'The Onion' Reports: Dinner Theater Play Reworked to Advertise Dinner Special
The Onion's "News in Brief" reports a slight dialogue change in Death Of A Salesman, intended to promote the Footlight Dinner Theater's chicken special: "He's liked, but he's not well liked. Unlike that delicious rosemary chicken with fresh green peas and mashed potatoes, which everyone loves."
25 Awesome Foods You Never Knew Could Be Deep-Fried
Well, I suppose this is a bit of a counterpoint to Ed's diet post below. This list gives a rundown of some unusual but awesome deep-fried foods. Cheesecake, eggs, cookie dough, Coca-Cola, and more. Related: Serious Eats pizza blog Slice investigates deep-fried pizza.
One of the Top Five Memorable Moments for a Barista
Obviously, it would be making an iced tea for Ice-T.
Why Didn't We Think of That?
Silly top ten list: The Ten Best Ice Cube Trays [via Gawker]
Man Pleads Guilty in Exchange for Fried Chicken
33-year-old Tremayne Durham of New York City, accused of murdering a man in Oregon, was so sick of jail food that he agreed to plead guilty last month in exchange for a fried chicken feast on the court's tab. In accordance with his plea agreement, Durham was given KFC and Popeyes chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, carrot cake, and ice cream—and after receiving his life sentence yesterday, he was also granted calzones, lasagna, pizza, and more ice cream.
Top 10 Songs Using Sexually Suggestive Food Metaphors
This list puts Van Halen's "Pound Cake" at No. 1. I'll give them points for effort, but where the heck is R. Kelly's "In the Kitchen"? (Then again, with R. Kells, it often goes beyond simple metaphor.)
New 'Electric Tongue' Device Can Taste Wine
Spanish scientists have developed a portable "electric tongue" that can identify wine characteristics. "The device could be used to detect frauds committed regarding the vintage year of the wine, or the grape varieties used," says inventor Cecilia Jimenez-Jorquera. [via Engadget]
Starbucks Retreats from Australia
Succumbing to "powerful financial and cultural pressures," Starbucks has closed 61 of 86 stores Australia.
Desperate Times, Desperate Measures, More Iced Coffee
Starting today, present a receipt from a morning purchase and Starbucks will sell you an iced grande beverage for $2. Until September 2nd.
Cook the Book Contest Winners: 'Sweety Pies'
Congrats to sweetkute, BigGUM, woodenspoon, JEP, and sharsd. Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page. Thanks to everyone who entered last week's Cook the Book!
Man Calls 911 Over Unsatisfactory Sandwiches
Reginald Peterson of Jacksonville, Florida, wasn't happy with the sandwiches he received at Subway, so he called the cops hoping that they would get him correctly made sandwiches. Instead, Peterson was arrested and the sandwiches of discontent were thrown away.
Seattle Will Charge Shoppers for Disposable Bags Next Year
Starting January 2009, shoppers in Seattle will be charged a 20-cent fee for every paper or plastic bag used at a grocery, drug, or convenience stores, becoming the first U.S. city to charge a fee instead of banning disposable bags altogether. Reusable totes are the way of the future!
Celebrate Mead Day Tomorrow
Honor the ancient honey wine tomorrow with meadmakers across the country celebrating at registered sites. First described in the ancient Rigveda hymns, later in Beowulf, and beloved by ancient Celtic and Germanic tribes across centuries, mead has even inspired its own comprehensive book: The Compleat Meadmaker. Bees everywhere would want you to get your mead on.
The Most Important Phrase You'll Need to Know in China
Of all the tips he has for Beijing-bound travelers, number one on blogger David Feng's list is learning the phrase "Chi fan le ma?" The translation: "Have you eaten?" Since Beijingers are such serious eaters, the question makes a great first impression.
Alton Brown Is Not Technically a Scientist, But He Scuba Dives
Still, that doesn't mean you won't find a nice profile of the Food Network presenter in Chemical & Engineering News. The article is an in-depth look at Brown's influences, plus the back story on his show, Good Eats. Fun facts: He is an avid scuba diving and working on a documentary about "people's relationship with the ocean."
In Memory of Fellow Food Blogger Sherry Cermak
Creator of the site What Did You Eat? Sherry Cermak died from a sudden heart attack July 20. She regaled us with her recipes for dark rye bread, chickpea patties, and ahi tuna salad—always flavored with her warm personality. Many of her readers (including A Fridge Full of Food, La Mia Cucina, and Pages, Pucks and Pantry) have rallied together to pay tribute to Sherry, a great voice in the food blogging community we will all miss.
Contest Winners: Cook the Book: 'Summer on a Plate'
Congrats to gillsnthrills, laralin2266, pwhite98270, tcjanes, and Sisterrae. Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page. Thanks to everyone who entered last week's Cook the Book!
When Did the Next Food Network Star Know He Was a Serious Eater?
Last night's winner Aaron McCargo, Jr., who will premiere his new show "Big Daddy's House" this Sunday on the Food Network, pinpointed his I-Knew-I-Was-a-Serious-Eater-When moment this afternoon on the phone: "I was four, and my family started passing out rice, peas, and pearl onions... they give me one chicken leg, and I said to myself, they got to be joking. When I get older, I'm going to cook a whole chicken and eat it myself."
New Splenda Packaging Boasts Fiber Content
Splenda always contained maltodextrin, which is considered a soluble fiber, but according to Food-Notes, now the pale yellow packets are really pushing the fiber presence. New boxes read: "1 gram of fiber per packet." Whether a chemical formula tweak, or just an advertising strategy to court the fiber fiends, Splenda wants to aid in your digestion.
As Long as There Are Lots of Bacon Ads
As if people chowing on popcorn doesn't make you hungry enough, theatergoers in Europe could soon be smelling their ads via "endorphin branding," with scents being pumped through the air-conditioning system. This has the potential to be awesome (freshly baked cookies!) or not so awesome (do you really want to smell like McDonald's?).
