Daily Loaf

Wha huh? Were all the Taco Bus supporters on vacation, or too busy noshing on El Taconazo take-out and watching college basketball to log on and vote? This was a close one, folks, with the Taco Bus barely eking out a win over Don Pancho Villa thanks to a last-minute push.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: Peg’s Cantina vs. Zurritos, and for all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket after the break:

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Both of these places have rabid fans and die-hard supporters, as well as great fish tacos, so this taco-a-taco matchup may be the most hotly contested of the competition so far. Mobilize your base, Zurritos and Peg’s, and get out the vote!

Which taco deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

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In an outcome that’s no surprise for anyone who’s experienced the massive fan base of Casa Tina, Dunedin’s favorite Mexican joint dominated the polls, with 71 votes to El Toro Negro’s measly 3. Casa Tina moves on into the Readers’ Poll Edible Eight.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: El Taconazo vs. Don Pancho Villa, and for all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

Is this a competition even worth having? Is it remotely possible that a dreary Mexican restaurant with mediocre tacos could summon the devoted fanbase necessary to unseat the Taco Bus? Nope. Click for Taconazo and go back to your basketball game.

Which taco deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

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Thankfully, Estela’s supporters failed to turn out for the Friday competition, allowing die-hard taco afficionados to propel Acapulco into the Edible Eight.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: Casa Tina vs. El Toro Negro.

El Toro Negro is a nondescript Mexican joint that airs financial news and telenovellas on their TVs all day. Casa Tina is a Dunedin fixture that’s incredibly popular with folks from around the Bay. Can the hole-in-the-wall beat the upscale fave?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

Read the rest of this entry »

No contest here, either in flavor or popularity: Red Mesa takes the voting handily and moves on to the Edible Eight.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: Acapulco Grocery vs. Estela’s.

Acapulco Grocery has no serious popular support — outside the taco cognoscenti, at least — while Estela’s mobilized a reasonable voter base in the first round. Can a corner bodega with exquisite tacos beat out a popular Tampa mini-chain.

Well, it is a popularity contest. Who will get out the vote? Who deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

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A new iPhone application called Locavore promises to be more in tune with the natural world than you are. Which, to be honest, shouldn’t be hard for most.

Locavore uses GPS to determine your location, then feeds you information about what’s currently in season in your area and what will be coming out of the ground in the near future. The developers expect people to utilize the app while perusing a local farmers’ market to help them make decisions about what they should buy.

If you never find yourself with that dilemma, Locavore will also direct you to the nearest farmers’ markets so you can then experience the problems their app solves. Convenient.

It’s backed by some decent information sources – some of Locavore’s partners include LocalHarvest.org and Natural Resources Defense Council – and the interface seems simple enough to be useful.

Let us know if there are any other food and drink apps you find useful.

Brian and Taylor bust out the mics for some old fashioned talkin’ and drinkin’. This week they dish Taco Tournament Readers’ Poll, Gina Gallo, Burger King Burger Bar, Sayroo Bakery, Culinary Sherpas, and the beef baby food/White Castle phenomena.

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Considering the respectable voter turnout in Red Mesa’s first round contest — where its tacos garnered over 70 votes — compared the the tepid taco voting in Zapata’s contest, it seems the Mesa should have an easy time in this contest. As well it should, in my opinion, since the tacos at that St. Pete favorite are vastly more interesting than Zapata’s standard offering.

Still, this is a popularity contest. Who will get out the vote? Who deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

Read the rest of this entry »

Over a thousand people voted in the first round of CL’s Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll and — although I might have disagreed with a couple of your picks — most of you have shown remarkable taste. Most of the competitions were no surprise — like Taconazo, Red Mesa, Mema’s or Peg’s moving on thanks to their hordes of loyal fans — but a few dark horse taco joints managed to buck the pundits and turn out the vote.

Who made it into the Savory Sixteen? Find that and an updated bracket after the break.

Read the rest of this entry »

Hustler Video announced yesterday that it was planning a sequel to its popular Sarah Palin docu-dramas Who’s Nailin’ Paylin and Obama’s Nailin’ Paylin. Lisa Ann — Adult Video Magazine’s MILF/Cougar of the Year — will reprise her role as “Serra Paylin” in the new flick, titled Hollywood’s Naylin Paylin, to be released later this year. Lisa Ann is known for her poorly enhanced breasts which, although bountiful enough, have caused her nipples to point in opposite direction like a gecko’s eyes. And just like the real Sarah Palin, as far as I know.

AVN asked Hustler: Why another Palin movie?

“We’ll keep doing it as long as we can get away with it,” said Hustler exec Jeff Thill.

This kind of parody (or is it satire?) is a big thrust of Hustler Video’s current video catalog, which includes The Eliot Spitz-her Story, Not Three’s Company, This Ain’t Gilligan’s Island, Not The Brady’s and the disturbing This Ain’t The Munsters. Don’t worry, it’s not all smut for politicopornophiliacs and aging hipsters, Larry Flynt’s porn studios will still churn out classics like Barely Legal POV, Ghetto Booty XXL and White Trash Nurses.

Some NSFW art after the break, along with video of Lisa Ann on Entertainment Tonight. Read the rest of this entry »

It seems like a fight between tradition and modernity, but there’s more to this battle than just old versus new. Don Pancho is another competitor from the Armenia corridor, a place that combines semi-classic Mexican fare with a lunchtime all-you-can-eat buffet. Chico’s is a Chili’s clone in Westchase — which ain’t a taco hotbed.

Check them out for yourself and vote now. Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Don Pancho Villa or Chico’s Wood Fired Grill? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full, UPDATED Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Taqueria El Maguey is a popular Mexican spot in Pinellas Park, while Carmelita’s vies for control of the same area. Which can summon the meat and corn necessary to win this battle?

Check them out for yourself and vote now. Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Taqueria El Maguey or Carmelita’s? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full, UPDATED Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

The past few days saw some of the closest battles yet in the Tournament of Tacos, mostly among mid-seed spots desperate to show their worth and make it into the next round of the tourney.

