Slashfoodhttp://www.slashfood.comSlashfoodhttp://www.slashfood.com/media/feedlogo.gifSlashfoodhttp://www.slashfood.comen-usCopyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Home Espresso Machines with the CoffeeMeisterhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/15/home-espresso-machines-with-the-coffeemeister/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/15/home-espresso-machines-with-the-coffeemeister/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/15/home-espresso-machines-with-the-coffeemeister/#commentsFiled under: ,


rancilio silvia espresso machine
A Rancilio Silvia
home espresso machine.
Photo: Jay Ritmista, Flickr
Erin Meister trains baristas for North Carolina-based Counter Culture Coffee and sporadically maintains the blog Meet the Press Pot from her home in New York City. This is part of a series of tips for the caffeine-addicted.

Hooked on espresso? Yeah, me too. But not because we need it, right? It's because we love it. It isn't just a caffeine fix -- it's an act of passion. It's a foodie's delight.

Brewing espresso at home is a luxury enjoyed by few but might be more accessible than you think: Decent equipment starts at a basic splurge level before moving into "coffee has taken control of my life" exorbitance -- I swear!

Here's a guide to finding a machine that fits your needs (and your bank account).

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]]>brewing espressoBrewingEspressobrewtuscoffeecounter culture coffeeCounterCultureCoffeeerin meisterErinMeisterespressoespresso at homeespresso doseespresso machineEspressoAtHomeEspressoDoseEspressoMachinegaggiahomemade espressoHomemadeEspressola marzoccoLaMarzoccomaking espressoMakingEspressomokarancilio silviaRancilioSilviaErin MeisterTue, 15 Sep 2009 14:00:00 ESTSka Brewing's Modus Hoperandi - Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/20/beer-of-the-week-ska-brewings-modus-hoperandi/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/20/beer-of-the-week-ska-brewings-modus-hoperandi/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/20/beer-of-the-week-ska-brewings-modus-hoperandi/#commentsFiled under: , ,

hops
Modus Hoperandi India Pale Ale. Photo: Jenene Chesbrough.

By now, news of another India pale ale -- an occurrence as common as an Alaskan snowstorm -- barely merits mention.

But every blue moon, an IPA arrives to jolt our jaded taste buds, causing us to thank a higher deity for the heavenly, hoppy elixir. So let's bow down and worship a little green can filled with Modus Hoperandi, a brew so skunky and stinky it reminds us of something else.

"We used to smoke a lot of weed," jokes Dave Thibodeau, cofounder of Durango, Colo.'s Ska Brewing Company. Since releasing the "old-man bitter" brew in late winter, it's rocketed to the top of Ska's bestseller list. "It completely caught us off-guard, which is a good problem to have," Thibodeau says.

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]]>beerbeer of the weekBeerOfTheWeekjoshua m bernsteinJoshuaMBernsteinmodus hoperandiModusHoperandiJoshua M. BernsteinMon, 20 Jul 2009 11:00:00 ESTBastille Day Food and Drink Rounduphttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/14/bastille-day-food-and-drink-roundup/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/14/bastille-day-food-and-drink-roundup/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/14/bastille-day-food-and-drink-roundup/#commentsFiled under: , ,

absinthe
Absinthe drip and sugar cube.
Photo: Alex Van Buren.
So we've been all about Bastille Day for the last 24 hours, from petanque to moules frites, brioche burger buns to a gorgeous vegetable tian and even a Francophile-friendly absinthe-spiked cocktail.

We're not the only ones itching to get out the door and toast our friends in the Old Country (or the wonderful eats and drinks they've sent our way). For those who will celebrating the occasion at home, Chow has recipes for three lovely terrines; Serious Eats discovers the tapenades of Provence; and one of Slashfood's own beer columnists breaks down Saison style beer at Gourmet while his colleague tackles eight great aperitifs, several of which are French.

Perhaps the triumph of the online articles, however, is France Magazine's enormous feature on aperitifs. From Lillet to Suze to Noilly Prat, it's all there, and we'll be printing it out and tucking it into our bag. (They've just unlocked the online files especially for Slashfood.) Happy celebrating!

