Sandwiched between the announcement of the PTA’s latest fundraising drive and the Principal’s pleas for kids to stop shoving each other on the playground, the administrators running the Friday morning assembly at the Bean’s elementary school offered up some thoughts on nutrition. The Principal said that kids who didn’t bring a “nutritious” snack to school would be “sent to the cafeteria for a sandwich.” It was clear that gummi bears and Flaming Hot Cheetos were deemed inadequate snacks. It was not clear if after sending a kid to the cafeteria, the school would pay for the healthy sandwich or if the kids were on the hook for it themselves. Listening to this, my hackles raised a bit.
We’ve had issues with this school and food before. Last year, the lunchtime monitor deemed some items in the Bean’s lunch unhealthy and scolded him for bringing them to school. The Bean happened to be in the midst of a brief obession with food where every bite he took was preceded by the question, “Is this healthy?" WonderWife™ takes pride in packing nutritious lunches for our kids. And as a person raised on fast food, who doesn't have the world’s best eating habits (read my numerous posts on candy and bacon if you don’t believe me), it’s really important to me that my kids learn to eat well. The woman at the Bean’s school was plain wrong about judging the yogurt he was eating (it was healthy) and she certianly had no place saying anything to my son about it. The issue was discussed with the school and it has not happened again. But it was running through my mind as I listened to the Principal address the students.
The school’s heart is in the right place, but I don’t think schools should become food police.
We are a nation of overweight, processed-food junkies who are getting exponentially bigger while passing our terrible eating habits on to the next generation, and we need help. Schools should play a part by offering healthier food and not making soda and candy readily available in the hallways. But should they have the right to tell a kid what kinds of food they are allowed to eat? Shouldn’t this be up to parents?
A school dictating what is considered nutritious for a student takes away the ability and need of the parent to make those kinds of choices by removing them from the decision making process. Parents need to be able to choose their own paths and influence their kids behavior as they see fit, not because a group of public school administrators says so. Doing so is forcing behavior change. And as we parents know, forcing will inevitably cause backlash from our kids.
Recently Flaming Hot Cheetos have been banned in schools in California and New Mexico because of the poor nutritional value of the snack. While I personally find them to be tasty, I agree that Cheetos aren’t even in the realm of healthy. But is banning or confiscating these snacks the answer? Taking away snacks in school doesn't stop kids from eating them when their not in school. It just makes them forbidden fruit. So wouldn't it be better if the people educating our children attempted to teach them about nutrition instead of policing it? Let's give the next generation the information and tools to change instead of forcing our will upon them.
To my son’s school, I offer this suggestion: How about if you notice a kid eating unhealthy food instead of punishing the kid, maybe send a note home to engage the parents who are providing the food in a discussion? Explain why the food in question may be problematic and allow the now-informed parents to make a decision they deem best for their child. But stop being food bullies. Because nothing is going to get better by forcing it.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Friday, October 26, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Eternally Disgusting
I managed to horrify even myself this year. In all it's shocking glory, I present the annual list of everything I ate at the Los Angeles County Fair:
Brick o' Curly Fries.
Deed Fried Strawberry Cream Cheese Wonton
Fried Spam
3 Beers
Trio of Street Tacos
Trio of Sliders
Pressure Cooked Fried Chicken
Deep Fried Cookie Dough
Deep Fried Trix Cereal
Deep Fried Klondike Bar
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Homemade Potato Chips
Deep Fried Hot Dog
Apple Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese
Traditional Grilled Cheese
Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae
Deep Fried Watermelon
Deep Fried Red Velvet Cake
Soft Pretzel
(Amazingly, no bacon this year.)
Brick o' Curly Fries.
Deed Fried Strawberry Cream Cheese Wonton
Fried Spam
3 Beers
Trio of Street Tacos
Trio of Sliders
Pressure Cooked Fried Chicken
Deep Fried Cookie Dough
Deep Fried Trix Cereal
Deep Fried Klondike Bar
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Homemade Potato Chips
Deep Fried Hot Dog
Apple Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese
Traditional Grilled Cheese
Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae
Deep Fried Watermelon
Deep Fried Red Velvet Cake
Soft Pretzel
(Amazingly, no bacon this year.)
Friday, May 4, 2012
Chocolate Twinkies
My sister texted me: Have you tried chocolate Twinkies yet?
My text back: Whaa??
A few days later, a package arrived containing a box of chocolate
crème Twinkies. (I love my sister.)
Mere moments after the kids were in bed, WonderWife™ and I broke open the box. She took the first bite.
“Doesn’t really do anything for me,” she said between bites. “But then again, neither do regular Twinkies.”
“So you totally don’t count on this one,” I said.
“Don’t get me wrong,” she shot back, “I’d eat the whole box if given the chance.”
My wife sometimes confuses me. I rolled my eyes at her as I opened up mine. The snack looked like a normal Twinkie—same size, same shape. The only discernible difference was the color of the three dots on the bottom of the cake. They were brown instead of the traditional white. It was only upon taking a bite that the chocolate Twinkie revealed how different it was. In a standard Twinkie the crème and cake are both vanilla, so besides moisture the crème doesn’t add a lot to the flavor of the snack. But the chocolate added an entirely new dimension to the familiar Twinkie flavor. The crème had a richer-than-expected taste that stood out nicely against the spongecake.
The new flavor is a welcome addition to the Hostess arsenal and while I give them a lot of props for creating a new variation that actually tasted new, in the great chocolate vs. vanilla debate I am solidly in the vanilla camp. Also, I’m a Twinkie purist. So if given the choice I’d pick the standard version over the chocolate crème. That is until they make a peanut butter version.
(Have I mentioned lately that I love my sister?)
My text back: Whaa??
A few days later, a package arrived containing a box of chocolate
crème Twinkies. (I love my sister.)
Mere moments after the kids were in bed, WonderWife™ and I broke open the box. She took the first bite.
“Doesn’t really do anything for me,” she said between bites. “But then again, neither do regular Twinkies.”
“So you totally don’t count on this one,” I said.
“Don’t get me wrong,” she shot back, “I’d eat the whole box if given the chance.”
My wife sometimes confuses me. I rolled my eyes at her as I opened up mine. The snack looked like a normal Twinkie—same size, same shape. The only discernible difference was the color of the three dots on the bottom of the cake. They were brown instead of the traditional white. It was only upon taking a bite that the chocolate Twinkie revealed how different it was. In a standard Twinkie the crème and cake are both vanilla, so besides moisture the crème doesn’t add a lot to the flavor of the snack. But the chocolate added an entirely new dimension to the familiar Twinkie flavor. The crème had a richer-than-expected taste that stood out nicely against the spongecake.
The new flavor is a welcome addition to the Hostess arsenal and while I give them a lot of props for creating a new variation that actually tasted new, in the great chocolate vs. vanilla debate I am solidly in the vanilla camp. Also, I’m a Twinkie purist. So if given the choice I’d pick the standard version over the chocolate crème. That is until they make a peanut butter version.
(Have I mentioned lately that I love my sister?)
Monday, March 12, 2012
Birthday Cake Oreos
WonderWife™ was in the desert for a girl’s weekend. Knowing that once the kids were in bed, the evening was mine, I stopped to pick up a bottle of wine when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a brightly colored change on an ordinarily familiar package and there in the corner…yup “limited edition.”
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In case you hadn’t heard, the famous Oreo cookie turns 100 this year. That’s quite an accomplishment for anyone, let alone a snack food. To celebrate, they created a special edition Birthday Cake version.
