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Sephie's Papa

Happy National Hamburger Month

Anybody know of any burger events happening this month on the West Coast, especially in the Sacramento area where I live?

Cook the Book: 'The New Persian Kitchen'

Pomegranate molasses in Fesenjan.

Bake the Book: Old School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned To Cook

I am of Japanese descent, so my comfort food is large, thick slab of chilled tofu topped with soy sauce (Kikkoman only!) and katsuobushi.

Cook the Book: 'New York a la Cart'

My food cart would be essentially the same as the Dosa Man's cart in New York City and I would have it on the UC Davis campus where I currently work in the main library!

Win 2 Tickets to Sweetlife: A Music + Food Festival!

Chilled soba noodles with a light soy/mirin sauce and chopped green onions as a garnish.

Cook the Book: 'Pati's Mexican Table'

Al pastor with a side of frijoles refritos, arroz mexicana and warm corn tortillas!

Staff Picks: Favorite Burgers for $5 and Under

I don't understand why Super Duper Burger gets the praises that it does. I find their burgers to be dry and really not any better than, say, Carl's Jr. Though it is more than $5, I'd much rather have a burger from Buckhorn Grill. They send me into burger heaven almost every time!

Cook the Book: 'The Chinese Takeout Cookbook'

For me, it is vegetable chow mein with pan fried noodles. Once I get it home, I add a little bit of hoisin sauce and sriracha then chow down!

What to Expect at the 2013 International Pizza Expo

Is the Pizza Expo open to the public or is it only for those in pizza related businesses?

Childhood pizza memory - does this place still exist?

My family seldom went out for pizza and when we did it was that god awful frozen kind or Chef Boy-Ar-Dee make your own pizza from a box. However, I do have two early childhood memories of pizza from places that no longer exist. My earliest recollection of pizza was when I was about five or six and my dad asked me if I wanted a sausage pizza. At that time, the only sausage I knew was Vienna Sausage and I wondered how that would taste on a pizza. He took me to J.J. Newberry's which was a chain of "five and dime" stores in Los Angeles at the time and Dad bought me a slice of sausage pizza (yes, with crumbled "Italian sausage" bits, NOT Vienna sausage!) from the soda fountain. It probably wouldn't pass muster now, but at the time, it was absolutely wonderful and to this day, my favorite topping for pizza is Italian sausage either hot or mild. Unfortunately, J.J. Newberry's are no more and thus I am unable to relive my childhood memories of my first sausage pizza. My second pizza memory also involved my Dad when my family went shopping at Fedco which was a membership store at the time which sold everything from appliances to sporting goods to apparel to groceries to furniture. Well, during one shopping trip, my dad asked me if a wanted a pizza dog. I had no idea what it was, but it sure sounded good, so I said, "yes". He ordered a "pizza pup" as the store called it and what I got was a hot dog rolled up in a cheese pizza slice. Probably both the dog and the pizza were low quality stuff, but the two together was wonderful. I almost always asked for a pizza pup when I accompanied my family to Fedco. Fedco too is no more and unfortunately, nobody seems to recall the pizza pup. Someday, I'll have to make my own and relive that part of my childhood!

*covers eyes*

Ay CaRUMba! (Sorry, just had to say it! :) )

If you had to eat one nationality...

I would have to go with Indian cuisine. I just love, love, love they way they handle spice combinations and their huge vegetarian options!

San Francisco: Burgers that Almost Live Up to the Name at Super Duper

A Super Duper Burgers opened up at the Metreon not too long ago and when I went to the Macworld/iWorld Fan Event in early February, I decided to give them a try since it was right across the street. I have to say I was very disappointed in the single burger without cheese that I ordered. It really didn't have much flavor and was dry to boot. The fries were wonderful, but that alone would not be enough to bring me back, although I probably will just to see if the day I went in was simply an off day for them. I was so disappointed in the burger that the next day, I went to the Buckhorn Grill which is in the same complex (the Metreon). There, I ordered a Roadhouse burger which is their burger topped with bleu cheese, thin French fried onions and red ranch sauce. Unlike Super Duper, the folks at Buckhorn asked me how I wanted my burger cooked to which I replied, "medium rare". When I got my order, my burger was cooked precisely how I asked for it and was far tastier and juicier than the Super Duper burger I had the previous day. The Buckhorn Grill is becoming a regional chain here in Northern California, but even so, I recommend their food to any one with a tri-tip or burger craving. Again, Super Duper Burger let me down, but I'm willing to give them another try. Hopefully, the next time I try their burger, my review will be more positive!

