Features

The Difference Between Vanilla and French Vanilla

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Jul 20th 2010 @ 1:00PM

Photo: Getty Images

With the recent announcement of Baskin-Robbins retiring 5 of its iconic flavors, including French vanilla, some of our readers asked us: "What's the difference between vanilla and French vanilla besides the yellow color?"

While both ice creams use vanilla bean to flavor the cream, the base of the ice cream is where the two differ. French vanilla ice cream has a custard base, which means egg yolks (where the yellow color comes in) are used to produce a thicker, creamier texture. Heating is also involved in a custard base. The classic vanilla ice cream has a base of cream or milk that does not need to be heated.

Related: The Perfect Ice Cream Maker, Vanilla Ice Cream Recipes

Filed under: Features

Chicago - X Marks the Spot

COMMENTS 7

by Mark Ellwood, Posted Jul 20th 2010 @ 11:00AM

Photo: radloff, Flickr

If one thing defines Chicago's tastes, it's meat. "Our food is hearty and fatty and greasy and doesn't leave you hungry after eating it," says local food blogger Marcee Manglardi. Steve Dolinsky, the ABC 7 reporter dubbed the Hungry Hound, agrees. "This is not a vegetarian town at all – they're the sad step sister here." It's all thanks to the city's history: the south side of Chicago hummed with meat processing and packaging plants, the Union Stock Yard known as the Yards, from the 1860s until the 1970s. For much of that time, it processed more meat than any other place in the world; the only perk for the immigrant workers in those often-grueling conditions was the cheap offcuts they could take home – leading to the city's obsession with hot dogs and beef sandwiches.

The reason Chicago became such a meatpacking mecca was simple: it was the nexus of the country's railway system during the industrial boom years of the 19th century. Hogs and cattle could be brought in cheaply and easily for processing – and that wasn't the only thing. "People joke about flyover country, but Chicago was never that – it was fly-through country. Because we were a hub, every good product came through here: you can read menus from the 1940s, and there were oysters on there," notes Dolinsky, "Chicago was always a must-stop if you were going across the country – every celebrity on their way between New York and LA dined at the Pump Room."

That historic openness and access to ingredients is the reason, he believes, that Chicago today is synonymous in America with Rube Goldberg-like molecular gastronomy. The love children of Einstein and Julia Child, Grant Achatz at Alinea and Homaro Cantu at Moto break rules by turning shrimp cocktail into an atomizer that's squirted into your mouth, or goat cheese turned into 'snow' using a paint sprayer. Of course, since it's Chicago, they don't skimp on meat in their menus either: only here, it's welded together with a 'meat glue' or flash-frozen on a contraption Achatz himself invented known as the Anti-Griddle.

Read on about Chicago's meaty offerings and more, after the jump...

Filed under: Local Delicacies, Features

Talk to Michelle Obama

COMMENTS 0

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Jul 12th 2010 @ 1:00PM

Photo: Olivier Douliery / Abaca Press / MCT

Tomorrow, the First Lady will be launching her new Let's Move! website by hosting her first-ever live web chat on AOL Health. There's still time to ask Michelle Obama a question. Send an email to askmichelleobama@aol.com (please include your name and town) until 2:00 p.m today.

Tune into the live event tomorrow, which will be streaming on www.LetsMove.gov and on AOL Health at 10 a.m. Eastern time.

Filed under: Features

Resurrection Ale House, Philadelphia - What's On Tap

COMMENTS 4

by Mike Pomranz, Posted Jul 9th 2010 @ 5:00PM

Photo: Resurrection Ale House

A weekly look at the draft selections in beer-friendly bars across the country.

The Fourth of July has come and gone, but What's On Tap wanted to continue a tradition of celebrating Independence Day in the city where it all started -- one of America's greatest craft beer destinations -- Philadelphia!

Earlier this year, the Resurrection Ale House made national news after a controversial run-in with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. But like the Patriots who built this country, they've fought the good fight, and in the end, continued to do what they do best: serve craft beer.

Resurrection Ale House opened in September 2009, one of three bars in which Brendan Hartranft is part owner. Though all of his locations feature amazing draft selections, he believes that Resurrection's list is the one that's currently most exemplary.

Read on about Resurrection Ale House and find their most recent draft list, after the jump...

Filed under: Drinks, Features

World Cup of Beer: Finals

COMMENTS 1

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Jul 9th 2010 @ 1:00PM

So, beer lovers and soccer fans, have you been dutifully tasting all 32 of those beers we chose a couple weeks ago to represent each country playing in the World Cup?

If you're just tuning in, let us give you the instant replay of what's transpired thus far: Slashfood chose 32 beers to represent each country playing in the World Cup. You narrowed the suds down even further by voting in our Quarter-Finals Round, resulting in 4 teams that faced off in our Semi-Finals on Tuesday, July 6.

Now, if you're still standing with those bellies full of beer, we need your votes one last time for our FINAL match: USA's Sam Adams Boston Lager vs. England's Newcastle Brown Ale. (Click on the chart to enlarge.) You'll have until 5PM on Sunday, July 11 to weigh in on which beer is your absolute, final favorite, and we'll announce the winner on Monday morning. Feel free to vote by the polls (after the jump) or via Twitter or Facebook.

Need a beer refresher? Josh Bernstein gives an in depth look at all 32 beers in the brackets.