Here were the matchups:
Taqueria Mi Mexico vs. Algusto
Zurritos vs. Agave
Sabor Latino vs. Maya’s
El Toro Negro vs. Los Mariachis

Is there a dark horse vying for the Final Four? Who advances to the Savory Sixteen? Which tacos took the popular vote?

Find out after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

If you want to be pissing green in your personal Erin Go Bragh! celebrations tonight, it isn’t difficult with a little green food coloring and some mass market brew. But for anyone who’s scared of experimentation (hint: one drop of coloring per glass usually works fine), here’s the down and dirty, via the fine people at Howcast:

video after the break

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Taqueria Mi Mexico is one of the many Mexican, Columbian, and Puerto Rican joints on the Armenia corridor between I-275 and Waters. Algusto is a South Tampa Mexican haven that won a Best Of award from Cl in 2006. Can a non-descript, makeshift restaurant beat out an established favorite?

Check them out for yourself and vote now. Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Taqueria Mi Mexico or Algusto? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full, UPDATED Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Zurritos is the brainchild of Beard Award nominee chef Zack Gross, who turned the spot into a quick burrito and taco joint after moving his Z Grille down the street and around the corner. Agave is a St. Pete Beach Mexican restaurant that’s more authentic than most, with regulars and tourists lining up outside the door even on weeknights for the food and killer tequila selection.

Check them out for yourself and vote now. Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Zurritos or Agave? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full, UPDATED Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

The first weekend of CL’s Tournament of Tacos competition saw the full range of taco artisans at play, from modernized Mex restaurants to corner bodegas, from Latin-fusion to combo-plate factories.

Here were the matchups:
Casa Tina vs. Mexico Lindo
Mekenita Mexican Grill vs. Vallarta’s
Red Mesa Cantina vs. Zapata’s
Chihuahua vs. Estela’s

Did this weekend finally result in the upset of high-seeded taco? Who advances to the Savory Sixteen? Which tacos took the popular vote?

Find out after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

These two small, strip mall Mexican joints dish out tacos in traditional way, but one does it with a little more power and flavor than the other. Check them out for yourself and vote now. Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Sabor Latino and Maya’s? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

You may not know these places, but the glory they find today will enshrine them in the hallowed halls of taco-construction. At least for a week. El Toro Negro is a drab corner spot with classic pastor and barbacoa. Los Mariachis is an Americanized dining hall with seasoned ground beef. Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: El Toro Negro or Los Mariachis? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

The third day of CL’s Tournament of Tacos featured only one actual Mexican joint — Miguel’s — and three other places with their own take on the possibilities presented by the taco.

Second seeded Mema’s Alaskan Tacos faced Miguel’s in Tampa South and Peg’s Cantina battled Burrito Boarder in Pinellas South.

Who advances to the Savory Sixteen? Which tacos took the popular vote?

Find out after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

In what may be the most unexciting battle in the entire Tournament of Tacos, today we have two moderate, Americanized Mexican joints duking it out over who has the best of the bland. Can you tell Ihow I feel about this one? Check them out for yourself and vote now. Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Chihuahua or Estela’s? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Red Mesa Cantina is a downtown offshoot of St. Pete’s ever-popular Red Mesa (which has already moved to the the Savory Sixteen). Zapata is another downtown spot that wants late-night traffic to its tequila bar. Can Red Mesa Cantina’s pan-latin fusion tacos get the job done? Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Red Mesa Cantina or Zapata’s? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Mekenita was opened way up in north Tampa by the former chef partner of our local Roy’s. Vallarta’s is a local mini-chain dishing up Mexi-food to families for years. Will the modern upstart beat out the old guard? Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Mekenita Mexican Grill or Vallarta’s? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Casa Tina is a revered Dunedin dining spot known for tasty Mexican with modern flair. Mexico Lindo is a bodega with more square feet devoted to phone cards than taco menu options. Can a downtown Dunedin restaurant beat out a place with a butcher shop on the premises? Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Casa Tina or Mexico Lindo? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

The second day of CL’s Tournament of Tacos featured the undisputed popular favorite — El Taconazo, the Taco Bus — up against a newcomer hawking San Diego-style fare off the beaten path. Day 2 also gave me some of the best tacos I’ve tasted so far — and they weren’t from Taconazo.

First seeded El Taconazo vs. California Tacos To Go in Tampa North and La Cabana del Tio vs. Carambas Restaurante in Pinellas North.

Who advances to the Savory Sixteen? Which taco took the popular vote?

Find out after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

Mema’s used to be a hidden gem off of Ybor’s main drags, but the success of their fried, “Alaskan” tacos allowed them to move into a bigger space in the thick of things. Miguel’s is a typical, south Tampa Mexican joint that specializes in seafood. Can Mexican via Alaska beat out an old standby? Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Mema’s or Miguel’s? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Peg’s Cantina serves Midwestern pizzas and surprising Southwestern fare in the midst of Gulfport’s quaint main drag. Burrito Boarder is a prototype chain in downtown St. Pete that dishes out assembly-line quick-Mex. Can the surf and skate chain beat the bungalowed independent? Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Peg’s Cantina or Burrito Boarder? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

The first day of Tournament of Tacos competition saw some fierce competition, although the outcomes for both the readers’ polls and my critic’s picks could perhaps have been predicted. First seeded Red Mesa faced dark horse El Tenampa in Pinellas South, while first seed Acapulco Grocery faced unknown Florence La Mexicana in Tampa South.

Who advances to the Savory Sixteen? Which taco took the popular vote?

Find out after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

El Taconazo is the end all, be all of Tampa’s taco world, the undisputed popular favorite in this tournament. California Tacos To Go is a dark horse that recently received a warm — if not glowing — write-up over at Laura Reiley’s blog. Can the little Baja taco stand upset the Taco Bus? Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for both future matchups and daily results, until the tournament ends April 1. And you’ll find contact and location info here for all of the competitors.

