Roving Gastronome: The Blog

This is totally shady: The NYT has a new column called “One Pot,” with a recipe for some international stew. This week’s was for a Spanish stew called a cocido. I read the column, and spent a lot of time on the first two paragraphs, confused, because there was no transition between the use of the word ‘cocido’ and then an explanation of a new term, ‘olla poderida’. It seemed like something had gotten lost in the editing.

Turns out it was the TRUTH that got lost in the editing. I was alerted by the ever-trusty and -geeky Language Log, which pointed out that the term should be ‘olla podrida’, which really means ‘rotten pot’…in a good way. When questioned, the writer freely admitted she had just made up ‘olla poderida’ (’strong pot’) because she thought eaders would be creeped out by the word ‘rotten’. Read the whole expose here, along with more details on ‘rotten’ food.

This is kind of shocking, no? I mean, it’s a newspaper. It’s supposed to be factual. I feel betrayed.

I think Elaine Louie should go back to her little Weddings beat, and if the editors can’t give enough space to a story to properly explain something (’rotten’ can be used as an emphatic, along the lines of ‘filthy rich’–that wasn’t so hard to take, now was it?), then it just shouldn’t run the story. I hate to think what’s happening to the real news.

While you’re waiting for me to tell you what I ate Down Under (yes, there was Vegemite), read this brilliant bit of culinary swashbuckling:

Asian Soda Taste Test Panel

Mmm.

This isn’t shameless self-promotion: Weirdly, I didn’t make the list. There’s always next year to become a one-woman phenomenon.

In the meantime, head over to queens.about.com and vote for the best things to happen to Queens this year. Ali of the Kabab Cafe appearing on No Reservations makes the list, but he’s lagging in the polls! I suspect there’s some ballot-stuffing coming from Jamaica’s art community (um–if it’s not at the public library in Jamaica, then I don’t know about it!).

While you’re there, you can also vote for the worst of Queens 2007. Living in my blissful utopia in central Astoria, within the glow of two 24-hour produce stands, I also have never heard of any of these terrible things. La-di-da.

Happy new year!

Hot on the heels of off-topic discussion of the Thighble and the Pentaturkey comes Christvertising–not just a genius portmanteau word, but a hot new marketing movement!

I am so out of touch with the rest of America–that scary part of America that’s taking Huckabee and Romney seriously, according to all the godless news sources I follow–that I found myself believing this was a true service. Never mind that I received the link from Mr., er, Dr. Van Pelt himself. But it’s not so far-fetched that he would take a job as a spokesman for a Christian marketing service. I’d better get out more.

The Good (and I can’t believe I’m saying this): Alex Witchel’s column in the New York Times yesterday (“To the Things That Remain”). A lovely ode to the vanishing lifestyle of smoking-with-dinner, via a time-warp steakhouse in Chicago. The accompanying recipe, however, made me not want to eat there: iceberg lettuce with salami and shrimp? I can feel the nasty texture in my mouth right now.

The Bad (c’mon, really, this is why I bothered to write this post): the new issue of Cook’s Illustrated, in which the reader’s tips reach a new low. I can no longer be shocked by any tip involving profligate use of Saran wrap, but I was appalled to read a suggestion from Ari Wolfe of Princeton, NJ. When he found himself without mini marshmallows (an “important garnish” for hot chocolate), he got out his kitchen shears and spray-can of PAM and got to work on normal-size marshmallows.

Let’s just pause while we contemplate the complete idiocy of this, shall we? I hope also that during this pause, Ari Wolfe is googling himself and discovering that at least one person in the world is giving him a reality check.

Not only did he see a lack of mini marshmallows as a problem and then concoct an overly complicated solution to that problem, but then he felt compelled to write to Cook’s Illustrated and tell them about it.

Dude. I hope, I pray you are also doing something good with your time, like adopting profoundly deaf orphan children with leprosy and speech impediments.

Now I’d better get back to constructive, world-saving work. But maybe I need a mug of hot chocolate to get in the mood…

Thoughtful Tal, who bought me the bacon Band-Aids (ooh, I used one! It made my whole finger look like an open wound from far away, but up close it was cool), just sent me an email with this subject heading, and this link: Bacon Exotic Candy Bar. Fascinating.

I had the most delicious chocolate chess pie sprinkled with sea salt at the Queen’s Hideaway last night (the only restaurant I’ve ever eaten pie in where it actually tasted as good as it does when made at home–Millicent kicks serious pastry ass). As one of my fellow diners pointed out, ending with the salty finish makes you feel surprisingly satisfied–and not like you have to scour the plate for the last bit of sweet treat.

So a bacon candy bar is the next logical step, I suppose. Can I put it on a sandwich with lettuce and tomato? That would be the ultimate…

Despite the fact that I miscomplimented the reporter on the “Unfitney!” headline (that was the brilliant work of a competing local tabloid w/r/t Brit’s loss of custody), I still came out looking fairly OK in this article on supper clubs in today’s New York Post. (Lucky I didn’t have to get my picture taken underneath a table.) A good, informative article about the trend, seeing how I actually am too busy at SND to go to other people’s parties.

[[Criticism of misspelling of my name redacted. Web publishing is miraculous!]]

I lay down the Big List of tasty meals-on-the-run on About.com. Check it, and start snacking. (Note that Little Morocco is only really functioning after sundown till the end of Ramadan, though.)

Peter and I ate at Sripraphai last night. I think it’s been eight years since I’ve been going there. I remember when it was one room, with mirrors on one wall. I once saw a Thai customer pick up the sugar dispenser on his table and pour sugar all over his noodles. Enlightening.

Anyway, we realized there are just swaths of the menu we’ve never tried, or don’t remember trying, at least. So now I’m making a compulsive list, starting now. Go here to see (sorry–too lazy to fiddle with Blogger templates–this is function, kids, not form).

Seeing how I’m shockingly slow on these things, probably everyone already saw the video of Christopher Walken making roast chicken and pears, oh, months ago. But it’s pretty great to see this man speak so calmly while he caresses this carcass.

Which is all a preamble to saying I’m very pleased to see this new I’m Cooked website, which is essentially YouTube for food. Why didn’t I think of that?

(But, disappointing: a video entitled “Cooking Queens” is two gay guys. I guess the world does not revolve around my favorite borough.)

Anyhoo, check it out. I also like the ‘email me the recipe’ feature some videos have, like the Brazilian guy’s (though it’s got some kinks–I got a papaya recipe when I asked for hearts of palm, but…good idea nonetheless).

You’ve probably already watched mine and Tamara’s clip, but here’s the link.