This time, I was visiting friends in Alabama, and here’s my foodie report.

The most important thing is that I got to go to a Waffle House just in time for National Waffle Week, September 5 – 11. This was serendipitous, as I had never been to a Waffle House (gasp) and I didn’t know it was National Waffle Week. I only found out about it because I went there for breakfast one morning and saw a poster advertising the “limited time only” special.

As for never having been to a Waffle House, I knew that this was a Southern experience that is considered a rite of passage for all Americans. During my last trip to the South, I did not have the opportunity to go to one, so it was on my “must” list this time around.

In honor of National Waffle Week, Waffle House was offering Apple-Cinnamon Oat Waffles! Now, if that isn’t an invitation to go have waffles, I don’t know what is. They were great. I could taste the apples and the cinnamon, but neither was overwhelming. The waffles had just enough of each. And the oat flour gave them a bit of a nutty edge (There may even have been oat pieces in there, but I’m not sure.) They were a really nice treat for a vacation. Remember, you can still have them through Saturday, so hurry.

Okay, enough about waffles. Onto butterbeans. On the 3^rd and 4^th, the town of Pinson, in the greater Birmingham area, held its 5^th annual Butterbean Festival. It was your basic street fare, with food, crafts, merchants, and kiddie rides (including a couple of camels—I don’t know how I feel about that). Considering that it was a butterbean festival, I expected butterbeans to be more prevalent than they were; however, I had a pretty delicious bowl of baked butterbeans and washed it down with freshly made lemonade and chased it with peanut butter ice cream dots (that’s the subject of another blog). But the biggest news to come out of the Pinson Butterbean Festival is that they set a Guinness World Record…for the biggest pot of baked beans! That’s right, they had a big ol’ pot of beans cooking on an elevated platform, where spectators could come and take a peek. That pot o’ beans made history. The pot contained 1,010.65 gallons of butterbeans, which they then sold to the public. And I got to see it and eat it! Wooo! Here’s the story at Guinness World Records:

and here’s some MORE:

Golden Flakes brand of snack foods is based in Birmingham, and their tag line is “The South’s Original Potato Chip.” Established in the 1920s, Golden Flake became a staple snack of Alabama when the company was purchased by Paul “Bear” Bryant, the head football coach for the University of Alabama’s football team, the Crimson Tide. While I was browsing the gift shop at the Union Station in Montgomery, I spotted Golden Flakes dill pickle potato chips. As I found this an unusual flavor, I, of course, had to try it. Well, what can I say? They tasted like dill pickles. Um, I guess if you love dill pickles, you’ll like these. Or maybe not. I’m not sure. I didn’t get the chance to try other Golden Flake flavors or products, but it gives me something to look forward to.

We’ve all heard about the South’s trademark fried green tomatoes, but did you know about its fried string beans? I didn’t. I do now, and I can even say that I tried them. You can pretty much fry anything and it will taste good, and string beans are no exception. They were really good, especially dipped in the jalapeno dressing they came with at the restaurant where I ate them. (It is a mark of shame upon me that I didn’t have any fried green tomatoes. Next time.)

And, finally, there was my visit to Priester’s Pecan factory. It’s basically like a Cracker Barrel restaurant—porch and rocking chairs included—except that it features pecan products. Downstairs are the pecan shop, gift shop, and restaurant. You can get food and treats like ice cream, but unlike Cracker Barrel, this is set up buffet style and the choices don’t even come close. But what does it matter? You’re there for the pecans! I always pick up a bag of pecans or pecan pieces when I’m in the South because they’re so much cheaper there than elsewhere. I got myself a 5-pound bag of pieces for about $30 ($6 per lb.). That’s a great deal considering that I often have to pay twice that much or more ($12 to $16 per lb.). I once paid $18/lb. at a candy shop. I wised up and started buying in bulk online. But while I’m in the South, I buy some there and I’m good for a year (keep them refrigerated or frozen if you buy in bulk). You can tour the factory from upstairs and watch as the staff make various products below, from pralines to pies to candy. And to top it all off, you can sample the goodies in the store. On my trip, I tried honey-glazed, cinnamon, key lime (wow! on that one), and peach pecans, pecan divinity, and other yummies. (They also have a Georgia location.) I was left with only one question: Is it PEE-cans or Pah-CAHNS?

