Luther burger
Update: The burger w/donut buns is not a new invention…it’s commonly called the “Luther Burger” after Luther Vandross. Double true. (thx, scott)
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kottke.org posts about food
The line for cupcakes at the Magnolia
The line for cupcakes at the Magnolia Bakery in Manhattan. Insane. (via ag)
The NYC Dept of Health is cracking
The NYC Dept of Health is cracking down on the practice of sous vide (low temperature cooking of vacuum packed food for better tenderness and flavor) in the city’s restaurants. Also this tidbit: Thomas Keller is doing a sous vide cookbook…is Rulhman involved?
Bruce Cole shares his Academy Award-winning steak
Bruce Cole shares his Academy Award-winning steak cooking technique.
Update: Bruce’s technique is very close to that of Alain Ducasse…but Ducasse finishes the steak with butter and garlic. Whoa, momma. (thx, bryan)
BurgerClub
BurgerClub is a message board for hambuger enthusiasts. NYC-centric, but includes other locales.
When restaurants are in beta, should they
When restaurants are in beta, should they be charging you full price for dinner?
For those that like wearing what you’re
For those that like wearing what you’re eating, check out Jeremy Scott’s food-inspired fashion. Hamburger shirt and french fry pants…yummy. (via culiblog)
Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery is set to
Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery is set to open in the Time Warner Center on March 6. They’re going to “serve various breads, pastries, and cookies of the highest quality” as well as “sandwiches, salads, soups, and even hand-made chocolates”.
How to choose steak at the supermarket. “
How to choose steak at the supermarket. “If the words ‘chuck’ or ‘round’ are in the name of the steak, it will need to be marinated and then slowly cooked in liquid to be tender.”
Ode to a cheeseburger
“If I were told that I had one last meal before I died and then I was given the choice between a super chic 15 course degustation meal cooked by Thomas Keller, Tetsuya Wakuda, Ferran Adria and Joel Robuchon and a perfect cheeseburger, the choice would be easy. I’d pick the burger without a moment’s hesitation.”
Not fit to print
Earlier today I posted a link to Frank Bruni’s new food blog over at the NY Times. At the same time, I added a comment to this post about how restaurant reservations work here in NYC. I went back to see if there was any further conversation and my comment had been deleted (or had otherwise disappeared). Not such a good start. I’ve resubmitted the comment…we’ll see how long it lasts.
A look at the special Valentine’s Day
A look at the special Valentine’s Day dinner that White Castle offered yesterday. Tablecloths (well, not cloth exactly), candles, menus with a scripty font, table service, and a crystal candy dish. Awesome. More photos on Flickr.
NY Times food critic Frank Bruni has
NY Times food critic Frank Bruni has a new blog where he’s going to write about some of the stuff that happens during his eating week that doesn’t make it into the newspaper. Here’s the intro post.
Local competition
Church of the Customer takes a look at how a Northern California restaurant called Cyrus competes with The French Laundry in attracting local customers, particularly those from wineries with big expense accounts for entertaining clients:
1. Match your competitor’s exceptional quality.
The food at both restaurants was cooked perfectly and beautifully presented. Both delivered flawless service. By matching the quality of its better-known competitor, Cyrus removes the primary barriers of opposition.2. Allow your customers to customize.
The French Laundry offers three prix-fixe menus of nine courses each. Cyrus allows its customers to choose their number of courses and the dishes.
Local competition still matters. You usually think of restaurants like The French Laundry as competing on a national or international level. Over the years, Keller’s flagship has made several short lists of the best restaurants in the world. But as this article demonstrates, having to compete for the same pool of local customers can drive competitors to achieve a high level of excellence, higher perhaps than they would have achieved without that competition, and that excellence could lead to wider recognition. Even companies like Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and Amazon who compete on a global level and don’t interact with their customers face-to-face still have to vie with each other for local resources, particularly employees.
On Chinatowns. “Like many crowded Asian cities,
On Chinatowns. “Like many crowded Asian cities, Chinatown has mastered the art of the vertical, inspired by languages that can be written up and down, not just side to side.”
If you like to eat (and have
If you like to eat (and have a Ph.d), Google looks like a good place to work. (via afb)
Why do journalists drink so much Tab?