So who wins: El Taconazo or California Tacos To Go? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

La Cabana del Tio is a locals’ favorite with classic versions of the glorious taco. Carambas has items like jalapeno poppers and “Mexican” rice. But appearances may be deceiving at both of these north Pinellas spots. So which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for both future matchups and daily results, until the tournament ends April 1. And you’ll find contact and location info here for all of the competitors.

So who wins: La Cabana del Tio or Carambas Restaurante? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup: El Taconazo vs. California Tacos To Go!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

In this week’s episode of Nosh Pit, CL’s food and drink podcast, Taylor and Brian discuss the Top Five food stories of the week (Seasons 52, Pizzaiolo Bavaro, Best Florida Beer Competition, Meatless Mondays, and Brian has food poisoning), wine geek terms that will make you sound smarter at cocktail parties, and the start of CL’s giant Tournament of Tacos. Listen up!

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Red Mesa is the one spot in the Bay area that serves Mexican cuisine with a little upscale style, while Tenampa is a classic combo-plate joint. But don’t judge a book by its cover — the best tacos in town can come from most low-down spot and fussy food doesn’t always equal success. So which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. Who knows, maybe you guys have the refined taste and exceptional skill to match my critic’s picks. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for both future matchups and daily results, until the tournament ends April 1.

So who wins: Red Mesa or El Tenampa Mexican? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Acapulco serves tacos from the back of a bodega crammed with Mexican ingredients and phone cards. Florence la Mexicana is an aged lunch counter near the docks. Neither has any atmosphere to speak of, so it’s down to the nitty gritty: Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll create a separate bracket just for readers’ picks. Who knows, maybe you guys have the refined taste and exceptional skill to match my critic’s picks. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for both future matchups and daily results, until the tournament ends April 4.

So who wins: Acapulco or Florence la Mexicana? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Acapulco Grocery
1001 N MacDill Ave., Tampa
813-873-3665

Agave
6400 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach
727-367-3448

Algusto
912 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa
813-250-3500

Burrito Boarder
17 3rd St. N., St. Petersburg
727-209-0202

California Tacos to Go
1450 Skipper Rd., Tampa
813-971-TACO

The rest are after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

Two years ago, CL challenged 64 pizzerias to enter tournament-style culinary combat, slice versus slice, the deserving winner crowned best pie in the Bay area. Last year, burgers took center-stage in our quest for gustatory greatness, one patty reigning supreme. This year, the tradition continues.

It’s Taco Time, baby!

Like pizza and burgers, the fundamentals are simple: tortilla stuffed with meat, vegetables and sauce. But, as with CL’s tournaments of years past, taco success is more elusive than that basic combination would indicate. One misstep and the entire thing can literally fall apart in your hands.

Tacos also defy easy definitions. How do you compare the fried fish tacos of Baja California with the chopped, stewed tripe of Central Mexico? Or pork pastor slathered in adobo versus simple ground beef seasoned with chili and vinegar? Not to mention the litany of meats that rarely cross American palates, like cabeza (head), lengua (tongue), buche (esophagus) and sesos (brains). Can finely chopped tongue stack up against simple carne asada? Read the rest of this entry »

CL’s Tournament of Tacos kicks off tomorrow with daily, taco-a-taco matchups between the competitors. First up, we’ll cut the thirty-two finalists down to a Savory Sixteen with two matches every day for a week. And this year, instead of just my stellar palate picking the winners, you get a chance to be heard.

How can you help determine the best taco in the Bay area, and get an opportunity to win valuable prizes? It’s simple: Read the rest of this entry »

When the Ty Ku rep contacted me, I was intrigued by the line of sake, soju and blends his company sold. Sake is pretty much ensconced in the American alcoholic psyche thanks to popularization of sushi over the past few decades. But soju — native to Korea — is barely known and not easily found even though it is one of the most popular drinks in Asia.

Soju is a distilled spirit usually derived from rice and most often sold at lower alcohol levels than most spirits, frequently around 20 percent ABV. This, along with a sweetness from added sugar and occasional other flavors, makes it an easy quaff. It’s the choice for South Koreans out for a sociable night on the town.

And, just like in the US, it means that producers are mucking with the formula to produce more varities that can catch market share. Ty Ku Liqueur is one of those. The difference is that Ty Ku is also pushing the product here in the US. Get it in people’s mouths and it might not be a hard sell. Read the rest of this entry »

Starbucks biggest problem — besides its signature burned coffee — has always been the lack of savory treats available for a nosh. It’s difficult to spend six hours in a coffee shop working on your never-to-be-published novel or playing internet poker with only slabs of lemon poundcake or tiny packets of sweetened almonds for sustenance. Even just a bagel and packet of Philly cream cheese would have been enough.

In the midst of its ongoing financial woes and loss of market share, Starbucks has been groping about for any possible way to drive people back to the stores. Extended hours, pseudo-free wifi, no decaf after Noon and now, finally, savory sandwiches at almost all locations, with breakfast “value meals” that start today.

After tasting every piece of savory food on the menu, all I can ask is: “Dear God, Starbucks, why?!” Read the rest of this entry »

There are two ways you can go when filming a comic book movie these days: adaptation or recreation. For the big franchise heroes with an immense amount of history behind them, adaptation has worked well at re-introducing the movie-going public to iconic characters. You open yourself up to lots of bitching by comic fanboys when you condense or expand too much outside of accepted continuity, but directors like Sam Raimi (Spider-Man) and Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight) have done a fine job of re-introducing the classics to a new, and huge, audience.

Start recreating movies from stand-alone graphic novels — like 2007’s muscle-bound 300 — and directors are faced with both a simpler and more difficult path. In many cases, the dialogue can be pulled straight from word boxes and the scenes are already story-boarded by the original artist. All that’s left is making it look consistent with the original, and making tough choices about what to change.

Zack Snyder’s Watchmen is a competent — if not inspired — recreation of Alan Moore’s seminal piece of superhero deconstruction. When problems do show up, it’s usually the result of Snyder’s choices outside of the source material. Read the rest of this entry »

After the surprising departure of chef Pedro Flores from The Table — he originated The Table’s Atlantic Rim cuisine in its previous incarnation — current owners Michael Stewart (717 South) and Linda and George Rahdert (the owners of the building The Table occupies) have brought in some local names to helm the kitchen at this downtown St. Pete restaurant.

