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/'The Next Iron Chef' - Bento or Busthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/09/the-next-iron-chef-bento-or-bust/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/09/the-next-iron-chef-bento-or-bust/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/09/the-next-iron-chef-bento-or-bust/#commentsFiled under: ,

mark dacascos next iron chef

Dacascos and his suggestive brows.
Photo: Food Network.



It took a transpacific flight, but finally last night, "The Next Iron Chef" deviated from its status as a "Top Chef" also-ran and finally started getting ... weird. Or maybe it was just the goofy opening montage of our four remaining cheftestants standing in the busy rain-slicked streets of Tokyo, crossing their arms in slo-mo and acting all alpha-dog dominant.

In any event, the show is finally getting down to its high-stakes, high-drama Japanese roots after an extended period of trumped-up, low-stakes challenges in Los Angeles. Our trio of alternately grumpy and spunky judges have come along for the ride, and eyebrow-cocking "Chairman" Marc Dacascos is no longer beamed in via satellite to bark oblique commands to the chefs -- now he can do so in person!

This week's mission was the pursuit of umami, the Japanese concept of a so-called fifth flavor -- something beyond savory -- that seems to be everywhere these days. The word was mentioned about a zillion times in the course of last night's episode, and -- surprise! -- it just happens to be the current marketing catchphrase of "TNIC" sponsor Kikkoman, whose umpteen varieties of soy sauce were littered around the challenge kitchen. The umami theme also allowed host Alton Brown a moment to do what he does best: Explain all the geeky details of how soy sauce is made.

That food chemistry lesson out of the way, it was up to our remaining pro chefs to get down to the flavor at hand, a challenge made all the more confusing in the Hattori Nutrition College kitchen, replete with weird can openers, stoves operating in celcius and ice cream makers that seemed to deep-freeze their wares to a glacier-like consistency. Asked to fill five spots of a bento box each with a different rice-based dish, the foursome didn't need to engage in the usual reality-show sabotage -- the people who arranged the kitchen seemed to do that for them.

Continue reading 'The Next Iron Chef' - Bento or Bust

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]]>alton brownAltonBrownAmanda FreitagamandafreitagFoodNetworkHattoriNutritionCollegeJoseGarceskikkomanNextIronChefSoySauceTheNextIronChefumamiMichael Thomas Hastings2009-11-09T11:00:00+00:00Burger King Selling Windows 7 Whopperhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/22/burger-king-selling-windows-7-whopper/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/22/burger-king-selling-windows-7-whopper/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/22/burger-king-selling-windows-7-whopper/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

burger king windows 7 whopper

Photo: Burger King

Forget Godzilla. Beginning Thursday, Burger King fans in Japan can get a mega-sized Whopper.

Microsoft is teaming up with Burger King to release the Windows 7 Whopper, our sister site Engadget reports. The burger features lucky-number-seven stacked beef patties and stands 5-inches tall.

Keeping with the seven theme, the sandwich will sell at 777 yen (or approximately $8.50) to the first 30 customers and will be available for seven days. For customer No. 31 and beyond, the tower-o-meat will sell for 1,450 yen -- almost double the promotional cost.

[Via Engadget]
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]]>burger kingBurgerKingburgersjapanwhopperwindows 7windows 7 whopperWindows7Windows7WhopperSarah LeTrent2009-10-22T13:30:00+00:00Shanghai Surprise - Authentic American Burger Experiencehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/21/shanghai-surprise-authentic-american-burger-experience/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/21/shanghai-surprise-authentic-american-burger-experience/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/21/shanghai-surprise-authentic-american-burger-experience/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


apple pie

Apple pie. Photo: jazzijava, Flickr.

Expat foodies have been known to sniff out American favorites in every corner of the world, whether it's bagels, burgers or cupcakes. According to a review we read, even in China, it looks like a seriously good American burger can be had at Bistro Burger. Made from 100-percent Angus beef, imported from the States and ground on the premises, this Shanghai burger has the potential to be better than most you'd get in the U.S. We don't know what the meat to fat ratio is, but we'd be willing to try them regardless.

