-your-farmer-know-your-food-campaign/#commentsFiled under: , ,

farm stand
Photo: andrea dunlap/flickr.
Yesterday in Washington, D.C., Tom Vilsack, the Agriculture Secretary and Kathleen Merrigan, the Deputy Secretary, announced a new USDA initiative, "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food." Officials say the almost $65 million program will "begin a national conversation to help develop local and regional food systems and spur economic opportunity."

"An American people that is more engaged with their food supply will create new income opportunities for American agriculture," said Vilsack. He also posted a video on You Tube outlining the details of the program. On a consumer level, part of this initiative means knowing where your food comes from, beyond the grocery store produce aisle, as well as bringing locally farmed fruit and vegetables to schools.

The program will also help smaller farmers ship meat and poultry across state lines, in order to boost rural economies and small agriculture businesses. There will be changes to existing USDA programs that cut down logistical and bureaucratic road blocks that make sustainable local agriculture more costly and more difficult.

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]]>agricultureKnowYourFarmerknowyourfoodlocal foodLocalFoodsustainableusdaLisa Schweitzer2009-09-16T16:00:00+00:00Adelle - Cheese Coursehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/15/adelle-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/15/adelle-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/15/adelle-cheese-course/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Adelle
Adelle. Photo: Murray's.
After spending months tasting mostly French cheeses, it's hard not to compare our diverse American cheeses to their European counterparts, especially Adelle from Ancient Heritage Dairy in Scio, Oregon. A taste of Adelle is like taking a bite of a phenomenally aged French goat's-milk cheese with an oozy texture and a flavor reminiscent of hazelnuts. What's remarkable about Adelle is that, despite this similarity, it's not a goat's-milk cheese.

In contrast to a French goat's-milk cheese like Pouligny Saint Pierre, Adelle's complex taste can be attributed to a combination of milks - that of East Friesian sheep and of Ayrshire Cows. While its rich taste and creamy consistency come from cow's milk, its meaty pungency and finish come from the addition of sheep's milk. Anne Saxelby, owner of Saxelby Cheesemongers, refers to mixed milk cheese as an "American innovation."

The reason for this American technique of mixing milk from different animals has to do with the seasonality of certain milks. For instance, sheep usually stop milking in October. "We could not afford to stop producing cheeses from October until the spring," says Kathy Obringer, co-owner of Ancient Heritage Dairy (with husband Paul). "So, one season, we used the cow's milk from a neighbor in exchange for cheese lessons, and we mixed it with our frozen sheep's milk."

Find out more about Adelle after the jump.

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]]>adelleamerican cheeseamerican heritage dairyAmericanCheeseAmericanHeritageDairyartisanalcheesebriecheesecoursehillsdale farmers marketHillsdaleFarmersMarketportland farmers marketPortlandFarmersMarketsaxelby cheesemongersSaxelbyCheesemongersMax Shrem2009-09-15T16:00:00+00:00