Vote for your favorite beer(s) after the jump, via Twitter or on Facebook.

Filed under: Drinks, Features

Talk to Michelle Obama

COMMENTS 0

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Jul 8th 2010 @ 6:00PM

Photo: Olivier Douliery / Abaca Press / MCT

This Tuesday, July 13th, the First Lady will be launching her new Let's Move! website by hosting her first-ever live web chat on AOL Health. Mrs. Obama has taken on the ambitious challenge of stopping childhood obesity within a generation and has unveiled a nationwide campaign -- Let's Move -- to help achieve it. The culinary industry has jumped on board: close to 1000 chefs, including White House assistant chef Sam Kass, Jose Andres of Jaleo, Todd Gray of Equinox, Tom Colicchio of Craft, Spike Mendelsohn of Good Stuff Eatery and Robert Wiedmaier of Brasserie Beck have joined the effort so far.

Want to ask Michelle Obama a question regarding the Let's Move initiative or childhood obesity? Now's your chance. Send an email to askmichelleobama@aol.com (please include your name and town) from now until Monday, July 12th at 2:00 p.m. Tune into the live event on Tuesday, July 13th, which will be streaming on www.LetsMove.gov and on AOL Health at 10 a.m. Eastern time.

Filed under: Features

Ozark Forest Mushrooms, Missouri Ozarks - Ask a Shopkeeper

COMMENTS 0

by Chris Dudley, Posted Jul 7th 2010 @ 4:00PM

Photo: gynti_46, Flickr

The Big Springs region of the Missouri Ozarks has been designated as one of the "Last Great Places" by the Nature Conservancy, thanks in no small part to people like Nicola MacPherson. As owner of Ozark Forest Mushrooms, she's doing her part to preserve the unique ecology of the region while at the same time bringing its best culinary offerings to the masses. Her operation, run from a family-owned farm located along a picturesque, limestone ridge detour of Sinking Creek, grows shiitakes as nature intended: on logs, in the forest.

Read more about Ms. MacPherson's adventures in fungal farming after the jump.

Filed under: Farming, Interviews, Features, Eco-Friendly

World Cup of Beer: Semi-Finals

COMMENTS 1

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Jul 6th 2010 @ 5:00PM

So, beer lovers and soccer fans, have you been dutifully tasting all 32 of those beers we chose a couple weeks ago to represent each country playing in the World Cup?

If you're just tuning in, let us give you the instant replay of what's transpired thus far: Slashfood chose 32 beers to represent each country playing in the World Cup. You narrowed the suds down even further by voting in our Quarter-Finals Round, resulting in 4 teams that will face off in our Semi-Finals: USA vs. Japan and England vs. Denmark. (Click on the chart to enlarge.)

You'll have until 5PM on Thursday, July 8 to weigh in on which beers you think should advance to the Finals. Feel free to vote by the polls (after the jump) or via Twitter or Facebook.

Need a beer refresher? Josh Bernstein gives an in depth look at all 32 beers in the brackets.

Vote for your favorite beer(s) after the jump, via Twitter or on Facebook.

Filed under: Drinks, Features

World Cup of Beer: Quarter-Finals

COMMENTS 2

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Jul 1st 2010 @ 4:00PM

Things are heating up in the FIFA World Cup, with the Quarter-Finals beginning tomorrow, and as Slashfood's World Cup of Beer continues, we imagine you taste testers are getting quite tipsy. Funnily enough, none of the remaining contenders for the world's best beer are actually still in the running for the real soccer trophy. Nevertheless, we carry on in our mission to anoint the winner for your favorite brew in the world.

If you're just tuning in, let us give you the instant replay of what's transpired thus far: Slashfood chose 32 beers to represent each country playing in the World Cup, and then opened voting across two days in our 2010 World Cup Beer Tournament. You narrowed the suds down even further by voting in our Knockout Round, resulting in 8 teams that will face off in our Quarter-Finals: France vs. USA; Nigeria vs. England; Japan vs. Portugal; and Denmark vs. Switzerland.

You'll have until 5PM on Monday, July 5 to weigh in on which beers you think should advance to the Semi-Finals. Feel free to vote by the polls (after the jump) or via Twitter or Facebook.

Need a beer refresher? Josh Bernstein gives an in depth look at all 32 beers in the brackets. (Click on the chart to enlarge.)

Vote for your favorite beer(s) after the jump, via Twitter or on Facebook.

Filed under: Drinks, Features

World Cup of Beer: Knockout Round

COMMENTS 0

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Jun 25th 2010 @ 11:00AM

So, beer lovers and soccer fans, have you been dutifully tasting all 32 of those beers we chose a couple weeks ago to represent each country playing in the World Cup?

Last week, voting opened for Slashfood's 2010 World Cup Beer Tournament across two days and our polls were flooded with your responses for beer picks. Today, before the real Knockout Round begins in the world of soccer, we announce our Round of 16 beers that have advanced thanks to your votes. (Click on the chart to enlarge.)

You'll have until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 29 to weigh in on which beers you think should advance to the Quarter-Finals. Since you're only voting for 8 beers this go-round, we encourage voting by the polls (after the jump) or via Twitter or Facebook (follow us there if you're not already!).

Need a beer refresher? Josh Bernstein gives an in depth look at all 32 beers in the brackets.

Vote for your favorite beer(s) after the jump, via Twitter or on Facebook.

Filed under: Drinks, Features