Though true queso lovers don't need a national holiday to celebrate the glorious cheese-chip pairing, we're pleased to announce once again that today is National Nachos Day.
The festive gooey treat was first served 66 years ago by ingenious maitre d' Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya in a Piedras Negras, Mexico, restaurant, located across the Rio Grande from Texas. According to legend, some Americans happened to stumble upon the eatery just as the chef had stepped out, so Nacho cleverly satiated them by piling a platter of tortilla chips high with cheese and topping them with a zesty jalapeno garnish.
And the carb-heavy dish has been improving ever since, with the additions of everything from Rotel to radishes, cilantro to crema, guacamole to Velveeta, pinto beans to pulled pork.
What are your favorite nacho variations? Spill the beans, after the jump!
The revamped product is now using red beet juice, purple cabbage, cocoa powder, paprika and turmeric to replace the artificial ingredients that had been flavoring and coloring the wafers for years.
Peek inside a vending machine. Photo: salimfadhley, Flickr.
What do AOL's vending machines look like? "White Castle burgers, five different varieties of Hot Pockets, Klondike bars and Oreo ice cream bars next to a sign offering a discount for Weight Watchers. I think it's safe to say that our vending machine area is being used as a Skinner box," reports Kristyn, a fellow AOL employee.
One employee's behavioral experiment is another's paradise. "I'm really, really jealous," says Jon over at MTV Networks, after being informed of AOL's snack excesses. Featuring far more pedestrian fare like Rice Krispies Treats, Nacho Cheese Doritos and Reese's Pieces, MTV's vending options won't turn any heads. Jon laments that the only real stand-out is the 25-cent can of Coke. "I guess that proves that international conglomerates are in cahoots!" he says. Or it's just a ploy to keep people awake and alert for optimum productivity.
Other big companies aren't faring much better. Jen gave us the scoop on IBM's snack selection, which was similarly standard, with plenty of chips, candy bars and the like. Still, they do try to push some healthier options. "There's a green leaf next to anything that is considered a 'balanced choice,' " says Jen. "It shows IBM's effort in trying to bring about some healthy options to a typically unhealthy way to get food." Don't expect to see any quarter Cokes, though. "The prices are really high, almost $2 for a small bag of chips," she notes. "Price alone would be the reason I wouldn't purchase from the vending machines." Maybe this is IBM's way of discouraging vending machine snacks in favor of fresh fruit or brown-bagged options?
By Mike Pomranz Since the mid-80s when Frito-Lay stopped selling original, plain Doritos in most local stores, commercial snacks seem to have gone all flavored and fancy. Whatever happened to good old chips and dip, and can any of these newfangled treats compete? Read on as we give you a run down to see if these post-modern munchies can hold up against an old standard -- a bag of Ruffles potato chips and jar of Lay's French Onion dip. Time for a snack attack!
By Mike Pomranz Since the mid-80s when Frito-Lay stopped selling original, plain Doritos in most local stores, commercial snacks seem to have gone all flavored and fancy. Whatever happened to good old chips and dip, and can any of these newfangled treats compete? Read on as we give you a run down to see if these post-modern munchies can hold up against an old standard -- a bag of Ruffles potato chips and jar of Lay's French Onion dip. Time for a snack attack!
Rachel Been
Tostitos Multigrain One of the few "plain" products I got to sample, Tostitos Multigrain were quite enjoyable. Multigrain is typically intended to read as "healthy" more so than "tasty," but these chips had a lot of corn chip flavor with a touch of sweetness. And healthiness aside, I'm always happy when I recognize every item in the ingredients list -- especially in a mass-market product). Tostitos Multigrain chips are a solid contender to the Ruffles throne.
Rachel Been
Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili What was Doritos thinking? Not that this latest incarnation is terrible, just bizarre, with an Asian food flavored, almost teriyaki edge. When it comes to Doritos, I tend to be a purist; Nacho Cheese is pretty much where I draw the line -- sorry Cooler Ranch. While this Spicy Sweet style might satiate some buds looking for a unique taste, I'd probably spend more time at the French Onion dip bowl.