Even though both kids were in tow, I somehow managed to buy the cookies right in front of them without either of them noticing what I had done. (Of course I gave them a sample later.)
I was wondering how much Birthday Cake Oreos might differ from the original. The flavor of an Oreo cookie is so familiar that it’s easy to tell when there’s something different or amiss. I discovered this when trying a Canadian Oreo for the first time. Although the cookie was basically the same, there was something slightly unusual about the taste. (I later found out that Oreos are made with coconut oil in Canada, thus the difference.) From the package it looked like Birthday Cake Oreos had colored sprinkles in the crème. But there was no other indication on the bag that they might not be regular Oreos. The cotton candy-like aroma that wafted out of the bag once opened gave the first clue that something was different.
On the cookie, a minimalist “Oreo 100” design replaced the familiar Oreo pattern on the top wafer. Inside was a double-stuff amount of crème that had the appearance of a regular Oreo (taking the aforementioned sprinkles into consideration) but the distinct flavor of vanilla birthday cake. Yet even though the flavor was different, the cookie still unmistakably tasted like an Oreo. The subtle change of the crème added a new, somehow sweeter, dimension to the cookie.
I get asked a lot why “new” food products excite me. To fully answer that might require delving too deeply into my psyche than one could do in a blog. But a simple explanation is that I’m impressed when making a small change to something can create a product that resembles the original but has its own new identity. The Birthday Cake Oreo is about the best example of a new product that does its namesake justice. They're just really good. Happy birthday Oreo and thanks for your present to all of us.
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In case you hadn’t heard, the famous Oreo cookie turns 100 this year. That’s quite an accomplishment for anyone, let alone a snack food. To celebrate, they created a special edition Birthday Cake version.
Even though both kids were in tow, I somehow managed to buy the cookies right in front of them without either of them noticing what I had done. (Of course I gave them a sample later.)
I was wondering how much Birthday Cake Oreos might differ from the original. The flavor of an Oreo cookie is so familiar that it’s easy to tell when there’s something different or amiss. I discovered this when trying a Canadian Oreo for the first time. Although the cookie was basically the same, there was something slightly unusual about the taste. (I later found out that Oreos are made with coconut oil in Canada, thus the difference.) From the package it looked like Birthday Cake Oreos had colored sprinkles in the crème. But there was no other indication on the bag that they might not be regular Oreos. The cotton candy-like aroma that wafted out of the bag once opened gave the first clue that something was different.
On the cookie, a minimalist “Oreo 100” design replaced the familiar Oreo pattern on the top wafer. Inside was a double-stuff amount of crème that had the appearance of a regular Oreo (taking the aforementioned sprinkles into consideration) but the distinct flavor of vanilla birthday cake. Yet even though the flavor was different, the cookie still unmistakably tasted like an Oreo. The subtle change of the crème added a new, somehow sweeter, dimension to the cookie.
I get asked a lot why “new” food products excite me. To fully answer that might require delving too deeply into my psyche than one could do in a blog. But a simple explanation is that I’m impressed when making a small change to something can create a product that resembles the original but has its own new identity. The Birthday Cake Oreo is about the best example of a new product that does its namesake justice. They're just really good. Happy birthday Oreo and thanks for your present to all of us.
Monday, February 6, 2012
The Bacon Milkshake
Three different people sent me the same link on the same day. One of them asking, “would you even drink this?” Clicking it led me to this amazing discovery:
To most the idea of adding meat to a milkshake is horrifying. But for me the answer to my friend’s question was a resounding yes! I would totally drink a bacon milkshake.
I clicked around the internet, somewhat pained by my sheer predictability, and learned that the Jack in the Box Bacon Milkshake was a semi-secret menu item created as a part of their Marry Bacon promotion (a campaign that I can truly get behind). The milkshake is not being put on their menu and would only be available for a limited time in very limited quantities.
To a lot of people putting bacon in a milkshake is everything that’s wrong with American cuisine. They may be right, but I’m not about to stifle anyone’s culinary creativity because you never know where magic could emerge. When I was a kid I united root beer and chocolate milk and discovered that it was a sublime combination.
On the drive home, I happened to pass a Jack in the Box. As if guided by some strange bacony force, my car seemed to pull over on it’s own. Before I knew it, I was shouting the words “bacon milkshake” at the drive thru speaker box.
Now the shake had been discovered and purchased. So the big burning question remained: the heck was it? I won’t bury the lead by telling you it was really good.
By sight, there was no discernible way to tell that there was a magical ingredient in the shake. It looked like the standard Jack vanilla shake—complete with whipped cream and cherry on top. But the first sip betrayed the shake’s bacony secret. The initial flavor that came through was rich vanilla, immediately followed by the familiar smoky taste of bacon. The flavors harmonized really well and the balance between the shake and the bacon was perfect—smoky, rich, sweet and a touch salty. Thankfully, the consistency was that of a regular milkshake and there were no visible bits of bacon to be found.
On the ride home I drank half of the shake and had to summon every ounce of my willpower not to finish it before I could share the spoils with the rest of the family. WonderWife™ apparently had not seen my Facebook profile and had not yet heard of the concoction, so was confused when I thrust a fast food milkshake into her hands and said, “drink it.”
“Is that bacon?” WW™ delightedly asked before taking another sip. “It’s really…good.” She seemed surprised by her own reaction.
Passing the cup to the kids, the Bean announced that he liked the vanilla, but didn’t like the bacon. My little carnivore Sprout, who might even love bacon more than me, licked her lips and begged for another sip even after the cup was empty.
I gotta hand it to you Jack in the Box. You make one hell of a meat shake. A bacon milkshake is certainly nothing that should be consumed on a regular (or even semi-regular) basis. But it was a fun novelty treat for three out of the four of us.
To most the idea of adding meat to a milkshake is horrifying. But for me the answer to my friend’s question was a resounding yes! I would totally drink a bacon milkshake.
I clicked around the internet, somewhat pained by my sheer predictability, and learned that the Jack in the Box Bacon Milkshake was a semi-secret menu item created as a part of their Marry Bacon promotion (a campaign that I can truly get behind). The milkshake is not being put on their menu and would only be available for a limited time in very limited quantities.
To a lot of people putting bacon in a milkshake is everything that’s wrong with American cuisine. They may be right, but I’m not about to stifle anyone’s culinary creativity because you never know where magic could emerge. When I was a kid I united root beer and chocolate milk and discovered that it was a sublime combination.
On the drive home, I happened to pass a Jack in the Box. As if guided by some strange bacony force, my car seemed to pull over on it’s own. Before I knew it, I was shouting the words “bacon milkshake” at the drive thru speaker box.
Now the shake had been discovered and purchased. So the big burning question remained: the heck was it? I won’t bury the lead by telling you it was really good.
By sight, there was no discernible way to tell that there was a magical ingredient in the shake. It looked like the standard Jack vanilla shake—complete with whipped cream and cherry on top. But the first sip betrayed the shake’s bacony secret. The initial flavor that came through was rich vanilla, immediately followed by the familiar smoky taste of bacon. The flavors harmonized really well and the balance between the shake and the bacon was perfect—smoky, rich, sweet and a touch salty. Thankfully, the consistency was that of a regular milkshake and there were no visible bits of bacon to be found.
On the ride home I drank half of the shake and had to summon every ounce of my willpower not to finish it before I could share the spoils with the rest of the family. WonderWife™ apparently had not seen my Facebook profile and had not yet heard of the concoction, so was confused when I thrust a fast food milkshake into her hands and said, “drink it.”