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]]>absinthealcoholbastille dayBastilleDaycelebrationchowcocktailsfrance magazineFranceMagazinegourmetholidayliqueurspollserious eatsSeriousEatsspiritsAlex Van BurenTue, 14 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST'The Great Big Butter Cookbook' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/24/the-great-big-butter-cookbook-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/24/the-great-big-butter-cookbook-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/24/the-great-big-butter-cookbook-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

butter
Photo: Amazon.com
'The Great Big Butter Cookbook'
Edited by Diana von Glahn
Running Press -- 2007
Buy it on Amazon

Not unlike meat, butter has gone through a renaissance of late. Scorned as recently as a few years ago, it's now being embraced. And as anyone who has tucked into a bar of European butter lately knows, it's good stuff.

"The Great Big Butter Cookbook," then, with its cover glowing with orbs of golden goodness, is a heart-stopping sight in the best of ways. Any book that has "Because Everything's Better with Butter" as its subtitle makes a great first impression.

Unfortunately, as we flipped through its pages to see recipes for Microwave Cheesy Potato Soup, Broccoli and Cheddar Soup and the frightening-looking, bright-yellow Double Cheese Souper Bowl, all of which glow golden with butter and cheese, we started thinking that maybe there can be too much of a good thing. A quick peek at the copyright reveals that, hmm, this book is copyrighted by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

See what we tested and whether you should buy the book after the jump.

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]]>cookbook reviewcookbook spotlightCookbookReviewCookbookSpotlightreviewthe great big butter cookbookTheGreatBigButterCookbookAlex Van BurenWed, 24 Jun 2009 14:00:00 ESTPort Brewing Hop 15 - Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/22/port-brewing-hop-15-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/22/port-brewing-hop-15-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/22/port-brewing-hop-15-beer-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under: ,


Photo: Jenene Chesbrough
Hop heads are hopelessly addicted to Humulus lupulus, the flowering vine whose cones lend beer its piney, floral and even marijuana-like aromas and flavors.

To sate hop lovers' jones, we turn to the West Coast. There, California brewers are engaged in an arms race to craft bigger, burlier double India pale ales like Russian River's wondrous Pliny the Elder, Stone's Ruination and Port Brewing's heavenly Hop-15 Ale (above).

Based in San Marcos, Calif., Port Brewing is helmed by beer magician Tomme Arthur. Though the funky Belgian ales he brews under the Lost Abbey imprint are fabulous, we're happiest when he's hoppiest.

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]]>beerBeer of the WeekBeerOfTheWeekIPAPort BrewingPort Brewing Hop 15PortBrewingPortBrewingHop15Joshua M. BernsteinMon, 22 Jun 2009 15:00:00 ESTSlashfood Sorbethttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/10/slashfood-sorbet/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/10/slashfood-sorbet/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/10/slashfood-sorbet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You've seen that sliced-up green apple sitting up top aside the Slashfood logo. Perhaps you've pondered its culinary potential -- the crisp snap of that bright green skin, the half-sweet/half-tart flavor that is the special domain of the Granny Smith apple.

Voila. Slashfood sorbet!

In sorbet, a single element is distilled into an intense burst of flavor. It should be so vivid that only a bite is necessary. Perhaps you're most familiar with it as an intermezzo to cleanse the palate, in a fluted paper cone to hold while walking alongside your companion and his gelato or in scoops piled high in a frosty parfait glass almost too cold to touch.

After the jump, an original recipe for a gorgeous green apple Slashfood Sorbet. We challenge you to only eat one bite.

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]]>americadesserteric dieselEricDieseleuropefruitreciperecipessorbetsummerEric DieselWed, 10 Jun 2009 11:00:00 ESTBrooklyn Uncorked Recap - Tipsy Locavores Unitehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/14/brooklyn-uncorked-recap-tipsy-locavores-unite/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/14/brooklyn-uncorked-recap-tipsy-locavores-unite/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/14/brooklyn-uncorked-recap-tipsy-locavores-unite/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

uncorked"Loco for locavorism" might sound like some bizarro play on an old TV ad, but the phrase carries some heft these days, if the crowd at last night's Brooklyn Uncorked was any indication. The sip-and-nibble-fest in honor of local goods was jam-packed with tipsy oenophiles clutching wine glasses and munching on local pickles (garlicky!), rosé sorbet (brilliant!) and buzzed-about turkey meatloaf (by the time we got there, gone!). Dozens of local restaurants, wineries and producers were on the premises: as one sign bragged, no vinos were made more than a two-hour drive from Brooklyn.

