Did food blog Philadining stumble upon the best bar snack in the city? On a recent trip to Port Richmond's new Memphis Taproom, they stumbled upon the bar's pasties (pictured):

"An absolutely perfect bar snack: a light, flaky pastry filled with tender beer-braised beef, accented with a creamy horseradish sauce. Really, it's worth a trip just for these. Seriously, you should stop reading and get up there and order some pasties. Thank me later."

Sounds good to us.

The Memphis Taproom [Philadining]
Memphis Taproom [MenuPages]
Memphis Taproom [Official Site]

(Image of pasties @ Memphis Taproom via Philadining)

To noones surprise, dangerous bacteria has shown up in Delaware Bay shellfish. The Associated Press reports that strains of shewanella and potentially dangerous photobacterium have been found in Delaware Bay oysters.

Basically... here's the scoop. Shewanella and the photobacterium species in question are harmless to those with normal immune systems, but can cause skin and blood infections among children, elderly, the immunocomprised, etc.

Therefore, we're making this little public service announcement. We know it's old news and we know you probably won't get sick, but hey... we're just putting it out there.

Bacteria discovered in Del. Bay shellfish [Inquirer]

(Photo: Shewanella via Hor-Gil Hur, GIST)

Thanks to Mac & Cheese, we learned that a firm called Sarah's Savories makes a vegetarian scrapple. It's called, yes, Vrapple:

Vrapple is a delicious non-meat breakfast treat that the vegan and carnivore can both agree on!

It makes those early morning protein struggles obsolete. Though it tastes eerily like it’s ‘meaty’ cousin, it is one-hundred percent meat-free.

Primary ingredients are seitan, locally grown & milled cornmeal, locally grown & milled buckwheat, organic vegan stock, organic canola oil, organic cane sugar, sea salt, and spices - but don’t think it’it does have a little back pepper kick!

If you want to try it for yourself, Vrapple is on the breakfast menu at Milkboy Coffee in Ardmore.

Fakin' It Like A Loca [Mac & Cheese]
Sarah's Savories [Official Site]
Milkboy Coffee [MenuPages]
Milkboy Coffee [Official Site]

In case you haven't heard, chef Michael Solomonov's new high-end Israeli restaurant Zahav is opening on Monday. Of course, we'll have the menu shortly.

But what about Philly's other Israeli restaurants?

A few years ago, Philadelphia was a dry spot for Israeli cuisine. Apart from a few long-standing institutions like Maccabeam and Holy Land Grill, most Israeli restaurants were located out in Cherry Hill or Bala. That was fine for Philly's considerable Israeli expat population, but what about the rest of us who just wanted a boreka or a good turkey shwarma once in a while?

Thankfully, times have changed. Both of the restaurants listed above are still around; Maccabeam makes a heroically awesome shish kebab sandwich, while Holy Land Grill is part of a dining empire that also includes vegetarian and kosher Chinese (!) restaurants.

Meanwhile, there are other newcomers. We've mentioned the all-you-can eat falafel goodness of Maoz before and we're big fans of both Mama's Grill and Mama's Vegetarian. Center City's Pita Pocket also makes a mean Israeli-style schnitzel sandwich with a breaded chicken cutlet, hummus and salad in pita. However, we also want to give props to the ultra-obscure Cafe Zohar in Northeast Philly. Located on a faraway block of Bustleton Avenue, Zohar might just make the best steak sandwich in town: chunks of rib steak topped with tahini and hummus in an oversized pita with french fries on the side. Fuggedabout the cheesesteak; those crazy Kosher kids at Zohar may have just topped it.

Desert Harvest [CityPaper]
Holy Land Grill [MenuPages]
Holy Land Grill [Official Site]
Maoz [MenuPages]
Maoz [Official Site]
Mama's Grill [MenuPages]
Mama's Grill [Official Site]
Mama's Vegetarian [MenuPages]
Mama's Vegetarian [Official Site]
Pita Pocket [MenuPages]
Pita Pocket [Official Site]
Cafe Zohar [MenuPages]
Cafe Zohar [Official Site]

Tastykakes. The Philadelphia Eagles. Both are Delaware Valley icons. But now, for the first time, the Iggles and Tastykake have signed a co-branding/marketing agreement.

According to Tasty Baking Company CEO Charles Pizzi:

"Our partnership with the Philadelphia Eagles extends the Tastykake tradition of reaching our loyal consumers through non-traditional marketing. Together we share a commitment to excellence, for our fans, our business partners and our city. We look forward to working with this highly regarded organization to create innovative consumer and community marketing programs."

Of course, Tastykake is now a South Philly company.

Eagles-themed snack cakes will be released later this year and the Eagles Cheerleaders will be on hand for Tastykake promotional events. McNabb Krimpets, anyone?

