FOODocracy

Tangerines: yes or no

Carlos — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:29:02 +0000

Tangerines: yes or no. I got asked that question yesterday at the movies. The kid at concessions said he was conducting a poll and 2 out of 4 people, including me, indicated that they liked tangerines. Only 2 out of 4? Who doesn’t like tangerines?

View This Poll

My new favorite web site

Carlos — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:12:06 +0000

Top cookies

Carlos — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:50:12 +0000

Check out this news flash from Consumer Reports Magazine:

YONKERS, NY — What does it take for a store-bought chocolate chip cookie to win high marks from Consumer Reports’ trained sensory panelists? A top rated cookie is well-blended, flavorful, and has a good chip-to-cookie ratio. In its June issue, Consumer Reports unveils two very good chocolate chip cookies: Health Valley’s Mini and Keebler Chips Deluxe Original. And, for consumers who can’t live without homemade cookies, Consumer Reports names two CR Best Buy stand mixers, the KitchenAid Classic and the Hamilton Beach Electrics.

Consumer Reports tested 13 packaged chocolate-chip cookies. Health Valley’s cookies were slightly buttery, while the Keebler cookies were a little like shortbread and cost just 22 cents a serving, about half as much as their top competitor. Nine other cookies were good, including those from Great Value (Walmart), which cost just 7 cents per serving. The Great Value cookie tested by CR may differ from the cookies now available in stores (CR learned at press time that Walmart was reformulating this cookie). Other good cookies include Nabisco’s Chips Ahoy! Real Chocolate and Real Chocolate Reduced Fat (both will be made with different ingredients by this summer), Trader Joe’s Dress Circle Crispy Crunchy, Back to Nature Chocolate Chunk, Pepperidge Farm Nantucket Soft Baked Chocolate Chunk Dark, Mrs. Fields Semi-Sweet, Newman’s Own Organics Champion Chip Cookies, and Famous Amos Bite Size.

Price per serving runs the gamut from 7 cents a serving to 54 cents. CR found no taste benefit to going organic, noting a wide variation in quality among the three organic brands it tested: Health Valley, Newman’s Own, and Archer Farms. The Archer Farms Organic Petite (Target) and Pamela’s Products Chunky Gourmet All Natural (wheat and gluten free) were rated “Fair.” CR gave these cookies low marks because they were bland, very dry, and tasted slightly stale.

Don’t Mess’ with the best…

Carlos — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:38:00 +0000

The German knife company Messermeister has a neat section on their website called Messermeister University with handy info on how to select, sharpen, and steel your knives.

Comfort me with…

Carlos — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:36:44 +0000

For those of you who are fans of Ruth Reichl, prolific author and editor of Gourmet magazine, I just figured out where the title of her book, Comfort Me with Apples, comes from. It’s from the bible:

“Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.” The Song of Solomon 2:5, King James Bible

The funny thing is, that’s only one translation. Other translations have it as “…sick with love,” or “lovesick,” which means exactly the opposite!

Raichlen’s a cool dude

Carlos — Mon, 04 May 2009 20:24:27 +0000

Talked with Steven Raichlen last week. The grill gourmond is on the road promoting his upcoming book, Planet Barbecue, and met with the Cuisine at home staff Wednesday.

Here’s a press video about the book.

More on our interview later. In the meantime, I wanted to share his recommendations for grill and smoker.

He uses both extensively on his show, Primal Grill.

Sweet Predictions

Carlos — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:40:29 +0000

The Food Channnel (www.foodchannel.com) released it’s predictions for what desserts will be hot in 2009. Check it out here.

El Michoacana

Carlos — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:33:57 +0000

This will not mean much to everyone outside Des Moines, but I just ate lunch at a Mexican grocery in Valley Junction called El Michoacana, named after the well known state in Mexico.

Very good tacos! Carne asada with onions, cilantro, and fresh Mexican cheese. Three plus a coke made a perfect lunch. Buen provecho!

Here’s the info:
433 5th St
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 255-5329

Eat, drink, be merry

Carlos — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:34:24 +0000

Hi. Thanks for checking out my blog on food. I’m passionate and curious about all things edible and even work as a food professional. So, I come across a lot of food info that I’d like to share here. Hope you enjoy.