Video: 'Fireworks' by PES
This fireworks display from stop-motion animation artist PES features Peeps, candy corn, Good & Plenty, and more. If only real fireworks caused candy to fall out of the sky. Watch the video after the jump.
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Entries from Serious Eats tagged with 'videos'
Video: Hungry Kitty Begs for Food
This video consists of 17 seconds of "Aww, cute!" followed by nine seconds of "OH MY GOD, oh god, so cute, SOOO CUTE," accompanied by squeals of delight. Or maybe that was just me. Watch the video after the jump.
Video: Japanese Robot Girl Makes Coffee
HINA is an impressively dexterous robot girl who can make coffee, from grinding the beans to pouring the water into the coffee filter (granted, with some human help). For more information, check out creator Mujaki's website. Watch the video after the jump.
Video: Awkward Orderer
Ordering can be a lot of pressure. When I haven't made up my mind and the waiter is slowly circling around the table towards me, I feel it. There's so much to consider: double-ordering, price, recommended dishes, and more. Because I frequently have a difficult time making my own mind up when I go out to eat, I can sympathize with the guy in this video. It all gets off on the wrong foot when the waiter says, "Have a nice meal," and the boyfriend awkwardly quips back, "You too." From there, things quickly become hilariously uncomfortable. See for yourself, after the jump.
Video: Extreme Rice
In the same vein as Extreme PB&J Sandwich Making and Extreme Toothbrushing comes Extreme Rice. I mean, EXTREME RICE! BECAUSE PART OF BEING EXTREME IS SHOUTING ALL THE TIME! AND CRUSHING RICE PLANTS WITH YOUR BARE HANDS! AND WHITENING THE GRAINS WITH HOUSEHOLD BLEACH! AND MORE! WATCH THE VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP! [Warning: not suitable for those traumatized by excessive shouting.]
Video: Room Covered in Melted Cheese
It's the fear I never had until now: to return to my hotel room and find everything—walls, ceiling, furniture, floor—covered in melted cheese. In 1999, Canadian artist Cosimo Cavallaro covered Room 114 at the Washington Jefferson Hotel in New York City in 1,000 pounds of cheese from the Swiss Cheese Foundation. I wouldn't have wanted to visit that room on a hot day. Watch the video after the jump.
Video: Michael Jackson Organizes a Food Fight After Filming 'Black or White'
We were sad to hear about the passing of Michael Jackson today. After learning about his cardiac arrest, only to find his death confirmed shortly thereafter, we listened to some of the pop king's hits and found this video of him organizing a food fight after filming Black or White, a short early 1990s film inspired by the hit single. Jackson wanted to pay the director John Landis some thanks for all his hard work throughout the taping, and clearly pie projectiles were the best way to do that.
Jackson and a young Macaulay Culkin (also in Black or White) planted stink bombs in the pies, which were all lined up on a very long table, and had Super Soakers ready. The action doesn't really start until 2:25, but it definitely makes for an epic food fight.
"Oh, I love it. It could have gone on and on as far as I cared," Jackson said. The King of Pop, and a lover of food fights. The video, after the jump.
Video: How to Eat Watermelon at Business Lunches
When deal-making at very important business lunches, it's typically encouraged not to order watermelon. But, if you find yourself in this situation, fear not. All you will need is one cupped hand (a seed-spitting receptacle) to survive this problematic scenario. The video, after the jump.
Video: The Butterfield Diet Plan on 'The Peter Serafinowicz Show'
Brian Butterfield has a diet for you: The Butterfield Diet! You may be starving yourself during the week, but on Saturday, or "Treat Day," you get 24 hours to eat whatever you want. Whatever. You. Want. Pints o' cream, sandwich casserole, chocolate quail's eggs, discount foie gas, egg 'n' ham slabs—you name it! You just have to eat it all within 24 hours, which technically means you could eat for 24 hours straight. Hell, why not—you deserve it.
Video: Food Bloggers Share Chicken Recipes on Good Bite
Good Bite is a new website that brings together recipes, cooking advice, and tutorial videos from some of the web's most popular (and Serious Eats' favorite) cooking-focused food bloggers. The first roundtable video features chicken recipe ideas from Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen, Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes, and Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen. The general consensus: white mean is bland. But that doesn't mean they don't like chicken at all; Deb likes to brine her cutlets, Elise focuses on thighs, and Jaden recommends cooking chicken wings with hoisin sauce. Watch the video after the jump.
Video: 'Le Café,' a French Animation About Coffee Addiction
Le Café by French band Odelaf & Monsieur D. tells the tale of a man who starts his day off with a nice cup of coffee. Then adds another cup. And another. And...another. And with each new cup of coffee he drinks, a little bit of his brain is destroyed until he dissolves into a complete lunatic. If you can relate to this story, you might need to cut down on your coffee consumption.
Watch the madness unfold in this animated video directed by Stephanie Marguerite and Emilie Tarascou of the Art School of Angouleme (EMCA), after the jump.
Video: Japanese Animated Suntory Beer Commercials Featuring Penguins (1980s)
Mike is a penguin. A mostly sad penguin. He spends his days getting beat up in boxing matches, crying over his lost love, and staring out the window as dead leaves fall to the ground. And you know what they say: When you're a penguin suffering from a bout of depression, just kick back with a frosty can of Suntory Beer!
I can't watch these commercials without laughing, even though it seems wrong to laugh at the increasingly doomful plight of a cute, animated penguin. These commercials featuring Suntory's rotund mascot were so popular that they led to a full-length movie called Penguin Memories. What memories, you ask? Oh... the ones about the Vietnam War. Yes, it's a war movie with adorable penguins. Apparently it's hard to track down, but it's now number one on my "To Watch" list.