Tastykake [Official Site]

[Image via Michael Laiskonis]

So now that we're officially in a recession, the Stephen Starr restaurant empire has been effected. Gael Greene reports that Starr's plans to bring in outside investors and buyers to his properties is on hold:

The investment cash freeze may have chilled Stephen Starr’s efforts to sell off part of his restaurant fiefdom in Philadelphia, Manhattan and Atlantic City -- multiple Morimotos, Buddakans, Striped Bass, Tangerine, Pod, Alma de Cuba and more. “We wanted a compatible partner to help grow the business aggressively. We talked to some people I didn’t feel were the right match for us.” Now, he agrees, is not the time to be looking for a deal. “I’m cool with that. That’s only slowed our pace for now. We have financing for a 120-room boutique hotel in Manhattan” – he’s not saying where – and a second in Philly.

Short Order [Gael Greene]

This post on EpiCurious made us chuckle today. But why are there sunflower seeds in your soda bread? What made us salivate was the (ridiculously simple) recipe, forwarded by a friend, for the very same Irish classic. Forget corned beef and cabbage. We're eating soda bread today! Here's the recipe:

Here's a very simple and delicious and quick (and historical) irish soda bread recipe from The Society For The Preservation of Irish Soda Bread... make some tonight! in this recipe, you simulate the ancient/traditional irish bastible pot by using a dutch oven or 2 cake pans together... maybe 2 bread pans would work too...

irish soda bread
------------------------
4 cups all-purpose flour (though you can use any kind... i used spelt/oat)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
14 oz (which is 2 and 3/4 cup) buttermilk

method:
preheat oven to 425 degrees.
lightly grease and flour a cake pan/dutch oven bottom.

in a large bowl combine all dry ingredients.

add the buttermilk to form a sticky dough. place on floured surface and lightly, lightly knead (too much allows the gas to escape...) to make smooth/even. (add more flour/milk as needed.)

shape into a round, flat shape in the cake pan or dutch oven and cut a big X in the top of the dough.

cover the pan with the other pan face down (or put dutch oven top on) and bake for 25-30 minutes. remove top and bake until done... perhaps another 10-15 minutes depending how crisp and brown you want it.

the bottom of the bread will have a hollow sound when tapped when done.

cover the bread in a tea towel and lightly sprinkle water on the cloth to keep the bread moist...

best served warm with butter and jam! also good dipped in things like cabbage soup. does not last long since there aren't any preservatives... and because it's super delicious!

Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick's Day [Epi Log]
Society for the preservation of Irish Soda Bread
Photo credit: Zurika [Flickr]

It's St. Patrick's Day, so let's write St. Patricks-y. Specifically, let's go for that most Philadelphian of Hibernian-esque treats: Irish potatoes. Philly Mag's Taste Daily just did an excellent Irish Potato Roundup that's well worth checking out:

The gussied-up potatoes coming out of Emerald Confections’ Mayfair kitchen (pictured) are creamier than the original variety and dipped in milk, dark, white or mint chocolate. And they’ve shared the recipe with us. [...] Pick your favorite ice cream (vanilla lends the purest flavor) and Center City’s Scoop DeVille will blend in shredded coconut, cinnamon and, of course, house-made Irish potatoes.

In Search of Irish Potatoes [Taste Daily]

It's been a busy week at MenuPages. Naturally, we've had sweet, sweet alcohol on our minds. That's why we were so happy to find out the following:

Both Mike Schmidt and Pierre Robert are coming out with wines.

We'll admit it. When the respective press releases made their way into our inbox, we cracked the hell up. It's a natural reaction. It's a human reaction. But nonetheless, Chaddsford Winery is introducing the Pierre Robert 2006 Pinot Grigio "Pierreno Grigio" and Mike Schmidt has teamed up with California's Eos Estate Winery to market $17 bottles of "Mike Schmidt 548 Zinfadel" for charity.

Conclusion? Grow an impressive mustache, gain local celebrity and a vanity brand is surely yours.

Note for our out-of-town friends: Pierre Robert = local rock DJ, posessor of one of Earth's mightiest mustaches.

Just Wow! [Foobooz]
Mike Schmidt hits wine biz [Food and Drinq]

[Above: wild local salmon at Farallon in San Francisco]

Another depressing bit of seafood news: Following on the heels of our general freakout over the likely shut-down of the West Coast salmon season, the San Francisco Chronicle ran a follow-up article today insinuating that the entire California and Oregon salmon fishing industry is on the verge of collapse. From the Chronicle:

Barbara Emley, 64, who has run a commercial fishing boat with her husband out of Fisherman's Wharf since 1985, said salmon makes up about 70 percent of her annual income.

"We'll probably try crabbing longer, but if everyone shifts from salmon to crab, there will be more competition," she said. "I think we can survive the year, but I'm afraid it will go on."

If the crisis continues, she said, it could spell the end of a unique, nomadic culture of people who love the sea.

But the Chronicle also quoted a chef who simply wouldn't use farm-raised.

"We'll stay away from salmon for a while," said Ryan Simas, the head chef atFarallon restaurant on Union Square. "I will definitely not use farmed salmon."

