"slate" news and stories

That's not my opinion, by the way. I love turkey leftovers. But Slate's Jill Hunter Pelletteri says that she's had enough with all the talk about what to do with your holiday turkey leftovers:

Every November, magazine editors and food writers, cooking gurus and TV personalities, foist turkey leftover recipes upon us. Unless we put our tired, picked-over turkey carcass to good use, they tell us, we're wasting some precious opportunity. But don't be fooled. Do not be tempted by that recipe for turkey and leek risotto. Those stringy last bits of gristle and meat that cling to your bird are better suited to the raccoons who rummage through your garbage. Do you really want to morph the centerpiece of your most ceremonial meal of the year into turkey bundles (stuffed with turkey, cream cheese, dill weed, and water chestnuts, among other things)?

Guilty as charged. But what's the fun of making a big turkey if you're not going to make soups and sandwiches and pot pies with the leftovers?!

Interesting piece over at Slate from Paul Levy, about the state of food writing. He says that food writing today is too "macho," and filled with too many "foodie shock jocks" who swear and write too casually (he singles out Anthony Bourdain, Gordon Ramsay, and Bill Buford).

The food writing that's in vogue today consists chiefly of a bellow of bravado. It's a guy thing, sure, but (with a few honorably hungry exceptions) these scribblers mostly ignore what's on the plate. They view themselves as boy hunters and despise sissy gatherers, thrive on the undertow of violence they detect in the professional kitchen, and like to linger on the unappetizing aspects of food preparation. The gross-out factor trumps tasting good as well as good taste.

Hmmm...really? I think one of the good thing about this increased interest in food and all the food blogs is that you hear a lot of different voices. There's plenty of the stuff Levy likes still be written. Even here at Slashfood we try to mix up the voices a bit.

What do you think? Does Levy have a point?

[via The Grinder]

Controversial piece at Slate (written by a former anorexic, Kate Taylor) that compares calorie restriction diets to anorexia itself.

She links to several New York Times articles that seem to show that calorie restriction extends the lives of monkeys and mice and is now being tested on humans too.

I'm not an expert in healthy weight management, beyond the usual "reduce your calories, eat correctly, and exercise regularly" that we always hear. It's interesting to hear a former anorexic talk about how she's confused by all of the talk that a "low metabolism" might actually be good for you, though I think comparing the two is a stretch.

Here's a follow-up piece, where Taylor talks about the Calorie Restriction Society and how that might be a different kind of "eating disorder." You should also read the message boards at the end of the piece.

Yup, that's right, today is National Potato Chip Day. There's a day for everything, you know, so it's really no surprise.

I used to have a favorite potato chip when I was a kid (Lay's regular chips), but now I find myself changing the brand and the style with every meal that I have (well, every meal that requires potato chips, that is, a sandwich or a burger). I had Utz Mystic Chips last night with my frozen White Castle hamburgers (shut up, I like them). Last week I had Wise with ridges with some Hot Pockets (shut up, I like them), and a few weeks ago I tried those new Pringles Minis.

Here's a history of the chip, and here's Slate's taste test of the gourmet brands.

[via Pop Candy]

This will teach everyone to choose their words very, very carefully.

On April 7, Slate writer Daniel Gross said he was so skeptical that President Bush would name a banker to replace outgoing Treasury Secretary John Snow, that if the President did indeed do that, Gross would buy a copy of the book Dow 36,000 and eat it.

Guess what happened? Yup. And now Gross is eating the damn book. You can even watch the video! He served it with greens and lots of vinagrette.

Update: As many readers have pointed out, it's John Snow, not Tony.