James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards 2013
Pretty psyched about Danny Bowien winning Rising Star Chef of the Year award. Thanks for bringing Mission Chinese Food to NYC! For full list of awards: http://bit.ly/11tuChy (0)

James Beard 2013 Book, Broadcast and Journalism Awards
You will note that the Writing and Literature award went to Marcus Samuelsson for Yes, Chef: A Memoir. I had the pleasure of seeing him talk at The Lower East Side Tenement Museum about this book and his philosophy on cooking and running a kitchen. I was pleasantly surprised to hear him talk about women in the kitchen and how 50% of his kitchen staff are females. It always seemed funny to me how at home, women are traditionally expected to do most of the cooking, but in professional kitchens, it has traditionally been a men’s club. I have to admit, the highlight of that night was the surprise guest appearance of Chris Cosentino. I am a sucker for dimples. For the list of all winners: http://bit.ly/17EKFaR (0)

Thomas Keller Knows What's Up
If you are going to listen to anyone tell you what goes with what, it should be the Great Thomas Keller. I feel slightly vindicated that he thinks the classic combination of peanut butter and jelly really works. Not only are the flavor contrasts that delectable salty/sweet I crave so much, but even the texture of the bread works to create a perfect combo. Keller lists flavor profiles that work best together, and gives some suggestions of pairings. Woot! http://bit.ly/Z7ZRs5 (1)

Beet Cocktails?
Now, now. Don’t knock it before you try it. Personally I hate beets. But one day I went to a talk on fermenting at one of my favorite places on earth, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, and on the menu was fermented beet juice. Say what? Oddly enough I LOVED it! It evoked images of freshly mown grass over the summer, or the smell of dew on a morning of camping in the mountains. It tasted of earth, and nature, with a slight tang. It’s really hard to describe but it was not unpleasant in any way. As I was drinking it, I actually thought: if I added booze to this, it would make a great cocktail! Wine Enthusiast would have you make three! http://bit.ly/146MpGg (0)

Will computers take the place of the creativity we seek in chefs?
IBM is working on creating a computer that will not only come up with creative dishes to fulfill our cravings, but also come up with new and innovative flavor combinations. Top Chef better watch their back! http://n.pr/TTXMAe (0)

One-Pot Cooking Then and Now
I am sure my love for one-pot cooking is pretty obvious. Not just because of the convenience of making everything in the same vessel, but also because the dishes coming out of my dutch oven are usually something very comforting and warm. This time of year is perfect for it. This article talks a bit about the history of one-pot cooking complete with recipes. I am especially excited about the bit from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi from the much buzzed about Jerusalem: A Cookbook  http://bit.ly/V6tnhQ (0)

New Starbucks Mobile App
As I’m sure you’ve all heard by now, Starbucks has just launched a Mobile Pay app for iPhone and Blackberry users.  Essentially, instead of having to carry around your My Starbucks Rewards card, you can “load” it onto your phone (by typing your Starbucks card number into the app) and tie your credit card to it.  Then, you just “pay” with the barcode displayed on your phone.  Sounds easy, and it’s nice not to have to remember to always have that dang card with you.  You can use it at over 7500 Starbucks locations, including those at Target stores.  I am disappointed that it’s not available for us Droid users yet, although one is promised soon.  One question remains though, how will this help us get through the line faster, when we’ll still be stuck behind those slow pokes who still pay with cash?  Show me an app for THAT! http://sbux.co/hVeZg9 (1)

Magnolia Set To Sell On-line and Expand Locations
Magnolia Bakery just signed a lease for a ginormous production facility in Harlem, to be able to fullfill on-line orders this coming spring.  They also seem to be considering expansion into several major US cities, as well as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.  This is certainly a bold business move, especially since we all know that cupcakes are out and pie is in.  Has no one told Magnolia? http://on.wsj.com/ev1jJC (0)

