Drink
Making Science Palatable
Oh, how many science quizzes might I have aced if only the lessons had been delivered via, instead of a teacher's droning voice, adorable cookies like these?The self-described "typical nerdy biological anthropologist turned stay at home mom" who writes the blog Not So Humble Pie has channeled her s...
February 24, 2010 |
By Lisa Bramen
Eat up—It's National Something Day
Happy Chocolate Mint Day, everyone. I know, you're still recovering from Drink Wine Day and Crab-Stuffed Flounder Day yesterday. But don't forget about National Margarita Day on Monday (or tomorrow, depending on which sources you consult). That is one I definitely plan to observe.If you're looking ...
February 19, 2010 |
By Lisa Bramen
Meeting José Andrés, and the Wines of Spain's Ribeiro Region
Chef José Andrés comes across as bright and lively; approachable, yet a bit dazzling---in short, the life of any party---and the same could be said for the Spanish wines he introduced me to last week."Spain is so funny, because historically, or at least when I grew up, people consider the best whit...
February 18, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
Five Ways to Cook With Beer — Super Bowl Style
Beer is surprisingly versatile -- use it in any (or all!) of these dishes to spice up your football-watching party
February 05, 2010 |
By Lisa Bramen
Eating Snow
It's been an unusual winter here in Washington, D.C., with dozens inches of snow so far in a region that usually escapes with a mere dusting. I grew up in Vermont, so waking up to white-washed views still makes me smile (at least, until I remember that I no longer live in the shadow of a ski resort...
February 04, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
Beyond Cream and Sugar: Coffee With Cheese, Eggs and Reindeer Bones
The New York Times restaurant critic, Sam Sifton, recently tweeted something about "kaffeost," a Finnish concoction in which hot coffee is poured over chunks of soft cheese. I have to admit, it looks decidedly unappealing to me in this YouTube video—but as food writer Meredith Modzelewski responded...
January 28, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
Bacteria in Beverages: The Good and the Bad
There have been several stories in the news lately about the dangers of drinking, and we're not talking about alcohol and durian fruit this time.Recently, the International Journal of Food Microbiology reported that biologists in Roanoke, Virginia analyzed "microbial populations" in soda and water ...
January 05, 2010 |
By Amanda Bensen
Space Beer: One Giant Chug for Mankind
Astronauts do important things when they go up in space, like search for evidence of alien life forms, explore the mysteries of the universe, perform scientific experiments and, you know, make beer.OK, they don't actually brew beer. But, for five months in 2006, crew members aboard the Internationa...
December 09, 2009 |
By Lisa Bramen
25 Holiday Gift Ideas For Foodies, Cooks and Sustainable Eaters
Brain Food
1. A food-themed film, such as the serious documentaries “Food Inc.” or "The Future of Food," or the more light-hearted "Julie & Julia" or "Ratatouille," packaged with some gourmet popcorn.2. Subscription to a food magazine. Bon Appetit is a good entry point for cooks just beginning ...
December 04, 2009 |
By Amanda Bensen
Turkey-Day Tipples
Legend has it that the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in present-day Massachusetts, rather than traveling farther, because they were running low on provisions—namely beer. The first structure they built is even said to have been a brewery.Like so much about the Thanksgiving story, though, this an...
November 25, 2009 |
By Lisa Bramen
History According to Beer
On Saturday, I visited "Beer Planet," as the Smithsonian Resident Associates invitingly titled their latest program at DC's Brickskeller. Captained by Horst Dornbusch, a crew of about 100 boldly trekked through a global history of beer that featured 13 tastings.Actually, I think the title was a bi...
November 13, 2009 |
By Amanda Bensen
The Ghost Wineries of Napa Valley
In the peaks and valleys of California’s wine country, vinters remember the region’s rich history and rebuild for the future
October 27, 2009 |
By Matt Kettmann
Vintage Violet Cocktails Make a Comeback
As I've mentioned before, I live in the boonies, which is lovely but not exactly hopping with art museums, ethnic cuisine or cool historic bars where you can order a vintage cocktail. So, when I visit my family in Los Angeles (or go to any big city), I try to cram in as much of that stuff as I can....
October 22, 2009 |
By Lisa Bramen
Steeped in History: The Art of Tea at UCLA
I depend on coffee for my morning caffeine, but I prefer the more delicate flavor of tea when I need an afternoon warmer or a mild pick-me-up. The various international rituals and accoutrements of tea I've encountered in my travels are also part of its appeal for me: I loved how, in Turkey, every ...
October 21, 2009 |
By Lisa Bramen
The Art of the Aluminum Can
I may not like the taste of Red Bull, but I've got to give them props for clever marketing. The first (and only) time I've ever tasted their energy drink was in a very unexpected place—on my favorite hiking trail the mountains of northern Vermont, a few years ago. I've been there hundreds of times ...
October 09, 2009 |
By Amanda Bensen
What To Eat in Italy
When I tell friends and colleagues that I vacationed in Tuscany, many want to know what I ate there as well as which great works of art I’d seen. Well, of course, I ate lots of gelato -- blueberry, pineapple and tangy lemon were my favorites. More intense flavor and less butterfat are the big diff...
September 03, 2009 |
By admin
The Other Black Gold
Can you name a substance that comes from the earth, is refined by heat, and is used daily by millions of people worldwide? Hint: It's a black liquid.Nope, not oil. Try what is often called the world's second-most valuable commodity*—coffee.Collectively, we drink four billion cups of coffee a year, ...
September 01, 2009 |
By Amanda Bensen
The Department of Weird Soft Drinks—Carbonated Milk
I don't usually take much notice of new products, especially in the soft drink category, but Coca-Cola is test-marketing a new beverage called Vio that caught my attention because it sounded so bizarre. Vio is a carbonated fruit-flavored milk drink—or, as it says on the bottle, a "vibrancy drink...
August 10, 2009 |
By Lisa Bramen
Can Pepper Save Wine Grapes?
Occasionally, winemakers find a silver lining in rotting grapes, but most of the time, rot is just plain rotten. It ruins the grapes' natural taste and thus the flavor of the wine.In the United States, one of the most common culprits is bitter rot (greeneria uvicola), a sneaky fungus that hides its...
July 24, 2009 |
By Amanda Bensen
Bottoms Up for the Burgess Shale Centennial
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the fossil-rich Burgess Shale in British Columbia by Charles Doolittle Walcott, the fourth secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. The centennial is being celebrated many ways, from articles to conferences, but one tribute has caught more ...
July 22, 2009 |
By Ashley Luthern
