Jump into your Way Back machine and land in the month of February. Remember the show Dinner Impossible on Food Network? Remember how Chef Robert Irvine was relieved of his impossible duties after it was revealed he inflated his resume? OK, that’s what happened if you weren’t already aware. At least now you know why Chef Michael Symon has been appearing in the most recent episodes. more…

It’s the third Thursday in November, and that means two things: Next week is Thanksgiving, and Beaujolais Nouveau is now available. This is a young version of Beaujolais, with the Gamay grapes being handpicked and the bottles shipped around 7 weeks after fermentation. There are specific rules on what makes a Nouveau, and one is the release time frame. It’s a good way to hit up the market with some hype just as people are preparing to make trips and attend the biggest dinner party of the year. more…

I had no idea there was anything missing from my Thanksgiving plans. I know what I’m doing, where I’m doing it, and even when. I’ll be skipping the actual holiday to celebrate one week later at my parent’s house. But then I came across the Turkey Cannon, possibly the most ridiculous item to graze my computer screen in over a week. The phallic tool is essentially a “beer can chicken” contraption. more…

”It’s not how many dragons you kill; it’s who goes home with the princess.”

That is it. I am now officially hooked on the new season of Top Chef. I came home late tonight after closing the restaurant a little annoyed that I had to reviewcap this show. But then I popped the episode on and for some reason this episode captured me far more than the premiere. more…

Since I became an alcohol imbibing adult Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has been a staple of my beer diet. The ale is one of four year-round offerings by the brewery: Porter, Wheat and Stout being the others. Like Sam Adams and other major craft breweries Sierra Nevada has continuously provided seasonal brews. I’m not a huge fan of the seasonal stuff, although I do prefer Sam Adams’ Winter Ale over the Summer. more…

Can there be spoilers for Top Chef? The episode will begin with a “previously on,” they’ll show the cheftestants in their rooms, the Quick Fire will feature the guest judge, there will be a twist on the Elimination challenge, and someone goes home. But just in case you absolutely must avoid knowing what’ll happen on the next episode of Top Chef you probably shouldn’t watch the following videos. Except they are excerpts from the show and don’t really feature anything but an introduction to what the cheftestants will be facing. more…

I’m listening to Michael Pollan’s appearance on Radio WNYC and wondering exactly how does the Secretary of Agriculture get chosen? One thought that immediately occurs is this should be common knowledge, but let’s face it we don’t all know the intricacies of government. The one thing I am absolutely certain of is that no online petition will make a difference. more…

Baskin-Robbins has a turkey cake – hold on, let’s back up and go over that again – Baskin-Robbins, the ice cream store with 31 flavors, has a turkey cake. Immediately I have to ask, why? The glossy concoction looks like a Fisher Price kids cooking toy, but is actually edible. Luckily they haven’t introduced a brand new flavor, it’s just normal cake. Although I wonder if handled properly turkey ice cream could be made. more…

Ingredients:

Batter

2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract more…

Thank you failing economy, now we’re getting even more Spam than we know what to do with. The pink cube of meat like product has gone into high demand due to the current economic climate. People feel that affording a steak is just beyond their means, but for a couple bucks you can “enjoy” Spam. In response Hormel has blasted into overdrive, working 12 hours a day, 7 days a week to produce the oft mocked product. more…