Shake Shack Midtown Location Now Open
Woot, woot!  So excited that the new Theater District/Midtown location is open.  Ok, ok , so Madison Square Park wasn’t so out of the way, but if you’re hanging out on the West side near Midtown, you don’t want to do schlepping down to Madison Square Park now do you? http://www.shakeshacknyc.com/ (0)

Summer Grilling and Wine Suggestions
Here is an interesting, albeit long, article on summer grilling and which wines to pair with your summer fare.  For instance, you could go with red or white for salmon, and which red wine to have with a steak depends on how long you cook it.  The accompanying  recipes on the last few pages include:  Lemon Pepper Chicken with Lemony BBQ Sauce, Steak with Salsa Verde, Caprese Salad with Basil Puree, and Grilled fish w/Lemon Tzatziki.  As an added bonus, nutritional information is included. http://bit.ly/br23xn (0)

The Pentagon's 26-page Brownie Recipe
So I’ve been reading about this all over the internet.  The Pentagon has a recipe for brownies that’s 26 pages long!  Granted most of it is devoted to specifications such as which types of nuts to use and what sort of screen you can pass them through.  It also touches up important things like packaging since after they are made and shipped out they could sit on a  shelf for a few years or be dumped out of an airplane.  You want to make sure once these brownies make it to our troops they are actually able to be eaten by them.  In their defense, there is also some info on oatmeal cookies in here too.  But I imagine the document itself is most useful for the vendors who supply the packing/ingredients/equipment. The NPR article (http://n.pr/cejVIR) doesn’t have great things to say about the flavor but what can one expect?  If you can handle reading the whole document click here http://bit.ly/d7Hirc.  If you just want to check out the brownie recipe click here http://bit.ly/c0LHzm. (0)

All Twisted Up
NYC is experiencing pretzel mania.  What was once known for only being readily available at corner carts, pretzels are making an appearance in numerous establishments around the city.  Whether you like them stuffed, coated, wrapped around a hot dog, or used in a dessert, you’re bound to find to something to satisfy your taste buds, and in more places than you thought possible.  Don’t get me wrong, I love a cart or stadium pretzel as much as the next person, but these establishments are going back to the roots of pretzel making and then elevating them to modern, gourmet standards.  I fondly recall simple sandwiches served on pretzel bread at one of my favorites Hoboken cafe’s (sadly The Cup Joint is no more) and feel strongly that pretzels can elevate a casual dish into something special.  If you’re local and want to check out what pretzel specialties NY has to offer, check out the article below. http://nyti.ms/8XgGP2 (0)

As Seen on TV Kitchen Gadgets-Do They Work?
Ever wonder if those kitchen gadgets you see on TV really work?  Read this article from the Boston Globe that reviews 5 of these devices.  The only one I own is the Magic Bullet which I love.  It’s great for smoothies and grinding coffee beans (since my coffee grinder is now a permanent spice grinder), and you can just throw everything in the dishwasher.  Not sure if I would have a use for the rest of them. http://bit.ly/bDEVxh (0)

BYOF (Bring Your Own Food)
We’ve all heard of BYOB but BYOF?  This seems to be a trend in a few of the boroughs (of NYC) right now.  I recall many a nights spent at Blind Tiger Ale House, ordering in a pizza or chinese, but this is a little different.  People can bring food from home (or the store) and some bars even allow you to bring meat to fire up on their grill.  One bar actually serves food but still allows you to bring food from home to grill, and will even supply marinades or sides for you.  If a bar doesn’t serve food, this can really help them get customers in the door and it’s a nice change of pace for the urbanites who don’t want to be stuck in their apartment all night, but maybe don’t want to spend the dough eating out all the time either. http://bit.ly/cOoWl2 (0)

Showdown: "Old-line" vs On-line
There’s a competition going on between the pros at Cook’s Illustrated and an on-line food community called Food52.com to determine who produces the best recipe. Each side will come up with recipes for chewy sugar cookies and roasted pork shoulder. They will post them on Slate.com for readers to vote on (for the next two weeks). Cooks Illustrated is known for rigorous testing to find the “perfect” recipe, while Food52 relies on home cooks and their experiences, and then uses their own knowledge to select the best from the submissions. I am a personal fan of Cooks, but who’s to say which is the best method here. If you are feeling up to the challenge, you can make all the submitted recipes and vote here. http://bit.ly/db77bT (0)