Rachel Been
Rold Gold Pretzel Waves Parmesan Garlic Speaking of far-out tastes, Rold Gold swings and misses with their Parmesan Garlic Pretzel Waves. Even forgoing determining what a "pretzel wave" is exactly, I can tell you precisely what taste these Frankenstein snacks leave in your mouth: Clam sauce! I'm all for dipping bread in my leftover mussel juice, but this snack just doesn't capture the essence. If I want waves, I'll stick with the Ruffles.
Rachel Been
Sun Chips Peppercorn Ranch As far as wavy snack chips go, Sun Chips are definitely a step up from the aforementioned "pretzel waves." I'm a big fan of Sun Chips in general. They're light and reasonably healthy aso far as chips go. Still, this Peppercorn Ranch variety leaves something to be desired. The ranch flavor is pretty prominent, weighing down the Sun Chip's natural levity. Personally, I'd prefer plunking some plain Sun Chips in my ol' fashioned French Onion dip jar.
Rachel Been
Cracker Crisps Zesty Herb & Parmesan Another product to file in the "I'm-not-sure-what-this-is" department, I was skeptical of so-called "cracker crisps." But these part potato, part wheat, bite-size hybrids won me over with their superior light crunch and their simple subtle herb flavor. Dipping chips requires expending energy and snacking is a lazy man's game. Cracker Crisps are pure toss-'em-in-your-mouth simplicity. Go ahead and plop this bag next to me on the couch.
Rachel Been
Stacey's Parmesan Garlic & Herb Pita Chips Good things come in small packages, which might explain why pita chips, with their propensity towards smaller bag sizes, rule! Parmesan, garlic and herb are all regularly revisited flavors on this list, but Stacey's is one of the few to truly get it right. They're straightforward and simple, letting the chip do most of the talking. You might feel a little non-macho chowing down on pita chips during the big game, but with their killer crunch and perfectly tasty baked flavor, Parmesan Garlic & Herb Pita Chips are a worthy change of pace from those pedestrian potato chips.
Rachel Been
Archer Farms Sea Salt Baked Pita Chips Stacey's set the bar pretty high, but I'm also a sucker for traditional tastes, so could the standard Sea Salt Pita Chips top their flavored cousins? Oddly enough, where Stacey's showed some restraint, Archer Farms really rocked out with the sea salt making their chips taste a bit like you're slurping up brine. The chips themselves were worthy competitors, but let's go lighter on the sodium next time. Maybe try dipping these guys in your French Onion to help take the edge off.
Rachel Been
Goldfish Flavor Blasted Monstrous Mozzarella Stick Baked Snack Crackers Goldfish Crackers have been a favorite of mine since childhood, but this Monstrous Mozzarella Stick incarnation is more like a monstrosity. Two possibilities exist here: Either Pepperidge Farm thinks mozzarella sticks taste like stale Cheese Goldfish or my test bag was compromised. I'd like to give the guys down at PF the benefit of the doubt on this one, but the "sell by" date says otherwise. Buyer beware: Once again, stick with the old school styles!
Rachel Been
Market Pantry Bite-Size Rice Snacks Ranch After spending my day sampling snack foods, rice crackers are actually a wonderful respite. Ranch isn't my favorite fake flavor and shoving my nose in the bag made me nauseous. Luckily, your average snack eater won't be eating these face-first, so I can give these mini Market Pantry rice cakes a big thumbs up as a healthy, crunchy alternative snack.
Everyone loves potato chips. To satisfy your potato chips cravings and find the best flavored potato chips, read this potato chips taste test from Slashfood.
We crunched, munched and blind taste tested our way through more than 100 bags in search of the tip-top flavored chip in all the USA. In the end, we selected three runners-up and one winner each in the categories of Salt & Vinegar, BBQ and Sour Cream, and ten each for Hot and Wild Flavors. Flip through to find a new fave, or see if we gave the thumbs up to (or skipped!) your favorite chip.
