50 of the world's best food blogs - Times Online

50 of the world's best food blogs - Times Online

As January is almost here I figured I'd clean out my inbox. Lo and Behold I found an email sent to me (Thanks Tina) in July with the 50 best food blogs. Check 'em and 'njoy!

Happy 2010!

Exclamation!

Folgers Coffee purchase gave Smucker one profitable jolt

Three straight quarters of record sales and earnings -- including profits that have more than doubled three times -- have a way of silencing your detractors.

"The proof in the pudding is what the market thinks of what you've done, and their stocks have gone up more than the markets have gone up," said Fariborz Ghadar, professor of global management, policies and planning, and founding director of the Center for Global Business Studies at Penn State University. "These guys have done better than the market -- in a very challenging environment."

Cleveland.com

What I Did For Lunch

Today we had our adopt-a-class holiday party at Rockdale academy. During this gift filled, sugar fueled event I decided to one up my luther-burger and go all out on the sweets. So, I decided to enjoy a super-terrific Datina Diego Desert Sandwich. Those of you who know Datina, while a gifted designer, she is far better at making me sugary treats. Today's cookies (scrumptious) and cupcakes (decadent), while good on their own, were much better combined. (Somewhere out there my doctor is cringing).

Lookin for an Unhealthy Burger for the Holidays

Sick of Turkey . . . ready for some beef? Check out the 5 unhealthiest burgers

The five worst gourmet burgers are:

*Worst: Wendy’s Bacon Deluxe Triple Burger with 1,140 calories, 71 grams of fat, 31 grams of saturated fat, 290 milligrams of cholesterol, and 2,470 milligrams of sodium.

* 2nd worst: Carl’s Jr. Guacamole Bacon Six-Dollar Burger with 1,040 calories, 70 grams of fat, 25 grams of saturated fat, 145 milligrams of cholesterol and 2,240 milligrams of sodium.
*
*3rd worst: Burger King’s Steakhouse XT Burger with 970 calories, 61 grams of fat, 23 grams of saturated fat, 135 milligrams of cholesterol and 1,930 milligrams of sodium.

*4th worst: Jack in the Box’s Sirloin Cheeseburger with 941 calories, 59 grams of fat, 18 grams of saturated fat, 143 milligrams of cholesterol and 1,890 milligrams of sodium.

*5th worst: McDonald’s Angus Bacon and Cheese Burger with 790 calories, 39 grams of fat, 17 grams of saturated fat, 145 milligrams of cholesterol and 2,070 milligrams of sodium.

And you thought McNuggets were just good for throwing down your gullet

Nothing says sophisticated drinking like processed meat and BBQ sauce. Walking the fine line between fine-drinking and fast-food comes the McNuggetini.
This NYT article provides some insights on this concoction. Some favorite copy from the article includes:

“It’s fine once you get past the barbecue sauce,” Ms. Hardstark, 29, said of the drink, part chocolate shake, part Chicken McNugget. “It tastes just like a White Russian, but with meat.”

and One commenter on YouTube summed up their appeal: “Well-dressed cute girls mixing god-awful drinks? I can’t stop watching.” In response to a YouTube video on making the drinks.

It makes one wonder what's next? I mean what can the put fast food into next? A filet mignon with a McRib inside of it? Yogurt with a Whopper ground up inside? All I know is that I'm heading out to get a Spicy Chicken Sidecar after work.

Would you drink pure fat?

Check out this video that discusses the NY ad campaign against fatty beverages.


I think the ad campaign makes an impact, but I wonder if they should be spending their funds elsewhere. I have a feeling we're gonna see some might big violators coming up on cans of Coke and Pepsi, calling out calories on the front panel.

Cafe de Wheels revs up gourmet food truck operation

Cafe de Wheels revs up gourmet food truck operation

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Looking for Gifts

Have you been seeking the next great holiday gift? Perhaps something for a loved one or a friend with dogs? Then maybe you should get them a Bacon Wallet . . . nothing says lovin' like a dog chasing you down the street (and it only costs $10.95)
Check out more bacon based gifts here

(Thanks Nick for the link)

Cadbury Dismisses Bid From Kraft

Stepping up its efforts to fend off a hostile takeover bid, Cadbury increased its profitability target on Monday and said Kraft’s offer for the British chocolate and candy maker was “derisory.”

Cadbury declined to say whether it is in discussions with Hershey, Ferrero or any other potential rival bidders, but Todd Stitzer, the chief executive, said the company had “received indications of interest from third parties.”

New York Times

PepsiCo Searches for Potato Chip of the Future

What will the potato chip of the future look and taste like? PepsiCo aims to find out. The food and beverage giant announced this week that it is opening a new long-term research laboratory next to the Yale campus in New Haven, Conn.

