Eastern Market Photo: ngolebiewski/Flickr

Continue reading Washington, D.C.'s Historic Eastern Market Re-opens

Food snobs who typically ignore the scattered, smothered and covered charms of Southern greasy spoons have begun flocking to former Waffle Houses, partaking of the latest trend in start-up eateries down South.

A new generation of enterprising chefs is taking refuge in the abandoned shells of retired chain restaurants, realizing their edible ambitions in the very spaces where truckers once drank too much black coffee and elderly women paid for their grilled cheese sandwiches in change. Formidable Mexican, Thai and Italian restaurants have taken up residence where eggs and hash browns once reigned.

The Southeast is dotted with former Waffle Houses and Huddle Houses (WH's cut-rate cousin), their industrial-strength kitchens still very much intact. For restaurateurs with limited budgets and a boundless appreciation of late-night Dixie dining culture, the allure is irresistible.

Continue reading An End to the Waffling

Continue reading 'Frommer's 500 Places for Food & Wine Lovers'

Your favorite beer may have just gotten a makeover. To those wandering the suds store in vain searching for those classic pyramid-sporting, Tintin-esque brews, listen up: Pyramid Hefeweizen will henceforth be known as Haywire Hefeweizen (above left), and Pyramid Apricot Ale is now Audacious Apricot Ale. Pyramid Breweries, America's 11th largest brewing company and fifth largest craft brewer, just announced this "revitalized brand positioning," and we're pretty surprised by the assertive redesign.

We're not alone. "Do they make beer or energy drinks?" quipped one BeerAdvocate user. Others, however, are more blasé: At Charlotte, N.C.'s Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, which stocks over 200 beers, general manager Daniel Parks remarked, "I don't think it will change [sales] one bit."

Typically reserved brewers have been shaking it up a bit of late: Sierra Nevada named a new year-round brew Torpedo IPA, a step up from their unadorned line of Pale Ale, Porter, Stout and Wheat. In Pyramid's case, this may be due to a recent buyout by flamboyantly designed Magic Hat's parent company, Independent Brewers United. (Pyramid did not return several requests for comment). To us, Haywire and Audacious sound like sheer marketing, uh, audacity.

Will you miss the Pyramids of the past the way we will?

Continue reading 'Save the Liver!' Meryl Streep Channels Mrs. Child for 'Julie & Julia'

On April 2, 2009, Widmer Brothers Brewing celebrates its 25th Anniversary.

Started by two bothers, Kurt and Rob, back in 1984 with money scraped together from friends and relatives, Widmer is now the 11th largest brewery in America. The brand is best known for their flagship Widmer Hefeweizen, considered the first American-style Hefeweizen, and still a refreshing and drinkable stand-out, especially in the summer months.

In honor of the event, Widmer Brothers is releasing a limited-edition 25th Anniversary brew, a double alt beer dubbed "84/09," brewed with a reflective eye towards the brothers' very first offering back in 1984, Widmer Alt. And what would an anniversary be without a little reflection? Kurt Widmer (shown in a then and now picture above) was gracious enough to answer some questions about the big event. ...

Mike Pomranz: It's the big 25 year anniversary! Congratulations! Did you ever think you'd be where you are today when you launched Widmer Brothers back in 1984?

Kurt Widmer: Thank you! No, we are continually surprised at how large and quickly we have been able to grow as a company. It's much more than we ever anticipated.

MP: What were your goals for the brewery back in 1984 compared to your goals today?

Continue reading Kurt Widmer on the 25th Anniversary of Widmer Brothers Brewing

One of the most delightful and plentiful coffee bean regions is Ethiopia, offering "percs" that include Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, Harrar and Limu. As a home coffee roaster, one of my greatest delights is pulling out some Harrar, letting the roasting smells infiltrate my apartment, and then partake in its smooth, rich and reliable flavor. And if you think it's just coffee snobbery, a report once stated that Harrar was "the single most requested coffee from our customers and partners" at Starbucks.

But the whole rich and diverse world of Ethiopian coffee might be in danger.

As The New York Times reports, the Ethiopian government has suspended the licenses of the largest coffee exporters, meaning that for the time being, no coffee is leaving Ethiopia. But there's a little more to it. See, the government thinks that exporters are keeping coffee off the market to get the prices to rise. So, to make sure all beans get an adequate price, the government mandated that growers sell their crops through the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange.

