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 Vichyssoise Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/18/national-vichyssoise-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/18/national-vichyssoise-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/18/national-vichyssoise-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Chervil Vichyssoise

Chervil vichyssoise. Photo: Gato-Azul, Flickr.

Happy National Vichyssoise Day!

We'll take cue from a master, and agree with Julia Child that the traditional leek-and-potato vichyssoise "is the mother of the family in all her simplicity." The vegetables combine to a delicate smooth soup, and, wrote Child, "a bit of cream at the end is a nourishing touch, but by no means necessary." But dear Julia, since when were you one to go easy on the fat?

Created by the chef of New York's Ritz, Louis Diat, the soup made an appearance shortly after the restaurant opened in December 1910. Debatably a Franco-American hybrid, the soup was inspired by the cooking of Diat's mother: "One of my earliest food memories is of my mother's good leek and potato soup," he wrote. Although similar French potage recipes predate the chilled Vichyssoise as we know it, the temperature is what differentiates the refreshing dish.

And what better way to celebrate National Vichyssoise Day than with Louis Diat's original recipe from 1941's "Cooking a la Ritz"? Check it out, after the jump.

Continue reading Happy National Vichyssoise Day!

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]]>louis diatLouisDiatnational vichyssoise dayNationalVichyssoiseDayvichyssoisevichyssoise recipeVichyssoiseRecipeAlexa Weibel2009-11-18T13:15:00+00:00Happy Homemade Bread Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/17/happy-homemade-bread-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/17/happy-homemade-bread-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/17/happy-homemade-bread-day/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Homebaked Challah Bread

Challah bread. Photo: Alejandra of Always Order Dessert, Flickr.

Happy Homemade Bread Day!

It's amazing what a base of flour and water is capable of. Though breads often take a back seat, as accompaniments to main courses, cheeses or more, today we celebrate bread worthy of standing on its own, the ultimate mobile comfort food -- not to over-toot the French, but gloriously buttery croissants and crunchy, subtly salty baguettes spring to mind.

So get baking! For holiday inspiration, with the addition of pumpkin and spices, bread becomes the complex Pumpkin Spice Bread or a moist Pumpkin Cheese Bread with cream cheese, or can even serve as a worthy Thanksgiving side dish, in our Savory Bread Pudding recipe.

What are your most cherished baked breads? Share your favorites in the comments!

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]]>breadhomemade breadhomemade bread daypumpkin breadAlexa Weibel2009-11-17T13:30:00+00:00Happy National Baklava Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/17/happy-national-baklava-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/17/happy-national-baklava-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/17/happy-national-baklava-day/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

baklava

Photo: Harry Harris, Flickr.

Ah, baklava -- the unctuous dessert enveloping honey and nuts in buttery layers of phyllo dough. Happy National Baklava Day!

The European-Middle Eastern delicacy actually has quite an impressive history. Dating back to the 8th Century B.C., the Assyrians used to pile nuts into thin layers of dough and top the whole thing with honey before baking it. The treat was considered a luxury, enjoyed predominantly on special occasions, and affordable only to the wealthy.

It has since come a long way, traveling to the Near East, Turkey and Armenia over time, then finally to Greece with the rise of the Grecian empire -- and the rich, buttery cinnamon-walnut treat has today made it over to the Food Network, with a fabulous classic recipe by Alton Brown. If you're feeling adventurous, try a shot at more Americanized versions of the versatile international dessert with Pear Baklava or even Chocolate Baklava.

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]]>baklavabaklava recipenational baklava dayphylloAlexa Weibel2009-11-17T13:15:00+00:00Happy National Raisin Bran Cereal Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/15/happy-national-raisin-bran-cereal-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/15/happy-national-raisin-bran-cereal-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/15/happy-national-raisin-bran-cereal-day/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Raisin Bran Muffin

Photo: ProofofthePudding, Flickr.

Happy Raisin Bran Day! Most commonly recognized in the dominant Kellogg's Raisin Bran Crunch these days, the raisin-bran combination has actually been around since 1926, when it started as Skinner's Raisin Bran. The "raisin bran" moniker was once trademarked, but usage limitations fell by the wayside as the term became widespread.

Statistics say that the average raisin-bran box of cereal houses 1,000 raisins -- but we think the cereal is best put to use adding extra texture and flavor in creative baking, like this Apple Raisin Bran Muffin by Proof is in the Pudding.