Paul Johnson, the president of Monterey Fish Market, a high-end seafood wholesaler at Pier 33 in San Francisco, with a retail market in Berkeley, said things won't be the same without local salmon.

"Oh man, I'm telling you the king (chinook) salmon is the icon in the Bay Area; this is going to be devastating to the economy," he said. "It's put everyone on edge. A lot of small-boat fishermen are going to go out of business."

Threat of closing jolts fishing industry [SF Chronicle]
So Long and Thanks for all the Fishing [The Grinder]
The King Of Sushi [CBS]
Farm-Raised Fish Given Tainted Food [Washington Post]
Farallon [MenuPages]
Farallon [Official Site]

Photo credit: Passionate Eater

Following our earlier post on the possible future reduction in meats, cheeses and flour on restaurant menus, a colleague pointed out that the food facing real trouble these days lives in the ocean.

In addition to the over-fished tuna featured on 60 Minutes earlier this year, the San Francisco Chronicle and a host of other West-Coast newspapers reported today that, due to abysmal salmon returns, this year's salmon fishing season may be canceled altogether. That means nobody fishes legally for salmon off the coast of California, Oregon and Washington.

The canceled season comes on the heels of an oil spill that shortened the Bay Area crab season, and follows a string of bad salmon years. It also joins news of high mercury levels in New York City-area tuna.

The upshot? Welcome the eve of destruction, seafood-wise. You may not have a hard time getting used to more vegetables and less meat on your restaurant menus, especially as livestock doesn't seem to be going anywhere, but will you be able to face a future with no wild-caught seafood? We will have a hard time of it. Better start paying attention to those sustainable seafood charts.

Feds warn entire salmon season could be halted [SF Chronicle]
Habitats: Overfishing Our Oceans [Nat'l Geographic]
The King Of Sushi [60 Mins]
High Mercury Levels Are Found in Tuna Sushi [NY Times]
Seafood Watch Pocket Guide [Monterey Acquarium]

Photo credit: Wilderness Classroom

Above: On the way out? A meaty meal at the Slanted Door

It's no secret that restaurants are tightening their belts economically. Rising food and fuel costs have led to smaller portions, less rich food and generally weaker value across the board for customers.

But we're wondering if that same economic frugality could lead to a literal belt-tightening among increasingly girthy consumers. From the Florida Times Union:

Beef, flour and cheese are among the commodities with rapidly inflating prices that are integral to running a restaurant. Flour prices alone shot up 67 percent between January 2007 and this January, according to Ephraim Leibtag, an economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. Cheese prices climbed 29 percent during that period, while beef costs increased a more modest 3.1 percent.

But rising prices have prompted a furious new round of behind-the-scenes shuffling. San Francisco's The Slanted Door is known for its rack of lamb. On many days, chef and owner Charles Phan offers a more-profitable lamb sirloin stir-fry instead, shaving his food costs by a third. It is a temporary fix that draws some complaints. "Everyone wants that rack," he says.

Localvorism already calls for more vegetables transported shorter distances, and the economic necessity might help integrate that into all our diets. As chefs play with spices and vegetable cooking techniques, we may not miss that big slab of meat as much, which will be good, because we may not be able to get it.

Restaurants on a diet in tight economy [Florida Times Union]
Cutback Cuisine [Wall Street Journal]
The Slanted Door [MenuPages]
The Slanted Door [Official Site]

Bad news in the follow-up to our Pink Grapefruit Mentos post yesterday: Candy Blog maven Cybele commented yesterday, and Mentos parent company Perfetti Van Melle confirmed in an e-mail today, that the pink pellets of grapefruit goodness are over and done for.

According to Jacqueline (no last name given) of PVM, "Pink Grapefruit was a limited time flavor and is no longer available." Oh. Okay, then. It would appear that the time is right for moving on, however now that seems impossible. Now that it's confirmed we'll never get to taste this candy that received a "10" from Candy Blogs, and that our friend went on and on about Sunday, it is the one and only goal we have left in life.

So what are your/our chances of ever tasting this mystery candy? Well, slim, obviously. Cybele indicated the grapefruit may still be in production for the Indonesian citrus-mix Mentos. Meanwhile, a Google search turned up a store in San Francisco, Miette, that is tracking the issue.

"Yes we have carried them in the past and I'm trying to find them again," says Miette Confisserie manager Kelly. "Currently, I'm searching for them. I'm trying to find a vendor." Kelly said the candies moved well, but that if they must be imported in future, the price may jump. It might still happen, though. These Miette people are enthusiastic about their candy. "We're in love with them. We're obsessed with the grapefruit flavor. We make a macaroon [and a layer cake] with grapefruit flavor and we carry Haro gummies. They make a white and a pink grapefruit slices... We also carry Jelly Bellies' pink grapefruit jelly beans."

Well, if anybody can track down this mystery sweet, surely Kelly will. Meanwhile, it looks like this will be a chocolate-and-jelly-bean kind of Easter. Boring.

