[Photo © Sarah Shatz/Food52] The ingredient of the year? Brussels sprouts. Moms everywhere are going to be in shock about this pronouncement, but the evidence is overwhelming. Brussels sprouts are being served morning, noon, and night, for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and every time in between. And why not? They can be nutty, crispy, and tender all at the same time. How many foods can you say that about? Consider the following:... More

When bowls of plain old popcorn and chips just won't do, here are some more interesting dishes for you and your guests to nibble on.... More

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[Photographs: Kerry Saretsky] Not sure what to sip while humming Auld Lang Syne tomorrow night? Here are ten ideas; many of them involve bubbles. Champagne Cocktail: Simple to prepare and damn tasty to boot. Black Velvet: Some people might recoil at the idea of mixing Guinness with Champagne—ignore them. Champagne Julep: Cognac plus Champagne. Warning: this one has some crazy firepower. The Kir Royale du Bois: Triple-spiked with Champagne, crème de mure (a blackberry liqueur), and berry vodka, all mixed with blackberry purée. Reveillon: Apple and pear brandies with allspice and cinnamon-tinged bitters. The Shirley Temple, All Grown Up: Remember grenadine? And maraschino cherries? Fernet Old Fashioned: Mint and eucalyptus-laced Italian digestivo (after all those party snacks). Nutella Champagne... More

Kirbie's soft sugar cookies. [Photograph: kirbiecravings.com] For last week's Weekend Cook and Tell challenge we wanted to know what kinds of goodies all of you were bringing along to your holiday festivities. Judging by the responses, it sounds like you guys make wonderful guests. Here are some of our favorite holiday bringalongs: Onepot brought along baked goat cheese topped with roasted tomatoes and capers. The dish was met with breathless raves—not bad for an 11-minute appetizer. lemonfair always has a few homemade gifts to bring along when invited to someone's home. Her apple jelly is a gift you can be sure no one else brought the hostess. This pine cone appetizer is always a big crowd-pleaser, especially around the... More

When They Were Young (above): Food Network Humor dredges up embarrassing photos of Food Network stars from back in the day. [FNH] Shelf Life: Party in two hours from Trader Joe's and Costco. [WaPo] Trends Collide: Yoga for foodies. [FitR/VV] Okinawa: A tree restaurant in Japan. [GreenMuze, via Cold Mud] Itadakimasu: Making soba noodles for beginners. [LAT] When the Kids Make Dinner: "Army food must be delicious because Dad always talked about Army food when I cooked." [Salon] The Year in Food: Gourmet closes, Sheila Lukins dies, Julie & Julia, foodie kids and fat kids, hooray for quinces. [FNJ]... More

"This is one of the most tender grains I have ever eaten. It's like a demure couscous, with a nutty taste." Buckwheat groats. [Photograph: Shauna James Ahern] I get words stuck in my head sometimes. No matter how far I bend my ear toward my shoulder and try to rattle those phrases out of my cranium, they stick like ticks onto bare leg. Sometimes it's names that whirl inside there. Christiane Amanpour. It has a certain quality, doesn't it? Something mellifluous and sophisticated. Charlize Theron. Maybe I repeated her name to myself because it was a couple of letters away from another name entirely: Charlie Theon. Just one beat too many in both names set me repeating. And then there... More

It's the skill you didn't know you were missing: smoothly eating across a watermelon slice with a snowboarder painted on your face so it looks like the snowboarder is using the watermelon as a half-pipe.... More

"The meal was better than anything we ate in a Oaxacan restaurant." [Photographs: Brian Yarvin] When I told a good friend that I was heading to Oaxaca on vacation, he asked "will you be taking cooking classes?" Of course! While we aren't cooking school junkies, I'm a cooking school regular and my wife attends often enough. It was in itself, a very good reason to travel there. We began our education at Seasons of My Heart, a large and almost charismatic school run by Susana Trilling, a former Manhattan chef, cookbook author, and television hostess. Susana greeted us in front of a hotel in Oaxaca city and loaded all 15 or 16 of us into a van.... More

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If it was served from a truck, cart, bus, camping trailer, or some other mobile contraption, it was probably a little cooler to eat this year. No longer does "street food" just mean a humdrum hot dog or pretzel—it now covers everything from brioche ice cream sandwiches to duck tacos and schnitzel. While food carts have historically illustrated a community's immigrant growth, this year it seemed like everyone and their grandma were opening a sidewalk food business, no matter where they came from. Here were some highlights.... More

Note: Lee Zalben, a.k.a. "the Peanut Butter Guy" is the creator of the Peanut Butter & Co., a New York sandwich shop with a national line of nut butters. Every week he chimes in with some nuttiness. Take it away, Lee! [Photograph: Lee Zalben] Champagne and foie gras—perhaps this is how you rang in the New Year during the stock market's boom times. But for 2010, you might not have the ducats to put on such a rich spread. And even if you can, perhaps you're opting for a less showy celebration. So if you aren't going to splurge on Krug or Veuve Clicquot, why not opt for some California sparkling wine or some affordable Spanish cava? And if you've... More

Between the abundance of college football bowls and NFL games on television right now, who doesn't want to dive into a bag of tasty chips while watching? And what could heighten the salty perfection of chips better than a dash of spice. More

[Photograph: Passive Aggressive Notes] The latest post on Passive Aggressive Notes features not one, but two notes taped inside refrigerators in response to the discovery of stolen food, both invoking the Kanye-ism "Imma Let You Finish" and a reference to the Hamburglar. Which means there are probably more out there. Related Photo of the Day: Roommate's Revenge Photo of the Day: We Waited Photo of the Day: Passive-Aggressive 'Feed the Fish' Note... More

This year's Menu for Hope, the annual charity fund-raiser raffle that brings food bloggers together to help others, is just $2,405 away from reaching $70,000. as of publication time of this post. It would be great to see this year's event, held over until the 31st, reach a nice even number (or more). Last year's MfH raised more than $62,000 for the UN World Food Programme, down from the 2007 record of $90,000. Let's see if Serious Eats readers can help in the final push to $70k. This year's take will benefit the UN Food Programme's Purchase for Progress initiative. If you're unfamiliar with the event, food bloggers offer raffle prizes for readers to win. A single entry costs $10,... More

[Photograph: mrinconspicuous] Mrinconspicuous on LiveJournal says: "...what it ends up tasting like is a mushy sugar cookie wrapped around a liquefied, gelatinous sugar cookie, with a flavor like if someone made an entire pie out of white cake frosting." In conclusion, I'd totally try it. [via BuzzFeed]... More

Pasta-making machines and single-serve sundaes from Sandro Desii. [Photographs: Sight Unseen] The website Sight Unseen takes us all along on a photo tour of the Sandro Desii factory, where Sandro Desii and his small crew manufactures artisanal pastas and ice cream. The photo essay gives an inside look at the factory, the pasta-making process, and the personality behind the products.... More

[Photograph: Herbivoracious] Seriously Meatless columnist Michael Natkin, the man behind Herbivoracious, takes some time to play with his food: This is one of my favorite kitchen creativity games. Take a single ingredient, and cut it as many ways as you can think of, then observe the way the cuts and textures change your perception. Then take it a step further and let those new perceptions suggest simple flavor pairings. Here he's applied this exercise to black seedless grapes to stunning effect.... More

OJ on the rocks. [Photograph: Serious Eats] Over the holiday weekend, Tim Carman of Washington CityPaper's Young & Hungry blog ranted about ice cubes in orange juice: When I see ice cubes in orange juice, I have two immediate thoughts: The orange juice will suck because it's watered down, and the restaurant is cheap, trying to extend its product at the expense of the product. I agree with him on one point: At a restaurant, they're just trying to cheap out. But at home, I sometimes add ice cubes to get the OJ extra cold. You just have to drink it fast. Which is no problem on a hot day. What's crazier is ice cubes in milk, which is... More

Trader Joe's came out on top in our olive oil tasting. [Photograph: Robyn Lee] When the Food section of The San Francisco Chronicle took a look back at the year's blind tastings, they noticed quite a bit of love for grocery store generic brands. "Panelists are choosing generic brands from Safeway, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods almost as often as name brands...In fact, in the 44 tastings from 2009, more than one-third of the winners were grocery store brands." So long to the stigma against cheaper, less prettily-packaged goods from the in-house brand? The Chronicle's tasters were fans of baked goods from Trader Joe's and condiments from Safeway (especially the cocktail sauce and bread and butter pickle chips). Sifting... More

Cook the Book: America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book: princesskaren, pamlovescoffee, chupachups, Larikatz, and poomy. Cook the Book Party Planner: La Cucina: Anne-Marie, HadleyCT, mbreen, BostonDiner, and honeybea. Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page. Thanks to all who entered.... More

[Image: Good.is] Good magazine reminds you what produce to buy locally with this colorful guide to the seasonality of ten common fruits and vegetables around the United States. Related Worldwide Meat Consumption Infographic Sources of Food Poisoning Infographic... More

"Unforgettable Desserts is a book for dessert junkies." The time between Christmas and New Years are some of the most lighthearted days of the year. Holiday cheer remains in the air, parties are going on, and New Year's resolutions have yet to start weighing heavily on everyone's minds. And since we all basically have a free pass to indulge, at least for the next couple of days, we bring you the final installment of Cook the Book: A Cookie Month 2009. A few more cookies couldn't hurt, right? In preparation for New Year's Eve we are bringing you a spread of special occasion cookies courtesy of Dede Wilson's Unforgettable Desserts. Wilson has written many baking books covering everything from cupcakes,... More

It was only a matter of time before somebody would come along with the dessert version of turducken, and that somebody was Charles Phoenix. Already known for his kitschy pop culture humor, Phoenix here creates a monster of a three-layered dessert where each layer (CHERry, PUMpkin, and apPLE pie) is also baked inside a cake mix (white, yellow, and spice, respectively). Judging by the faces of the mechanics who got to try a freshly-baked Cherpumple (fresh from a pink vintage stove at The Antique Stove Shop in Ventura, California) it's sure worth a try. And if one of those pie flavors just ain't your thing, think of all the possibilities—like Cherpumpbarb (with rhubarb!). Watch the video, after the jump.... More

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Is the new SousVide Supreme, the $449 home version of the $1,000 machines used by the world's best restaurants, worth all the hype? Our man J. Kenji Lopez-Alt cooked over 35 different foods in it to find out. More