While great in theory, it has one big flaw -- roasters outside of Ethiopia wouldn't be able to buy beans from a specific, beloved farmer. The prevalent fear: This means the end of location-specific Ethiopian purchases -- so buying Yirgacheffe coffee wouldn't be the bean we've come to know, but rather a sort of all-round brand.

The ordeal is still playing out, but popular stores like The Green Beanery are already selling out some Ethiopian brands, so if you have a deep love for a specific, tasty region, you might want to to pick up some extra.

Even back in the days when airlines weren't suffering like mad, I never thought there was much to the world of air food. I figured there were some powers-that-be types that picked some meals, most likely from an independent food distributor, and that was that. These days, I figured there was even less -- purchase crap, microwave and serve, if they even share more than a granola bar.

Then there was that infamous letter to Virgin Airlines chastising their sorry excuses for food, which led the airline to invite the reader to come to their "catering house" and give his input. Catering houses ... But that's not all -- FOXBusiness now reports that Chef Bryan Caswell, owner of REEF and Little Bigs restaurants in Houston, has been added to Continential Airlines' Congress of Chefs. Not group, not board, but Congress.

Before writing this, I looked up some Continental reviews, since I haven't flown them in a while and perhaps I was missing out on a culinary experience, but reading here, I don't think I have. Or rather, there's an enormous divide between the Business class menu, and the airline that has "won numerous awards for its international BusinessFirst service [and where] Continental's Congress of Chefs and Sommeliers carefully select menus and wines for each country the airline serves."

Continue reading Continental Grabs Celebrity Chef and the Rest Still Suffer Scary Food

New Orleans has always been a cocktail town, but did you know it also makes spirits too?

Since 1995, Celebration Distillation has been crafting Old New Orleans Rum from Louisiana molasses in a facility off Elysian Fields.

On a recent visit, Slashfood met one of the company's distillers, Julie Perschall, who walked us through the warehouse operation, which flooded with 8 feet of water when Hurricane Katrina rolled through in 2005.

Using old equipment from the Abita Brewery, chief distiller Chris Sule and crew distill 1,900 gallons of molasses, yeast and water each week into about 200 gallons of white dog (184 proof booze to you), which they age on the distillery's second floor in old bourbon barrels made of white oak. Moving the barrels to higher ground proved to be a wise move, as it spared the distillery's stock during Katrina.

Visitors can taste the results -- a special edition 10-year rum distilled in 1997 which weathered the nation's costliest natural disaster to become as smooth as any ancient whiskey.

More rum after the jump.

Continue reading Walking Through New Orleans - Yes Indeed It's Rum Time

In a previous life as a non-blogging private citizen, I enjoyed many spirited e-mail exchanges concerning sightings of that wondrous denizen of the deep, the behemoth squid. How fervid our imaginations were in picturing this colossal beast contentedly lurking in the deepest waters or rousing surfaceward to feast upon plankton and (in our imaginations if not in reality) the occasional shipwreck survivor.

Just imagine my pleasure when, during a post-dinner walk this weekend, I encountered the Nemo Whisk. Yes, it is just what it sounds like: a kitchen whisk whose handle design is a squid. And that's appropriate: in lesser dimensions than behemoth, squid graces many a table -- dipped in cornmeal and deep fried, carved into sushi or sashimi, even wiggling as fondant across the top of a cake.

Like the best design, the idea informs the execution -- in this instance, an animal whose cylindrical body lends itself to the handle shape and function and whose eyes are routinely described as "the size of a dinner plate" can whip up your eggs before they land on that selfsame plate -- a task it handles just fine if without threat to your favorite balloon whisk.

The Nemo Whisk and numerous other delights are offered courtesy of Pylones, a French company whose schtick is creating whimsical daily-use items. Mais oui, they work in themes beyond "squid." If we're still talking about eggs, use a chicken timer to boil yours after using a hen bag to carry your shopping list and your money to the grocer's. Pepper your eggs using a pepper mill in themes from Pirate to Native American and then nestle them in coordinating egg cups. Perhaps you'd like an elephant funnel, a dachshund cake server, an Eiffel Tower grater or demitasse spoons crowned with fancy chocolates? Or, simply, Melamine dinnerware printed with a jumble of tempting candy, plump red strawberries, an anchovy pizza or (if you must) a nice healthy salad?

