tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16323135525547498462024-03-05T08:30:59.140-08:00The Watery GourmetRestaurant and product reviews and general discussion by a Rhode Island gourmet.Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.comBlogger311125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-88953119420756523222014-11-29T18:55:00.002-08:002014-11-29T18:55:58.859-08:00Ultra Mega Super Turbo: A New CafeI am Kickstarting a new cafe. I need your help. I need this cafe to be scattered far and wide. I want as many people as possible to know about it. This is my shot, and I'm damn proud of it.<br />
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<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1127420936/ultra-mega-super-turbo-cafe">You can go directly to the Kickstarter page here. </a><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1127420936/ultra-mega-super-turbo-cafe/widget/video.html" width="640"> </iframe>Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-13344587450076266892014-11-06T23:08:00.001-08:002014-11-06T23:08:15.040-08:00A New Era?<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KrXVQoDsN_Q/VFxvl3knQXI/AAAAAAAAIYo/dxf1qOVoOl0/s1600/private-dining-slide-01.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KrXVQoDsN_Q/VFxvl3knQXI/AAAAAAAAIYo/dxf1qOVoOl0/s1600/private-dining-slide-01.jpg" height="202" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990033; float: left; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 68px; line-height: 35px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 13px;">I</span> was just watching a commercial for a credit card that offers 30,000 "Thank You" points to new card holders... whatever the hell those are. I've been thinking a lot about the nature of consumerism in our country, and one of the things that hit me is the one-two combo that most credit cards use to ride on the coattails of the "good life" concept that has goaded Americans into buying lots of crap that they dont need.<br />
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Travel and dining. Think about it. Frequent flier miles, companion tickets, benefits, free VIP lounges, <i>so much</i> of credit cards are based on this illusion of people being upwardly mobile, jetsetting superhumans. That's absurd! People in America would have to fly back and forth from New York to LA ten times a year to make all of these credit cards make sense.<br />
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Credit cards are not the <i>root</i> of these issues. Credit card companies are part of the problem, but they are also very much a part of a broader social narrative of <i>the good life</i>. Think about the past twenty years. The sheer amount of money being spent on eating out has increased ten fold. Conversely, as is equally American, we are spending less than ever before on this food.<br />
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I see this in credit cards. They all offer dining rewards. It is one of the <i>the original</i> credit card benefits. Hell, the first credit card was called <i>Diner's Club!</i> It's a sham. It's selling a hollow dream to people who rack up redit card debt that bogs them down.<br />
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I don't know how I feel about this. I love restaurants. I love Food Network. But this "good life" marketing message that we have been fed by both companies and the government since the end of World War I is an infuriating lie. It is doing ever-increasing amounts of harm to us and the planet.<br />
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I don't think that I can have it both ways, though. Where I live, Providence, has an amazingly diverse culinary market. Dozens and dozens of restaurants serving up everything from tapas to T-bones. One of the biggest reasons for this being true is likely because of this lie, and because credit card companies push dining out so hard as something to spend your credit on. If not for this lie, my culinary world would undoubtedly be more boring.<br />
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I would like to say that without the lie, people would still want their adventurous foods, they would just be forced to make them at home. Food Network (the parts of Food Network that don't show some God awful reality show or something competitive) would be on in every home and we would all be experimenting with creating our own yeast starters in the fridge. But how can I possibly demand that?<br />
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So much of this good life narrative is classist. Households spend less, but only wealthy households. This revolution of food has left the poor behind entirely. They have neither the time nor the money to be adventurous. They do not have the ability to fuel progress in a local food industry.<br />
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Similarly, how can I hope <i>of even the wealthy households</i> that they may one day turn into chefs when so many of those households are only wealthy because both partners work 10-hour days? One of the great deaths, in the multitude of deaths, in the erosion of the American Dream is the single-income household.<br />
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They even coined a term back in the 80's: DINK. It means Dual Income No Kids. It's also apparently a derogatory term for someone from Vietnam. Racist people, man. I just don't know. Moving on, back when they created this term, it was to describe materialistic people who wanted to afford super-nice things. Nowadays, they have the dual incomes not because they want the BMW; they have dual incomes because they just want to be able to afford a car, <i>any</i> car, that isn't used! These people are eating out, and they are the reason that places like Chipotle, Panera Bread, local food trucks, and the seemingly endless array of cupcake shops are able to survive. Their ultimately fruitless drive for the good life gives me more options.<br />
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Worse, times are getting worse. The money being earned is being ever-more divided between the haves and the have-nots. We have reached a point in our economic development where those that would at one time been seen as having "made it," — those earning over $150,000 per year — are seeing their income stagnate. They are getting no raises. Their benefits are disappearing. And their job mobility is extremely limited. Are we heading toward a time where our culinary landscape will have large hunks of it collapse as those who were previously supporting them are forced to restrict their spending? Will local cafes close en masse? Will food trucks die off? Will the quest for the good life finally push everyone to the brink as it so nearly did in 2008? To me, it seems inevitable.<br />
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I have no solutions. Really, this has been nothing more than a public musing. But it is interesting how so much of "The Good Life" focuses on eating. And it is sad how much of a lie it all is.Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-19151989666582268452014-05-31T14:58:00.002-07:002014-05-31T14:58:36.660-07:00PRODUCT REVIEW: Lavazza Gold Selection Coffee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VAKFxbRDqaA/U4pOOMq19XI/AAAAAAAAHyE/1tUH_JflxfA/s1600/lavazza_gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VAKFxbRDqaA/U4pOOMq19XI/AAAAAAAAHyE/1tUH_JflxfA/s1600/lavazza_gold.jpg" height="320" width="199" /></a></div>
I recently reviewed Lavazza's SUper Crema coffee and found it to be very good. It is an excellent and affordable "every day" espresso blend. Lavazza also sells their Gold Selection as espresso-ready coffee, and since it is a bit more expensive than the Super Crema, I have high hopes.<br />
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As with everything Lavazza, the beans are in good shape and well-roasted. I like Italian coffees because they aren't as blasted as North American companies' beans as they chase Starbucks. The aroma from the beans isn't terribly impressive, but it is inoffensive.<br />
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Getting right to the espresso, there is a similar amount of crema from the Gold Selection as with the Super Crema, which means that they are either the same coffee or Lavazza was totally lying about their Super Crema blend being super... crema... yeah.<br />
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The crema is pale and good, with good oily stability. There is more sourness to the aroma than the Super Crema, but I didn't find that this translated to the tongue all that much. <br />
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The Gold Selection is very similar to the Super Crema. It is rich and earthy with a stronger toasted note. The taste is just a bit more complex than Super Crema and has a more pronounced chocolate to it, although it still isn't what I would call a primary flavor. Forgive the plebeian nature of this comment, but the Gold Selection does taste a bit more <i>expensive</i> than the Super Crema.<br />
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Is it worth the extra cash? Not for me. I like the Super Crema and since I'm looking for an every day coffee that I can serve in large amounts to friends without breaking the bank, value enters my equation in a big way. Gold Selection is about 25% more, and if I was willing to spend that, I would buy specialty roasts from North American roasters for a bit more money.<br />