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]]>cerealfood holidayFoodHolidaynational raisin bran cereal dayNationalRaisinBranCerealDayraisin bran cerealRaisinBranCerealAlexa Weibel2009-11-15T13:15:00+00:00Happy National Guacamole Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/14/happy-national-guacamole-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/14/happy-national-guacamole-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/14/happy-national-guacamole-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

chipotle guacamole

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

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

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

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

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]]>guacamoleguacamole dipguacamole en molcajeteGuacamoleDipGuacamoleEnMolcajetemortar and pestleMortarAndPestlenational guacamole dayNationalGuacamoleDayrosa mexicanoRosaMexicanosecret guacamole ingredientsSecretGuacamoleIngredientsAlexa Weibel2009-11-14T13:15:00+00:00Happy National Pickle Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/14/happy-national-pickle-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/14/happy-national-pickle-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/14/happy-national-pickle-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

assorted pickled vegetables

Assorted pickled vegetables. Photo: vbalchen, Flickr.

Happy National Pickle Day! Though most commonly perceived and popularized as a brined cucumber, the "Food Lover's Companion" defines the pickle as any "food that has been preserved in a seasoned brine or vinegar mixture." According to the guide, the most popular pickling subjects beyond the cucumber typically include pearl onions, cauliflower, watermelon rind, baby corn, herring and pig's feet -- though most any vegetable can be pickled, it need only be firm enough to not dissolve in brine.

Brines range from sweet (Bread-and-Butter Pickles), to sour or hot (Spicy Dill Pickles), or may take on the flavor of whatever additives, from herbs to spices (Rosemary-Garlic Pickles). And the brine itself holds a range of uses too: soup stock, drink base, even hangover remedy! In one of the more surprising uses, a shot of pickle juice follows a shot of Jameson in the "pickle back" drink.

For an unexpected range of recipes, check out ilovepickles.org and get creative!

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]]>bread-and-butter picklesBread-and-butterPicklesilovepickles.orgnational pickle dayNationalPickleDaypicklepickle backPickleBackpicklingrosemary-garlic picklesRosemary-garlicPicklesspicy dill picklesSpicyDillPicklesAlexa Weibel2009-11-14T13:00:00+00:00Meet the World's Water Sommelierhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/13/water-sommelier-michael-mascha/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/13/water-sommelier-michael-mascha/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/13/water-sommelier-michael-mascha/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Dr. Mascha at the Cook. Drink. Eat. Live. event

Mascha shares his water know-how at the "Cook. Eat. Drink. Live." event. Photo: Alexa Weibel.

In the competitive, volatile market of food trends, one consumable blankets the majority of Earth yet is massively overlooked by epicureans: water. Commonly considered flavorless -- most would scoff to hear there are some 3,000 varieties of bottled water worldwide -- the commodity is getting reexamined as health issues abound and alcohol consumption is on the wane.

At the forefront of the water movement is water sommelier Michael Mascha, who is working to "educate people about premium bottled water" in hopes of "taking bottled water to the next level and making it a luxury item" -- a lofty goal, considering the liquid is most often regarded strictly as a commodity. However, after a private water tasting at New York City's Cook. Eat. Drink. Live. convention last weekend with Mascha -- a retired food anthropology professor at USC and self-proclaimed "authority on the art of water tasting" -- there may be more to water than meets the eye.

More on the art of water tasting and 'fine water etiquette' after the jump.

Continue reading Meet the World's Water Sommelier

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]]>dr. maschaDr.Maschamichael maschaMichaelMaschawaterwater as wineWaterAsWineAlexa Weibel2009-11-13T17:00:00+00:00Happy National Indian Pudding Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/13/happy-national-indian-pudding-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/13/happy-national-indian-pudding-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/13/happy-national-indian-pudding-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Indian Pudding

Indian pudding. Photo: SeriouslyGood1, Flickr.

As Thanksgiving approaches and we're reminded of the initial feast with the Pilgrims and the Indians, one likely dish of the meal has long been overlooked: the traditional Indian pudding. And though the Native American Indian dessert didn't quite stick as a holiday staple, it gets honored today with National Indian Pudding Day.

