the mad eater: Archive

FREDtastic →

Loving all the new stuff out from Fred. If I had knickknacks, they would be this sort.

Jun 21st

Jun 20th

Giordano Bros (North Beach, San Francisco)

I live near the birthplace of Jimmy John’s. The hometown of Jimmy, Himself. (Well, I guess, anyway.) But still I’m searching for a sammich. One that can break the caloric bank and give me a bang (TWiSS) for my buck. And guess where I found my heart? Right here at Giordano Brothers. Home of the all-in-one and one-for-all. Home of the coppa that needs no cabana. Home of this hot...

Jun 20th

“Why the HELL aren’t these EVERYWHERE?”

– Lisa Meid, Re: Giordano Bros (San Fran)

Jun 20th

Next Restaurant's Stalkers - Er - "Supporters" →

Well, you know, I’ve got nothing else to do. “‘It’s partly this feeling of mutual frustration that creates the community on the Facebook page,’ says Lisa Meid, another active Facebooker. ‘This is one of the more difficult reservations to get right now,’ she says. ‘And while we’re all sitting around click, click, clicking to try to buy tickets (or...

Jun 20th

Italian French Baking Company (San Francisco)

Online reviews (Yelp & otherwise) of The Italian French Baking Co (North Beach, San Fran) seem to deduct a star for “sketchy service.” I say, Who cares?? I’m only able to vouch for the (apparently award winning) macaroon (amazing!, even 3h later at the airport) (another tale entirely) but when I asked to photograph the back, the staff was more than accommodating (if a little...

Jun 20th

Jun 5th

What a Load of Bulli

Congrats to Alinea for once again being named to the top 10 restaurants in the world. :Lisa Meid

Apr 18th

4 tags

Don't Patronize ALL Local Food

I want to get one thing clear right off the bat. I love local food and local businesses. I choose to patronize whenever possible. And that is EVERY DAY. However, I don’t feel that ALL local foods deserve a place at our table every night. Local food is typically good because it is fresher, minimally refrigerated and minimally handled. It is fantastic for the local economy. But I think it...

Jan 5th

6 notes

Marco Pierre White: Mo Money, Mo Problems

Ike Delorenzo blasts Marco Pierre White, Knorr & second-tier food writers in The Atlantic today for their latest marketing/PR blitz. (Sigh.) Before we know it, he’ll be publishing a co-“authored” book of blatherings with Tony Bourdain. :Lisa Meid (Link via Bill Daley, Tribune)

Oct 14th

3 tags

Murray's Cheese Bootcamp

As a birthday gift, my wife gave me the greatest gift I could imagine. Three days of cheese, cheese tasting, cheese pairing, cheese talk and total cheese geekdom. I found Murray’s Cheese in NYC about three years ago while on a buying trip for our specialty food store. I walked in the front door of the West Village shop while my wife said “You’ll really love THIS...

Jun 3rd

You Are What You Read

Check out Amanda Cohen’s (Dirt Candy, NY) “Girls Can’t Cook” semi-rant on the dearth of women chefs receiving press mentions, Food & Wine accolades and James Beards awards. What do you think? Women are underrepresented in the industry, so mentions and awards are sort of statistically consistent with that? Or do we expect ladies to take lunch, not make it? :Lisa...

May 7th

This Deviled Is In The Details

While assembling a menu for a friend’s wedding reception, I came across this recipe for Deviled Eggs w/ Pickled Ramps. I’m already in love with pickled onions as a topping on almost anything, so am now on the hunt for a mess of ramps to pickle. Help! We’ve not got much time before the wedding…. :Lisa Meid (Photo Credit: handsongourmet.com)

Apr 25th

Shared Kitchens: Can Public Health Keep Up With...

I’d missed this original article about Chicago’s City Inspectors destroying thousands of dollars of local foods in February because of licensing issues, but Crain’s has a somewhat redemptive update on Chicago’s newest shared kitchen, Splice. :Lisa Meid

Apr 24th

Last Braise of the Season

This past Sunday, the birds were sweetly chirping, blossoms scented the oddly warm April air, and my grill intoned its siren song. High time I fetched that propane refill and fired up. But I had a problem: A duck in my freezer was burning a hole in my conscience. In a fit of profligacy, I’d purchased it from D’Artagnan back in the fall, when I’d had to supplement the last of the Moore Farm ducks...

Apr 15th

Setting Myself Up for Disappointment

So I’m planning out my garden this year based on what I want to be cooking in August-November. Maybe, depending on how much produce I can (as in preserve)I might be planning meals into January or February! Every year I am disappointed in myself for how my garden comes out. Here are my phases/steps of my annual garden disappointment. I was hungry when I went seed shopping so I bought a...

Apr 15th

You Are What You Read

Thad Morrow, bacaro, Prairie Fruit Farms & ADM were all featured on Huff Po today…. :Lisa Meid (Link via Paul Simpson & Urbana’s Market At The Square. Thanks.)

Apr 13th

Hey Ma, Where Do San Marzano's Come From?

Visiting a new local market the other day, I commented on their Sam’s Club Sized cans of San Marzano tomatoes (not pictured) – at over 5# for just about $10, I mused, it might be the perfect size for family dinner at our house. (Mind you, we fed 9 teenagers last night. But it was hardly San Marzano fare.) Whilst comparing the size/price of the larger can to my usual brand, the proprietor...

Apr 13th

Asparagus 101

A great short on choosing, storing & prepping asparagus…. Funny, I didn’t even know that people snapped asparagus (his tip? do NOT bend it ‘til it breaks). :Lisa Meid

Apr 13th

For Every Thing, Turn, Turn, Turn

You’ll have to bear with me as I hash out this thought on my keyboard. It might be discombobulated, but I think it has legs and is an interesting thought… While talking with a good friend last week, she pointed out how we (Americans) gauge our seasons by the flavors we put in our coffee drinks. I thought about that after she left and realized how right she is. She deals with fresh...

Nov 15th

Food Fight

The Guardian challenges you to beat their food writers in this first of their soon-to-be regular food quizzes. :Lisa Meid

Sep 10th

Easy Sandwich

Easiest and most delicious sandwich, ever. Ham, brie, blackberry preserves on a baguette. Warmed in the oven just long enough to make it soft. You could also easily grill or put it on a panini press. Total cost: $3.50 per sandwich. Salty, sweet, smoky and tangy. Dress it up with bacon or a little red onion. We enjoyed ours with split pea soup. Serve with salt and vinegar chips… ...

Sep 10th

Staub v. Le Creuset

I use Staub cookware & as the popularity of Le Creuset has risen, have often wondered about the difference between cooking with it & Le Creuset. Deciding to do a little research, I found this chowhound article. Daaaamn!, turns out you people *really* care about your enameled cast iron choices. So, how about you Mad Eaters? Do you cook with Le Creuset or Staub? Have you found one to be...

Sep 7th

Food Fetish

The Great Pumpkin arrives early! Pumpkin cookies are here for the season…. :Lisa Meid

Sep 2nd

6 tags

Where There's Smoke...

My obsession is a very unhealthy one. It is true-to-the-tradition BBQ. I love BBQ culture and dive joints with legends who have been working their pit for 50 years. I love stories over beer that include “one too many” and a guy who once met Elvis. This culture is truly American, especially in the part of the country I am from. The Midwest doesn’t have much as its claim to...

Jul 28th

Twinkle, twinkle, little bat! How I wonder what...

welcome, welcome. now let’s get down to all things good. er, i mean, food. :Lisa Meid

Jul 18th