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That said, this is a very good coffee. It's a massive upgrade if you are buying grocery store coffee and even most Starbucks beans. Moreover, Gold is different enough from the cheaper Super Crema that you may find yourself definitely preferring the Gold Selection in a taste test. You can only easily buy these coffees in 1kg bags, so I would recommend buying one of each, comparing, and then giving the other beans to someone else.<br />
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Otherwise, if you want to take my word for it, buy the Super Crema. It's great.<br />
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Lavazza Gold Selection: RECOMMENDED<br />
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P.S.<br />
Make sure to buy an Airscape to store your beans. They will last for weeks and weeks.Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-11024508180292906112014-02-14T12:41:00.000-08:002014-02-14T12:41:00.245-08:00PRODUCT REVIEW: Planetary Design Airscape Canister<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PSuREHPkVQk/Uv58I_4fTmI/AAAAAAAAHsA/tbM5KSYB6FY/s1600/planetary_designs_airscape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PSuREHPkVQk/Uv58I_4fTmI/AAAAAAAAHsA/tbM5KSYB6FY/s1600/planetary_designs_airscape.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
Don't bother reading to the end of the review. Go out and buy one immediately.<br />
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Still reading? I'll assume that you've already placed your order and are now reading to find out how awesome your canister is going to be when it arrives, because it is going to be awesome.<br />
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There are very few products out there that I would call a necessity for the average tea or coffee lover. The Airscape is a necessity. It will keep your tea and coffee fresh for as long as you need it to be fresh.<br />
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One of the biggest problems with both tea and coffee is <i>getting it</i>. You have to open the canister to retrieve the leaves or beans. Even if you use an air-tight canister, every time you open it, you are letting in new air. That air will, time after time, degrade your tea and coffee.<br />
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For most of us, this degradation is only apparent when we go from the last of the old stuff to a new package. The differences are so stark as to be detectable by even the most uncaring.<br />
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For me, the Airscape is a godsend because espresso amplifies the effects of aging beans. I am aware of it from day to day, even hour to hour.<br />
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In my old canister, my first couple of days of espresso shots were smooth, accurate, crema-filled cups of pure heaven. But after that, the shots failed increasingly frequently, the crema disappeared, and the rich chocolates and caramels went bye-bye. To compensate for this, I bought coffee in very small amounts — sometimes as little as an eighth of a pound.<br />
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The Airscape eliminates the need to do this. I can buy coffee in bulk, store the majority of it in another sealed container and keep my Airscape filled. The act of pressing the air out every time prevents the coffee beans from ever being exposed to new air for a long period of time.<br />
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The effects of this are so significant that I <i>barely if at all</i> have to alter my grind settings on my grinder as time passes. The ambient temperature and humidity levels become far more important for determining grind than the age of the beans. That is a revelation.<br />
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Tea is more sensitive to aging than coffee. My wife, a tea aficionado of the highest order, can taste the degradation of loose-leaf tea as time goes by. This canister eliminates that entirely. Your tea will <i>always</i> be fresh, punchy, and delicious. Once you determine your ideal steep temperature and time, you will never have to adjust that as the leaves age. You <i>need</i> this.<br />
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There are a number of other vacuum canisters out there, but none of them are as good as the Airscape's simple design. The Beanvac is impressive as it automatically sucks out all of the air surrounding the beans. The bad part is that it is battery-powered, thus requiring replacements, costs more, and doesn't do any better a job. There are also a number of other canisters that require you to manually pump the air out. None of these achieve the easy simplicity of merely pressing the cap down until it reaches the beans. It is not a pure vacuum, but it comes so close as to make no difference.<br />
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Buy the Airscape. You will not regret it.<br />
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Planetary Design Airscape: HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDAaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-1160585944610786102014-02-13T14:11:00.000-08:002014-02-14T18:03:03.458-08:00PRODUCT REVIEW: Lavazza Super Crema Coffee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TGoMFnRGaVw/Uv0ycH70ZdI/AAAAAAAAHqk/ZyxTppPOdGQ/s1600/lavazza_super_crema_bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TGoMFnRGaVw/Uv0ycH70ZdI/AAAAAAAAHqk/ZyxTppPOdGQ/s1600/lavazza_super_crema_bag.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></div>
I love espresso, as I'm sure any regular reader of this website knows. I drink two shots per day: one to begin it, the other to end it... which makes it sounds like I drug my own coffee.<br />
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Espresso is an exceptionally demanding mode of coffee preparation. Not only must the beans be good, they must be well-roasted and exceptionally fresh. If anything is off, your shot will come out poorly.<br />
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As such, my quest for the perfect espresso roast/blend is neverending. I love Black Cat in all the ways that man should love coffee, and even a few ways that he shouldn't. It's flavor is without peer. Sadly, its crema levels are very low. If you are pouring small amounts of milk for lattes and cappuccinos, this isn't too big of a deal, but if you like to pull triples into a big cup and be heavy on the milk, the crema layer is pushed too far and your latte art suffers.<br />
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It may seem absurd to desire a coffee purely for its ability to accept milk designs, but espresso is more than just taste; it's everything involved. As such, I went on the hunt for a coffee that provides thick, rich crema into which I can pour art.<br />
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Lavazza's Super Crema fits the bill, as the name would imply. Does it live up to the promise?<br />
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Yes. Mostly. For one thing, it is a very good price. $25-$27 will get you 1 kilo (2.2lbs) of coffee. With shipping, Black Cat costs over $20 for a pound. This also works out cheaper than high-quality grocery brands like Starbucks while also being better.<br />
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I can also say with confidence that the beans are very fresh and of high quality. As I said, espresso is very demanding. If anything is wrong with the beans, the fault may not necessarily show up in drip coffee. Espresso makes everything apparent. Even under this microscope, Super Crema shines.<br />
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The flavor is good. Not great, but good. There is certainly nothing wrong with it, and it more than stands up to other major brands, but after having finely tuned works of art like Black Cat, it does lose a bit of its luster.<br />
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It has a very earthy flavor and is low on chocolate and caramel notes. It is very "coffee" flavored, if that makes any sense. It takes very well to flavoring with cocoa and vanilla. This mellow flavor makes shots of espresso go down like water. It holds up better than you would expect under heavy milk. It tastes very good in a cortado, almost as though the blend was created specifically for that purpose.<br />
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But what about the name?! Does the crema stand up to scrutiny? I can safely say that yes, it does. Lavazza is not lying. This coffee will produce huge amounts of crema for your latte artistic ambitions. And if you keep it stored in a good vacuum canister like the Airscape, it will produce perfect crema right to the last bean.<br />
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To give you an idea of the quality, here's a drink that I poured.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WYVpeZOwejg/Uv0_9OS9BrI/AAAAAAAAHq0/zB0GWCCedVQ/s1600/lavazza_super_crema_latte_art.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WYVpeZOwejg/Uv0_9OS9BrI/AAAAAAAAHq0/zB0GWCCedVQ/s1600/lavazza_super_crema_latte_art.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Not the best art that I've ever poured, but not bad. Besides, all drinks end up looking like this anyhow.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cXttuSRIzhI/Uv1BdEa2rSI/AAAAAAAAHrA/1-2kMvZQTCo/s1600/lavazza_super_crema_latte_art_destroyed.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cXttuSRIzhI/Uv1BdEa2rSI/AAAAAAAAHrA/1-2kMvZQTCo/s1600/lavazza_super_crema_latte_art_destroyed.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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As you can see, you get a thick, stable layer of crema and foam that has excellent definition and contrast between the brown and white. <br />