Steven O’Brien, formerly of the TradeWinds, Saint Petersburg; Jay Ward, formerly of Mise en Place and Michael’s Grill, Tampa; and Antonio Guevara formerly of the Renaissance Vinoy and Snappers have joined Table’s new Chef corps.

The menu will stay the same, although The Table plans on adding new items based on the expertise of the new chefs. Full press release after the break. Read the rest of this entry »

Bowled Restaurant
3 Stars
3451 4th St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-895-2695

Serving everything in a bowl – or as many menu items as possible – is more than just a restaurant gimmick or an excuse for an endless series of pot-smoking jokes. It’s a clear declaration of what St. Pete restaurant Bowled is all about.

You can put anything on a plate, except soup, but a bowl evokes a profound sense of comfort. Hands cupped around an offering. Birds’ nests. That Campbell’s commercial with the thawing snowman kid. A packed pipe. And although Bowled makes some fine grub, the overall effect is more about good, hearty food at a good price than fine dining from a bowl.

You might not get that feel, though, just from looking at the menu. Read the rest of this entry »

All the beer, dropped trou, bistro burgers and food news you may have missed, in one easy list.

CL’s food and drink podcast, Nosh Pit: Episode 5
Brian reviews Datz Deli
Corkscrew covers Tempranillo
Upcoming food and wine events

Also: great cheap wine deal, Bistro Burger recipe, highlights from CL’s Wine Club event, Tournament of Tacos has a theme song, Fat Tire heads east, Dunedin Mardi Gras had no good beer, Bill Niman won’t eat Niman Ranch meat, Grilled Asian Skirt Steak Salad recipe, jazz up your popcorn, conversations with creme brulee, Roasted Garlic Hummus recipe, Paula Deen strips on video, local eggs are hard to find, Beer Review: Harviestoun Ola Dubh, strawberry recipes, Michelle Obama gives a kitchen tour, BBQ Cheesy Chicken recipe, and death to butter packets.

This week, Taylor and Brian discuss the top 5 stories of the week (Pepsi Throwback, Fat Tire, Bill Niman, Paula Deen, Strawberry Festival); tempranillo — the noble grape of Spain; review Kilo Kai Rum; and interview sommelier Patti Kuhl of Datz Deli.

Ignore the video and just listen — there are a variety of versions of this on YouTube, but this one has the best audio. Attributed to the Rick Bayless choir, to the tune of Pachelbel’s classic Canon in D major, I give you Taco Bell Canon, the official them song for CL’s Tournament of Tacos, after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Bill Niman — the man who founded a meat company that brought sustainable, humane and natural meat to homes and restaurants acrosss the country — recently said that standards had changed so much at Niman Ranch that he no longer feels comfortable eating his former company’s meat. Admittedly, some of that may come more from sour grapes than tainted beef.

According to a comprehensive profile of Niman in the San Francisco Chronicle, Niman Ranch was never a profitable business over the thirty years it’s operated. Niman lost virtual control of the company in 2006, when investors came in to stem the losses that were around $3 million. Read the rest of this entry »

This video, thanks to our friends down at the Miami New Times, shows chain-smokin’, Smithfield-lovin’, butter-injectin’ Paula Deen accidently drop trou during a presentation at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival. It looks like an accident, thanks to a heavy microphone pickup clipped to loose, elastic waist pants, but who knows? Maybe, her fame fading in the face of Giada’s scoop-necked tops and Rachael’s continuing all-media dominance, Paula felt the need to start a little somethin’ somethin’ to get her name back in the headlines.

Check out the pasty expanse of video horror after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

A report in this month’s issue of the Journal of Horticultural Science (I’ve already read my copy!) explains how today’s veggies and fruits may be as much as 40% lower in minerals than the same produce from 50 years ago. Why?

One big reason is selective breeding that selects for bigger, prettier fruit that generally has higher concentrations of “dry matter” without a similar increase in nutrient content. But that’s not all. Read the rest of this entry »

We love Sarasota resident Jaden Hair’s Steamy Kitchen blog so much, we asked her to write for us a couple of years ago. Now she writes for these guys. Still, there’s no arguing with her beautiful food photography,  penchant for food-related double entendres and damn fine recipes.

The UK’s Times of London pegged her very sucinctly: “modern Asian cuisine by media savvy blogger.” See the full list here.

Two years ago, CL challenged 64 pizza places to enter tournament-style culinary combat, slice versus slice, the deserving winner crowned best pie in the Bay area. Last year, burgers took center-stage in our quest for gustatory greatness, one patty reigning supreme. This year, the tradition continues. It’s Taco Time, baby!

Such a basic recipe: one tortilla, stuffed with meat, vegetables and sauce. But, as with CL’s pizza and burger tournaments of years past, taco success is more elusive than that simple combination would indicate. And finding the savants of this art is no easy task, since the best of these hand-held treats often come from the back corners of anonymous bodegas, or off the backs of semi-mobile trailers, uncharted territory far from the comfort of Google searches. Read the rest of this entry »

Michael Nelson, host of the hilarious pop culture phenomenon Mystery Science Theater 3000, vowed on January 31st to consume only bacon during the entire month of February. Maybe he’s bored, now that he’s relegated to doing the same hilarious movie commentary tracks strictly in audio format. Or maybe he’s insane. We’ll likely never know, since the bacon diet will surely kill him within days. Farewell, Mike.

Oh, it doesn’t fit your strict diet, Mike, but other bacon lovers may want to try CL’s Bacon Brittle and Bacon Cupcakes out of solidarity.

Our own humble little steak joint Bern’s Steak Emporium (they have a great wine selection, if you didn’t know) was just named Best Steak House in the country by Rachael Ray’s Every Day with Rachael Ray. Ray is a television cooking show host who recently branched out into publishing and donut promotion.