So, that was my culinary adventure in Alabama. Since I’ve gotten back, I haven’t been able to get THAT song out of my head. I want to share my insanity with you, so I’ll say ciao until next week and leave you with these immortal words from Lynard Skynard:

Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I’m coming home to you

Whether you prefer Wise’s Cheez Doodles or Frito Lay’s Cheetos, or those little, round orangy balls that they sell in those gigantic plastic tubs and try to pass off as cheese doodles, this is a snack food that seems to live on and on. It’s associated with kids’ parties and backyard barbecues, and if you serve it at a party, it’s considered (pardon the pun) cheesy. Yet, we can’t help ourselves, can we? I don’t know about you, but I find it impossible to control my hand when it reaches for the bowl of the bright orange oddities. No matter how good my intentions are when I go to a party, no matter how determined I am to stick to the crudites and fruit salad, my hand just moves away from my body and makes a beeline for those cheese doodles. Damn hand! It’s all your fault I have weight issues!

Personally, my favorite kind are the crunchy ones. Sure, I like the puffy kind now and then. But put those crunchy things in front of me and I’m in trouble. And if I’m PMSing, those suckers don’t stand a chance around me.

How are cheese doodles made? It has to do with pushing the ingredients through an extractor, thereby adding air to it. But that leaves the question of crunchy cheese doodles open. Hmm. I’ll have to investigate that.

Let’s face it, cheese doodles have become part of our culture. I’m not sure why, but they have. I think a generation of kids have grown up thinking that cheese is spelled “cheez.” And that Chester Cheetah over at Frito Lay is one bad ass, huh?

Have you ever seen a cheese doodle sculpture? Has it ever entered your mind to do a cheese doodle sculpture? Probably not. But it did enter the mind of artist Philip Greenspun. So, he did it. And it was displayed at the Lapides Gallery in Santa Fe, NM, in 1994. Check it out.

Courtesy of Philip Greenspun

Wanna see a Cheetos portrait of Conan O’Brien? Here’s the artist in action:

Check out this cheese doodle compilation. It’s weird but fascinating: Tribute to the Cheese Snack

So, another week has gone by  and so has another month. I hope everyone has a great week ahead. And in the immortal words of Eric Cartman from South Park, “I want some cheesy poofs!”

By: André Karwath aka Aka

Umm, have you guessed the theme yet? That’s right, you’ve won the prize. It’s chocolate! That’s because February is Celebration of Chocolate Month, all hinged on one day: St. Valentine’s Day, this Sunday. (Incidentally, February 14 is specifically National Creme-Filled Chocolates Day. Gee, I wonder why.)
Chocolate has a fascinating history, beginning in the New World. Native to Central and South America, chocolate has been used since at least 1100 B.C. The word “chocolate” comes from the Aztec Nuahatl word xocolatl, meaning “bitter water.” This was a ceremonial drink that the Aztecs made by  mixing chocolate paste with herbs and spices and shaking it in a hollowed-out gourd until it frothed. More directly, “chocolate” comes from a combination of Nahuatl and Mayan dialects for the term “cacao water,” chocolatl. They also used cacao medicinally and called chocolate “food of the gods.”

Cacao pods

[Excerpt from What, No Meat?]
In 1502, Columbus sent cacao beans back to Spain but no one took an interest, most likely because of their bitterness. In 1519, however, explorer Hernando Cortez tasted the Aztec drink and sent the beans once again to Spain. The beans found their way to a monastery where monks added sugar to it. It became a hit, but the details of chocolate-making were kept secret until the Jews were driven out of Spain in the mid-1500s. They went to France and shared the Spanish monks’ secret. French royalty took a liking to it and, naturally, it became elite. It was so expensive that a smuggling ring began in England and Holland to bring in beans illegally from Venezuela. Exclusive “chocolate clubs” opened up where the rich could indulge in it, and it was even used as currency. In 1847, British confectioners added sugar to cocoa and invented the chocolate bar. In 1876, a Swiss, Daniel Peter, invented  milk chocolate for eating after eight years of experimenting.