“Is that bacon?” WW™ delightedly asked before taking another sip. “It’s really…good.” She seemed surprised by her own reaction.
Passing the cup to the kids, the Bean announced that he liked the vanilla, but didn’t like the bacon. My little carnivore Sprout, who might even love bacon more than me, licked her lips and begged for another sip even after the cup was empty.
I gotta hand it to you Jack in the Box. You make one hell of a meat shake. A bacon milkshake is certainly nothing that should be consumed on a regular (or even semi-regular) basis. But it was a fun novelty treat for three out of the four of us.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
New Products: Canadian Edition
I used to write a lot about new food products. Not so much these days. In fact, the last time I wrote about something with the label “new” (my favorite label, followed closely by “limited edition”) was July 2010, and I got lambasted by my wife. Truthfully, there has seemingly been a lack of exciting new food products out there. Nothing worth writing about, at least. That was until I strolled into a Canadian branch of my beloved convenience store and found a few interesting items.
Let's start with this one:
Ketchup is not one of those flavors I seek when craving chips. Outside of fries, onion rings and the occasional burger, ketchup doesn't make many appearances in my food repertoire--let alone spicy ketchup. But far be it for me to resist a package of junk food that says "new" so I bought 'em and ate 'em. Thankfully the ketchup flavor wasn't overpowering, and they weren't that spicy, but I'll take a bbq potato chip over these any day.
The last package didn't say "new", but falls under the category of "if they don't sell it in your country, it's new to you." As with ketchup, pickle isn't a flavor I would associate with snack food. This was the first time I'd seen it in a Dorito. Normally Doritos all kind of taste the same, no mater what flavor. Unlike their cheesy cousins, the pickle Doritos did have the unique tangy taste of a pickle. Initially, this was startling. But after a handful, the flavor stared to grow on me and I nearly finished the bag.
Who knew there was such a snack food bounty hiding within my neighbors to the north? Nice snacks you have there, Canada.
Let's start with this one:
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are my undisputed favorite candy of all time. I'm a sucker for peanut butter. So it was with great excitement that I spotted this bar. Notice the "limited edition" at the top? Unfortunately the bar has nothing on the cup, which has the perfect chocolate to peanut butter ratio. The bar is too heavy on chocolate, which was a bit waxy. As they say, close but no...something.
Ketchup is not one of those flavors I seek when craving chips. Outside of fries, onion rings and the occasional burger, ketchup doesn't make many appearances in my food repertoire--let alone spicy ketchup. But far be it for me to resist a package of junk food that says "new" so I bought 'em and ate 'em. Thankfully the ketchup flavor wasn't overpowering, and they weren't that spicy, but I'll take a bbq potato chip over these any day.
The last package didn't say "new", but falls under the category of "if they don't sell it in your country, it's new to you." As with ketchup, pickle isn't a flavor I would associate with snack food. This was the first time I'd seen it in a Dorito. Normally Doritos all kind of taste the same, no mater what flavor. Unlike their cheesy cousins, the pickle Doritos did have the unique tangy taste of a pickle. Initially, this was startling. But after a handful, the flavor stared to grow on me and I nearly finished the bag.
Who knew there was such a snack food bounty hiding within my neighbors to the north? Nice snacks you have there, Canada.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
This Close This Thanksgiving
We trade off spending Thanksgiving with our two sets of parents every other year. Two years ago we were at my Mother-In-Law's for my favorite feast. Perhaps it was the result of one too many glasses of wine, but Mom 2 promised me that the next time she hosted us she would get me a Turducken. (I have been obsessed with Turducken for many years, much to the horror of WonderWife™ and the rest of my family.)
However earlier this year, Mom 2 decided that she wanted to forgo hosting Thanksgiving in order to take us to Disney World.* While this is incredibly generous of my in-laws, I can't help but think that this is a pretty extravagant way to get out of eating Turducken.
*We haven't told the kids yet, so "shhh"!
However earlier this year, Mom 2 decided that she wanted to forgo hosting Thanksgiving in order to take us to Disney World.* While this is incredibly generous of my in-laws, I can't help but think that this is a pretty extravagant way to get out of eating Turducken.
*We haven't told the kids yet, so "shhh"!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Forever Disgusting
It's that time once again--time for you to be horrified (and me somewhat ashamed) as I post the annual list of everything I ate at the LA County Fair this year.
A Crazy Chocolate Candy Bar
2 Beers
Deep Fried Kool Aid
Fresh Cut Potato Chips with Cheese Sauce
Crispy Fries
Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich
Fried Ribs
Roasted Peanuts
Pressure Fried Chicken
Deep Fried Oreo
Curly Fries (in brick form)
Garlic Parmesan Fry Bread
Peach Licorice
Pulled Pork Sammich
Ear of Roasted Corn
Sausage Sammich
Deep Fried Klondike Bar
Maple Bacon Donut
Kettle Corn
Pepto
Here are links to the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 lists.
A Crazy Chocolate Candy Bar
2 Beers
Deep Fried Kool Aid
Fresh Cut Potato Chips with Cheese Sauce
Crispy Fries
Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich
Fried Ribs
Roasted Peanuts
Pressure Fried Chicken
Deep Fried Oreo
Curly Fries (in brick form)
Garlic Parmesan Fry Bread
Peach Licorice
Pulled Pork Sammich
Ear of Roasted Corn
Sausage Sammich
Deep Fried Klondike Bar
Maple Bacon Donut
Kettle Corn
Pepto
Here are links to the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 lists.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
It's Real!
It's been a while since I've written about food on this here blog. While there have been a few new products out there which have gotten my attention, I haven't been compelled to discuss them there. I had heard a rumor about this product, but today it was confirmed so I am compelled to share.
This is soon to be my wife's favorite ice cream:
There are very few things in life that will make WonderWife™ laugh with glee like the infamous "Schweddy Balls" sketch on SNL. It's the perfect storm of juvenile and obscene that delights her to no end. I'm thoroughly tickled with how much she loves it. WonderWife™ and I don't always see eye to eye on pop culture and our senses of humor can be vastly different. So it's a big deal when something strikes both of our funny bones. "Schweddy Balls" does just that.
You can be sure that in the near future we will be buying ourselves a pint or two of Schweddy Balls. I'll be sure to let you know when we do. Mmm. I can't wait to see how those Schweddy Balls taste.
Be sure to check out EW's full story, complete with the video of the sketch.
This is soon to be my wife's favorite ice cream:
There are very few things in life that will make WonderWife™ laugh with glee like the infamous "Schweddy Balls" sketch on SNL. It's the perfect storm of juvenile and obscene that delights her to no end. I'm thoroughly tickled with how much she loves it. WonderWife™ and I don't always see eye to eye on pop culture and our senses of humor can be vastly different. So it's a big deal when something strikes both of our funny bones. "Schweddy Balls" does just that.
You can be sure that in the near future we will be buying ourselves a pint or two of Schweddy Balls. I'll be sure to let you know when we do. Mmm. I can't wait to see how those Schweddy Balls taste.
Be sure to check out EW's full story, complete with the video of the sketch.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Hot N Cold
It had been quite a long time since I spent QT with Sprout, so I took her out for a much needed daddy/daughter day. She accompanied me to the park, where I pushed her on the swings for 20 minutes straight. Sprout giggled uncontrollably when I performed the Super Push, one of those overly-exaggerated moves that only a parent of a young child could get away with and not look completely foolish. It was a crowd-pleaser that I pioneered years before when her brother rode the same swing set. As I pushed Sprout, her face glowed and her taut brown curls bobbed in the breeze.