In addition to ordering a variety of international themed burgers, homesick visitors and expats can take advantage of the restaurant's October promotion, where they can "get a free milkshake with any burger." Apparently, authentic milkshakes are a big deal in these parts, due to the fact that many are made with ultrapasteurized or nonperishable milk, whereas Bistro Burger uses the fresh stuff.

The review also raves about the eatery's chili cheese fries, pronouncing them the "best" in Shanghai, as well as homemade apple pie packed with honest-to-goodness imported U.S. apples and Brooklyn beer. Who says you can't find the comforts of home halfway round the world?

[Via Shanghaiist]
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]]>american foodAmericanFoodAngus BurgerAngusBurgerBistroburgerBrooklyn BeerBrooklynBeerburgercomfort foodComfortFoodexpathamburgermilkshakeShanghaiLisa Schweitzer2009-10-21T16:00:00+00:00McDonald's Can't Stop McCurry from Using 'Mc'http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/08/mcdonalds-cant-stop-mccurry-from-using-mc/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/08/mcdonalds-cant-stop-mccurry-from-using-mc/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/08/mcdonalds-cant-stop-mccurry-from-using-mc/#commentsFiled under: , ,

McCurry
McCurry restaurant owner A.M.S.P. Suppiah and his wife. Photo: Mark Baker/AP
In a fast-food version of David versus Goliath, the owner of a small curry restaurant in Malaysia has won the final bout in an eight-year trademark battle against the world's largest fast-food giant, McDonald's.

The restaurant facing the suit operates under the name McCurry, short for "Malaysian Chicken Curry," and was the first Indian fast food restaurant to open in 1999 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- serving dishes such as chicken curry, fish head curry, naan and biryani.

McDonald's wanted sole rights to the use of the prefix "Mc" to protect its brand image but the Federal Court ruled Tuesday that the fast-food chain had no such exclusive rights.

Continue reading McDonald's Can't Stop McCurry from Using 'Mc'

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]]>a.m.s.p suppiahA.m.s.pSuppiahcurryfast foodFastFoodkuala lumpurKualaLumpurmalaysiamccurrymcdonaldsmcdonalds legal battleMcdonalds vs mccurryMcdonaldsLegalBattleMcdonaldsVsMccurrySarah LeTrent2009-09-08T13:30:00+00:00Muslim Model to Be Caned for Drinking Beerhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/08/19/muslim-model-to-be-caned-for-drinking-beer/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/08/19/muslim-model-to-be-caned-for-drinking-beer/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/08/19/muslim-model-to-be-caned-for-drinking-beer/#commentsFiled under: , ,

beer
Photo: pixelens/Flickr.
When a Malaysian night club was busted and 32-year-old Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno was caught with a beer, she knew she was in trouble. Not because alcohol is illegal in the country -- it's not -- but because Kartika is a Muslim.

Under Sharia law -- which regulates the day-to-day life of Muslims, including politics, business, sexuality and hygiene -- consuming alcohol is a major offense. Though non-Muslim in Malaysia would be prosecuted under civil law, Kartika had to face Islamic courts.

"I accept the punishment," she said, according to a Daily Telegraph report. "I am not afraid because I was ready to be punished from day one. [The authorities] hope to use my case as a way to educate Muslims. So go ahead. I want to move on with my life."

Continue reading Muslim Model to Be Caned for Drinking Beer

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]]>beerdrinkingillegalislamislamic lawIslamicLawlawlegalmalaysiamalaysianmuslimmuslim lawShariaEmily Farris2009-08-19T16:00:00+00:00Table for One - Bibimbap Till You Drophttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/07/table-for-one-bibimbap-til-you-drop/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/07/table-for-one-bibimbap-til-you-drop/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/07/table-for-one-bibimbap-til-you-drop/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Bibimbap

Few of us want to make a complicated lasagna for solo dining -- by day six, you'll never want to see lasagna again! In this feature, AOL Food intern Sarah LeTrent taste-tests simple recipes suitable for those requiring a "table for one."

"What's for dinner?" Those of us flying solo find ourselves at the mercy of this painstakingly simple question every evening. The problem is finding the time, money and energy to cook something that will truly satisfy those hunger pangs.

