Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

The 'Hamburger' Was Not Invented in Athens, Texas

As politicians like to say, "Why confuse the issue with facts?"

Nice article.

sfmitch at 11:15AM on 08/13/09

Cook the Book: 'Burger Bar'

No doubt - favorite burger topping is cheese. American Cheese if I had to pick just one kind.

Mmmmmm.....burgers!

sfmitch at 1:20PM on 08/03/09

McDonald’s Angus Burger, Nearing National Rollout

Well, which is it - 1/3 pound or 6 ounces?

sfmitch at 4:52PM on 04/22/09

Cook the Book: 'The Great Wings Book'

Cheeseburger & Fries

Buffalo Wings

sfmitch at 11:15PM on 01/19/09

Tonight on 'Man v. Food,' the Eagle's Deli Burger Challenge in Boston

This is a good show.

What a great job - going around the country and eating at cool places!

sfmitch at 6:02PM on 01/14/09

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=161202753

Josh Ozersky and Hamburgers on 'Nightline'

This is also available in iTunes Music Store under Podcasts -> Nightline story of the day:

sfmitch at 1:41PM on 01/09/09

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: D'Artagnan Boneless Heritage Ham

Ham, Swiss, Mustard, Mayonnaise, Pepperoncini, Lettuce, Tomato, Sweet Onion on a Soft Roll

sfmitch at 6:05PM on 01/01/09

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Two Peter Luger Steaks

I love me some Porterhouse!!

sfmitch at 4:49PM on 12/28/08

So, What Did You Make?

A group effort produced:

Butternut Squash Bisque

Spinach Salad with apples, raisins, pecans and citrus vinaigrette

Whole Turkey + bone-in Turkey Breast - brined, spiced rubbed, smoked and deep-fried.

Bone-In Turkey Breast - Brined and roasted (rubbed with butter, salt and pepper)

Mashed Potatoes (Yukon Golds)

Cranberry Sauce (cranberries, sugar, orange zest and juice)

Cornbread Stuffing

Homemade Gravy

Baked sweet potato casserole with oat crumble and marshmallows

Green beans sauteed with shallots

Squachos - Yellow squash cooked with jalapenos and cheese (sounds weird but it is yummy)

Rice, Broccoli and Cheese Casserole

Freshly baked rolls (store bought frozen proof and bake)

Chocolate Chocolate Cake

Pear and Cranberry Pie

Pumpkin Mousse Tart

Pecan Pie (so good)

Spice Cake with cranberries and walnuts

sfmitch at 10:31PM on 11/27/08

Cook the Book: 'Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics'

Soft Pretzels with lots of Salt

sfmitch at 7:58PM on 11/10/08

Should Picky Eaters Fake Allergies?

It is wrong to cry wolf about allergies.

Allergies can be serious and those who lie about made-up allergies are self-obsessed losers.

Lying is bad.

sfmitch at 9:12PM on 11/07/08

Cook the Book: 'The Cook's Country Cookbook'

Andouille Sausage & Shrimp Gumbo

sfmitch at 2:32PM on 10/20/08

Cook the Book: 'Fat'

Duck Confit.

Mmmmmm.....Duck Fat.

This book looks great - come to Papa!!!

sfmitch at 8:09PM on 10/13/08

How Far Does Restaurant Loyalty Go?

It is very difficult to identify the cause of food borne illness. Your doctor gave you a time window that is too small (12 to 18 hours) in reality it should be a time frame of several hours to several days (everything you ate and drank). Unless multiple people get sick, it is very difficult to pin it down on any one thing.

So, if I was you I would continue to visit Cafe X unless you are no longer able to enjoy yourself (keep thinking that every bite is going to lead to getting sick).

My source is the CDC:

What happens in the body after the microbes that produce illness are swallowed?

After they are swallowed, there is a delay, called the incubation period, before the symptoms of illness begin. This delay may range from hours to days, depending on the organism, and on how many of them were swallowed. During the incubation period, the microbes pass through the stomach into the intestine, attach to the cells lining the intestinal walls, and begin to multiply there. Some types of microbes stay in the intestine, some produce a toxin that is absorbed into the bloodstream, and some can directly invade the deeper body tissues. The symptoms produced depend greatly on the type of microbe. Numerous organisms cause similar symptoms, especially diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and nausea. There is so much overlap that it is rarely possible to say which microbe is likely to be causing a given illness unless laboratory tests are done to identify the microbe, or unless the illness is part of a recognized outbreak.

sfmitch at 9:38PM on 10/12/08

Delicatessen Ruins Their Cheeseburger with a Brioche Bun

It seems like you are slamming iPhone users as more concerned with trendiness than form & function.