We crunched, munched and blind taste tested our way through more than 100 bags in search of the tip-top flavored chip in all the USA. In the end, we selected three runners-up and one winner each in the categories of Salt & Vinegar, BBQ and Sour Cream, and ten each for Hot and Wild Flavors. Flip through to find a new fave, or see if we gave the thumbs up to (or skipped!) your favorite chip.
Nearly every taster used the word "subtle" in their description of this chip's flavor, but also noted that the light BBQ spice, minus any overpowering heat, would make it oh so easy to munch one's way through an entire bag at a picnic.
Runner-up: BBQ MISS VICKIE'S SMOKEHOUSE BBQ (Dallas, TX)
This chip lives up to its "Smokehouse" title with a sweetly fire-kissed 'cue taste and a tangy, crunchy, full-mouth feel. We just can't seem to quit loving you, Miss Vickie.
Winner: BBQ BETTER MADE RED HOT BARBECUE (Detroit, MI)
We were almost put off by the unnatural hue of the chip's surface, but gosh are we glad we blazed on through. This is one standout chip, with a lingering, yet not overpowering sweet heat that creeps up and warms the ears, and leaves the tongue a-tingling. Of all the BBQ chips we sampled, this is the one with the most potentially addictive appeal.
Runner-up: Salt & Vinegar KETTLE CLASSICS SALT & VINEGAR (San Francisco, CA)
An avowed kettle chip disliker on our tasting panel loved the interplay of explosive acidity and unapologetically applied salt so much, she grudgingly used the word "perfection." We could hardly disagree, and boy, did we love the crunchy texture.
Runner-up: Salt & Vinegar LAY'S KETTLE COOKED SEA SALT & VINEGAR (Nationally available)
This chip's a major mouthful, with a pleasing tease of malty flavor, and slightly briny salt. Since they're a cinch to find on grocery store shelves, wow the crowd at your next big shindig.
Winner: Salt & Vinegar DIRTY SALT & VINEGAR (Gramercy, LA)
Ka-POW! This chip knocked us in the kisser so hard one of our tasters claimed she popped straight to a London pub for a sec. A solid crunch matches the initial vinegar and unsubtle salt burst for a truly vibrant chip experience.
After an initial salt kick, a subtle, sweet, creamy flavor underpins an onion essence present enough to please the palate, but light enough not to leave any aftertaste.
Candy bars have a rich history in American culture. Nestle candy has been around for a hundred years and many candy bars have historical significance. So take our candy bar quiz on candy trivia and fun candy facts on Slashfood.
Candy Bar Trivia
This candy bar was named after the family horse:
Snickers
Milky Way
Butterfinger
Fast Break
When introduced in 1932, 3 Musketeers had three pieces of candy in one package, each with separate flavors. These three flavors were:
Vanilla, chocolate and strawberry
Chocolate, malt and toffee
Vanilla, chocolate and peanut
Strawberry, vanilla and nougat
Until 1990, the Snickers bar was sold under which name in England and Ireland?
Snickers
Fast Break
Crunchie
Marathon
In what year was the original Hershey's milk chocolate bar introduced?
1890
1900
1917
1932
For whom is the Baby Ruth candy bar named?
Babe Ruth
Ruth Cleveland
Ruth Chris
Ruth Davis
Which has chocolate, raisins and peanuts in a four-square bar?
Reggie candy bar
Chunky Bar
Nutty Raisin Bar
Baby Ruth
What was the Twix candy bar known as in several European countries before the name was standardized in 1991?
Curly Wurly
Raider
Cookie Crunch
Aero Caramel
Which of the following candy bars is no longer in production in the U.S.?
100 Grand Bars
Breakaway
Mallo Cup
Mars Bar
Who invented the candy bar?
Milton S. Hershey
Joseph Fry
Henri Nestle
John Cadbury
How much did the standard size Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar sell for in 1900?
Could you tell a Nutty Buddy from a Drumstick or a Bomb Pop from a Firecracker? Take this frozen treats identification quiz on Slashfood.
Frozen Treats ID
What's the point of summer? Nibbling ice cream stuffed cones all the way down to their tips. Can you name these three from left to right?
