chappie

Anyone interested in this debate should read Nourishing Traditions, which details a lot of the way all ancient societies ate. We live in an era in which the modern food industry, born in 19th-century packinghouses, weaned during WWII and hitting its rebellious stride in the 1950s, has grown into a hungry entity that consumes people as much as we consume it. Food industry lobby pours billions into politicians, children can indentify Ronald McDonald before they leave the crib, our pores are clogged with corn syrup and we're freebasing rocks of processed white flour cooked with baking soda. Whether the result of idle time, availability or a decades-long psychological experiment played out in random snippets of Taco Bell, Mountain Dew, Applebees and Dunkin' Donuts commercials, hiding in our subconscious until they unite to form a sort of mentally parasitic Voltron -- we're hard-wired to consume calories now, now and ... now. You need gas, so what the hell, you're thirsty and why not peek inside the attached convenience store. Next thing you know you're numbly groping one of 1,235 possible items on the ubiquitous and constantly expanding Wall of Beverage. Oh and those jalapeno cheese-filled pretzels by the cash register are warm, so ... If you work, like many of us, at a place with more than, say, 75 employees, it is often someone's birthday, company anniversary, quitting party, baby shower or gout recovery celebration. Or, someone baked too many batches of peanut butter cookies, or perhaps had a few dozen aluminum trays of Thanksgiving leftovers. So in order to reach your office, you must pass the Filing Cabinet of Highly Processed Edibles. Vending machines, when you work on deadline, are not as much a means of combating hunger as they are of procrastinating. From time to time, I have angry epiphanies and vow to cleanse myself of bad eating habits. And I find the only system that works for me is to go whole-food. Stop eating refined sugar. Stop eating white flour (and limit almost any flour, but I do use spelt). Stop drinking calories (OK, except on weekends. Quitting drinking just not worth it). Start eating more plants like fruits and leafy greens. Eat high-quality fats and meat. Ah yes, and steel-cut oats. Don't worry too much about counting calories, but make sure the ones you do consume accompany loads of nutrients. And when I do this, I shed pounds quickly. When you kick the factory-foods cycle, the corn syrup, the flour and most of the other modern shortcuts, you do find you're not hungry all the time. You know when you're full. You don't wake up feeling like death in the morning. Your energy levels are balanced. And yet, with all this positive evidence, I still fall back into the old ways. I blame Grimmace.

I'm sorry, but I just checked out their "cool" website and "cool" menu, and that whole concept belongs to the sleaziest, corniest, cheapest kind of kitschy marketing around. Duuuuuuuude, it's sandwiches are named after weeeeeeeed! How trippy! 420, bro! Nugs, pinners and blunts. Hunh. If I were baked and near one of these, I'd hide somewhere and laugh at the suckers actually falling for this garbage.

Nourishing Traditions has a method that calls for less salt, then you "innoculate" the batch with a little bit of whey obtained by straining good quality plain yogurt. I made a jar of kimchi this way and it kept for several years in the fridge. It was delicious, and became moreso with time. If you use this technique and wish to make future batches, you just use some of the liquid from one jar to create the next. Friendly bacteria.

Well said, and exactly the kind of responsible philosophy (plus regulation) the world could use more of. When I worked on a hake-processing vessel in Neah Bay, Wash., we caught a lot of spiny dogfish (small shark) as bycatch. Their fins seemed too small to mess with, though I have heard they are sold for fish & chips.

When you say, "I was able to get my hands on some fresh shark fins," do you know how they were harvested? Seriously, "finning" of sharks for their fins (and China's economic surge has increased the practice greatly) has contributed massively to the crash in shark populations. It's an eco-disaster. It just doesn't get the attention of tiger penis soup and rhino horn for bogus sexual potency remedies. But it's on par.

I don't eat either frequently as I can easily get real fried chicken from several local places (not to mention the Royal Farms gas station/convenience store chain outdoes either by a long shot), but I would say Popeyes hands-down. KFC is hideous. Their regular chicken is soggy and disintegrates when you pick it up. It also tastes doughy. I don't like anything whatsoever about KFC. Even their biscuits are pathetic. OK, maybe those honey barbecue bites ... I'll give them that for inventing PCP sauce. We get Popeyes exactly twice a year.

I started with Vegemite last January, a tiny jar gifted me as a joke by a friend, and became addicted. Ran out, then found Marmite at a local store, hence became addicted to that. Even found someone in the U.K. thread to send me the limited-edition Guinness Marmite. Now, a coworker of my wife spent her honeymoon in Australia and brought me a much larger jar of Vegemite. Able finally to sample them side-by-side, I must admit I like them both. Marmite is saltier and runnier; Vegemite has more of a molasses undertone. Seriously, I don't prefer one to the other, just enjoy them each for their unique properties. During a period in which I'd overdone it on Marmite and needed a time-out, I found myself enjoying country barley miso spread on buttered toast. Try it.