Where Chocolate Comes From

Chocolate literally grows on trees in cacao pods. After they are harvested, the beans and pulp are removed from the pod, then allowed to ferment.  Here is a further explanation of the process from Wikipedia:

Dried cacao pods

“After fermentation, the beans are dried, cleaned, and roasted, and the shell is removed to produce cacao nibs. The nibs are then ground to cocoa mass, pure chocolate in rough form. Because this cocoa mass usually is liquefied then molded with or without other ingredients, it is called chocolate liquor. The liquor also may be processed into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Unsweetened baking chocolate (bitter chocolate) contains primarily cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions. Much of the chocolate consumed today is in the form of sweet chocolate, combining cocoa solids, cocoa butter or other fat, and sugar. Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate that additionally contains milk powder or condensed milk. White chocolate contains cocoa butter, sugar, and milk but no cocoa solids (and thus does not qualify to be considered true chocolate).”

It’s appropriate that chocolate has become so associated with Valentine’s Day because it is believed that chocolate has the same effect on the brain as falling in love and is, therefore, considered an aphrodisiac. And studies have shown that eating chocolate lowers the risk of fatal heart attacks. I mean, come on, if that’s not a reason to eat chocolate, what is?

Keep an eye out on news in the chocolate world. One of these days, you  may end up buying something other than what you wanted. In 2007, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMS), on behalf of the Chocolate Manufacturers Association in the United States, petitioned the FDA to allow them to use vegetable fats and milk substitutes instead of real cocoa butter and milk products, yet still call the end product “chocolate.” The most well-known members of this group are Hershey (the largest chocolate manufacturer in the U.S.), Nestle, and Archer Daniels Midland, an agricultural conglomerate. The FDA rejected the petition, so our chocolate is safe for now. But anything can change. You can read the story Here or for a bunch of links, go HERE.

In the meantime, enjoy the yumminess that is chocolate. No one needs an excuse to buy chocolate, but St. Valentine’s Day is a good one anyway. Mind you, National Celebration of Chocolate Month and National Creme-Filled Chocolates Day are not the only chocolate holidays. No, no, no. Here’s a list of a few more:

February 19                          Chocolate Mint Day
March 24                                National Chocolate-Covered Raisins Day
April 21                                   National Chocolate-Covered Cashews Day
May 15 & August 4                    National Chocolate Chip Day
June 22                                   National Chocolate Éclair Day
June 26                                   National Chocolate Pudding Day
July 7                                      National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
July 28                                    National Chocolate Milk Day
Sep 13                                     International Chocolate Day
October 28,
December 28 and 29             National Chocolate Day
November 7                       National Bittersweet Chocolate With Almonds Day
Dec 16                                   National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day
3^rd Week March                American Chocolate Week

Oh, yeah! Chocolate all year long! And that’s just in the United States. Wooo!

And to get you started, here’s a recipe for Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse (with my approximate American conversions), from JustChocolateRecipes.com. Enjoy!

Valentine's Day card, 1910

Until next week, have a great Valentine’s Day, everyone.

Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse

250 g Dark chocolate (1 cup + 1 tbsp)
5 lg Eggs, whites and yolks separated
1 tsp Orange rind (grated) and extra for garnish
2 tb Roasted hazelnuts or pecan nuts (lightly crushed)
1 tb Caster sugar (“superfine” in the U.S.; otherwise, use confectioners’ sugar)
pinch Cream of tartar

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water. Once melted, remove and allow to cool a little.

Add egg yolks, one at a time, and mix in. Add in orange rind.

Beat egg whites, caster sugar and cream of tartar until it forms soft peaks and fold into the chocolate mixture. Add roasted pecan or hazelnuts.

Pour the mixture into individual bowls and refrigerate. Serve with sour cream, mint and grated orange rind.

This year, it’s the Indianapolis Colts vs. the New Orleans Saints. And since this is the first time in the team’s history that the Saints are going to the Superbowl, I’m sure many New Orleanians and Louisianans are going to party hardy this weekend.