If you like Pylones, they have an easy to use Web site and free-standing stores in New York City. Their merchandise is available at numerous online merchants -- start here.

How far are you willing to go to save your favorite restaurant?

In Ann Arbor, Mich., the owners of a popular and longtime Mexican eatery, Tios, are selling "memberships" to help the restaurant move after the city bought the building it's called home for more than 20 years. Ann Arbor is expected to use the property to expand city hall.

Owner Tim Seaver hopes to raise $50,000 with the $50 to $5,000 memberships in the "Campaign to Save Tios." Those who join will get "one-year supply of extra hot salsa, monthly discounts or getting your name etched on a bar stool or booth," the Ann Arbor News reports.

Over the last two decades, Ann Arbor has lost many of its dining institutions, including the beloved Drake's Sandwich Shop with its homemade limeades as well as the dark and Gothic wursthaus known as the Old German.

Seaver told the paper he's already raised $20,000 from two fans of the smothered burrito, and is considering a new storefront in which to display the eatery's blazing collection of hot sauces. Tios' lease expires in June.

"People have been very generous and people want to help us keep going," Seaver said.

[Via: The Ann Arbor News]

Back before conglomerates ate up local TV, commercials for regional haunts had that charming produced-in-the-basement feel. Growing up in southeastern Michigan, I remember the "tricycles and red pop" of Faygo, having a Farrell's birthday party that looked a lot like this and wishing there was a Sign of the Beefcarver close by so I could take part in "the recipe for fun."

The Web has let the spirit of free enterprise return to anyone creative enough to harness it. That's why I like this commercial for Juan's Flying Burrito, a Mexican restaurant chain in New Orleans.

Dave Greengold -- who juggles a job as the chain's head of operations with performing in the city's only Latin soul band, Los Po-Boy-Citos, yes, little Po'Boys -- has transformed himself into a tortilla troubadour, singing of "burritos as big as your face."

If that doesn't make you hungry, a local commercial for Mr. Sprigg's BBQ in Oklahoma City certainly will. It caught the attention of Will Ferrell, who helped make Cam's jingle for "some of that mmm, mmm good, meat falls off the bone" barbecue become a viral hit.

"I want that S-P-R-I-G-G-S, when I'm dealing with Mr. Spriggs, I'm only dealing with the best." I wish they delivered.

Slashfoodies, do you have any local jingles -- past or present -- that demand a second look?

(Full Disclosure: I've known Dave since the mid-1990s when we DJ'd back-to-back at WTUL-FM).

Continue reading Culinary Degradation, Part IV - Monster Burger Gluttony

Pie-making is a true expression of a cook's love: of ingredients, of process, of feeding hungry people something good to eat. For cooks, the pie is the hug, but how about a pie you can hug? We're way ahead of state fair blue-ribbon season, but in one shopfront at the venerable etsy they believe in being prepared for contests beyond pie-baking and pie-eating. Buggabug's shop features not just a menu but a feast of patterns for creating your own huggable food easily and inexpensively from felt.

The Blue Ribbon Pie collection features lemon meringue, cherry, pumpkin, even grasshopper. If that's not enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, try tea cakes, doughnuts, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls -- even a box of Valentine's day chocolates. A lumberjack's pancake breakfast will get your day going, and after the whistle blows, why not unwind with some Chinese take-out and a movie?

If you take a cup of tea with your pie, Martha Stewart shows you how to make adorable teacup pincussions. If your pie of choice is cherry, Martha has her take on that as well. So does Better Homes and Gardens, where embroiderers can try your hand at this cherry redwork pillow (free log-in required). Finally, yarn expressionists can try this cherry pie slice at craftbits.

All of these projects are simple to intermediate to accomplish. And if your favorite way of pie crafting is the old-fashioned one -- rolling out dough and lining a tin with it, tossing fruit with sugar and spices, artfully layering a top crust over the filling, and putting the whole thing into a hot oven -- then slashfood can help you with that. Though we're not averse to the crafts of cooking, our heart is still with the craft of cooking.

Continue reading There's a Bug on my Saucer