Bibimbap is a popular Korean dish suitable for solo dining on rainy summer evenings. Its translation is literally "mixed rice." Tossed together just before serving, the dish might include carrots, mushrooms, mung bean sprouts, chili paste, sesame seeds or oil -- really anything your heart desires. This diner is fond of adding a fried egg -- the cherry on top of the sundae, as it were.

Continue reading Table for One - Bibimbap Till You Drop

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]]>bibimbapsarah letrentSarahLetrenttable for oneTableForOneSarah LeTrent2009-07-07T17:00:00+00:00Robojoe - Cute, Caffeinated and CoffeeMeister-Approvedhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/24/robojoe-cute-and-caffeinated/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/24/robojoe-cute-and-caffeinated/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/24/robojoe-cute-and-caffeinated/#commentsFiled under: , ,



It's practically impossible for me to decide what I like best about this video: The fact that it features both cloth coffee filters (sustainable!) and a hand coffee grinder (retro!), that the robot appears to let the coffee bloom before starting the proper brew, our little friend's deadpan expression, or the two-second outtake where the poor gal pours coffee all over the counter before a set of friendly human hands sets it right.

Actually, this little automated lady looks like she seriously knows what she's doing -- storing coffee in an air-tight container, grinding fresh, making coffee to order... She's a barista-bot after my own heart -- even if she's more likely to rust than over-caffeinate.
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]]>coffeecoffee robotcoffeemeisterjapanjapanese coffeeJapaneseCoffeerobotErin Meister2009-06-24T10:30:00+00:00Flashback to the Seventies: Korean Barbecuehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/05/flashback-to-the-seventies-korean-barbecue/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/05/flashback-to-the-seventies-korean-barbecue/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/05/flashback-to-the-seventies-korean-barbecue/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

In this weekly series, home cook Bruce Watson works his way through a decades-old family cookbook, adapting the best recipes exclusively for Slashfood.

Over the last few years, Korean barbecue has gained fresh relevance in the United States. Whether served on hot dog buns in Manhattan, tortillas in Los Angeles or rice in Korean restaurants around the country, the sweet, oniony flavors of bulgoki, japchae and galbi are incredibly delicious and increasingly popular.

When I was a kid, bulgoki (also spelled bulgogi, pulgoki, pulgogi and any number of other ways) was a staple in my house. My parents, who lived in Korea before I was born, loved the stuff and would cook it on an electric griddle at our dinner table. As my sisters and I got older, we got involved in the fun; some of my first cooking experiences involved flipping bulgoki with a pair of bamboo tongs.

I've played with amounts and ingredients, but my mother's basic bulgoki recipe is fantastic. In fact, my only major change is in the dipping sauce: while my parents used light soy sauce with a sprinkle of pepper, I prefer a more traditional garlic/vinegar sauce, which I've included below.

Get the recipe for bulgoki after the jump.

Continue reading Flashback to the Seventies: Korean Barbecue

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]]>beyond rice krispiebeyond rice krispie treatsBeyondRiceKrispieBeyondRiceKrispieTreatsbulgogibulgokiKorean foodKoreanFoodpulgogipulgokiBruce Watson2009-06-05T15:00:00+00:00Two Classic Cool-Downs We Can't Resisthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/28/two-classic-cool-downs-we-cant-resist/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/28/two-classic-cool-downs-we-cant-resist/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/28/two-classic-cool-downs-we-cant-resist/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

fruit

Strawberry milkshakes and juice boxes shaped like fruit: Two things that make us grateful for April heat waves.

Food & Wine's own Dana Cowin alerted us to this luscious milkshake on the Saveur Web site, accompanied by a recipe that calls for an ingenious combination of strawberry ice cream, strawberry sorbet and strawberry jam.

The juice boxes, meanwhile, are the brilliant invention of Naoto Fukasawa, a Japanese industrial designer who designed the boxes to mimic the look and texture of the fruit they contain: pictured here are banana and strawberry, along with soy, which rather uncannily mimics a block of tofu. We can't help but feel that these boxes blow the Capri Suns of our elementary school days out of the water, or at least the sandbox.