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If the coffee was more interesting in flavor, it would easily win my high recommendation. As it stands, it gets close, but not quite there. If you care about your latte art and don't have a nearby roaster, this is a very good purchase. But similarly, if you don't care about that, you aren't missing too much. This is a good coffee, for a good price, that produces great crema.<br />
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Lavazza Super Crema: RECOMMENDED<br />
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UPDATE: Bonus latte art.<br />
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This one is much better.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QG1AXDggcao/Uv7Kqq7qEMI/AAAAAAAAHtg/Dm74Uhn5jDs/s1600/lavazza_super_crema_latte_art_2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QG1AXDggcao/Uv7Kqq7qEMI/AAAAAAAAHtg/Dm74Uhn5jDs/s1600/lavazza_super_crema_latte_art_2.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-52176455155960050952013-02-25T12:24:00.002-08:002013-02-25T12:24:54.454-08:00An Honest Coca-Cola Commercial<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bHhCP5ad-zM" width="640"></iframe>Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-78441105567095514542012-11-30T12:26:00.000-08:002012-11-30T12:27:40.534-08:00microREVIEW: Mrs. Renfro's Ghost Pepper Salsa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9ahlvfKC3V5REUlCjwroSi3wyxEdPzg5rEPDPospjgRC0bivIjeo_tJYxazNq78r_45KAuIJaBCo1rM5GWToORWT3FEcIh7uMSS9ecFW4adWc06yJJraR4vSVqIWSdZ0XFaygvP5wM0/s1600/renfros_ghost_pepper_salsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9ahlvfKC3V5REUlCjwroSi3wyxEdPzg5rEPDPospjgRC0bivIjeo_tJYxazNq78r_45KAuIJaBCo1rM5GWToORWT3FEcIh7uMSS9ecFW4adWc06yJJraR4vSVqIWSdZ0XFaygvP5wM0/s640/renfros_ghost_pepper_salsa.jpg" width="390" /></a></div>
This is the best, super-hot salsa on the market. It is fruity, spicy, and roasty. Many salsa and sauce manufacturers are willing to sacrifice flavor in the quest to make something as hot as possible. The products end up tasting like fiery-hot butt. This tastes like good salsa, just hotter than 95% of the population can handle. It is hot enough to trigger spontaneous nausea. A truly great product for the adventurous.<br />
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Mrs. Renfro's Ghost Pepper Salsa: HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDAaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-11017634915251144082012-11-28T15:00:00.000-08:002012-11-28T15:00:41.847-08:00QUICKVIEW: Ralph's Bull & Claw - +++<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m4BQ5_OK_F8/ULaU8Q3KUKI/AAAAAAAAGd8/5FTtt-yN6CM/s1600/ralphs_bull_and_claw_2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="330" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m4BQ5_OK_F8/ULaU8Q3KUKI/AAAAAAAAGd8/5FTtt-yN6CM/s640/ralphs_bull_and_claw_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gGw94zG8sgQ/ULaU91fxsII/AAAAAAAAGeE/CXTNIDbn2eA/s1600/ralphs_bull_and_claw_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gGw94zG8sgQ/ULaU91fxsII/AAAAAAAAGeE/CXTNIDbn2eA/s200/ralphs_bull_and_claw_3.jpg" width="200" /></a>Ralp's Bull & Claw is your standard sort of local haunt with a massive menu. It's very Rhode Island, very local, and very good.<br />
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The location isn't the best place, but it's not bad, either. Ralph's is situated along Charles Street in North Providence, right along the Pawtucket line. It's north enough to not be in the increasingly bad areas farther south, but not north enough to be part of the more expensive locations into Lincoln. The atmosphere and clientele is precisely what one would expect from the location: a sitcom cliche. I was sat next to a group of people that seemed like family members from the movie <i>Moonstruck</i>.<br />
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The interior is nice enough. Standard family restaurant designs. The building is <i>much</i> larger than the small frontage indicates. There's lots of natural light. Essentially, nothing about which I could complain.<br />
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Service was a bit slow since they were busy for reasons that I will explain. Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and at ease in her job.<br />
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The food was very good. Frequently, local haunts have a tendency to serve bland food. I think that it's just a side effect of running a business that isn't interested in delivering gourmet experimentation, and is instead focused on delivering <i>good food</i> to people that simply want <i>good food</i>.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZchtLSluR7Y/ULaVBVeeljI/AAAAAAAAGec/471a7OrdSOc/s1600/ralphs_bull_and_claw_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZchtLSluR7Y/ULaVBVeeljI/AAAAAAAAGec/471a7OrdSOc/s320/ralphs_bull_and_claw_6.jpg" width="320" /></a>And that's the important thing. Everything was good. The dinner bread is one of the best presentations that I've ever seen: two, big boules of Italian bread, freshly baked. No pretensiousness. No nothing. Just good bread with butter on the side. They say, and by they I mean Janeane Garofalo's character from the film <i>Ratatouille</i>, that you can tell good bread by its sound. Well this bread sounded great. Many gourmet restaurants would do well to take a page from this no-nonsense approach. Don't give me weird breads filled with nuts and currants. Or some strange, house-made sourdough. Just give me <i>bread</i>, <i>baked</i>, with <i>butter</i>.<br />
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The soup was loaded with vegetables and pasta, and had good punch to it. Not in the slightest bit bland. The baked stuffed sole was super-sweet and a table favorite, but it was a bit overwhelmed by its butter sauce. I would have liked a much lighter drizzle. The seafood casserole was well-balanced, without being swamped in stuffing, cheese, or sauce as many places do. And the gorgonzola sauce on top of a steak was mellow and not too pungent.<br />
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There were a few things to pick on. The steak wasn't the best cut, but it was still good, flavorful, and well-prepared. The vegetable wasn't much of one, simply being some steamed kale and olives next to mashed potatoes. But these things, insofar as being negative, aren't much worthy of note. Especially when you consider their ace in the hole: half-price Sundays.<br />
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Every second and last Sunday of the month, everything on the menu, and I mean <i>everything</i>, is half priced. A $30 steak drops to $15. My baked stuffed sole was only $9. Gorgonzola steak: $11. When you think about the mark-up generally required to keep a restaurant churning, they're probably reducing their price down to around, or maybe even below, the break-even point, so it's a good attention-getter for them, while costing only a little.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cUVs2-FrXw0/ULaVAMx66OI/AAAAAAAAGeU/C8VTpdN4OlI/s1600/ralphs_bull_and_claw_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cUVs2-FrXw0/ULaVAMx66OI/AAAAAAAAGeU/C8VTpdN4OlI/s200/ralphs_bull_and_claw_5.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Now you understand why service was a bit slow. The dining room wasn't swamped, but I'm sure that they handle waves of people coming in throughout the day, which does much to diminish pre-prepared supplies.<br />
<br />
This promotion makes Ralph's perhaps the single best deal in all of Rhode Island. I don't consider that an exaggeration. I can't think of any other restaurants with prices like this for a menu like this. Good for <i>great</i> prices is, in my mind, better than great food for good prices.<br />
<br />
With a menu for everyone, the best deal in Rhode Island, a friendly personality, and good service, Ralph's is the kind of place that I would default to when I don't know what else to get. There are few restaurants that I would describe as an excellent place to bring the family, but Ralph's is one of them. Now all I have to do is find a family.<br />
<br />
Ralph's Bull & Claw: +++<br />
<br />
1027 Charles Street<br />
North Providence, RI 02904<br />
401-722-2624
<br />
<br />
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<small><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=ralph's+bull+%26+claw+tavern&fb=1&gl=us&hq=ralph's+bull+%26+claw+tavern&hnear=0x89e4492c51d0922b:0x7f143556bbe45975,Cranston,+RI&cid=0,0,13384805170889182122&t=m&ll=41.866461,-71.424394&spn=0.005593,0.013733&z=16&iwloc=A&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-87429987316723532322012-11-23T19:52:00.000-08:002014-01-27T20:12:51.164-08:00QUICKVIEW: LJ'S Barbeque- +++/$$Barbeque: the only truly American form of cooking.<br />
<br />
I'm not joking. Barbeque is the only form of cooking unique to the New World. It's believed to have originated in the Carribean islands and then migrated out onto the mainland, and eventually into the culture of European explorers and, ultimately, people in Rhode Island.<br />
<br />
And speaking of Rhode Island, we have a surprisingly robust selection of BBQ considering our distance from the food's genesis. Along with the subject of this article, we have Wes's Rib House, Smokey Bones, Rick's Roadhouse, Ribs & Company, and the various bbq-ish options at the various chain restaurants in various towns.<br />
<br />