Ms. Ray sent a cadre of critics cross-country via train and aeroplane to survey the finest beef purveyors in the land, then pit them against one another in a bracket-style competition reminiscent of the spring round-ball tournament of our nation’s student athletics programs. And, lo and behold, Bern’s came out the victor!

Bern’s owner David Laxer was rendered almost speechless when notified of the results, saying “gosh, to have a little restaurant like Bern’s — in a sleepy town like Tampa — picked above some of the nation’s big city steak institutions, well, it’s humbling.” He plans on cutting the article out of the magazine, having it laminated, and eventually tacking it in a position of honor on Bern’s Wall of Fame alongside pictures of George Steinbrenner and a menu signed by Gerald Ford.

For the full press release — including the misspelling of Ms. Ray’s first name — read after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

How’d your Hallmark V-Day go? The only thing I learned out of the experience was that all-natural grape soda and low-end sparkling wine makes for a pretty snazzy little spritzer.

But, at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday night, Feb. 14, I happened to go online for a few minutes and noticed some alarming results on Google Trends. The hottest search term people were punching frantically into their computers at that point was “Olive Garden“. Also in the top ten: “Longhorn Steakhouse”, “Texas Roadhouse”, “Applebees menu”, “Outback”, “Red Lobster”, and “cooking lobster tails”. Really, if it’s 6 p.m. on Valentine’s Day and that’s where your at, just order a pizza and put a bow on the box.

Scarily enough, the Top 100 also included “venereal disease”, “how to lose a guy in 10 days”, and “1996 world cup of hockey”. Huh.

For the full list of Valentine’s Top 100 Google search terms, check after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been a busy week, folks, so here’s an easy list of all the top stories in CL’s food and drink coverage. Eat it up!

Nosh Pit Episode 4 is up!
Corkscrew covers wine and chocolate.
Ocean Prime and Restaurant BT build better cocktails.

Restaurant News: Bern’s and Zack Gross of Z Grille make Beard Awards semifinals, the horror and delight of Sam’s Club pizza, waiter rant, Mr. Dunderbak’s re-opens, Cilantro Indian Cuisine owner being deported, $10 bottles of wine at Ruby Tuesday, The Table loses its chef, free bread at the chains

Drinks: Beer Review: Nogne O Brown, Total Wine coupon, tickets on sale for Spring wine events, Beer Review: Petrus Oud Bruin, Wine Review: Brandal 2007 Albarino, Spanish love at B-21

Cooking and Recipes, Food News after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Traditionally, smaller cities and less atypical chefs rarely make the Beard Foundation’s short list for their annual restaurant awards. This year, that seems to have abated a bit.

Bern’s Steak House has made the grade for Outstanding Restaurant — a national award that includes mostly established, big name restaurants. But they also picked Zack Gross of Z Grille as one of twenty people on the shortlist for Best Chef: South Region. A beard judge must have sampled his Dr. Pepper ribs or Butterfinger egg roll.

Sarasota also has a name on the list — Derek Barnes of Derek’s Culinary Casual. It’s a well-deserved honor for a chef who’s blazed a trail towards more innovating cooking in the area for years.

Congrats to all of them.

Check out the entire list after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

FXCuisine.com, a site loaded with culinary video and articles, put up a photo-essay of a Japanese blademaster lovingly hand-making the kinds of kitchen knives you won’t see in the stores, from forging, to sharpening, to carving the handle to engraving the blade. A lot of work, but that’s just the kind of labor I expect when I shell out $100-200 or more for an onion-chopper. Read the rest of this entry »

This week, St. Pete Times restaurant critic Laura Reiley reviewed Ocean Prime, which had been open for just over two weeks. That just sucks.

I like Reiley quite a bit, although we’ve never managed to get together for that lunch we’ve emailed each other about (call me, Laura!). And no, I’m not accusing her of some sort of ethical malfeasance or critic faux pas. Let me explain. Read the rest of this entry »

Mr. Dunderbak’s owner J.B. Ellis closed his doors at the dying, sad University Mall on January 26th, leaving lovers of his Germanic bar food and extensive beer selection dry and hungry for the past two weeks. Thankfully, Tampa’s long beerless nightmare is almost over. Read the rest of this entry »

Aaahh, the drama. Once, there was The Table, a Sarasota restaurant that I named Best Restaurant of 2006. When chef/owners Pedro Flores and Rafael Manzano opened a second location in downtown St. Petersburg, things started to go downhill. Both locations were forced to close last year, on the day the new location was named Best New Restaurant by our Best of the Bay voters.

Then, a few months ago, The Table re-opened, with new owners, the same name and largely the same menu. The new regime brought in Pedro Flores to helm the kitchen, a smart move since he was always the better chef of the two previous owners.

Just today, I heard that Pedro is no longer cooking at The Table. Not that they’ll tell you that. Read the rest of this entry »

Is it so wrong that a website that displays pictures of “deliciously gross food,” just gives me ideas for my next meal?

Grab your Lipitor and check out This is why you’re fat.

Apparently, Japan has been stamping Disney logos onto eggs for years, but it’s a relatively new phenomena here in the states. Truth is, this is a simple marketing ploy by an egg manufacturing company, who paid a premium to Disney for the rights to emblazon its packages with Disney stuff. No big deal.

What we need is Disney to get in the game from the ground up, genetically engineering produce in the shapes of Nemo or Scrooge McDuck. They can do it from EPCOT’s The Land, which may save that park from being a total waste of time.

Check after the break for video of the eggs, in all their inked glory (I love how the commercial implies that the eggs automagically end up in the shape of Mickey’s head): Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone in the Bay area needs to pay attention to this if we’re going to win Most Caffeinated again this year:

Need to curb your $5 daily coffee habit, or need a desk-top alternative to crappy office Joe? After testing 34 different coffee makers, Consumer Reports has picked the unlikely, curvy, blue-adorned coffee maker from Target (inevitably designed by Michael Graves) as the best of the bunch. And it clocks in at a mere $40.