American Indian puddings are a baked custard, made from cornmeal and eggs, sweetened with molasses and flavored by spices. They also often include local, readily available fruit, like apples. The name is derived from "Indian" for its use of cornmeal, once called "Indian meal." Although the dish may not appear the most refined, it's comfort food at its best -- try it yourself, with this recipe adapted from "An Olde Conchord Christmas."

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]]>indian puddingindian rice puddingIndianPuddingIndianRicePuddingnational food holidaysnational indian pudding dayNationalFoodHolidaysNationalIndianPuddingDaypuddingAlexa Weibel2009-11-13T13:15:00+00:00Happy National Pizza With Everything (Except Anchovies) Day!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/12/happy-national-pizza-with-everything-except-anchovies-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/12/happy-national-pizza-with-everything-except-anchovies-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/12/happy-national-pizza-with-everything-except-anchovies-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Pizza

Photo: Akuban, Flickr.

Happy National Pizza With Everything (Except Anchovies) Day! Anchovy lovers may be tiffed, but they can celebrate their topping the other 364 days of the year.

Whether you enjoy your pizza artisanal (thin-crusted, with scarce but quality ingredients, typically served in trendy restaurants) or classic (pepperoni, loaded with cheese, delivered by teenage pizza boys), today is the day to savor a slice.

Do you prefer pizzas with low-quantity, high-quality ingredients, or fully loaded ones, with toppings overpowering the crust? What are your favorite pizza-topping combinations? Spill your delectable slice secrets in the comments!

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]]>national pizza dayNationalPizzaDaypizzapizza toppingsPizzaToppingsseasonal pizzasSeasonalPizzasAlexa Weibel2009-11-12T12:30:00+00:00Scrapple, Sardines and Stuffing - November National Food Holidayshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/02/scrapple-sardines-and-stuffing-november-national-food-holiday/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/02/scrapple-sardines-and-stuffing-november-national-food-holiday/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/02/scrapple-sardines-and-stuffing-november-national-food-holiday/#commentsFiled under: , ,

sardines

Celebrate sardines on Nov. 24. Photo: Photos in the Sunset, Flickr.

In the month that houses the nation's premier evening of gluttony -- the average American consumes some 4,500 calories every Thanksgiving Day, not to mention seemingly endless leftovers -- it's no wonder November is a dreaded month for dieters nationwide. But despite its most famous celebration, the month also ironically serves as the healthy host to National Pepper Month, Vegan Month, National Pomegranate Month, and National Peanut Butter Lover's Month.

Excuses for culinary celebrations range from tame (National Sunday Day, Nov. 11), to obvious (National Turkey Day -- you guessed it, Thanksgiving Day), to practical (National Leftovers Day follows Turkey Day), to downright bizarre (Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day, Nov. 9). So get cooking -- if only for the holidays that you can stomach.

Notable national food holidays for the month of November, after the jump...

Continue reading Scrapple, Sardines and Stuffing - November National Food Holidays

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]]>carbonated beverage with caffeine dayCarbonatedBeverageWithCaffeineDaychili con quesoChiliConQuesocook something bold and pungent dayCookSomethingBoldAndPungentDayfood holidaysFoodHolidaysnational candy daynational deep friend clams daynational fast food daynational food holidaysnational indian pudding daynational leftovers daynational nachos daynational pizza with everything day except anchoviesnational sardines daynational scrapple daynational stuffing dayNationalCandyDayNationalDeepFriendClamsDayNationalFastFoodDayNationalFoodHolidaysNationalIndianPuddingDayNationalLeftoversDayNationalNachosDayNationalPizzaWithEverythingDayExceptAnchoviesNationalSardinesDayNationalScrappleDayNationalStuffingDaynovemberscrappleAlexa Weibel2009-11-02T15:00:00+00:00Judge Accepts Jerk Chicken in Lieu of Community Servicehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/30/judge-accepts-jerk-chicken-in-lieu-of-community-service/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/30/judge-accepts-jerk-chicken-in-lieu-of-community-service/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/30/judge-accepts-jerk-chicken-in-lieu-of-community-service/#commentsFiled under: , ,

uncle joe's jerk chicken

Photo: Zol87/flickr

Community service has gone to the birds. Or, for some critics, at least the Chicago legal system has after a judge told a defendant he could either do 100 hours community service or bring him some jerk chicken.