Afterward I took Sprout out for a sushi dinner. Yes, my girl loves sushi. So I splurged and drove us to one of the best spots in the city. We bellied up to the bar and feasted on heaps of expertly prepared salmon and yellowtail. I exposed her to the joy that is the blue crab roll. She even dared to try spicy tuna. The sushi chef was impressed with this little girl savoring his creations and began to flirt with her by making faces as he skillfully prepared our meal. I was impressed with her too.
“I love you, Daddy!” she exclaimed throughout the meal. “I love daddy/daughter day!”
We topped off the feast with a big bowl of ice cream. We were both in heaven, my little foodie and me.
That night, as I was giving the kids a bath, Sprout said to me, “I want Mom to read me a story.” Later I went to give her a hug before bed, but she turned her back to me. She refused to give me a kiss or talk to me. Sprout went off to sleep without so much as a glance in my direction.
And such is life with my daughter.
Afterward I took Sprout out for a sushi dinner. Yes, my girl loves sushi. So I splurged and drove us to one of the best spots in the city. We bellied up to the bar and feasted on heaps of expertly prepared salmon and yellowtail. I exposed her to the joy that is the blue crab roll. She even dared to try spicy tuna. The sushi chef was impressed with this little girl savoring his creations and began to flirt with her by making faces as he skillfully prepared our meal. I was impressed with her too.
“I love you, Daddy!” she exclaimed throughout the meal. “I love daddy/daughter day!”
We topped off the feast with a big bowl of ice cream. We were both in heaven, my little foodie and me.
That night, as I was giving the kids a bath, Sprout said to me, “I want Mom to read me a story.” Later I went to give her a hug before bed, but she turned her back to me. She refused to give me a kiss or talk to me. Sprout went off to sleep without so much as a glance in my direction.
And such is life with my daughter.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Rainbow Cake
When asked, the Bean said he wanted a coconut rainbow cake for his birthday. For most people, this conjures up an image of a sheet cake with an icing rainbow painted on. But because WonderWife™ just can't do things normally, and because she's a bit insane, she summoned her inner Martha Stewart and made this:
(She isn't called WonderWife™ for nothing.)
The Bean was surprised and excited. And as the four of us sat at the table enjoying the cake, the Bean wished he had more people to share it with.
Now he does.
(She isn't called WonderWife™ for nothing.)
The Bean was surprised and excited. And as the four of us sat at the table enjoying the cake, the Bean wished he had more people to share it with.
Now he does.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
I Remain Disgusting
My head is spinning from the food hangover that occurs after Fair Day, so I'll keep this brief. For your horror reading pleasure, here is my annual, what I ate at the LA County Fair list (Warning: It is not for the faint of heart):
A curious chocolate nut bar
Colossal cone of curly fries
2 Beers
Fried PB&J
Ear of roasted corn
French dip sandwich
Deep fried bacon cheese burger
Pulled pork sandwich
Chocolate covered marshmallow
Garlic Parmesan fry bread
Spicy beef Korean taco
Deep fried Oreo
Deep fried Klondike bar
Chocolate covered bacon
Kettle corn
Chocolate covered banana with nuts
Here are links to the 2007, 2008 and 2009 lists.
A curious chocolate nut bar
Colossal cone of curly fries
2 Beers
Fried PB&J
Ear of roasted corn
French dip sandwich
Deep fried bacon cheese burger
Pulled pork sandwich
Chocolate covered marshmallow
Garlic Parmesan fry bread
Spicy beef Korean taco
Deep fried Oreo
Deep fried Klondike bar
Chocolate covered bacon
Kettle corn
Chocolate covered banana with nuts
Here are links to the 2007, 2008 and 2009 lists.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
The Bacon Truck
I couldn’t believe it took as long as it did for it to exist. You would have thought it was already here. But it wasn’t. Now with the food truck craze in full swing, some genius finally decided to create a bacon truck.
For the uninitiated let me elaborate, there is a fantastic gourmet food truck revolution currently happening that rivals any kind of movement the Tea Partiers could dream up. These specialized roach coaches (although that moniker really does them a great disservice) drive around cities, serving up high quality food. Many of them are concept driven, which is why in LA we have the Grilled Cheese Truck, the breakfast truck, ice cream sandwich truck, Korean BBQ taco truck, cheesesteaks… You get the idea.
Not only is the food from these trucks really good, but there is an extra element of fun in the experience due to the hunt. These are mobile restaurants, which means you have to work for your grub by catching them. The trucks drive around the city, posting their locations via Twitter. They don’t have a regular schedule, so they could pretty much be anywhere at any time. Since I don’t have the luxury of being able to chase down these trucks, my only bet to eat at them is if they orbit close to my home or office. Like the way that every once in a while you win in Vegas, I’ve been lucky a few times able to unexpectedly score some Korean tacos on my way home from work.
A few days ago, I heard the most amazing news—a new truck, the bacon truck. It’s a brilliant idea and of course I was automatically intrigued. The truck, calling itself Lardon, hadn’t even officially opened yet. They were in their “soft open” phase and had only been making one stop a day to work out the kinks before their big launch. I decided to make it my mission to eat from the bacon truck.
The gods of pork were smiling on me because two days after hearing about the truck, I learned they would be close to my place of business. I jetted through the office halls and accosted a few colleagues that I knew might be interested in such an adventure. With my car loaded up, we took to the streets. Considering that I had talked others into spending their lunch hour tracking down a truck filled with bacon, I began worrying that it might not be there like some cruel practical joke. But my fears were rapidly allayed because there was the truck sitting quietly around a corner with no line to stand in the way of us and our bacon.
As promised, everything on the menu revolves around bacon—from the BLT to the desserts. They also serve breakfast all day. Unfortunately, they were out of the chicken wings coated in bacon hot sauce with a side of bacon bleu cheese dressing, so I settled on a French toast brioche sandwich with bacon crumbles and bourbon bacon syrup. My companions went for their fancy BLT and their simple, but awesome bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. But my favorite thing about their menu has to be the Bacone. It’s a paper cone filled with four strips of various kinds of bacon that change periodically. That day, they were serving peppered bacon, maple bacon and bacon from a wild boar (which was meat, a little gamey and totally delicious). I mentioned dessert right? Try a browning topped with Nutella and bacon. (Salty and sweet was great even before sliced bread.)
My co-workers and I all felt a bit sluggish that afternoon, but we agreed that it was worth it. The bacon truck is not a place you’d want to eat at every day. But I’m glad that the fates brought us together so that I, fan of bacony goodness, could be amongst their first customers. I’m totally going to hunt them down again to get my bac-on.*
*That’s right, I just wrote that. I’m not apologizing for it either.
For the uninitiated let me elaborate, there is a fantastic gourmet food truck revolution currently happening that rivals any kind of movement the Tea Partiers could dream up. These specialized roach coaches (although that moniker really does them a great disservice) drive around cities, serving up high quality food. Many of them are concept driven, which is why in LA we have the Grilled Cheese Truck, the breakfast truck, ice cream sandwich truck, Korean BBQ taco truck, cheesesteaks… You get the idea.
Not only is the food from these trucks really good, but there is an extra element of fun in the experience due to the hunt. These are mobile restaurants, which means you have to work for your grub by catching them. The trucks drive around the city, posting their locations via Twitter. They don’t have a regular schedule, so they could pretty much be anywhere at any time. Since I don’t have the luxury of being able to chase down these trucks, my only bet to eat at them is if they orbit close to my home or office. Like the way that every once in a while you win in Vegas, I’ve been lucky a few times able to unexpectedly score some Korean tacos on my way home from work.
