I love this idea -- Andrew of Very Good Taste has posted a list of 100 foods every omnivore should try at least once. If you want to play, follow his instructions:

Here’s what I want you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

Want to see my 100 foods?

My latest obsession is Japanese shisito peppers, cooked in some olive oil and lots of sea salt until they start to char and blister. While they're still hot, just tear into them with your fingers. You'll find them served this way in authentic Spanish tapas restaurants, but I didn't even think about cooking them at home until I saw them at the farmers' market last week. The peppers aren't really spicy, so you can eat a whole bunch of them without setting your mouth on fire. Best of all, they're way healthier than a bag of chips and are much tastier (in my opinion), so you don't have to feel guilty when you consume a plate of peppers in one sitting. At least, I don't.

I mentioned in a previous post my trip to the Jersey shore, where I spied a whole mountain of Cheez Whiz. Along the same lines, I also enjoyed plenty of bacon-cheddar spread, on this trip, provided by our generous host, Home & Garden editor Michele.

I've seen bacon-cheddar spread before but never, for some odd reason, tried it. It was super-rich, creamy, smoky, intensely cheesy and bacony all at once. And completely addictive. Every time Michele busted out the crackers and spread, even if I was full, I couldn't help digging in. I do love cheese, any kind of cheese, and can make a meal out of cheese and bread. But bacony-cheese and some kind of carb? Even better. (Washed down with plenty of wine, of course.) Consider it the next time you entertain -- your guests will leave very happy. And full.

I got a press release last week for a new cookbook and knew immediately that I had to own it: Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes, by Jennifer McLagan. Um...how could you *not* want this book? Don't worry, it's not filled with recipes for triple-bacon-cheeseburgers. It's a celebration of fat in all its forms, from butter to goose fat to bacon. So you'll find recipes for both simple and sophisticated fare, like spaghetti with butter and sage, slow-roasted pork belly with fennel and rosemary, cassoulet, and a "perfect" BLT (with bacon mayonnaise!). I'm most intrigued by some of the desserts, however -- Bacon Fat Spice Cookies and Bacon Baklava (using actual cooked bacon, not rendered bacon fat) might be at the top of my list, and of course, there's plenty of recipes for sweets using lard. There's also a recipe for Marrow Rice Pudding, which scares me just a little.

Check out it -- superstar chef Eric Ripert has an ongoing video series of him cooking in a *toaster oven.* True, it's a fancy-schmancy Cuisinart oven (they're one of the sponsors), but who cares? He's making some very tasty-looking, elegant but super easy things, like butterflied garlic shrimp and mini toad-in-the-hole using quail eggs and smoked salmon. All in the toaster oven. On the site, he says he started cooking in the toaster oven because it was the easiest way to prepare meals for his five-year-old son. Awww. How cute is that?

Watch the videos here; the recipes look great, and are fast and easy. Now I'm just waiting for Thomas Keller to release some vids of him cooking in an Easy-Bake Oven.

Surprise, surprise: I'm not a fan of processed cheese when squirted from a can on a Ritz cracker. Frankly, I'd rather have a nice slice of manchego, perhaps a little triple-creme goat's milk, maybe even a some cow's milk cheese studded with black truffles. But there are certain times when nothing but Cheez Whiz will do. For example, the only reason I like going to Knicks games is because I get to eat nachos -- those crispy, super-salty round tortilla chips dunked in loads of hot, gooey, melted Cheez Whiz, all served in that flimsy plastic tray. Delish! And of course, if I'm having an authentic Philly cheesesteak, I'll always get it with Whiz -- no fancy provolone or Swiss, thank you very much.

So yeah, I do love Cheez Whiz in its own special way. So when I was at the Jersey shore recently (Seaside Heights boardwalk, baby!), I naturally had to snap a pic of a glorious overabundance of cans of Cheez Whiz. I can only imagine the many wonderful ways it's being used down the Shore.(Cheez fries! Cheesy chili dogs!)

And apparently, I'm not the only one pondering the pros and cons of Cheez Whiz these days -- check out what our community members had to say.