I had previously been completely satisfied going to Smokey Bones whenever the urge for ribs and pulled pork struck me, but after its recent purchase and transformation into a "fire grille," the mind-numbingly overt sexism has soured me to the place. Women are used exclusively as decoration and they all but declare that men are beer-swilling, sports and sex-obsessed, humanoid buffalo.<br />
<br />
Oh yes. I love being made to feel like a cro-magnon when eating my ribs.<br />
<br />
Smokey Bones' homepage currently features a "hot babe" serving beer. If you click on their "About Us" section, you have <i>another</i> hot babe serving beer. Look!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L0Tc0y3JLjI/ULACqEh80UI/AAAAAAAAGcw/q2_CYQHry9A/s1600/smokey_bones_homepage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L0Tc0y3JLjI/ULACqEh80UI/AAAAAAAAGcw/q2_CYQHry9A/s640/smokey_bones_homepage.jpg" height="374" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Smokey Bones Home Page. Yes. Please. Take a look around at all of our beer and breasts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJtn9Yr1U7oK9k-6GExWmjTNB1b1bQom1ECTtSoKh9R61TAdSGxw6UwMoVAJOq7I23Gn1taEFhubQs0q5q3XBPs3GdJxk4KimZ8Sn9QsnBm29DEXM_x2S3ydeDhkWbjk0No2b7Gd01Yc/s1600/smokey_bones_about_us.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJtn9Yr1U7oK9k-6GExWmjTNB1b1bQom1ECTtSoKh9R61TAdSGxw6UwMoVAJOq7I23Gn1taEFhubQs0q5q3XBPs3GdJxk4KimZ8Sn9QsnBm29DEXM_x2S3ydeDhkWbjk0No2b7Gd01Yc/s640/smokey_bones_about_us.jpg" height="374" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The About Us page that says everything about them that matters.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Let's break down and analyze their About Us page.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>At Smokey Bones, we specialize in three things: good food, good drinks and good times.</i></blockquote>
That's it? As a restaurant, you should specialize in a few more things than just that. Like organization and operation, cleaning, refrigeration, and other such important things for running a place that serves food like knowing how to use a goddamned Oxford comma. And also, what is this? Cheers?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>We are a bar and fire grill, but not necessarily in that order.</i></blockquote>
Oh good! I was worried for a moment. This "fire grille" garbage has been positively shoe-horned into everything they make, as though the marketing guys think that by taking a stupid idea and simply making it omnipresent somehow negates its stupidity.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>We are grill masters who respect the power of the open flame. We like simple, yet flavorful recipes and believe marinating is not to be taken lightly. We know medium-rare isn’t the only way to cook a steak, but believe it should be.</i></blockquote>
This is completely acceptable marketing speak.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>We believe pork should be slow smoked and pulled often.</i></blockquote>
I think this may be a masturbation reference.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Slow, as in 11 hours over hickory logs every night, and often, as in every day at every restaurant.</i></blockquote>
This is an excellent sentence. It makes me want to visit the restaurant.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>We know it’s our bartenders that make our drinks great, not the liquor. Although the liquor doesn’t hurt. We think beer should be ice cold and consumed regularly.</i></blockquote>
Because obviously, the more attractive the woman, the better the beer <i>from the tap</i>. And doesn't Smokey Bones think that encouraging alcoholism is a bad idea?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>We know our servers bring much more than food to the table.</i></blockquote>
Indeed. They also bring boobs. I'm not kidding. I cannot think of a single restaurant where a greater percentage of the servers are female aside from Hooters.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>We are big fans of sports, loud music and surprises.</i></blockquote>
Why in the bloody blue fuck would I want surprises at a restaurant? I want food <i>as expected</i>. If I order a burger, and get a bowl of fruit, I'll damn well be surprised. I'll also be angry.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>And we believe in laughing often, especially at ourselves.
</i></blockquote>
This is good, because you are laughable.<br />
<br />
You can understand why the atmosphere has become intolerable over time.<br />
<br />
So it was with great relief that I found LJ's to have the air of a local joint, populated by locals from the surrounding neighborhoods, without any insultingly stupid marketing statement defining the restaurant's character. Do you know what's on LJ's website? Pictures of food. How novel.<br />
<br />
The interior is simple. The place settings are utilitarian, with whole rolls of rough paper towels at every table. They provide squeeze bottles with house-made BBQ sauce, and a wider variety of hot sauces than is likely necessary. The closest thing that I can think of as a competitor is The Oak Hill Tavern in South County.<br />
<br />
The wait staff was friendly and decently fast. The menu is very large and priced well. They offer a prix fixe option for $20 that includes an appetizer, two sides, corn bread, dessert, and a beer. Platters are usually in the $10-$20 range and offer an enormous amount of food for little money. Even if the food was merely adequate, LJ's would be a good deal.<br />
<br />
And the food is much more than adequate. This is the real deal. This is not the crap "BBQ" that you get at places like Chile's. Their babyback ribs were just fatty enough and just firm enough to provide some satisfaction in biting while still falling off the bone. Their spice rub is muted and austere, perhaps a bit too, but when combined with a light drizzle of their sweet house cause becomes an excellent representation of the meal. Their pulled pork is on the fatty side, but is soft and flavorful as a result. And holy crap, do they give you a lot of pulled pork. Two mounds of it took up over half of the plate. You will consume a significant percentage of a pig with this meal. And again, all of these choices come with two sides and cornbread for the price.<br />
<br />
Their platters represent a small portion of the menu, though. They have sandwiches, burgers, grilled pizza, and soups/salads. Their burgers were a good representation of the difference between this place and other restaurants and the subtle value that is available. At Smokey Bones, they have long since ditched providing a side with their burgers. They still aren't a <i>bad deal</i>, mind you, but this is what I mean when I talk about the fundamental difference between a local restaurant and a chain. At Smokey Bones, with dozens of locations, not including a side dish with their burgers could result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra annual revenue. At LJ's, it may equal a couple hundred. There is little motivation to skimp, and thus they don't. For the same price, at LJ's, you get a side. To me, that matters.<br />
<br />
And about those sides, their french fries were surprisingly good. Crispy and light and tasting like they were made from fresh potatoes, which I'm assuming they were. Their house beans were a little thin — I like my baked beans thick with bacon, beans, and fillings — but sweet and good. Their candied yams were candied and yammy. Basically, all good on the Western front.<br />
<br />
Everything we had was good. The atmosphere was good. The service was good. The food was everything I could have hoped for, and even a bit more. And that is what LJ's is about: the food. It's not about sports, or idiotic slogans, or puns, or packaging. It's about food, made with skill, and served up for a fair price. I will be returning to LJ's soon, with slow-cooked pig on my mind.<br />
<br />
LJ's Barbeque: +++<br />
<br />
727 East Avenue<br />
Pawtucket, RI 02860<br />
401-305-5255<br />
Delivery: 401-353-4121<br />
<br />
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<small><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=727+East+Avenue+Pawtucket,+RI+02860&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=727+East+Ave,+Pawtucket,+Rhode+Island+02860&gl=us&t=m&ll=41.858247,-71.391563&spn=0.022374,0.054932&z=14&iwloc=A&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-35422069844544500622012-11-19T13:22:00.000-08:002012-11-19T13:22:20.909-08:00Recommended Desserts For Thanksgiving And BeyondEvery year, I make sure to mention the best places to get pies for the holidays. Pies are a special thing. You can't simply mix up ingredients, put it in an oven, and have it be fine. You have to choose your ingredients carefully, prepare them correctly, then add them all together for baking.<br />
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For example, I so rarely find an apple pie that has the apple pieces cut up into small, thin slices. This is important because it increases the surface area on which the cinnamon, sugar, and acid interact, providing that rich, tart flavor. Go buy an apple pie at your local grocery store: <i>huge chunks</i> of apple.<br />
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Obviously, your best course of action is to make the pies yourself and get it just right. But if you don't have the time, and during the holidays time is at a premium, you want to get <i>the best</i>.<br />
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#1: <b>The Village Hearth, Jamestown</b><br />
I haven't been to The Village Hearth in some time, but it doesn't matter. I know the kind of person who runs it: dedicated, passionate, skilled. Their dough is house-made, their ingredients of the utmost freshness, and their preparation flawless.<br />