Above: Korean designer Jaebeom Jeong's "Cartrider" grocery cart–bicycle mashup. [Telegraph] Anthony Bourdain on 2007: The year the food world "tilted on its axis." [NYT] Drinks on Nice: Snobby "mixologists" are getting friendlier. [Chronicle] Wow: Blind woman learning to be chef, hopes to open restaurant. [Trib] Fountain of Youth: Scientists show exactly how calorie-restriction diets help human cells live longer. [Science Daily, via Cold Mud] Cheers! A trio of Champagnes for New Year's Eve. [LAT] Traditions: "A woman's trip back to her family farm, for cousins, cookies and steaming carcasses." [Salon] Vino: "The greatest wine experiences are deeply personal." [WSJ] Leftovers: Cold turkey and ham salad with parsley dressing. [Telegraph] Congrats: Jeff Ruby becomes Chicago magazine restaurant critic. [GSC]... More

[Photograph: Stephanvds on Flickr] After having one too many overindulgent meals for the past three days, I don't know about you, but I feel like I need to go on a detox immediately. Knowing that won't happen with leftovers calling my name and New Year's festivities right around the corner, partaking in some delicious and healthy grapefruit seems like a great compromise. Check out grapefruit recipes, tips, and info, after the jump.... More

Ah, I realize I was being a little narrow-minded yesterday when Jesse G. asked if I would start a thread about sentimental favorite pizzerias. There my have been some folks champing at the bit to talk about non-pizza places. So here we go. [Photograph: Adam Kuban] A lot of us are home for the holidays or visiting family and friends in other cities right now. When you're home, what's your one must-visit vittles venue? Conversely, if you're a guest on someone else's turf, where did they drag you to show off the best of what their town has to offer?... More

AHT Christmas Miracle: When you are a burger fanatic like Damon Gambuto, a delicious burger at Columbo's Italian Steakhouse in Eagle Rock, California, is the ultimate Christmas present. Shaky Ground in New Brooklyn: Carey Jones samples the seasonally rotating menu at Roman's, an Italian-spirited restaurant in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. One of New York's Great Food Bargains: Finding a treat for $1 in NYC can be difficult but thrilling. Ed Levine finds a really good 75 cents peanut butter cookie and a $2 molten hot chocolate at City Bakery. Serious Breakfast: Ed Levine checks out the brunch scene at downtown New York City's Joseph Leonard's serves up a delicious menu by former Bouchon Bakery chef de cuisine Jim McDuffee.... More

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According to our handy site-metering utility, the top 10 most delicious items across the Serious Eats family of sites this week were ... 1. The Food Lab: How to Cook a Perfect Prime Rib "...When I buy a quality piece of beef—and honestly, does beef get any better than prime rib?—I have a great impetus not to mess it up, as do, I imagine, most of you. So this week, at the Food Lab, I've decided to get through a lifetime's worth of messings-up so that in the future I (and hopefully you, too!) will never again serve anything but a perfectly cooked roast...." 2. The Inaugural Serious Eats Cookie Swap "Nothing says the holidays like a table full of... More

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You thought we'd just forget, didn't you? No, no, no, girls and boys. Let The Year That Was 2009 commence! Today, the memes, themes, and schemes that shaped this year in food. (Don't worry, we're not going to go as nuts as last year.)... More

Every day through January 3 we're giving away a crazy good food item on Serious Eats. Try your luck, and if you win, you'll be eating some seriously delicious food come the new year. More

[Photograph: NASA.gov] What the astronauts eat as they watch Santa make his rounds: Q: Do you take requests from the astronauts? For holidays, or just in general?A: We can. For every month that the crewmember is in orbit they get what's called a bonus container and they can make special requests, if they have a special candy or cracker or cookie they want to take. But our standard menu includes a lot of traditional holiday foods. Smoked turkey, candied yams, green beans, freeze dried cornbread dressing. The Russian side has really good mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. So there are foods available for them to make a holiday menu, and if they know they're going to be in orbit... More

[©iStockphoto.com/lenta] I recently went to my first frat party. Woo-hoo! Where's the beer pong? Okay, it wasn't that kind of party. It was a Christmas party thrown by the guys of Alpha Sigma Phi for parents and alumni. There was a massive roast beef at a carving station, a raffle, and well-dressed folks bidding on auction items. I didn't stay long, though, because the holiday merriment sent me straight into a "Bah, Humbug"-like funk, dredging up the ghosts of Christmas parties past.... More

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[Photograph: Lucy Baker] A few months ago I sent my boyfriend to the liquor store to buy bourbon for a party we were hosting. We had decided to serve Maple Leaf cocktails instead of the usual beer and wine. "What kind should I get?" he asked. Southern Cream Liquor View the complete recipe here » "Nothing fancy. Go cheap," I said, figuring he would come back with a bottle of Elijah Craig or Jim Beam. Instead he returned with what can only be described as beneath-the-bottom-shelf liquor. We're talking plastic bottles and screw caps. Convinced that no amount of maple syrup could mask the inferior flavor, I shoved the bottle in the back of a cabinet and sent my... More

The 15-member Bowen Bottle Beer Band plays songs with beer bottles, of course. If their rendition of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" sounds too good to be real, their FAQ gives some details on how they make it happen (because...it's real). It doesn't mention whether they get drunk after a successful performance though. Watch the video after the jump.... More

Onepot's colcannon. [Photograph: onepot.wordpress.com] Last week over on the Weekend Cook and Tell we wanted to know how all of you were faring with the limited selection of produce available this time of year. Thankfully, no one has gotten scurvy, and all of your responses seem like everyone is cooking incredible meals with the limited fruits and vegetables that winter brings. Here are some of our cold weather favorites: Onepot made a loosely interpreted version of colcannon, an Irish dish for the winter solstice. Topping off this warm plate of cabbage, leeks, kale, and potatoes with a runny egg looks like an ideal cold weather meal. Using kale as a mere garnish seems like a waste to scotter who... More

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Nibbles Smoked and Spiced Nuts Giant Gougères Cheeseball Cauliflower and Chickpea Tapas with Parsley-Fennel Mayonnaise Sausage and Cheese Stuffed Peppers Duck Confit Sicilian Pizza Squares Mains The Perfect Prime Rib The Lee Bros. City Ham Steak with Red-Eye Gravy Alton Brown's Roast Turkey Apricot-Glazed Pork Tenderloin Martha Stewart's Rack of Lamb Sides Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing The Smoothest Mashed Potatoes Glazed Carrots Alice Waters' Long-Cooked Broccoli Pioneer Woman's Cranberry Sauce Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Candied Pepitas and Cider Vinegar Desserts 17 Sweets from the Serious Eaters Homemade Peppermint Patties Gina De Palma's Chewy Gingersnaps Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies Gingerbread Mad Men Eggnog Sandwich Cookies Chex Mix/M&M Bars Cook's Illustrated's Pumpkin Pie Apple Meringue Tipples Apple Wassail... More

I asked myself, flanked by holiday travelers ordering all manner of things from the Mad Men Joan-esque flight attendant, why we order what do we when we fly. More

[Photograph: Inhae Lee / My Milk Toof] The plump baby teeth stars of photo comic My Milk Toof get into the holiday spirit by making a gingerbread house. Or at least Lardee is making a house—Ickle looks on in horror, as the house bears no resemblance to his professional blueprints. Related Photo of the Day: Cute Teeth Eating Watermelon Video: How To Make an Easy Gingerbread House Environmentally Friendly Gingerbread House... More

[Photo: Chefscatalog.com] Considering that big families require big turkeys, and big turkeys require lots of oven time, baking space really comes at a premium at my house. Jewish as we are, Christmas day has become synonymous with Thanksgiving 2.0, and similarly, things get made days in advance so that the bird can roast on its own, unadulterated by the pies and potatoes that would otherwise try to nestle alongside it. Despite our planning, it's sometimes impossible to sidestep the inner-oven traffic jam, which is why I was excited to find this 3-Tier Oven Companion by Nifty ($19.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond).... More

"Lincolnshire red cabbage with apple and cranberries, slow braised in red wine and tawny port sauce." In print, that doesn't sound particularly tantalizing. Spoken by a breathy British female narrator over slow-motion footage of the cabbage being dropped out of a spoon, though, is another matter. This commercial from British retailer Marks & Spencer is probably the most food-porny Christmas-related video I've ever seen. Watch the video after the jump.... More

"As the only Serious Eats blogger in the contest, I had to represent." My Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie entry. Click here for the recipe » I've only been blogging for a few months now, so I was very surprised when Bon Appétit invited me to take part in their first ever Blog Envy Bake-Off on December 10. The first place prize was an all expenses paid trip to Las Vegas for the magazine's Vegas Uncork'd festival. Some of the other competition. To be totally honest, I didn't think I had any chance of winning. I felt like Anne Hathaway going up against Kate Winslet, Angelina Jolie, and Meryl Streep for Best Actress at last year's Academy Awards. Sure, I was... More

[Flickr: mariannaf] Paris-based food blogger Marianna of Swirl and Scramble shot a series of photographs called BAM! featuring dainty macarons being smashed by not-so-dainty tools. I can almost hear the macarons screaming for help. Of course, if I got my hands on the macarons, they'd meet a similar fate in my mouth. Related Macaron Glacé = Ice Cream Sandwich with Macarons and Gelato Mitzy's Macarons From New Jersey: The Best Macarons Outside of Paris Macaron Week Round-Up... More

[Photograph: bigdaikon.com] "These people hate Japan, bentos, especially charaben, and kids. They are English teachers in Japan. Surprising—not." http://bit.ly/7ZrCfk —@makiwi, referring to the forum this image was posted on There's some ugly sentiment in the discussion that Makiko Itoh (of Just Bento) links to in that tweet, but the Christmas-themed bento photo posted there is undeniably great. An Old Saint Nick made from rice, a hot dog reindeer, some other stuff I can't identify (is that an egg snowman?). What's not to love about this Japanese character bento (aka charaben)?... More

And goodwill toward men, y'all! [Card: Food Network Humor] LOL. Oh, boy. Food Network Humor's Food Network Christmas cards. See also: "Oh Come All Ye Flay-ful." [via @christellar]... More

If you don't watch ESPN, you may have missed this awesome commercial in which golf legend Arnold Palmer makes an Arnold Palmer in the ESPN cafeteria while SportsCenter's Scott van Pelt and Stuart Scott watch the meta awesomeness. The video's teed up (teaed up?), after the jump.... More

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Alas, they are but crumbs and memories today, but you can join us in reliving the first-ever Serious Eats Holiday Cookie Swap. With recipes! More

Sausage McMuffin. [Photograph: mcdonalds.com] From Nation's Restaurant News: "McDonald's began testing a breakfast-for-a-buck menu back in August in Chicago, and the new Dollar Menu reportedly will include the Sausage Burrito, the Sausage Biscuit, the Sausage McMuffin, a 12-ounce coffee, and a hash brown. At locations in Chicago, McDonald's had sold such $1 breakfast items as the Sausage Biscuit and Sausage McMuffin, a medium coffee, two hot cakes, two hash browns, and the Fruit 'N Yogurt Parfait." I admit to kind of loving the Sausage McMuffin with Egg and even the McGriddles, but I'm not sure I'd go for the plain ol' Sausage McMuffin. And it's kinda weird that a hash brown and a Sausage McMuffin, Burrito, or Biscuit will... More