[Saveur via Dana Cowin]
[Via TokyoMango]
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]]>designFood and WineFood and Wine MagazineFood WineFoodAndWineFoodAndWineMagazineFoodWinejapanjuice boxJuiceBoxmilkshakesaveurTwitter HourTwitterHourRebecca Flint Marx2009-04-28T17:00:00+00:00A First Growth Bordeaux ... in China?http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/02/a-first-growth-bordeaux-in-china/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/02/a-first-growth-bordeaux-in-china/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/02/a-first-growth-bordeaux-in-china/#commentsFiled under: ,

Chinese wine

It's official: The wine world is truly global. First growth Bordeaux estate Chateau Lafite is developing vineyards in China, according to a Decanter magazine exclusive.

When the French began planting vines in California, we felt validated. Then some of them moved into Chile and Argentina, and they probably felt validated. But China? It seems as if the last frontier has finally been conquered.

I blogged my doubts about Chinese wine during the Olympics last summer, and Marc at China Wine Tours was quick to say there's good wine there -- you just have to find it. Just a guess, but I'm thinking if anyone can make world-class wine in China, Lafite is at the top of that list.

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]]>chateau lafitechinachinese winelafitewineGretchen Roberts2009-04-02T12:00:00+00:00A Pork-Bun Journey Through Chinatownhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/01/a-pork-bun-journey-through-chinatown/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/01/a-pork-bun-journey-through-chinatown/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/01/a-pork-bun-journey-through-chinatown/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Steamed BBQ Pork Bun

Eating pork buns (cha siu baau) is an excellent way to get a taste of New York's Chinatown. These warm buns -- either steamed or baked -- are full of savory barbecue meats, sometimes with scallions.

Last weekend, a friend and I decided we would eat our way through Chinatown by trying pork buns at various bakeries. And, what started out as a "pork bun journey" turned into an exploration of both savory and sweet buns, ranging from pork to red bean.

Fay Da Bakery, at 83 Mott St., has a variety of buns that you can select yourself with tongs when you enter the shop. While being underwhelmed by their pork buns, we were blown away with their sweet topping red-bean bun. The outside of the red-bean bun is coated in a flaky layer of sugar that balances marvelously with the doughy bun and the creamy red-bean paste.

Head directly to the Golden Fung Wong Bakery, at 41 Mott St., to try some of the best pork buns in Manhattan's Chinatown. Chunks of pork are flavored with a delicious mix of soy and oyster sauce. This bakery also sells an assortment of rice cakes and melon cakes that are worth trying.

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]]>bakeriesbakerychinatownporkpork bunPorkBunMax Shrem2009-04-01T14:00:00+00:00Toilet-Themed Restaurants...Bon Appetit?http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/13/toilet-themed-restaurants-bon-appetit/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/13/toilet-themed-restaurants-bon-appetit/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/13/toilet-themed-restaurants-bon-appetit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Modern Toilet Restaurant

"Bloody poop" anyone? The toilet aesthetic is nothing new in Asian restaurants. We have a post, from a few years back, about a toilet-themed restaurant where people actually sit on toilets at a table. Recently, Time magazine had an article about a Taiwanese restaurant chain that's opening up restaurants in China and other parts of Asia. Modern Toilet serves dishes, with names like "green dysentery," in toilet-shaped plates. Food is presented in the shape of excrement.

Modern Toilet interestingly combines the vulgar, the obscene, the scatological with the high-end. As the Time article states: "Every customer sits on a stylish acrylic toilet (lid down) designed with images of roses, seashells or Renaissance paintings." In this way, the restaurant is enticing patrons and receiving positive feedback. Jennifer Finch, an American who dined there, described the experience as tasteful and clean.

The cuisine is an eclectic mix of Asian foods, including curries, pasta, fried chicken and Mongolian hot pot. Patrons comment that despite the disgusting descriptions, the foods are great. Apparently, China's comfort with (and interest in) toilet creations beyond the bathroom are not new. Time points out that a flush toilet was found in a tomb of a Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C. to A.D. 24) king. The Chinese invented toilet paper in the 6th century! But, while toilet dining may be less shocking in Chinese culture, Westerners seem to be gravitating to these restaurants as well.
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]]>asian cuisineAsianCuisinerestaurant reviewsRestaurantReviewsrestaurantstoiletseatMax Shrem2009-03-13T14:00:00+00:00Entree on the Fly - Chicken Biryanihttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/20/entree-on-the-fly-chicken-biryani/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/20/entree-on-the-fly-chicken-biryani/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/20/entree-on-the-fly-chicken-biryani/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Chicken biryaniI typically use recipes in one of two ways. In the best case scenario, I consult a recipe before I shop so that even if I choose to tweak things a bit, I'm at least starting with all the appropriate raw materials. But then there are those evenings when it's chilly outside or I'm just feeling too lazy to shop, and I need a recipe that makes use of whatever's in the fridge, freezer, and pantry.

