Drink
Pretzels for Oktoberfest
Tomorrow at noon local time, the lord mayor of Munich will tap the first keg of Oktoberfest beer, signifying the beginning of the German city's 200th Oktoberfest. For two weeks thousands of locals and tourists will gather in giant tents and drink liter-size steins of beer (for the metrically challe...
September 17, 2010 |
By Lisa Bramen
Switchel: Drinking Vinegar to Stay Cool
Make hay while the sun shines, the saying goes. But what's good for the haying is not always so comfortable for the haymaker. Even today, using modern equipment, farmers are liable to work up a powerful thirst out in the fields. Just think how much thirstier a job it was for Colonial-era haying tea...
September 08, 2010 |
By Lisa Bramen
Warm Beer and Cold Tomatoes: How Temperature Affects Flavor
Years ago, before I ever traveled overseas, I remember hearing that English people drink warm beer. This sounded disgusting, of course, because the only "warm" beer I had ever tasted was the dregs of a cup of Miller or Budweiser from a college keg party that I had drunk too slowly. A few years late...
August 27, 2010 |
By Lisa Bramen
A Micro-Winery in the Colorado Mountains
We've all heard of micro-breweries by now, but how about micro-wineries? The concept was new to me until this summer, when I went on a family vacation that involved spending a few nights in Conifer, Colorado.My aunt, who lives nearby, had made reservations for us at a charming four-room B&B cal...
August 24, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
Bark on the Rocks: A Rustic Gin and Tonic Recipe
Having two jobs (in addition to the blog, I work at a regional Adirondack magazine) assures that I have to think about something other than food at least part of the time. But, occasionally, the subject matter of my two jobs intersects.Today, for instance, I was doing research on the Adirondack Lea...
August 11, 2010 |
By Lisa Bramen
A Summer Reading List for Food Lovers
It's a sticky August afternoon, and the family members are facing their third day of vacation in a tiny beach town. The thrill of splashing in the surf and crafting sand castles has faded, replaced by streaks of sunburn around the edges of swimsuits and sandal straps. ("I told you to put lotion eve...
August 05, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
The Buzz About Shade-Grown Coffee
I think it's time we had a talk about the birds and the bees. Over coffee, naturally.No, really. Did you know that the shady forests where coffee is traditionally grown in Latin America provide a critical habitat for many migratory birds? Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has an informative slide s...
July 28, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
What's a Lassi?
I don't want the Smithsonian Folklife Festival to ever end, for one cold, sweet, selfish reason: lassi, conveniently located for my lunch break. With the festival in full swing now through Monday, several ethnic food vendors have set up tents along the National Mall (usually a culinary dead zone be...
July 01, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
Randall Grahm on Why Wine's Terroir Matters
Through the Smithsonian Resident Associates, I had the pleasure of meeting renowned California winemaker Randall Grahm at a tasting event last week. He discussed the idea that some wines uniquely express the place, or terroir, where they were made."It's time for us in California to start taking ser...
June 15, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
Inviting Writing: When Grandma Makes You Drink Poison
We've arrived at the final chapter in our "fear and food" theme in Inviting Writing (look for a new theme on Monday), and have we got a great story for you!Our last writer remembered always dreading dinner at her intimidating grandfather's house. Christine Grogan, on the other hand, had no reason t...
June 14, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
Tastes Gruit, Less Bitter: Beer Without the Hops
I just can't get on board the ultra-hoppy beer bandwagon. Lately brewers have been vying to create the world's bitterest beer, and it seems that every microbrewery has put forth an IPA (India Pale Ale) that scores high on the IBU (International Bittering Unit) scale.Hops are the flowers that give b...
May 14, 2010 |
By Lisa Bramen
Does Cheese Pair Better With Beer Or Wine?
Last night, I attended a National Geographic Live! event with the fun title "A Come to Cheeses Moment," about the art of pairing cheese with wine and beer. The speakers included wine expert Joshua Wesson, co-founder of the Best Cellars chain of wine shops (now owned by A&P), and Sweetwater Tave...
May 06, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
Cinco Non-Alcoholic Mexican Beverages
I've got nothing against the margarita, the go-to Cinco de Mayo refreshment. In fact, it is one of my favorite cocktails. But, say you have to work the next day—even if Jose Cuervo is your amigo on Wednesday night, he might seem more like a frenemy by Thursday morning.Luckily, alcohol-free bebidas ...
May 05, 2010 |
By Lisa Bramen
Inviting Writing: From Table Manners to Bedside Manner
Today's Inviting Writing story comes to us from Elizabeth Breuer, a.k.a. OB Cookie, a doctor-in-training who somehow finds time to write a wonderfully nerdy food blog.(In case you've forgotten, this explains what Inviting Writing is all about. The first prompt was "manners," which has already inspi...
May 03, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
Wayne B. Wheeler: The Man Who Turned Off the Taps
Prohibition couldn't have happened without Wheeler, who foisted temperance on a thirsty nation 90 years ago
May 2010 |
By Daniel Okrent
Squeezed: The Secrets of the Orange Juice Industry
There are some food truths we hold to be self-evident, and one of them is that orange juice is inherently good. It's packed with vitamin C; it's what your mom tells you to drink when you feel a cold coming on; it looks like sunshine in a glass. Plus, it's delicious.Those things are true, but Alissa...
April 27, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
Dandelions—From Lawn to Lunch
Depending on your perspective, the little dandelion flowers that dot green lawns with yellow this time of year can be a cheerful sign of warmer days, a pesky weed to be destroyed or, once they've transformed into downy orbs, wish-fulfillment predictors.To others, they represent free lunch. Dandelio...
April 22, 2010 |
By Lisa Bramen
Upcoming Educational Food & Drink Events in DC
If you find yourself in the Washington, D.C. area this spring and have had your fill of museums and sightseeing, you might want to check out these food-related educational events:April 12 (TONIGHT) at 6:45 p.m: Don't miss the chance to hear famous food writer and former Gourmet magazine editor Ruth...
April 12, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
CSI: Supermarket—Using Science to Combat Food Fraud
Replacing a restaurant's fine coffee with Folger's crystals may turn out hunky-dory in commercials. In real life, though, people who have shelled out good money for gourmet food or fine wine would probably be a bit peeved to learn that they'd been duped. Yet food fraud happens more often than most ...
April 07, 2010 |
By Lisa Bramen
Cherry Blossom Recipes
The spring Cherry Blossom Festival is happening right now in D.C., and the trees will be flowering in parts of Japan throughout the spring. Even if you can't travel to see them, you can still celebrate the season with these recipes:1. The Cherry Blossom cocktail sounds like a classier, grown-up cou...
April 05, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