[Photograph: TED] British chef and food TV personality Jamie Oliver has won the 2010 TED foundation prize. The prize grants him $100,000—and something much bigger: "a wish to change the world." He'll unveil the wish on February 10 at TED2010 and we, the TED community, will make it come true. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design; the foundation runs a series of conferences that promote "ideas worth spreading." I guess we'll see what new idea Oliver wants to spread in February. As you may recall, he's no stranger to good ideas. See School Dinners/Feed Me Better and the Fifteen Foundation. (For an idea of what a TED Talk is like, check out this video of Mark Bittman at a... More

Cook the Book: Nigella Christmas: Wrenlover, helcho, polly302, ashburke60, and SeattleDee. Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page. Thanks to all who entered.... More

Another Monday, another flowchart from Eating the Road. This time, Candy Edition. It's probably EtR's longest and most intense chart yet, with plenty of humorous decision points: "Were you searching in the couch cushions?" "Do you like eating toothpaste?" My one quibble with it is that it asks if you like "real" licorice and then directs you to black Red Vines. That ain't real licorice!... More

I love (non-alcoholic) eggnog, but I've never made it from scratch. An informal survey of the Serious Eats crew says that no one else in this office has made it at home either. What fools we are—this video from Howcast shows how easy it is. Watch the video after the jump.... More

"Every time I took a bite, I thought, so this is what a tortilla is supposed to taste like!" [Photographs: Brian Yarvin] The city of Oaxaca in southern Mexico is developing a global reputation as a culinary center. With cooking schools and markets filled with beautiful local ingredients in most neighborhoods and good restaurants on almost every block, this makes perfect sense. The place is a glorious mishmash of fine dining, cheap street corner taquerias, and market stall snack bars. No place combines all these different aspects at once like Itanoní Antojeria y Tortilleria, a small (and open to the stree) snack bar/restaurant that uses heirloom corn varieties to make extraordinary versions of very ordinary antojitos, those corn tortilla-based small... More

I love how the tempura bit looks like a root ball. [Photographs: Christian Seel/Alinea Mosaic] On the Alinea Mosaic forum, chef and photographer Christian Seel describes the technique and thinking behind Alinea's holiday-season tempura goose course. A layer of goose-infused stuffing is topped with a piece of cured and sous-vided goose breast, which is in turn topped off with an armagnac-plum purée. All that is skewered on a juniper sprig, battered, and fried in fat rendered earlier from the geese. The juniper is warmed in the salamander broiler just before serving to release its aroma. [via @gachatz]... More

Our gift-guide marathon continues. Still looking for that special something? Try our full complement of lists. —Ed. After putting together 17 holiday gift guides this year (for everyone from the peanut butter lover to the coffee drinker to the food t-shirt wearer), we decided to ask the Serious Eats crew to share their favorite kitchen gadgets, pans, books, and other food items they already have, love, and believe others would be pleased to receive too. Our picks, after the jump.... More

[Photo: Robyn Lee] Champion Cookie: The Serious Eats team continues to search for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie in New York, but to tide you over before the big reveal is a slide show of the top contenders. Domino's Gets A Makeover: Domino's has changed their pizza recipe. What's the difference? A crust with garlic herb seasoning and a sweeter and bolder sauce. A Beautiful Thing: A giant, warm, soft pretzel is always satisfying, and Ed Levine strikes a gold mine of them at Sigmund Pretzel Shop in New York. Dreamy Cocoa: Michael Nagrant indulges in a delicious cup of spicy hot chocolate from Xoco in Chicago. Timeless Burger: Daniel Zemans experiences a fantastic burger at Top Notch Beefburgers... More

[Photo: Melt Bar and Grilled] It's one thing to love grilled cheese—it's another to brand that love on your body. But the owners of cheesy sandwich shop Melt Bar and Grilled, in Lakewood, Ohio, offer a lifetime 25% discount to anyone who gets a grilled cheese tattoo. And nearby parlor Voodoo Monkey Tattoo kicks in a discount. Now that's what we call teamwork. [AP via Slashfood]... More

[Flickr: travellnfool55] In season October through February, persimmons are the golden delicious fruits that hang off the trees after the leaves drop in autumn. Often referred to as "the fruit of the Gods," persimmon trees can reach up to 70 feet in height. Persimmons, native to Japan and China, were first harvested in the United States in the 1850's and are now grown all over the world where the weather is warm enough.... More

[Photograph: Cute Overload] If you don't mind the bits of fur, cupcakes are much better when infused with puppy goodness. See the puppy curiosity unfold at Cute Overload. "It's Brass' spiritual nephew," said Ed. Related In Videos: Dog Resists Eating Cupcakes, Looks Insane Photo of the Day: Wiener Dog Photo of the Day: Patiently Waiting for a Drop of Those Cupcakes... More

[Original artwork: Hawk Krall] Past Weeks' Dogs Cincinnati Cheese Coney24th & Passyunk TruckTexas TommyPhilly Dirty Water DogChicago Dog Popular on the streets of Anchorage, Alaska, and slowly making its way across the country, this week we bring you the Reindeer Dog. Made from Alaskan caribou, these dogs are split and grilled and served on a steamed bun. The taste is similar to venison sausage but slightly less gamey. Standard condiments include grilled onions deglazed with Coca-Cola, mustard, and even cream cheese, Seattle-style. The reindeer franks come from two major Alaska purveyors: Indian Valley Meats, which makes natural casing dogs containing a mix of caribou and beef, and Alaska Sausage And Seafood, where the reindeer links are smoked and seasoned... More

I think there's a loose screw in my head because I nearly cried laughing watching this video of a fuzzy, grumpy-looking cat lump licking itself while at the dinner table. Admittedly, it's not even eating, but judging from the table spread it's preparing to indulge in some gyoza. And a glass of beer. And a cigarette. Watch the video after the jump.... More

ABC's Good Morning America Weekend is looking for kids who share a name with a celebrity chef for a holiday food competition on air. Note: The spelling of the kiddo's name does not have to match exactly (just the pronunciation). [via The Food Section] Related: 'Koodie': Another Term to Describe the Children of Food-Obsessed Parents... More

Click here for bigger. [Image: GOOD Magazine] GOOD Magazine reminds us that tap water may look clear and safe, but there could be a lot of nasty gunk hiding in there—and oftentimes it's legal. They've listed the top five cleanest and dirtiest U.S. water utilities. Among the cleanest: Arlington Water (Fort Worth, Texas) and Providence Water (Providence, Rhode Island) and, drum roll, the dirtiest: Emerald Coast Water Utility (Pensacola, Florida), City of Riverside Public Utilities (Riverside, California), and Las Vegas Valley Water District (Las Vegas). To check the safety of your faucet water, go here. Related Video: 'Look Around You - Water' Snapshots from Paris: Perrier with Smaller Bubbles Should Restaurants Charge for Filtered Water?... More

"There were so many damn tasty cookies on that table that for me it was the serious dieter equivalent of Improvised Explosive Diet Devices (IEDDs)." The IEDDs at the Cookie Swap. [Photograph: SE Flickr pool] Since I weigh in on Fridays I usually plan my eating week so that Thursdays are given over to kelp, miso, and vegetables. Hey, I'm no dummy. I don't want to embarrass myself when I jump on Thinner the next morning. I'm just not that into public humiliation. But this past holiday week I must admit,things got away from me scheduling-wise. Wednesday Carey put on the SENY chocolate chip cookie finals. The cookies with the 11 highest scores in the preliminary rounds were gathered on... More

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When I buy a quality piece of beef—and honestly, does beef get any better than prime rib?—I have a great impetus not to mess it up, as do, I imagine, most of you. So after years of mess-ups, it's time to learn the secrets of a perfectly cooked prime rib (in all its juicy medium-rare with deep brown crust glory). More

Since September, I've been prepping in Darlene's cozy kitchen at the University of Washington, playing a minor role in getting meals out for the 70 perpetually hungry guys at Alpha Sigma Phi. Matt Hansen serving pot roast with au gratin potatoes. [Photograph: Leslie Kelly] Finals are over. Fall quarter's finished. And frat house cook Darlene Barnes has earned straight A's for her from-scratch fare made with sustainable, mostly organic ingredients. Each week, Darlene posts menus on her blog and on the fridge in the dining hall. I don't think she repeated a dinner the entire quarter. The Alpha Sigs experienced a season of first tastes. Grits, collards, braised Lacinato kale, beautiful oven-braised short ribs, brie baked in puff pastry and... More

Each week we round up our favorite posts and recipes from our friends at The Kitchn. This week, the Kitchn creates a bundt cake pan by setting a ramekin in the middle of a cake pan, a trick they picked up from Michael Ruhlman's book Ratio. Also on the Kitchn, ten toast appetizers, making breakfast rolls the night before, and two great recipes for holiday sweets: pistachio brittle and peppermint molten chocolate cakes.... More

Don't know a peanut-person? Try our full complement of lists. —Ed. Do you have a real "nut" in your life that you find it hard to shop for? Look no further than these creative gifts for the peanut and peanut butter lover in your life. Sir Francis Bacon Peanut Brittle: Crispy and crunchy, sweet and salty, in a fun package that is sure to elicit smiles all around. Available online at baconpeanutbrittle.com, $15.95 PB&J Sandwich Cookies: Okay, so you can't buy these anywhere (you have to make them yourself), but if you're looking for an edible gift for someone, these are the cookies to bake for them. Recipe and full instructions available online at thepartyworks.com, free! Peanut Butter & Jelly... More

Making a gingerbread house shouldn't be intimidating; just cut out some cookies and stick them together with icing. Admittedly, there are a bunch of steps in between, but that's the idea. These tips from Howcast should help you out. Watch the video after the jump.... More

Another day, another iPhone app. This one is from the folks at StillTasty, the website that tells you how long stuff in your pantry, fridge, and freezer will last. The StillTasty iPhone app costs $1.99 and is available in the iTunes App Store now. Like the website, you simply browse the iPhone app by category of foodstuff, tap the screen to tell it where you're keeping the item, and then get an estimate of how long it should last and the best way to store it. In addition to the info you'd find on the website, the app allows you to set expiration alerts for your items and to create shopping lists if you find an item ain't tasty... More

[Photograph: Nikki Goldstein] I love Hanukkah foods, but I'd much rather eat them at someone else's house than make them myself. Who likes having their home smell like fried food for days after the feast's ended? Show of hands? I thought not. This odor-absorbing splatter screen by Farberware ($12.99 at Platzgraff) caught my eye a few months ago, and with Hanukkah as an excuse, I decided to finally give it a whirl. With a carbon filter woven in between the mesh of the splatter screen, it's meant to neutralize odors as they emit from the pan. Straightforward chemistry at work.... More