See below for CR’s take on coffee grinders and 100% Columbian coffee, too:

Read the rest of this entry »

Wednesday, Feb. 4: ABC Fine Wines and Spirits Largo
Sample from dozens of wine selections, with free hors d’oeuvres. $10. 1603 N. Missouri Ave., Largo (727-581-4642)

Thursday, Feb. 5: Belleair Grill and Wine Bar
4 course Spanish wine dinner featuring importer David Bernard of Vinamericas. $49. 6:30-9 p.m., 1575 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater (727-449-2988 or belleairgrill.com)

Thursday, Feb. 5: Whole Foods
This tasting class will cover reds, whites and sparkling wines. Registration required. Free. 6:30-8 p.m., 1548 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa (813-874-9435)

More upcoming events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

With cool, high-end joints like Ocean Prime and Aquaknox opening in recent weeks, it seems a little strange that a place like Datz Deli (2616 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa, 813-831-7000) is consuming the attention of many Bay area foodies. Actually, considering the economy — and Tampa’s distinct lack of big-time New York-style delis — maybe that’s not so surprising after all.

By all accounts, Datz’s opening last week was madhouse. Yesterday, though, they started doing table service, so I popped in for a look (and a couple overstuffed sandwiches, of course). Read the rest of this entry »

For the first time in years, I dragged out my ice cream maker with plans to introduce my son to the glories of homemade frozen treats. But as soon as we hit the supermarket for the necessary supplies, I was confronted with something that made me put the kibosh on our epic gourmet dessert: vanilla beans are $5! Each!

No sense shelling out $10 in ingredients for a quart of ice cream — homemade or no — so I settled for vanilla extract. The result? Well, the four-year old was pleased, but me … not so much.

After the break, I’ll give you the lowdown on why vanilla is so expensive, cost-saving tactics that won’t sacrifice quality, a recipe for Vanilla Sugar, as well as the usual buying/storing/using advice: Read the rest of this entry »

A new report from the Congressional Research Service shows just how much — or how little — of Obama’s new $825 billion economic stimulus package is going towards agriculture and food programs.

$27 billion is slated for food-related issues, with the vast majority — $21 billion — going to bolster the nation’s food assistance programs, like food stamps, WIC and some school meals. In 2008, food stamp program (SNAP) costs rose nearly $4.5 billion to $37.655 billion. More than 28 million took advantage of SNAP last year, the largest number of participants since its inception. Considering the state of the economy, that upward trend looks like it’ll be getting worse this year.

Here in Florida, Read the rest of this entry »

Shackleton’s Folly is the new enterprise by Dan Soronen, formerly of Old Northeast Tavern. Domenica Macchia is the former chef at MJ’s Martini and Tapas. A combination of the two could make for a fantastic restaurant.

Macchia just accepted the job today, after pitching Soronen on a gastropub-style menu for Shackleton’s.

“I said ‘A sports bar? Not another one please,’” explained Macchia. Read the rest of this entry »

Datz Deli
2616 MacDill Ave., Tampa, 813-831-7000 or datzdeli.com
People seem obsessed with the idea of a new deli in town providing giant sandwiches over-stuffed with pastrami or corned beef.  Opening day this week was mobbed at this two-story space, maybe because along with the sammies there’s fairly decent wine and beer selection.

Fatdogs
1200 19th St., Ybor
Apparently, this hot dog stand in Ybor is owned by James Devito of Taps in downtown Tampa. Nathan’s dogs and a whole lot of toppings are the draw.

More openings after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

Last week here at CL HQ, we had a bake-off for the staff members. I didn’t participate (it wouldn’t have been fair, really), but the field was narrowed down to three finalists. Earlier this week, they had a show-down. The desserts ranged from meh to tasty (in my critical opinion), but one of the entrants showed just how easy it can be to wow an office full of hungry folk.

Learn the simple steps to creating fabulous, show-stopping Hamburger Cake, after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Thursday, Jan. 29: All Children’s Hospital
This class is designed to teach parents and kids how to cook healthy foods. Free. 6:30-8 p.m., All Children’s Hospital Education Center, 701 4th St., St. Petersburg (allkids.org)

Thursday, Jan. 29: Cork & Olive Palm Harbor
Sip and dip night with eight red and white wines and olive oil. Free. 6-8 p.m., 4978 Ridgemoor Blvd., Palm Harbor (727-781-9463 or corkandolive.com)

Upcoming events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

TBO has a story about an organic hydroponic farm that’s close enough to encourage frequent visits. Urban Oasis (5416 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, 813-293-3276) is on Linebaugh, right in the path of many folks regular commutes.

I’ve visited many hydroponic farms, but most are a good drive away from central Tampa, making it difficult to justify for weekly produce. No matter what you think about the concept of hydro farming, it’s almost uniquely suited for urban environments since a farmer can get a much greater density of growth out of a limited amount of space. Read the rest of this entry »

The number of products affected by the salmonella-tainted peanut butter coming out of a Peanut Corporation of America plant in Georgia has expanded. Again.

Federal investigators found roaches, mold, leaky roofs and other sanitary problems at the PCA plant, which provides bulk butter to the manufacturers of hundreds of peanut containing products. According to the AP, managers at that plant also continued to ship peanut products even after they were aware of the salmonella problem. Read the rest of this entry »

The St. Petersburg Times reported that Atsavinh had been on a diet over the past two months and lost 40 pounds. After going to the emergency room a few days ago, he died Monday from an unknown infection.

Sad news, especially since Atsavinh — who worked at a number of Bay area sushi joints before opening his own place — was by all accounts quite an interesting character. I also quite liked Hook’s.

Wednesday, Jan. 28: Cork & Olive Carrolwood
Wine 101 class that’ll teach you how to taste. $10 (applied to purchase). 6:30-8 p.m., 10019 N.Dale Mabry Hwy., Carrolwood (813-868-3733 or corkandolivecarrolwood.com)

Upcoming events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Having a Super Bowl party? With the Bay area hosting the big game, you’re going to have a lot of competition. If you don’t serve more than the usual finger sandwiches and frozen wings spread, you might not get the attendance you’re looking for.