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Their prices aren't out in la-la land, either. Everything they sell is competitively priced, and when you consider the quality of their food, it becomes an absolute bargain. The only problem is their capacity, meaning that they sell out pretty early. To guarantee your pie, make sure to order early.<br />
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For your holiday pies, I cannot recommend The Village Hearth enough.<br />
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#2: <b>Pastiche, Providence</b><br />
I think everyone saw this one coming. Pastiche has been a fixture in the Providence dessert scene for nearly three decades. Much like The Village Hearth, they know how to prepare their fruit before.<br />
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In comparison to The Village Hearth, Pastiche's recipes fall a bit short. They aren't as rich or delicately prepared. It's as though everything is taken down by a notch. This may be a philosophical issue, where Pastiche feels that they should leave everything slightly more mellow. All I can say is that I don't agree with that philosophy. I like subtlety in many things, but I prefer my desserts to be punchy.<br />
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The most important thing is for desserts to be complex. There is a penchant for businesses to prepare desserts with a single-minded drive to deliver a particular flavor. Cake must be cake. Pie must be pie. No! Because desserts are so sweet, which can easily be overpowering, it is all the more critical for their design and preparation to provide a wealth of flavors and textures to prevent the palate from becoming bored.<br />
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In this regard, both Pastiche and The Village Hearth deliver. If The Village Hearth is too much of a drive, Pastiche is delicious. But if you're willing to take a journey, you won't regret what you get in Jamestown.<br />
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#3: <b>Trader Joe's, Warwick</b><br />
Obviously, Trader Joe's pies and treats do not compare to what you will get at Pastiche and The Village Hearth. But when it comes to grocery stores baked goods, no other store even <i>comes close</i>. These are the <i>only</i> acceptable baked goods that I have received from a grocery store. Stop & Shop and Shaws are disgusting. Dave's is only slightly better. When these things are the competition, one wouldn't think it hard to compete, but apparently it is.<br />
<br />
Trader Joe's is legitimately good. And while the crusts are unimpressive when bought, a light basting with butter and milk and ten minutes in a 400' oven turns Joe's pies into something worth mentioning. It also helps to extend their shelf life in your home, since Joe's uses no preservatives, their baked goods have a penchant for going moldy very quickly.<br />
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And one cannot ignore the price, either. Trader Joe's isn't as good, but <i>holy crap</i> are their pies cheap. A full apple pie only costs $7.00. Their pies are smaller, so the comparison isn't quite apples to apples (pie), but even if you add 50% to the price of Trader Joe's pies to account for the size difference, Joe's still comes out cheaper. If you're on a budget, Trader Joe's is a great choice.Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-60797283688178726402012-11-15T23:43:00.001-08:002012-11-15T23:43:48.808-08:00REVIEW: Ruth's Chris- ***/$$$$$<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5a1ybV_kaA4/UKXM_jXfRcI/AAAAAAAAGZM/708eTFnsxzo/s1600/ruths_chris_steak.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5a1ybV_kaA4/UKXM_jXfRcI/AAAAAAAAGZM/708eTFnsxzo/s640/ruths_chris_steak.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Want steak? Want almost nothing but steak? Ruth's Chris has you covered. Ruth's is the largest luxury steak chain in the United States with one hundred and thirty five locations in almost all major cities, serving up specially-sourced meats straight from high-end farms managed by the company. Pretty impressive.<br />
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At least as far as the Providence location goes, that impressiveness extends to the architecture and decor. Ruth's apparently spent over three million dollars building their Rhode Island operation and it shows. The inside is massive, and it seems to stretch forever from the front of the building to the back, where doors lead to private dining areas for groups. The ceilings are a good twenty-five feet high, with gigantic modern-ish light fixtures that could kill someone if they fell. As far as aesthetic goes, it is modern with a distinctly <i>wealthy bachelor</i> feel to it.<br />
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The valet was friendly and helpful, and after he took our car, we entered into what appeared to be the entrance. We stood around for a couple of minutes looking lost before someone at the bar finally realized that we were hoping for dinner, and we were directed to walk past the bar, down some stairs, to a second (hidden from our vantage) desk that actually held the hostess. Of course. The hostess was vegetative, and she lead us to our table in a haze.<br />
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After getting to our table, we enjoyed the view out the window of the river. It was very nice and I suspect that dining during Waterfire would be great. Unfortunately, I'm sure that this is precisely the time when the restaurant will be overwhelmed with diners. But even without burning pyres, it was pleasing. The tables are set well and the chairs are decently comfortable. The flatware was nice, and the glasses were spotless.<br />
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The waitstaff is a disaster. I'll have more on them later.<br />
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Apparently, the restaurant relies on your having an appetizer. We were informed that "going straight to entree," results in a twenty-minute wait for food. Ok. This gave us a chance to take in the sight of the other diners. The masculinity of the decor is not lost on the clientele, with the vast majority of people being male, with many of them talking "business." And by business, I mean congratulating each other on being brilliant. I don't mean to sound like some sort of corporate-hating communist at this point, but it was painful to watch and listen to. We had no less than three groups of white men discussing why Romney lost.<br />
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Adding to this absurdity of the scene was the mob family that kept parading by our table to a private dining room. I'm not joking. Seriously. I think it may have been a mob family. Lots of overweight men in nice suits, lots of women with tans. The restaurant manager who asked us about our meal did not help this impression, with hair that was slicked back with shoe polish so fiercely that they could very well have been cutting the meat with it. After he stopped by our table, I commented to my partner that I felt greasy.<br />
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"But what about the food?!" you are yelling. Yes. The food. Long story short, it was very good. It was exactly what you would expect for an expensive piece of meat cooked well. Ruth's appears to err on the side of rare, with my medium-rare petite filet being what I would consider rare. Perhaps they do this since they plate on which they serve the meat is heated to 500 degrees, meaning that the meat continues to cook. Regardless, it was a minor quibble, and in fact I think more places should err on the side of rare.<br />
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The meat dishes are austere. Very austere. You get meat. On a plate. And that's it. You can appreciate why this business model exploded during the real-estate boom; the profit margins are enormous. Our petite filet, which I suspect was in the neighborhood of 6-8oz, cost $36. I don't consider this wildly out of whack since the meat, in all its austere glory, is excellent: tender, flavorful, and seasoned just right. But that said, it's still a bit pricey.<br />
<br />
I can get similar meat for less per ounce at any number of RI steakhouses. Providence Prime, my current favorite, will give you a 10oz filet, with sauce and side for $37. It's a similar, cheaper, story at Ten Prime, Capital Grille, and Fred & Steve's. While other restaurants have brought their competitive A-game in the economic downturn, all Ruth's has done is apparently stop charging for valet. The prices aren't a total deal-breaker — with meat this good, they would have to be much higher — but they are still a knock against Ruth's.<br />
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It's the very austerity that they champion that amplifies this issue. Why pay more when I can get meat that is equally prepared and equally austere elsewhere? There is no recipe, no art. All they have is their hot plate gimmick (which is, I'll admit, nice). This stands in contrast to places like Gracie's, who I have criticized for having servings that were too small for the price. At least at Gracie's, their foods are complex creations — pieces of edible art. Most of Ruth's Chris items are little more than high-quality ingredients, prepared well.<br />