Last night was the second scenario. I had a pack of chicken thighs thawing but no plan for them. At first I printed out a recipe for chicken divan, knowing full well that I would have to substitute 2-percent milk for the cream and whole milk. Then I realized that I'd accidentally bought bone-in thighs. The thought of carving up chicken thighs to make a casserole sounded like a major pain. I remembered a recent charmed encounter with lamb biryani takeout, so I looked up some recipes for a chicken version online.

Most had a laundry list of ingredients, but then I found a very simple preparation on Mark Bittman's blog, Bitten. I still didn't have everything on the list: no fresh ginger, no saffron, no basmati. His recipe calls for a whole cut-up chicken; I figured the thighs would substitute nicely.

I added some curry powder in place of the missing spices, and threw in a pinch of fragrant dried spearmint leaves. I think whole cardamom pods are probably pretty integral to biryani (though I think the ten he calls for is a few too many), but then again, saffron and basmati probably are, too. The point is that you can work with the spices, and the kind of rice, and the cuts of chicken you have, and this ambrosial casserole will warm you right up.
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]]>chicken biryaniChickenBiryaniAmy McDaniel2009-02-20T17:00:00+00:00How to Eat a Kebabhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/31/how-to-eat-a-kebab/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/31/how-to-eat-a-kebab/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/31/how-to-eat-a-kebab/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Image of Kebab
I've never been the type to insist that no two foods on my plate touch each other. Whether it's pancake syrup leaking onto the bacon or cornbread crumbs in my turnip greens, I love for the mingling of ingredients to continue even after the cooking ends. Yet all my life, I ate each piece on a kebab separately. I just didn't know better--until last summer.

At a tiny, unassuming restaurant called Çiya Kebap near the Asian banks of Istanbul, a knowing waiter, kindly sensing our ignorance, took a few moments to show my mother and me how a kebab ought to be eaten. He'd just set before us a tantalizing skewer of ground lamb, charred eggplant and red onion, nearly liquid tomato, and sweet-hot chili--but in less than a minute, he mashed everything together so thoroughly that the components were hardly recognizable. Then he sprinkled a spice blend called baharat over all of it and instructed us (nonverbally, since we couldn't speak the same language) to mop up portions of the mash with the paper-thin flatbread stacked alongside.

Turns out Çiya Kebap, along with two other Çiya restaurants with different menus located just steps away, is world famous. If I'd eaten my kebab in my usual manner, I wouldn't have any clue what the fuss was all about. Instead, I experienced some of the most revelatory mouthfuls in recent memory. The splendor of the combined flavors would be impossible to exaggerate, even with words like "symphony" and "revelation."

Of course, a kebab anywhere, not just in Istanbul, would benefit from such intervention. The key is to glob everything together. Don't be too dainty about it, and don't worry about appearances. Just enjoy the big sloppy mess, and spread the word.
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]]>ciya kebapistanbulkebabAmy McDaniel2009-01-31T09:00:00+00:00Nasi Lemak at Rasa Malaysiahttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/29/recipe-nasi-lemak/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/29/recipe-nasi-lemak/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/29/recipe-nasi-lemak/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

nasi lemak
Got the late January blues? In my opinion, nothing chases away the shadows like a big, hot, tropical-flavored meal. That's why I'm making nasi lemak this Saturday night, as part of a Malaysian-themed dinner party (pineapple tarts will also be on the menu).

One of the staple dishes of Malaysian cuisine, nasi lemak is rice steamed with coconut milk and served (usually) with hard-boiled eggs, tiny anchovies, sambal (chili paste), sliced cucumbers and (occasionally) fried chicken. It's often served for breakfast at Malaysian street stalls, or sold cold and wrapped up in banana leaves as a quick on-the-go lunch. Nasi lemak is eaten with your fingers, as is traditional in Malaysia - most restaurants have a tea pot full of cold water and a bucket for pre- and post-meal washing.