Note: Last week Jillian from Food Network Humor shared her hilarious food television commentary on the Top Chef finale. This week she's back with her take on last night's reunion episode. [Images: Jillian Madison] Another year, another Top Chef reunion special! This year's reunion was a lot like this season: boring, predictable, and splattered with Michael Voltaggio's smug commentary (tonight's addition: "I planned on taking Bryan out a little bit earlier than I did!") And so, without further ado, here are the 6 most memorable moments from the Las Vegas reunion special.... More

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Russet vs. Yukon Gold: Does it really matter? Russet potato. [Flickr: sea turtle] [Photograph: kitchenhacker.net] Po-tate-oh, po-tot-oh? Or do you believe certain types of potatoes make better latkes than others? According to kitchenhacker.net, between Russet and Yukon Gold, it all came down to nostalgia: The Yukon Gold had a bit more of a yellow color to them, but other than that I couldn't really tell them apart by sight. I am generally a fan of Yukon Gold potatoes, but I was worried that they wouldn't fry up as nicely as the Russets (of which I am less of a fan). The consistency of the two latkes, though, was remarkably similar. They each had a crispy browned outside and a creamy... More

Last week's Weekend Cook and Tell challenge wasn't much of a challenge at all, at least not in the cooking department. We asked all of you to share your favorite cookbooks of 2009, and the biggest challenge seemed to be picking a favorite. Here are some of the books that proved to be the most popular, useful, and fun: LetThemEatQueso won Seven Fires in one of our Cook the Book contests, the handsome gaucho chef/author and wonderful Argentine grilling recipe made this book a quick favorite. CatBoy's number one book of this year is Sheila Lukin's Ten, her final book devoted to America's favorite foods. Both HJR and Both mcwolfe chose Jim Lahey's My Bread for that no-knead bread... More

The iPhone app based on author Michael Ruhlman's book Ratio is now available in the Apple App Store. I've downloaded it and messed around with it. It's a pretty handsome and very well thought-out lil' app. I think I'm going to put it to the test tonight in preparing cookies for our office cookie swap tomorrow.... More

Serious eaters, I was devastated and shocked when I arrived at World Headquarters today and asked the folks if they knew what a Chunky was. Only one of the five other serious eaters here knew what I was talking about. So, without looking or googling, do you know what a Chunky is? I'll clear up the mystery for you, after the jump.... More

Can two dwarf chocolatiers produce 600 chocolate dice (bigger than they are) for a casino night party? Well now you can finally find out. On December 21, TLC will premiere Little Chocolatiers, a one-hour special about husband-and-wife little people Steve and Katie Hatch of Hatch Family Chocolates in Salt Lake City. After this first episode—where the two will run into some trouble when the shop's air conditioner malfunctions (drama!)—the show will continue as a six-part series in 2010. (Will TLC somehow find six other chocolatier dwarf couples? Unclear.) They haven't released any previews yet but Eat Me Daily dug up this three-minute video on the couple. You know you want to watch it.... More

[Photograph: Bravo] The rise of Top Chef's Voltaggio brothers has gotten me thinking about other prominent chef siblings. The stoic, talented BroVos have just launched a blog and in a few post-Top Chef interviews they've mentioned the possibility of working together in the future. Have other chef sibs succeeded in business together? Definitely. Bob and David Kinkead Bob's a well-known chef based in Washington D.C., David in Massachusetts—already they have a 5-year-old Boston restaurant called Sibling Rivalry. Too bad they got their hands on that name before the Voltaggios. Nothing could be more fitting after their intense neck-in-neck competition in Vegas. The Kinkeads' menu concept is interesting: it showcases dueling interpretations of each ingredient. For example, David's duck entree:... More

Don't know a spicy food freak? Try our full complement of lists. —Ed. Look no further when you need a spicy gift to jazz up the holidays. These are our favorites from the past year, from zesty food products to cookware and apparel that captures the chilehead pride. Chile Pepper Lights: Help Santa find the way to those cookies with these chile lights to decorate the Christmas tree and show off that spicy spirit. Available online at sunland.com; $14.50 Chile Mouse:A chile pepper in the hand is worth two in the belly with this cute (and comfortable) mouse, compatible with all computers. Available online at mousenvy.com; $30 DualSoaper: As someone who is constantly rushing to the sink to wash my... More

Tune into today's episode of the news show The Takeaway where Ed shares five holiday party planning tips and some delicious cookie recipes.... More

On the premiere episode of Cookalong Live, Gordon Ramsay promised to do what no person before him has ever done: no, not open a bag of Lay's potato chips and proceed to eat just one, but teach America how to cook a three-course meal. On live television. In one hour. Sure the show was mildly entertaining, but overall, it was a trainwreck. More

Sure, Top Chef is over, and "Single Ladies" and attendant YouTube dance-alongs are so last year, but you can still get a kick out of this vid. You can safely scrub ahead to 1:10 in, where the action starts. Complete with oven mitt standing in for the Sasha Fierce glove. Yum, yum, yum, after the jump.... More

Or, as the Brits would say, I guess, veg. The London Eye, Parliament, Big Ben, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Gherkin, and Tower Bridge. See the making of, after the jump.... More

[Photograph: SeriesNemo] O Candybaum: A clever Advent calendar–like candy gift box (above) from Spanish design house SeriesNemo. [SeriesNemo via The Dieline] Chez Cubicle: A guide to eating at your desk. [WSJ] Rugelach: A tutorial. [AFC] Book 'Em: NYU gets Gourmet's cookbook library. [NYT] Latkchos: You guessed it. Latkes+nachos. Mazel tov! [Nachos NY] RIP: Michael Polakovs, creator of Ronald McDonald, 86. [Telegraph via The Awl] Julie & Julia: Film receives two Golden Globe nominations. [Eater] Foodblog Flap: Heated words from SimplyRawRecipes as that site's owner compares Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes to Monsanto. [FocusOrganic.com] A Macaron Blog! New site looks promising. Lots of mac info. [MACTWEETS]... More

From Mary & Matt, the same people who brought you the Chocolate Pie Chart, this Milk to White chocolate bar is almost too pretty to eat. [via Kottke]... More

But have a gander anyhow. The Ice Cream Sandwich Bench, $950, from Fun by Design. [via Josh Spear]... More

Our gift-guide marathon continues. Don't know a baking-mix maven? Try our full complement of lists. —Ed. Though from-scratch kitchen projects can be very rewarding (and delicious), sometimes the shortcuts are just too good. These throw-it-together mixes—ranging from cider donuts to funnel cake, brownies, and flan—make great gifts. Stonewall Kitchen Eggnog Pancake and Waffle Mix: A breakfast flavored with all the ingredients traditionally found in the holiday drink—except the booze. Remedy that by serving them drizzled with maple syrup warmed in a saucepan with a tablespoon or two of bourbon or rum. Available online at stonewallkitchen.com, $5.99 Dean Jacobs Funnel Cake Kit Perfect for kids (or carnies). With two cake mixes, powdered sugar topping, a funnel cake pitcher, frying ring, tongs,... More

More Bourdain for you today. The blog Grub Street talked to the man it's calling "the elder statesman of food" about Medium Raw, a Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and and the People Who Cook, his sequel to Kitchen Confidential: I guess I'm less interested in being cruel or malicious just for the sake of a laugh. I mean ... Sandra Lee is pretty low hanging fruit. On the other hand, one of the reasons I've been so unpleasant on the subject of Alice Waters is that I suspect she's right about most things—in principle, anyway. The disconnect between message and messenger seems to be what drives me batty. Hmm, mellowing with age? Maybe not. Bourdain says he... More

You might have learned how to tell when your pan is hot enough in home-ec class: just observe a water droplet or two on the pan's surface and wait for it to bead up and roll across the hot pan. But did you know this trick has a name? It's called the Leidenfrost Effect. Ideally, you want a mercury-like ball of water to hover over the pan, which happens at 320°F or the Leidenfrost point. The water should evaporate more slowly than it would at lower temperatures but if many tiny bubbles form, that means the pan is too hot. This neato two-minute video from Rouxbe, the online cooking school, explains the very good life knowledge. Watch it, after... More

The blog Eat Me Daily hips us to the premiere issue of Fire & Knives, a new quarterly magazine out of the UK: ...some of the best writing we've come across in a while. Standouts include the unpublished review of a Fanny Cradock book by Elizabeth David, pieces by Oliver Thring, Matthew Fort, Tom Parker Bowles, [the Guardian's] Tim Hayward himself, and a satirical restaurant review by "The Gastrician." A subscription is £20. If you're based in the U.S., shipping is an additional £20 (for a total of about US$65).... More

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"We had to remove a few outdated recipes, like one for a Mushroom and Banana Salad." 'I Know How to Cook' Recipes Eggs in AspicBeef Carbonade with HerbsPain d'Epice (Spice Bread)Apple MeringueAlmond Macaroons Je Sais Cuisiner by Ginette Mathiot, first published in the 1930s, is pretty much the bible of French cooking. You'll see it on kitchen shelves throughout France, usually faded with boeuf bourguignon-stained pages. For the first time, the giant, super comprehensive text has been published in English thanks to translating help from Clotilde Dusoulier, the voice behind the now six-year-old food blog Chocolate & Zucchini. It's a doorstopper of a book (no beach read here) but filled with classic preparations, hand-holding instruction, and charming illustrations by Blexbolex.... More

Our gift-guide marathon continues. Still looking for that special something? Try our full complement of lists. —Ed. My wardrobe is about 75% T-shirts. If your fashion aesthetic is similar to mine, here are some food-related shirts you may enjoy. (Note: Not all shirts may ship in time for Christmas. Check with individual websites.) Coffee: If you can relate to this Toothpaste for Dinner comic, this shirt's for you. And then maybe you should do a caffeine detox or something. Available online at Sharing Machine, $16 Wanna Eat: I love designer Genevieve Gauckler and all her rotund, fuzzy creatures. Available online at 2K, $35 Gelati Dreams: I wish my dreams about gelato looked this cool. I'm going to tell myself that... More

Cook the Book: The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion: 07violet, stonybuff, klustila, Schoonology, and katydid6. Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page. Thanks to all who entered.... More

Nigella Lawson might not be a household name here in America but across the pond in Britain she's one of the country's most recognized and beloved food celebrities. Growing up in an affluent political family, Lawson graduated from Oxford with a degree in journalism. She got her start writing cookery columns for Vogue, Gourmet, and Bon Appetit. Her first venture into cookbook writing, How to Eat, cemented her approachable, easy-going, and oftentimes sensual cooking style. Lawson showed her fans it was possible for a working mom (or mum as the case may be) to save time and hassle when cooking without compromising flavor and pleasure. Lawson's celebrity blossomed with the publication of her second book, How to Be a... More