Thankfully, the blogosphere provides you a full array of ideas and recipes to amp your snack table for the big day. And we pulled a lot of them together for you, after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

I’d like to say that I’ve had terrible experiences with airline food lately, but I’m having trouble remembering the last time I was on a flight that served actual food. I obviously need to upgrade more.

Or not, according to a letter circulating around the web and recently published on UK’s Telegraph. Apparently, a passenger had a regrettable experience with dinner on a Virgin Airlines flight.

I’ll try and explain how this felt. Imagine being a twelve year old boy Richard. Now imagine it’s Christmas morning and you’re sat their with your final present to open. It’s a big one, and you know what it is. It’s that Goodmans stereo you picked out the catalogue and wrote to Santa about.

Only you open the present and it’s not in there. It’s your hamster Richard. It’s your hamster in the box and it’s not breathing. That’s how I felt when I peeled back the foil and saw this.

Read the fully hilarious text of the letter, complete with gory photos, after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Common wisdom would tell you that the big game and the sudsy brew go hand in hand. Sure, up to a point.

But when it comes to holidays and events, Super Bowl is way down the rankings in terms of beer sales, eighth on the list.

Why? Well, most Super Bowl celebrations don’t start until just before kickoff, probably not before 5 or 6 p.m. Holidays are day-long celebrations. Heck, our family Easter tradition is to tap the keg when we start the egg hunt and keep it flowing until we pass out from ham and beer overload. On Christmas, we drink to deal with our in-laws. On Father’s Day, well … that’s just depressing.

Check after the break for the complete list of top beer holidays:

From Kasper on Tap -

According to data from the Nielsen Co., consumers bought a mere 51.7 million cases of beer in the two weeks surrounding last year’s Super Bowl. That trails the 68.1 million cases bought during the top beer holiday, the 4th of July.

Our nation’s top beer holidays are as follows:
1. July 4
2. Labor Day
3. Memorial Day
4. Father’s Day
5. Christmas
6. Thanksgiving
7. Easter
8. Super Bowl

L’Olivier Restaurant and Cabaret had a big blow out opening on Friday night. Here’s what you missed:

(Photos thanks to Jamie Ostrand.)

Say you have a ponzi scheme that’s lost $350 million dollars of Sarasota-area investor cash — where do you go to hide? South of France is nice. Switzerland is a classic. Even just a little embezzled money can set you up nicely in Africa or South America.

But after discovering his car at the Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport, investigators from the U.S. Marshals thought he hopped a plane to Slidell, LA. Really? Bad choice.

Even worse choice? Stay close to home. After leading the government on a merry chase, the 76 year-old Nadel turned himself in to authorites in Tampa this morning. Best quote of the story so far is Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s:

Investors have wondered since Nadel vanished Jan. 14 whether the hedge fund manager had been running a classic pyramid scam or had possibly lost the money through titanically bad trading.

“Titanically bad?” Hundreds of corporate CEOs are getting federal bailout money for doing worse than Nadel, and they never had to flee to Slidell. Wrong time, wrong place, Nadel.

AOL’s Digital City site has named their picks for the best 27 burgers in the country, thoughtfully divided into nine different categories. Under the “Hometown Representatives” tag (whatever that means) St. Petersburg’s own El Cap has made the grade.

Here’s what they say about our own famous burger joint: Read the rest of this entry »

This surprise ain't too sweet.

A recent study published by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy found that many popular food products containing high fructose corn syrup contain detectable levels of mercury. The list of products includes staples like Smucker’s strawberry jelly, Hershey’s chocolate syrup and blueberry Pop Tarts. The researchers tested 55 products and found that 36% contained enough mercury to be detected in the lab.

Why? Well, that gets a lot more complicated. Bear with me after the jump, and I’ll try to sum up. Read the rest of this entry »

What happened today, in the form of easy to absorb bullet points:

• Laura Reiley gets an early jump on Ocean Prime
• Go to any of the new restaurants that have opened recently? Let us know.
• Ethical foie gras? Looks like it.
• Free food at Five Guys — today only.
• Review of The Glenlivet 25 year-old Scotch whiskey.
• Five food trends for 2009.

We talked about these brand (and relatively) new places in the blog (L’Olivier, AquaKnox, several, Bin 27, Ocean Prime, and L’Olivier again) but who’s actually braved these joints while they get their feet wet? Were they ready for the big day, or just struggling to keep up? The kitchen a disaster, or primed and ready?

Comment — we desperately want a scouting report.

Do you refrain from eating foie gras due to ethical concerns? Understandable, even if I personally overcome that ethical dilemma thanks to the fuindamental deliciousness of those fatted duck and goose livers. One of the biggest problems most folk have with the production of foie gras — besides the industrialized nature of almost every livestock operation — is gavage, or force-feeding.

Well, you might not have to forego this tasty delicacy any longer. Read the rest of this entry »

The Glenlivet XXV
Single-Malt Scotch Whiskey (Speyside, Highlands)

In the old days, I frequented a bar in Sarasota called The Gator Club. Downstairs it was a meat-market for the lower-end middle-aged set, complete with cover bands and cheap cocktails. Upstairs, however, was a different scene.

There was a pool table, aged leather couches, hidden nooks and Randy Adams. During his reign over the bar up there, The Gator Club had the best selection of single-malt Scotch in the state. Now, Randy gets to pimp his favorite beverage full-time as Glenlivet’s Brand Ambassador to the Southeast U.S..

Thankfully, I still get the occasional slug of free whiskey thanks to Randy, but rarely is it as nice as the bottle he brought by the office last week. Read the rest of this entry »

Obama was inagurated on Tuesday, and in the frenzy of media coverage you may have missed what’s really important — sustenance. No worries, we have the entire week distilled down to a mere few links. Just for you:

• Listen to the inaugural episode of Nosh Pit, CL’s new food and wine podcast.
• Brush up on Girl Scout Cookie gossip.
• Bourdain calls Alice Waters “very Khmer Rouge”.
• I call Alice Waters out for $500 dinners.
• Three new Tampa restaurants (and Cupcake Spot) are scheduled to open this weekend. Taylor already ate at one of them.
• Three words: waffle fry butts.
• Obama orders a medium-well cheeseburger. For. Shame.
• Chocolate and bacon cupcakes with peanut butter icing.
• Argentina kills our last bets hope for quality beef.
• USDA releases ineffectual, voluntary rules for the term “naturally raised”.
• Ingredient Basics: Garlic

Tagalongs and Thin Mints for me, thanks. A freezer full, if I can find the room. Cookies went on sale two weeks ago and continue until March.