I actually did it -- inspired by the heirloom tomato video, I went home last night and made myself a couple of ricotta-tomato tartines for dinner. This is kind of unusual for me, since when I'm spending a week night at home by myself, I usually don't bother preparing anything more involved than a bowl of cereal or a plain turkey sandwich (in an attempt to save calories and money, since I eat out a lot). I might sautee some greens or something. In any case, I had some fresh ricotta from the farmers' market (I LOVE fresh homemade ricotta), along with a few heirloom tomatoes, and a slightly stale baguette. I took about a third of the baguette and sliced it in half, drizzled with olive oil and toasted it for a few minutes in the oven (this is a great way to use stale bread by the way -- you can top it with pretty much anything for a snack or sandwich). I slathered on some ricotta, added sliced tomatoes, drizzled some olive oil on top, and sprinkled some sea salt and pepper over the whole thing. I didn't have any other greens or fresh herbs to scatter on top, but it was super delicious without -- juicy, sweet, salty, crisp all at once. Bursting with great summery tomato flavor. It took just a few minutes to make, so it was perfect for a quick solo dinner. I also had some zucchini handy so I sauteed it for an easy side dish.

Here's my version of the tartine -- not as pretty as the one on the TODAY show (also, it was taken in my kitchen last night with bad lighting), but it has its own rustic charm, don't you think?

I love heirloom tomatoes; they're weird-looking and sometimes ugly (though as Chef Ed Brown says in this video, "the uglier, the better"), which in my opinion, makes them really cool. Definitely better than those cookie-cutter flavorless giants you find wasting away on supermarket shelves. Each heirloom is distinctly unique, and you never know what each one will taste like. I buy the most interesting-looking ones I can find, and love being surprised by the different flavors -- some juicier, some sweeter, some more intense.

I was drooling over this clip about heirlooms today, and in fact, I think I'm going to make myself a tomato-ricotta tartine tonight. But I gotta say -- doesn't Al Roker seem *way* too into his gazpacho martini? I'm sure it's tasty, but maybe he had a few too many cups of coffee earlier that morning.

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I was at the farmers' market last week and spotted these husk cherries, or cape gooseberries, or whatever you want to call them, and I immediately snatched some up. You don't see them around too often, and they're too good to miss. They look like mini tomatillos with their papery husks; once you expose the fruit, you can just pop them into your mouth. They're firm, intensely sweet and have a bit of tartness. It's like a cross between a tomato and a grape. I'm only familiar with husk berries because I used to prep them at a restaurant, and the cooks walking by would always snatch one off the table as I was working 'cuz they're just that tasty.

These days, I just peel off the husks and eat them by the handful, but you can toss them into salads or use them to make unique pies and cobblers.

Photos courtesy of Jothan Cashero

 

Many people know I'm slightly obsessed with French macaroons, those pretty cookies in pastel colors that come in flavors like pistachio, chocolate, caramel and raspberry. In fact, I spent an entire day in Paris this year simply going from bakery to bakery, seeking out the tastiest ones (I'm still partial to the ones at Laduree because they have the most beautiful stores and packaging, but I think the ones at Pierre Herme are the most creative/innovative and perhaps more delicious). Please do not confuse these French macaroons, which are delicate meringue cookies sandwiched with some kind of cream or jam, with the more common coconut macaroon, which is denser, more blob-like, and is quite satisfying in its own humble way. It's a bit difficult to find true French macaroons here in the U.S., and there are some not-so-great versions out there as well.

Anyway, I adore French macaroons, and I also adore alcoholic beverages. So I was very, very excited to get a press release annoucing that one of the best French bakeries in Manhattan, Payard, will soon be selling "cocktail macaroons" created by Chef Francois Payard himself. The macaroons come in four flavors inspired by Grand Marnier cocktails: the Grand Cosmo, the Grand Margarita, the Grand Mojito and the Orange Crush. Each macaroon contains real alcohol, and you have to be 21 years old to buy them. YUM. They'll be available this September. Can't wait to check 'em out!