A few days ago, I heard the most amazing news—a new truck, the bacon truck. It’s a brilliant idea and of course I was automatically intrigued. The truck, calling itself Lardon, hadn’t even officially opened yet. They were in their “soft open” phase and had only been making one stop a day to work out the kinks before their big launch. I decided to make it my mission to eat from the bacon truck.
The gods of pork were smiling on me because two days after hearing about the truck, I learned they would be close to my place of business. I jetted through the office halls and accosted a few colleagues that I knew might be interested in such an adventure. With my car loaded up, we took to the streets. Considering that I had talked others into spending their lunch hour tracking down a truck filled with bacon, I began worrying that it might not be there like some cruel practical joke. But my fears were rapidly allayed because there was the truck sitting quietly around a corner with no line to stand in the way of us and our bacon.
As promised, everything on the menu revolves around bacon—from the BLT to the desserts. They also serve breakfast all day. Unfortunately, they were out of the chicken wings coated in bacon hot sauce with a side of bacon bleu cheese dressing, so I settled on a French toast brioche sandwich with bacon crumbles and bourbon bacon syrup. My companions went for their fancy BLT and their simple, but awesome bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. But my favorite thing about their menu has to be the Bacone. It’s a paper cone filled with four strips of various kinds of bacon that change periodically. That day, they were serving peppered bacon, maple bacon and bacon from a wild boar (which was meat, a little gamey and totally delicious). I mentioned dessert right? Try a browning topped with Nutella and bacon. (Salty and sweet was great even before sliced bread.)
My co-workers and I all felt a bit sluggish that afternoon, but we agreed that it was worth it. The bacon truck is not a place you’d want to eat at every day. But I’m glad that the fates brought us together so that I, fan of bacony goodness, could be amongst their first customers. I’m totally going to hunt them down again to get my bac-on.*
*That’s right, I just wrote that. I’m not apologizing for it either.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Crabby
I was staring down the barrel of a business trip that would keep me on the east coast for two weeks when WonderWife™ had a brainstorm and offered to fly out with the kids so we could meet up at my parents’ house for the weekend. I told her that she was crazy and gladly took her up on her offer.
When I called to tell my mom that we’d be crashing at her place in a few weeks she was joyful and right before we hung up she said, “…and we’ll get crabs.” This was a joyous proposition that I had not yet considered.
You see, I’m a Maryland boy born and raised and I have blue crab in my blood. They are one of my favorite things to eat. There is nothing better than a pile of steamed crabs covered in spicy Old Bay. Admittedly, crabs are not for everyone. They require patience, a wooden mallet, and a certain degree of know-how (that is passed down from generation to generation of Maryland residents). It takes a lot of work for a little bit. But oh, those little bits of sweet, succulent meat that you get… I could sit at a table and pick crabs for hours. And growing up that’s what we did every summer, which considerately enough falls during the summer.
Summer just isn’t summer unless there are blue crabs. And living in California, it hasn’t truly been summer for me for a long time.
Not only couldn’t I wait to eat crab, but I was going to be able to share the experience with my boy. The Bean is somewhat unpredictable when it comes to consuming protein, but he loves seafood. I imagined him liking the crab, and loving the visual of a couple of dozen creatures with claws sitting on the table in front of him. I had a vision of us sitting there, paper towels tucked into our shirts bib style, cracking open a few claws having the time of our lives. I even began to compose the blog post in my head.
That evening, I drove with my dad to the same crab shack we’ve been frequenting since I was a kid. As we drove back, the familiar smell of Old Bay wafted toward the front seat, making my mouth water. At home, my mom had set up everything according to tradition—newspaper on the table, trashcan pulled up next to it and a couple of rolls of paper towels sitting on top.
The Bean was intrigued as we dumped the steaming pile of crabs onto the newspaper.
“Can I play with one?” he asked.
“Better than that,” I said, “let me show you how to eat one.”
The Bean picked up an errant claw as I began cracking open the crab, picking out the meat and putting it in front of him in a nice pile. Seeing me eat, he used his mallet and began banging on his crab leg. But after a few minutes the whole thing must have lost its luster because he grew disinterested. He picked at the meat and asked to be excused a few minutes later.
It never occurred to me that he might not be into it. In fact, in an unexpected turn of events, the Bean couldn’t have cared less about the crab feast.
At this point I did the only thing I could do, I shrugged off my disappointment, grabbed another crab and happily began to pick it.
When I called to tell my mom that we’d be crashing at her place in a few weeks she was joyful and right before we hung up she said, “…and we’ll get crabs.” This was a joyous proposition that I had not yet considered.
You see, I’m a Maryland boy born and raised and I have blue crab in my blood. They are one of my favorite things to eat. There is nothing better than a pile of steamed crabs covered in spicy Old Bay. Admittedly, crabs are not for everyone. They require patience, a wooden mallet, and a certain degree of know-how (that is passed down from generation to generation of Maryland residents). It takes a lot of work for a little bit. But oh, those little bits of sweet, succulent meat that you get… I could sit at a table and pick crabs for hours. And growing up that’s what we did every summer, which considerately enough falls during the summer.
Summer just isn’t summer unless there are blue crabs. And living in California, it hasn’t truly been summer for me for a long time.
Not only couldn’t I wait to eat crab, but I was going to be able to share the experience with my boy. The Bean is somewhat unpredictable when it comes to consuming protein, but he loves seafood. I imagined him liking the crab, and loving the visual of a couple of dozen creatures with claws sitting on the table in front of him. I had a vision of us sitting there, paper towels tucked into our shirts bib style, cracking open a few claws having the time of our lives. I even began to compose the blog post in my head.
That evening, I drove with my dad to the same crab shack we’ve been frequenting since I was a kid. As we drove back, the familiar smell of Old Bay wafted toward the front seat, making my mouth water. At home, my mom had set up everything according to tradition—newspaper on the table, trashcan pulled up next to it and a couple of rolls of paper towels sitting on top.
The Bean was intrigued as we dumped the steaming pile of crabs onto the newspaper.
“Can I play with one?” he asked.
“Better than that,” I said, “let me show you how to eat one.”
The Bean picked up an errant claw as I began cracking open the crab, picking out the meat and putting it in front of him in a nice pile. Seeing me eat, he used his mallet and began banging on his crab leg. But after a few minutes the whole thing must have lost its luster because he grew disinterested. He picked at the meat and asked to be excused a few minutes later.
It never occurred to me that he might not be into it. In fact, in an unexpected turn of events, the Bean couldn’t have cared less about the crab feast.
At this point I did the only thing I could do, I shrugged off my disappointment, grabbed another crab and happily began to pick it.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Our Life and New Products: He Said, She Said
There was a new email waiting for me when I logged on the other day. It was from WonderWife™. After reading it, I glared at her aghast.
“You really want me to post this on my blog?”
“Yes,” she said matter of factly. “People need to know the truth.”
I’ve never been one to limit anyone’s freedom of expression, and if I’ve learned anything in my marriage it’s that censoring my wife isn’t the smartest idea.
“You know that I’m going to need to write a rebuttal,” I told her.
“Fire away, Geek Boy,” she said.
So in what looks like it might become an annual feature, I present to you a guest post from WonderWife™:
It’s been well documented that DGB is a fan of anything labeled ‘new; or ‘limited edition’ or is otherwise labeled in a way to entice him to try the latest trends in junk food.
Today, as I randomly offered him a Tic-Tac, he noted, “I saw them in Pina Colada flavor at the convenience-mart earlier today.”