If you're not in the mood for pie, you will be after watching Michael Gebert's latest episode of Sky Full of Bacon that takes us behind the scenes at Chicago's beloved pie shop Hoosier Mama. Owner Paula Haney and her staff make pies the old fashioned way with all-butter crusts filled with local, seasonal ingredients, and revive recipes from the 19th and early 20th-century (oatmeal pie, anyone?). Haney talks about how she started the business, how she makes pie, and her thoughts about the pie lifestyle. Watch the video after the jump.... More

Jillian of Food Network Humor rounds up some of the gifts that you should not buy, unless you want to lose friends. Among them: a Paula Deen Makes Pot Roast doll ("Why is that pot roast growing out her stomach? It looks like a tumor I saw on ER once.") and KFC's Colonel Sanders salt and pepper shakers. For less cringe-inspiring gifts, check out some of our recommendations here. Related: Talk: Worst Foodie Gift Ever?... More

Note: It's time for another edition of Street Food Profiles. This week we scoot to Southern California for melty cheese sandwiches on wheels. [Art: Misha Nonyabusiness] Name: The Grilled Cheese Truck Vendors: CEO (Cheese Executive Officer) Michele Grant and chef Dave Danhi Twitter: @grlldcheesetruk What's on the menu? Grilled cheese sandwiches of course! And soup and tater tots. Check out the whole menu here. Location and hours? All over Los Angeles. Right now we're focusing on lunch with some dinner and late-night service thrown in as well. How long have you been street fooding? We're brand new—just a month. How has Twitter affected business? We love Twitter! It's been our main means of getting the word out ever since we... More

Our gift-guide marathon continues. Still looking for that special something? Try our full complement of lists. —Ed. If you know someone trying to make a few lifestyle changes, these ten healthy eating gifts could land you on the Nice list. Hot Sauce of the Month Club: Imagine it: the king of low-cal condiments, delivered to a loved one's doorstep every month. Their eggs, burritos, and chilis could never thank you enough. Available online at Amazingclubs.com, $203.40 for 12 months, $75.80 for four times a year So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week: Food Network's Ellie Krieger has the right idea about eating right, without ever resorting to deprivation or frankenfoods. Her newest tome concentrates on quickly... More

Love or hate them, Peeps are big-deal enough to get their own retail store in Oxon Hill, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. You can finally bring your fetish of the squishy marshmallow chicks (and snowmen, bats, and reindeer—they've moved onto all holidays) to the next level with ginormous plush dolls, shiny figurines, bath toys, and other paraphernalia you clearly need. Now, if only they had a reserve collection in the basement cellar of stale Peeps. Take a video tour of the store, after the jump.... More

Note: Our gift-guide marathon continues. Still looking for that special something? Try our full complement of lists. —Ed. [Flickr: Or Hiltch] As you start brainstorming how to check off each person on your holiday list, here are some tips, tricks, and ideas on how to make those presents just a little greener. 1. Give Homemade or Teach a Skill [Flickr: ndrwfgg] You can't get much more local than your own kitchen. Try using local jam in your thumbprint cookies this year or organic flour in your cakes for an extra sustainable kick. Think about what you know and give lessons. Got some oven chops? Give an aspiring baker the gift of your time and know-how by baking your famous cardamom... More

[Photo: Robyn Lee] As I type this, I can smell the pancetta, garlic, and ground beef of my boyfriend's famous Sunday Ragu browning in the kitchen. (It's all I can do not to run in there and start eating the half-cooked sauce with a huge wooden spoon.) It's his one fall-back recipe, picked up from a few months living in Bologna, and it's become a Sunday tradition. We have the time to let it bubble for hours. He usually has extra red wine that wants to be finished. And as hungry as we are, there are always leftovers, perfect for a quick mid-week dinner. For me, Sunday's the perfect time for cooking projects—no standing plans, no need to go... More

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[Photo: Robin Bellinger] No Fail Veggie Sandwich: Sandwiches without meat can be dull, mushy, and a total dissapoinment. Nick Kindelsperger takes matters into his own hands with this tasty roasted beet, goat cheese, and avocado sandwich. AMC is for Cookie: Even though Mad Men is in between seasons, get your fix of Don, Betty, and Joan with these adorable Mad Men cookies brought to you by Cakespy. Nuns Like Sweets Too: Who knew that nuns could be such an inspiration in the kitchen? Here's a recipe forcanelés, delicate and delicious French custard cakes. Eat For Eight Bucks: If you are pinching pennies, your stomach doesn't have to suffer. Get economical and chow down on Robin Bellinger's recipe for pasta... More

[Photo: Robyn Lee] In Good Hands: Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, and Mark Ladner's Del Posto has a new $29 prix-fixe lunch menu that includes three courses of the finest Italian fare that New York has to offer. Ed Levine has nothing but praise for the "grounded, focused, and crazy good" food. Top 5: Bill and Cheryl Jamison dish on their top five burgers in Santa Fe. What kind of burger do they go for? "A succulent burger that has a good proportion of crisp surface to juicy insides—although not so juicy that the bun dissolves—and doesn't exceed 10 ounces." An Epic Tale: Adam Kuban finally gets around to recounting his every bite at pizza temple Pizzeria Bianco. A Bistro... More

[Image: Chick-fil-A] If you like puns, classic literature, and highly stylized photos of cows representing classic literature, the Chick-fil-A 2010 Cow Calendar is for you. Comes free with purchase of a $20 gift card, and each month comes with a different coupon. Related Profile of Chick-fil-A Founder S. Truett Cathy Throwdown: Chick-fil-A vs. McDonald's Southern Style Chicken Serious Sandwiches: Chick-Fil-A's Chick-n-Minis... More

[Flickr: Esteban Cavrico] In season from October through March, turnips are a root vegetable characterized by a white spherical shape, a crowning blush of purple, and a leafy green stem. First cultivated in prehistoric times, turnips gained popularity during the Middle Ages as a main vegetable for the poor. Turnip recipes, tips, and ideas, after the jump.... More

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According to our handy site-metering utility, the top 10 most delicious items across the Serious Eats family of sites this week were ... 1. The Food Lab: The Importance of Resting Meat "You mean I have to wait before I can tuck into that perfectly charred ribeye? Unfortunately, yes. Here's why." 2. Peanut Butter + Cookie Dough Tube = Genius "The phone rang the other day. It was my mother. Those of you who have read my posts before may recall that while I'm more of a from-scratch kind of guy, my mother is more, well semi-homemade...." 3. French Macarons Coming Soon to Starbucks "The 12-piece macaron boxes made in France by Château Blanc will only be sold for a... More

With Hanukkah starting tonight, it's time to talk jelly doughnuts. The Jewish holiday is all about fried foods since the oil symbolizes the miracle of the Temple oil that burned for eight nights. But unfortunately, jelly doughnuts can get eclipsed by the latke—maybe because they usually suck. They seem great in theory but are often a tasteless wad of dough filled with stop sign red slime. But the half-Jewish side of me squealed when I found this perfect jelly doughnut at Almondine bakery in Brooklyn. After the jump, a little spin on the jelly doughnut. Hint: bunnies are involved.... More

Our gift-guide marathon continues. Still looking for that special something? Try our full complement of lists. —Ed. Zojirushi 5-1/2-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker: Not only does this model have a larger 5-cup capacity, but it also comes with more features than the 3-cup model. White rice can be set to be "regular," "softer," or "harder." Sweet (glutinous) rice and semibrown rice are additional options. This model also happens to be the only Zojirushi rice cooker that's equipped with the "reheating cycle." Available online at cooking.com, $194.95 Bamboo Steamer: Those who have only steamed with stainless steel racks or inserts will appreciate the difference a bamboo steamer makes. Wicking off excess moisture, the wood naturally absorbs the droplets of water that... More

"The short, stubby franks are smaller than the bun to hold in the ridiculous amounts of chili, fresh onions, and finely shredded mild cheddar cheese." [Original artwork and photographs: Hawk Krall] Past Weeks' Dogs Pastrami DogDanish Hot Dog24th & Passyunk TruckTexas TommyPhilly Dirty Water DogChicago Dog You might think we just featured Coneys, but don't say that to anyone from Detroit, where mounds of cheese are as much of a "hot dog crime" as ketchup. As regional food guru Calvin Trillin famously said: "Anybody who doesn't think that the best hamburger place in the world is in his hometown is a sissy." And I'd say the same goes for hot dogs. Cheese Coneys are a unique piece of the Greek... More

There's so much going on in Talk week to week that we almost can't keep up. If you're in the same boat, here's a small selection of topics and responses that have piqued our interest this week. Worst Foodie Gift Ever? At least it's not snakes. "Great topic! Too many to remember, but the the worst were... Horrible and unnaturally bright red fudge with blue sparkles on top—the cousin who gave me this last Christmas bragged that her 5-year-old picked out the gift (gee, thanks!), and the best yet..A can of monkey brains with recipes included! (from an ex-boyfriend from his trip to Africa)." —Italiancupcake Best Foodie Gift Ever? "When we were dating, DH made a butcherblock table for me... More

Note: Pitmaster Robbie Richter will be checking in every week with a recap of Thursday night's TLC BBQ Pitmasters show. Take it away, Robbie! TLC's second episode of BBQ Pitmasters, a new reality show about the barbecue competition subculture, ran last night and the premise was pretty crazy: to hold the Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) and Memphis Barbecue Network (MBN) on the same day. Combining these two already rigorous contests requires the teams to cook and submit seven different blind judging boxes and entertain nine on-site judges over the course of four hours. Having cooked in over 70 contests across 14 states, I have competed in both the KCBS and MBN. Shoot, I have even competed in KCBS contests... More

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"No self-respecting bubbe would be caught dead with a store-bought latke mix." Manischewitz (left), homemade (center), Gefen (right). [Photographs: Lucy Baker] I think we can all agree that boxed mixes for latkes are completely unnecessary. If you can't grate a couple of potatoes and an onion, beat in an egg, add a few tablespoons of flour (or matzo meal), and fry the mixture in a skillet, then you don't have much business being in the kitchen. But latke mixes do exist, and each year around Hanukkah they begin to pop up on grocery store shelves alongside bottles of sweet Kedem wine and mesh bags of chocolate gelt. Last weekend I made a trip out to a kosher grocery store on... More

[Photograph: Not Martha] As part of The Ultimate Baker's Dozen Christmas Cookie Exchange, Megan Reardon of Not Martha made this gingerbread partridge in a pear tree made of interlocking gingerbread pieces for the tree and partridge, and royal icing for the details. You can read the recipes and download the patterns at Not Martha. Related How to Make Creepy Meat Hands Photo of the Day: Crawly Spider Cakes How to Bake Pies in Tiny Jars For an Edible Container, Try Bacon Bowls... More