Corn season is in full swing, and there's nothing I love better than eating it straight off the cob. I'm generally a purist -- no butter or salt -- as I find that the corn I get is usually sweet and flavorful enough. And I don't mind getting a little messy, so I'm completely hands-on. But for those who might prefer to be more ladylike, there are always corn holders -- those nifty little handles you stick in either end of the cob. The problem is, they're usually totally boring (plain black) or kind of cheesy (shaped like, um, ears of corn or pigs or dogs). Zyliss has a more stylish solution -- comfortable corn holders in bright, fun colors and a sleek shape. They even interlock so you can store them safely when not in use. (Though someone here did mention that they looked like sex toys -- and it wasn't even Josey -- but that's neither here nor there.) In any case, I'd be happy to have these holders at my next corn-fest, for those who feel like they need a helping hand.

Mark Bittman, aka "The Minimalist" (he's got a really popular weekly column in the New York Times, as well as a bunch of cookbooks), always has a ton of quick and easy recipe ideas. He's got some great suggestions for spicing up leftovers in your fridge, including mashed potatoes, roasted veggies and chicken. I kind of want some of that quesadilla right now...and, he brings up the #1 rule of cooking: Add bacon to anything to make it better. Watch the video to get all of Mark's great tips.

Click below to watch the video

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Eating ramen can be kind of tricky. You're usually given a big spoon and some chopsticks, and you've got to slurp and chew a huge bowl of slippery noodles, hot broth, and other nuggets of goodness.Totally worth it, but things can get a little messy. A friend recently gave me a pair of cool stainless steel ramen spoon/forks (or sporks, if you prefer). They're sturdy, sleek and will make eating any 99-cent package of rehydrated noodles instantly sexier. This design was specially created for a restaurant chain in Japan as an eco-friendly alternative to disposable chopsticks (gotta love those innovative Japanese). So pick up a pair here, eat ramen, save money, save the world.

And by the way, I just discovered that one of my favorite places to eat in London, Wagamama, has opened its first U.S. location -- in Boston! Not sure how I feel about that...it seems to take the fun out of eating there when I head across the pond. I might as well stop in a Starbucks, too.

I've been living in NY for over 10 years, and I confess: I went to Kalustyan's for the very first time just a few weeks ago. I've walked past it countless times and had always heard great things about it, but never actually checked out the store before. And boy, have I been missing out. It's a renowned South Asian and Middle Eastern store that's stocked from floor to ceiling with international spices and herbs, hard-to-find canned goods, frozen food, coffee and teas, sweets and prepared foods. It's pretty amazing. If you're looking for frozen samosas, marmite, black lentils, fresh Indian breads like roti and nan, or an assortment of curry pastes, you'll likely find it in this store. Best of all, they have an extensive web site that carries a mind-boggling array of goodies. I snagged some Turkish delight for a friend and a couple bottles of my favorite-but-scarce-in-the-U.S. elderflower presse, and I'm sure I'll be back soon for more.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm addicted to Top Chef. I read all the gossip about the former cheftestants (thought I'm bummed I missed out on Richard when he was in town), I love Season One winner Harold's restaurant in NYC, and I wrote this quiz about last season's episodes just for the fun of it. So I'm really mad I can't enter our Momtourage contest, in which one of the prizes is a dinner for eight cooked by a former Top Chef contestant. You'll even get a personal chef, too (or a housecleaner or a babysitter, if you like, but c'mon -- let's get our priorities straight). Best of all, there will be three winners who get the big prize. Worst of all, none of them will be me ('cuz I work here and it's against the rules, naturally). But please, go ahead -- you can enter the Momtourage contest right here.

Good luck, and if you win, please consider inviting me as one of your dinner guests.