Daniel Boulud is a Party Animal
Ok, ok.  I bet you are sick of all these James Beard Awards posts.  This will be the last one.  I think.  Anyway as I mentioned in a previous post, my favorite food blog Serious Eats won a JBA for Best Food Blog so it seems only fitting that I read about this on their site.  Daniel Boulud, winner of the JBA for Outstanding Restaurant (for Daniel) was not only playing air guitar to Guns n Roses but was also dancing on the bar.  I love chefs For the rest of the shenanigans read the rest of the SE post http://bit.ly/czd9w8 (0)

Chef of the Century Disses Molecular Gastronomy
Chef of the Century, Joel Robuchon, who apparently started the molecular gastronomy trend, thinks that “it’s not the kind of cuisine that should be important”.  I wonder if anyone has told this to Jose Andres, who by the way, was up for a James Beard award for Outstanding Chef this year.  He was last seen on Sunday night’s 60 Minutes, making smoke come out of Anderson Cooper’s nose.  Chef Andres is heavy into molecular gastronomy right now.  Ok, he’s also reportedly the guy who introduced America to the small plate dining concept but, you know, I’m trying to prove a point here. To read the interview with Joel Robuchon: http://bit.ly/a2DKEE If you missed 60 Minutes this past Sunday, you can get a fantastic summary of it here: http://bit.ly/9co9OC (0)

2010 James Beard Award Winners for Best Chef & Best Restaurant
The 2010 James Beard Awards continues.  Last night they got to the juicy stuff: Outstanding Chef, Outstanding Restaurant, Rising Star, etc.  One surprise (in my opinion anyway)?  Tom Colicchio named Outstanding Chef.  I find this surprising because once chefs reach that “celebrity” status, I think they can start to be viewed more like public figures, and no so much actual chefs anymore.  On the bright side, at least I know the guy judging my favorite reality show, Top Chef, knows what he’s talking about! For a complete list of winners from the past two nights click on the link below. http://bit.ly/b9VYgI (1)

James Beard Media and Book Award Winners
Last night, the James Beard Foundation announced the winners of the 2010 Media and Book Awards.  A big shout out and congrats to my favorite food blog Serious Eats for winning Best Food Blog.  I am also the proud owner of of the winner of the best General Cooking Cookbook, Ad Hoc at Home by the always amazing Thomas Keller.  For a list of complete winners, click on the link below. Restaurant and Chef awards to be announced today! http://bit.ly/atylwZ (0)

More Cooking But No More Fine Living For You
Why am I just hearing about this?  I am woefully behind the times *Sigh* The Food Network is starting a spin-off network called the Cooking Channel, starting May 31^st.  It’s supposed to be “edgier” and a little more “hip”.  I’m all for it, since I find myself watching the Food Network less and less these days.  I mean why do I give a crap what Brian Boitano would make?  However, I am sad to hear that it will be replacing the Fine Living Network.  Will Scripps find a new home for my favorite shows, “Sarah’s House” and “Mail Order Makeover”?  What will happen to my reruns of “Molto Mario” and “Emeril”?? On the bright side it looks like we’ll be able to check out some old school Julia Child episodes.  Not sure how that’s “edgy” but I guess vintage is still the “hip” thing, right?  I’d be interested to know, who will check out the Cooking Channel? http://nyti.ms/bEoUHS (2)

Watch Out! Martha Stewart Enters the Gaming World
Martha Stewart is bringing “sensibility” to gaming.  Whatever that means.  Cooking games seem to be rising in popularity and it looks like she’s hopping on the bandwagon.  Personally, I’d rather be doing actual cooking than spend my time pretending to cook but that’s just me.  I suppose there is an appeal in having no harm done if you burn the meal or something.  Not that that’s ever happened to me…… http://bit.ly/dzItns (0)