Um, what? “Why didn’t you get them,” I demanded. “Were they labeled ‘new’?”
When I was told that they were labeled “Summer Edition” I nearly lost my shit. How is that not the same as “new” or the like? What possible explanation could he have for passing them up?
“I just wasn’t interested,” he lamely explained.
Not interested?!?! Those words barely register with me. For him, each trip to the Sev for coffee, each trip to the mega-mart for groceries, each trip to the gas station (with attached bodega) all warrant a trip down the snack aisle in search of new products. And now he just waltzed right by such a treat. How can it be?
This isn’t the first time this kind of thing has happened. A few months ago, I was cutting coupons and the geniuses at Keebler were promoting a new cookie:
They’re labeled ‘new.’ They’re cheesecake, which is something that I’ve never known DGB to be opposed to. They even come in dark chocolate. I was sure that I’d stumbled on a winner, so had been looking for them each time I went to the mega-mart to no avail. Each time I was in Target, I took a slow walk down the cookie aisle. No dice. I’d even duck into convenience stores to see if I could find ‘em, but always walked away empty-handed. Then one day, DGB and I were at the mega-mart together and behold – there they were. I scooped them off the shelf and presented them to DGB as though they were an offering. And he promptly dismissed me them.
“Eh,” he said. “I don’t really need them.”
He has created a monster in me. I find it hard *not* to look for foods emblazoned with ‘New’ or ‘NEW’ or ‘Limited Edition’ on them. I have even enlisted my family to help in my quest of procuring the newest goodies for my husband. And now that he’s brushing them away right and left, I’m left confused and hungry for those goodies out there, labeled ‘new’ and calling my name.
Ahem.
Considering that my wife and I do not have many common interests, I am flattered that she’s developed an obsession with new products along side of me. However, as per usual when it comes to WonderWife™ and me, there are vast differences in how we go about life.
The accusations put forth by my wife here are indeed true. There have been a few new products that I have not bought or tried. Although I do love something new, it has to be something new and interesting to me for me to spend the money and calories on it. There could be a cilantro and mushroom bar with a “new” or a “limited edition” on it, but it doesn’t mean I’m getting it. There are dozens of new products on the shelves all of the time. I’d go broke trying all of them. Some of them just aren’t that unique. Milky Way’s Simply Caramel bar had a “new”. Chocolate and caramel may be new to them, but really it’s nothing blog worthy.
In regards to the cheesecake cookies, WonderWife™ caught me at a time where I was thinking about trying to eat healthier. So while they did look good, they didn’t seem so extraordinary that we should’ve bought them, which would have lead to us devouring the whole bag that night while watching AFV. When she was standing in the aisle with the bag of cookies that she was so desperate to find, she could have mentioned the extend of her quest. She could have ignored what I said and bought them anyway. But she relented and put them back on the shelf and walked away.
In retrospect, I should have bought the Tic Tacs. If not for me, for my wife. She’s good enough to bring me home new products and it would have been a nice gesture to return the favor. And now that they are gone and I can’t find them again, I wish I had bought them cause now I really want to try them.*
So in that case it’s my loss. And hers.
*expect to hear about this from her in the comments
“You really want me to post this on my blog?”
“Yes,” she said matter of factly. “People need to know the truth.”
I’ve never been one to limit anyone’s freedom of expression, and if I’ve learned anything in my marriage it’s that censoring my wife isn’t the smartest idea.
“You know that I’m going to need to write a rebuttal,” I told her.
“Fire away, Geek Boy,” she said.
So in what looks like it might become an annual feature, I present to you a guest post from WonderWife™:
It’s been well documented that DGB is a fan of anything labeled ‘new; or ‘limited edition’ or is otherwise labeled in a way to entice him to try the latest trends in junk food.
Today, as I randomly offered him a Tic-Tac, he noted, “I saw them in Pina Colada flavor at the convenience-mart earlier today.”
Um, what? “Why didn’t you get them,” I demanded. “Were they labeled ‘new’?”
When I was told that they were labeled “Summer Edition” I nearly lost my shit. How is that not the same as “new” or the like? What possible explanation could he have for passing them up?
“I just wasn’t interested,” he lamely explained.
Not interested?!?! Those words barely register with me. For him, each trip to the Sev for coffee, each trip to the mega-mart for groceries, each trip to the gas station (with attached bodega) all warrant a trip down the snack aisle in search of new products. And now he just waltzed right by such a treat. How can it be?
This isn’t the first time this kind of thing has happened. A few months ago, I was cutting coupons and the geniuses at Keebler were promoting a new cookie:
“Eh,” he said. “I don’t really need them.”
He has created a monster in me. I find it hard *not* to look for foods emblazoned with ‘New’ or ‘NEW’ or ‘Limited Edition’ on them. I have even enlisted my family to help in my quest of procuring the newest goodies for my husband. And now that he’s brushing them away right and left, I’m left confused and hungry for those goodies out there, labeled ‘new’ and calling my name.
Ahem.
Considering that my wife and I do not have many common interests, I am flattered that she’s developed an obsession with new products along side of me. However, as per usual when it comes to WonderWife™ and me, there are vast differences in how we go about life.
The accusations put forth by my wife here are indeed true. There have been a few new products that I have not bought or tried. Although I do love something new, it has to be something new and interesting to me for me to spend the money and calories on it. There could be a cilantro and mushroom bar with a “new” or a “limited edition” on it, but it doesn’t mean I’m getting it. There are dozens of new products on the shelves all of the time. I’d go broke trying all of them. Some of them just aren’t that unique. Milky Way’s Simply Caramel bar had a “new”. Chocolate and caramel may be new to them, but really it’s nothing blog worthy.
In regards to the cheesecake cookies, WonderWife™ caught me at a time where I was thinking about trying to eat healthier. So while they did look good, they didn’t seem so extraordinary that we should’ve bought them, which would have lead to us devouring the whole bag that night while watching AFV. When she was standing in the aisle with the bag of cookies that she was so desperate to find, she could have mentioned the extend of her quest. She could have ignored what I said and bought them anyway. But she relented and put them back on the shelf and walked away.
In retrospect, I should have bought the Tic Tacs. If not for me, for my wife. She’s good enough to bring me home new products and it would have been a nice gesture to return the favor. And now that they are gone and I can’t find them again, I wish I had bought them cause now I really want to try them.*
So in that case it’s my loss. And hers.
*expect to hear about this from her in the comments
Monday, June 28, 2010
Spicy
I call Sprout the human garbage disposal because she will pretty much eat anything. The problem is, she does not limit herself only to her plate. No matter how much she may be enjoying her meal, if she thinks that somebody has something different on their plate she’ll point and ask...no she will demand a bite. If her food is cut up while mine is whole she will want some of mine, even though we’re eating the same thing. She's not only curious, but she's relentless too. Like the Terminator, she will not stop until she gets what she wants.
The other day WonderWife™ and I dragged the kids out on another food seeking excursion, which we're prone to do if a friend turns us on to a place or something catches our eye on the Food Network. My meal came with a mildly spicy tomato relish. Sure enough, Sprout pointed to my plate and says, “This!”
“It’s spicy,” I told her. “You’re not going to like it.”
“I want it,” she said matter of factly.
"You really don't."
Sprout didn't take no for an answer and in between bites of her food, she kept gesturing to my plate.
“Okay, fine,” I said placing a small piece on my fork and feeding it to her.