Miette [MenuPages]
Miette [Official Site]
Perfetti Van Melle [Official Site]
Candy Blog [Official Site]
Photo: Jeffrey Zalesny [Flickr]

South Philly Love Child (N): A chicken cutlet with broccoli rabe from Tony Luke's stuffed between two slices from Lorenzo's. Check it out.

The South Philly Love Child, y'all [The Clog]
Tony Luke's [MenuPages]
Tony Luke's [Official Site]

Get ready, folks. With Easter around the corner, the internets are abuzz with opinions on egg-shaped confections. Whether they're plastic prize eggs filled with jelly beans or foil-wrapped Cadbury cream eggs, this is the season for ingesting far too much oval candy.

But before we get into the nitty gritty discussion of which Cadbury is the best (cream, duh), it's been suggested that a new, rare and highly valued candy join the pastel ranks left by that weird clucking rabbit. A friend yesterday described pink grapefruit Mentos as "the perfect blend of sweet and tart," and we concluded that with their pink color, minimal mess and apparently sophisticated flavor, they might be the perfect plastic-egg-stuffer for grown-ups.

But where to get these elusive treats? Our friend said they were purchased by chance from some corner store in Brooklyn, never to be seen there again. According to the Mentos website, "flavors of the world" include grape, mint and strawberry. But they're holding out on us.

An August, 2007 post on the Candy Blog documented the grapefruit flavor as part of a citrus assortment sold in the Phillipines, but there is little information currently online about where to find these candies in the here and now. If you have information, it would be welcome here. In the meantime, keep your eye out for these pink wonders and stock up if you find them. They don't stick around very long.

Mentos Plus Citrus Mix [Candy Blog]
Flavors Of The World [Mentos Official Site]
Photo credit: The Candy Blog

If Philadelphia Weekly chooses to list Philly's 50 best bars, you've got to have a counterpoint. Enter local quizzo host-about-town Johnny Goodtime and his list of Philadelphia's worst bars:

1. Fox and the Hound. A few years ago, Art and I made the mistake of watching a game there. They had country music playing instead of the game audio. We asked the bartender if they could turn the game volume on. The waitress said, "Oh we can never do anything like that without discussing it with corporate." I've never been back. Terrible, terrible place to watch the game.

2. Kildare's. Soul sucking faux bar for Jerseyites and Manayunkers on a big trip to the city. Then again, I hear they have a great quizzo.

3. Glam. I've never actually been in Glam, but I am 100% sure it is one of the worst bars in the city. I mean, it's named Glam.

4. Fat Tuesday's. Too bad Katrina didn't wipe this place out.

5. Tiki Bob's. When Jerseyites and Manayunkers wanna dance after a few Irish car bombs at Kildare's, they hop in their Hummers and head here.

Worst Bars in the City [Johnny Goodtimes]

That hamburger topped with fried egg and bacon on a doughnut bun that you just gave us a recipe for? It's kind of disgusting.

Paula Deen is a Mad Genius [The Accidental Gourmet]

Saturday marks the first day of March. It's also freakin' cold outside. How does one reconcile the two?

If you're an editor at the Daily News, you commission a piece on seasonal products at area restaurants. Andrew Brown (pictured) of the White Dog Cafe is a fan of fresh lamb. Local cookbook author Aliza Green likes the freshly imported California asparagus. Meanwhile, Brian Lang of the nonprofit Food Trust is a fan of winter greens like collards, kale and Brussels sprouts.

Spring's around the corner. Some great things to eat are already here [Daily News]

[Image via Daily News]

Major League Soccer is coming to Phladelphia. At a press conference yesterday, MLS confirmed that a franchise would be awarded to Philadelphia — and word on the street is that they will be playing in an 18,500-seat park in Chester.

That's right... You won't be forced to root for Red Bull New York or DC United anymore.

So in honor of the good news, how about a shortlist of UK-style soccer hooligan food in Philly?

• University City's New Deck Tavern serves some right-on fries in curry sauce. They might just be PHI's best take on curry chips around.

• The Dark Horse Pub in Society Hill offers a traditional breakfast fry-up: $11.25 gets you eggs, sausage, bacon, beans, fried tomato, fried mushrooms, black pudding and white pudding.

• Irish pub The Bards offers up chicken curries and bangers and mash.

• Sitar India serves England's true national dish: Balti.

Philadelphia market to get soccer franchise [Inquirer]

Kraft is going after a fancy new market for their frozen food: People who are too lazy to put cream cheese on their bagel. The frozen foods giant is launching a new line of breakfast sandwiches called Bagel-Fuls. Essentially, they're frozen bagels stuffed with cream cheese:

Kraft's new Bagel-Fuls brand are frozen bagels, which come stuffed with Philadelphia cream cheese. Kraft sells everything from Maxwell House coffee to Oscar Mayer meats, but cheese is still a key part of its business. Last year the company's North America cheese and food-service business had revenue of $6.4 billion. [...] "Consumers are not spending a lot of time cooking these days," said Chitra Ebenezer, the director of marketing for the new brand. "Breakfast is one meal occasion they really struggle with."