Many years ago, when I was young and foolish, I used to go to a restaurant called First, on First Avenue (naturally) in NY's East Village. It's since closed down, but one of the best things about the place, besides the fact that it served food really late, was that it also served really delicious, adorable cocktails called Tiny Tini's. You'd order one, and it would come out in a mini carafe sitting in its own little silver bowl filled with ice, which you then poured into an appropriately tiny martini glass. They were fun, delicious and unique, and I was very sad when the restaurant closed a few years ago.

Well, good news -- the Tiny Tini's are back! Chef Sam DeMarco from First is now helming a restaurant called Fireside in midtown, and his cocktail list boasts drinks like the Sweet Seduction (Champagne, rhubarb and strawberry) and the Blueberry Mojito (rum, blueberries, mint and lime). You can order each as a full-sized version, or order a flight of 3 for $14. It's a fun way to sample a few different cocktails without ending up passed out the bathroom floor later. Not that I would know anything about that.

Anyway, here's a recipe for one of Sam DeMarco's drinks -- it's light and refreshing and makes a perfect summer cocktail.

Chef Sammy D's Cucumber Gimlet

Makes 1 serving

• 2 oz Hendrick's Gin
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup cucumber slices
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• Serpentine cucumber peel garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker 1/4 full with cracked ice. Add the cucumber slices, lime juice and simple syrup. Muddle the cucumber with the ice and juices until pulped. Add the gin. Shake lightly and strain into a rocks glass over ice cubes.

Recipe courtesy of Fireside restaurant

On Saturday, I headed out to Jersey City to help a friend who was holding a stoop sale (though without a stoop -- it was on the sidewalk in front of a park). Since I live in Manhattan and don't have a terrace or backyard or car, I'm always looking for ways and excuses to eat outdoors in the summer. Like a lot of people, I'm particularly obsessed with grilling; however, living in an apartment in the city makes it really, really difficult to host a barbecue. Especially since I don't own a grill, either. Not counting my George Foreman.

Lucikly, I knew there was going to be an honest-to-goodness charcoal grill at the stoop sale, so we came prepared -- mustard, ketchup, sauerkraut, hot dog buns, and of course, the hot dogs. We didn't stop at just ordinary dogs, though. After all, I have a reputation to uphold. I brought along some of D'Artagnan's new all-natural hot dogs: beef, pork, buffalo and duck (yes, I said buffalo and duck). They're all huge -- more than double the size of ordinary dogs -- are hormone- and antibiotic-free, and don't contain any nitrates or preservatives. Just pure, high-quality, 100% meat. We were most curious about the buffalo and duck, so we got those on the grill and taste tested them, with varying types of condiments. Most of us liked the buffalo better (though to be fair, some people were too scared to try the duck dogs); they were juicy, and had a more intense, meaty flavor than your standard hot dog. The duck was declared delicious by some, and one neighbor's dog (an actual, live four-legged dog) who got a taste of one tried to steal a whole duck dog for himself. (Those are the duck dogs in the photo, btw.) We ate so many hot dogs, we didn't even bother griling the fresh corn we'd brought (courtesy of the farmers' market across the street from my building, naturally -- on a side note, it's good to see corn start appearing in the market).

All in all, the stoop sale -- and the barbecue -- was deemed a success. I'm just waiting for my next opportunity to bust out the tongs and condiments before the summer ends.

7/15 Ed Note: Ok fine, we made s'mores too. I didn't have a pic so I didn't want to mention them and then not show all that gooey, chocolately, marshmallowy goodness. But yum, they were tasty!

So my co-worker Josey already scooped me on this, and you can read her account of it here for more details, but basically, we both went to a press event that showcased a cool new product in the cocktail world -- Cointreau "caviar." They're little gel-like balls of Cointreau that can be added to cocktails, Champagne, or even just eaten solo with a spoon (I'm eager to see what kind of desserts chefs start dreaming up with this). Restaurant Daniel in NYC is currently serving "Strawberry and Pearls" -- a fresh strawberry margarita, served with some strawberry-infused Cointreau caviar, or pearls, on the side. It's playful and fun; eat a few of the pearls and take a sip of margarita, mix some in your drink, or just enjoy each on its own. Best of all, if you order the drink at the bar, you'll get to watch the bartender form the pearls right in front of you; he'll squeeze some of the liquid into a calcium-chloride bath using a giant eyedropper, where they'll instantly form into caviar-like spheres. I even got to try making some myself, which made me feel like I was back in high school science class (but way more fun).

Anyway, I'm sure this will turn into a big trend -- as will more molecular-gastronomy-turned-mixology techniques. Stay tuned!

So...when you think of a sloppy joe, you're probably thinking of some ground beef in tomato sauce slapped on a roll, right?

WRONG.

In certain parts of New Jersey, like the part where I'm from, a sloppy joe is a different type of sandwich altogether. You can walk into any deli and order a sloppy joe, and you'll get some variation of this: a double-decker sandwich consisting of some kind of meat (turkey, roast beef, corned beef or pastrami are common), cole slaw, Russian dressing and Swiss cheese on rye bread. It's certainly sloppy, but far, far more delicious than the more common meat-on-a-roll version.

There's a lot of debate over its origins, and a lot of people from Jersey have never even heard of it (I asked 3 of my Jersey co-workers if they knew about the "real" sloppy joe; only one did, and only because she married someone who grew up in the town next to mine). Most people think I'm crazy when I mention it to them. But those few in the know will defend our sloppy joes proudly and, for this now-New Yorker, nostalgically. You can't really find them anywhere but around my Jersey hometown, so I was impressed and touched when a friend of mine volunteered to concoct one for me last night. He got it just right (I'm not the greatest photographer so this pic doesn't do it justice): A slice of rye, some dressing, corned beef, cole slaw, Swiss cheese, more dressing, another slice of rye. Repeat. Biting into it, it brought back high school memories of going to the deli with friends, ordering sandwiches, and eating them outside in the park. I urge you all to try making one yourself; embrace the Jersey sloppy joe, and you'll never want that tomato-slathered ground beef again.

When I first read about Batter Blaster on our GardenWeb forum, I admit, I was skeptical. It's pancake batter that comes in a pressurized can with a nozzle, like whipped cream, that you can just squirt onto your hot griddle and make pancakes instantly. I'm generally not a big fan of Cheese Whiz or pancakes in a bottle or Lunchables or any sort of gimmicky, pre-packaged food. But I tested Batter Blaster one morning when I had a friend staying with me, and we both were impressed. In about 3 minutes, we were feasting on hot, fresh pancakes; they were light and fluffy and had a hint of sweetness. Perhaps not quite the same as homemade, but great if you're short on time. You can dress them up by adding berries, bananas or chocolate chips (we used blueberries). Best of all, you can make just a few pancakes, then cap the cannister and put back in the fridge -- perfect if you're making breakfast for yourself or one other person (oh, and it's organic, too!).

Since tomorrow's July Fourth, I thought I'd leave you with an all-American recipe you can easily add to your patriotic feast. I was in Cape May, NJ a few weeks ago and had some fantastic crab cakes at a place called Ugly Mug. Unlike a lot of crab cakes that are mostly bread and filler and barely any crab, these were huge and consisted of large chunks of sweet, juicy meat. Here's the recipe (it's easy!):

Ugly Mug Crab Cake

• 2 pounds jumbo lump crab meat (preferable Maryland)
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs (fine grind)
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 egg
• 1/8 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/8 cup red and green peppers [the recipe didn't specify, but I'd finely dice them]
• 2 tsp whole milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper

1. For the grilled or sauteed version: Combine all the ingredients and mix gently by hand. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Form into 4-ounce cakes and lightly fry in a saute pan in 1/4-inch of vegetable oil. You can also grill them on a flat top grill or saute in a frying pan with cooking spray.

3. For the deep fried version: After combining all the ingredients and forming cakes, make an egg wash. Dredge cakes in the wash and coat with fine grind bread crumbs. Deep fry until golden brown.