When Darrius Logan plead guilty to misdemeanor battery and criminal trespass charges in August, he told Associate Judge Robert Livas that he'd already worked 100 unpaid "community service" hours at Uncle Joe's Jerk Chicken, a South Side Chicago Jamaican restaurant chain. The judge told him to come back in two months with proof he'd completed the community service elsewhere or to bring back enough chicken to feed the court room, the Chicago Tribune reports.

"If you walk in with enough chicken to feed everybody, I'll accept these community service hours," Livas said, according to court transcripts from Aug. 4 obtained by the Tribune. "If you don't, I'm not taking any of them."

Continue reading Judge Accepts Jerk Chicken in Lieu of Community Service

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]]>chicagojerk chickenJerkChickenjudgepunishmentuncle joes jerk chickenUncleJoesJerkChickenJennifer Lawinski2009-10-30T17:00:00+00:00Teens Ticketed for Rapping Their McDonald's Drive-Thru Orderhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/30/teens-ticketed-for-rapping-their-mcdonalds-drive-thru-order/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/30/teens-ticketed-for-rapping-their-mcdonalds-drive-thru-order/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/30/teens-ticketed-for-rapping-their-mcdonalds-drive-thru-order/#commentsFiled under: , ,

McDonald's Golden Arch

Rapping customers put McDonald's in a twist. Photo: constant500, Flickr.


Apparently rap has a bad rep at McDonald's drive-thru windows.

In yet another bizarre fast-food fable-turned-reality, four Utah teens received disorderly conduct citations following their ordering manner at a McDonald's drive-thru in American Fork, a small town south of Salt Lake City.

The teens apparently mimicked the popular YouTube jingle, which features rhymes to the likes of "Don't be frontin', son; no seeds on the bun!" They initially vocalized their order at a musical pace, then repeated it again slowly.

Culprit Spenser Dauwalder, 18, said the employees warned them that they were holding up the line, and they needed to order clearly or depart. Although he claims no one else was lined up behind him and his three 17-year-old friends, after the manager came out, the teens simply left -- but the store's manager took down their license information and contacted the police.

The police caught up with the teenagers at a high school parking lot and issued the citations -- which, according to Dauwalder's mother, are being contested.

[Via Chicago Tribune]
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]]>drive-thru citationsdrive-thru troubleDrive-thruCitationsDrive-thruTroublefast foodFastFoodmcdonaldsmcdonalds rapMcdonaldsRapno rapping in the drive-thruNoRappingInTheDrive-thrurapping at drive-thruRappingAtDrive-thruAlexa Weibel2009-10-30T13:30:00+00:0010 Most Awesome Food Mascotshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/15/10-most-awesome-food-mascots/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/15/10-most-awesome-food-mascots/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/15/10-most-awesome-food-mascots/#commentsFiled under: , ,

green giant

Photo: greefus gone, Flickr.

In ancient times, food was marketed primarily by "hunger." But in the modern era, it's not enough that we eat our food, we must also emotionally bond with it. This partly explains the enduring appeal of food mascots, those bright, colorful, affable characters who beckon us to consume.

In many cases, we choose a product simply because we have a bizarre attachment to the cartoon that represents it. There is no shame in trusting, say, a paranoid Leprechaun with a powerful marshmallow lust more than one's own family. These 10 icons are the awesomest in the pantheon of cheap food branding.

Continue reading 10 Most Awesome Food Mascots

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]]>awesomecolonel sandersColonelSandersfood mascotFoodMascotgrimacehamburger helperHamburgerHelperjolly green giantJollyGreenGiantkool-aid manKool-aidManmmsmrs. butterworthMrs.Butterworthnoidpillsbury dough boyPillsburyDoughBoythe noidTheNoidtrix rabbitTrixRabbitJohn Devore2009-10-15T14:00:00+00:00'Cake Wrecks,' 'This Is Why You're Fat' - New Food Humor Bookshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/14/cake-wrecks-this-is-why-youre-fat-new-food-humor-books/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/14/cake-wrecks-this-is-why-youre-fat-new-food-humor-books/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/14/cake-wrecks-this-is-why-youre-fat-new-food-humor-books/#commentsFiled under: , ,

cake wrecks and this is why you're fat books

Photo: Sara Bonisteel

We've long been fans of Jen Yates' fantastically funny food blog, Cake Wrecks, so we were mighty pleased to find the she's finally assembled enough disastrous misspellings, ill-conceived concept cakes and just downright nasty icing snafus to fill a whole book, "Cake Wrecks: When Professional Cakes Go Hilariously Wrong."