Why do journalists drink so much Tab? Futhermore, if, as conservatives would like us to believe, the political and cultural tempo of the country is being dictated by the pulse of the liberal media and they all guzzle fantastic amounts of Tab, why is Tab not more popular?
Four things
Caterina tagged me and it’s Friday, so what the hell?
Four jobs I’ve had:
1. Minimum wage worker, green bean canning factory
2. Tutor, in college physics
3. Web designer, for about 6 different companies
4. Blogger, kottke.org
Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. Ocean’s Eleven
2. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
3. The Day After Tomorrow
4. Finding Nemo
Four places I’ve lived:
1. Minneapolis
2. Rolla, MO
3. New York
4. San Francisco
Four TV shows I love:
1. Six Feet Under
2. Doctor Who (the original series)
3. Family Guy
4. Oh gosh, I dunno
Ten highly regarded and recommended TV shows that I’ve never watched a single minute of:[1]
1. 24
2. Lost
3. The Sopranos
4. Any reality TV show
5. Arrested Development
6. Battlestar Galactica
7. My Name is Earl
8. Deadwood
9. Desperate Housewives
10. The Wire
Four places I’ve vacationed:
1. Kauai, HI
2. Beijing
3. Paris
4. Rapid City, SD
Four of my favorite dishes:
1. Bologna sandwich
2. Soup dumplings
3. Cinnamon ice cream
4. Just about anything on a tasting menu
Four sites I visit daily:
1. google.com
2. flickr.com
3. robotwisdom.com
4. waxy.org
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. In a bathtub
2. On the beach
3. In space
4. Paris
Four bloggers I am tagging (but who won’t do it because they’re too old school…how’s that for a taunt?):
1. Meg Hourihan
2. Matt Haughey
3. Paul Bausch
4. Anil Dash
[1] I added this question because I was thinking about it the other day. I know, such a bad-ass rule-breaker.
SupersizedMeals.com is a blog documenting “foodstuffs
SupersizedMeals.com is a blog documenting “foodstuffs of epic proportions”. Recently featured were a 100-patty burger, a 29” pizza, and a sandwich made from an entire loaf of bread sliced lengthwise.
As France becomes more like the US
As France becomes more like the US in eating habits, the famously thin French are getting fatter. “Some of the reasons for the increase in obesity are those that plague the United States and much of Europe: the lure of fast food and prepared foods, the ubiquity of unhealthy snacks and sedentary lives.”
Absolut is ditching their famous bottle ads
Absolut is ditching their famous bottle ads campaign (which is 25 years old) in favor of references to pop culture sans bottle. (via do)
NY Times food critic Frank Bruni spends
NY Times food critic Frank Bruni spends a week “undercover” as a waiter at a Boston restaurant. “People are hungry, and then they’re drinking. Two of the worst states that people can be in.”
Haven’t tried it out yet, but SeamlessWeb
Haven’t tried it out yet, but SeamlessWeb At Home seems like a good site for ordering Manhattan delivery (i.e. lunch/dinner) online. Plus, you get 20% off your order from some places.
Consumer Reports on when buying organic makes
Consumer Reports on when buying organic makes sense and when it doesn’t. You should buy organic apples, poultry, and baby food, but not seafood or cosmetics.
On the copyright of recipes. Recipes are
On the copyright of recipes. Recipes are covered by US copyright law but not very well and very few suits get brought against those who republish them without permission. For the most part, it sounds like food folks recognize the essential remix culture of cooking. (via
Neat information design on the menu for
Neat information design on the menu for Alinea. The size, positions, and darkness of the circles on the menu represent the sweetness/tartness, size, and flavor intensity of each course.
Update: Better photo of the menu here.
What business are movie theaters in? The
What business are movie theaters in? The fast-food business, the advertising business, or the movie exhibition business? All three, but they take the movie exhibition business the least seriously.
New York magazine enters the NYC dining
New York magazine enters the NYC dining fray with a listing of the best 101 restaurants in the city. Only two got their highest (5 star) rating: Masa and Le Bernardin.
Waiter Rant on how to order wine
Waiter Rant on how to order wine without looking like an asshole. “When I see someone [smell the cork] I know I’m dealing with a complete amateur. Guess what you’re gonna smell? Cork!”
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