Hopefully Busboy is checking back here from time to time. I want to know in Great Wall where to find (if they have them at all) bonito flakes and kombu for making miso soup. I've actually been seeking these ingredients for awhile as I've been tinkering with Miso Master miso pastes. Still want to know more about Super H. Or any quality Asian market closer to the Bay Bridge...

Where is Super H? Having stayed at a friend's house in Alexandria, I made a big Great Wall run today, grabbing a huge load of two kinds of Chinese broccoli, some fresh noodles, sesame oil, dried mushrooms, chiles, Chinese eggplant and a neat wide-mouth thermos for packing soup. I forget what else I got. I've been tempted to try the eatery in there (or at least grab a pound of that crackly skinned, dripping, hanging pig!) but I'm always alone and it just isnt' the same grubbing down solo. So, I backtracked on Arlington Blvd. and popped into D.C. Sandwich for a banh mi (don't know how to make the accent marks on this pc). I'd heard and seen this sandwiches for years, but while I've slurped a lot of pho, this was actually my first one. I went with the combo, and at $2.75 it was one of the best lunches I've had in awhile. They go lighter on the fillings than American-style subs, but the ingredients seemed more flavorful. With the pickled radish, carrot, cilantro, jalapeno, etc. it was a fresher, lighter experience than sucking down a loaded cold-cut. And the baguette was both crisp outside and soft inside. Loved it. I wish I didn't live so far from one of these places...

Aside from the restaurant challenge, in which they had a bigger chance to shine, most of the other eliminations have bored me; I could've made a better Cuban and slider, and probably some decent appetizers on a budget, and I'm no chef. Let them make the kinds of things that make you, the viewer, attempt to imagine what they taste like. I wish the obscure proteins challenge had been saved for later. Or perhaps it's merely a poor crop of contestants. Either way, I think they've allowed some weaker talent to survive too long. I'm not sold on Brian or C.J. at all; I'm slightly more impressed by Casey than I was; I still think Tre should be there, that Lia would outperform some of the survivors, and that Hung (who I trashed earlier) probably will be a finalist. But I think now I'm rooting for Sara. She turns out pretty solid stuff, she's got an even temperament and I agree she was royally ripped off in the prize department. A MacBook Pro? Hunh?

I've been buying Miso Master organic country barley miso and using it, at the end, to flavor all sorts of vegetable dishes and veggie stocks. I find it makes even a simple broth of carrot, squash, onion and other surplus ingredients taste like a deep, rich beef soup. I bet you could fool people with it. Last night I used to flavor a pot of simmered lima beans in extra water, along with a large pat of butter. Delicious. Anyone else using miso in interesting ways?

I would have to use unsalted PB with either Marmite or Vegemite. Are you near a Trader Joe's? If so, pick up a jar of their Tomatoless Corn Salsa, which comes in a clear, kind of retro-label container. It's more of a sweet relish than a salsa, and it's crunchy and sort of spicy. Perfect with peanut butter. Last year I was totally addicted to the combo.

Whoa. Somebody likes the little Wal-Mart faces ... But really, you don't consider Food Network mainstream? Look at their lineup, her show included. About as mainstream as anything else on television... So on that note, I agree -- Who cares?

It was also a rerun; they first aired it right before Episode 1 of Season 3.

I've asked this before in different forums, but no one seems to know, so I'll pose the question here: Are slugs edible, assuming some sort of prep that removes the mucous membrane, and if so, why wouldn't they taste like snails?

See, I've never been to Katz's but I have been to the Montreal icon Schwartz's, which was some damn fine brisket and pastrami. Once as a novice in NYC my host dragged me to Carnegie Deli because It Was The Best! and I can still feel the after-effects of the gastrointestinal fallout I experienced downing that stupid cartoon plate of corned beef. As for cheesesteaks in Philly, I always thought Sarcone's was way above the whiz places...

I haven't seen this show much, but I watched the Mexico episode and the one that followed (I recall nutria and possom?) last night and thoroughly enjoyed them. My big beef with this big beefy man early on in the show's run was that he seemed too squeamish, which seems to have gotten over. Also his totally embarassing retching infront of the humiliated durian farmer, which I'm sure he's caught his share of flak for ever since, and grown (well, he seems to always be growing) because of it. So, I guess I like the show. Haven't seen much Bourdain lately except for his guest judging appearances on Top Chef (though I'm interested in catching his episode on Beirut). I adored A Cooks Tour, much more than Kitchen Confidential, but I can see how some people find his "persona" a little self-indulgent. To be fair, though, a friend who managed a bookstore in Atlanta met him at a book signing and found him just as advertised. He was more than approachable and looking for people to grab a drink with afterward.