Nutty Buddy / Snickers Cone / Drumstick
Drumstick / Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough Cone / King Cone
King Cone / Drumstick / Nutty Buddy
Drumstick / Nutty Buddy / King Cone
What would you do for a Klondike Bar? Well, for starters, figure out which one it is! What's the order, left to right?
Husky / Eskimo Pie / Klondike Bar
Eskimo Pie / Klondike Bar / Husky
Klondike Bar / Dove Bar / Eskimo Pie
Eskimo Pie / Klondike Bar / Dove Bar
Here are two frozen on-a-stick renditions of a sweet dessert treat. Name 'em left to right.
Klondike Tiramisu / Good Humor Tiramisu
Good Humor Chocolate Eclair / Eskimo Pie Chocolate Eclair
Popsicle Banana Nut Sundae Bar / Eskimo Pie Banana Nut Sundae Bar
Eskimo Pie Chocolate Eclair / Good Humor Chocolate Eclair
The gumballs at the bottom of this conical confection give your chattering teeth something to chew on.
Screwball
Shocko
Drillbit
Warhead
Woo-hoo for red, white & blue! Extra points (okay, not really) if you can remember the flavors.
Rocket Pop
Bomb Pop
Firecracker
Astro Pop
Three super-sour flavors come together in this palate-punching pop. What's it called?
Triple Shock
Sour Blast
Triple Blast
Roman Candle
This ice tream truck classic boasts a crumby coating and a fun, fruity pink center. We'll share the flavor, but the name of this chilly novelty is what?
Strawberry Colonel Crunch
Strawberry Kruncher
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry Whitehouse
The details are a li'l bit sticky, but we're sure you can ID these choco-luscious confections from left to right.
Dove Bar / Good Humor Bar / Haagen Dazs Bar
Dove Bar / Haagen Dazs Bar / Eskimo Pie
Good Humor Bar / Eskimo Pie / Haagen Dazs Bar
Haagen Dazs Bar / Eskimo Pie / Dove Bar
Lick away the summer days with this classic choco-pop.
Jell-O Pudding Pop
Yoo-hoo Pop
Fudgesicle
Blue Bunny Big Fudge
One of these delicious treats is actually dairy-free. Which might that be?
Left
Right
Rooty tooty - this is one fruity pop! What's it called?
Froz Fruit
Haagen Dazs Fruit Bar
Popsicle
Jell-O Fruit Pop
Chilly little beads pack mega-sour flavor into a convenient little cup.
Blue Bunny Buckshot
Dippin' Dots
Popsicle Shots
Tear Jerker
Chopped nuts are the star of this classic ice cream truck confection.
Colonel Crunch
Toasted Almond
Nutty Buddy
Crunch Bar
This luscious, lightened-up ice cream sandwich tastes every bit as great as its full-caloried counterparts.
Skinny Cow
Slenderella
Slim-A-Bear
Slender Pie
This dreamy treat is a perfect pairing of fruit and cream - all on a handy stick.
Big Stick
Creamsicle
Otter Pop
Dreamsicle
Chocolate covered mini chunks of ice cream are a super-quick fix for a chilly treat craving. Name these two from left to right.
According to manufacturer ConAgra, the Slim Jim was invented by Philadelphia sausage-maker Adolph Levis in 1928. The cellophane-wrapped sausage sticks were originally sold in jars that sported an illustration of a "tall, elegant man complete with top hat and cane" named "Slim Jim."
Today's Slim Jim, with an ad campaign that lets you create an avatar and wander around "Spicy Side," is likely a far cry from the original. And it's got Wired wondering where that meat stick comes from.
In this weekly series, home cook Bruce Watson works his way through a decades-old family cookbook, adapting the best recipes exclusively for Slashfood.
In the mid-1970s, when my mother put "Margaret's Hot Crab Dip" in our family cookbook, the recipe seemed exciting and somewhat exotic. After all, the simple combination of crab, scallion and cream cheese was basically a reverse engineering of the kind of appetizers that upscale restaurants were serving in Maryland and Washington, D.C. at the time, and its simple-yet-spicy flavor made it a hit at parties.