When Julie Powell, the Julie part of Julie & Julia, was reaching a rough patch of her marriage, she turned to butchery. What better way to vent all that aggressive marital tension than through hacking animal carcasses, right? Her book Cleaving came out last week and in this video, she talks about all the relationship metaphors—the cutting, the cleaving, the hurting—while butterflying a leg of lamb (compliments of rockstar Brooklyn butcher Tom Mylan of The Meat Hook). "I put [butchery] in the same class, this is going to sound strange, as say, knitting or gardening. There's something rote about it and yet it engages your mind and creativity, and it focuses on you," says Powell. Watch the video, after... More

Each week we round up our favorite posts and recipes from our friends at The Kitchn. This week, the Kitchn makes a batch of Hungarian root veggie bread dumplings from the new cookbook The Dumpling: A Seasonal Guide (yes, a whole book devoted to dumplings!). Also on the Kitchn, DIY gingerbread lattes, rum-raisin-almond brioche, tips for scrubbing sticky pots, and snapshots from the Guy Fieri Road Show.... More

[Photograph: Leslie Kelly] My cooking career might be toast. None other than uber-chef Thomas Keller stuck a fork in me earlier this week. I got a chance to chat with the chef while he was signing copies of Ad Hoc At Home at the University Bookstore in Seattle, telling him the quickie version of my journey from writing restaurant reviews to working in kitchens. "How do you like it?" he asked. "It's so hard," I said, my feet throbbing after finishing a shift at Alpha Sigma Phi. "Well, then, you must not be doing it right," he said. "It's not brain surgery." Ouch. Now, he didn't say this in a cruel way. Later, in front of a standing room only... More

From Alie and Georgie, the ladies who brought you The McNuggetini and The Ham Daiquiri, comes The Bloody Bacon and Cheese, a cocktail that combines "the comfort of condensed tomato soup with the warmth of hard alcohol." Condensed tomato soup flavored with garlic salt, pepper, and horseradish is mixed with sun dried tomato-infused vodka and presented in a glass rimmed with tomato soup-bound fried bacon bits. And don't forget about the final garnish: grilled cheese sandwich wedges. Watch the video after the jump.... More

Our gift-guide marathon continues. Don't know a boozer? Try our full complement of lists. —Ed. If your loved ones are into beer and wine, you can always pick them up a bottle (or six) of something special. But traveling with liquids these days is tricky, so we thought we'd come up with a few other gifts for lovers of fine beverages. For the Wine Devotee Vinturi Wine Aerator: This gadget helps open up young wines, mellowing out the flavor by exposing the wine to air. It's perfect whether you're opening a 2000 Bordeaux or a $5 Malbec from the bargain bin. Available online at vinturi.com, $39.95 Built Bags: Carry your bottles in style with these insulated bags. They're perfect for... More

[Photograph: Sur La Table] There's something really lovely about baked goods that are perfectly shaped, portioned, and decorated—if you ask me, they're the only kinds of treats worth gifting. That's where my silicone Wilton Brownie Bites Mold ($9.95 at Sur La Table)—which, ironically, has never been used to make brownies—comes into play, . Any serious baker can extol the virtues of silicone anything in the kitchen—it can do anything and go anywhere, and I'm a fan of putting that to good use. Want bite-size ice cream sandwiches to round out your holiday dinner? Pour the cookie dough into the mold, and while the outside layers are on cooling racks, press ice cream into the exact same shape. You'll end... More

Note: We're always giggling at what Jillian over at Food Network Humor, has to say about Ina, Paula, Rachael, Giada, Guy, and the gang. We asked her to share her predictably hilarious food television commentary for last night's Top Chef finale. Take it away, Jillian! Is it just me, or did this seem like the longest season of Top Chef ever? I feel like I've been watching it since the Clinton administration! In any event, tonight's finale pitted the lovable, talented Kevin Gillespie against the robotic Voltaggio brothers, who may quite possibly be distant relatives of Vicki from Small Wonder. The episode opened with the guys eating breakfast in their hotel room. They all looked terribly bored, so either they... More

[Photograph: The Pancake Project] "Leggo My Eggo!" is an awesomely gruesome depiction of Eggo's popular catchphrase made with a pancake hand, Eggo waffle, and jam. For more creative pancakes, visit The Pancake Project. Related Phoenix: Impossibly Airy, Amazingly Awesome Pancakes at Matt's Big Breakfast Behold the ChefStack Automatic Pancake Maker Pancake Font The Perfect Pancake Formula... More

How exactly are you supposed to eat this again? [Photograph: Josh Bousel] In an interview with The Seattle Times, Guy Fieri talks about his strategy for eating squirting-all-over-the-place foods. With messy food, or foods with a lot of sauce, you do "The Hunch." I learned it in Philly, watching the dudes in suits eat cheesesteaks. You keep your elbows above your hands because if you don't, the grease runs down your sleeve to your elbow. [Oh, and by the way] Contrary to popular belief, I eat all types of food. Fried food is my least favorite. Me, I'm thankful I don't have a beard. That sounds even more stressful (and probably not a good look for me). I try... More

Onepot's baklava. [Photograph: onepot.wordpress.com] For last week's Weekend Cook and Tell challenge we asked you what kinds of homemade gifts you were baking, making, canning, and wrapping up to share with friends and family this year. Everyone offered amazing gift ideas. Here are some of our most creative and generous responses. Onepot has made a holiday tradition out of baking baklava for friends and family. This year the lucky gift recipients will also be getting hazelnut, chocolate, black lava salt cookies. Taking a cue from the smoking at home without a smoker thread over in Talk, dmcavanagh is smoking different cheeses. therealchiffonade likes to give mixes as gifts complete with helpful instructions. She's also a big fan of these... More

BroVos: The Top Chef finalists launched a website today after this Washington Post live chat. Hmmm, inn-ter-essting. [Voltaggio Brothers] Bocuse d'Or USA: 12 U.S. finalists named for the Feb. 2010 competition. [R&I] Paula Deen's Entertaining Tips: "Pick up a box of cake mix. You can spruce it up by substituting the water in the recipe with juice or coffee." [AP] Food Swaps: People make big batches of food; they trade it. [Globe and Mail] Trix: General Mills cutting sugar in kiddie cereals. [AP] Soy Is Safe: Turns out it doesn't cause breast cancer. [LAT] Whine: Paris's Tour d'Argent auctions off 18,000 bottles of wine from its legendary cellars to help ride out recession. [NPR]... More

[Photograph: Robyn Lee] Telegraph reports the results of a survey conducted by OnePoll of 4,000 British people on their favorite smells. Number one: freshly baked bread. Other favorite food smells include freshly ground coffee, vanilla, chocolate, fish and chips, and bacon frying. Perfumeries, get cracking on a freshly baked bread scent. [via Neatorama]... More

When you eat 12 to 14 meals a week out in a restaurant, your fridge gets a little ignored. For dining critic Tom Sietsema the few contents include: peanut butter, bottles of bubbly, M&Ms souvenirs from the White House, and oatmeal with flax seed. (Wait, oats need to be refrigerated?) He also keeps a stash of his top-secret pseudonym credit cards in a fridge drawer. Hint to Washington D.C. restaurants: Sietsema is the one paying with cold cards! Sadly we never get to see his face in the video. The camera crew does a pretty impressive job zeroing in on his hands and black jacket sleeve only. Take a fridge tour after the jump.... More

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Note: Lee Zalben, a.k.a. "the Peanut Butter Guy" is the creator of the Peanut Butter & Co., a New York sandwich shop with a national line of nut butters. Every week he chimes in with some nuttiness. The Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies View the complete recipe here » The phone rang the other day. It was my mother. Those of you who have read my posts before may recall that while I'm more of a from-scratch kind of guy, my mother is more, well semi-homemade. "We're doing the office cookie swap next week, and I thought I should bring in some peanut butter cookies. Did you know that if you take a tube Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough and mix... More

Don't know a food plush-person? See our other gift guides. —Ed. It's easy to get me a gift: as long as it's soft and cute, I will probably love it. If you know other people with the same childlike mindset (hey, it's that mindset that allows me to amp this site up with cuteness), one of these food-related plush toys should make them happy this holiday. Note: Not all plush toys are safe for children. Check each item for age recommendations. The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck Ice Cream Cone Ornament: The New York City-based Big Gay Ice Cream Truck teamed up with crocheted toy-maker Alicia Kachmar to make this happy rainbow-colored ice cream cone ornament. Also check out Alicia's... More

Who will it be? Friendly, Muppet-resembling Kevin Gillespie or the stone-faced Voltaggio brothers (Bryan and Michael), who, in all fairness, have both been cracking a few more smiles of late. More

Mmm, Mmmm, Oooooh: 10 biggest FN foodgasms of 2009. [FNH, above] If You Got 'Em: Smoke 'em. It's good for business, say bars that ignore cigarette bans. [USAT] Dirty Water: Millions in U.S. drink contaminated H2O. [NYT] Food Fight: "Throwing food at people has a long, messy history." [Gawker] Meaty Topic: Former food critic Frank Bruni and author Jonathan Safran Foer talk about the ethics of eating animals. [SENY] Fiery Footsteps: A map of N.M.'s "Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail." [AHT] Cooking and Baking: "What 8-quart stock pot should I buy?" [Talk] Food Network Premiere: Worst Cooks in America to debut January 3. [Eater] Worst Fortune Cookie Ever: Are you a real patriot? [Cold Mud]... More

If you know some gluten-free folks who love food and are wondering what to get for them? You might like some of these ideas. More

Michael Ruhlman's Ratio is coming to the iPhone in the form of an app due out as soon as the Apple App Store can test and approve it. What it comprises: "The 32 critical ratios that form the backbone of the culinary arts, with instructions: doughs, batters, meat preparations, custards, sauces," along with an ingredient calculator, an ounces-to-grams converter, and, this being an iPhone, "ways to share your cooking on Twitter and Facebook." Ruhlman's site doesn't indicate a price, but he's mentioned on Twitter that he thinks "$4.99 is appropriate." [via Eat Me Daily]... More

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You may have the basic sugar cookie recipe down, but how do you make your holiday cookies look pretty? Howcast gives some simple cookie decorating tips. Watch the video after the jump.... More

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[Photograph: pauladeen.com] The latest installment of McSweeney's "Short Imagined Monologues" series gives us an idea of what a pole-dancing lesson with Paula Deen might be like: OK now, you're going to grab on to your pole about head-height, swing yourselves out and WRAP your body around the pole—that's right, just wrap yourself around it like a slice of bacon 'round an ear of sweet corn. Good, y'all! Now kick up that outside leg and float around to the ground ... nice and light, just like you're folding mayonnaise into sour cream. That's it! Related Mixed Review: Paula Deen's Sweet Potato Biscuits Paula Deen's Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes Paula Deen is Trying to Kill Us, Parts 1, 2, 3, 4,... More