Hyperlocalism isn't local to New York City, either. Edible Communities, whose Edible Brooklyn hosted the tasting, boasts more than 50 publications from Missoula, Wash., to Santa Fe, N.M. All feature the same bright, minimalistic food-focused design touting "local foods, season by season." If you believe that New York hearkens nationwide trends, well, like the Brooklyn Food Conference before it, this event was sold-out and about as crowded as could be.

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]]>Brooklyn UncorkedBrooklynUncorkeddining at our desksedible brooklynedible communitiesEdibleBrooklynEdibleCommunitieseventlocavorelocavorismwineAlex Van BurenThu, 14 May 2009 17:00:00 ESTRed Chair IPA - Beer of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/12/red-chair-ipa-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/12/red-chair-ipa-beer-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/12/red-chair-ipa-beer-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under: , ,

beerT-shirt season has arrived at last, and with it the eagerness to trade belly-warming barleywines for more sprightly sippers: namely hoppy India pale ales, whose floral flavors and aromas recall lush spring blooms. Sure, burly, nap-inducing IPAs like Dogfish Head's 120 Minute or Russian River's Pliny the Elder garner megawatt attention, but IPAs need not be monstrously potent to be monstrously delicious.

This principle is fully understood by Bend, Oregon's decades-old Deschutes Brewery. Its newest spring-summer seasonal, the Red Chair IPA (available in draft or 22-ounce bottles), demonstrates the flavorful results of restraint. Named after a favorite lift at Oregon ski resort Mount Bachelor, the Red Chair pours radiant copper, releasing a heady perfume of citrus, black tea and fresh baked biscuits.

Still, Red's no gnarly mouth-puckerer.

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]]>beerBeer of the WeekBeerOfTheWeekDeschutesIPAJoshua M BernsteinJoshuaMBernsteinRed Chair IPARedChairIpaJoshua M. BernsteinTue, 12 May 2009 14:00:00 ESTCulver City Cool - Surfashttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/07/culver-city-cool-surfas/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/07/culver-city-cool-surfas/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/07/culver-city-cool-surfas/#commentsFiled under: ,

surfa
Los Angeles has many things to recommend it to the enterprising eater, and Surfas is unequivocally one of them. Why? Well, for one, take a look at this photo. Mycryo Gelatine Substitute. Lots of it. While the vast majority of the population would have absolutely no idea of what to do with it -- sprinkle it? snort it? use it instead of NutraSweet? -- the fact that Surfas carries it in such large quantities is just very cool. So is the shop's eye-popping variety of spices, flours, sugars, extracts, chocolates, nuts, dried beans, butters and -- well, you get the picture.

Geared towards pro chefs who presumably have a need for things like mycryo gelatine substitute (used mainly by pastry toques, as discussed here), Surfas is also a paradise for the less ambitious homecook.

Find out why after the jump.

Continue reading Culver City Cool - Surfas

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]]>chefsculver cityCulverCitylos angelesLosAngelesshoppingspecialty shopsSpecialtyShopsstores-and-shoppingsurfasRebecca Flint MarxThu, 07 May 2009 14:00:00 ESTMezzetta Jarred Pasta Sauceshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/06/mezzetta-jarred-pasta-sauces/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/06/mezzetta-jarred-pasta-sauces/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/06/mezzetta-jarred-pasta-sauces/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

mezzetta saucesJust in time for your next Saturday night pasta party, a new jarred sauce that's worth a first taste and second helping has appeared on store shelves. Mezzetta, the company famous for such glass-jarred wonders as snappy peperoncini and an addictive giardiniera, has launched Napa Valley Bistro, a line of pasta sauces prepared with Napa Valley wines. We were glad to cook up a sample sent our way and toss it with some noodles. Hey, anything for our readers - especially if it involves eating spaghetti.

We tried two versions: basic marinara and the creamy version. The saucy results are after the jump.