Now, I won’t claim to know much about football, but if you’re having a Superbowl or tailgate party, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s see what’s on the menu…

First, let’s take note on what food holidays coincide with the Superbowl. Tomorrow, February 6 is National Nutella Day. Nutella is an Italian chocolate-hazelnut spread. Hmmm, so many possibilities there. In France, a common snack food is crêpes stuffed with various ingredients, including Nutella. In fact, if you walk down the street of any city in France, you’ll likely encounter a street vendor selling an array of luscious crêpes made fresh right there in his or her cart. (I came across one of these carts in Aix-en-Provence and ordered a crêpe made with Gran Marnier, which is practically a national dish, but it really was hard passing up the Nutella version.) So, in honor of Nutella Day, buy some pre-made crêpes, spread a couple of tablespoons of Nutella over them, and roll them up. Or, do as the Italians do: spread Nutella on slices of bread and enjoy.

Sunday itself is National Fettuccini Alfredo Day. Okay, if you’re having a tailgate party, that may not be the best choice to pack in your cooler.  If you’re having a party at home, however, here’s a simple recipe for it at Epicurious.com. P.S.–It’s not a low-fat recipe. Nowhere even close. But, then, Superbowl Sunday never was about diets, was it?

So, what else can you serve at your party or pack for your tailgate fiesta? An excellent (and healthy) choice is Italian green bean, potato and tomato salad. So easy to put together, it’s just a few fresh ingredients tossed with a low-fat balsamic dressing. Click HERE for my recipe. Or, how about a fresh, delicious spinach and potato pie? It’s a little higher up in the fat and calorie content, but because it’s homemade, you’ll have something truly fresh and preservative-free. That recipe is HERE.

For some other ideas, the Food Network has it all laid out for you. They offer different menus for different game plans. So, they have quick-and-easy, make-ahead, budget-friendly, and several other menus HERE.  Maybe you’re looking for a different Buffalo wings recipe or a different take on chili. It’s there, too. Guy Fieri has a particularly interesting menu (he always does) HERE. His menu intrigues me so much, in fact, that I’m tempted to have an impromptu Superbowl party just to try out his recipes. I mean, he’s got a Jambalaya Sandwich, Tailgate Sangria, and Waka Waka Salad Appetizer, which consists of  ramen noodles, three kinds of cabbage, wonton skins, and Spanish peanuts. Hmm.

(Speaking of the Food Network, I’m glad to report that those of us who subscribe to Cablevision cable service have gotten back the Food Network. I have no idea what deal Cablevision and Scripps Network hammered out, but I hope it doesn’t result in customers getting charged more. Now, Cablevision has sent me a letter saying I need a digital cable box—a separate issue from last year’s federal cable service mandate. It seems that it’s costing me more and more to watch TV, something that used to be FREE. Ugh.)

Over at Nola.com, read “New Orleans Saints players’ personal chefs offer up Super Bowl recipes” for some “home style” dishes.

How about these sure-to-please options:

Tomato-Avocado Salsa with Tortilla Chips

Garam Masala Deviled Eggs

Jalapeno Popper Spread

Pan-Fried Veggie Wontons with Sesame Dip

Cat Cora’s Keftdedes (Greek Meatballs)

Two Sisters’ Chicken Salad

North Carolina Style Pulled Pork

Alton Brown’s Coleslaw

To go with your fabulous menus, have different beverages available—a few different beers and wine (maybe a non-alcoholic choice for your teetotaling friends), some soda, and maybe some iced tea and lemonade. With all these tasty options, you’ll have the hottest Superbowl party in town.

What’s for dessert? Leave that to your guests.

Have a great week, everyone. Enjoy Superbowl Sunday!! And if you’re driving anywhere, be safe—if you’re drinking, have a designated driver.

Peace

Which brings me to my topic for this week: February is National Snack Food Month! Now, snack food is not necessarily comfort food, but for some, it is. And it’s particularly appropriate that I’m writing about snack food today because I’m craving it for an entirely different reason, and it is a source of comfort for me during those times. I think you know what I mean. Moving on…

Pizzelle

Samosas

Just as comfort food means something different for everyone, snack foods means something different for everyone, too. To Americans, it may be potato chips and Oreo cookies. To Italians, it can be sweet pizzelle smothered with Nutella, or savory arancini (rice balls).  In China, a stop at a dim sum house is a good bet for an on-the-go treat, while samosas are ubiquitous at street stands all over India. (Just to get an idea of what your neighbors around the world are munchin’ on, take at look at this Village Voice slideshow on “Strange Snacks of the World.”)