Watch the video after the jump.
Video: Bento Box for the Google Chrome Icon Project
The Google Chrome Icon Project, promoting Google’s new-ish web browser, invites users to submit YouTube videos of themselves creating their own versions of the browser’s four-color icon.
Unsurprisingly, a lot revolve around food—like this bento box, sculpted from bell pepper, broccoli, scrambled egg, and a few surprises. The video of its creation, in super-fast motion, after the jump.
Video: Wilkins Coffee Commercials Featuring Muppets (1950s)
"You know, people who don't drink Wilkins Coffee just blow up sometimes!"
How do you grab people's attention with only ten seconds to advertise your product? Puppets and violence! Muppet Wiki has the story behind these commercials made by Jim Henson from 1957 to 1961 featuring two puppets named Wilkins and Wontkins. Wilkins (who kind of resembles a proto-version of Kermit the Frog) pushes the importance of drinking Wilkins Coffee by inflicting various kinds of physical pain— shooting, clubbing, near-beheading, etc.—on the anti-Wilkins Coffee Wontkins. Considering how quickly these commercials fly by, they're strangely dark and funny at the same time. Hopefully they wont result in nightmares of being attacked by Muppets. Watch the video after the jump.
Video: Tom Colicchio's 'True Blood' Drink for Vampires
Since the world just can't get enough vampires, Tom Colicchio does a little plug for the second season of HBO's True Blood, which returned on Sunday, with this red goo-resembling drink made of beet juice, roasted sugar snap peas, fennel, fava beans, and chicken stock. Colicchio is looking out for all those awkward scenarios when your vamp friends can't eat with the humans and are craving a 98.6°F drink. The video, after the jump.
Video: Portland's Nuevo Mexico Cart on VendrTV
On the latest episode of VendrTV, host Dan Delaney visits the Nuevo Mexico cart in Portland, Oregon, owned by Jesse Sandoval, former drummer of indie rock band The Shins. Using what he learned from growing up with his family's food cart, today Sandoval specializes in New Mexican cuisine, in particular sopaipillas (fried dough) stuffed with meat, beans, cheese, and green chile. There's also an appearance from former keyboardist of The Shins, Martin Crandall. Watch the video after the jump.
Video: Ketchup Bottle Jam
What a fool I was to think I could only use a bottle of Heinz ketchup to dispense ketchup or frustrate me when it refused to release the ketchup I craved so badly. I could've also used it to make a bunch of noises and, with the power of my computer, edit the sounds so that they came together as pleasant beats and not sound like random knocks and clinks. Watch the video after the jump.
Video: Gourmet Dude Circa 1983
Today we travel back in time with Gourmet Dude to 1983, when rattails were cool, and Tab was the diet cola of choice. We suspect Gourmet Dude might have actually landed back in 1984, the year Tetris was launched. Ah, good times. Watch the video after the jump.
Video: Obama Drastically Scales Back Goals for America After Visiting Denny's
President Barack Obama had such high hopes for America...until he went to Denny's. Now he's aiming less for being a world leader and setting more reasonable goals for the American people:
Before we reclaim global leadership, we must first stop eating six sausages and a pound of eggs covered in syrup for breakfast, and we must stop leaving the house in sweatpants.
Is he asking for too much? Would you be willing to give up your mountainous plate of syrup-drenched sausages and eggs? Only time will tell. Watch the video after the jump.
Serious Cheese: Grilled Cheese, Georgian Style
Photograph from Goulven Champenois on Flickr
The combination of crusty dough and melted cheese has spawned some of the greatest foods in the world. Pizza and grilled cheese come first to mind for many Americans, but the United States can hardly claim ownership. Indeed, thousands of miles across the world, in a land wedged between the Black Sea to the west and the Caspian Sea to the east, the bread-and-cheese meme has perhaps reached its apex in the form of the Georgian food khachapuri—literally, "cheese bread."
Video: An Ode to the Sandwich
"Sandwich, sandwich, I'm in love with you," sings Parry Gripp in his song "Sandwich." But as much as he loves this sandwich, he doesn't really go into the specifics about the relationship. Whether or not you want to know, Edd Gould fills the gaps with his animation of the song depicting a day in the life of a man and his beloved sandwich. See-saw, milkshake, sunset—you know, the works. Watch the video after the jump.
Videos: 'Target Women' on Fairytale-Themed Food Commercials
"So ladies, just relax; someday your prince is gonna come and he's gonna bring a fun product and when he does you'll live happily ever after!" —Sarah Haskins
What products is Sarah Haskins of Target Women talking about? Oh, you know—cream cheese, frozen rolls, milk. The things women love! Or the things advertisers want women to love. Same difference. Watch the video after the jump.
Video: Eric Schlosser on 'The Colbert Report'
"God gave us dominion over the animals. Okay? If we can get 50,000 of them in one spot, why shouldn't we?" —Stephen Colbert
In Stephen Colbert's interview with Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation and co-producer of upcoming documentary Food, Inc., Schlosser lays down the problems with factory farming and genetically modified corn as Colbert tries to derail him by pointing out that "fecal material" is poop and thinking about the superpowers he could get from corn. And so much more! Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: Butter and Marge, a Tale of Two Spreads
Poor Marge. Always living in the shadows of her fattier, creamier predecessor Butter. This video tells the genesis story of the two. For a long time, Marge wasn't even allowed to be misleadingly yellow—some states went as far as making her pink just so everyone was clear on her butter poseur status. There was a really dark period when bootleg "Marj" was for sale.