I Am Tired of Spreading Cream Cheese on a Bagel for Myself [Serious Eats]
Kraft to unveil new breakfast brand [Marketwatch]

The meat eating crew over at the Philadelphia Inquirer (well, actually reporter Alfred Lubano) is asking the big question: will 2008's beef recall encourage people to go vegetarian?

People, this is Philadelphia. City of beef and pork-based monster sandwiches. Of course not.

William Rabutino, a former butcher having lunch near Martin's Quality Meats at the market, said he knows why. "We're meant to eat meat," he said. "It's a little cruel. But they're animals. How else are we supposed to live in this world?" [...] "I was raised on meat," said Daniel Bundy, a 41-year-old airline worker who grew up in Vineland. He was chowing down on a cheesesteak at Rick's Philly Steaks with his son, Malik, 10. "I will eat it till I'm gone. To me, it's all about survival of the fittest, man over animal. And I love beef."

We're guessing Rabutino and Bundy won't be going to Horizons anytime soon.

Will that big beef recall steer people to veggies? [Inquirer]

[Image via Inquirer]

Two things we learned reading Taste Daily this morning:

1. Eric Ripert's pastry chef at the upcoming 10 Arts project has a blog.

2. Said pastry chef, Michael Laiskonis, is infatuated with Tastykakes:

A Pennsylvania native, Michelle explained that Tastykake is a much adored regional snack, a source of local pride right alongside the cheese steak. I understand such nostalgia; I think every region of the country has similar products that form an association with our childhood and where we grew up. But the Tastykake phenomenon was confirmed by another Philly girl and one of my own assistants, Monica, who dutifully delivered the goods to the pastry kitchen. It turns out there are several varieties, and everyone familiar with them has a personal favorite.

We're dedicated Coconut Junior fans ourselves. In any case, Laiskonis is offering up recipes for deconstructed Tastykakes. We like.

Will Eric Ripert Serve Us Tastykakes? [Taste Daily]
Found Objects [Michael Laiskonis]

[Image via Michael Laiskonis]

That massive beef recall we've been hearing so much about has officially hit Philly. Our good friends at the Philadelphia public school system have decided to remove beef from school menus. That's right: Recalled beef was sent to Philly public schools.

Specifically, the school district bought meat that had not been tested for E. coli, salmonella or mad-cow disease from six seperate regional processors. That's one more thing to worry about if your kid is in Philly public schools. Awesome.

Meat recall forces all beef off Phila. school menus [Daily News]

Back when this blog first launched, we did a post on muffulettas, the New Orleans take on the Italian hoagie that — in its garlicky, porky, cheesy, olivey goodness — is one of the world's best sandwiches.

We recommended the version at Center City's Nodding Head — and still do, even if the quality of the cold cuts in the last one we had seemed to be slip-sliding a little. Nonetheless, it's still a mighty sandwich.

But a recent piece in New York mag's Grub Street blog on one NYC restaurant's deconstructed muffuletta caught our eye. The "sandwich" (the bread really being panko breading) consists of lamb's tongue, caper mayonnaise, olives and a muffuletta terrine. Err... yeah.

Dovetail's Deconstructed Muffuletta Is a Trojan Horse for Lamb's Tongue [Grub Street/New York]

As part of an effort by the Israeli government to reduce the number of foreigners working in Israel, their Ministry of Industry is planning to ban Chinese, Japanese and Thai restaurants from employing Asian cooks. It's... evil. It's... inhumane. Do these people seriously expect to stop Jews from enjoying edible Chinese food? Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz interviewed an Israeli bureaucrat:

"Everyone can make Chinese food it's not impossible to learn," said Shoshana Strauss, a lawyer working on foreign worker issues for the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor.

Err... Has Strauss ever had Chinese food cooked by a white person? It's not very good. At all. We're not going to name any national chains or local restaurants, but there's something to be said for cultural traditions in food.

Lobbying group the Israeli Ethnic Restaurant Association is taking the case to the Israeli Supreme Court.

In the meantime, Israel's Asian restaurants went on a one-day egg roll and spring roll strike on Tuesday to protest the plan.

As is, a Chinese diplomat publicly complained about Israeli Chinese food back in 2005.

Asian eateries cut menu over plans to rid kitchens of foreign chefs [Ha'aretz]

[Image via Delaranja]

This year's list of James Beard Award nominees is out and, as expected, Philly chefs and restaurants made a serious showing in the ranks. Except, there's a problem... Despite the popularity and prominence of the awards, the James Beard Foundation still hasn't put the damn nominee list online. But enter the Inquirer... and Michael Klein. They racked up the nominations quite nicely:

On the national stage:

Stephen Starr is up for restaurateur.

Marc Vetri of Vetri, for chef.

Vetri, for service.

Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, for wine service.

Kate Honeyman of the Starr-owned Continental Mid-town, for pastry chef.

Jeffrey Michaud of Osteria, Chip Roman of Conshy's Blackfish, and Michael Solomonov of Marigold Kitchen, for "rising star chef" (for those under 30).

