West Side Story with Meat

by Erik Olsen on

And
hey, while we’re talking about the convergence of Los Angeles and food, let me direct you to an article about a topic
very dear to my heart: the Southern
California burger scene. Perhaps you were unaware there was such a thing as a burger scene in LA. Well, let me
assure you there is, and the followers of the various burger cults there are quite particular about which burgers rule
and which ones suck.

I’m actually surprised no one out there, one of the gazillion would-be movie writers
out there, has yet penned a screenplay about the conflicts between LA burger cults.

For example, I picture
two gangs like the Jets and the Sharks facing off in an elaborate dance number…the opening scene reveals a gang
of hooded riff-raff from Tommy’s; they are holding dripping Tommy’s burgers, hands drenched in Chili as they face off
against the more preppy In-N-Outs, whose Double Doubles catch the moonlight. They break into song:

When
you love Tommy’s you love the night
Always ready for a fight
That glorious chili that gets on your
shirt
Anyone touches you, they’re gonna get hurt

The In-N-Outs then stalk forward, clenching
their burgers, pink lemonade dripping from their greedy maws:

Tommys is crap, there’s only one
meat
That’s out on the street and cannot be beat
A Double Double is the only way
To top of the
night or to start the day

And so on.

Now, did I get carried away there? Perhaps. But all to
point out this site here about LA’s burger culture. Read it enjoy it. And from one In-N-Out to another, savor its
sweet, greasy juices.

Daily Candy Everywhere Weekend Guides

by Adrienne Wilson on

There are some new
things happening over at Daily Candy so take note. For starters the free daily insider’s guide to what’s hot, new and
undiscovered most recently added Atlanta to
its roster of cities, so rush over Atlanta and see what they’ve got in store for you. Not in Atlanta? Not in any major
city, but still want to do what’s considered ‘cool’ for the weekend? To our advantage the good writers are now serving
Everywhere Weekend Guides to the
masses.

In this latest edition
they suggest we travel to one of the most comfortable places known to man in all the world – the couch. They call it a
FCC marathon night and it doesn’t even involve the sweat. Celebrate Francis Ford Coppola’s birthday and rent a few
movies like the Outsiders and the Godfather Triology.
Everywhere Weekend Guide also suggests you trade in the
strawberries and opt for raspberries on your shortcake instead as well some Sunday afternoon reading on young love in
Panama. All of which may not be as awesome as jetting it to Tokyo this weekend, but hey it’s better than nothing.

Trader Joe's: An Insider's Guide

by Erik Olsen on

The opening of a new Trader Joes here in New York City a week ago was the talk of the town. And I mean
that. It was as if a new department store in the era of Bloomingdale’s had opened up. And maybe that’s kind of
like what happened. maybe these giant discount food stores like Costco and TJs, as the store is affectionately known in
Los Angeles (my dad shops there religiously), maybe these places ARE the new Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom and whatever.
I know that I am excited. Why? Because I go to a place next to my apartment called D’Agostinos. Do you know how much a
fricken tomato costs at "Dag" as it is NOT so affectionately known? Two bleeping bucks. I bought an onion
last night to make tacos and they charged me a buck twenty-five. What does a bottle of Bogle Chardonnay run you at most
places? About $12. The idea that you can waltz into a store and buy a decent-tasting bottle of two-buck Chuck in
Manhattan is about as important a realization as the second coming.

So that’s my take anyway. But the folks
over at Slate take up the TJ issue by offering an insider’s guide to the
well-known franchise. This particular guide goes into a store in LA, but it might equally swerve to inform you about the
new store in Manhattan, one I haven’t visited yet, but will be sure to frequent when I am able and low on food and
wine.

Red Corner: Alco-Checkers Championship

by Neil Woodburn on

Warning: rash generalization to follow.

There is nothing Russians are more passionate about than vodka and chess. So, why not combine them?

This was the perfect, ugly stereotyping lead I was aiming for, but have decided to be a more responsible blogger and stick with the truth instead.

First off, there are plenty of other things that Russians are more passionate about, and if you give me a moment, I’m sure I’ll come up with them. Secondly, the brilliant marketer who decided to combine the best of both worlds deviated slightly from the task. Instead of a chess tournament in which players down shots of vodka for every piece they capture, the Moscow Open Alco-Checkers Championship was a checkers tournament in which players downed shots of tequila for every piece they captured. Slight difference, but one which completely destroyed my tongue-in-cheek lead for this post.

Hmm. Now that I look more closely at the photographs, however, I can make out little chess pieces painted on the sides of the shot glasses. Perhaps the Russian journalist who penned the story played a few games himself and mistranslated the word chess into checkers.

Whatever the case, it appears that a bunch of Russians engaged in a board game tournament in which lots of alcohol was consumed every time an opponent’s piece was captured. Oh, and a woman won. Which makes me think that it probably wasn’t even alcohol, for that matter.

One for the Road: Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors

by Erik Olsen on

Those who caught on (and let’s face it ,it wasn’t too difficult)
to our April Fools series, might remember the faux review I did of the book: Foot Odor: A History, that poked fun
at the trend towards single-topic esoterica in today’s non-fiction literary landscape. Well, here’s one
that’s no joke. A new book out called Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors, the book takes a deep, spicy look at this wonderful spice,
which has made its way into popular dishes from India to Thailand.

From chicken tikka masala to chicken
vindaloo and Thai Red/Green/Masala curry, this is a book that foodies will probably find perfect for building up your
repertoire of food trivia that is sure to amaze friends at parties and bars. Written by Lizzie
Collingham, the book examines the history and use of curry in all your favorite dishes, and of course, explains the
cultural significance of the spice and how it has found its place in cities like New York and London.