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The sides, which are intended to be shared, are equally disappointing. When I ordered <i>a la carte</i> sides at Fred & Steve's, they were the size of the table. Sides at Ruth's Chris are borderline one-person servings, further exacerbating the wild prices. Twenty cents worth of broccoli is sold for $8.50. The sweet potato and pecan casserole was a bright spot. It was nearly a dessert, with creamy sweet potatoes under crisp pecans. Other than that, their sides are basically a list of overpriced vegetables.<br />
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I mentioned earlier that the service was a disaster, I shall now elaborate on that.<br />
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When I am spending a fair amount of money, I expect service. I do not expect to be worshipped, or fawned over, or have dutiful-yet-silent servants float by with water. There is no script for this — no absolute plan. But that is exactly what Ruth's Chris is trying to do, and it blows up in their face.<br />
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The strained obsequiousness of our waiter was painful. The absolutely oddball lilt to his way of speech contrasted badly with his tattoos and hair. His bodily positioning bordered on parody, as though he was almost attempting to mimic the waiter from <i>The Triplets of Belleville</i>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/L4CVtL0fuBM" width="640"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
This cartoon is exaggerating and thus mocking the mannerisms of a classically-trained French waiter. Ours wasn't at all classically-trained, so the movie is not directly mocking him. They are related, though. He was a waiter who was following a script, differing from the above video only in that the creators of the movie wrote with mockery in their mind, while the managers of Ruth's Chris did so with insane earnestness in theirs.<br />
<br />
Indeed, the waiter acted as a suitable representation of the restaurant's gestalt: a poser, faking the gross elements of behavior of other high-end restaurants. In those cases, the raison d'être of the restaurant is being a restaurant, not being yet another instance of a chain. The wellspring of choice and behavior comes from that. Good restaurants go from that into a business model that allows for profitability. Ruth's Chris reverses this.<br />
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There is no fire behind any of it. It is faked high-end. The dining room wants to be like Per Se or Chez La Mere Michel, but without the passion of a singular vision behind it, it's soulless. It's Hewlett-Packard selling a computer that <i>looks</i> like a Mac. This is fine for cheap places like TGI Friday's, or even slightly more expensive chains like Longhorn Steakhouse. But there is a good reason why the majority of high-end restaurants are not chains: we are not simply paying for food when we go to them, we are paying for vision. We are paying for art. We are paying for something more than a mere declaration of conspicuous consumption.<br />
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My final issue with the environment wasn't initially noticed by me, but my partner, Danielle. I may have been oblivious, but after she pointed it out, the hair on the back of neck stood on end for the rest of the meal: the waiters were all white, and the busboys and waterboys were all black. 100%. I'm not sure if this was the case over the entire staff — I can't imagine them being that blatant — but for our meal, the 100% measure is accurate.<br />
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Interestingly, while doing research on the steakhouse scene for this review, I came across <a href="http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/01/31/lawsuit-capital-grille-denied-opportunities-to-minority-workers/">an article</a> posted earlier this year, and while not having anything to do with Ruth's, it did involve their across-the-street competitor, The Capital Grille. The Grille is the focus of a growing, multi-state racial discrimination lawsuit where employees are alleging that "Capital Grille [favored] white workers over people of color for lucrative tipped jobs." Sound familiar? I guess this isn't surprising considering all of the Romney voters in the dining room and stuff like this (start at 3:00).<br />
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I will never go back to Ruth's Chris, yet I give it three stars. Why? Many of my problems with Ruth's are my interpretations of things in the environment. If you do not have these interpretations, you will not have many of my problems. Certain things are the very embodiment of food criticism, though, such as the recipes and prices. These problems, combined with the fact that Providence is not at all short on high-end steakhouses, place Ruth's Chris firmly in averageville. Everything is simple, good, and high-priced. Just like everybody else.<br />
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<b>Ruth's Chris: ***</b><br />
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10 Memorial Boulevard<br />
Providence, RI 02903<br />
(401) 272-2271<br />
Reservations Recommended<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF8&q=ruths+chris&fb=1&gl=us&hq=ruths+chris&hnear=0x89e4492c51d0922b:0x7f143556bbe45975,Cranston,+RI&cid=0,0,9326522449202011558&t=m&ll=41.82618,-71.414888&spn=0.005596,0.013733&z=16&iwloc=A&output=embed" width="640"></iframe><br />
<small><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF8&q=ruths+chris&fb=1&gl=us&hq=ruths+chris&hnear=0x89e4492c51d0922b:0x7f143556bbe45975,Cranston,+RI&cid=0,0,9326522449202011558&t=m&ll=41.82618,-71.414888&spn=0.005596,0.013733&z=16&iwloc=A&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-76269122256245546082012-10-18T11:05:00.000-07:002012-10-18T11:05:15.144-07:00microREVIEW: Trader Joe's Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake MixToo sweet. I can rarely ever finish a small piece. The crumb topping is almost entirely sugar, doesn't crumb very well, and overwhelms the rest of the cake. It has what seems like a pumpkin aftertaste. Easy to make.<br />
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Rating: NEUTRALAaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-52783067218494430132012-10-11T13:45:00.001-07:002012-10-11T13:45:41.934-07:00microREVIEW: Trader Joe's Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo<i>This is the first of a series that I call microreviews. I had been posting these to Twitter, but since Google and Twitter started getting all possessive about their content, Tweets disappear in the internether quickly after posting. So I shall put these on an actual page instead.</i><br />
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Good pasta. When microwaved, not rubbery, but a little watery. Chicken doesn't taste microwaved, but tastes a bit overdone. Chicken spice is too mild. Sauce has good kick. It's quick to make, but I feel like everything in it could be made fresh in very little time.<br />
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Rating: NEUTRALAaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-8677031644065656412012-09-12T17:31:00.000-07:002012-09-14T13:13:59.904-07:00Organic Food Isn't Healthier: People Are Surprised?<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Stanford University published a study showing that organic food isn't any nutritionally better for you than conventional food. There has been a <a href="http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-stanford-organic-food-study-controversy-20120911,0,173210.story">massively negative response</a> to this from the organic community. The publishers and many food pundits have expressed surprise by this response. Their general point is that the study doesn't reveal anything that most people didn't already know.<br />
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And that's the problem. The intelligent, well-read, educated people who are involved with the organic movement do not represent the majority of people. In fact, these "ivory tower" types are so disconnected from the general population, that they are wholly unaware of what the population actually thinks. The organic population does not buy organic food for rational reasons. They do it for dogmatic reasons.<br />
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People are ascribing moral, personal, and even cosmic significance to their organic diets. And as we have found, people have a hard time seeing the shades of grey that are inherent to... everything. <a href="http://io9.com/5942149/the-halo-effect-why-you-wont-believe-your-heroes-have-flaws">We don't like to see our heroes in complex terms</a>. Our heroes are <i>all-good</i>, and when they reveal themselves to not be all-good, we say that they have <i>failed</i> us. It is a crippling event.<br />
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That is why this backlash occurred. Organic advocates don't want to see their hero in complex terms. They see it as <i>the answer</i>. The answer to what? Almost anything. Again, organic food isn't better for quantifiable reasons. It is better for qualitative reasons. It is metaphysically better. Even for those who don't ascribe deep significance to organic food, these views rub off onto them and the entirety of the organic industry. Most people buy organic thinking that its <i>essentially</i> better.<br />
