If You Love Food, Spin Your Leek

This blog posting is barely food related, other than it involves a leek.

A few years back, someone introduced me to www.leekspin.com. After a brief respite, the site is back. As it's one of my favorite sites ever, I had to share.

It's simple, VERY catchy, and addictive to the Nth degree (at least for me). It makes me want to skip down the street singing this little ditty. The cycling animation is brilliant at only a few frames. Please enjoy this website and pass on the leekspin love.

Is Coleslaw A Sustainable Resource?

Quick thought:
What's the percentage of coleslaw that is actually eaten vs. thrown away?

Crying shame. Poor cabbage!

When Not To Cut Corners

Food shopping is full of trade-offs. Take for example the cheaper, generic, supermarket-version of pretty much every item in the store. What makes the name brand of flour any better than the Stop&Shop brand? Why would I spend more money on something that I really know nothing about? I have no idea, but I do.

Aside from the name brand vs. generic dilemma, there are other situations where I decide when not to cut corners. Given that I don't have the money to feed my family of five all the top-of-the line groceries they deserve, there are still two specific instances where I will drop some cash: maple syrup and parmesan cheese.

I always buy 100% pure maple syrup, never the more popular brands like Aunt Jemima. If any of you have ever priced out pure maple syrup in the supermarket, you know that this is not a small sacrifice. It's pricey! Still, it's worth it.

Another place I've learned not to skimp is with parmesan cheese. I always buy a fresh block and keep it wrapped in saran wrap in the fridge. Whenever I want to use it, I grate it. Once you've experienced this, you'll never go back to that funny green cylinder again. It's well worth the price -- and the effort of grating.

What items are worth the extra mile for you?

Passover ... Help!

For my Jewish friends... you know how challenging Passover can be. Once the leftovers have run out from your in-law's seders, you're on your own. While I am far from successful every year (and I suffer the same gastronomic distress as the rest of you), here's a quick dinner that actually tastes pretty good.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Get a salmon fillet and brush olive oil over it. In a small bowl, mix equal parts brown sugar and chili powder. Rub the mixture over the fish. Cook and serve with veggies.

When it comes to Passover keep it simple! Break out the grill and eat lots of fruits and veggies.

Is it a breakfast treat or a dessert topping? Bacon Chocolate is BOTH!

After taking the inaugural bite out of Mo's Bacon Bar, my first thought-out-loud was... "How do they get the bacon so small?"

I treated the experience like a wine tasting, as the subject of choice was both decadent and should only be for adults over 21. I shuddered with visions of teenagers getting all hepped up on bacon chocolate on a Saturday night as their parents innocently thought they were eating Doritos and drinking beer in Colby from the soccer team's basement.

I digress - my thoughts in order (after the inaugural one) was, "hey, nice smooth chocolate", then I began marveling at the minute bacon particles broken down into the perfect proportion of meat to chocolate. You only wish that chocolatiers can create that 'wispy shard of its former self' size with coconut. The balance of the two (chocolate and bacon) is perfect, the smoky and sweet blend is quite refined.

I ate this at 11am. I would imagine this would be a good afternoon chocolate, but I'm not sure. Fans of chocolate chip pancakes for dinner could (in reverse) appreciate bacon chocolate for breakfast. I think that is my biggest question, at what point of the day would someone crave the Bacon Bar? In my opinion, this is unchartered territory when it comes to the proper time of the day to eat certain foods. Is this a bachelor party dessert, or a PMS sufferers breakfast-on-the-go dream?

Anyone with a more savory-based palette would find this chocolate interesting. Not interesting enough to eat more than one square at a sitting, but interesting nonetheless. The only true downfall to bacon chocolate is the AFTERTASTE. I didn't expect it to linger, but it did. A co-worker attributed it to the "smoky" type of bacon used, and I concur. I had to do a Gum Chaser (I don't usually chew gum before noon) as I couldn't think of anything else to cleanse the palate.

Try bacon chocolate! It's upwards of $7 a bar, but fun if shared in a group and let us know what YOU think.

Pistachio Macaroons - Mike's Pastry, Boston

A few years ago, I discovered what may be the best cookie I'll ever eat.

Mike's Pastry is an extremely popular bakery in Boston's North End (the line runs out the door after dinner on the weekends). While they have great cannolis, impressive butter cookies, and beautiful marzipan items, their pistachio macaroons are a hidden gem.

Some may find them a little too sweet or too rich (two things I've never experienced), but these things are amazing. They are covered in powdered sugar, the outside is just barely crunchy, the inside is chewy, almond-infused, and spotted with pistachios. Next time you're grabbing a cannoli, make sure you pick up a few of these cookies as well.

What's for breakfast, Daddy?