Osteria (owned by Vetri, Jeff Benjamin and Jeff Michaud), Tinto (owned by Jose Garces), and Xochitl (owned by Solomonov, Steven Cook and Dionicio Jimenez), for new restaurant.

For best chef, mid-Atlantic, nominees are Alison Barshak of Alison at Blue Bell, Jim Burke of James in South Philly, Michael DiBianca of Moro in Wilmington, Garces of Amada in Old City, Matthew Levin of Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, and Daniel Stern of Rae in University City.

Inqlings [Inquirer]

Today in the New York Times, NYC dining guru Frank Bruni reviewed the new 2nd Avenue Deli. In his Diner's Journal blog, Bruni followed it up with an eloquent rant on Jewish Deli food and tradition:

And you needn’t focus on New York. At the Second Avenue Deli lunch I described in today’s review, one of my companions, Nora Ephron, expressed admiration for — and a degree of astonishment about — some of the deli food in Los Angeles, where she spends a good chunk of her time. She said her favorite pastrami sandwich in the entire land is the one at Langer’s Delicatessen in Los Angeles (704 South Alvarado St.; 213-483-8050), a restaurant you’ll find mentioned lovingly as well in a Times article from five years ago by Ed Levine. Ed’s article looks at pastrami sandwiches in many other delis as well. I should note here that the use of Katz’s for a famous scene in “When Harry Met Sally,” which Nora wrote, wasn’t her call. It wasn’t specified in the script. Nora did choose the deli in “You’ve Got Mail,” which she directed. It’s Barney Greengrass, and Barney Greengrass is indeed her New York favorite. Getting back to the Second Avenue Deli, the Times Sunday magazine recently published a terrific article by Alex Witchel on its history. And on the topic of favorites, I should name a few of my own. My favorite tongue sandwich from recent memory is the one at Katz’s. At the Second Avenue Deli, the tongue is too cold. As far as pastrami, I think both Katz’s and the Second Avenue Deli are winners. I think the corned beef at the Second Avenue Deli pales beside the pastrami, but I think corned beef always pales beside pastrami. Pastrami’s my preference.

Here in Philadelphia, the deli question's an interesting one. We're going to take the contrarian view and say the best Jewish deli sandwich in Philly, bar none, is the Restaurant School special at Koch's Deli. For a little under $10, you get corned beef, honey turkey, brisket, hot pepper cheese, cole slaw and russian dressing on rye. The sandwich is a killer — and it's great.

Then there are other Jewish delis. Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen, Steve Stein's Famous, Kibitz in the City, Hershel's in the Reading Terminal Market, Hymie's Merion Deli and all the other suburban outposts... But we have to admit that we've never eaten at most of them. We always wish we had, but man... we haven't.

So what do you think is the best Jewish deli sandwich in Philly? Let us know.

Mustard & Memories [Diner's Journal/NY Times]

[Image via Roadfood]

Men's Health just came out with their list of the 20 (nutritionally) worst restaurant meals in America. Ever have the urge to gorge on 830 calorie chicken nuggets at a fast food chain? To stuff down a 1200 calorie made-to-order burrito for lunch? Or to just have a simple, 1,820 calorie lo mein entree at P.F. Chang's? Than this is so your jawn.

The 20 Worst Foods In America [Men's Health]

This particular MenuPages editor is addicted to caffeine. He'll gladly admit it. That's why he was kind of stoked to find this guide to optimal caffeine consumption from science blog Developing Intelligence. How to get the most out of your coffee?

1) Consume in small, frequent amounts (between 20-200mg per hour. Hells yes!)
2) Play to your cognitive strengths while wired
3) Play to caffeine's strengths (use sugar instead of Sweet n' Low... and nicotine speeds the metabolism of caffeine!)
4) Tweak caffeine intake based on your own particular neurological and cardiovascular quirks... After all, if you sweat after two cups of coffee, it ain't a smart idea.
5) Stick to coffee or green tea for maximum efficiency.

Caffeine: A User's Guide to Getting Optimally Wired [Developing Intelligence]

[Image via Tom G. Palmer]

That's right, the drink of choice in the Mesoamerican region was a fermented beverage made with the pulpy fruit surrounding the seeds of cacao trees. Researchers have discovered that the earliest inhabitants of Mexico and Central America were drinking something resembling chocolate beer at least 3,000 years ago. [...] Traces of cacao beverages were found in a curious assortment of vessels, including one with a high neck that was used for pouring, and another spouted bottle with a wider, flared neck. Researchers theorize that the drink was poured back and forth between the vessels to produce an aromatic froth. "The idea was to put a head on the drink so that you could breathe in the aroma while you were drinking," McGovern said. Consumption of cacao beverages, the article's authors argue, "became a central dimension of social life in Mesoamerica." Over the centuries, they emerged as an important part of Aztec and Mayan ceremonies. By the 1500s, Cortez and Diaz, the Spanish conquistadors, would send word back to Europe of flavorful chocolate drinks served at ritual events - including, presumably, those human sacrificial orgies.

