likewaterforchocolate's IReallyLikeFood

Sliced Bread: The Need for a New Standard

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:30:46 GMT

Some common phrases get outdated or otherwise just lose their oomph over time. "A penny saved is a penny earned," right? Well, a penny saved will also buy you absolutely nothing nowadays! A food-related phrase I take issue with is "the best thing since sliced bread."

Apparently, the origins of this saying date back to the 1920's, and we have a full-page ad in the Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune out of the namesake town in Missouri to thank for it. Within the promo, it was written that the sliced bread loaf is “the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped.” Whether or not you consider it amusing hyperbole, the phrase was apparently bold and noticeable enough to warrant international proliferation, and has been part of our cultural lexicon ever since.

The thing is...sliced bread isn't THAT great, is it? I mean, I enjoy a good slice of ciabatta or rye every now and again, but if we're talking white bread, we're talking a food that is overprocessed and lacking in nutritional value.

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Demon bread, back! The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you! I suggest we update this phrase with a, dare I say, hipper, sexier food metaphor. How about "the greatest thing since bubble tea"? Or "the greatest thing since hibachi"? Something that gets us away from our, pardon the pun, "white bread" notions of food. Foodies, we can branch out! We can do better!

Hi-Chew, What Are You?

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:10:41 GMT

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Visiting Kinokuniya, a branch of the Japanese bookstore chain, in the Palisades Mall for the first time, I came upon Hi-Chew candy at the register. Seeing as I am no real devotee of Japanese pop culture, I was all, like, "Hi-Chew who?" In other words, I was a Hi-Chew candy virgin.

Not anymore, though.

I tried that candy. In fact, I found it hard not to eat. That stuff is delicious with a capital Yum! Still, something bothers me about Hi-Chew. It's marketed as a "fruit chew," but the consistency is so hard to pin down. It's like gum, but yet not. It's like taffy, but yet not. Its texture is as amorphous as the best way to describe it. I haven't been this confused since I first came across Razzles.

Do you eat Hi-Chew candy? How would you describe it?

Grated Expectations

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:23:47 GMT

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Money is tight these days, but if you respect your food and your self, you'll drop that pre-packaged poor American excuse for Parmesan cheese and spring for something more respectable.

Cheese always is under the risk that it may be expensive. I guess that owes to the cost of the production. What do I know? I ain't no dairy farmer, y'hear? In any event, I really feel like it is like night and day between using the cheap stuff and a nice fresh hunk o' cheese.

But what cheese to grate and use? Well, I'm a little biased, but as I see it, it's hard to go wrong with a hard Italian cheese. Parmigiano-Reggiano is renowned for its ability to be grated and for its taste. I've even heard of it referred to by Mario Batali as "the undisputed king of cheeses." Then again, what does he know? He went to school at Rutgers.

Oh, wait, so did I.

My personal favorite, though, is Pecorino Romano. This white, sheep's milk-based cheese is great for grating and marvelous when melted. Bellissimo!

Both Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano are a little sharp compared to your garden variety Parmesan, but are really significantly better, I feel. For best results, get your cheese by the block, piece, what-have-you and grate it or cut fresh. You can thank me later.

Do you use high-quality cheese for grating?

Pop Rocks and Soda: Can It Kill You?

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:21:37 GMT

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You've probably seen it in Urban Legend or heard about it in some form or another. Boy meets Pop Rocks. Pop Rocks meet soda. Boy meets certain death. Supposedly, the release of gas from the explosive Pop Rocks and the fizz from the soda is too much for the average person to handle.

Snopes.com, a noted online mythbuster, addressed the legends of those reports that people had died from the Pop Rocks-pop duo. According to the powers-that-be there, it is unequivocally false. I'd still be slightly wary about trying it, but I consider this mostly just a fun myth to laugh at.

Have you heard about the Pop Rocks-and-soda legend? Have you actually tried this combination and live to tell the tale?

Cupcakes for a Cause

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:58:25 GMT

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Strolling down the streets of Teaneck, NJ, I happened upon a little cupcake shop tucked away on a side street off Cedar Lane, a prominent thoroughfare. It looked like your standard bake shop, until I read the blurb at the bottom of their in-store pamphlet: "100% of Zoe's Cupcake Cafe net proceeds support Zoe's Place, Inc., a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide safe, supervised housing, and support services for Bergen County, NJ pregnant teens, teen moms, and their babies. In addition to funding, the Cafe will offer training and employment opportunities to the young girls of Zoe's Place."

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Normally, I feel guilty about eating cupcakes covered with frosting, but the cause made my decision a lot easier. It also didn't hurt that their cupcakes are delicious.

Do you know of any other food establishments dedicated to worthy, charitable causes?

Waiter, There's Fruit in My Water!

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:18:48 GMT

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I don't get out much and certainly don't travel a whole lot, so when I went to a friend's birthday party at a local Holiday Inn, I was quite captivated by something they offered in the lobby. In a huge tankard, for lack of a better term, was cold water with fresh fruit thrown in. In this instance, strawberries and lemons graced the inside of the tankard, though I was made to understand that the exact contents of the tankard would vary day to day. But the same fruit-and-water dynamic is maintained.

Of course, fruit in water is no big revelation; who hasn't had lemon in their water or lime in their seltzer? Still, the presentation was what drew my interest. I mean, if you haven't seen it before, I guess a huge container of water with citrus fruits just floating along is pretty striking. Plus, as the water level got low and the levels of fruit essence got more concentrated, the water got more tasty yet. It certainly by no means was as strong as Vitamin Water or Gatorade, but the taste was there. In fact, I like it better that it was more subtle.

