"epicurious.com" news and stories

For years now, Gourmet magazine has been hiding their web presence behind Epicurious.com. I love Epicurious (I find that the recipe reviews tend to be fairly reliable), but I'm pleased to see that Gourmet now has a gorgeous and sleek way to present their content independently. I'm especially happy that you can watch streaming video of their terrific show, Diary of a Foodie, straight from the website. If you haven't watched this show, you should definitely take a peek. It combines travel and food television in a way that is really appealing and compelling, a combination that seems hard to come by these days.

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I have a confession to make. I didn't even taste cheesecake until I was around 30. I was one of those people that didn't associate cheese with desserts. It didn't sound right to me. But you can imagine my joy when I actually tried cheesecake all those years ago.

And Bon Appetit has a list of the cheesecakes for their Cheesecake Hall of Fame. It includes Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake, Key Lime Cheesecake, Orange Blossom Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Cheesecake. You might notice that there isn't a basic cheesecake recipe on the list, but as the mag explains, they are their newest favorites. Modern spins on the classic.

You can also listen to a podcast about cheescake (scroll down to Episode Sixteen).

Called the Grapefruit Cooler, this drink has a festive pink color that makes it perfect for the holidays. The recipe comes from Epicurious.com: Pour 1/2 cup of grapefruit juice (fresh juice is far preferable) into a glass with ice, add two tablespoons of Grand Marnier, a pinch of salt, and then add 1/3 cup of sparkling water. Top with lime or orange wedge. I'd serve with something salty like cheese and crackers or some kind of flatbread.

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The James Beard Foundation has just announced their nominees for the 2006 James Beard Foundation Awards. The awards are the most prestigious in the industry and honor the top culinary professionals in every category, from journalists to cookbooks to chefs. There are 62 awards in all this year. Nominees include:

Best General Cookbooks

• Cooking School Secrets for Real World Cooks by Linda Carucci; The Cook's Book by Jill Norman; The Instant Cook by Donna Hay

Internet writing on Restaurant, Food, Beverage or Nutrition

• "Reserve Wines Score, by at What Price?"; "Down with Gloves: Why Chefs Shouldn't Have to Wear Them"; "Star Wars: Did Michelin Lower the Bar for New York?"

Best Internet Website for Food

• AliceFeiring.com; Epicurious.com; LeitesCulinaria.com

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