Yup, interesting.

Chocolate beer: For Aztecs, not wusses [Daily News/Joe Sixpack]

[Image via Daily News]

The good folks at The Onion recently decided to taste test "space food" — you know, those freeze dried packets of goodness that used to be the only reason you'd look forward to museum field trips as a kid. Here's the word from the paper's revieewers:

“It smells like peanut butter, but it tastes exactly like wet newspaper.” [...] “Just like I remembered it. Why hasn’t NASA made strides in ice cream R&D all these years? It’s not bad, but it’s not like you’ll ever say, ‘Damn, I wish I had some astronaut ice cream.’” [...] "The strawberries look exactly like real strawberries, but when you bite into them, they explode into powder and permanently anneal themselves to your back teeth. I'm not sure whether this is the worst food ever, or the best dental protection package ever."

Yeah. We think we'll skip.

Taste Test: Space Food [The Onion]

With today being Super Tuesday, we thought we'd take a look at how the political reporters are eating. A few months ago, in Iowa, the press corps got to enjoy the goods at Davenport's Duck City Bistro. When it came time to work in Florida, there's Cuban food in Miami... However, for our money, we thought the menu at College Station, TX's C&J BBQ was the most impressive. Just check this stuff out:

Now, I typically fall on the side of those who think that barbecue comes exclusively from animals that oink.

But I also am not stubborn enough to, when in College Station, not do as the Aggies do.

So a two-meat platter with beef brisket and jalapeño cheese sausage it was.

Within the first bite of each, I began to wonder whether these Texans were onto something. Still, I didn’t go full Lone Star — I took advantage of the sauce on the table but ignored the fixin’s bar. It’s one thing to eat beef at a barbecue joint, but it’s a whole ’nother step to put pickles, onions and jalapeños on your meat.

Barbecue banquets and deli dallying [The Politico]

This guide to the world's hot dogs is amazing. Highlights:

In Venezuela, expect to be offered an incredibly wide variety of toppings for your dog. Just a few that might be found include carrot shreds, french fries, corn niblets, garlic sauce, chili sauce, mayo and tartar sauce. [...]

Guatemalans know there’s nothing like topping your hot dog (”shucos”) with more meat. In addition to toppings like boiled cabbage, mustard and mayo, you have the option to add bacon, pepperoni, salami, chorizo or longaniza to complete your shuco. The granddaddy of the shuco is sold in Antigua, Guatemala and is called “La Ballena” - the Whale. You get chorizo, longaniza, salchicha, ham, bacon, pepperoni, german ham and sausages, chicken breast, beef steak fajitas and polish sausages. It’ll set you back between $5 and $7 depending on the toppings. I have a friend who might move to Guatemala after hearing this. His idea of a perfect meal is one which has a “meat trifecta”, so this would be right up his alley.

Although ‘hot dogs’ can be found Down Under, a more popular option in Australia is called ’sausage sizzle’. It’s a barbecued sausage on bread, optionally with condiments and onion. ‘Sausage sizzle’ is a versatile word, though - it’s kind of like the word barbeque. It can be used to describe food, but it also describes a gathering of people, grills and adult beverages (at least that’s what barbeques consist of in my world). Corn dogs have all kinds of aliases - battered sav, dagwood dog and pluto pup.

A hotdog topped with three kinds of sausage, two kinds of ham, bacon, pepperoni, grilled chicken and beef fajita? Dear God, sign us up.

Hot dogs from around the world [Neatorama]

Here's the perfect fashion accessory for that next trip to Maoz, Mama's Vegetarian or Sahara Grill: The pitapocket — a small, pita-bread sized cloth wallet.

Says Israeli creator Anat Safran: "Everybody eats it and can get even sentimental about it... I wanted to create a funny 'must have' product related to our Middle Eastern popular culture."

Hold the Tahini [The Food Section]

Starbucks is discontinuing hot sandwiches. The chain, which rolled out bacon, egg and cheese, florentine egg and other sandwiches into Delaware Valley locations a few months back decided that they just cost too much damn money to make. But Starbucks managers are peeved. One writes:

Good move. But all the new stores in my district that have recently opened have had warming ovens installed in anticipation of sandwiches. Hope they can return unused oven, or this is a HUGE capital write-off, which is a one time hit, but should be right around the time of the next bean stock buy in price.

Regardless, we learned another thing. One that will make our friends who are going to college very, very happy: Starbucks is experimenting with selling dollar cups of coffee:

Starbucks has been testing $1 extra-small cups of drip coffee with free refills in some Seattle stores, which Schultz said it's doing to respond to the economic pressures many of its customers are facing. Some analysts say it could draw in new customers and drive up sales if they decide to upgrade to a $4 mocha or other high-margin espresso-based drinks.