Twitter Your Way to Some Good Eats
Recently I’ve read/seen some interesting ways of finding food via Twitter.  First it was the Pop-Up Eateries in NYC; these random temporary eateries that literally “pop-up” and sometimes the only way to find when and where, is via Twitter.  Food and Wine recently named the Best New Chef in the US – the guy who runs the korean taco truck (Kogi BBQ) in LA (recently seen on FN’s Best Thing I Ever Ate: Snack Attack).  The only way you know where the truck will be is via Twitter.  He is now set to open his first restaurant this week.  There is also a new trend in Seattle where restaurants tweet their specials or useful information to help drive traffic to their restaurants.  I think it also makes people feel part of something, as if they are “in the know”, especially when it comes to the eateries that travel, whether it be a new store front, or a new parking spot.  Looks like social networking is taking yet another step away from just being about what someone did that day, and another step towards finding good food.  And I think I like it (1)

3 yr old Cooking Show
I came across this video and just had to share it.  It’s a video of a 3 yr old making cookies on her own “show”.  Some of it is really cute and hilarious, while some parts are fairly alarming.  I feel bad for the mother who not only seems expected to clean up the mess but also has to deal with a child who’s on a sugar high.  That’s the price you pay for entertainment I guess!  I warn you that you need to have a bit of patience (as I imagine you have to with most 3 yr olds on occasion) and it does get LOUD in some spots but it’s pretty amusing nonetheless.  Considering she’s 3 and is cooking in front of a camera and I am thirty-* cough, cough* and haven’t the guts, she’s way ahead of me! http://bit.ly/9UoxNo (0)

What's on the Menu at Three Broomsticks?
I am not ashamed to admit that I am a Harry Potter FANATIC.  Seriously.  I, like every 10 yr old in this country, have been eagerly awaiting the opening of “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter“.  Outside of it just being general fun, I really am curious to see how they re-create the world that J.K. Rowling created in that mind of hers.  This being a food blog, I’ll only touch upon the food related aspects, namely the menu at Three Broomsticks. http://bit.ly/13eEkBh http://bit.ly/akVF2M Pictures of the menu via The Orlando Sentinel http://bit.ly/a8Jn3f http://bit.ly/9i89wD (0)

The Benefits of Humanely Raised Chickens (and Eggs)
This is a really interesting article on sustainable and humanely raised chickens.  I watched Food, Inc. and had some trouble eating chicken for several months after.  This article helps to explain the difference between the humanely raised chickens (and eggs) and the massed produced ones, complete with quotes from chefs including Top Chef season 6 contestant Jennifer Carroll.  It’s a pretty long article but I think it’s worth the read. http://bit.ly/c3LkEa (0)

Amateur Food Photog Frenzy
Interesting article on the “food photography” fad at restaurants.  I’m torn on which side to take here.  The chef implies that the integrity of the food could be ruined if it sits while someone takes a picture (relax there buddy) but at the same time he says diners pull out video cameras to record waiters describing the dishes (crazy on more than one level).  I’ve taken a picture or two at a restaurant although not nearly as many as my non-food blogging friends and I’ve been known to grill a waiter about certain dishes but I would never record them doing so.   If someone as obsessed as I am about food can control myself, why can’t these crazies?  On the other hand I imagine diners are taking pictures of the food because they think it’s beautiful and while I understand where the chef is coming from, he should feel flattered.  My two cents. http://bit.ly/cpcHzm (0)

Beer Isn't Just for Drinking Anymore
We’ve heard about beer being paired with food before.  Old news.  Now beer is even being paired with desserts.  Beer is also being used in desserts.  What started out with beer ice cream floats has evolved into beer flavored ice cream, beer cakes, beer brittle and beer bread pudding. http://bit.ly/a2O8g7 (1)

What Wine to Drink on St. Patty's Day?
When I first saw this I questioned it.  Why wold anyone want to drink wine on St. Patrick’s day?? Then I remembered.  Maybe people like me who gave up beer for Lent.  DOH! http://bit.ly/94zU5c (0)