A few seconds later, Sprout has a look I’ve never seen before on her face—confusion with a sprinkle of discomfort. It's the same look I got that one time I was told the Buffalo wings were mild when they really were hot. The spice had kicked in and Sprout was not happy. Knowing water makes the heat from spicy foods worse but not having any milk available, I did the only thing I could do and gave her some potato to try to cool her mouth down. This Sprout promptly rejected, having learned her lesson not to accept any more food from Daddy.
All the while, WonderWife™ is staring daggers in my direction in utter disbelief that I actually fed my child something we both knew was going to illicit this reaction.
I gave her a sheepish grin and said, "Well, at least now she knows what 'spicy' means."
The other day WonderWife™ and I dragged the kids out on another food seeking excursion, which we're prone to do if a friend turns us on to a place or something catches our eye on the Food Network. My meal came with a mildly spicy tomato relish. Sure enough, Sprout pointed to my plate and says, “This!”
“It’s spicy,” I told her. “You’re not going to like it.”
“I want it,” she said matter of factly.
"You really don't."
Sprout didn't take no for an answer and in between bites of her food, she kept gesturing to my plate.
“Okay, fine,” I said placing a small piece on my fork and feeding it to her.
A few seconds later, Sprout has a look I’ve never seen before on her face—confusion with a sprinkle of discomfort. It's the same look I got that one time I was told the Buffalo wings were mild when they really were hot. The spice had kicked in and Sprout was not happy. Knowing water makes the heat from spicy foods worse but not having any milk available, I did the only thing I could do and gave her some potato to try to cool her mouth down. This Sprout promptly rejected, having learned her lesson not to accept any more food from Daddy.
All the while, WonderWife™ is staring daggers in my direction in utter disbelief that I actually fed my child something we both knew was going to illicit this reaction.
I gave her a sheepish grin and said, "Well, at least now she knows what 'spicy' means."
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Retroactively Busted
One day out of the blue, the Bean started talking about Chester Cheetah—beloved corporate mascot of Cheetos brand cheese-ish flavored crunch snack. Apparently, one of the Bean’s good friends at pre-school eats a bag of Cheetos every day, which at some point prompted a roundtable discussion about said mascot.
Not only did the Bean bring up Chester, but he also gleefully said that he ate a bag of Cheetos one time at the movies. Upon this revelation, WonderWife™ looked at me with an all-too-familiar bemused shock. Since I am the only one who takes him to the movies, there was nowhere else to look for the culprit.
So here’s what happened…
Popcorn is a choking hazard for kids under the age of 5. Since the Bean had a nasty habit of choking on anything with a remotely crunchy texture, as we terrifyingly discovered one afternoon while snacking on potato chips, popcorn was not going to be in his future for quite some time.
However this presented a problem because that damned Curious George had taught the Bean that a person eats popcorn at the movies. But since the Bean did not actually know what popcorn was, I would put some Pirate’s Booty in a paper bag, give it to him as the theater lights were dimming and he’d happily munch away none the wiser.
But one time I didn’t have any Pirate’s Booty, so I covertly brought the boy into the ‘Sev and scored a bag of Cheetos. Well, I thought I was being covert. Cause as the Bean revealed, he knew that he had eaten Cheetos that day instead of popcorn.
I didn’t know if I should be pissed or impressed. I retraced my steps and realized that I had taken him to the movie in question probably a year and a half ago. That’s a way better memory than I’ve ever had. However, this means that the popcorn ruse is up, which will make it all the more difficult to take him to the movies the next time.
Not only did the Bean bring up Chester, but he also gleefully said that he ate a bag of Cheetos one time at the movies. Upon this revelation, WonderWife™ looked at me with an all-too-familiar bemused shock. Since I am the only one who takes him to the movies, there was nowhere else to look for the culprit.
So here’s what happened…
Popcorn is a choking hazard for kids under the age of 5. Since the Bean had a nasty habit of choking on anything with a remotely crunchy texture, as we terrifyingly discovered one afternoon while snacking on potato chips, popcorn was not going to be in his future for quite some time.
However this presented a problem because that damned Curious George had taught the Bean that a person eats popcorn at the movies. But since the Bean did not actually know what popcorn was, I would put some Pirate’s Booty in a paper bag, give it to him as the theater lights were dimming and he’d happily munch away none the wiser.
But one time I didn’t have any Pirate’s Booty, so I covertly brought the boy into the ‘Sev and scored a bag of Cheetos. Well, I thought I was being covert. Cause as the Bean revealed, he knew that he had eaten Cheetos that day instead of popcorn.
I didn’t know if I should be pissed or impressed. I retraced my steps and realized that I had taken him to the movie in question probably a year and a half ago. That’s a way better memory than I’ve ever had. However, this means that the popcorn ruse is up, which will make it all the more difficult to take him to the movies the next time.
Monday, May 10, 2010
What Did They Do to M&M's Now?
“Sweet fancy moses, lookit that,” I said to WonderWife™ when I spotted the display at the other end of the grocery store aisle.
It took her a minute to see it. “Pretzel?” she asked.
“Not just that,” I pointed. “Look.” My finger drew her eye to the word “new.”
By now I’d completely turned my wife from a normal human being into a ravenous beast who craves new products as much as me. She grew excited by this new discovery.
“Let’s buy two!” she said.
So what was this new item, you ask? This:
Pretzel M&M’s are a brilliant idea. One that’s so deceptively simple I’m surprised it’s taken this long to arrive. I’ve spoken many times about the extreme pleasure I take in adding salty to sweet, and pretzel M&M’s turns that into a selling point. Right on the bag it says “crunchy, salty, sweet”.
When the kids were finally asleep, WW™ and I tore into the first bag over a couple of cocktails. (Ah, the simple pleasures of two tired parents on a Saturday night.)
Pretzel M&M’s are exactly what you’d expect them to be—an M&M with a pretzel center. They have a light texture, like biting into a malted milk ball. The promised salty/sweet combination hits the tongue right up front, making for a pretty tasty bite of candy.
Yet for the first time ever WonderWife™ may have been more enthusiastic than I was about a new candy. I guess I’m much easier to please when it comes to candy. I thought the M&M’s were really tasty, but I thought that they skimped out a little bit by making the chocolate layer too thin. She thought they had gotten the combination just right. She also appreciated the fact that because pretzel M&Ms were light on chocolate, that the bag was only 150 calories. (It is not in my nature to pay attention to such things, but if she considers this a big selling point that makes her happy, who am I to argue?
Pretzel M&Ms is the kind of new product that I like best. They actually put some effort into this one and didn’t simply change the kind of chocolate from dark to light, add some mint flavor or sprinkle a little caramel on it*. It’s actually a new product that completely changes the approach to a classic candy. If you like salty/sweet, you’re going to totally dig pretzel M&M's. We did.
*Caramel M&M's! Are you listening Mars Snackfood Corporation? That there’s an idea whose time has come
It took her a minute to see it. “Pretzel?” she asked.
“Not just that,” I pointed. “Look.” My finger drew her eye to the word “new.”
By now I’d completely turned my wife from a normal human being into a ravenous beast who craves new products as much as me. She grew excited by this new discovery.
“Let’s buy two!” she said.
So what was this new item, you ask? This:
Pretzel M&M’s are a brilliant idea. One that’s so deceptively simple I’m surprised it’s taken this long to arrive. I’ve spoken many times about the extreme pleasure I take in adding salty to sweet, and pretzel M&M’s turns that into a selling point. Right on the bag it says “crunchy, salty, sweet”.
When the kids were finally asleep, WW™ and I tore into the first bag over a couple of cocktails. (Ah, the simple pleasures of two tired parents on a Saturday night.)
