"NewYorkState" news and stories

• By omitting the beef drippings from traditional Yorkshire pudding, Mark Bittman makes pillowy popovers.
• The Green Fairy takes a bite out of the Empire State: Cheryl Lins is the first distiller of absinthe in New York.
• The Southern Italian salami, 'nduja, has been dubbed "the spreadable Italian love child of pepperoni and French rillettes," and the "Lady Gaga of pork products."
• Restaurants are using different fonts, type sizes, colors and page placements to up-sell diners on their menu choices.

As someone who's had the pleasure of making ricotta and usually keeps a hunk of double-crème brie in the fridge I can't possibly see why anyone would be opposed to a cheese museum.

Apparently New York State legislators and pundits don't feel the same way. When the state paid over $100,000 in 1986 to help create the New York State Cheese Museum in Rome, N.Y., many cited it as an example of pork-barrel spending. State Governor Pataki even came out against  "cheese museums" last fall when  talking about the budget.

As it turns out, the museum in Rome has been less than successful. But now $5,000 has been earmarked by the legislature for a museum in Cuba, N.Y. At one time the national price for cheddar was set in the town. Pork and politics aside, I hope this  museum is more successful than the first.

[photo: The New York Times]

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