But Americans do tend to gravitate towards the snack-food aisle of the grocery store, where we are bombarded with choices from potato chips, pretzels, corn chips, cheese doodles, Ring Dings, Yodels, Twinkies, Snowballs… and the list goes on. What’s interesting is that snack food companies have jumped on the healthy-eating bandwagon and even the low-carb bandwagon and now offer alternatives to the traditional American snack foods: baked chips, popped chips, soy chips, rice crisps, etc. These are variably lower in fat, cholesterol, carbs, and gluten, so depending on what kind of diet you’re on, check the label to make sure it suits your needs.

What exactly is a popped chip? you ask. Popchips are potato chips that are not fried or baked, but are popped with heat and pressure. I’ve had them and they are really crunchy and tasty, reminiscent of puffed corn snacks (not popcorn). One ounce (22 chips) are 120 calories and 4 grams of fat, versus regular potato chips, which have 150 calories and 10 grams of fat (from Nutritiondata.com). They come in 7 flavors and can be found at various stores around the country.

According to the Snack Food Association, “SFA and the National Potato Promotion Board (NPPB) initiated National Snack Food Month in February 1989 to increase consumption and build awareness of snacks during a month when snack food consumption was traditionally low. The result has been a substantial increase in snack food sales during this month. The promotion kicks off on Super Bowl Sunday and publicity is generated throughout the month of February.”

Let me just say that I try to eat healthily and avoid processed foods as much as I can. But there are times—let’s just say once a month—when absolutely nothing will do but a salty, crunchy bucket o’ carbs. My personal favorites are barbecue, sour cream and onion, garlic and onion (Wise),  and cheddar cheese in the potato chip department, tortilla chips, and crunchy cheese doodles. I love fruit but even for me, fruit just doesn’t cut it. I also enjoy healthy snacks, such as rice cakes and trail mix, but it just can’t deliver on the salt and crunch factor.

Having said that, there are ways to satisfy that salty/crunch craving without planning ahead for that triple bypass surgery in the future. You can certainly opt for the low-fat, baked, low-carb varieties, but a great way to enjoy these types of snacks and still keep it healthy is to make some yourself. My favorite homemade snack is pita chips. They’re easy to make and actually cost you less than most bags of processed chips. Uh huh—a package of pita bread is about $1.99 (I get them for 99¢), and then it’s a few pennies more for a little oil and some spices. The average bag of chips (unless they’re on sale) will run you between $2.59 and $3.99. “Fancy” chips and organic chips are even more. And for your $1.99 investment on the pita bread, you’ll get a ton of chips.

So, when you’re jonesing for that disgusting, ultra-fattening, artery hardening, take-years-off-your-life stuff, give the recipe below a try.  You can eat them plain or with dips and salsa. Really, really yummy.

Stay warm, everyone.

Pita Chips

1 package pita bread
1/4 cup olive oil
Sea or kosher salt to taste
1/4 herb and spice mix of your choice*

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut open the pita breads and stack the rounds. Cut the rounds into 8 triangles and spread them out on a couple of large baking sheets. Brush them with a little olive oil. Sprinkle salt on them (as much or as little as you like), then sprinkle the herb/spice mix over them.

Bake until chips are crisp, anywhere between 5 and 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the bread.

Transfer them to a basket and serve with dip or salsa.

*The herb/spice mix can be whatever flavor profile you like. You can do an Italian/Mediterranean  flavor by using basil, parsley, oregano, and garlic powder; a Middle Eastern flavor by using cumin and coriander; or a Tex-Mex flavor by using chili powder and cumin. Other  ideas: rosemary, dillweed, onion powder, paprika, cracked black pepper, sesame seeds, or cinnamon and sugar for a sweet version (don’t serve those with salsa, though).

Photos of pizzelles and pitas: www.kingarthurflour.com