"food oddities" news and stories

The NY Times' Pete Wells reports in today's Diner's Journal that spanking new SoHo boite La Cave des Fondus will be a faithful recreation of its namesake Paris outpost, right down to its innovative bottle service. That'd be baby bottle service. Nope, nary a Similac sommelier in sight, but rather an assortment of house vino and brewskis administered via rubber nipple in glass baby bottles. The serving practice began in 1966 when, according to rumor, Parisian restaurateurs realized that wine service in "biberons" was a way to circumvent a city tax on wineglasses -- not to mention a play on the word "biberonner," meaning a bit of tippling.

The titular meat and cheese fondues are the centerpiece of the food menu, but really, who isn't going there to nurse their curiosity 'bout seeing a bunch of grown-ups getting together to have a nip?

Will it be a formula for success or just a big bust? Share your thoughts in the comments.

[via: Diner's Journal]

Did you catch the guy eating toasted cicadas on The Colbert Report last night? David Gracer, a Rhode Island writing teacher, is on a quest to convince chefs to cook with insects, claiming that bugs offer more edible protein per pound than beef cattle.

Lots of cultures eat insects. I've enjoyed tiny grasshoppers, known as chapulines, in Oaxaca, Mexico. Slathered in guacamole and rolled in a tortilla, they were salty and undistinguished-tasting. Toasted and tossed with salt and chili powder, they were like corn nuts with legs. Cicadas, earthworms, crickets - bring 'em on.

Colbert was not convinced though. "I might ask one of my writers to eat a bug," he said. "Let me check their contract."

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When a reader directed my attention to this Frico Cheeseburger from Korean fast food restaurant Lotteria's, I was a little afraid of what may be inside - no, not because of where it is from, but because we are often guided towards items that that would umm....definitely fall into our food oddities category. However upon closer inspection, I was pretty relieved surprised to discover that it is a relatively "normal" burger complete with meat, cheese sauce, lettuce, pickles, and tomato.

What makes it different though is the addition of yellow pepper rings, black olives, and the pièce de résistance - a deep fried, breaded patty of Dutch Maasdam cheese. Now I've often had onion rings or the like on a burger, but deep fried cheese? I think that takes this fast food burger to a whole new level of sinfulness.

(Thanks, FriendLee)

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Sometimes we run across some pretty strange things, and when it comes to food and restaurant oddities all I can say is I'm glad this one is for viewing rather than eating. A restaurant in Japan apparently has goldfish living beneath their deep-fryer. The oil from the fryer naturally floats on top of the water, allowing the fish to live comfortably survive oblivious to the extreme heat just inches above them. As far as feeding the fish, they dine on the little crispy crumbs that sink to the bottom after each fry. One might wonder if that is actually good for them, but I digress.

I'm fairly certain the question here is why? Really, why would someone come up with this idea in the first place? I could almost understand it if the fryer was in view of the public, but since it isn't, the only people who can actually see the goldfish are those working in the kitchen. To each his own though, I suppose.

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Remember when we heard about the woman on the Maury Povich show that had a fear of pickles so intense that it was causing harm to her personal and professional relationships? Meet 29-year-old Dave Nunley, from Wyton in the UK. Nunley is not only afraid of pickles, but of every other food product out there - with the exception of cheddar cheese. He eats about 225 pounds of cheddar cheese, preferably grated, every year and has never eaten a hot meal in his entire life. On the rare occasions when he is able to tolerate other food, he will eat a packet of potato chips or some Ready Brek breakfast cereal. Nunley says that his food phobia is so intense that his "throat closes up, making him feel sick" when he even considers eating things other than cheese.

Doctors say that the cheese is keeping him alive, although it is not the healthiest diet you could subscribe to, as he would quite likely be starving to death if he didn't eat it. He has tried "hypnotherapy, acupuncture and even taken part in a BBC show about people with eating disorders" in attempts to cure the problem that has plagued him since childhood.

It could be worse, though. He could have settled on processed "cheese foods," like Velveeta, instead of mild cheddar.

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