Oh, we're still talking about Top Chef? I'm over it.

I'm sorry, but even if his crappy bread pudding an inexplicable salmon dish (kind of like Sam's watermelon and blue cheese gnocci?) sucked big-time, I still think upon a second review that you could have made a stronger case for at least C.J. if not one of the other two, than for Tre. The show has seriously lost a great deal of credibility (Hah. Can't believe I am using the term "credibility" to refer to a reality show ... on Bravo no less!) in terms of its judging, in my view. I've gotten to where I have to quickly mute the TV's volume when Padma chirps directions in that flat, harsh voice followed by an aggressive meow. "Hands up, utensils DEOWN!" And the Ted guy from Queer Eye, who I think I'll refer to as Eye, Q. for his ridiculous comments, seems impressed simply by the act of someone pouring warm cream near his lap. Most of the famous chef guest judges kind of annoy me too in that they are so effete and affected. When did this happen to the industry? The celebrity angle has soured on me, not that I ever really cared about it.

Really, really poor and tacky judgment by Bravo for featuring this brother of Madonna, whoever the f*&k he is. What a complete self-aggrandizing asshole, and I'm sure he's the person alive who doesn't think that. He probably pays a gaggle of hangers-on to tell him he's wonderful. (Edited 11 p.m.) Ah, I kind of half-watched this episode, and I'll say Trey's elimination cut my interest in this season considerably. Sorry he made a really bad dish, but he seems far superior to, at the very least, four or five of the remaining contestants. Blah. I'm getting tired of the formats, anyway. Decor? And they had to find a way to work Steven back in?

It is, however, often the case that traditional foods and drinks of the poorer throughout history were often more nutritious than those enjoyed by the rich. Organ meats, for instance, as opposed to "finer" cuts; whole grains vs. processed, refined white flour; "small beers" like kvass, full of nutrients and lacto-fermented vs. alcoholic beers. And look what happens to modern societies that become more affluent: their economic rise usually features an accompanying spike in obesity, diabetes, etc.

Adams Morgan used to be the epicenter for great ethnic eateries; it's been gentrified somewhat and is more of a center for trendy bars (not to say there still aren't good eats there, just fewer). One favorite that used to be in Adams Morgan but moved is The Islander, now at 1201 U Street. Owner/chef Ms. Addie Green has been a fixture of the Trinidadan community for years and years, and she's still the best host around, putting out some really good Trinidadan cooking. I always get something with goat in it, usually roti. Back when the place was a tiny upstairs closet on 18th St., with a chalkboard for a menu, she would often recite recipes for us to try at home. Often there's live music, too. I really like that whole U St. corridor for checking out restaurants. Lots of quality Ethiopian places nearby, too.

Wow, I hadn't thought about making it from just a bottle of GTs. I had ordered a starter kit online. Now I'm tempted to do this again. The only thing I can stress is you can't be too cautious about hygiene. Read up on making it before attempting. It's more like $3 a bottle here, which seems prohibitive until I realize I routinely pay that or more for a beer or cocktail at a bar or restaurant. The book Nourishing Traditions talks a lot about kombucha and it's where I first learned about it. Anyone taking the time to learn about kombucha would probably appreciate the other naturally cultured recipes in that book, like lacto-fermented pickles, keffir milk and such.

Of course! The sprig of mint, so to speak. What I've been doing with the Earl Grey vodka is more of a 4-5 hour steep then remove the teabags, funnel liquor back into bottle and whisk it into the freezer. Are you using a clear rum for this? A local store recently started getting Don Q, an affordable clear Puerto Rican rum my friend from PR used to bring back in great quantities to college. Might work well. I was thinking of steeping black tea for a few hours in vodka, then straining and adding all the whole spices used in chai, letting it infuse a few more hours then long-term storage in freezer. Mix with milk.

I am not a gin expert, and in fact -- due to a ubiquitous "bad experience" with the elixer -- hadn't had it in years before someone introduced me to Hendricks this winter. Now I love and appreciate all good gins. But an older, Scottish friend of mine, when I asked if he knew Hendricks (being that it's Scottish), basically pooh-poohed it and all other overly complicated gins with unending varieties of top-secret floral and herbal blends. He likes what I guess is old-style British gin in which juniper is the predominant flavor, uncomplicated by things like rose petals and cucumber nuance. I can see his point, and I can also see appreciating both kinds. Isn't Plymouth more of the traditional type gin?