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Tuesday, December 30, 2008 - 07:59:02
By any other name ...
... it's still a doughnut.
Is there a culture without a fried dough treat?
The beignet for the French.
The schmalznudel for the German.
The churro for the Spanish.
Fry bread for Native Americans.
The doughnuts for you know who.
In Amsterdam, particularly at the Christmas season, it's the oliebollen, sometimes studded with bits of fruit and sold fresh at stands all over town.
Drinking Yourself Fat.
Few would argue that of the two drinks shown above, the Baskin Robbins Heath Bar Shake contains more calories. But which of these is the healthy alternative?
A recent Men's Health article says neither one. While the shake above contains more than 2000 calories (more than is recommended for consumption by an individual in a single day), the VitaminWater contains 33 grams of sugar -- about as much as you'll find in your average soda.
If weight loss is among your New Year's Resolutions, you might check out this article, which lists the "20 Unhealthiest Drinks in America." Certainly has me thinking that I want to stick to my plain unsweetened iced tea.
Monday, December 29, 2008 - 10:59:32
Going Dutch
I'm in Amsterdam and will head to Brussels later in the week. I've always said you can travel or take pictures, but not both. I still think that's true. But with tiny digital cameras, you can grab some quick snaps. As I did at lunch today in the fine old restaurant in the Amsterdam central station, a wood-paneled room that once was a lounge for first-class rail passengers.
Ellen had an apple pancake.
I had something I'd seen on pub menus all over town -- ossoworst. It sounded like sausage. How bad could it be. The waiter tried to warn me off. Said it was "raw sausage." Sure enough. Though it looks and tastes a great deal like salami, the texture indicated the meat was uncooked. Live and learn. The wild mushroom soup close by was great. So was the Grolsch.
Friday, December 26, 2008 - 21:04:52
Take Out Time.
There are certain times of the year where sitting down to a table with family is important. What follows within a matter of days (and sometimes hours) is the incredible urge to let someone else cook.
For us, it's the day after Christmas, a time to pull out the menus and see what take-out offering is tempting. Tonight, we went for Pei Wei, with its reasonable prices and decent sized portions. The hubster went for the Spicy Korean Beef ($8.25), while I chose the Honey Seared Chicken ($7.75), and we split an order of spring rolls ($3.75 for two or $6.95 for six). His order had a nice spicy bite and lots of carrots, while mine spoke more to the comfort food arena. The rice was fluffy -- exactly what you don't look for when pulling out the chopsticks -- but the spring rolls were delicious and light with a solid whap of ginger, decently refreshing in an appetizer usually served grease-engaged.
There are a good number of take-out options in Central Arkansas. Whether it's the six-pack from Mexico Chiquito, spuds from McAlister's, pies from Damgoode or U.S. Pizza Co. or a sauce-soaked family pack from Sim's, the choices are varied and widespread. So, now that the relatives are heading home and turkey leftovers are beginning to become tiresome, we'd like to know -- what's your favorite take-out? Share your take-away treasure in our comment section.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008 - 08:54:41
Monday mealtime
Another report from the kitchen of Joel DiPippa:
Dinner called. Brownie points to whoever can figure out what wacky theme was running through my head.
The couscous was cooked in a little butter with garlic and onions with just a dash of dry (French) vermouth. And a dash of salt and pepper.
The pork chops, a breakfast cut for quicker cooking, were braised in a similar butter, red onion, and garlic base with a can of crushed tomatoes and Hungarian paprika added. And a dash of salt and pepper.
The light carmelization of the onions came through nicely in both components of the dish. The Hungarian paprika added just a hint of heat while the vermouth put a nice depth into the dish. Because I used the thin breakfast cut of the pork chops, this took about 5 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes of cooking time.
Monday, December 22, 2008 - 17:11:14
Food for Time Travelers.
The big buzz about the old haunts at 7th and Chester is in recalling the hallowed days of the old DMZ. But for 18 years out of those past two decades since the locale shook with the sounds of punk and early alternative rock, the smell of dough and suds has permeated the music-soaked air.
Vino's isn't haute cuisine. There's no big claim to fame on its bill of fare, just hearty hand-slung pies and calzones, sandwiches and salads, semi-Italian pub fare to go with housemade brews and imported ales. But what more does one need to feed upon when escaping Suit-Land at lunch?
Orders are still taken at the counter, and pies are delivered to your table via comic cards (I was handed a Captain America with my iced tea to wait for my late afternoon lunch). Local art is loud and vibrant and for sale for a reasonable price. The walls and ceiling may bear marks of years past, but the restaurant itself is scrubbed.
You tend to overlook the bent fork with your lunch, the wobbly pie pan on which it's served, the overly loud alternative music that's not quite in the background. What you do savor is a significant amount of hot mozzarella and ricotta cheeses cased in a biscuit-dough calzone crust, packed with all manners of veggies (green peppers, black olives, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, onions) with that hot metal ramekin of basil-spiked pizza sauce on the side (Vegetable Calzone $7.31, calzones start at $6.12) in a 10" long crescent that's just a bit more than the average lunch-bound desk jockey can comfortably consume in one sitting.
Of course, there's plenty of suds... including a special Holiday Ale with spices served up warm this time of year. Vino's does have a really fine selection of housebrewed ales, porters, and stouts (I especially dig their stouts, when I am in a position to imbibe).
Of course, there will be a big crowd tonight for the big DMZ reunion... but long after former DMZ denizens have packed their trench coats and army jackets back into mothballs, you'll still be able to catch a mug and a Margherita pie at Vino's. Corner of 7th and Chester, (501) 375-8466 or check out the website. Open at some point every day of the week.
Sunday, December 21, 2008 - 18:51:01
Another Take On Barbecue.
The Arkansas standard for barbecue, traditionally challenged by people on all sides of the argument, is for a beef or pork sandwich on white bread or bun with coleslaw and a peppery sauce. Variations therewith are sometimes challenged on the tiniest variations, such as Sim's vinegar-soaked meat, Old Post's slug of sweetness in the sauce, and McClard's use of chopped cabbage and mayo instead of a pre-mixed coleslaw.
However, I have yet to find anyone else who's tackling the same variation on a theme like Chip's. The local favorite is all but unheard of outside of town, but has been operating non-stop since 1961. The Chipman family's eatery adheres to most of the unwritten rules of Arkansas barbecuteries: meat is served smoked with sauce on the side, sandwiches come with coleslaw, and the store's closed on Sunday. Like other smoke-and-sauce restaurants, Chip's has its own specialties, such as a magnificent cheese dip and a restorative potato soup well known around this neighborhood for its curative properties. It also has its eccentricities, such as the above pictured Muffin Special ($5.35), barbecue meat served up on a toasted English muffin with American cheese in addition to slaw and sauce. Miracle Whip as a condiment is also a possibility. I tend to make sure to go for sauce on the side; while a good and typical example of Arkansas-style sauce, it's a bit too strong for my taste, and I'd rather lay on a thin layer with a butterknife than take the gob they normally dollop under the bun.
But there's another reason to visit this time of year... more on the jump.
Eat Dessert First.
Ya Ya Ya...
The High Fructose Corn Syrup Argument.
Coming soon
Executive Eats.
Sims reverie
Using Your Nog-in.
Holey Moley.
'Za on Sunday
UPDATE: Zaxby's
More on Capi's
Update: The Hop Diner
Night time at Satellite
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