Recently, a restaurant in Taiwan has been making headlines because of its interesting marketing gimmick; at the eatery known as the Modern Toilet Diner, its customers sit on toilet chairs, eat from toilet-shaped dishes, and use toilet paper in place of napkins. While its theme may be extreme, it’s not the only restaurant or bar […]
It seems like you can order pretty much anything online these days, and fresh food is no exception. With the ongoing improvement in modern shipping methods it is possible to order bagels from New York and receive them in San Francisco before they get stale. I don’t know if this is necessarily a good thing […]
Starbucks recently announced that one of my favorite musicians, Joni Mitchell, would release a new album through its record label Hear Music. This announcement inspired me to come up with a list of songs I think would be well suited to a coffee drinking environment, all of which I found through the iTunes Music Store. […]
When I was a kid you could only get gummy (or gummi) candies in a few forms (like gummi bears), but now you can buy them in many different shapes and flavors. From the grotesque to the simply strange, here are just a few of your options: Bodily Parts and Fluids: Barf Bags (Orange-flavored) Bones […]
A few weeks ago, the former members of the pop group the Spice Girls announced that they would reunite for a world tour this winter. I’m sure they’re all committed to this reunion tour, but I have a few suggestions for back-up members in case any of them get cold feet. Ann Curry Salt-N-Pepa (3 […]
Every July 4th since 1916, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs has hosted its annual International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating contest in Coney Island, NY. This year promises to be exciting as six-time champion Takeru Kobayashi of Japan defends his title from last year’s second place winner, Joey Chestnut of California. While the Nathan’s contest is […]
Although Easter is a Christian holiday, many of the traditions that have built up around it have their origins in earlier pagan celebrations of spring. That is why many of the sweet treats associated with Easter seem to have no connection to the Christian Easter story. However, since many of these goodies are symbolic of […]
There is a long tradition in monasteries of manufacturing products that are sold locally, or more widely, in order to support the life of the community. Since they are usually self-contained, this type of business can ensure their financial independence. In addition, many religious orders see great value in pursuing hands-on work that complements the […]
There are innumerable types of cheeses in the world, and while I’ve tried many different kinds, I know I’ll never be able to try them all. That said, it’s still fun to make the effort to taste as many as I can. Here are just a few of the intriguing cheeses that caught my eye […]
Next week, on March 19th, residents of Bali, Indonesia, will celebrate Nyepi, the beginning of their new year. Nyepi, sometimes called the day of silence, is a time when everyone remains indoors and refrains from their regular activities in order to reflect on the past year as well as the year ahead. Many other cultures […]
I first became interested in the phenomenon of pubs with names that contain two nouns (e.g., Crown and Anchor) when I visited Oxford a few years ago. Some combinations seemed natural, like Fox and Hounds, while others left me scratching my head (Angel and Greyhound). There are various explanations for these puzzling names, including the […]
Entomophagy (literally, “insect-eating”) has been practiced throughout human history and continues to this day. Modern enthusiasts cite the economic and environmental benefits of using insects as a major source of protein in their diet; some even admit to liking the taste. Although I can’t personally vouch for the tastiness of any of the following items, […]
In Western Christian traditions, the period of Lent begins 40 days before Easter, starting with Ash Wednesday. The day before Ash Wednesday is known by a variety of names, and is frequently marked by celebrations, such as the famous Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, and the Carnevale of Venice. […]
With the release of the latest James Bond movie, Casino Royale, moviegoers were reintroduced to 007’s favorite tipple, the martini. However, this reincarnation of James Bond (a laconic, rough-edged Daniel Craig) eschews the familiar request for a “shaken, not stirred” martini, instead opting for the Vesper martini (gin, vodka, and Lillet) described by Ian Fleming […]
As with potato chips, there are a great variety of flavors that go well with French fries (or “chips”, as the case may be). While there are some nearly-universal favorite toppings for French fries (salt, ketchup, and mayonnaise), there are also many that are specific to certain regions. Cheese, Carne Asada, Sour Cream, and Guacamole […]
When I was in Argentina a few years ago I found a bag of potato chips with a flavor I had never encountered before–Patagonia Lamb. I wasn’t sure I would like the taste, but I had to buy a bag to satisfy my curiosity. It took a little time to get used to the flavor, […]
Traditional British food typically gets a bad rap in other countries for being either too bland or too greasy, but as with any food, it might simply be an acquired taste. We all have a soft spot for comfort foods we’ve grown up with, and if nothing else, the Brits do comfort food extremely well. […]
Pumpkin pie is the traditional Thanksgiving dessert, but there are many other ways to incorporate pumpkin into a tasty dessert. If you are not a fan of pie, or if you just want to do something different this year, here are some other pumpkin recipes you might want to try. Baked Alaska Bread Pudding Brownies […]
This Thanksgiving, I’m sure there will be a significant number of people who will deep fry their turkeys instead of roasting them, a process that in my opinion produces a tasty end result, but does require a lot of preparation. According to a recent article in the Christian Science Monitor, Martha Stewart started the whole […]
I’ve always thought it was strange that the English word for the bird commonly eaten on Thanksgiving is “turkey,” since it did not originate from the Mediterranean country of the same name, but is native to North America. Upon further research, I’ve found that the early European settlers came up with the name because of […]