The rice is soft and moist and rich with coconut milk, the sambal pungeant with chili and prawn paste. Cucumbers add coolness, peanuts and tiny anchovies (called ikan bilis) add crunch. Check out this recipe, at Rasa Malaysia.
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]]>coconutmalaysiannasi lemakNasiLemakriceEmily Matchar2009-01-29T14:00:00+00:00BBC Guide to Chinese New Yearhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/26/bbc-guide-to-chinese-new-year/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/26/bbc-guide-to-chinese-new-year/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/26/bbc-guide-to-chinese-new-year/#commentsFiled under: , ,

chinese new year food
Want to celebrate the Year of the Ox in proper fashion? The BBC has a simple guide to the Chinese New Year, which begins today. Traditional foods - which vary greatly depending on the region - include Northern Chinese dumplings resembling gold ingots, said to bring wealth for the coming year; big family meals called "poo choi," in which everyone eats out of the same giant bowl to promote togetherness; Southern Chinese turnip cakes given as a sign of respect and honor; and glutinous rice cakes whose sticky nature is said to help families stick together in the new year.

Plus, there's a link to a bunch of the BBC Food's Chinese recipes - think red-cooked pork belly, ginger fish, stir-fried salt and pepper prawns.
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]]>bbcchinesechinese new yearChineseNewYearEmily Matchar2009-01-26T13:00:00+00:00Celebrate Chinese New Year With Chinese Beerhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/26/celebrate-chinese-new-year-with-chinese-beer/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/26/celebrate-chinese-new-year-with-chinese-beer/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/26/celebrate-chinese-new-year-with-chinese-beer/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

2009 Year of the OxFor many Americans, the idea of Chinese beer may seem as far-out as Chinese democracy (the movement or the Guns N' Roses album). Some countries -- Ireland and Germany, for example -- we heavily associate with beer drinking, and others, like China, we do not. Even at Asian restaurants, less discriminating drinkers can be hard-pressed to determine the country of origin of different Eastern beers on the menu. Maybe I was just a "dumb American," but when I was younger, I didn't put much thought into the difference between my Sapporos and my Tsingtaos.

Well, for the record, Tsingtao is by far the most prevalent Chinese beer in the U.S., (Sapporo, of course, is from Japan) and the marketing minds down at the Tsingtao Brewery believe they've found the perfect event to help hammer that point home: Chinese New Year, which begins today.

To celebrate the "Year of the Ox," Tsingtao enlisted the help of certified Chinese Master Chef Martin Yan to create four Chinese dishes that utilize either Tsingtao Lager or Tsingtao Pure Draft as an ingredient. Personally, though, I'm more about drinking beer than cooking with it, so I was happy to see Chef Yan also took a crack at two beer cocktails.

You can see all of the recipes (as well as some additional Chinese New Year celebration tips) on Tsingtao's website here or find the mixing instructions for Chef Yan's Ginger Beer Fizz beer mixed drink after the jump...

Continue reading Celebrate Chinese New Year With Chinese Beer

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]]>chinachinesechinese new yearspeakin sudstsingtaoMike Pomranz2009-01-26T12:00:00+00:00Pineapple Tarts for Chinese New Year http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/23/pineapple-tarts-for-chinese-new-year/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/23/pineapple-tarts-for-chinese-new-year/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/23/pineapple-tarts-for-chinese-new-year/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

pineapple tart
In the Chinese communities of Singapore and Western Malaysia, the pineapple tart is the ultimate Chinese New Year dessert. The word "pineapple" in the Hokkien dialect resembles the word for prosperity, so eating the pineapple tarts is said to help bring luck and money in the coming year. For extra value, some tarts are even shaped to resemble tiny gold bars. The Malaysian port city of Malacca is considered the heart of the pineapple tart industry - in the city's colorful Chinatown dozens of bakeries are busy pumping out hot, fragrant trays of tarts every few minutes, to be placed in decorative cannisters with red lids and given as gifts. As we head closer to the Year of the Ox - New Year starts January 26 - the tarts grow increasingly expensive!