However, years later, when a girlfriend took me to meet her family in South Carolina, it took all of about 10 seconds to convert me to the wonders of chilled Carolina crab dip. This was lucky, as it seemed like every restaurant carried the stuff and passed it out with every meal. My girlfriend's mother's recipe changed depending upon the day, the amount of crab on hand, and whether or not I was taking notes. What follows is a pretty close approximation of her concoction.
Get the recipe for South Carolina-style crab dip after the jump.
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.
In this weekly series, home cook Bruce Watson works his way through a decades-old family cookbook, adapting the best recipes exclusively for Slashfood.
When I have access to fresh produce, cucumber season becomes one of my favorite times of the year. Although it runs from May to August, the wonderful green beauties won't reach their full flourish until later in the summer. Still, it's hard to resist the cool, summery flavor of the first cukes of the season. With that in mind, I decided to flip through my family cookbook in search of some great cucumber recipes.
My Aunt Renie's cucumber salad manages to halve the distance between sharp and smooth, sweet and sour, creamy and intense. In my adjusted version, I cut back on the onions, switched in Greek yogurt and tossed in some fresh dill.
The final version had the soothing coolness of a traditional cucumber salad, but also retained a nice vinegar tang that keeps me on my toes. This is great by itself, or as an accompaniment to barbecue or any other strongly seasoned dish.
In this weekly series, home cook Bruce Watson works his way through a decades-old family cookbook, adapting the best recipes exclusively for Slashfood.
Beets are funny: while they are among the hardiest of winter root vegetables, their gorgeous color brings to mind the energy and exuberance of early summer.
In our family cookbook, my Aunt Evie tipped her hat to this weird dual nature with her recipe for pickled beet dip. Filled with the earthy flavors of winter vegetables, the dip's brilliant pink color suggests the joy of Easter eggs, cotton candy and sunsets. Pairing the coarseness of winter with the energy of summer, it's the perfect spring food!
While most dips tend toward blandness, this one has a nice kick. It goes well with crackers, but really shines as the centerpiece on a tray of crudite. Although the ingredients may sound odd, they blend nicely and the finished product is one of those rare beet dishes that even avowed enemies of the dark red vegetables will love. One warning, though: be sure to let everyone know that it's beet dip. Given the color, some people will assume that it is a cherry or raspberry dish!
In this weekly series, home cook Bruce Watson works his way through a decades-old family cookbook, adapting the best recipes exclusively for Slashfood.
In my family cookbook, there is a recipe for "Mabel's Spinach Spread," a gelatin-thickened dip that was developed by one of my Aunt Evie's foodie friends. Although the original concoction contains a startling quantity of mayonnaise and a lot of added salt, the basic idea of a molded-gelatin dip was somewhat compelling. Gelatin, after all, is basically a fat-free, sugar-free protein that is, allegedly, great for hair and fingernails. Best of all, it can help a dip to stiffen up without the introduction of cream cheese or some other dense fat.
This recipe combines a basic spinach spread with some Greek flavor notes. The yogurt base is creamy, yet fat free, and the feta greatly reduces the need for added salt. Best of all, the fresh flavors of this dip make it a great, easy-to-prepare snack for long summer afternoons. The recipe after the jump.
Whoopie pies are one of those wonderful concoctions of debatable origin and undebatable deliciousness. A few months ago, a piece in the New York Times proclaimed it was having "its moment," though plenty of its champions knew full well that the perennial classic needed no such official declaration.
This photo of a mint whoopie pie from This Chick Bakes beautifully illustrates the treat's timeless appeal, and looks like it has all of the hallmarks of whoopie pie greatness, with cakey chocolate layers sandwiching just the right amount of creamy mint filling. The chocolate-mint combination points to the endless flavor possibilities that the treats present to the adventurous sweet tooth. Though originally simple snacks created by the Pennsylvania Amish, today's bakers take them in all sorts of inspired directions. And if this photo is any hint, this could taste like the best peppermint patty on the planet, unquestionably worthy of the shout of joy its name entails.
In this weekly series, home cook Bruce Watson works his way through a decades-old family cookbook, adapting the best recipes exclusively for Slashfood.
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