Also on bookshelves this month, Jessica Amason and Richard Blakeley's "This Is Why You're Fat: Where Dreams Become Heart Attacks."

See our favorites from both tomes after the jump.

Continue reading 'Cake Wrecks,' 'This Is Why You're Fat' - New Food Humor Books

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]]>bookscake wreckscake wrecks blogCakeWrecksCakeWrecksBlogfood humorFoodHumorjen yatesJenYatesthis is why youre fatThisIsWhyYoureFatSara Bonisteel2009-10-14T16:00:00+00:0010 Weirdest Celebrity Food Commercialshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/14/10-weirdest-celebrity-food-commercials/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/14/10-weirdest-celebrity-food-commercials/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/14/10-weirdest-celebrity-food-commercials/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Some celebrities are perfect for the food they promote -- Florence Henderson and Wesson Oil seemed made for each other like Popeye and spinach.

But not all stars are a natural match for the products they endorse. (Like that former Soviet premier who went on to do Pizza Hut ads?) Here are Slashfood's picks for the 10 Weirdest Celebrity Food Commercials of All Time.

Continue reading 10 Weirdest Celebrity Food Commercials

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]]>brad pittBradPittbruce willisBruceWilliscelebrity endorsementsCelebrityEndorsementscommercialscybill shepherdCybillShepherddemi mooreDemiMooreflorence hendersonFlorenceHendersonjason alexanderJasonAlexandermadonnamcdonaldsmichael j. foxMichaelJ.Foxmikhail gorbachevMikhailGorbachevorson wellesOrsonWellespizza hutPizzaHutpringlesseagrams wine coolersSeagramsWineCoolerssteven seagalStevenSeagalthe flintstonesTheFlintstoneswessonBen Widdicombe2009-09-14T16:00:00+00:00Slashfood vs. the Volcanohttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/08/slashfood-vs-the-volcano/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/08/slashfood-vs-the-volcano/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/08/slashfood-vs-the-volcano/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



We can't swear to it, but we suspect that this Momofuku Milk Bar Volcano was sent here from Planet Chang either to teach us or to enslave us. We can't be certain of its purpose, but what we do know is that all the breakfast food bravado we've flaunted up to this point -- Brooklyn deli egg and cheese bombs, full-on Irish black and white pudding spreads, Meatnormous(R) BK sammies and half-sow Bellagio Buffet crepes laid waste to in short order -- meant diddly squat as we stood at the Volcano's lip and by God, were afraid.

Chef David Chang's co-conspiritor Christina Tosi works the sweet end of the Momofuku Ssam Bar's East Village space at Milk Bar, turning out scrumdiddilyumtious sun-dense cornflake-chocolate chip cookies, dentist-scoffing Crack Pie and soft-serve cereal milk ice creams by the bucketload. We thought we had her all figured out, and there she had to go tossing out double-dog-dare words like "savory" and "volcano." Dang.

Turns out the steaming, softball-sized item is essentially a knish stuffed to rumbling with potato gratin, Gruyere, Benton's bacon, caramelized onions and a good 20 or so minutes off the average human's lifespan. No worries -- contrary to today's New York Times' $25 and Under assessment, we found its hefty, tangy slather of Mornay sauce to be more than adequate compensation for the latter.

We're not ashamed to admit that we were bested and could not conquer the Volcano in one sitting, or even without assistance from concerned colleagues, but we learned and we grew as people (or perhaps that last part was just our thighs.)

No matter. What we'd like to know is this -- how much can you manage to chow down in the morning? Are you after daybreak fare that sticks to your ribs or does coffee alone keep you fueled until lunchtime? Take the poll, and as always, comment away.

View Poll

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]]>breakfastchristina tosiChristinaTosidavid changDavidChangkat kinsmanKatKinsmanmilk barMilkBarmomofukumomofuku milk barMomofukuMilkBarKat Kinsman2009-04-08T10:30:00+00:00Food Phrases That Cut the Mustardhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/25/food-phrases-that-cut-the-mustard/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/25/food-phrases-that-cut-the-mustard/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/25/food-phrases-that-cut-the-mustard/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You might already know that the word "salary" comes from the Latin word for "salt" and that being "worth your salt" or "worth your weight in salt" was once among the highest possible compliments.