I would like to see large-scale fruit-in-water displays such as this more often, actually. I get bored by drinking plain ol' water, so I need the carbonation of seltzer or some light fruit flavoring to get me motivated to drink it sometimes. Consequently, I don't get enough water. If these tankards were around everywhere, though, I'd be properly hydrated, no doubt.

Do you enjoy fruit/fruit flavoring in your water?

What's Your "Desert Island" Snack?

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:58:09 GMT

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We're all familiar with the "Desert Island" game. If you were on a desert island, what would you take with you? If you're a smart aleck about it, a boat to get off the island. Har har. But more specifically, what person would you take? What book would you take? You know, if you had to choose one.

I propose we ask the Xanga and IRLF population the same thing regarding snacks. When I first came up with the idea, of course, I had to ask myself that very question. Quickly, the competition became a two-horse race of epic and salty proportions.

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On one hand, we have Rold Gold Honey Braided Twists. So good. I have to set limits on myself when I eat these things. Like, I have to take a few pretzels out of the bag, then put the bag into a locked box inside a locked safe...and then bury the whole thing in the ground six feet deep, because I will eat the whole thing. It's like crack to me.

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On the other hand, we have Pepperidge Farm Cheddar Goldfish Crackers. Their slogan should be "Bet You Can't Eat Just One," as in "one bag". I like to take these things by the handful and assault my mouth with cheesy goodness.

Which one to choose? On taste alone, I'm afraid I cannot do so. So, in a somewhat arbitrary ruling, I find for the Goldfish crackers, on the basis that the ones with the faces on them can be my friends after I go crazy living on a desert island. See? I'm always thinking ahead!

If you could only have one snack in an infinite amount on a desert island, which would you choose?

I Left My Heart in South Jersey: An Ode to Wawa

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:51:43 GMT

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I went to South Jersey this past weekend to witness my friend Paul profess his love to his then-fiancée Alissa, whereupon she did likewise and the two were wedded. (Yay!) However, there was awakened a realization in me regarding my feelings, and so I must profess my love as well.

Wawa, I love you, and I miss you already.

A lot of people, especially my friends from Central and South Jersey, don't get what my fascination is with Wawa. My response is usually a look of unmitigated incredulity. How can you not like Wawa? They've got breakfast sandwiches with ciabatta bread, hoagies (or "subs", if you're rational about things), fresh fruit, iced tea, shakes, flavored syrup for your fountain drinks...heck, if you wanted to drink gas, you probably could because in most cases they sell that too.

I think the intensity of my burning passion for Wawa is increased by virtue of comparisons -- conscious and not -- to Quick Chek. If you don't know what a Quick Chek is, it's a convenience store sort of like Wawa, only, like, 1/10 of the store Wawa is. In my mind, there just is no competition. Wawa wins hands down.

Have you ever been to Wawa? Are you a fan of their stores?

Sonic Comes to My Area and All Hell Breaks Loose, Part II

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:43:21 GMT

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A while back, I wrote a piece about how Sonic's arrival in a town near to me created a crazy traffic situation and made people park in a nearby animal shelter and walk over. Well, apparently, the allure of Sonic's drive-in goodness is so strong people will risk killing a police officer over it.

The full story is here. A pertinent excerpt from the article:

"One customer, P.J. Montevirgen, 29, of Hackensack said he had to circle up and down the highway to try and get a spot, and saw an Acura SUV trying to get a spot and a police officer telling the driver the lot was full. The Acura driver suddenly floored his vehicle in front of the officer, jerked to the left, and disappeared behind some car. Moments later, Montevirgen said, he heard a crash."

While I don't have the Community News story to verify it, I seem to recall that the cop was dragged for some time by the Acura, and that he is currently in critical condition.

OK, I get it, Sonic is awesome. Their drinks are delicious. Still, things like this shouldn't happen. A drive-in food chain should not be the grounds for possible vehicular manslaughter. I don't know about you, but I find this whole situation very troubling.

Have you ever heard of a traffic incident such as this involving a fast food restaurant or other dining establishment?

Chocolate-Strawberry Panini Recipe

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:59:10 GMT

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I'm usually one to talk more about getting food than making it, but this little recipe is so simple and delicious I might just create this dessert on a regular basis! It comes courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis, Italian chef and entertainer supreme. Below is her recipe for this tasty treat:

Ingredients

    * 1/4 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
    * 12 (1/2-inch) thick slices pound cake (from 1 (10.75-ounce) loaf
    * 6 fresh strawberries, hulled and very thinly sliced
    * Butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray

Directions

Heat a panini grill to medium according to the manufacturer's instructions. Spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread over 1 side of all of the pound cake slices. Arrange the sliced strawberries over 6 cake slices. Cover with the remaining cake slices, chocolate side down.

Spray panini grill with nonstick spray and grill each panino until the pound cake is crisp and golden and the fillings are warm, about 2 minutes. Cut each panino in half and serve.

Not only is this easy to make, but it adds a nice twist to the idea of grilling bread. In this case, the sandwich "bread" is thinly sliced pound cake. I also like the fact it gives me a chance to use some Nutella. I always want to use the chocolate-hazelnut spread, but I feel like I never have anything really worth putting it on.

How does a chocolate-strawberry panini sound to you? Would you make it yourself?