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This study is quantitative evidence that this isn't true. Is organic better in some ways? Yes. But that's not enough. And that's why this backlash happened.Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-44927529798010587812012-08-28T13:23:00.003-07:002012-08-28T13:23:25.341-07:00Kids Won't Eat Healthy Food... Unless...<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7KvjEYq5Ovo" width="640"></iframe>Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-40314134148992521792012-08-28T10:12:00.002-07:002012-08-28T10:12:30.062-07:00Trader Joe's Milk Is Crappy For Steaming and Lattes/Cappuccinos<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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I found a few mentions of this online, but I wanted to make a large, explicit post for any of those interested: Trader Joe's milk <i>sucks</i> for milk steaming. Do not try to make lattes or cappuccinos out of this. You will not get microfoam. You will get vaguely good-looking foam that <i>disintegrates</i> after nothing more than a single tap on the carafe.<br />
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I've encountered this before in other milks as well, but never with the consistency of Trader Joe's. I have <i>never</i> gotten a gallon of milk that worked. Other brands, be they Garelick, Hood, or Rhody Fresh, have had the odd bad jug, but by and large, they're fine.<br />
<br />
I read one theory that is associated with the age of the milk. I know the basics of milk steaming chemistry, and had never heard of age having a significant effect on milk steaming performance. This also didn't line up with my experiences of Rhody Fresh, which as the name says, is fresh. Namely, I have had more bottles of Rhody Fresh than any other brand that simply would not steam.<br />
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I think it has to do with the pasteurization process. Trader Joe's milk, as with most supermarket milks, is pasteurized. That means that the milk is raised to a temperature of about 150 degrees Fahrenheit for about thirty seconds. The temperature isn't high enough to cause breaks in the proteins and lactose, meaning that after it cools down, it should steam up just fine.<br />
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What I suspect happens sometimes is the milk doesn't cool down as they expect, the temperature gets too high, or they heat the milk for too long, thus causing the proteins to break, thus making smoothly steamed milk impossible. I don't know why Trader Joe's is more affected by this than other brands. Moreover, I don't even know if it's just <i>my</i> Trader Joe's locations. I'd imagine that different farms provide milk to different stores.<br />
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So if you buy a lot of milk at Trader Joe's, and you've found that your ability to steam has fallen off a cliff, it's not in your head. It's actually the milk. Just go buy something else.Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-70676019512249675032012-07-06T19:30:00.000-07:002012-07-06T19:30:03.571-07:00Monsanto Gets ScrewedI disagree with vegan/organic/natural wingnuts on most everything, but in one case, our feelings line up perfectly: Monsanto is evil. You'll find a very strong anti-corporate bent in the vegan/organic movements, and in many cases, I think that this is well-founded hate.<br />
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Major corporations are interested in profits. We feel safe in buying their food because we assume that their profit interests and our health line up, since most corporations would not want to kill their customers... because then it would have no more customers. Reality, though, is a lot more sinister.<br />
<br />
Many companies are completely fine. They very much do care about their customers. But others do not. In the book <i>Keys to the Kingdom: The Rise of Michael Eisner</i>, an Imagineer at Disney recounts the general opinion of guests to the theme parks: scum. The executives, the park managers, the entirety of the company had zero respect for its customers. In fact, they borderline hated their customers. Does Disney feel that way today? I don't know, but I suspect so.<br />
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This is <i>Disney</i>. They are one of the companies about which people get all warm and squishy. Imagine what other companies feel. Look at the venom with which the major banks hated their customers, as revealed by the investigations following the 2008 collapse. They thought nothing of their customers.<br />
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We see this behavior in all levels of society, not just among corporate executives. We judge the hell out of each other. We are a truly judgmental species. The drive to judge is doubly fueled both by anger but also by <i>perspective</i>. People will judge others based on their life, not the life of the others. For example, a poor person would call a Porsche needless and ostentatious, but a rich person may see it as positively demure in comparison to Lamborghinis and Ferraris. Neither person is correct.<br />
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Similarly, people of power and prestige will judge the lives and behaviors of those who do not have power and prestige as negative. This is the problematic thread in conservativism. "I did it, so can you!" They are so disconnected from the lives of the average person, that they lose all perspective with which they can make accurate assessments. People comfortably ensconced in positions of power judge <i>like crazy</i> and they are wildly inaccurate when they do so. That so many companies grow to have a top-down hatred of their <i>hoi polloi</i> customers is no surprise..<br />
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As such, having a healthy distaste for corporations is quite sensible. I think that there are few better applications of this sensible distrust than with American food.<br />
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Perhaps because food, more so than any other industry, is at the convergence point of socioeconomic status, cultural identity, racial identity, and religion, food is discussed and argued in more ethical and spiritual terms than any other item. Food has been the very centerpiece of society since the beginning of time. It is, quite literally, our life blood. Food stops being merely a gathering point, or something that fun, or an excuse to party. People start referring to it in quasi-spiritual, transcendent terms. And problematically, they start to judge others based on those terms.<br />
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America seems worse than other countries, and I suspect that the impression is more than just that, an impression. I suspect that there is actual, quantifiable truth to it. In my mind, there can be only one reason for this: religion. Western religion infects our outlooks on life even for those who aren't religious. Those who are fat are <i>bad people</i>, because good people resist food. Gluttony is a <i>sin</i>. Those who eat are <i>sinful people</i>. Even in the face of ever-mounting data to the contrary, people persist in their belief that being overweight is some choice that some are making, and thus deserve to be mocked and shunned for this greedy decision.<br />
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Imagine an executive at a food company holding this opinion, which I'm sure many of them do. A company like Kellogg's has to know that most of their products are complete garbage. Yet they continue to shovel out slop. Look at the resistance with which research about trans-fats was met. If that sounds like the same cynical response that tobacco executives had to research indicating the extreme addictiveness of tobacco, that only further illustrates the problem. It is no coincidence that one of the biggest mergers of all time was between Nabsico and RJ Reynolds Tobacco.<br />
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Look at the race to the bottom illustrated in fast food. The companies talk about quality and dedication to the customer, but that's complete bullshit and everyone knows it. The logical counterpoint to this view is not that these companies actually do care, it's that their products are at least <i>decent</i> for the price, which is generally true. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of a company, but true.<br />
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What does all of this have to do with Monsanto? Well, Monsanto is famous for having one of the most famous patented life forms: Round Up Ready seeds. These seeds are resistant to the weed killer Round Up, meaning that a farmer can plant the seeds and then spray Round Up with abandon, killing the weeds and leaving the seeds unscathed.<br />
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It doesn't take much hard thinkin' to realize that patenting a life form has a lot of serious problems, and those problems have been borne out quite well in real life. Monsanto has been on a tear since the release of these seeds in the late 90's, suing farmers all over the world... even if the farmers never wanted the Round Up Ready seeds in the first place. And compliments of a massive war chest, Monsanto has won most of these casees because they can simply outspend the small farmers. This has caused hundreds (possibly thousands) of farmers to go out of business. Monsanto is using the court system as its personal WMD.<br />
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Well, in this case, Monsanto appears to have <i>finally</i> bitten off more than it can chew. They may own the court systems in the United States (although that has more to do with broken patent laws than anything else), other countries are much more treacherous. One of those treacherous countries is Brazil, where Monsanto just lost a little ol' court case —<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/monsanto-brazil-soybean-farmers_n_1606267.html"> lost it to the tune of $2 billion dollars</a>.<br />
