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That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
Check out Jennifer 8. Lee's book "The Fortune Cookie Chronicles"-- she traces the history of General Tso's Chicken, and with it the history of Chinese food in North America. (And yes, peanuts made their way to China in the 1600s!)
Cook the Book: 'Gourmet Today'
Mine was the Care Bears' Party Cookbook, which appears to be a collectible now (a new copy goes for $80 on Amazon!). It was full of no-bake, kid-safe treats. I remember a shake involving chocolate ice cream and peanut butter that I'd love to have in my hand right now...
Healthy & Delicious: Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
This series is fantastic (says a mayo hater). Keep it up. This and the avocado chicken salad are just inspired.
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Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
A few more for your list:
London Grill
Village Whiskey
Sketch Burger
Johnny Brenda's
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
Check out Jennifer 8. Lee's book "The Fortune Cookie Chronicles"-- she traces the history of General Tso's Chicken, and with it the history of Chinese food in North America. (And yes, peanuts made their way to China in the 1600s!)
Cook the Book: 'Gourmet Today'
Mine was the Care Bears' Party Cookbook, which appears to be a collectible now (a new copy goes for $80 on Amazon!). It was full of no-bake, kid-safe treats. I remember a shake involving chocolate ice cream and peanut butter that I'd love to have in my hand right now...
Healthy & Delicious: Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
This series is fantastic (says a mayo hater). Keep it up. This and the avocado chicken salad are just inspired.
Serious Cocktails: Drinking Without Drinking
I'm pregnant, and when I go out I like to challenge the bartender to mix me something delicious and alcohol-free. A lot of them really enjoy the challenge and are creative-- at Mango Moon in Manayunk (Philadelphia) I had a fantastic coconut milk "mojito".
Cook the Book: 'Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating'
I joined a CSA! And his meals are a great balance; fresh and healthy, but doable enough for weeknights.
Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 57: Apple Crisp, Lard Potato Chips, and Chocolate
OK, now I'm curious: what name are these chips sold under? Curious Pennsylvanians want to know...
Seriously Delicious Super Bowl Party Giveaway: La Frieda Black Label Burgers
I once had a burger so rare
There was barely a charred crust there
It was so damn delicious
Juicy and nutritious
I just about fell off my chair!
Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Two Peter Luger Steaks
I love a good porterhouse. And my elderly beagle becomes a puppy again when I walk through the door with a great big steak bone for him!
Win Tix to the SWEETest Event Ever at the New York City Wine & Food Fest
Cream puffs from Beard Papa!
Serious Markets, Bakeries, and Delis in Pittsburgh's Strip District
Loving the Pittsburgh coverage!
Did you go around to the secret little pizza shop hidden in the back room of Enrico Biscotti? Still my favorite pizza ever.
Where To Find Fried Pickles on the East Coast
In Philadelphia, the Memphis Taproom (memphistaproom.com) just added them to the summer menu, and my husband can't stop raving about them.
Dinner Tonight: Summertime Pasta with Pine Nuts and Lemon
We made this a few nights ago... delicious! We substituted sage for parsley and asiago for pecorino. It's a light, summery dish that's not too bad for you, but it feels really decadent. This is definitely going on my short list of weeknight meals for warm weather.
Classic Cookbooks: Chana Dal with Lamb
This is a great recipe; I did a series of posts on this cookbook on my own blog, and this dal has since become a household staple. The lentils come out much more al dente than in most dals, which gives it a great texture.
Photo of the Day: Simit Vendor in Istanbul
Come to Philly! There's a pretzel seller who comes down my street on Saturday mornings who looks a lot like this guy.
Yum!
Cook the Book: Win a Copy of 'Cook with Jamie'
My mom started the job; my husband kept it up. He's still teaching me to cook.
Unclogged: Mario Batali's Valentine's Day Menu
My husband made the crab tortelloni last night-- delicious! (Sorry Mario, we didn't have time to make homemade pasta so we used fresh pasta from an Asian market.)
Weekend Book Giveaway: 'Secret Ingredients, the New Yorker Book of Food and Drink'
It's a tossup between Anthony Bourdain and Brillat-Savarin. Both as funny as it gets.
Take It Outside, Junior
I agree with seadkdc; pubs can be quite family-oriented. I think it also makes a difference whether smoking is allowed; if you're in a nonsmoking pub in the late afternoon, having dinner and drinks, why not? In clubs and smoky bars, you'd think that simple common sense would prevent parents from bringing their kids. But maybe not.
I'm grateful to live in a city with a smoking ban, personally-- I think it makes restaurants and bars friendlier to everyone, whatever age.
Valentine's Day Chocolate Giveaway
Oh, dark. My god. No question.
Starbucks Discontinues Breakfast Sandwiches
Damn. I thought they were tasty.
Scrabufoodulous
I'm outing myself as a serious addict here, but I think this is the awesomest thing over. I'll play you! :)
Philadelphia Armchair Eating: Fishtown
I live in Fishtown! I've reviewed Ida Mae's actually: http://therealpotato.wordpress.com/2007/09/29/ida-maes-bruncherie-not-just-for-brunch-anymore/ They recently discontinued dinner service, but that might change after a Times write-up. How exciting!
The neighborhood is gentrifying, but still kind of rough. Brenda's is a hipster paradise-- great music venue too. I like the fact that all of their beer is local, and they're great about taking care of their gluten-free customers. Get the steak sandwich.
I would have added the Rocket Cat Cafe for coffee and breakfast, and Paddy's Well for excellent ribs.