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Case of Pat LaFrieda Burgers

A cheeseburger from Tommy J's right here in Davis, CA!!!

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Case of Pat LaFrieda Burgers

The cheeseburger or the Bleu Bacon at Tommy J's right here in Davis, CA!

The Elusive Secret Dipping Sauce aka SDS, secret no more.

Can this be made using Sambal Oelek in place of the pickled Thai chiles? If so, how much?

This Week at Serious Eats World Headquarters

I agree with manda. The slideshow just isn't complete without Hambone and Yuba!

Best Burger In Los Angeles

It's been a LOOONG time, but I still have wonderful memories of the Hungry Burger sold at Hungry Harold's in the 'hood at Slauson Ave and Victoria ave. It was a large double cheeseburger with just about every condiment and addition the proprietor had which included chili sauce and pastrami! There was no way I could ever eat this thing without creating a huge mess, but it was a wonderful, once-in-a-while treat. Again, it has been quite a long time since I've been there last, but the next time I visit L.A., I'll try to make a quick run to Hungry Harold's and relive part of my younger days (and, yeah, I do mean QUICK. Slauson and Victoria is NOT exactly in one of the safest neighborhoods in Los Angeles).

AHT Giveaway: 'Hamburger America' by George Motz

If it is a fast-food type burger, then I want American cheese. If it is a quality, freshly ground burger, then bleu cheese is the only way to go!

AHT Giveaway: VIP Tickets to the Sacramento Burger Battle

Not just one factor for me. Is the burger juicy? Is there a good crust on the burger? Is there a balance between the meat and the bun? Is the meat properly seasoned? This is what I'll be looking for in a great burger!

Where's the Big Boy love?

@ cattitude - I think we may be talking about two different restaurants here. According to www.bigboy.com, there are NO Bob's Big Boy restaurants anywhere in the state of Missouri. Yelp, however, does list a Big Boy in Independence, MO. However, the font styles differ between the two establishments and there is no visible evidence of the iconic chubby kid in the red and white checkered overalls at the Independence store. All of this seems to indicate that the Big Boy you love isn't part of a larger chain. Yes, there is a link on the Yelp site for Bob's Big Boy, but given that the Bob's site lists none of its stores in Missouri, I think somebody erroneously included the address on that site. If my reasoning is true, then that explains why there aren't a lot of people here who talk a whole lot about Big Boy in Independence, MO. So, if you visit a Bob's Big Boy in Southern California (or Indiana, or Ohio, or Michigan), don't be surprised if it is NOTHING like the Big Boy you experienced in Independence, MO.

10 'Just Add X' Foods That Taste Better On Their Own

When I was a freshman in college living in the dorms, one of my floormates enjoyed eating Campbell's Golden Cream of Chicken soup straight out of the can. No joke!

Blagojevich Eats Last Meal Before Prison at Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers

I wonder if anyone has since gone into Freddy's and asked for "The Blago Special"?

Reality Check: Carl's Jr./Hardee's Southwest Patty Melt

@GP - I was about to say the same thing about the salsa bar. If you order the Southwest Patty Melt and you find that there is not enough jalapeños to your liking, you can always go to the salsa bar and add as much as you like.

Fast-Food Fried Fish Sandwiches: Popeyes vs. Burger King vs. McDonald's vs. Wendy's

Of the fast food chains, the Carl's Catch Fish Sandwich from Carl's Jr. is by far the best of the lot.

New Lay's Potato Chip Flavors

Cheesy garlic bread, sriracha and chicken and waffles are the three flavors that the Lay's company will be putting out soon. Consumers will be asked to vote for their favorite and the winner will remain on store shelves. The first two are not too difficult to imagine. However, I'm having a hard time imagining chicken and waffles. Don't get me wrong. As a dish, chicken and waffles are WONDERFUL together! I just can't imagine the flavors on a potato chip. I haven't tried any of them yet, but my vote at the moment goes to sriracha! If you want to read the article from the Huffington Post, please go to http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/10/new-lays-potato-chips_n_2657800.html

Sriracha and Pizza! (Okay, so I'm a little slow!)

Just last week, I found how wonderful a cheese slice tastes with sriracha squirted on top! Oh! My! God! Where have I been all these years? Okay, okay. I can see some of you (okay, MOST of you) rolling your eyes and thinking, "Well, DUH!!!" Hey, give this old guy a break, 'k? So I'm a little (okay, a LOT) slow! The synapses in my brain don't work as quickly as they used to! In any case, I'll be celebrating my new "discovery"! Sriracha is now on my shopping list and pizza is on the menu for this week! Sriracha and pizza! YUM!!!

Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza

The "take and bake" pizza shop Papa Murphy's has come out with a bacon cheeseburger pizza with ground beef, bacon, "burger sauce" (the ad make no mention what it is exactly, but I'm guessing that it is something like 1000 Island dressing), bacon, three different cheeses, mixed onions, tomatoes and pickles. The only traditional burger topping that is missing is lettuce. While I like the idea, looking at a picture of this item is a TOTAL turnoff - at least to me. I think we can agree that what makes any burger great or not is the meat and the picture shows too little meat and too much bread (i.e., crust) to make me mistake this pizza for a burger. Unless you are a pickle fanatic, this thing just has WAY too many of them on this pizza. If anyone out there has the courage or is curious enough to try one, I'd love to know what you think.

Graphics for Pizza???!!!

There are few things in life that are better than cheese and tomato sauce baked atop well made pizza dough. But, really, do we need some cutesy (or, in the case of WWE, not-so-cutesy) graphic melted on top of it???

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/12/pizza_prints_is.php

Basic pizza making question

I unfortunately do not have a stand mixer, so I have to knead my pizza dough by hand. I generally knead the dough until it isn't sticky which usually takes only a few minutes, but I was wondering if I should be kneading the dough longer. Should I? If so, how long in general? I realize that there may be different answers due to type of flour, quality of the water, the climate in which I live, etc. I am just looking for an approximate time so that my crust comes somewhat close to that made by a good pizzaiolo. Thanks!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Chain Opens Its First Store

Rachel Metz of the Associated Press reports that Jonathan Kaplan, the founder of the Flip Video camcorder company, has opened "The Melt" in the SoMa district of San Francisco which he hopes will be the first of a nationwide chain of grilled cheese sandwich shops. Soups will range from $4 to $6 while sandwiches will cost around $6. Soup and sandwich combos will be a dollar less than a sawbuck (i.e. $9) I personally have my doubts that such a chain will be successful nationwide, but, what do I know? I turned down an opportunity buy Apple stock fifteen years ago when it was selling at about $7 a share. D'OH!!!

To read the complete article by Ms. Metz and for photos of the fare offered by "The Melt", please check out:

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/30/the-melt-debuts-jonathan-kaplan-grilled-cheese-san-francisco_n_941042.html#s343773&title=The_Classic

Serious Eats Covering Other Cities(?)

First, let me make it very, very clear that I LOVE this site! I check it out at least three or four times everyday to either read new topics or to read stuff I missed. In short, I (heart) Serious Eats! However, the one thing that I find frustrating is that much of the stuff here is oriented for those on the East Coast, specifically NYC. I know, Serious Eats HQ is in New York City and the staff resides in New York. I GET that. However, I live in a college town about 20 miles outside of Sacramento, the state capitol of California. Now, Sacramento is not and never will be a San Francisco, Los Angeles or Chicago, never mind New York, but neither is it a small "podunk" town and there are some wonderful eateries there. While I enjoy reading about great eats in places like New York or Los Angeles (the place of my birth, by the way), it would be nice read about eateries in "smaller" cities like Salt Lake City, Boise, Des Moines and, yes, Sacramento. I realize the SE staff may not have the funds to send people out to ALL of these places, but I wonder: what are the cities that the SE brain trust is planning to include as a regular SE city site? How does one who wishes to become a voluntary contributors to SE become one?

It wouldn't surprise me if all of this has been asked before and if so, please forgive me for the duplication. Further, if I missed a FAQ somewhere on this site that answers all of these questions, again please accept my apologies. Otherwise, SE is just terrific and kudos to all who make it the great site that it is. Thank you also to everyone who submitted entries and replies to the "Talk" site of SE. You have given me some wonderful info and ideas that I will someday try in my kitchen! Have a great day! :)

The $3 Big Mac (sort of) mini meal

I'm curious to know how many of you have done the following: You get a craving for a Big Mac, but, for whatever reason, you are VERY short on cash (or, like me, you're just a cheapskate). So, you go in to your local McDonald's and order a $3 double cheeseburger mini-meal and ask to add lettuce and Big Mac sauce to sandwich and leave off the ketchup and mustard. I've done this a couple of times and its a cheap way of getting my Big Mac craving satiated. Again, I ask - has anybody else done this?

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