Since this video was created by the Friends of Butter, a group of natural butter enthusiasts, cryptic music plays during Marge's story, while the mood gets bouncier and happier (upbeat piano music and birds chirping) when we learn about the spreadable joys of butter. The video, after the jump.
In Videos: 'Meat Heroes' Toy Commercial Parody
The hyperactivity-and-catchy-theme-song-laced formula for a kid's toy commercial can make those little tykes want anything—even Meat Heroes, the only toy made out of 100 percent Angus beef. Collect them all—Captain Jerry, Danger Mike, Tech Support Bill, Watchdog Eric, and Evil Meat Sorcerer—and you can have seconds (almost a minute, even) of fun before the meat disintegrates in your hands! Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: Most Jewish Delis Named in One Minute
Many of us set personal records, but for David Sax, it's being able to name more Jewish delis than you in a minute. In this video, he achieves his goal according to The Universal Record Database, listing 30 in total, including classics like Zabar's, Stage, Katz's, Ben's, and Gottlieb's. Maybe there's some scientific evidence that corned beef stunts memory loss? Sax is also the creator of the blog Save The Deli, which inspired his same-named book coming out in October, available now to pre-order. The video, after the jump.
In Videos: Sham Wow Parody
The Sham Wow, the shammy-towel-sponge wonder, should watch its back. The paper towel also has many skills. Crumple it up into a ball, throw it into the air, and it will fall down (fall down!). Fold a paper towel up into a vaguely diamond shape, put a string on it, it's a kite. You can even rip them into craploads of squares. Looks like Vince of Sham Wow/Slap Chop has a little protege. The video, after the jump.
In Videos: Melanie Hutsell Impersonates Paula Deen on 'Paula's Best Dishes'
Two Paulas in one video? Yes, I too am mildly frightened.
Comedic actress Melanie Hutsell recently guest starred on Paula Deen's Paula's Best Dishes while putting on her best Paula Deen impersonation...and cooking alongside Paula. In a similar outfit. If I just listen to the audio and don't watch the video, I don't know who I'm hearing. Not until I get to the recipe for a chocolate-covered stick of butter, at least—even that's a little too far for the real Paula. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: How to Make Small Batch Strawberry Jam
Take advantage of strawberry season by stocking up on homemade strawberry jam! Marge Braker of food preservation education program Preserved teaches you how to make small batch strawberry jam in this video (with accompanying recipe) from Cooking Up a Story. She demonstrates the process from dumping the strawberries into a pan to sterilizing the jars in boiling water. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: The Giant Taco Salad Inventor
There are movers and shakers in the food world that don't always get proper praise. The person carving baby carrots from the giant orange hunks that grow in the ground. The fro-yo nozzle engineer. And the great mind behind the giant taco salad, perhaps the only "salad" that may set you back 12,000 calories. I didn't realize this was a Bud Light commercial until the very end—it made me want a pound of guacamole, beans, and shredded cheese (and a few lettuce slivers, sure) more than a beer. The video, after the jump.
In Videos: The Donut Man
This video has been making the rounds on YouTube and looks like something from the early 1990s, at the latest. But no, the Donut Man is currently traveling the country (including upcoming shows in Philadelphia), teaching children that without Jesus, they are like a doughnut. I would think that being a doughnut would be a good thing, as one would always have a snack ready, but the Donut Man contends that by accepting Jesus, a doughnut hole gets placed the the empty space. What if you were jelly-filled to begin with? So many questions. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: 'Mexican Beauty' Doritos Commercial
It's like that scene from American Beauty featuring a rose petal-covered Mena Suvari, but with Doritos instead of rose petals, and an overweight Mexican dude instead of Mena Suvari. And...wait, whose dream is this? It's yours! But only if you eat Mexicana Doritos, according to this commercial from Australia. I'm not sure that's an appealing prospect. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: Worms in Love
Next time you eat an apple, think about the worms who lived inside them and fell in love after watching this adorable animated short by French animation studio, Futurikon. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: Breakfast Sampler
This cute commercial out of Brazil for Do Bem boxed fruit drinks imagines a sampler made from various breakfast items assembled on a cafeteria tray. Video, after the jump.
In Videos: Making Tortellini with Gordon Ramsay
Scott Collins of the Los Angeles Times braved a pasta tutorial with Gordon Ramsay. "Would he try to psych me out, the way he does contestants on the show? Would he tell me I'm worthless and have no self-respect?" Collins was admittedly a little nervous beforehand. And just as he expected, making tortellini with the Hell's Kitchen host—the show's fifth season wrapped up on Thursday—was an expletive-filled culinary experience. The video, after the jump.
In Videos: Every Jelly Baby Scene in 'Doctor Who'
"I left my jelly babies in the TARDIS.... They're a delicacy I discovered on Earth."
Yesterday, we briefly mentioned how the Beatles did not like having candy jelly babies thrown at them while on stage. While poking around YouTube looking at jelly baby experiment videos, I found an awesome compilation of every jelly baby scene in Doctor Who.
Along with his out-of-control curly hair and extraloooong scarf, one of the signature quirks of the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) was his love for jelly babies. He offered them to everyone and anyone, including his archenemy and Dalek-creator, Davros.
And there's a memorable bit at 4:16 in which the Doctor tries a bluff, telling some primitive-looking warriors, "Now drop your weapons, or I'll kill him with this deadly jelly baby." Video, after the jump.
In Videos: Butter Water
Introducing butter water, with 90 percent more butter than regular water. Finally, something to wash down all those butter stick snacks with. The video, after the jump.