I think you are quite wrong on this point. The iPhone, despite offering game changing design, is one of the most powerful, technologically advanced cell phones sold in the US. Far from being seen as a negative, a customer base with a high iPhone usage points to discerning customers who want best of class products. Wait a second, that sounds like the mission AHT is on.

sfmitch at 12:37PM on 10/07/08

Popeyes Gets a Full Brand Makeover

I don't like it. Not one bit.

sfmitch at 6:27PM on 07/28/08

Bovine Bliss Found at Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington, Virginia

as of today, october 30th, they do sell fries, we went last night, burgers were awesome, cooked perfectly to temp, one medium rare, the other well done. the fries leave something to be desired.....they should stick to the alternates, corn, mac & cheese, chips....and also, please dont offer cokes in plastic bottles. the vintage sodas are awesome. All in all, best burger ever by far. I grew up in Chicago, been out west for in-and-out, the spot in Kenosha wisconsin, Culvers.....and 5 guys out here.....Rays is by far the best!

DCSaluki at 2:30PM on 10/29/09

http://www.hawkkrall.net/prints

Hot Dog of the Week: Half-Smoke

@blisseau-
Wow, tasteless? I thought the half smoke was one of the most flavorful pieces of tubular meat I've ever had. The chili was definitely unique, and one Chili Half-Smoke can probably feed two people.

In related news, Half-Smoke art prints are now available here-

Hawk Krall at 12:30PM on 10/20/09

AHT Poll: Five Guys or In-N-Out?

We need a Five Guys fan club! http://sixthguy.blogspot.com/

Chuckrex at 10:25AM on 10/15/09

AHT Poll: Five Guys or In-N-Out?

@thesnorks: yes, you are the only one who thinks In-n-out is over rated. :)

I LOVE In-N-Out. Always have. Always will.

Five Guys is nowhere in the same league. Not even close.

David in CA at 1:55AM on 10/13/09

This Week's Poll Results

5 Guys has better fries? Uh, they look better...until those knuckleheads stuff em in styrofoam, which should be legally prohibited from ever coming in contact with fried anything. Everyone knows that the paper bag was invented by Albert Einstein specifically for the transportation and temporary storage of fried potato products, and to put them in anything else is heresy.

StarvinMarvin at 11:41AM on 10/11/09

This Week's Poll Results

I've never had In-N-Out, but Five Guys french fries flat-out suck. They are starchy and limp, and the so-called "Cajun" seasoning is bland and disgusting at the same time.
Their burgers are one step above McDonald's--edible--but hardly worth seeking out.

salpico at 5:43PM on 10/10/09

This Week's Poll Results

Dammit, when is In-N-Out coming to the East Coast??????

jlewfoodie at 12:36AM on 10/10/09

AHT Poll: Five Guys or In-N-Out?

Lonely Guy said.........Of course, you can't specify temperature at In-N-Out and they usually cook burgers medium to well-done, but their patties are so thin that with cheese it's not really an issue.

When you go up to the counter and order your burger medium rare........and medium rare is what you will get!

Skuterdude at 4:22PM on 10/09/09

This Week's Poll Results

I was at the In-N-Out on Tropicana in Las Vegas last month and there was a guy from back East, Philly I think he said, with a box full of burgers and he was taking pictures of them from all angles and gushing about how good they looked and how he couldn't wait to dive in and how he couldn't get burgers like them back home and on and on. And all around, people were basically ignoring him, tending to their own business, munching away, like that sort of thing happened all the time. I took my Animal DD, extra sauce, extra pickles and went outside. One man's Nirvana is another man's lunch.

pattyplus at 12:41PM on 10/09/09

This Week's Poll Results

Thanks a lot.
Now I'm twice as hungry as I was five minutes ago!

soozm32 at 12:28PM on 10/09/09

This Week's Poll Results

A big shiney BigWoollyMammoth "No-Prize" to the first AHT person to put together a Mash-Up of a Double Double and a 5 Guys Burgers and photographs it!

BigWoollyMammoth at 11:04AM on 10/09/09

AHT Poll: Five Guys or In-N-Out?

I want to eat them both. As for a favorite, well. When I am on the right coast, I'll eat Five Guys, when I'm on the left coast, I'll eat In-N-Out Burger. If I ever get into a situation where I have to choose between the two, I'll just smile and get one from each.

BigWoollyMammoth at 3:21PM on 10/07/09

AHT Poll: Five Guys or In-N-Out?

I give a slight edge to In-N-Out, simply because of consistency. I've eaten literally hundreds of both In-N-Out burgers and 5G burgers, and In-N-Out kills 5G in consistency. I *always* get a carefully built, good, quality burger from In-N-Out. I often get a 5G burger with the wrong toppings that looks like it's been sat upon.

I like a good 5G, but I'm finding myself increasingly disappointed in them as they expand.

kaszeta at 9:34PM on 10/06/09

Which pizza stone should I buy?

