French Street Food: Crepes

by Adrienne Wilson on

I’ve noticed myself slipping back into tune with the French hip-hop scene. (Check out
Bunzen
Crew.) Even though I have no clue what the rhymes are about I can still appreciate
the sometimes gritty beats and productions behind the ultra smooth lyrics. The French language has
always sounded sweeter than the English language so it is only natural I would use the terms smooth and
sweet to describe the overall sound of B-Boy’s spitting hardcore rhymes about Paris street life. In any case
trying to decipher a word or two has caused me to work up quite an appetite for something sweet.

And staying in the theme of things found on the streets of Paris it would only be fitting for my taste buds to
desire a delicious sugary crepe. There
used to be a time when I wouldn’t eat crepes thinking they were way too sweet and way too much was going on inside the
thin pancake concoction, but times have changed. I’m a plain crepe kind of gal. I’ll pass on the nutella, syrups, and
jams. I’ve never made a crepe in my life, but for those of you looking to bring a little piece of Paris street food
into the kitchen I’ve found a very good recipe on preparing the pastry. It’s unfortunate I haven’t all the ingredients
necessary to satisfy this crepe craving, but I’m hoping I’ve helped someone out there who may be experiencing a
similar dilemma. A crepe care package would be kindly appreciated.

via Chocolate and Zucchini

Decoding Chinese Menus

by Adrienne Wilson on

Since most of our readers here are either hungry for travel and traveling hungry I couldn’t help
but to post about this great little blurb from our new sister blog,
Slashfood. They have an awesome find (via
The Food Section) on learning
how to read the characters on Chinese menus, in the restaurants and surrounding the restaurant. So you’ll actually be
learning a lot more Chinese than you think. Meiwah, actually provides
the very thorough need-to-knows and entertaining lessons on becoming a more aware eater. As promised the web site
stays light and fluffy while helping you sharpen your Chinese menu skills through various digital photos of restaurants
and signs. I’ve already learned how to spot ‘dragon’ and ‘gold.’ Check that out! 

Better Sack Lunches Period

by Adrienne Wilson on

A confession like this would probably send my poor old ma’s heart on the fritz, so I pray word
doesn’t spread, but I secretly used to discard of those disgusting liverwurst sandwiches
(as in the WORST sandwich your ma could send you to school with) into the garbage can or into my best friend Benito’s
lunch box. I’d sit there pouting filled with anger and pain. Most of all I was hungry. Many of the kids would
gladly accept the sandwich, but wouldn’t trade off for an item in their lunch sack. They needed those to wash down the
horrible taste the liverWORST would surely leave behind.

What does my lunch box confession have to do with travel? Hmm… Good question. Nothing, really.

Unless you plan on going camping in Yellowstone
or backpacking with a couple of friends through Canyonland National
Park in Moab, UT this weekend I suggest you keep these terrific recipes for better sack lunches in a safe
place. If you’re heading out soon, whip them out now. I spotted them on MSN, but they are compliments of
Better Homes and Gardens. The
slide show displays several
items ( like the Star Bright Sandwich pictured here) that you’ll surely want to fill your lunch bag-o-goodies with and
clicking under each gives you the recipe to a brighter well packed lunch.

Crunchy PB and a wrap, pineapple coleslaw, and champion chicken packets are all quite suitable for a long
days spent outdoors wandering through the woods, sniffing the pine, and perfect for a picnic after river kayaking.
Either way make the pledge today to become a better parent, friend, lover, or travel companion by packing the right
sack lunch. Pouting in the schoolyard might fly for a moment, but pouting on your vacation getaway is never cute.

Walking Tours of Philly

by Kelly Amabile on

In honor of my pending Greyhound bus ride to Philly in a few hours, I leave you with this
useful guide: Seven Walking Tours of Philadelphia, a virtual version
of the original tours written by John Francis Marion in 1974.

Each web page provides a map, significant historical background and photos of all buildings on the tour. As I clicked
through this easy-to-read guide it dawned on me that it may actually be a better site to read if you can’t get
to Philly, the virtual tour is simple and a breeze to get through without ever moving a muscle!

If you do decide to try some of these tours on your next trip to the “Birthplace of America”, just remember to stop as
often as necessary to refuel on cheese steaks, water ice and pretzels. Here is an
article by R. W. Apple Jr. to point hungry
stomachs in the right direction.

Friday Funny: McSweeneys

by Erik Olsen on

Nothing like a good restaurant review to help you decide what might be the place to take a date to dinner. McSweeneys offers a series of nicely written reviews by, well, the boy in the plastic bubble. Ignoring how the bubble boy actually got inside the restaurants mentioned (an over sight? Was he wheeled in? Did he get the window seat?) the expert reviewer savors some of the finer smells and pastes from some of New York’s finest eateries. Of course, when you live in a plastic bubble meant to protect you from the harmful microbes and particles of modern society, you have to make some concessions, but the reviewer manages to capture the essence (or at least to inhale them through a filter) of some of these fine establishments and offers a very insightful (and hilarious) review of the various culinary fare. OK…..I’m not doing this justice. Read for yourself.