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]]>americacomfort fooddinnereuropeitalystores-and-shoppingwineEric DieselWed, 06 May 2009 17:00:00 ESTCinco de Mayo Is for Suckers - Walnut Maple Popsicleshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/05/cinco-de-mayo-is-for-suckers-walnut-maple-popsicles/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/05/cinco-de-mayo-is-for-suckers-walnut-maple-popsicles/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/05/cinco-de-mayo-is-for-suckers-walnut-maple-popsicles/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

pops
"It's Cinco de Mayo, dude! Where's my marg?"

Margaritas are lovely, yes, but sometimes the liver needs a break. And Mexico, of course, is no one-trick culinary pony. In fact, while ambling through the famously taco- and torta-laden neighborhood of Sunset Park, Brooklyn, last weekend, a compadre proselytized wildly about a maple-walnut popsicle right before running into traffic to lead us to the deli where it lived.

Traditionally no friend to the walnut unless it is candied, we were inclined to pass. Then we noticed that in this popsicle, walnuts were a minor player relegated to the stick end of the treat. We politely accepted a small bite. And then another.

And then we turned on our heel and ran back to the deli to rummage frantically through the cooler gleaming on the sidewalk: mango-lime, pistachio, egg nog. Egg nog?! Walnut! Where was it? Pops flew everywhere as, like a dog frantically chasing a mole burrowing underground, we went shoulder-deep into the icy cooler. Thank the stars, a lone, innocuous "nuez" pop remained.

Continue reading Cinco de Mayo Is for Suckers - Walnut Maple Popsicles

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]]>americabrooklyndairydessertdining at our desksmaple walnut popsicleMapleWalnutPopsiclemexican foodMexicanFoodmexicosugarsunset parkSunsetParktinfoil swanwalnut popsicleWalnutPopsicleAlex Van BurenTue, 05 May 2009 16:00:00 ESTPom Iced Coffee Consideredhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/04/pom-iced-coffee/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/04/pom-iced-coffee/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/04/pom-iced-coffee/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

bottle of pom iced coffeeAs we've noted, it's iced coffee time, folks. While we can all agree that the best version is that which is freshly brewed, sometimes you've got to make do with what can be grabbed out of the convenience store fridge. Starbucks' Frappuccino is a perennial favorite, and we're fans of their Doubleshot Energy Drink (especially the new Cinnamon Dulce flavor) when caffeine alone isn't quite enough.

Behold, however, a challenge to Starbucks supremacy from Pom Iced Coffee. Far from an unpleasant mix of joe and pomegranate juice (though it does feature a touch of the antioxidant-laced fruit extract), this is one smooth-blended iced coffee drink. The cafe au lait version is delightful, but it is the chocolate that may soon boast the title of best bottled iced coffee, with an addiction-inspiring taste reminiscent of a blend of Yoo-Hoo and chocolate Nestle Quik.

The only problem with this cooling nectar? It's only available at select stores and Whole Foods in the Northeast (though bottles have been spied at 99-cent stores on the west coast). If anything were to make a convenience store crawl or a trip to a pricey specialty grocer worth it, it is Pom Chocolate Iced Coffee. So stock up.

Note: Slashfood does not accept compensation of any sort in exchange for reviews.

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]]>americaantioxidantscaffeinechocolatecoffeedining at our desksfrappucinoiced coffeeIcedCoffeepompom iced coffeePomIcedCoffeestarbuckstinfoil swanLissa Townsend RodgersMon, 04 May 2009 16:00:00 ESTDairy Queen Midnight Truffle Blizzardhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/27/dairy-queen-midnight-truffle-blizzard/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/27/dairy-queen-midnight-truffle-blizzard/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/27/dairy-queen-midnight-truffle-blizzard/#commentsFiled under: ,

DQ BlizzardHooray for the Dairy Queen Blizzard, the dessert that combines ice cream, candy and sometimes even cookies all in one (swiftly melting) creation.

The sweet treat is given even greater pride of place on the DQ menu thanks to its "Blizzard of the Month" feature. Former BoMs have included caramel cheesecake and turtle Oreo (pictured), but it's the divine midnight truffle -- a blend of vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup and truffle bits -- that's enjoying an April shout-out.

