Diarrhea Strikes NY Times Dining Critic, It Seems
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Sam Sifton is the new New York Times food critic, and from the sound of it, a pig’s foot at one of Manhattan’s hottest new eateries kicked him straight in the colon.
It’s not often that while reading a restaurant review in the New York Times thoughts of the scatological nature occur. Maxim or even Esquire I could understand… but the Grey Lady? So, you can understand why Sifton’s references to the gnarly aftermath of a pig’s foot at hip new April Bloomfield eatery The Breslin really got me intrigued. The explosive (heh) quotes after the jump! continue »
Is Alton Brown ‘Ill’ and ‘Ugly Skinny’?
Alton Brown is a rare breed on The Food Network these days: A fully interesting and informative personality who opts for knowledge and technique over cutesy name hybrids and easy-but-terrible ingredients. So, while reading comments on a Serious Eats article regarding Alton’s recent diet (sardine and avocado sandwiches — to be addressed later) and weight loss, I have to say I got a bit defensive of my favorite FN host when readers equated his newfound skinniness to thinking he had cancer or some sort of body-diminishing illness. “Way too skinny and very unhealthy,” one commenter says. “It sounded a lot like what an anorexic or someone who had a recent health scare would say,” another says about a recent Alton interview. Another: “He has that look about him- as if he is recovering from something or had gone through radiation/chemo.” Can’t a dude lose some weight or make a lifestyle change anymore without people thinking they’re going through chemo or have some Hollywood diva eating disordefr? First, watch the video, and after the jump, we’ll discuss.
My Quest to Make Chicken Liver Acceptable
Chopped liver or liver in general seems to be one of those things that unless you grew up eating it, you’re just not a fan. I was quite a picky eater growing up, but it was always around for the holidays. Now that I eat pretty much everything (except spiral ham), I love the stuff — as you may have been able to tell thanks to my how-to Caselulla video — ith the mineral-packed funkiness and richness … best on grilled bread with a sprinkle of good salt on top.
So, seeing Mark Bittman’s New York Times piece today about French Pâté, essentially Frenchified chopped liver seasoned by a non-Jew — face it, there ain’t much punch in traditional Jewish food — and a breeze to make. Perfect, right?
Not so much. continue »
New York Times Tries to Discuss Lil Wayne … Fails
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I knew as soon as I saw Lil Wayne on the front page of Wednesday’s New York Times Arts section that there was going to be something wrong with the article. That’s just how it is. When someone as counterculture, erratic and just plain weird as Wayne is profiled, a paper like the Times — no matter how good a job they’re doing at not being old, stodgy hermits anymore — is bound to completely miss the point. Little did I know, writer Jon Caramanica (who I’ll give credit to as a good music journalist) would shoot himself in the foot all by himself. continue »