[Flickr: mag3737] What Is a Cookie Swap? Pretty much just what it sounds like: a gathering where cookie swappage takes place. It's kind of like a potluck but multiplied by cookies and since they are especially all the rage during Christmastime (not that cookies are ever not raging) the swaps usually happen during December. Have you ever been invited to a summertime cookie swap? Nah, people are usually too busy eating popsicles or something. Here's the Deal: You show up with a batch of your favorite recipe (extra points if it's been passed down for many moons by many grandmas) and trade away. Sadly, you don't inhale them all right there. You nibble on a few and bring home... More

Cook the Book: The Art and Soul of Baking: Rosie_in_the_kitchen, ladycaterina, missmanders, funkopolis, and lowflyr68. Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page. Thanks to all who entered.... More

Season's Sweetings! These treats will leave your favorite sweet tooth with more than just visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads. More

Note: It's time for another edition of Street Food Profiles. This week we scoot to rural Virginia where a husband-and-wife team are reinventing street food: this food isn't served on busy streets. All of the ingredients are sourced from local farms or their garden. [Photograph: Local Sixfortyseven] Name: Local Sixfortyseven Vendors: Husband-and-wife team Derek and Amanda Luhowiak Location and hours? We are a mobile kitchen traveling around to many different locations at all different times. This past season we've set up at Virginia farmers' markets including Winchester, Centreville, and Reston, as well as wineries like Barrel Oak Winery and Lost Creek Winery, and other community events. Local Sixfortyseven's cheeseburger. [Flickr: foodietots] What's on the menu? Southern-inspired food that's local, fresh,... More

Last week we officially made December 2009 Cookie Month, pledging to share at least one cookie recipe a day, and this week we are spotlighting the mother of all cookie cookbooks, The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion. The folks up at company in Norwich, Vermont, have been milling the highest quality flours for over 200 years and know a thing or two about baking. According to The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion, Americans are the most prolific cookie bakers, so the book naturally includes many good old Americans classics like Snickerdoodles and Daisies—but it doesn't stop there. This doorstop of a book covers cookie culture from virtually every corner of the world. Here's a just a sampling from of... More

Swine flu will make you sick, but swine fever will just make you crave Carter 'N Sons pulled pork. Don't confuse them: swine flu = BAD; swine fever = NOT A DISEASE, just an unfortunate name for a now confusing ad campaign. Watch the video after the jump.... More

Note: On Mondays, one of our various Market Scene correspondents checks in with what's fresh at farmstands, what's coming up, and what you better get while the gettin's good. This week, we hear from Boston correspondent Penny Cherubino of Boston Zest. Take us to the market, Penny! [Photographs: Penny Cherubino] A new Holiday Market in Boston is allowing farmers to sell into the fall and winter. This Downtown Crossing marketplace offers a mixture of artists, craftspeople, specialty food vendors, and farms. On Sunday afternoon Abe from Stillman's at the Turkey Farm said he sells less meat at this location with the farm reaching a new set of customers. They've also been successful selling CSA shares.... More

Giving someone a bag of whole bean coffee is kind of like a bottle of wine: it never fails and will probably get used. But the holidays are a time to think out-of-the-box. Whether your recipient is a barista, coffee buyer, or just a collector of brewing equipment, if you forgo the bag for one of these nifty suggestions you'll surely be remembered during every morning brew. More

©iStockphoto.com/pidjoe It's one thing to be a fan of sunny-side-up eggs and other runny yolk preparations, but it's another story to eat just straight-up raw eggs. As Boing Boing points out, it's not always safe given the salmonella risk factor but raw eggs are a great source of Vitamins B12 and D and protein. They are popular in different international cuisines: tamago kake gohan is a Japanese breakfast of raw egg on rice and zabaione is an Italian dessert of raw yolks and sugar whipped together. According to one commenter: There is no evidence that raw eggs are any more nutritious than cooked. Denaturing the proteins does not mean any amino acids are lost. However, there is some evidence... More

©iStockphoto.com/efesan A few years ago I had a dream. About creating an online clubhouse for food, a place that serious eaters could come to share their food enthusiasm. A place serious eaters could come to find out what's going in the world of food and drink, find a recipe, look at a cool food video, get restaurant advice, and, best of all, chew the fat with like-minded folks. Three years ago, that dream, Serious Eats, became a reality. And in those three short years, we've become home base for millions of passionate, discerning, and inclusive food lovers all over the world. Thank you, Serious Eats community. You are the merry band who makes the site feel so alive whenever... More

Every day through January 3 we're giving away a crazy good food item on Serious Eats. Try your luck, and if you win, you'll be eating some seriously delicious food come the new year. We have always been big fans of Zingerman's and this year, we are especially excited to offer you a membership in one of their Culinary Adventure Societies. Named the Best Food Club in the U.S. by Food Network, the society offers you a bundle of hand-made products, all personally chosen by the Zingerman's folks from around the globe. This time around they went to Italy. Brad Hedeman of Zingerman's Mail Order spent two weeks zig-zagging a whole 4,000 miles across the country, stuffing his suitcase with... More

Next up in our round of taste tests: butter. Yes, that's right, we are willing to ingest blocks of fat so that you can know what brand is the very best. So what kind do you love spreading?... More

[Flickr: cbcastro] Kumquats, Asian citrus fruits that resemble small oranges, are typically eaten whole. A sweet, juicy rind and a slightly sour center actually make the rind the more appealing part of the fruit. In season from November to March, kumquats are best when firm and bright orange in color; avoid those with a greenish tint as they are not yet fully ripe. Kumquats will keep at room temperature for up to three days, and they can last up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Go crazy for kumquats with recipes, tips, and info, after the jump.... More

Ever wonder what to get for the meat lover who has it all? Being an avid carnivore myself for thirty-or-so years now, I've received my fair share of meat-themed gifts, and these are some of my all-time favorites. They should warm the heart of just about anybody with a taste for meat. More

[Photographs: Robyn Lee] I've loved French macarons ever since 2006 when I spent a semester stuffing my face with them in Paris. Since then, they've slowly gained popularity in the U.S., but not to the point of being available in McCafés or regular supermarkets like I saw in Paris. However, they will soon be available at Starbucks—maybe American domination isn't too far away. The 12-piece macaron boxes made in France by Château Blanc will only be sold for a limited time, from December 13 until December 25. The Serious Eats office got a box of the macarons to try before they hit the shops.... More

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[Photographs: Chichi Wang, unless otherwise noted] Previously Learn how to make dumpling dough and lamb filling in my first dumpling post, All About Dumplings » If, like me, you find yourself making dumplings over the holidays with your family and friends, then perhaps this scenario will sound familiar. The dumpling-making event is conceived as a way to get everyone spending time together. Several days prior to the meal, you go back and forth with people about the fillings. Some want ground pork; others prefer chicken or lamb. Invariably, a rebellious teenager or college-age member of the family will be going through a vegetarian phase, so a meatless filling must be fashioned as well. The fillings are made. Your loved... More

Every day through January 3 we're giving away a crazy good food item on Serious Eats. Try your luck, and if you win, you'll be eating some seriously delicious food come the new year. The New York Brunch Package. [Photograph: Russ & Daughters] Today's Seriously Delicious Holiday Food Giveaway is a New York Brunch package from Russ & Daughters. I've known Russ & Daughters' Mark Federman and his family ever since I came to New York 32 years ago. When I knew very few people here I used to come to Russ & Daughters to kibitz and just feel like I belonged somewhere. It's a place I still visit for shelter from any storm—and for the company and the Russ... More

There's so much going on in Talk week to week that we almost can't keep up. If you're in the same boat, here's a small selection of topics and responses that have piqued our interest this week. I've Found Bits of Heaven at Trader Joe's "Bra drawer!!! Well, I guess that's better than hiding them in your underwear. What cup size is needed to conceal a bag of Dark Chocolate Nutty Bits?" —dmcavanagh When 'Hip' Has Ruined Your Food "I see your point, but you may not actually have anything to worry about. As soon as hotdogs became hip I noticed several restaurants in San Francisco adding housemade hotdogs to their menus (using very high quality ingredients resulting in an... More

Gifts for your favorite hot dog lover. More

Our own Seriously Italian correspondent and Babbo executive pastry chef Gina DePalma appeared on The Dairy Show, a web show devoted to responsibly-made milk products. She whips up some savory fritters (or fritelli in Italian) using the Tuscan-style rustic farmhouse cheese caciotta from Dancing Ewe Farm. The little fried dough balls then get garnished with farm honey and fresh thyme from Gina's mom's garden. Watch the fritter-making after the jump.... More

[Photograph: Gastronomy] While some restaurants ban photography outright, L.A. chef Ludo Lefebvre has cleverly turned food bloggers' need to document every bite to his advantage. Lefebvre has set up a mini photo studio at Ludo Bites, his pop-up cosplay-themed restaurant in Culver City, California. The lighting rig and light-box diffuser help create professional-looking shots, ensuring that Lefebvre's dishes at least appear tasty. And the unusual move also doesn't hurt when it comes to getting people (like us) to take notice. Pretty sneaky, Chef. Cathy Danh of Gastronomy has a set of photos from the mini studio. Oh, and if you're wondering about the cosplay part, it looks like the waitresses are dressing as French maids. If that does anything... More

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This week at The Food Lab, we explore the importance of resting meat. You mean I have to wait before sawing into that perfectly charred ribeye? Unfortunately, yes. Asides from over or under-cooking and seasoning issues, not resting meat is probably the carnivore's biggest blunder of all. More

This great one-on-one with Ruth Reichl was taken at CIA's Greystone campus in California last month at the "Street Food of the World" conference. Reichl goes into the deeper anthropological significance of street food, explaining that her mom used to throw dinner parties in their cramped New York City apartment but didn't want any guests to actually smell the food (since that was associated with the dirtiness of cooking). Street food today, in all its smelly-kebab-smoke glory, is the exact opposite. When asked what she wants to do next in three words, she responds "I don't know!" Well, hey, that's three words, Ruth! The video interview was conducted by Washington, D.C.-based food writer Michele Kayal, who blogs at The... More

Alpha Sigma Phi Nick David making Sloppy Joes with moose meat. [Photographs: Leslie Kelly] Game is the new bacon. Well, maybe not yet. But if artisan farmers have become culinary superstars, can hunters be far behind? When I used to review restaurants, I was always drawn to exotic game meat—I've eaten elk, venison, antelope, alligator, pheasant, grouse and ostrich. (Still don't know why ostrich never took off; it tastes like steak and has a fraction of the fat.) I'm crazy about rabbit and would never say no to roast bear. Darlene Barnes, my boss at Alpha Sigma Phi, the frat at the University of Washington where I've been prep cooking since September, once again demonstrated her considerable chops last... More