I recommend a real fire-brick. It is 12 inchx 12 inch by 1 1/2 inch thick.
You can do a lot with it. You can use it in various ways.
I use them myself and I think they are the most proper brick to use. I could get them as a personal favor as I don't really sell them as yet.
Trial and error is the best teacher.
For example: You can just leave it in all the time on the bottom deck or bottom shelf just to maintain and regulate heat so flame does not come on so often.
Pre- heat it and it will hold the heat for a long time. If you like crispy pizza it is the way to go.
I don't know about using quarry tile, but I have used several other stones and they were junky. Also tried slate, not as good, either.
Try licking the quarry tile see how it tastes, if anything it could effect the taste of the bottom of the pie.

pizzaloverpal at 8:31PM on 10/06/09

Which pizza stone should I buy?

I got unglazed roof tiles from Home Depot. Worked just fine and I've still alive.

AnnieNT at 7:33PM on 10/06/09

AHT Poll: Five Guys or In-N-Out?

For the 15 years I lived in Southern California, I ate at In-N-Out on occasion, mostly because it was a cult thing. As the chain expanded, and I got older and my tastes got more refined and my wallet got less empty, my interest faded. The burgers were better than McD's and BK, but nothing special. These days, when I treat myself to a burger, I much prefer a thick, juicy, medium-rare cheeseburger with a side of twice-fried fries to any sort of lifeless thin-patty version.

I now live in a Five Guys region of the country and have given them a try. Again, nothing special. Although Five Guys and In-N-Out's burgers are quite different, the two places do seem to me to fall in the same category: burgers that are a notch above McD's and BK but still not worth the calories for a burger splurge.

Lorenzo at 3:54PM on 10/06/09

AHT Poll: Five Guys or In-N-Out?

I refuse to eat at Five Guys because they cook their burgers to death; well-done is the only option -- they won't even cook burgers medium. There is no such thing as a "juicy" well-done burger. Of course, you can't specify temperature at In-N-Out and they usually cook burgers medium to well-done, but their patties are so thin that with cheese it's not really an issue.

Lonely Guy at 2:44PM on 10/06/09

AHT Poll: Five Guys or In-N-Out?

They are both excellent burgers, although In-N-Out provides a better value. From the value perspective In-N-Out takes the prize. Keep in mind that you can't find In-N-Out in most states, Five Guys is expanding like crazy and good thing, because it is really good.

PeteNeumann at 1:41PM on 10/06/09

AHT Poll: Five Guys or In-N-Out?

@HerbyN: I don't think liking one burger place over the other necessarily implies that the other isn't good. Both places are different and may appeal to different people. I'm not voting in this poll either because I don't have a preference (I like both of em), but apparently a lot of other people do.

If you have any suggestions for future polls though, please let us know!

Robyn Lee at 10:59AM on 10/06/09

AHT Poll: Five Guys or In-N-Out?

i've never understood this "either/or" thing with in-n-out and five guys, why there seems to be such a clamor to create a heated debate over the issue...

it's as if you have to like one to the exclusion of the other. why is that? i'm quite happy to be able to have BOTH burgers depending on my mood. they are both good. both different. i feel by choosing one as "better" it implies the other one isn't good. don't feel a need to do that. won't be participating in this poll....

i will say this... i'm not a big fan of the overly aggressive expansion model at Five Guys (opening too many locations to quickly). i think it will dilute the brand and cause problems with maintaining quality control between locations.

HerbyN at 10:51AM on 10/06/09

Which pizza stone should I buy?

There's NO way quarry stones/unglazed tiles outperform a stone made for the purpose of baking. If you're serious about pizza (or bread making) but a serious stone. Buy a Fibrament. http://www.bakingstone.com/

grampart at 9:10AM on 10/06/09

Which pizza stone should I buy?

If you go the stone route, I'd recommend a rectangular one rather than a circular one because it will be easier to transfer to from a peel.

I've also gotten good results from preheating the stone upside down on the lowest oven rack, and then flipping with some fire gloves just before I throw the pie on. I don't know if this is common knowledge, but I've found it to be much more efficient.

pizzabianca at 10:22PM on 10/05/09

Which pizza stone should I buy?

I've had trouble finding these tiles at home depot in southern california. I've also read other threads suggesting that quarry stone tiles can be made in a manner that contains toxic materials (lead, arsenic) so I ended up finding some pizza stones on clearance somewhere... maybe it was Big Lots. (can't remember).

h0miz at 9:06PM on 10/05/09

Which pizza stone should I buy?

Thank you all so much! I'll keep an eye out for the tilesor a thicker stone. The tiles might be harder to come by since I live in DC and don't have a car, so Home Depot isn't super accessible. Maybe it's time for a Zipcar membership!

colleen7583 at 8:15PM on 10/05/09