You might even know that "the cream of the crop" references the fact that cream, like the finest workers, rises to the top. However, you probably didn't know that the term "cool as a cucumber" references the vegetable's high water content, not its ability to tame spicy food.

Aphorisms are always a lot of fun, and the joy is doubled when they're related to food. If you're interested in checking out a few more, take a peek at Neatorama's list of twelve food phrases explained. It's the greatest thing since sliced bread!

[Via Neatorama]

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]]>food aphorismsFood phrasesFoodAphorismsFoodPhrasesNeatoramaBruce Watson2009-03-25T13:00:00+00:00Meat Madness: Vote for Your Favorite Meat!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/23/meat-madness-vote-for-your-favorite-meat/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/23/meat-madness-vote-for-your-favorite-meat/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/23/meat-madness-vote-for-your-favorite-meat/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

WC Fields once said "I love children ... if they're cooked properly." As a dedicated meat eater, I tend to have similar feelings about vegans.

While some of my best friends deny themselves the joy of animal products, I simply can't imagine completely divorcing myself from cheese, honey, milk and all the wonderful foods that come from animals. On some level, the idea of approaching life from a tofu haze seems almost suicidally self-abnegating.

In fact, while I have occasionally practiced vegetarianism, I am, at heart, a true carnivore. For health reasons, I try to limit my consumption, but I believe, both philosophically and sensually, that meat is an important part of my diet, if not everyone else's.

But which meat is the best? For health reasons, I'd probably go with chicken or turkey, but if it came to richness, my answer might be duck or veal. In terms of flavor, the answer could be lamb or beef, but for extravagance, it's hard to top a nice big buffalo filet mignon. Then again, in the summer, nothing beats a good grilled swordfish steak ... except for maybe a piece of lightly seared tuna.

Vote for your favorite meat after the jump.

Continue reading Meat Madness: Vote for Your Favorite Meat!

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]]>Meat MadnessMeatMadnessSo GoodSoGoodBruce Watson2009-03-23T15:00:00+00:00The Joy of Meat Arthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/14/the-joy-of-meat-art/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/14/the-joy-of-meat-art/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/14/the-joy-of-meat-art/#commentsFiled under:

bacon teacup
This bacon teacup is from Meat After Meat Joy, an exhibition of artists who work in meat (yes, there are more than one!), now running at the Daneyal Mahmood Gallery in New York. If you think bacon art is a contemporary phenomenon, you'll find it interesting to learn that artists have been using meat in the work since at least as far back as 1964, when Carolee Schneemann staged a "happening" involving chicken, sausage, raw fish and several semi-nude performers at the Festival of Free Expression in Paris. Other works at the Meat After Meat Joy exhibit include an animatronic meat shoe that twitches with electricity and a lard and meat flag that is already swarming with maggots. Mmmmm.

Thanks for the link, Eat Me Daily.
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]]>artbaconmeatEmily Matchar2009-03-14T18:00:00+00:00Jellied Moose Snout? Duck Embryos? Oh, the Horror!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/12/jellied-moose-snout-duck-embryos-oh-the-horror/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/12/jellied-moose-snout-duck-embryos-oh-the-horror/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/12/jellied-moose-snout-duck-embryos-oh-the-horror/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As I've mentioned once or twice in the past, I have a pretty wide-open definition of palatable food. I've had my fair share of headcheese, blood pudding, cow-face tacos and other unpopular meat products. More to the point, I often go out of my way to find bizarre things to eat. That having been said, Culinary Schools' list of disgusting delicacies gave me some serious pause. For that matter, the pictures were enough to seriously haunt my dreams.

The thing almost reads like a list of urban food legends. Maggoty cheese? Check. Grilled dog? Check. Soft-boiled duck fetus? Check. Some, like sheep's heads, jellied moose snout, and octopus, are on the list simply because they are conceptually a little difficult to deal with. Others, like blowfish sushi and boiled bat, are potentially life-threatening.

All in all, I don't know if this list is a compendium of "must trys" or a compendium of "must avoids"!
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]]>culinary schoolsCulinarySchoolsdisgusting foodDisgustingFoodBruce Watson2009-03-12T12:00:00+00:00