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I spend a lot of time ranting about patents, copyright, and food. All three of these issues combine into one, evil, mega-conglomerate in the form of Monsanto. However, wherever, and whenever they get fucked is a good thing. There are no exceptions. I am not one for hyperbole. Sweeping statements very rarely hold up to scrutiny. But this sweeping statement is one of such veracity that I am willing to make it. Monsanto is one of the worst companies on Earth. They are putting farmers out of business, increasing the centralization of American agriculture for no reason other than greed, and giving fuel to an inane "locavore" movement that won't solve any of the dietary problems currently facing our society.<br />
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Monsanto represents the worst corporate greed, avarice, cynicism, and belligerence that our world can muster. As I mentioned, food is at the very heart of our society, and the American heart is undeniably sick. Monsanto's perverse philosophy as manifested by their behavior is a big reason for that sickness.<br />
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This court case won't do anything to fix the underlying problem of <i style="font-weight: bold;">the fucking absurdity of patenting a life form</i>, but it does take some money from Monsanto and give it to a smaller entity. Whether I agree with the behavior of the farmers in Brazil or not is immaterial, since they would have to be Nazis to make me side with Monsanto over them.Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-49964673889704861702012-06-27T09:01:00.000-07:002012-06-27T09:01:11.427-07:00This Is CoffeeIt certainly is.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5_pMRNXGaZc" width="640"></iframe>Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-40013587258752264782012-06-17T13:31:00.002-07:002012-06-17T13:31:40.773-07:00An Excellent Dinner At Legal Sea Food<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLRXSBKfsYQ/T94Qfu2pUhI/AAAAAAAAFvg/-rZkVTeFp7I/s1600/legal_sea_food_dinner-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="470" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLRXSBKfsYQ/T94Qfu2pUhI/AAAAAAAAFvg/-rZkVTeFp7I/s640/legal_sea_food_dinner-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Klingon Tea</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-svAEkjN2JPA/T94QeYnIxxI/AAAAAAAAFvY/W3JUQTtG-88/s1600/legal_sea_food_dinner-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-svAEkjN2JPA/T94QeYnIxxI/AAAAAAAAFvY/W3JUQTtG-88/s640/legal_sea_food_dinner-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuna looking like heaven.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17jCLpB_WpEoMKSWBOrzdGPpeQ8OY1gMTqJYW1mQiw7TPERYHaRj1olyzoeQtxXwyjVZmf-vgpJPmqQ8_a_Dp3Nl9EFFTq9mc0oRpud7bDE1Da9OTom0R1RpbwVIkmHtUUvV-O_Fxgwg/s1600/legal_sea_food_dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17jCLpB_WpEoMKSWBOrzdGPpeQ8OY1gMTqJYW1mQiw7TPERYHaRj1olyzoeQtxXwyjVZmf-vgpJPmqQ8_a_Dp3Nl9EFFTq9mc0oRpud7bDE1Da9OTom0R1RpbwVIkmHtUUvV-O_Fxgwg/s640/legal_sea_food_dinner.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Atlantic salmon with lemon caper butter sauce. A good deal at $20.</td></tr>
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<br />Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-54635281258422475732012-06-02T15:03:00.000-07:002012-06-02T15:05:48.222-07:00Jon Stewart Delivers One Of The Best Food Rants Ever<div style="background-color: black; width: 650px;">
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<b><a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-may-31-2012/drink-different">The Daily Show with Jon Stewart</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-may-31-2012/drink-different---pick-your-poison">The Daily Show with Jon Stewart</a></b><br />Get More: <a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.indecisionforever.com/">Political Humor & Satire Blog</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow">The Daily Show on Facebook</a></div>
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</div>Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-6398563732132678702012-05-06T14:53:00.002-07:002012-05-06T14:53:41.952-07:00New Developments In Exercise ResearchThis documentary has very little to do with diet, which kinda' runs counter to a whole, ya' know, <i>food related</i> website. Still, exercise and diet are tightly linked as regards overall health and one cannot be discussed without the other.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tyQSzx0ofto" width="640"></iframe>Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-17503950272293482712012-05-03T18:59:00.001-07:002012-05-03T18:59:48.872-07:00Lewis Black vs Food Marketing<div style="background-color: black; width: 640px;">
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</div>Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-40486547728028349862012-04-28T18:50:00.003-07:002012-05-03T13:08:37.324-07:00Good Documentary About Vitamins<iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zp7WdxvoBfI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-64068601950357117012012-04-26T17:23:00.000-07:002012-04-26T17:23:14.627-07:00PRODUCT REVIEW: Archer Farms Colombia La Floresta Coffee<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZS_WrY3DFYjlNcnvlH1iOQk8CQzg0iMn4_a-U-Gh6z_9JFnm3u2O1BDglNQph_60ognljglCC64KMHUrgltzOzk_XRDNQRyxpSyVd-1YPEfTDir16ilZIs_IeHylQRa48AL2J1QZ9Zqg/s1600/colombia_la_floresta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 5px;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZS_WrY3DFYjlNcnvlH1iOQk8CQzg0iMn4_a-U-Gh6z_9JFnm3u2O1BDglNQph_60ognljglCC64KMHUrgltzOzk_XRDNQRyxpSyVd-1YPEfTDir16ilZIs_IeHylQRa48AL2J1QZ9Zqg/s200/colombia_la_floresta.jpg" width="148" /></a>Target continues its march up-market with its own line of "gourmet" food stuffs. And no gourmet selection would be complete without coffee. I had tried a couple of Target's whole bean varieties in the past and found them completely acceptable, but not much worth mentioning.<br />
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Target has relatively recently started carrying special blends of coffee that come in their own tins. Their 2011 "Cup of Excellence" winner is a Colombian, and while Cup Of Excellence might be a bit of an overstatement (It was at the bottom of the <a href="http://www.cupofexcellence.org/CountryPrograms/Colombia/2011Program/AuctionResults/tabid/737/Default.aspx">award winner list</a>) it's still good coffee.<br />
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The beans don't have a very good smell. They are tart with little mellow pleasantness that most will expect from roasted beans. The roast is very light and the beans are quite healthy. All good signs. They didn't provide preparation recommendations, so I erred on the side of caution with a standard grind and a 3:30 steep in a Clever Coffee Dripper.<br />
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The bloom is surprisingly good. This photo is after it had eased for about thirty seconds. I would say that the full extent of the bloom is among the best, if not <i>the</i> best, grocery store shelf coffee bloom that I have seen.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wCTfTt0nAis/T5nlIHcXXvI/AAAAAAAAFhQ/LFCGCevhBNQ/s1600/colombia_la_floresta_bloom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wCTfTt0nAis/T5nlIHcXXvI/AAAAAAAAFhQ/LFCGCevhBNQ/s400/colombia_la_floresta_bloom.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The nose is incredibly pleasant. It has a very slight tang to the scent with the primary smell of burning wood. To me, it smells like Christmas. As the coffee cools, other notes become apparent, but that roasted wood scent always remains front and center.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MPHeVxhsZ8TnvY2UiKNWTvlM-Hh-4BAOkENMH7tFBJ9OCIB6P2RhpnAStnMFH7CjBRmfPV82ShhShe_lHszi_8l-RnkOX6jAQlG0m8Sm-NiCBgMqUNepbhMGOzyF1GDufWwuURQl2Ow/s1600/colombia_la_floresta_dripper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MPHeVxhsZ8TnvY2UiKNWTvlM-Hh-4BAOkENMH7tFBJ9OCIB6P2RhpnAStnMFH7CjBRmfPV82ShhShe_lHszi_8l-RnkOX6jAQlG0m8Sm-NiCBgMqUNepbhMGOzyF1GDufWwuURQl2Ow/s200/colombia_la_floresta_dripper.jpg" width="153" /></a>The coffee hits right where I expected it to. At full temperature, fruit and roast are the primary flavors. As the temperature decreases, the body evens out while toasted bread, wine, and an apple-y fruitiness become apparent. It has a very mild astringency and light finish. Actually, the best way to describe the coffee is <i>very Colombian</i>.<br />
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Overall, it is a good coffee. I like Colombian coffees because they're so damned bulletproof and this variety seems no different. Understeep, oversteep, your cup will come out alright. If you like light-roasted coffee, and your only option is the grocery store shelf, this is an excellent choice.<br />
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Archer Farms Colombia La Floresta Coffee: RECOMMENDEDAaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632313552554749846.post-51879673707104684142012-03-16T09:49:00.001-07:002012-03-16T09:49:28.131-07:00My Drunk KitchenIt's much better to be blasted when cooking. Makes it seem much more fun and dramatic.<br />
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Much thanks to my friend for introducing me to this.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9-0f6XhXkbo" width="420"></iframe>Aaron Martin-Colbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07160246744287286823noreply@blogger.com1