If contrasting crunchiness is preferable in the creamy Blizzard, then the softness of the truffle chunks are a bit of a letdown. But if maximum richness is the goal, then their melt-in-your-mouth texture works quite nicely with the smooth chocolatiness of the ice cream. Fight the current heat wave to slurp this sucker down before it turns from a Blizzard into slush.

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]]>americablizzardchocolatedairy queenDairyQueendessertice creamIceCreamtruffleLissa Townsend RodgersMon, 27 Apr 2009 15:00:00 ESTSid Wainer & Son Chili Oil - Product Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/23/sid-wainer-and-son-chile-oil-product-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/23/sid-wainer-and-son-chile-oil-product-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/23/sid-wainer-and-son-chile-oil-product-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

oil
Some cooks reach for Sriracha, the ubiquitous Thai hot sauce, in a pinch. Others swear by soy sauce. And then there are those who refuse to reveal (*cough, cough* butter) what made the dish you just demolished delicious. For our part, we've developed a tiny -- OK, midsized -- crush on an infused chili oil, and we need to talk about it.

Sid Wainer & Son's Domaine de Provence pepper-spiked oil is fantastic. A drizzle of the fiery goodness rescues storebought and homemade guacamole alike with a heady, late-blooming heat on the palate. According to owner Henry Wainer, it's also tasty on bruschetta. We plan to carry it on our person all summer -- potentially awkward in the 90-degree swelter -- using guerilla tactics to douse any crustaceans and pork we spy sizzling on the grills of party hosts. (Brooklyn, consider yourself warned.)

Wainer has been equally passionate about the oil since meeting its producer at a dinner in France 18 years ago. Such culinary serendipity, he declares, "enriches the world." Can't argue with that.

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]]>bakingchilechileschilidining at our desksFrancefryinggrillmassachusettsoilolive oilOliveOilreviewSid WainerSid Wainer SonSidWainerSidWainerSonspicesAlex Van BurenThu, 23 Apr 2009 17:00:00 ESTBarbie Gets a Sweet Tooth with New Candy Linehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/23/barbies-sweet-tooth/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/23/barbies-sweet-tooth/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/23/barbies-sweet-tooth/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

barbie
Barbie, as you may know, turned 50 earlier this year. If this slightly belated bit of promotional whimsy is any indication, plenty of you still want a piece of her.

To celebrate the doll's 50th, Dylan's Candy Bar created "Barbie Loves Dylan's," a line of chocolate and candy outfitted in colorful graphics befitting the belle's pop-art and pop-cultural legacy. We love the way these chocolates are packaged, with through-the-years pix inspiring affectionate memories of both "The Brady Bunch" and yearbook photos of days (and unfortunate hairstyles) gone by.

It's rare to come across chocolate whose packaging wouldn't look out of place next to a Warhol, and we applaud whatever graphic design genius was behind this. But if Barbie taught us anything, it's that beauty is skin deep, and that lesson unfortunately applies to the chocolate bearing her name. It tastes as plastic as Barbie herself or, in the words of one judge, "like drugstore Easter candy." Like Barbie herself, this chocolate could last 50 years ... in the back of a pantry.

For $14, a better move might be to pop the candies into a frame on the bedroom wall. 'Cause Barbie also taught us that when substance fails, style triumphs.

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]]>americabarbiebarbie dollBarbieDollcandiescandychocolatedylans candy barDylansCandyBaredible giftsgimmickmothers dayRebecca Flint MarxThu, 23 Apr 2009 15:00:00 ESTYou Vote - the Best Italian Restaurants in Americahttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/22/you-vote-the-best-italian-restaurants-in-america/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/22/you-vote-the-best-italian-restaurants-in-america/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/22/you-vote-the-best-italian-restaurants-in-america/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

luigis
Mamma mia! This morning's pasta pic has us stuck in noodle-craving mode. Comforting, hearty Italian eats never get old for us Slashfoodies, so we put together a list of our unforgettable, lick-the-plate clean faves from red-sauce trattorias to fancy-pancy eateries.

As with our sandwich post and followup (in which you continue to comment, nominating your beloved sub shops) we want your vote. What'd we miss? Which chicken parm or scallopine di vitelo should we be booking plane tickets to feast upon? Hit us up in the comments, and in a few days we'll post a master list of Slashfoodies' favorites.