The Beatles Did Not Have a Sweet Tooth for Jelly Babies
A bit of candy-related trivia for you: In a recently unearthed letter to a fan, late Beatle George Harrison discusses how the band disliked it when the crowd threw jelly babies at them while on stage. Apparently, Harrison had mentioned in an interview that he like the candy. But in a letter to Lynn Smith, 15 at the time, he says:
We don't like Jelly Babies, or Fruit Gums for that matter, so think how we feel standing on stage trying to dodge the stuff, before you throw some more at us.
Couldn't you eat them yourself, besides it is dangerous. I was hit in the eye once with a boiled sweet, and it's not funny!
Not familiar with jelly babies? You're probably outside the UK, then. Here, wiki up on them. And, per Wikipedia, "A popular science class experiment is to put them in a strong oxidising agent, and see the resulting spectacular reaction. The experiment is commonly referred to as 'screaming jelly babies.'" Video of screaming jelly babies after the jump.
In Videos: Food Safety Music, 'Stomachache Tonight'
Food Safety Music is the creation of Dr. Carl Winter of the University of California at Davis. By listening to Winter's songs and watching his music videos, you can learn about bacterial contamination, irradiation, pesticides, and more! His parodies may be silly, but they're more fun than taking a typical food safety class (I should know; I've taken a few of those classes). Watch his video for Stomachache Tonight about the dangers of undercooked chicken, after the jump.
In Videos: NPR Interview with Cookie Monster
When NPR senior producer Elizabeth Blair interviewed Cookie Monster last year, she asked the blue furball some pretty tough questions. What's you're favorite word? Coooo-kieeees. What's your least favorite word? Out of cooooo-kieees. Favorite sound? Om nom nom nomm. If you were reincarnated as some other plant or animal, what would it be? Snuffleupagus...and have a big snuffle thing. (Nice one, Cookie.) The riveting interview, after the jump.
In Videos: Man Eats Bricks
A man in India eats rocks and bricks. Yeah, not so food-related, but pretty impressive—if it's real. (I have my doubts.)
In Videos: From Haute French Cuisine to Poutine, the Food of Montreal
Over the last year or so, Al Jazeera English has produced a really interesting series on food from around the world. In previous broadcasts, they have visited Jerusalem and New York City, and here, they're in Montreal, where the cuisine ranges from gussied-up oysters and tarts to the arguably less refined poutine (cheese curds and gravy over fries). Some purists think the fat explosion that is poutine represents a scandal.
"It's not really cooking! An aberration!" A little miffed by these naysayers, chef Martin Picard of the well-respected Au Pied de Cochon, put poutine on his menu as a symbol of his support. Except to make it jibe with the rest of his restaurant, he throws on a dollop of foie gras. The video, which covers Montreal's food on many levels, after the jump.
In Videos: Chef Dan Barber Speaks on Sustainable Foie Gras
On Monday night, Dan Barber, the pioneering farm-to-table chef of Blue Hill, won the James Beard Foundation award for Outstanding Chef of the year. This video of him at the Taste3 conference in Napa Valley last year focuses on the politics of foie gras. "The problem for chefs is that it's so freakin' delicious." True, true. Sure, you can cook great food without it, but that's like biking the Tour de France without steroids, he jokes. Barber mostly talks about a farmer named Eduardo Sousa, who works on a small farm in Spain and doesn't torture his quackers before we spread them on crackers.
Now, what I really want to know—what's that guitar doing on stage? Was there a foie gras jam session we missed off camera? The video, after the jump.
In Videos: Rap Chop, the Remixed Slap Chop Infomercial
Remember Vince? After his ShamWow! fame, he pitched the Slap Chop, a life-changing thingamabob that chops, minces, and dices in seconds. Now his infomercial has been tricked out, and would make great background noise for a spin or aerobics class. The video after the jump.
In Videos: Cat Power/Chan Marshall Makes Sweet Potato Rounds
Seems like indie rockers and hipsters are popping up in all sorts of cooking shows lately. New Yorker pop music critic Sasha Frere-Jones unearths a video of Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) making sweet potato rounds for the site Oh Audrey. Amazingly, Marshall does not spend half the video with her back to the camera or freak out and bail.* [Video, after the jump.]
In Videos: 'How Croissants Are Made'
If you think making croissants is a pain in the ass, you don't know the half of it.
Note: You HAVE to watch this with the sound on. So crank it up (or put on headphones if you're at the office). [Video appears after the jump.]
In Videos: Dogs Baking Bread
Another reason why Sesame Street just rocks. In this educational segment on baking bread from the early 1990s, William Wegman's Weimaraner dogs knead blobs of dough in floral aprons (with human hands, that's key). The bakers seem pretty apathetic about the whole process, minus the licking the dough part (I feel ya, man!). It's unclear whether this becomes more or less creepy as an adult. The video, after the jump.
'Julie & Julia' Trailer Now Available Online
Julie & Julia trailer now available for viewing on Moviefone.com. [via @eatmedaily]
In Videos: How to Top Paula Deen's Deep-Fried Mac and Cheese Bacon Bites
A couple weeks ago, we alerted you about Paula Deen's deep-fried mac and cheese bacon bites. How could you one-up that big chunk of crispy awesomeness? Brad and Lily have figured it out. But since they were created through an insta-movie program, the conversation is all in robotic computer voice. Lily's "YES YES YES," in reaction to the buffalo sauce and Ranch suggestion, sounds more like a math teacher lecturing on cosine. She even throws her hands in the air like only a computerized, unfeeling woman can. Watch the video, after the jump.
In Videos: Ruth Reichl Goes Back to Restaurant Reviewing, 'Undercover'
Gourmet editor Ruth Reichl famously employed several disguises while serving as restaurant critic for the New York Times in the 1990s. In this video (after the jump), the magazine's executive editor, "Doc" Willoughby, suggest she reprise the gimmick. While chefs and restaurateurs might not peg these extreme makeovers as Reichl, the looks she takes on would certainly not go unnoticed.
In Videos: Futurama's Bender as Cooking Bot
An oldie but goodie. Futurama's alcoholic robot, Bender, hopes to humiliate archrival chef Elzar by training with a Yoda-like mentor and then going on Iron Cook to challenge him. Training scenes include Bender peeling a potato à la Star Wars with a lightsaber and ingesting a can of whole peppercorns and then twisting his head around like a pepper mill. Video, after the jump.
Jonas Brothers' 'I Fell in Love with the Pizza Girl' Video
It's either mini Jonas Brothers running around on a pizza or regular-size Jonai running around on a giant pizza. All while trying to avoid toppings strewn on by the girl of their dreams. "I fell in love with the pizza girl/ now I eat pizza every day."
In Videos: The Banana Man and the International Banana Club
You can't call yourself a true banana lover unless you're a member of the International Banana Club. Ken Bannister, T.B. ("Top Banana"), real estate agent, and creator of the International Banana Club, started collecting banana-related paraphernalia in 1972. He now has "the world's largest collection devoted to any one fruit," located in Hesperia, California. I want to join the club just so I can whip an International Banana Club Card out of my wallet whenever I feel like it. Watch the video after the jump.
Video: It Ain't Easy Bein' Cheesy
Gadget blog editor eats world's biggest Cheeto over world's most expensive keyboard. Keyboard angle—meh. The giant Cheeto, however, is INSANE.
In Videos: Jones' Good Ass BBQ & Foot Massage
You may recognize Toby Jones from his truck rental and storage days. He'll store anything you want for $10.99! Now he'll fry anything you want for $5.99!! "As long as it's fryable or edible, we gonna make it deliciousatable." Conveniently, Jones is also a "feet expert" (what a man!) so he'll rub your little toes with those moisturizing barbecue sauces. At the very least, watch it for the dancing dinosaur. The video, after the jump.
In Videos: Man Sleeps With Pigs for BBC Documentary
It’s one thing to read about the conditions in which factory-farm animals are kept. But it’s another to actually live the life of a pig slated for bacon. For a recent BBC documentary, titled My Life as an Animal actor Richard da Costa spent four days in the pigpen—sleeping on a bed of straw, feeding on soy-alfalfa pellets (“so disgusting that you would rather go hungry”), and dodging the frequent tussles of his snorty pen-mates.
Did bonding with the piggies turn da Costa off meat for good? “It was two months before I could eat pig after coming out of the farm,” he writes in the corresponding article. But his aversion didn’t last. “I finally cracked…I was lured back to tearing my former bedfellow's flesh with my teeth. And by what? Spare ribs. Chorizo. Plain old bacon.” Watch him practice pig snorts, after the jump.
In Videos: 'I Went to Eat at Alinea Tonight'
As Alinea chef-partner Grant Achatz tweeted last week when this video was posted: "Ppl ask - who eats @ Alinea. Think we only get sophisticated-rich- old. We get avg Joes 2. I swear..." [Video, after the jump.]
In Videos: 'Salt, Pepper, Ketchup,' a New Philly Street Cart Vlog
The first episode of Salt, Pepper, Ketchup went up on Tuesday. Host Rob Rawlings and his friend, director/writer/editor Brendan Huffman, promise a new episode each Tuesday. Looks like it has potential, but as with the first few episodes of Vendr.TV, which covers similar ground but with a wider geographical range, the seven-minute debut is a bit long for web-based videos. Still, it’s nice to see someone documenting the rich street-vendor scene in Philly.
In the premiere episode, Rawlings visits a breakfast cart on 8th and Walnut—the very first Philly cart he ever visited—with his street meat mentor. The video, after the jump.
In Videos: Stephanie Izard Helps Slaughter Pig in 'Tasty Life'
In the latest episode of her video series Tasty Life, Top Chef Season 4 winner Stephanie Izard visits a pig farm in Wisconsin in an attempt to learn where her food comes from. After witnessing a pig being slaughtered, she cooks a dish with the pig's tongue. (Warning: If pig guts make you feel squeamish, you may not want to watch this video.) Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: Taco Bell Drive-Thru Folk Song
The fast food drive-thru rap is so last year. Leave it to the musical comedy duo Rhett and Link to usher in the trend of 2009: the drive-thru folk song! ...Maybe? Here they place their order at Taco Bell in the form of a one and a half-minute song that the Taco Bell employee miraculously understands (my favorite item: "two taco salads for the ladies"). If you don't mind that the video has a Baja Blast tie-in, it's pretty entertaining. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: Funny Tour of the Aviv Matzo Factory in Israel
This tour of the Aviv matzo factory in Bnei-Brak, Israel, has everything you could want in a video about making matzo: an enthusiastic host who converses with his own narration and makes silly jokes, plenty of cartoonlike sound effects, and random pop-up notes with facts about the factory. This is officially my favorite video about matzo. Watch the matzo go from dough to box after the jump.
In Videos: 'Cooking with Dog' Makes Low-Fat Gyudon
I don’t know why we’ve never blogged about this video series before. You'd think Robyn would have been all over this—it's Japanese, it's cute, and it involves animals.
