"tobacco" news and stories

Observant pedestrians in the environs of 74th Street and 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights, Queens, soon notice a common pattern. Abstract red splotches pepper the pavement. They tell the tale of paan chewing and the copious scarlet saliva it generates. The thousand-year-old tradition is alive and well in this bustling neighborhood of sari shops, Bengali kebab houses, greengrocers, paratha factories, and what seems like a blocklong store specializing in ornate Indian bridal jewelry.

Aphrodisiac, blood purifier, breath-freshener, digestive, stimulant ? yes the triangular betel-leaf wrapped bundle that is paan has it all, including the ability to stain your teeth red after years of habitual usage. Paan boasts a rich ceremonial history. Early Sanskrit texts mention its consumption as one of the enjoyments of royal life, which also include incenses, women, clothes, music, bed and food.

After seeing the huge response we had from all of you readers about McDonald's new premium coffee, it is no surprise that others were curious about it as well as us here at Slashfood. USA Today decided to hold a taste test, pitting four widely available coffees against each other. Included in the test were the new premium blends from Burger King and McDonald's, as well as favorites from 7-11, Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. Dunkin Donuts is the least available variety of coffee, as there are very few store locations on the west coast, but the test was held in Manhattan where there appear to be plenty of all of the above coffee-shop types.

According to the USA Today survey, as of the time I am writing this, Starbucks was still the most popular based on readers' opinion. And they must have good taste, since Starbucks also won the taste test. Out of possible scores of "5 slurps," Starbucks ranked at 4 1/2, while McDonald's followed with 3 1/2 , Burger King with 2 1/2 and Dunkin Donuts and 7-11 with 2 slurps each. While Starbucks was also the most expensive drink in the test, the "dead-serious brew with an intense bitter chocolate aroma, a silky texture and a complex, fruity, almost wine-like flavor" made it worth it to the tasters. The other stores' coffees had flavors that ranged from "watery" to having "tobacco notes."

 

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