Savelli's, Knoxville, Tenn.
Blink and you'll drive right past the hole-in-the-wall where Mama Savelli's Chicken Surprise, bursting with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and a creamy lemon sauce, will take up permanent residence in your best food memories bank. We really amore the BYOB policy. -- Gretchen Roberts
Vetri, Philadelphia, Pa.
Marc Vetri's cozy 40-seater has its share of naysayers, but with impeccable service and amazing food in a warm, intimate setting there's no better spot to celebrate a special occasion. -- Mike Pomranz
Franny's, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Known for its thin-crusted tomato, mozzarella and sausage pizza, this petite Brooklyn joint also whips up silky pastas with natural local ingredients like spinach and farm fresh eggs. -- Max Shrem
Augustino's, Hoboken, N.J.
Double-thick sautéed pork chops topped with hot and sweet peppers cause jaws to hit tables. We didn't come up for air until our plates were spotless. -- Sarah Christine (aka The Hungry Bride)
Convivio, New York, N.Y.
A well-crafted love letter to Southern Italy that is refined without being fussy with dishes like expertly charred octopus and malloreddus -- a weird, wonderful marriage of sea urchin, crab and gnocchi. -- Rebecca Flint Marx

...the final three after the jump!

Continue reading You Vote - the Best Italian Restaurants in America

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]]>best italianbest ofbest sandwichesbest sandwiches in americaBestItalianBestOfBestSandwichesBestSandwichesInAmericafavoritesfeatureditalianlistlistsrestauranttinfoil swanAlex Van BurenWed, 22 Apr 2009 16:00:00 ESTDon't Judge a Bottle by Its Label - Vintage 17-Year-Old Bourbonhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/21/don't-judge-a-bottle-by-its-label-vintage-17/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/21/don't-judge-a-bottle-by-its-label-vintage-17/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/21/don't-judge-a-bottle-by-its-label-vintage-17/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

bourbon
OK, OK, so we're a little obsessed with bourbon right now. But Derby Day is just around the corner, the sun is starting to make a cameo and, well, bourbon is absurdly delicious.

While at a whiskey-and-barbecue eatery the other night, the bartender stopped short when he heard me order Woodford Reserve, mistaking me for some high-rolling aficionado (I'm new to the cult and have never even tried Pappy Van Winkle). "You like bourbon?" he asked, smiling. With a flourish, he produced this bottle of Vintage 17-year-old bourbon. I laughed when I saw it. Look at that photo! It was like someone saying, "You know what's a high-quality nail polish?" and dramatically presenting you with an old bottle of cherry-red Wet & Wild with its insanely '80s script. How could this be tasty stuff?

One sip shut me straight up. My companion crowed, "It's incredible! It coats the palate with caramel!" All I could muster after a long day writing about food was a sober, "Yeah," and a deep sigh -- the sigh of a woman who had just acquired a very expensive new habit.

Continue reading Don't Judge a Bottle by Its Label - Vintage 17-Year-Old Bourbon

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]]>americabourbonderby dayDerbyDaydining at our deskskentuckykentucky derbyKentuckyDerbyliquor cabinetLiquorCabinetreviewspiritstinfoil swanVintage 17Vintage17whiskeywhiskyAlex Van BurenTue, 21 Apr 2009 14:00:00 ESTMeet Norway's Nøgne Øhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/20/meet-norways-nogne-o/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/20/meet-norways-nogne-o/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/20/meet-norways-nogne-o/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

jimmy'sTo put it mildly, Norway is not known for its beer.

"About 98 percent of the beer consists of light lagers," sighs tall, bearded Kjetil Jikiun, cofounder and brewmaster of Nøgne Ø, one of Norway's scant microbreweries. "Norwegians," he laments, "don't know much about craft beer."

Jikiun is the exception: Since launching Nøgne Ø (naked isle) six years ago, the gregarious, bespectacled Norwegian has begun altering his country's carbonated landscape. He crafts bold, flavorful beers more in line with American microbrews than Norway's watery lagers. "Most bars there just have one beer on tap," he says, holding court in New York City's multi-tap beer bar Jimmy's No. 43. "You just order a beer-no choice needed." But Jikiun, an ex-airline pilot who sampled suds wherever he landed, liked choice. He began homebrewing, looking toward American microbrewers for inspiration. "Everybody I served my homebrews to liked them, so I though there'd be a market," he says of launching Nøgne Ø.