The facility will employ eight to 10 scientists with backgrounds ranging from sensory to biochemistry. Their goal: To create healthier foods and beverages.

BrandWeek

Whataburger Gives Customers Free Food for Christmas

Slashfood Tweets

To celebrate the holiday season, Whataburger is offering its customers 12 menu items on the house.

But don't cancel dinner plans just yet: The dozen freebies will be meted out one at a time over a three-week period.

Diners who register at Whataburger's Web site will receive 12 coupons good for fries, drinks and breakfast taquitos via e-mail between Dec. 1 and Dec. 24. As spokeswoman Natalie Silva explains, each coupon expires at the end of the day. The promotion will culminate on Christmas Eve with a coupon for a free burger.

According to a 2007 report by the Corpus Christi Caller, the burger chain considered rolling out the deal two years ago, but canceled its plans when e-mails were leaked in advance of an official announcement. "The '12 Days of Whataburger' were just too good to be true," the paper lamented, explaining why electronic coupons already in circulation wouldn't be honored.

Whataburger doesn't anticipate any problems this time around, although Silva concedes the program isn't entirely altruistic. The company hopes coupon users will maintain the habit of dining at Whataburger every other day.

Harmon Dobson, who dreamed of serving a burger it took two hands to hold, opened the first Whataburger in Corpus Christi in 1950. The family-owned business remains a regional chain, with 700 locations in just 10 states: Its northernmost store is in Tulsa. Still, Silva maintains Whataburger's fans' devotion knows no bounds: The home office lovingly refers to its most faithful followers as "fanatics."

Silva says Whataburger plans to continue rewarding its loyal patrons with specials such as "12 Days of Whataburger."

"Whataburger has just started a new campaign to give back and show appreciation for our customers," she says. "Customers will see more of this moving forward."

De Cavel restaurant opening delayed

De Cavel restaurant opening delayed

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Hershey adding heat to Kraft's bid for Cadbury?

The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, reported Friday that the charitable trust that controls Hershey is pushing the Pennsylvania-based chocolate-maker to launch a $17 billion bid for Cadbury.

Last week, Kraft made a formal offer for Cadbury, reiterating its earlier $16 billion-plus bid for the company. Cadbury again decidedly rejected Kraft.

With Hershey seeming more likely to make an offer, a bidding war for Cadbury "is a definite possibility," said Erin Swanson, a stock analyst for Morningstar Inc.

Chicago Tribune

White Castle stuffing :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Side Dishes

White Castle stuffing :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Side Dishes

It's No Pizza the Hut . . . but looks tasty?

check it out

Coca-Cola Launches New Packaging for Minute Maid

The Dieline

My Arteries Just Became Fully Blocked

Recipe
2 pounds thick cut bacon
2 pounds Italian sausage
1 jar of your favorite barbeque sauce
1 jar of your favorite barbeque rub

check out more heart-stopping pix and a description

Thanks Nick

Guy Fieri hits the road, not for dives, but for concert halls -- latimes.com

Guy Fieri hits the road, not for dives, but for concert halls -- latimes.com

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That's a lot of golden arches

McDonald's plans to open 1,000 new restaurants next year and renovate 2,300 existing locations.

At a meeting of company investors on Thursday, the fast-food giant said it would focus on opening new restaurants primarily in the U.S., Germany, France, Russia, China and Australia.

Read the full article here

Kraft Turns Hostile In Bid For Cadbury

Kraft Foods turned hostile in its bid for Cadbury on Monday, making a formal but unchanged takeover offer which now triggers a bid battle for the British confectioner which could last up to three months.

New York Times

The only gum ad I'd like to be in

Topline's 'The Kiss': Holy Crap

Chocolatey cereal doesn't appear to cure h1n1

Chalk this one up to a supercharged political environment that now attaches suspicions to cereal-box labels as well as virus vaccines: Kellogg has just announced that it is backing away from the “Immunity” claim on its Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies cereals.

As we reported Tuesday, critics recently scored Kellogg for emblazoning the claim, “Now Helps Support Your Child’s IMMUNITY” on the front of the packages after boosting the daily value of antioxidant vitamins A, C and E in the cereals to 25% last spring, from the earlier 10%.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera protested that Kellogg’s claim implied that its cereals could help protect kids against the swine-flu epidemic, and might mislead parents -- though Kellogg had been developing the line for more than a year, well before the advent of the H1N1 scare, and rolled it out in May.

Of course, the ubiquity of the virus by now, the deaths it has caused, and the ambivalence of American parents about the H1N1 vaccine created a sensitive landing place for such allegations

read the full article here

For Kraft, What Price Cadbury?

