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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/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/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/06/happy-national-nachos-day/#commentsFiled under: Snacks, Trends, Did you know?, America, Food News

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!

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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: Midwest Cities, Newspapers, America, In Sixty Seconds, Fall

thai chicken soup

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

Seven soup recipes from seven new cookbooks help Denver residents stay warm this season.
Seared scallops, salad and rib-eye are the way to go at the newly revamped Simms Steakhouse.
The Colorado Beer Festival descends on Colorado Springs this Saturday, and offers more than 70 beers to sample, as well as a designated-driver program.
The Wynkoop Brewery will hold its own Beers of the Year mini-festival on Saturday, also.
Dublin-made cream liqueur Coole Swan, which gets its name from Yeats' poem "The Wild Swans of Coole," is finally for sale in Colorado, and one food writer -- who claims it's the finest cream liqueur he's ever tasted -- couldn't be happier.
A "gastropub" opens in Cherry Creek, inspiring food critic Tucker Shaw to explore the etymology of the word.
A knife-wielding blogger discovers the bounty of the duck.

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]]>beerbeer festivalBeerFestivalcoloradocolorado springscoloradobeerfestivalColoradoSpringscream liqueurCreamLiqueurdenverduckfestivalsgastropubrecipesscallopsSimmsSteakhousesoupsteakthe denver postTheDenverPosttucker shawTuckerShawwynkoopbreweryEmily Farris2009-11-05T12:00:00+00:00Thanksgiving Prep - Four Weeks to Gohttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/03/thanksgiving-prep-four-weeks-to-go/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/03/thanksgiving-prep-four-weeks-to-go/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/03/thanksgiving-prep-four-weeks-to-go/#commentsFiled under: America, Holidays, Thanksgiving, Fall

thanksgiving turkey

Photo: tuchodi, Flickr.

Think it's too early to start planning Thanksgiving dinner? Think again! Nov. 26 may seem like a long way off, but for the holiday host, it's right around the corner. That's why each Tuesday until Turkey Day, we'll bring you preparation tips to ensure your Thanksgiving is as smooth as your gravy (should be).

1. Get a head count.
Now's the time to start inviting people to Thanksgiving dinner. If you're thinking about it, chances are good your friends and family are, too. So if your cousin is bringing her new boyfriend, and both sets of grandparents are coming to town, as well as your parents and siblings, you're going to need to figure out how to seat everyone at your small table with three mismatched chairs.

Getting a head count this early ensures you'll have enough time to borrow tables, chairs and whatever other furniture items you need to so that everyone can eat comfortably, and then have a place to lounge when the tryptophan-wine combo sets in. And don't forget to find out who's a vegetarian, who's allergic to nuts, and any other dietary restrictions you'll be dealing with. The last thing you want to hear as you put your orange-scented green beans with toasted almonds on the table is that your cousin's new boyfriend has a severe nut allergy.

Continue reading Thanksgiving Prep - Four Weeks to Go

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]]>broccolibrussels sproutsgreen beansplanning thanksgivingPlanningThanksgivingpreparationthanksgivingthanksgiving planningThanksgivingDinnerThanksgivingPlanningturkeyEmily Farris2009-11-03T11:00:00+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: Lists, America, Fast Food, Food News

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: Cheese, America, Cheese Course

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: Trends, America, Local Eating, Food News

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: Cheese, America, Local Eating, Artisan Foods, Cheese Course

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: Pork, Barbecuing, Grilling, America, Meat, Soups/Salads, Local Eating, Fall

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: Cheese, America, Local Eating, Artisan Foods, Cheese Course

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: Frugal Food, Dinner, Vegetables, Recipes, America, Comfort Food, Italy, Retro cookery, Fall

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: Snacks, Business, Trends, America

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: Cheese, America, Artisan Foods, Cheese Course

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."

Continue reading Coupole - Cheese Course.

Continue reading Coupole - Cheese Course

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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: America, Meat, Food News

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.

Continue reading 185-Pound Burger Earns Title of 'World's Biggest'

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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: Farming, America, Food News

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: West Coast, Cheese, America, Local Eating, Artisan Foods, Cheese Course


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.

Continue reading Adelle - Cheese Course

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]]>adelleamerican cheeseamerican heritage dairyAmericanCheeseAmericanHeritageDairyartisanalcheesebriecheesecoursehillsdale farmers marketHillsdaleFarmersMarketportland farmers marketPortlandFarmersMarketsaxelby cheesemongersSaxelbyCheesemongersMax Shrem2009-09-15T16:00:00+00:00Chock full o'Nuts Coffee to Open Restauranthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/15/chock-full-onuts-coffee-to-open-restaurant/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/15/chock-full-onuts-coffee-to-open-restaurant/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/15/chock-full-onuts-coffee-to-open-restaurant/#commentsFiled under: Coffee, Restaurants, America, Food News

chock full o'nuts neon sign

Photo: dangoldman, Flickr.

A well-known coffee company is returning to its roots in New York City.

This December, Chock full o'Nuts will open its first full-service restaurant since the chain shuttered its last restaurant in 1990, company officials tell Crain's New York Business.

The 2,800-square-foot restaurant will open less than a block from the Flatiron Building in Manhattan and serve up old favorites from its last bout decades ago in the restaurant arena, Crain's said.

Continue reading Chock full o'Nuts Coffee to Open Restaurant

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]]>chock full onutsChockFullInutsRestaurantChockFullOnutsChockFullOnutsRestaurantcoffeecrains new yorkCrainsNewYorkmanhattannutted cheese sandwichesNuttedCheeseSandwichesrestaurantwhole wheat doughnutsWholeWheatDoughnutswilliam blackWilliamBlackSara Bonisteel2009-09-15T15:00:00+00:00Klaver Cheeses - Cheese Coursehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/08/klaver-cheeses-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/08/klaver-cheeses-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/08/klaver-cheeses-cheese-course/#commentsFiled under: Cheese, America, Europe, Cheese Course

Dutch Cheeses

Dutch Cheeses at Tromp in Amsterdam. Photo: Henk van Kol

Usually, thinking of Dutch cheeses with spices in them conjures up wheels of cheese with the usual cumin seeds or cloves. However, in the last few years, a whole slew of new spices and herbs, ranging from chile to wasabi, have found their way into cheese.

On a recent trip to the cheese shop Kaashuis Tromp, at Utrechtsestraat 90 in Amsterdam, we discovered an entire universe of cheeses classified as Klaver and flavored with various herbs and spices from around the world.

According to the owner of Tromp, Henk van Kol, new flavors have been making their way into Dutch cheeses for the past five years. Besides chile and wasabi, other non-traditional flavors include tomato and garlic. There's even a cheese called Napoli that has sundried tomatoes, garlic and black olives inside. We tried some and it's delicious plain, but it seems as though it would make the perfect pizza topping -- spices included.

Continue reading about Klaver cheeses after the jump.

Continue reading Klaver Cheeses - Cheese Course

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]]>amsterdamcheesecheese shopscheesecourseCheeseShopsedamgoudaherbed cheeseHerbedCheeseMax Shrem2009-09-08T16:00:00+00:00Qué Es Queso and Why Are Texans So Enamored With it?http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/02/que-es-queso-and-why-are-texans-so-enamored-with-it/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/02/que-es-queso-and-why-are-texans-so-enamored-with-it/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/02/que-es-queso-and-why-are-texans-so-enamored-with-it/#commentsFiled under: Parties, Hors D'oeuvres, Dairy, Cheese, Condiments, America, Comfort Food, Fast Food

ro tel queso dip recipe

Ro*Tel's Queso Dip Recipe. Photo: ConAgra Foods

"What the hell is that?" is the first question many non-Texans ask when they see the goopy Southwestern cheese dip chile con queso (queso for short and pronounced "kay-so"). The prevalent and heralded form of queso is a mixture of Velveeta and Ro*Tel canned tomatoes and chiles. It's usually orange, flecked with red and green chiles, and a crust forms when the dip begins to cool. At the risk of being run out of town: What's so good about that?

When queried, this writer's wife, a Texas native, her relatives and friends answer along the lines of "it's just so good!" Queso is good; so is cow's brains. Queso is creamy and spicy and won't run off a tortilla chip like other salsas. Crucial to understanding the dip is the facility with which it is prepared. Ready in five minutes, it's a fiesta favorite. Are there Texans at a party you're hosting? Whip out the queso and welcome the adulation. "It's just so good!"

Another reason is Lone Star pride. "Texans have a special place in their hearts for queso and Ro*Tel. Both originated in the state," says Mike Locascio, vice president and general manager at ConAgra Foods, Ro*Tel's manufacturer.

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]]>cheesechile con quesoChileConQuesofeaturedquesoRoTelTexasVelveetaJose Ralat Maldonado2009-09-02T16:00:00+00:00Saint-Nectaire - Le Cheese Coursehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/02/saint-nectaire-le-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/02/saint-nectaire-le-cheese-course/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/02/saint-nectaire-le-cheese-course/#commentsFiled under: Cheese, America, France, Artisan Foods, Cheese Course

Saint-Nectaire

Saint-Nectaire. Photo: Artisanal Cheese

This summer Slashfood blogger Max Shrem is apprenticing at renowned Paris cheese shop Fromagerie Trotté. In ''Le Cheese Course,'' Max will share his impressions and opinions of French cheese à la francaise!

For those who enjoy the creamy supple texture of Brie and the nutty earthy taste of Salers, Saint-Nectaire is a must-try. Coming from the Auvergne, the same region of France as Salers, it combines the best of both cheeses, but the experience of eating it is like savoring a particularly rich smooth peanut butter and drinking a glass of rich, flavorful raw cow's milk.

This cow's-milk cheese is made from the milk of the renowned Salers cows that graze at an altitude of 3,000 feet. Similar to the cheese Salers, the rich soil consists of volcanic ash (hence, lots of minerals) and imparts a distinct flavor on Saint-Nectaire.

However, unlike Salers, Saint-Nectaire has an unctuous consistency, similar to Brie, and a one-of-a-kind exquisite light-brown-grayish rind with, at times, white, yellow and red molds. It can have either a washed rind or a natural rind. The different molds, intentionally brought out by the affineur, create the cheese's distinct rustic appearance and earthy floral taste. As far back as the Middle Ages, cheesemakers have been aging Saint-Nectaire on rye mats in tunnels and caves that run through the Auvergne.

Continue reading Saint-Nectaire - Le Cheese Course

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]]>BriecheesecourseFrench cheeseFrenchCheesele cheese courseLeCheeseCoursesaint-nectaireMax Shrem2009-09-02T11:00:00+00:00Cafe des Artistes Closes After 92 Yearshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/08/31/cafe-des-artistes-closes-after-92-years/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/08/31/cafe-des-artistes-closes-after-92-years/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/08/31/cafe-des-artistes-closes-after-92-years/#commentsFiled under: Closings, Restaurants, America

Cafe des Artistes

Café des Artistes, Photo: NDX Photos

Café des Artistes, one of New York's most historic restaurants, has closed after 92 years.

According to the restaurant's voicemail, the Café was slated to reopen on Sept. 14 after being on "summer vacation" from Aug. 10 through Sept. 13. George and Jenifer Lang, the owners since 1975, have now chosen to forgo reopening and shut the storied restaurant doors forever.

The New York Times reports the economy and a union lawsuit regarding the restaurant falling behind on payments for medical insurance and welfare funds are to blame.

"It's a very sad day for us," Jenifer Lang told the Times. "It's a death in the family."

Continue reading Cafe des Artistes Closes After 92 Years

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]]>cafe des artistesCafeDesArtisteslincoln centerLincolnCenterrestaurant closuresRestaurantClosuresrestaurantsSarah LeTrent2009-08-31T11:30:00+00:00