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]]>americabeerbrewerbrewerseuropeJimmys no 43JimmysNo43Josh BernsteinJoshBernsteinJoshua M BernsteinJoshuaMBernsteinNgnenogne ONogneOnorwaynorwegian beerNorwegianBeerraising the barreviewJoshua M. BernsteinMon, 20 Apr 2009 17:00:00 ESTRedhook's Slim Chance Suffers From a Light Beer Identity Crisishttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/redhooks-slim-chance-suffers-from-a-light-beer-identity-crisis/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/redhooks-slim-chance-suffers-from-a-light-beer-identity-crisis/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/redhooks-slim-chance-suffers-from-a-light-beer-identity-crisis/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Six pack of Slim Chance Light Ale
This spring the Redhook Ale Brewery is rolling out Slim Chance Light Ale, billed as "the only craft light ale available nationally." Understand all those qualifiers?

Give Redhook credit for seeing a niche: The beer market probably has room for a light ale (most light brews are lagers). Oddly enough Slim Chance, which is "brewed in the blonde-style," is extremely lager-like: golden and crisp with only fleeting glimpses of the sweet or fruity characteristics one would expect from a brew flaunting its ale-itude. Undertones of fruits such as apple give way to butter, breadiness and a finish reminiscent of a number of macro-brewery light lagers.

With a name like Slim Chance, Redhook clearly isn't targeting the savviest of suds sippers and instead is skewing -- or, given the design, "surfing" -- straight towards the middle of the market. Though nothing is wrong with this beer it's not a standout, making it feel more like a ploy than an earnest attempt at crafting a better light beer. Plus at 125 calories Slim Chance is at the upper end of the low-calorie spectrum, so diehard dieters will probably head elsewhere.

Light craft beers are tough to tackle. Redhook's latest offering is no exception. But what's most disappointing is the brewery's inability to deliver anything interesting. Mostly, Slim Chance tastes like missed opportunity.

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]]>beerLight AleLight BeerRedhookRedhook Ale BrewerySlim ChanceSlim Chance Light Alespeakin sudsMike PomranzTue, 14 Apr 2009 14:00:00 ESTSonic Premium Chicken Sandwicheshttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/sonic-premium-chicken-sandwiches/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/sonic-premium-chicken-sandwiches/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/14/sonic-premium-chicken-sandwiches/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sonic Neon SignWhen fast food joints decide to expand beyond the burger, the first place they go is typically the chicken sandwich. After all, the kids in the back of the joint can basically do all the same things, just to a different patty. (Why don't the bigwigs just pick fish? Well, you know, the whole tartar sauce issue.)

Sonic Drive-In has recently added two new "premium" chicken sandwiches to its menu: Chicken and chicken bacon ranch. Both come either fried or grilled with an option for a "wheat" bun option (that apparently, per the nutritional details, does not actually contain any whole grain). As far as I can tell the quote-unquote wheat bun and slightly larger size are what make these suckers "premium."

Between the chicken and the bacon ranch chicken, guess which one tastes better? Well, the plain chicken (which I ordered grilled) is just that: Plain. A chicken patty arrives topped with lettuce, tomato and mayo on a less-squishy-than-usual bun. Though it's not that thrilling, at under 500 calories it's one of the less-heinous fast food options out there.

Naturally, the fried version with bacon and ranch dressing is more exciting even if it could use a bit more bacon or another dollop of ranch and you'll have to scurry double-time on the treadmill later. Is it tastier than the other chicken sandwiches on the market? Eh. Sonic falls into the chicken spectrum thusly: Superior to a McChicken, worse than a Carl's Jr. and can't compete at all with chicken-specializing chains like KFC or Popeye's. On my next trip to Sonic I think I'll just stick to burgers and Java Chillers.

Got a fave fast-food chix sandwich that makes the others look like frauds? Let us know in the comments.

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]]>americachickendrive-thrufast foodFastFoodpoultrypremium chicken sandwichPremiumChickenSandwichsandwichsandwichessonicLissa Townsend RodgersTue, 14 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST