Category — Uncategorized

Great stories this past Sunday — both in the main news section:

Harvesting quinoa (Equador)/by Didier Gentilhomme

A Food’s Global Success Creates a Quandry at Home: Quinoa is Now Too Expensive for Many Bolivians

Two thoughts: 1) we need to find a way to let the world benefit from a great source of nutrition like quinoa without taking it away from the people who have based their culinary culture on it, 2) will be interesting to see what, if anything, Bolivians substitute for quinoa

Black and White and Married in the South
Not about food at all, but couldn’t help wondering, hmmm…..what kind of awesome new twists on Southern cuisine might come out of this?

You’re probably as tired as I am of reading the “end-of-year” round-ups that journalists are required to produce, but this information caught my eye. Company called Dotmenu tracked the popularity of different take out foods around the country, and guess what landed among the top 15 places? Indian, Thai and Japanese. Have included the complete list below…..(also, cool factoid: the most popular time to order food all across the country is  7:36 pm…)

Broken down by city, Dotmenu found that America ’s favorite dishes to order-in in 2010:

• New York, NY: Domino’s Pizza, Cheese Pizza
• Los Angeles CA: Manas Indian Restaurant, Garlic Naan
• Chicago, IL: Rajun Cajun, Samosa
• Houston: TX, Blimpie Subs & Salads, BBQ Beef
• Philadelphia, PA: Insomnia Cookies, Cookies
• Dallas, TX:  Milano’s, Rice & Beans Plate
• San Francisco, CA: Zen Yai Thai Restaurant, Pad Thai
• Columbus, OH: Gumby’s Pizza, Original Pokey Stix
• Boston MA: Fin’s Japanese Sushi & Grill, Spicy Tuna Maki Roll
• Baltimore, MD : MD: Hopkins Deli, Cheese Pizza
• Seattle, WA : Tandoor Indian Restaurant, Spinach Nan
• Nashville, TN: Best Wok Chinese Restaurant, Steamed Dumplings
• Milwaukee, WI : Chopstix, Crab Meat Rangoon
• Washington, DC: Wingos, Buffalo Wings/10 piece order
• Atlanta, GA: Wingnuts, Combo #1 (1Pound Boneless Wings, Regular French Fry, Two 12oz. Sodas)

Traditional Latke/by Jonathunder

Hanukkah starts tonight, which means Fany Gerson’s table is groaning with chili-spiked latkes, coconut-stuffed rugelach and, special for this year, sufganiot donuts filled with passionfruit curd.

“That’s my little spin on it,” says the Jewish-Mexican chef and founder of LaNewYorkina popsicle company.

While most Jewish Mexicans stick to brisket and noodle kugel, Gerson lets her holiday meals narrate her family’s flight from Russia last century to the life they made in Mexico City. She substitutes Mexican coconut sweets called “cocadas” for macaroons, garnishes matzo ball soup with cilantro and limes, and pan fries gefilte fish in a tomato-chili sauce. [Read more →]