Category: Other

Duluth, MN – Old Country Buffet

Kawikamedia and the Minnesota Burger Posse went in search of buffets in Duluth, MN today.  Fridays, they usually hit Sammy’s Pizza in downtown, which serves up a great pizza and pasta buffet. Today, the Burger Boss got outvoted, and they landed at Old Country Buffet, part of the nationwide chain which includes outlets by that… Continue reading Duluth, MN – Old Country Buffet

Hoffy Hot Dogs Update

Last year I wrote a four-part series on Los Angeles’ favorite Hoffy Hot Dogs; while I reviewed most of their product line, the occasion for the piece was the debut of their bacon-wrapped hot dogs, which is the official hot dog of Los Angeles. The company has been working hard to get wider distribution, and… Continue reading Hoffy Hot Dogs Update

Duluth, MN – Gannucci’s Italian Market, Part 2, Dessert

Cannoli is a dessert of Sicilian origin, generally a fried tube of pastry dough with a creamy, sweet filling that often contains ricotta cheese.  They seemed to have first appeared in the U.S. around 1900, developed by Silician immigrants with local ingredients. Today, across the US, the original recipe has been modified far and wide,… Continue reading Duluth, MN – Gannucci’s Italian Market, Part 2, Dessert

Home Cookin’ – Uncle Giuseppe’s Sausage & Pasta

Two sidebars before getting to the meat of the matter:  I like Italian sausage (or ground beef) tomato sauce and pasta.   When I lived in Hong Kong, and I’d only get back to my apartment once a week or less, I’d make big batches and freeze in “me size” containers.   There’d always be… Continue reading Home Cookin’ – Uncle Giuseppe’s Sausage & Pasta

Gov’t Doesn’t Like Recommendations? Get Rid of the Recommenders

The Portland/Multnomah County (Oregon) Food Policy Council has invested thousands of hours, meetings, discussions to work towards having healthier food choices and stewardship of local lands  for the region.  Not in the same vein as Mommy Bloomberg in NYC’s ban on large soft drinks, as such, but thoughtful, intelligent discussions and recommendations. Lots of people… Continue reading Gov’t Doesn’t Like Recommendations? Get Rid of the Recommenders

Home Cured Olives, Day 28

I have a slightly different method of home curing olives with water and/or brine.  Many recipes suggest a ten day period of leeching the bitterness out of the olives, changing fresh water daily before seasoning your olives for further curing and storage. I use a brine method that generally takes a month, changing the water… Continue reading Home Cured Olives, Day 28

Home Cookin’ – Marie Callender’s Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

According to the website, this is a “Multi-Serve Bake” product, as opposed to a “Complete Meal” or “One Dish Entree”.   1 hour in a conventional oven, or far less in your nuker (about 10 mins), and this product comes out ready-to-eat.  Personally, I think anything that contains a protein, starch, and dairy, would qualify… Continue reading Home Cookin’ – Marie Callender’s Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Home Test – Tyson Sausage Crumbles

Leave it to me to start liking a product that apparently isn’t made anymore.  I had two packages in the freezer that I picked up at some time, Sausage Crumbles with Italian Seasoning, and Beef Crumbles.  Both ingredients are fully-cooked, and designed to be used as a quick heat and eat meal component, as a… Continue reading Home Test – Tyson Sausage Crumbles

What I Was Eating, 7 Years Ago Today

It was blistering hot, humidity off the scale.  No electricity.  No AC.  No phone.  No interwebs.  No hot water.  It was a few days after Katrina, and the previous descriptions would be my life for a couple months back then. The cuisine?  MRE’s, (meals-ready-to-eat), courtesy of the United States Government, handed to me by prisoners… Continue reading What I Was Eating, 7 Years Ago Today