After Tuesday’s results, the food company, led by Irene B. Rosenfeld, reaffirmed its interest in Cadbury, but stressed that it would maintain a disciplined approach. Kraft said it would continue to deliver — with or without Cadbury. But acquiring Cadbury would help it on the growth front. In late October, Cadbury raised its forecast for revenue and operating margins and now expects sales to grow by about 5 percent.

NY Times

Food Network expanding to Asia | cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com

Food Network expanding to Asia | cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com

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Taco Town! (or truck)

From the Enquirer.com

Taco Trucks!

People have been asking me if there were any taco trucks in Cincinnati for awhile now–they’re so popular on the west and east coast, and some other cities in between. But, no, we haven’t had any.

Now, suddenly, there are two taco truck businesses getting started. Unlike those cities, these are not owned by Mexican immigrants, but they sound like a lot of fun, and like they’re going to bring a great new element to eating out in Cincinnati. They are from Habanero and from Roy Silcott of Hyde Park Tavern.

Max Monks of Habanero is really doing a burrito truck. He will have his on the street this month. The Habanero Burrito Wagon will be a mobile catering truck, funkified with Clifton-style grafitti art, and ready to deliver burritos to bars and clubs late night, to sporting events, festivals, concerts–where ever there are a lot of people hungry for burritos.

His burritos will be made in the Clifton store, kept hot and be ready to deliver. They’ll have their signature Mad Max Fish Burrito, Calypso Chicken and the meatless Chuba Cabre. Soft Shell Tacos, salads, Mexican sodas and desserts will also be available.

You’ll be able to follow the truck on Twitter. It will say exactly where they’ll be and how long they’re planning to stay. It might say “5 p.m. at the US Bank Arena for hte Phish Concert or Mt. Lookout Square from 11 p.m.-12:30 a.m., etc.

Senor Roy’s Taco Patrol is from Roy Silcott, chef/owner of Hyde Park Tavern. Their truck will be a UPS style truck, wrapped in vinyl with a colorful logo, able to hold 3 workers, and equipped to make and assemble tacos, burritos, nachos, and salads in the truck. Silcott says they’ll be downtown every day, at sporting events, outside bars, hanging around construction sites. Their menu will include pork al pastor with pineapple in adobo sauce, fresh guacamole, pico de gallo, marinated flank steak. “It’s about bring ing affordable, quality food to the street.” he said. They’re a few weeks from being ready, but they’ll be out on the street this fall, too, and ready to go full-out by the spring. They’ll be on Twitter as well, so you’ll be able to check from your phone or computer the best way to get your Mexican food fix.

So- let the taco battle begin!

Get the Marinara Sauce Ready - World's Largest Meatball

World's Largest Meatball
Chef Mathew Mitnitsky of Nonni's Italian Eatery cheers after his restaurant broke the world's largest meatball record on Nov. 1, 2009, with this massive entry. The Concord, N.H., restaurant bested the record by 25 pounds with a meatball certified by Guinness as the world's largest.

Check it Out

The Windows 7 Burger

Love Windows? Love Burgers? To promote Windows 7 in Japan Burger King had this great promotion.

Check out someone who ate it.

Check out someone who hacked it.

thanks Chris. R

Could you eat pizza for 30 Days straight for 3 Meals a day?

Craig Scharoff's dream food is sausage pizza. And he has no doubt that he can eat it all day, every day. In fact, Scharoff is so confident that he is putting his money where his pizza-loving mouth is.

Near the end of September, one of Scharoff's co-workers at Greenwood Associates in Highland Park posted a notice on LTHForum.com, a Chicago-based culinary chat site, announcing a wager he'd entered into with Scharoff.

According to the co-worker, Ronnie Kaplan, the terms of this "low four figure" bet are simple: Scharoff "must eat sausage pizza for every meal during the month of October. The pizza must contain crust, sausage and cheese. All toppings, with the exception of lettuce on Taco Pizzas -- yes, he loves them -- and arugula and prosciutto -- he has no idea what either of these are -- must be cooked into the pizza. He cannot have dessert, chips or side dishes of any kind. No salads, no cereals, no slaw. Any significant caloric intake must be pizza."

Read the full article here

What kind of person are you?

Your choice of beer can be as telling about your personality as what kind of clothing you wear or the car that you drive. And if you don't drink suds at all, or change brands depending on your mood -- well, that says something

What are you?

. . .he and his team found generic differences as well. For instance, people who prefer domestic beers over craft beers or imports are generally middle of the road in their politics. They're not nearly as conservative as people who don't drink beer at all, but not as liberal as people who prefer more exotic beer.

Read all about it here

Thanks Liz S.

What kind of person are you?