Bite into a proper pinepple tart and the ultra-flaky dough crumbles into buttery powder in your mouth. The chunk of pinepple jam inside is chewy and firm, flavored with spices - cinnamon, star anise and cloves - that reflect the influence of the spice trade on Malaysian Chinese cuisine.

If you don't happen to live near a Malaysian- or Singaporean-Chinese bakery, A Consuming Passion has a good-looking recipe for pineapple tart. These would be a great choice for a Chinese New Year party.
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]]>chinese new yearmalaysiapineapple tartPineappleTartsingaporeEmily Matchar2009-01-23T16:00:00+00:00When Is a McDonald's Not a McDonald's?http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/09/when-is-a-mcdonalds-not-a-mcdonalds/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/09/when-is-a-mcdonalds-not-a-mcdonalds/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/09/when-is-a-mcdonalds-not-a-mcdonalds/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

viva mcdonald'sThe point of fast-food franchises is instant familiarity--every outlet serving the same food under the same sign in essentially the same building. But McDonald's has been messing with that paradigm, opening new restaurants that are hard to recognize as the home of Ronald and the Big Mac. Viva McDonald's recently opened on the Las Vegas Strip, tearing down a 25-year-old golden arches to rebuild a slick new restaurant. The arch is still there--at least one, anyway--stretched as a marquee above a row of 20-foot wide video screens. Inside, there's something of the Quonset hut design of a Chipotle, along with even more screens, all broadcasting McDonald's own in-house TV channel. You can even get a latte and use wi-fi!

Not enough change for you? How about the McDonald's with no branding at all, not even the name. In Tokyo, the fast-food megalith has opened several small restaurants named, simply, Quarter Pounder. There's not an arch in sight--the black-and-red decor looks more like a bar or nightclub and even the wrappers are redesigned, streamlined and logo-free. However, don't get your hopes up about a chic new shame-based No-I-Am-Not-a-McDonald's: The stores are open as part of a promotion for the quarter pounder, which was not previously available in Japan.
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]]>fast foodFastFoodfeaturedfranchisejapanlas vegasLasVegasmcdonaldsquarter pounderQuarterPounderredesignshibuyatokyoviva mcdonaldsVivaMcdonaldsLissa Townsend Rodgers2009-01-09T14:55:00+00:00The Exciting, Ribbeting Future of Frogs' Legshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/08/the-exciting-ribbeting-future-of-frogs-legs/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/08/the-exciting-ribbeting-future-of-frogs-legs/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/08/the-exciting-ribbeting-future-of-frogs-legs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

When I was a little kid, my parents were really serious about introducing me to delicacies. Some, like sushi, evoked excitement, energy, and a lifelong passion. Others, like rumaki, evoked hatred, distrust, and a tendency to carefully sniff everything that my mother put in front of me. Frog legs, on the other hand, were decidedly meh. It wasn't that I disliked them, but they weren't all that impressively different or exciting. The Muppet Movie, with the dastardly Doc Hopper, pushed me over the edge into active avoidance. I decided that my indifference, combined with the high price of the precious legs, meant that I should spend my money elsewhere.

A little while ago, however, I learned that frogs are, apparently, dying in droves. Whether the cause is interspecies warfare, bacteria, habitat destruction, or any of a host of other suspects, the conclusion is the same: the price of frogs legs is skyrocketing. Today, in fact, most frogs legs come from China or India, where they are factory farmed. The best legs, however, seem to be produced by Ken Holyoak, a frog farmer from Brunswick, Georgia. By creating what amounts to a frog free-range habitat, Holyoak has found a way to produce frogs in quantity while avoiding some of the pitfalls that lead some restaurateurs to describe Chinese frogs as having a "muddy" flavor and "dark" meat.

While I don't think that I'll ever be a huge fan of frogs legs -- at least not while there is still alligator meat to be had -- it's nice to know that a combination of creativity, hard work, and eccentricity is keeping them on the table!
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]]>doc hopperDocHopperfrog legsFrogLegsfrogsKen HolyoakKenHolyoakrumakisushiThe Muppet movieTheMuppetMovieBruce Watson2009-01-08T15:00:00+00:00