Have Child Food Allergy Sufferers Found Their Erin Brockovich?
foodinmouth and brandonphx, I think then the issue becomes whether clean food is a social cause worth fighting for. I know that I personally DO make it a point to learn about what additives are and to take care with what I eat-- but I also think that food manufacturers' greed shouldn't trump the health of the populace. Yes, the FDA and USDA are ineffective-- why? Because they're blocked at every turn by corporate lobbyists. Read Marion Nestle's "Food Politics" to get an idea of how this works. It's not just a matter of individual decisions-- we can control what we buy, but not what appears on the shelf.
Have Child Food Allergy Sufferers Found Their Erin Brockovich?
Argh, I guess that wasn't the best way to tag quotes. That was in response to foodinmouth and brandonphx.
(resolves to use real HTML in future)
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
From my experience (I was a 5-year Philly resident), there are only 3 really good burgers in the city
1. Sabrina's Cafe (910 Christian St.)
2. Caribou Cafe (1126 Walnut St.)
3. Triumph Brewing Company (117 Chestnut St.)
I don't know who told you that you'd get a good burger at Standard Tap... that place has an OK beer selection (better off at The Foodery around the corner), and the food is pretty average.
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
Authenticity bores me. I enjoy things that taste good and use their ingredients properly.
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
Knowing Robyn's preference for a smaller, California-style burger I'd recommend Sketch Burger. Delicious hand cut fries too!
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
Go to Eulogy Belgian Tavern in Old City. I've had burgers all over the city, and Eulogy is the best in my opinion.
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
wow. unhinge jaw, insert burger. i like it.
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
My favorite is definitely cold szechuan style noodles with a peanut/tahini/chili sauce (Bittman's recipe is my basic starting point). A relatively simple dish with a lot of elan and layers.
And, btw, I thought peanuts were of African origin, and I thank you for a new piece of knowledge today!
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
I remember having great burger at Standard Tap, but I haven't been back since I began my own Philly burger quest (and started a blog about it). The Royal Tavern is tops for me so far but I've barely made a dent in the supposed top 10.
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
@UnasBravas: Surprisingly, no; they look raw but were grilled just to the point of...not being raw anymore, haha. They had a mildly sweet flavor.
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
The onions look ridiculous. Didn't they overpower it?
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
Looks like a good place, I like the Intro photos Keep it up :)
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
Thanks for your recommendations, guys!
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
You haven't been to the best places yet, though..
Village Whiskey. Probably the best burger I've ever eaten in my entire life. Stick with the Village burger, the Whiskey King burger is too ridiculous. They tend to overcook a little - both times I ordered medium they came out very decidedly medium-well, so keep that in mind. For potatoes, I prefer their tater tots to their duck fat fries, which surprised me.
Runner-up: Pub & Kitchen's Windsor Burger. So delicious, house-made bacon on top.
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
Keep on visiting--I love your reviews!
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
Also, Butcher & Singer for their 6 dollar lunch special Burger. Step into Mad Men world and get an absolutely delicious example of what a Burger can be!
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
Robyn,
Don't forget to try The Silk City Diner. Their burger is a step above the rest.
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
@therealpotato: Thanks! I want to try Johnny Brenda's next.
@Eating The Road: It was a nice dinner and an overall enjoyable night...because after burgering my friends and I walked to Franklin Fountain and stuffed ourselves with ICE CREAM. :)
Burger from Standard Tap in Philadelphia
Sad to hear it didn't meet expectations but at least you had a fairly decent dinner :)
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
Legend goes it was invented by this guy, and named after his title.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ding_Baozhen
The picture is authentic - and very close to the original Sichuan version in fact. There are many regional varieties, but the main ingredients: chicken, peeled peanuts (the one with cashew nuts is actually a different dish), cucumber, spring onion and spices are all present here in this photo.
Chilli is the primary taste factor that makes most of the difference.
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
I, too, have eaten Gog Bao Ji Ding in Beijing many times, and it's very similar to our Kung Pao Chicken. Except there it costs about fifty cents. And, as Barry Foy said, there seems to be an overabundance of peanuts and a relative dearth of chicken in the dish pictured. However, Barry, I've had it with cucumbers on numerous occasions. They work surprisingly well. I can't remember if it always had cucumbers (left Beijing >2 years ago) but it was often at least.
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
I was in China this past summer and had "Szechuan Chicken" at the restaurant Made in China In Beijing. This is basically KungPo Chicken (gongbao jiding), but they added Macadamia nuts. It was INCREDIBLE! It was also one of the only restaurants that we went back to just for this dish. I highly recommend Made In China to anyone travelling to Beijing.
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
I was always under the impression that Kung Pao chicken was authentic, mostly because I had a friend in college who studied abroad for a year in China and came back saying he'd had it there (but taught us all the "correct" pronunciation for it gong bao ji ding. Although I do enjoy the Americanized version in restaurants, I've always made it at home more in the style of Fuchsia Dunlop's version - cause that's how Mom taught me!
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
@Lorenzo: in Hawai'i, peanuts are boiled with star anise, too. Very tasty.
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
There's a couple of Szechwan places around here that do a dynamite version of Kung Pao Chicken, more chilies, more flavor.
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
If you don't have time to read Jennifer Lee's book, I highly recommend this TED talk:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jennifer_8_lee_looks_for_general_tso.html
It's one of my favorites: funny, informative, surprising... and you'll learn things about General Tso's, fortune cookie's, and other popular dishes that are pretty awesome :P
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About therealpotato
Website: http://therealpotato.wordpress.com
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Favorite foods: Roast pork buns, fried chicken, masala dosa, mofongo
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A few more for your list:
London Grill
Village Whiskey
Sketch Burger
Johnny Brenda's