Starbucks Axes Sandwiches As Part of Fix [Yahoo! Finance]
Schultz: It takes courage to pull warm sandwiches from the menu at a time like this [Starbucks Gossip]

[Image via Mmm-Yoso]

Fast food chain Sonic does not have much of a presence in Philadelphia proper — their nearest stores are in Lancaster County and the Jersey Shore. However, the Wall Street Journal just did a feature (including video!) on the popularity of the restaurant's new snackable ice. Choice quote:

Ice isn't just for chilling drinks anymore, or for packing fish and treating sprains. It's a hot snack. Some Sonic Drive-In franchises sell it in cups and in bags to go. Ice-machine makers are competing to make the best chewable ice, with names like Chewblet, Nugget Ice and Pearl Ice. One manufacturer calls the ice-loving South the "Chew Belt."

Awesome!

Chew This Over: Munchable Ice Sells Like Hot Cakes [Wall Street Journal]

Want to buy a cheeseburger in a can? German sporting goods supplier Trekking Mahlzeiten is now marketing a "Cheeseburger in a Can" that they recommend one eat while off on a hike or a camping trip. Each cheeseburger costs around US$5.50 and contains a staggering amount of calories and fat. Is this the most repellent food ever invented? Why yes, we think it is.

Cheeseburger in der Dose [Trekking Mahlzeiten]

Masaharu Morimoto is having some problems. His business partner (the non-Stephen Starr one), Donald Fellner, has won a court judgement entitling him to 45 percent of the profits from Morimoto's Philly, New York and Mumbai locations and from celebrity endorsements. According to the court judgement, Fellner befriended Morimoto in 2000 and formed a company with Morimoto and Fellner having 55/45 stakes. The company then entered into an agreement with Stephen Starr that it appears Morimoto broke in 2004 by adding an amendment which excluded Fellner from Morimoto's New York branch and from all other future Starr ventures.

Here's the word, courtesy of New York mag Grub Street:

During the case, brought almost three years ago by Fellner and his lawyer, Steven Landy, Morimoto maintained that an amendment to his original agreement with Fellner gave him the right to personally keep all profits arising from “private work.” But the court disagreed and ruled that Fellner is entitled to a share in the profits from Rogue Brewery and Nenohi knives, Food Network merchandising, and the aforementioned restaurants. Morimoto maintained he had the right to reserve all profits from his Starr restaurants because he was originally approached via a headhunter (something the judge ruled was irrelevant) and because Fellner misappropriated funds, failed to pay chef salaries, and didn't bring in financing, issues that will be addressed at trial. The trial will also determine whether Fellner is entitled to 45 percent of Morimoto’s endorsement profits from Fukumitsuya Sake and Mishima Foods. The Iron Chef might just want to up that $10,000 appearance fee, assuming he hasn’t already.

Court Rules Morimoto Shafted Business Partner [Grub Street]

A fascinating piece in Philafoodie examines the rise of stealth molecular gastronomy in PHI restaurants. Philafoodie editor David Snyder makes a salient point: Although Philadelphia lacks overtly experimental restaurants like Alinea and wd-50, some of the food preperations used in those restaurants have slowly crept into local kitchens. It's undercover sous vide and flavored foams... as Studio Kitchen's Shola Olunloyo says:

According to Shola Olunloyo of Studio Kitchen, “You can either do or talk about doing. And sometimes you just need to do. I like to be transparent and let the food speak for itself, as opposed to selling the technique before I sell the flavor.”

But, hey. At the end of the day it's all just food, isn't it?

Agar-a-phobia [Philafoodie]

Stu BYkofsky's mad as hell and is not going to take it anymore. In a prime angry rant inside the pages of the Philadelphia Daily News, the local institution gets all Fast Food Nation on us:

We are in a Brave New World of biotechnology, some of it good (I guess), some of it bad (I'm sure). Before you accuse me of shaking my fist in the air to damn progress, first prove it is progress, and not just change, which is doing something just because scientists can do it.

When it comes to synthetic hormones and cloning, you can find experts to say it's the best thing since the Paris Hilton sex tape and opposing experts to say it's the worst thing since . . . the Paris Hilton sex tape.

Science doesn't know everything. It couldn't explain Hillary Clinton's short-lived giggle, for example. Science gave us Velcro, iPhones and zero-calorie soda. It also gave us thalidomide, junkpiles of radioactive waste and drugs intended to relieve one symptom that also spur suicide.

You hear that, people? Stu Bykofsky has two things and two things only on hi mind: Bio-genetically engineered food... and Paris Hilton.

I'll pass on Frankenstein food, thanks [Daily News]

Liquor + pork = awesome. Introducing bacon-infused vodka, as created by Oregon food blog Brownie Points. It sounds gross, but bear with us. Fry three strips of bacon, put the bacon into a mason jar, add some black pepper corns, fill the jar up with vodka, seal it, place it in a dark cupboard for three weeks... Then, once you're done, put it in a freezer to solidify the fats, strain out the fats using a coffee filter and drink that stuff, kids!

Actually, it's kind of gross. But we still had to write about it.

Homemade Bacon Vodka [Brownie Points]

[Image via Brownie Points]