Each week we round up our favorite posts and recipes from our friends at The Kitchn. This week, the Kitchn wonders if the double-dipping stigma will ever go away. Famous supporters include George Constanza, who boldly dipped twice at a party, risking all sense of social credibility. As Mythbusters pointed out, contamination is not a huge threat. It's not the same as putting your whole mouth right in the dip, people! Also on the Kitchn, giving your friends butter as gifts, a tour of Boulevard Beer in Kansas City, how to prevent cracking during Bûche de Noël construction, and eight things to do with a clementine.... More

The above print, "Ideal Bookshelf 6, GW," is available on affordable-art website 20x200. The "GW" here being George Weld, the Brooklyn chef known for his way with breakfast at the perennially crowded brunch spot Egg. An ideal gift idea, no? Prints start at $20 (8-by-10-inch) and max out at $200 (16-by-20-inch). Related How to Make Eggs Over Easy, with George Weld Egg, a Perfect Breakfast in Williamsburg... More

Eat Me Daily's Paula Forbes says, "Cleaving is too intimate, too awkward, and too sexual, and I admit, there were times when I was embarrassed by her candor."... More

We've gone through stacks upon stacks of cookbooks to come up with this year's ten best. They make great gifts for all the Serious Eaters in your life. More

Venison cubes. [Photograph: Robyn Lee] "You lookin at me?" [Flickr: gregory scott clarke photography] Outdoorsy magazine Field & Stream spotlighted venison in this month's issue. For all the readers who shot Bambi but don't know how to eat it, this spread is incredibly comprehensive. Why should you eat venison? Because it's more American than apple pie. How should you prepare it? Try Bobby Flay's pan-roasted venison with jalapeño sauce or Paul Kahan's roasted venison backstrap. Speaking of backstrap, the magazine's editors also weighed in on their favorite cuts and for editor-at-large T. Edward Nickens, it's all about the backstrap (or the longissimus dorsi muscle, which aids in the deer's "zero-to-see-ya-later speeds"). He writes: Every serious deer hunter has a... More

The Rotating Kitchen by Dutch artist Zeger Reyers is a model of a kitchen—complete with appliances, kitchenware, and food—that slowly turns on its horizontal axis and lets gravity do its thing. Result: lots of clanking, and a big mess. The kitchen can be viewed at art museum Kunsthalle Düsseldorf as part of their Eating the Universe. Food in Art exhibit, and will continue rotating until February 28, 2010. Watch the video after the jump.... More

[Photograph: Williams-Sonoma] Apparently I was late on the bandwagon by only recently finding out that there was such a thing as a digital candy thermometer. Frankly, it was a while before I realized there was need in my life for a candy thermometer at all. It all started with a recipe in the December 2007 issue of Gourmet for Toasted-Coconut Marshmallow Squares. One enormous batch of 100+ marshmallows later, I was hooked. As it turns out, though, candy thermometers come quite in handy—DIY candy-making is now my favorite gift-buying alternative, and frying gets a lot easier when you can figure out exactly how hot your oil is versus how hot it should be. Whether they need to be spiffy digital... More

[Photograph: Foodie Friday] Katherine of Foodie Friday helped her "chemistry nerd" little sister make this awesome Periodic Table of Cupcakes. What goes into such a thing? "2 bags of powdered sugar, 1 bag of brown sugar, 1 bag of white sugar, 16 eggs, and and 17 sticks of butter." Nice. I'm sure the cupcakes taste good, but I wouldn't want to ruin the table by eating one. Related Photo of the Day: Ghost Cupcakes Photo of the Day: Pac-Man Wedding Cake Fractal Snowflake + Cupcakes = Serious Math Photo of the Day: Jack and Jill Cupcake... More

Sweet Potato Cupcake Roses, one of kirbie's seven desserts. [Photograph: kirbiecravings.com] Now that Thanksgiving is behind us and the leftovers have been creatively dealt with or discarded, let's talk about our Thanksgiving meals objectively. Last week for our Weekend Cook and Tell challenge we asked all of you to share your Thanksgiving successes and do-overs for next year. Here are some of our favorite stories: Trilby's Thanksgiving for three didn't warrant an entire turkey, so J. Kenji Lopez-Alt's Turkey Stuffed Turkey was the perfect solution. The bird-within-a-bird was a success and the carcass was simmered for perfect gravy. kirbie has never been one to shy away from a cooking challenge. She was put in charge of desserts for her... More

[Image: The Daily Herald] For the not-very-discerning home buyer easily swayed by canned food, Consumerist reports that Clayton Homes in Tennessee is wooing buyers with the offer of a free can of pork and beans with purchase of a house (the ad is viewable at The Daily Herald). It's only valid until December 31, so you better get that home now. Or else you'll have to go to a supermarket. [via Neatorama]... More

[Ilustration: Cooking Issues] Mad (food) scientist Dave Arnold, who pushes the limits of cooking technology at the French Culinary Institute shares the best parts of Bacon and Hams, a long out-of-print book, on FCI's Cooking Issues blog. ... the frontispiece of the book had a spectacular fold-out. At the time the book was written, fold-out anatomical charts were a popular feature in medical books. [Author George J.] Nicholls decided to do one of the pig. Brilliant. I've scanned it and converted it to a Flash animation for your enjoyment. As detailed in Arnold's post, Bacon and Hams author Nicholls also included a photo of himself "in Fancy Dress as a Side of Bacon, designed by himself, which took First... More

Note: Lee Zalben, a.k.a. "the Peanut Butter Guy" is the creator of the Peanut Butter & Co., a New York sandwich shop with a national line of nut butters. Every week he'll chime in with some nuttiness. [Photograph: National Peanut Board] Did you know that peanut plants sprout yellow flowers? [Flickr: shel_bel] The title of this post might be a little ambitious, but for something that is such a big part of American culinary history, there sure are many questions about peanuts. To start, you might find it interesting to know that peanuts are technically not a "nut" at all, but a legume. Nuts tend to grow on trees, while peanuts, like many beans, grow underground. Maybe you already knew... More

Every day through January 3 we're giving away a crazy good food item on Serious Eats. Try your luck, and if you win, you'll be eating some seriously delicious food come the new year. This year we have invited someone new to the Serious Eats Holiday Giveaway party: Herb and Kathy Eckhouse, the co-founders of La Quercia, the Iowans who introduced world-class prosciutto-making to this country. If you've never tasted any of La Quercia's truly amazing pork products, I hereby declare you seriously delicious pork-deprived. The Eckhouses' transcendent prosciutto may actually be better than the highest quality prosciutto de Palma, and I know that claim is truly a mouthful. If you want to win one of La Quercia's Cold Weather... More

You may think your diet is okay, but someone else will tell you you're doing it all wrong. You shouldn't eat pork; it's disgusting. Nor fish (you know what kinds of toxins are in the water?). Actually, just don't eat meat; killing animals is inherently wrong. Cooked food is bad too; there aren't any enzymes in it. Hell, just don't eat food. See the breakdown of the dietary food chain in Jeremy Saville's short film , after the jump.... More

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[Photographs: Bill Milne] Sausage and Cheese Stuffed Peppers View the complete recipe here » My weakness for stuffed chiles started as a child living in Arizona with chile rellenos, the fried counterpart to stuffed chiles. When my family and I moved to the South, every Mexican restaurant disappointed me. And, let's face it, my expectations for them were far too high. Most often, the chile relleno would be a canned green chile under a mound of ground beef, both covered in a glop of cheese. I stayed away from stuffed chiles and chiles rellenos just on principal alone. But then there was Kincaid's Burgers in Fort Worth, Texas, that reignited my passion for stuffed chiles in the form of... More

Our gift-guide marathon continues. Want something a little more special? Try our full complement of lists. —Ed. Anti-Theft Lunch Bags: Do not let your friends suffer from the injustices of sandwich larceny! We've been fans of these green-splotched bags ever since we first found out about them. Available at perpetualkid.com, $9.99 Gnocchi Board: This gift has a few purposes. One, it proves that gnocchi boards do in fact exist. Two, it will force the board's new owner to start making more of the dough blobs the old-fashioned way. This beechwood board forms the neat little grooves. Available at surlatable.com, $6.95 Chef's Pencil Set: How often do you use pencils? Ever? Maybe that number would increase if they said things like... More

Sadly this video does not include imagery of oatmeal, just a pretty dark stage. Well it's about bloody time someone dedicated a song to oatmeal! Comedian Mike Birbiglia teamed up with the band Mates of State at the New York Comedy Festival earlier this month to croon over the beloved hot breakfast mush. "It's sticky and it's wet and you stick it in a bowl and you stick it in your body and it makes you whole." Such truth right there. The chorus is also very moving. It says so much about oatmeal. And clarifies that this is a song. The video, after the jump.... More

[Images: Visual Aid Shop] Decorate your walls with some of the colorful infographics from the Visual Aid Shop. Many of the over 250 posters are food-related: cuts of beef, glasses, coffee drinks, breakfasts from around the world, cheeses, pastas, ingredients in a Christmas pudding, stomachs (eh, that's where the food goes), and more. (Unfortunately, there's no direct linking to the products, but you can search by name and it's worth taking a look at the whole list.) Related Sources of Food Poisoning Infographic Worldwide Meat Consumption Infographic Caffeine and Calories Chart... More

Take a break and watch as the Simpsons go shopping for healthy food that "looks bad on the shelf but good in [their] colons" at "Wellness Foods" (a Whole Foods look-alike). Homer worries about men carrying purses (reusable shopping bags) and Marge picks up items like "non-soy dairy-based soy sauce, steel-cut spelt husks ... free-range gluten, and ultra-vegan invisible cheese." Some very important points are wrapped up in this hilariousness. More

[The Oatmeal] In The Oatmeal's latest comic, learn 20 Things Worth Knowing About Beer—how it's made, how it makes you drunk, famous quotes, and something involving a giant goat. Related Serious Beer 15(ish) Things Worth Knowing About Coffee The 5 Phases of Caffeine Intake... More

Each year in December food blogger Pim Techamuanvivit (Chez Pim) organizes the Menu for Hope to raise funds for a food charity. Techamuanvivit has just put out a call for participation for this year's Menu for Hope VI, taking place December 14–25. The skinny: Food bloggers offer a raffle prize that their readers then buy tickets for. Prizes can get pretty crazy and special—food tours, food-related classes, small appliances, dinners cooked by hotshot chefs, etc. (here's last year's master list). If you'd like to participate as a blogger or bidder, all the info you'll need can be found here. This year's take will benefit the UN World Food Programme's Progress for Purchase initiative.... More