I've received a lot of great feedback from those who tried the "Method X" technique for cooking prime rib, and the verdict is in.... Guilty of medium-rare perfection on all counts! I'm sure glad you guys didn't screw it up and then try to blame me.
This is my favorite scene, from my favorite food movie of all time. It's from Big Night, and features Ian Holm, giving a pep talk to Stanley Tucci, owner of a neighboring rival Italian restaurant. If you want to feel the agony and ecstasy of the restaurant business, rent this movie.
That's right, if you don’t have one yet, a large, thick (at least 4-inches) wooden butcher block cutting board should be on every cooks holiday gift list. One of the great pleasures in the kitchen is cutting on one of these sturdy boards. The feeling of working on these butcher blocks, compared to the thin plastic versions, is hard to describe. It's like the difference between sitting in a large leather recliner and a flimsy folding deck chair. By the way, the prices have really come down the last few years, and they are surprisingly affordable. I really like the combination of the butcher block cutting board as part of a kitchen cart. I actually included this in a list I just did on my American Food site entitled "The Top 10 "Must Haves" for Cooking Great American Food." If you follow that link you can also see some of the models I've suggested with brands and prices.This video clip produced for About.com shows an easy 3-step method for cleaning and caring for these great cutting surfaces. I just had a question posted about the safety of wood vs. plastic. Both have pros and cons, and I do use both, but very much prefer the wooden butcher block for general use. If cleaned and sanitized, you should have no problems. As you'll see, I use a simple vinegar solution to sanitize. Some prefer a diluted bleach solution instead. There are many online articles regarding these issues, and I invite you to investigate for yourself. No mater how you clean and sanitize them, the third step, sealing the board with mineral oil, is the real key to a long happy relationship with your butcher block. Enjoy!
Adult film star Ron Jeremy, inspired by Christopher Walken's chicken video recipe, decided he would film his "famous" vegetable omelet. What follows is ten minutes of horrific cooking technique, lame jokes, and Ron's mullet in all it's dyed glory. The reason I called today's post the "Ron Jeremy's Omelet Diet" is for the simple fact that this video recipe is guaranteed to make you lose your appetite for several days after each viewing. With all the food you ate over the Thanksgiving holiday, this is the perfect way to trim off a few pounds before the Christmas feasts. Every time you feel like eating something you shouldn't, simply watch this clip and your hunger will quickly dissipate.
For some reason the WiFi network here at the hotel is not allowing uploads over a certain size, so you'll have to wait until tomorrow evening, when I return to San Francisco, to see this video
I already ran this video demo a long time ago, but when my mother sent me a photo of some “Sweetheart” pomegranates (below right), I thought it would be perfect timing to rerun this clip since this is pomegranate season. By the way, I had never seen a non-red pomegranate before, but 
she reports the insides are as red and delicious as the traditional varieties. This is a short, but hopefully useful demo for how to remove all those pomegranate kernels without making a big mess. These are great on any fall/winter salads or soups, and of course desserts.
All this talk recently about possible military actions against Iran has been very troubling. I hoped our recent history had served as an important reminder of the benefits of diligent and effective diplomacy. But, recent events in Tehran have changed my attitude, and I think we may need to respond with force.
Tho X. Bui, Foodwish.com fan, and fashion icon, sent me this Youtube clip of, well, I'll let him explain, "…for the 2008 Tour de Fat (one less car!) parade, my friend Joe Strutmann and I rigged up my homebuilt tandem trike and turned it into a mobile grilling station. We served two-dozen burgers and collected a little bit of money for the UMOM's New Day Family Shelter (shelter for homeless families). A fantastic fun time. I'm wearing my awesome "A Hollandaise Can Sense Fear" T-shirt from Foodwishes.com."
Thanks to FORA.tv and Slow Food Nation, the panel discussion I attended during the SFN'08 event has been made available online. This panel is a who's who of the slow food movement, and I found the discussion to be fascinating on several levels.
Many of you may have been wondering what Clooney has been up to since he lost his gig as my online sidebar avatar. I’m sorry to report the news is not good. Apparently he took the dismissal much harder than anyone could have imagined. For those of you that are new to this blog, George served as a celebrity look-a-like for my profile photo for many months (you can see him pictured below during happier times). Once my secret identity was made public by About.com, I replaced Mr. Clooney’s photo with my own, and told him that his services would no longer be needed. At the time he sounded fine with it, and said he still would like to “stay friends.” We’ve all heard that one before. 
Anyway, my
There was a rich family that lived in a large house in a small village. The rich family threw a party and invited the rest of the town. At this party, a few wealthy guests were given champagne and caviar, and the rest of the guests got cocktail franks and warm beer.