And before you go there, it's about cooking along with a dog. A dog named Francis, who, as a friend pointed out, makes surprisingly sophisticated recipes. I mean, Cooking with Dog could easily have gone into superkitsch territory, in which the food was secondary to the talking-dog shtick.
But, it doesn't. Probably because it’s from Japan and because the dog, a poodle, is of French origin. And, as you know, both cultures take their food very seriously. [Get cookin' with the video, after the jump.]
In Videos: Los Angeles Taco Trucks on KCRW's 'Good Food'
Good Food is a radio show on KCRW hosted by Evan Kleiman which just launched an online video series. In the first episode, Kleiman looks at Los Angeles taco trucks—the emblematic foldable food of the city. She starts at El Pique in Highland Park for some al pastor, the gold standard for tacos on wheels, but needs a radish palette cleanser before heading to Venice Beach for kimchi quesadillas, short rib tacos, and other Korean-Mexican fusion at the Kogi truck.
"Taco truck culture is about being part food critique and part political activist with just a little bit of hungry thrown in." The video, after the jump.
In Videos: Noncompetitive Eating on 'Late Night'
If you missed it on Friday, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon invented a new dubious sport—noncompetitive eating:
It's time to do away with competition and selfishness. It's time to stop competing with our fellow eaters and start feeding them instead. That's why tonight we're proud to introduce a brand new sport, the sport of noncompetitive eating. We've got some great gurgitators here tonight. Let's welcome our first two competitors, ladies and gentlemen, the one and only Crazy Legs Conti and the great Tim "Eater X" Janus.
How does noncompetitive eating work? Eaters have to feed each other.
In the first bit, Conti and Janus go at it with hot dogs. In a second bit, it becomes a three-way, with Eric "Badlands" Booker, Eric "Steakbellie" Livingston, and Micah "Wing Kong" Collins feeding each other hard-boiled eggs, inspired by the famous egg scene in Cool Hand Luke. [The video, after the jump.]
In Videos: Michael Bay Eating a Bowl of Cereal (Parody)
When action film director Michael Bay eats a bowl of cereal, it's not just breakfast—it's using the power of slow-motion and dramatic music to show love, agony, and his penchant for High School Musical. Watch the video after the jump.
Jamie Oliver: Dinner Cooked for G20 'a Success'
Looks like Jamie Oliver's dinner for the 30 world leaders at the G20 summit went over well. Oliver cooked the meal along with his students from Fifteen. On his blog he says:
I was well chuffed with the food and we worked out that if you were to serve the whole three courses at home then it would come in at around £11 a head. I felt that it was really important to write a menu that was not indulgent. The food was homely and proved that you can serve very humble food in the most opulent of places. I wanted to prove that you really don’t have to spend loads of money to serve a very special meal.
His Twitter stream, too, is full of little details from the day and evening.
[After the jump, video of a nervous Oliver prepping before the meal.]
In Videos: The Food Cart Song
Have you hugged your favorite food cart vendor today? In The Food Cart Song, comedy duo Rhett and Link visit food carts around New York City and hug the carts' vendors after telling us the stories behind the hot dogs, pretzels, roasted nuts, and more. Kind of. Whether or not Abul is selling nuts to help pay for his daughter's $800 cell phone bill we'll never know, but it rhymes in the song. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: Squeez Bacon from ThinkGeek
Straight from Sweden, ThinkGeek brings us Squeez Bacon, a processed, preservative-free bacon product that allows you to easily add the flavor of cooked bacon to anything—ground cow, melon, seameat, you name it! Hell, it's so good you'll want to squeeze it straight into your mouth. If you need more convincing, watch this commercial after the jump.
In Videos: Time-Lapse Videos of Growing Plants
Metafilter rounds up 20 time-lapse videos that capture plant growth. See how your corn, peppers, mushrooms, and peas came to be. Here are four of my favorite videos after the jump.
In Videos: Anteater Drinking Wine
You know an anteater really loves wine when his hooked claw (shoot, that thing hasn't seen a file in years) grabs the hand holding the goblet to keep it steady. Glug, glug, glug. Luckily, there won't be much anteater aching tomorrow—it's really just sparkling cran-apple juice. Side note: who just casually has an anteater in their living room, let alone one swigging back a mysterious red beverage? The video, after the jump.
In Videos: Couldn't Fit Another Bite
"I couldn't fit in another bite. I am so full." When your friends say something like this at the end of a meal, do you go with the flow or say, "Hell no, I'm still hungry," and reach for that uneaten chunk of cake in the center of the table? For all the people who want to reach for the cake, Australian vlogger Natalie Tyler Tran demonstrates how to do it. Also, what to do when faced with a plate of lamingtons your parents wouldn't let you eat as a kid. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: 'The Seed'
The Seed is a two-minute animated voyage that follows an apple seed from planting to tree to apple—then through the human body, through the sewer system, and back into the ground for planting. It was funded by Adobe to show off the range of CS4 applications. The video appears after the jump.
In Videos: Rachel Maddow Mixes Drinks with Jimmy Fallon
MSNBC political commentator Rachel Maddow appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night. She called out Fallon on his cocktail of choice—a gin and tonic—telling him she thinks he "can drink a more manly drink." She mixes him a Bijou (gin, vermouth, and chartreuse). "Sounds like a little dog," Fallon says.
Mixing cocktails while guesting on other shows seems to have become a bit of a shtick with Maddow, but who can blame her? Half the people in the audience probably don't agree with her views, and making drinks is a nice way to avoid talking politics.
In Videos: Wine-Tasting Date
Sometimes a date goes so well—up until the very last moments of the evening. Factor in wine fanaticism, and there you go.
In Videos: Paula Deen Talks Kitchen Gadgets on the 'Today' Show
Since your Monday could probably use a little dose of Paula's cackle and charm, watch her at the International Home & Housewares show in Chicago this morning, picking out some of her favorite new kitchen and gardening gadgets. Did you know red is the number-one color for pots? Paula did! And did you know she has eight dogs that she wants to feed the latest barbecue squirrel treats? (One of her pups, Chelsea, looks antsy on camera, and Paula gets all puppy-talk with her.) She also points out that "we're nesting more," hence a budding childrens' gardening apparel market. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: How To Make a Solar Cell with Donuts and Tea
Sooner or later, somebody had to figure out that clean, renewable energy can be made from powdered sugar donuts and tea—Tazo tea, specifically, in the "Passion" flavor, since it contains anthrocyanins, or organic dyes that react well with TiO2 cells. TiO2 sounds kind of poisonous, but it's lurking inside those seemingly harmless powdered sugar donuts. If this hasn't already ruined donuts and tea for you forever, watch the video, after the jump.
In Videos: Christos' Falafels in Philadelphia
Dan Delaney of vendr.tv tries the best falafel in Philadelphia when he visits Christos' Falafels run by Kostadinos "Gus" Hristis. Besides his signature award-winning falafel, Gus's other offerings includes charcoal-grilled chicken, lentil and carrot hummus, and roasted red pepper salad. You can visit his cart on the corner of Market Street and North 20th Street. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: Trailer for 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs'
The trailer for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was just released online, and it looks fantastic in the literal sense of the word.
As Erin pointed out in July, the 30-page children's book is a bit thin to write an entire animated feature from, so the plot now has a scientist, Flint Lockwood, who instigates edible storms, turning water into food, in hopes of ending world hunger. [After the jump, the trailers and more screenshots.]
In Videos: 'Pancake Island' Denny's Commercial
Like with their Nannerpus commercial, Denny's tempts me once again with a nonsensical commercial featuring a stack of pancakes and a catchy jingle that declares, "Pancake Island is the place to be / The sweetest syrup on the Seven Seas." Too bad Pancake Island isn't real. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: How to Make Green Beer
If you really, really need help making green beer (hint: It involves green food coloring), here's a video for you. You can use blue curaçao to put a twist on your St. Patty's Day beer, but don't think you're avoiding the dyes that way. The liqueur is artificially colored—nothing drinkable in nature is that blue. The video appears after the jump. Cheers!
In Videos: Mel Gibson in 'The Colonel'
You may look at the Colonel simply as a jolly mustachioed guy in a white suit who hawks fried chicken, but how did he get there? What pain did he have to endure to attain his success? Why is he so intent on killing chickens? In The Colonel, Mel Gibson plays the role of the fried chicken mogul and reveals the violent truth behind the man—and even gives us a peek into his secret combination of herbs and spices that makes his chicken so finger lickin' good. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: Frito Lay's Dips and Chips Animated Commercials
When I first came across Frito Lay's Made For Each Other campaign to promote their dips and chips, my first thought was of slight confusion: "Soo...where are the dips and chips?" But then I watched their animated, mildly branded commercials and got sucked in by the cute and whimsical characters, besides that they're just well done. I may not be any more likely to eat Frito Lay chips after watching these commercials, but I do now associate Frito Lay with cute animations. Watch the videos after the jump.
In Videos: Marco Pierre White on the 'Today' Show Explains 'Chopping Block' Premiere
Another new food reality show, Chopping Block, premieres tonight on NBC at 8 p.m. and host Marco Pierre White was on the Today show this morning explaining its deal. I think we're all wondering, another one, really? Since it has the Top Chef time slot, all the addicts who have nothing else to do can rejoice. The premise: there are two teams, four couples on each, who have 24 hours to create an entire restaurant. They'll serve the menu to the public, and White will sack a couple each week, leaving only one.
As one Serious Eater pointed out, "I think the last time a cooking reality show was on NBC it was The Restaurant and we all know what that did for Rocco..."
During the interview, Al Roker calls White the original bad boy chef, which makes him sorta blush. And at the very end, they compliment his kicks, what appear to be Vans checkerboard slip-ons. "They're American!" White exclaimed. The interview, after the jump.
In Videos: Videokrauting
Take some classic videogame scenes, recreate them with stop motion animated sauerkraut, and you've got Videokrauting. Yeah. ...Wait, huh? No, that's it. Watch the video to see it in action, after the jump.
In Videos: Soy Sauce Love Story Commercial
It's the story we all grew up with. Girl cooks stew with soy sauce, girl feeds boy onion rings dipped in stew, boy falls in love with girl—wait, huh?
This commercial for Kim Ve Wei-Wong soy sauce is unintentionally hilarious. But as far as brand awareness, it does the trick; I don't think I'll forget the soy sauce that spawned such an epic romance. Watch the video and read the translation after the jump.
David Chang Character Approved Award Video: Food Is 'Life and Death For Me'
Just when I thought there was nothing left to say or learn about David Chang, the USA Network produced this three-and-a-half-minute mini documentary on him that is both selectively revealing (we see him smiling but not yelling) and engaging. I've got to hand it to Chang—he still doesn't pull any punches. The man says exactly what he thinks and feels.
My three favorite Chang quotes from the video:
"As much as I love to have a fun time and be lighthearted about things, food and how we approach it is life and death to me."
"We try not to cook for the customers really, but cook for ourselves."
"You learn by burning yourself and basically screwing up."
In Videos: Christopher Kimball Sugaring Maple Sap
While perusing Cook's Illustrated editor Christopher Kimball's Twitter feed, we found this video of him and his crew "sugaring" maple sap—boiling it down to syrup. (After the jump.) February through April (depending on local conditions) is the traditional season for maple syrup production in the U.S. and Canada.
It's a little difficult to hear voices in the video because the sugar house's equipment is loud, but someone made sure to pump the soundtrack up—it's Kimball's band, Shady Grove. Yes, Christopher Kimball is in a bluegrass band. Who knew!
In Videos: Wii Breakfast Videogame Parody
Recreate your morning breakfast ritual without any of the mess by playing Wii Breakfast, the fast paced game where burnt toast, soggy cereal, and improperly cooked sausages result in failure. British comedy group Idiots of Ants shows you how to play the game. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: Hammy the Hamster Goes Organic
Many humans may prefer organic food over conventional food, but the major question is, "What do hamsters prefer?" Ken of food blog CooksDen put his hamster Hammy to the test by letting her choose between an organic and conventional sample of different kinds of foods. See who the winner is after enduring a minute of cute-chubby-hamster-stuffing-her face action. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: Mark Bittman on Stephen Colbert
In case you didn't watch last night, the clip of Mark Bittman on The Colbert Report. [Video, after the jump.]
Colbert: "One aspect of conscious eating that I understand is that I like to eat things that were once conscious. If you show me a head of broccoli that can cry, I would dig in to that thing."
In Videos: More Spongmonkeys, with 'Hover Bacon'
Finsbigfan mentioned it here, and in case you haven't see it, I think you should. I kind of love this song.
LA LA LA LA LAAAA!
Yeah, it's annoying. [Get your ham travel on, after the jump.]
In Videos: Cleveland's Sausage Shoppe, Featured on 'No Reservations,' Celebrating Anniversary
Blogger David Lay points out that Cleveland's legendary Sausage Shoppe will celebrate its 70th year 71st year tomorrow and highlights a video segment from the Cleveland episode of No Reservations. It's nice to see that the current owners—Norm Heinle, his wife, Carol, and their kids—are continuing a tradition that began with founder Hans Kirchberger. Happy anniversary, Sausage Shoppe!
In Videos: Parry Gripp's 'Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom'
A video montage of cute animals eating. Accompanied by an original composition by Parry Gripp called "Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom," the title of which also happens to double as the lyrics. [Watch, after the jump.]
In Videos: Lego Beer Song
What is the malted liquor? What gets you drunker quicker? What comes in bottles or in cans? Beer!
It's Friday, and you know what that means: It's time party like a bunch of drunk Lego men (and one chicken). This stop-motion video features the appropriately titled song "The Beer Song" by The Arrogant Worms. It's probably not what George Bizet had in mind for his music, but it's quite catchy. Watch the video after the jump.
In Videos: Funny Fictional Cocktails
In his latest cocktail column, Eric Felten of the Wall Street Journal describes some fictional cocktails from cartoons, movies, and books. Daffy Duck cartoons, The Nutty Professor, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and The Simpsons have all provided recipes or inspiration for cocktails—more likely than not, ones that are overly potent and undrinkable. Watch clips from some of these videos after the jump.
In Videos: Depression Cooking with Clara
Depression Cooking seems to be making the rounds on all the blogs again. I thought that we blogged about this gem of a video series before, but I think I'm just remembering the link that Moibec posted about in Talk back in October.
Well, if you haven't seen it yet, meet 93-year-old Clara, who cooks up meals from the Depression. In the one here (after the jump) she cooks "Poorman's Meal"—a hash of potatoes, hot dogs, onion, etc.—for her appreciative grandson and his friends.
In Videos: 'Julie and Julia' Sneak Peek
Sure, it's blink and you'll miss it, but if you're keen on seeing some of the first bits of Julie & Julia, take a gander here (after the jump). At the end of Sunday night's Oscars, the show ran quick previews of 2009 movies starring 2008 nominees. Someone was kind enough to snip the eight-second reel of this Meryl Streep–Amy Adams project based on the Julie Powell book. [via The Food Section]
In Videos: Michelle Obama, Cristeta Comerford Give Tour of White House Kitchen
First Lady Michelle Obama and White House chef Cristeta Comerford give D.C.-area culinary students a tour of the White House kitchen before the White House dinner for governors.
Comerford: "It takes only two days. But the planning stage is the longest stage. And of course connecting with the growers, with our purveyors, and with our farmers. Because for any menu to be successful, those are the key relationships you have to build." [via Eat Me Daily]
In Videos: 'Tom Colicchio on Taste' Diet Coke Commercial
If you're watching the Oscars, you've probably seen the Tom Colicchio Diet Coke commercial.
In it, Colicchio, restaurateur and Top Chef judge, rolls his eyes at tall food, at plates artfully dressed with sauces, and at shrimp and beets skewered on a complicated arrangement of wires. (Is that a comment on Alinea, Mr. Colicchio?)
Colicchio then orders a Diet Coke but waves off the fancily cut citrus arrangement that the bartender tries to slip in his glass.
It's a strange commercial, but I've got to give it props for advocating an ungarnished glass—it's just plain presumptuous on a restaurant's part to assume that everyone wants a slice of lemon with his or her Diet Coke. [The video, after the jump.]
In Videos: 'Toy Food' Music Video
Neil Cicierega bought a box full of fake plastic food. So he wrote a song about it. And thus "Toy Food" was born, the catchy song with the informative chorus: "Toy food / Like real food, but is toy / Toy food / Not real food, do not eat." My next favorite line is "Milk / Peas / Gourd / Meat." Who knew the world of plastic food was so vast? Watch the video after the jump.