Recipe and photo courtesy of the Ugly Mug Bar & Restaurant

I finally went to this year's Fancy Food Show in New York today -- at last! It's an enormous, mind-boggling array of food products; booth after booth of dips, sauces, candies, chocolates, cheeses, oils, crackers, teas, etc, etc from all across the country and all around the world. I spent all day there, and I might have covered a quarter of it...maybe. Anyway, it's one of the biggest food events here in the city, and it's always cool to see what's new and different and trendy out there. Here were just a few of the highlights for me (I'll write about some of these in more depth later):

Sweetfields edible candied flowers, which you can float in cocktails and use to garnish cupcakes, cakes (great for wedding cakes, actually), ice cream and any dessert.  They're beautiful, tasty and instantly dress up anything on your table.

Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup; they're pretty much exactly what they sound like. Place a whole edible flower in a champagne flute, add sparkling wine, and drizzle in a bit of the hibiscus syrup. The result is a bubbly, pink, floral cocktail, with hints of raspberry and strawberry.

Aloe vera juice. I tried two different brands: Essential Alo Juice and OKF; both were delicious, though I think OKF was my favorite of the two (and you can probably easily find their drinks in Asian/Korean grocery stores). It looks like aloe vera, which is allegedly full of vitamins and minerals, might become the next big "it" ingredient.

LaLoo's goat's milk ice cream is great for those who are lactose intolerant, and because the milk is naturally creamier than cow's milk, there's no added cream (and therefore is naturally low fat). It comes in delicious flavors like strawberry with balsamic and a deep chocolate ganache.

I've been a fan of South African peppadew peppers for awhile now, but I've only seen them sold whole in jars in the supermarket, or loose at the deli. Now they're turning up in potato chips, sauces, hummus...I can't wait to try them all.

White Toque produces all kind of frozen French pastries and appetizers that are actually, surprisingly good; just pop their ready-made escargots (already in the shell) in the accompanying dish and put in the oven, and you'll have amazingly plump, juicy snails drenched in garlicky butter as tasty as ones you'll find in a French bistro. They even make frozen French macarons in flavors like coffee and vanilla; just remove from the freezer and let thaw.

That's what I have for now -- more later...

 

Here's a cheesy idea for your next big event: Sarah "The Cheese Lady" Kaufmann carves customized, completely edible sculptures entirely out of cheese (her preferred medium is mild cheddar, but she also loves provolone, asiago and gruyere). Each carving takes anywhere from five to 50 hours, depending on the size and amount of detail required, and she's sculpted for everyone from Disney World to the Food Network. Check out her site for more samples of her work. If I ever plan my own wedding, I'll definitely be considering her sculptures for centerpieces -- after all, who needs a ice swan sculpture that melts away into a messy puddle, when you could be chowing down on huge hunks of cheddar and swiss?

Photos courtesy of www.SarahCheeseLady.com

A few weeks ago I had an amazing meal at an amazing restaurant called Blue Hill at Stone Barns. About an hour's drive from Manhattan, it's a working farm (chickens, cows, a greenhouse) that boasts a fantastic restaurant serving only the freshest, uniquest, most seasonal ingredients, much of it sustainably grown on the farm or sourced from local producers. The menu changes every day, and in fact, there's not even a real menu -- simply a list of that day's available ingredients. The waiter inquires about your likes, dislikes and food allergies, and then the chef creates a menu of dishes specifically for your table based on what's fresh and delicious. It's a very special dining experience, and I highly recommend checking it out if you're in the area. Our meal was bursting with fiddlehead ferns, ramps, morels, peas and other very spring-y ingredients, but one of our favorite things was an amuse-bouche that was served before our first course. It was ridiculously simple -- absolutely fresh white turnips with the leafy greens attached, sprinkled with a bit of salt and served raw, creatively presented on a wooden box with spikes. The presentation elevated the vegetables to works of art; we each grabbed a turnip and bit into the crisp, juicy, tangy flesh. I've never eaten a better turnip in my life. If there's anything I've eaten that truly illustrates the philosophy that fresh, quality ingredients speak for themselves, this was definitely it.

Photo courtesy of Erika Wei