But before you buy, there’s a few things you may want to know. Read the rest of this entry »

Friday, Jan. 23: Vintage Wine Cellars
Hoppy beers will be on tap. $10. 7-9 p.m., 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa (813-879-2931 or vintagewinecellars.net)

Friday, Jan. 23: Bern’s Fine Wines & Spirits
Continuing the January Crush Hour series, Bern’s will feature Oregon Pinot Noirs. $25. 6:30-8:30 p.m., 1002 S. Howard Ave., Tampa (813-250-9463 or bernssteakhouse.com)

Friday, Jan. 23: Kuba Cigars
Hit Kuba for wines from Argentina, Spain and more. Free. 7-9 p.m., 243 E. Davis Blvd., Tampa (813-258-8191 or kubacigars.com)

Friday, Jan. 23: Cork & Olive Palm Harbor
Wine and cheese social with eight red and white wines, cheese and olive oil. Free. 6-8 p.m., 4978 Ridgemoor Blvd., Palm Harbor (727-781-9463 or corkandolive.com)

Friday, Jan. 23: Uncorked
Weekly tasting features Argentinean wines. $10. 6:30-8:30 p.m., 2706 4th St. N., St. Petersburg (727-892-9463 or uncorkedwines.com)

Friday, Jan. 23: Cork & Olive Carrolwood
Learn how to pair cigars with wine, with a cigar roller on hand from Serafin Cigars. Free. 6-8 p.m., 10019 N.Dale Mabry Hwy., Carrolwood (813-868-3733 or corkandolivecarrolwood.com)

More upcoming events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Just in case you missed it, here are the top Food & Drink stories of the day:

• Top Chef recap: “Restaurant Wars“
• Fleming’s three-course prix fixe returns
• New restaurant preview: AquaKnox
• Bourdain calls Alice Waters “very Khmer Rouge”

And some more from around the web:

• Cooking with apples: Pink Lady’s the choice
• How much does it cost to feed a CEO? About $240k if you’re HP’s Mark Hurd
• Store-bought chicken stocks, reviewed: Which are the best?
• Wines of the times – South African wines step onto the stage
• St. Pete Times reviews Zeko’s Mediterranean Grill
• TBO reviews Weck’s Deli

Feeling a little confused? If you’re new to Lost and need a quick rundown of the first four seasons, or want to brush up after the long lull between last year and last night’s season 5 premiere, we’ve got you covered. Quick. Easy. Just the highlights.

Start delving into one of television’s best dramas, after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

DCist interviewed Anthony Bourdain — of No Reservations, and any other outlet where he can spout off with little restraint. Mild little interview, mostly, unless you’re interested in his plans to move to Vietnam with his family for a year. Until, of course, the final question.

Wouldn’t be Tony without one incendiary remark: Read the rest of this entry »

I couldn’t be bothered to catch Top Chef last night — Lost season premiere, for God’s sake! — so here’s what the rest of the more dedicated food blogosphere is saying:

• The Kitchn
• Serious Eats
• yumsugar
• Gawker

I’ll be watching last night’s “Restaurant Wars” via the mighty TiVo, later today.

Thursday, Jan. 22: Winemall
Tampa Bay Lightning wine tasting featuring Lightning Girls and benefitting the Lightning Foundation. Free. 6-8 p.m., 11246 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa (813-855-7711 or winemall.com)

Thursday, Jan. 22: Toasted Pheasant Bistro
Tuscan wine dinner with wine expert Massimiliano Boscaino and food from Chef Peter Leonavicius. $54.95. 7-9:30 p.m., 14445 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa (813-265-6700 or toastedpheasant.com)

More upcoming events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

A couple high-end restaurants are bucking trends by opening in the middle of the deepest economic slump in recent memory. Unsurprisingly, both are chains, albeit small ones. There’s also a cool cabaret and bistro kicking off in GaYbor this weekend. Here’s the rundown: Read the rest of this entry »

The St. Pete Times has a great rundown of Florida’s biggest wine and food events coming up in 2009. Writes John Bancroft:

Two of Europe’s remaining crowned heads, a platoon of celebrity chefs and a gaggle of gregarious winemakers headline food and wine festivals from Safety Harbor to Miami’s South Beach in the coming months.

Yep, their majesties King Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain will be slumming it with the likes of Paula Deen and Anthony Bourdain at the Food Network South Beach Food & Wine Festival next month. Maybe the $1,000 price tag for their shindig means that “slumming it” isn’t terribly apt. Royalty!

Read the rest of the Times event rundown here.

Mark Bittman talks about his new book — Food Matters — at Cooking Up A Story. You might find it in the cookbook section — there are 75 recipes — but his main thrust is to educate people about how their food choices are affected by government policy, economics and marketing. And, in return, how our choices affect the world around us. Think of it as an In Defense of Food, but with Bittman’s trademarked, Minimalist style.

Video after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Yep, our new president likes his burgers medium-well, as shown in this video of his first ride on Air Force One. He also prefers cheddar, lettuce, tomato and dijon mustard. Ooh. La. La.

Catch all the glory of the video, from a National Geographic Channel series titled “On Board Air Force One”, after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Slate food writer Lauren Shockey grabbed a few cookbooks pegged to famous restaurants — Eat Me, Carmine’s Family-Style Cookbook, and Chanterelle — and tried to recreate the dishes at home. We’ve all done something like that, certainly, but she also had the opportunity to compare her attempts with the real deal by visiting the restaurants. The result? Surprisingly sucessful. Read the rest of this entry »