Pretzel M&M’s are exactly what you’d expect them to be—an M&M with a pretzel center. They have a light texture, like biting into a malted milk ball. The promised salty/sweet combination hits the tongue right up front, making for a pretty tasty bite of candy.
Yet for the first time ever WonderWife™ may have been more enthusiastic than I was about a new candy. I guess I’m much easier to please when it comes to candy. I thought the M&M’s were really tasty, but I thought that they skimped out a little bit by making the chocolate layer too thin. She thought they had gotten the combination just right. She also appreciated the fact that because pretzel M&Ms were light on chocolate, that the bag was only 150 calories. (It is not in my nature to pay attention to such things, but if she considers this a big selling point that makes her happy, who am I to argue?
Pretzel M&Ms is the kind of new product that I like best. They actually put some effort into this one and didn’t simply change the kind of chocolate from dark to light, add some mint flavor or sprinkle a little caramel on it*. It’s actually a new product that completely changes the approach to a classic candy. If you like salty/sweet, you’re going to totally dig pretzel M&M's. We did.
*Caramel M&M's! Are you listening Mars Snackfood Corporation? That there’s an idea whose time has come
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Smoky Earthy Salty Porky*
A mischievous sparkle was in the eyes of my co-worker as she approached my office door.
“I was out at lunch today and I found you something,” she said with a big grin on her face. Then she reached into her bag and gave me this:
Yes even my colleagues know of my strange fascination with bacon-flavored products. But it's not that surprising in this case. This friend is a fellow foodie and over the years we have shared many a conversation about the meals we've eaten and the food we've cooked.
Bacon truffle caramel popcorn seemed like a treat that needed to be shared, so after my friend inexplicably declined a taste I somehow managed to muster up enough will power to not open the bag until I could get it in front of WonderWife™.
Unlike some bacon products that revel in shock value rather than flavor, this bacon truffle caramel popcorn seemed well thought out. Each component was designed to work together.
The popcorn was entirely coated in a thick shell of rich, crunchy caramel. Buried beneath the browned sugar was bacon—real pieces of bacon that brought a smoky applewood flavor to the popcorn. (The bottom of the bag revealed a few sugar-coated pieces of bacon, which was a treat in and of itself.) The whole shebang was infused with truffle oil. It must be said that I am usually not a fan of fungus, but the truffles gave the confection an earthiness that cut the sweetness and added an unexpected depth of flavor.
It is not something that I could eat every day, but I would eat bacon truffle caramel popcorn again in a second…as long as I had somebody to share it with.
*This is the genius description of the popcorn found on the bag.
“I was out at lunch today and I found you something,” she said with a big grin on her face. Then she reached into her bag and gave me this:
Yes even my colleagues know of my strange fascination with bacon-flavored products. But it's not that surprising in this case. This friend is a fellow foodie and over the years we have shared many a conversation about the meals we've eaten and the food we've cooked.
Bacon truffle caramel popcorn seemed like a treat that needed to be shared, so after my friend inexplicably declined a taste I somehow managed to muster up enough will power to not open the bag until I could get it in front of WonderWife™.
Unlike some bacon products that revel in shock value rather than flavor, this bacon truffle caramel popcorn seemed well thought out. Each component was designed to work together.
The popcorn was entirely coated in a thick shell of rich, crunchy caramel. Buried beneath the browned sugar was bacon—real pieces of bacon that brought a smoky applewood flavor to the popcorn. (The bottom of the bag revealed a few sugar-coated pieces of bacon, which was a treat in and of itself.) The whole shebang was infused with truffle oil. It must be said that I am usually not a fan of fungus, but the truffles gave the confection an earthiness that cut the sweetness and added an unexpected depth of flavor.
It is not something that I could eat every day, but I would eat bacon truffle caramel popcorn again in a second…as long as I had somebody to share it with.
*This is the genius description of the popcorn found on the bag.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
My first year out of college, my birthday aligned with Super Bowl Sunday. I had just broken up with my girlfriend, so to ease the heartbreak I invited a few of my friends over for burgers and dogs. A good time was had by all, so the next year I invited a few more friends and made some different kinds of food. Super Bowl at my house soon became an annual tradition. It grew bigger and more elaborate, complicated by the fact that after year two, I declared that I would never serve the same menu twice.
The Super Bowl party is one of the things that WonderWife™ inherited when she hooked up with me. However, since she's a foodie like me, it’s only gotten better since she’s been the co-host. I love throwing this party and despite my tepid interest in sports, Super Bowl Sunday has become one of my favorite days of the year. It's my de-facto birthday party.
The planning of the party starts around Thanksgiving, when WW™ and I will start to brainstorm recipes. We toss out ideas to each other, forget those ideas and have to think of new ones. We eventually hone in on our choices mid-January.
We spend all weekend cooking. Come game time, WW™ and I are so busy in the kitchen that we barely even get to see any of the game...or the commercials. (I know there was a Simpsons Coke commercial this year, but I didn't see it.)
This year, we finished early and I did get to watch the 4th quarter. And I finally won a bet against my friend KK, who has taken my money for about 5 years in a row.
Even though I was asked to do so, I didn’t get a chance to take any pictures of the spread, but because some of you were curious, this is what WW™ and I cooked this year:
Before I go, can we have a giant shout out to WonderWife™? I know that I go on about her a lot on this here blog, but seriously this woman is kick-ass, she totally went above and beyond with today's party. Girl can roll out a flatbread like nobody's business. Totally put me to shame.
The Super Bowl party is one of the things that WonderWife™ inherited when she hooked up with me. However, since she's a foodie like me, it’s only gotten better since she’s been the co-host. I love throwing this party and despite my tepid interest in sports, Super Bowl Sunday has become one of my favorite days of the year. It's my de-facto birthday party.
The planning of the party starts around Thanksgiving, when WW™ and I will start to brainstorm recipes. We toss out ideas to each other, forget those ideas and have to think of new ones. We eventually hone in on our choices mid-January.
We spend all weekend cooking. Come game time, WW™ and I are so busy in the kitchen that we barely even get to see any of the game...or the commercials. (I know there was a Simpsons Coke commercial this year, but I didn't see it.)
This year, we finished early and I did get to watch the 4th quarter. And I finally won a bet against my friend KK, who has taken my money for about 5 years in a row.
Even though I was asked to do so, I didn’t get a chance to take any pictures of the spread, but because some of you were curious, this is what WW™ and I cooked this year:
- Clam Dip – This is my friend Dimo’s favorite. It's clams, butter, onions, baked until bubbling and served with Ritz crackers.
- Deconstructed Potato Skins - Bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream and chives served on top of a potato chip
- Caramelized Onion Flat Bread - Caramelized onions, Gala apples, crème fraiche on pizza dough
- Korean BBQ Short Rib Hash - Boneless short rib marinated in Korean BBQ spices, potato, onion, peppers
- Pate a Choux - Light pastry profiteroles filled with either spinach artichoke or smoked salmon dip
- Potato Chip Frittata - Mini Frittatas filled with onion, leek and carrot topped with crumbled potato chips.
- Chix in a Blanket - Chicken and bacon baked inside pockets of dough.
- Dessert Won Tons – Fried won tons filled with combinations of banana, strawberry, semi-sweet chocolate, Nutella and toasted coconut.
Before I go, can we have a giant shout out to WonderWife™? I know that I go on about her a lot on this here blog, but seriously this woman is kick-ass, she totally went above and beyond with today's party. Girl can roll out a flatbread like nobody's business. Totally put me to shame.
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