"slashfood ate" news and stories

To my regular readers, I apologize as it appears I inadvertently happened upon an almost two-week hiatus. The bad news: You missed me.

The good news: We have plenty to catch up on in this week's addition of the Beer Blog Round-Up!

Let's dive right in:

1. Sick of the same old beer events? Here's a new one for you: a "Simul-cask." Apparently, Dogfish Head has decided to debut their new 75 Minute IPA by simultaneously tapping casks of the brew in four different cities on the East coast at precisely 7:50 EST today. Find additional details as well as participating locations on Beernews.org.
2. Always worried about his weight, Joe Sixpack discusses the not so easy job of beer calorie-counting (though supposedly mandatory beer labeling is on its way). The post was inspired by the recent release of Does My Butt Look Big In This Beer? -- a guide to the nutritional information of over 2,000 beers worldwide.
3. Beer Examiner Charlie Papazian wants you to vote for "Beer City, USA." Go help him out and lend your hometown or favorite beer destination some support.

Read the next five after the jump. ...

The first seasonal strawberries appear as early as April. The deliciously tart fruit we've come to know today originated in grassy woodlands all over Europe. Find out how to transform these red, ripe, sweet and succulent treats of nature into fabulous desserts.

Strawberries taste delicious eaten plain with a glass of champagne. But in a pie, their juiciness creates a distinctly bitter-sweet flavor that sits on the palate and seems to melt into the pie crust.

Strawberries taste especially rich when paired with milky desserts, like panna cotta and mascarpone. Or, simply add slices of strawberries to a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This candy-like fruit easily creates a sweet distinctive jam without adding any pectin. Below are eight especially delicious strawberry desserts to try at home:

1. Strawberry Jam with Black Pepper and Fresh Mint
2. Strawberry Clafoutis
3. Strawberry and Hazelnut Meringue Cake
4. Strawberry Shortcake
5. Nectarine Strawberry Ice Pops
   
6. Strawberry Panna Cotta
7. Mascarpone Cheesecake with Rhubarb Glaze and Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
8. Italian Strawberry Tart
   

I will never forget my experience browsing through the open-air market in Potsdam, Germany and discovering the culinary delights of white asparagus. My eyes were overwhelmed by the magnificent sight of thick, extremely straight white asparagus spears. That evening, I cooked this delicate white asparagus and topped it off with hollandaise sauce.

Ever since that experience, I never thought of asparagus in the same way. It went from being a vegetable that I detested throughout childhood to a respected art of nature.

April is the prime month for the asparagus season. While the evenings get warmer, the quantity of the harvest increases. There are four main varieties: green, white, violet and wild. Green asparagus is the one most commonly grown in the United States.

There are numerous ways to use asparagus in a dish. But, as we enter spring, it's time to think about refreshing salads that place this delicious crunchy vegetable at the center. Below are eight different recipes for asparagus salad:

1. Martha Stewart's Shaved Asparagus Salad
2. Asparagus Salad with Celery Leaves, Quail Eggs, and Tarragon Vinaigrette
3. Asparagus Salad with Walnut Oil Vinaigrette
4. Spring Lettuce Salad with Roasted Asparagus
5. Portobello and Asparagus Salad
6. Asparagus-Bean Salad Over Arugula
7. Asparagus Salad with Soy-Mustard Dressing
8. Scallion and Asparagus Salad

What are some of your favorite asparagus salads?

As someone who has spent hours reading about how to perfect the omelet, the Italian frittata is another egg-based culinary delight I admit takes a certain skill. Like making an omelet, you must use just the right amount of ingredients so that the dish is not too cheesy or full of too many mushrooms. A frittata is somewhat a mix of an omelet and a quiche. It cooks over the stove in a skillet and is finished off in the broiler.

When entertaining, I often make frittata, because just one can serve up to 6 people. There are several different ways to make frittata. In southern Italian cuisine, especially Neapolitan cuisine, the frittata can contain spaghetti, macaroni, or another kind of pasta. Check out AOL's leftover spaghetti frittata recipe. A more traditional yet simple frittata might contain onions and Parmesan cheese.

Below are 8 savory frittata dishes:

1. Artichoke and Mushroom Frittata
2. Asparagus Frittata
3. Leek and Ricotta Frittata
4. Mustard Green and Sweet Onion Frittata
5. Alton Brown's Frittata
6. Ranchero Frittata
7. Mushroom and Potato Frittata
8. Gruyere, Ham, and Spinach Frittata

I was grocery shopping yesterday, and I couldn't get my eyes off of cute mini artichokes from California. Ah, the gorgeous produce from California! I bought these artichokes and stuffed them with a marjoram stuffing. I'm a fan of the entire artichoke - the leaves and the heart.

Artichoke hearts taste delicious plain or thrown into a salad. They can also make the perfect braised chicken dish. In Italy, artichoke hearts are mixed with olive oil and transformed into an exquisite spread that's often applied to pizza. Besides stuffing the flower, you can also deep fry it. Or, you can simply go for steamed artichokes with an aioli dip.

Not only are artichokes eaten, but they are also used in drinks. In Vietnam, they're made into an herbal tea. And, in Italy the Italian bitter apéritif liqueur Cynar has artichoke as its primary flavor.

Below are 8 different artichoke recipes:

1. Chicken with Artichoke Hearts
2. Cream of Artichoke Soup
3. Artichoke Dip
4. Arugula and Baby Artichoke Salad
5. Fried Artichokes
6. Artichoke and Smoked Tuna Tart
7. Steamed Artichokes with Herb-Caper Mayonnaise
8. Falsone's Roasted Artichoke-Stuffed Artichokes

What are your favorite artichoke dishes?