Writing about food since 2004.
-
Book Buzz
Here’s some early buzz for the book which comes out in just FIVE DAYS: – Lindsay Nair at The Roanoke Times food blog Fridge Magnet calls the book “humorous” and “well-written” and then, inspired by my first chapter, attempts tomato sauce for her first time. – Dorothy Hernandez at The Detroit News food blog Matters…
-
Top Chef & Underdog Theory
After last night’s episode of “Top Chef,” which Diana and I really enjoyed, I pointed out that C.J.’s team had it coming. C.J., who CHOSE his team, made a classic blunder: he chose the beautiful people, the most likable people, the most popular kids in the class. And as anyone who’s seen an 80s movie…
-
Rib-Eye For One
Please remove your heart strings so I can tug them a bit: I am lonely! I miss Craig! He’s been gone all summer shooting his movie in Washington State. Well, he was in pre-production for the last few months; he just started shooting two weeks ago. The second day of shooting, he almost gave me…
-
Going Back
I’ve defended food blogs many times in the past–I’m practically the Alan Dershowitz of food bloggers–and yet, lately, I’ve become more and more sensitive to a concern that’s often raised about food bloggers and our practices: namely, our tendency to review restaurants after only one visit. Obviously, food bloggers don’t have the resources that professional…
-
Your Drink
So I was watching “Groundhog Day” for a bit on TV last night and there’s that scene where Bill Murray is trying to seduce Andie MacDowell in a bar. He memorizes facts about her so that when the day happens again, he can win her heart. One of these facts happens to be what drink…
-
How I Almost Appeared on Top Chef
At this point, you’re probably well aware that last night’s episode of Top Chef Miami featured Andrea Strong as the top-secret food blogger “plant” in the highly dramatic restaurant episode. What you probably don’t know is that I too auditioned to be there at that table with Andrea. I was called in last winter to…
-
Hey Muchacho, Make Gazpacho (and Parmesan Grilled Cheese!)
Hot? Hungry? Have I got a solution for you. It comes courtesy of Suzanne Goin and her “Sunday Suppers at Lucques.” It’s her recipe for Yellow Tomato Gazpacho and you can read it here. It’s INCREDIBLY easy, and INCREDIBLY rewarding. All you need are yellow tomatoes, a jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt and…
-
The Hell’s Kitchen Finale
Young chefs, take heed: reality television offers you two glimpses, this summer season, of chefs who have fallen so far off their pedestals it’s difficult to believe they were ever taken seriously. Rocco DiSpirito’s visit to Top Chef Season III was thankfully limited to one episode, but there he was shilling for Bertolli, his face…
-
Elise’s Fritters & An Heirloom Tomato Salad
Do I hold the record for fastest re-blogged recipe? Probably not. Elise put up her recipe for spicy corn fritters on August 12th, I made them “today” (technically yesterday) August 13th, and now it’s 12:22 AM and I’m blogging about it on August 14th (my mom’s birthday: happy birthday mom!) But no matter. The point…
