Critical Mass
You’ve already read New York Times critic Pete Wells’s takedown of Guy Fieri this week. Now read it again—with cats. [Eater New York] —Anna Spiegel
And while we’re poking fun at the critics, you might as well take a cue from “Thanksgiving’s Most Helpful Man,” a.k.a Sam Sifton. Not quite as good as this, but close. [BuzzFeed Food]—AS
Though in all seriousness, there are some important questions about what kind of purpose a flaming goose egg launched at a guy like Guy serves [The Awl] —AS
“Reservations mocked”: A funny-’cause-it’s-true coded restaurant guide to Portland—part of the new Portlandia visitors manual—is on its way. [Eater National] —Jessica Voelker
Ripped From the Headlines
What Sandy revealed about New York City’s food supply chain. [Edible Geography] —Todd Kliman
Hunger for Horror
The Dave and Buster’s folks are planning a restaurant Stephen King—or at least John Wayne Gacy—would love. [Grub Street] —Ann Limpert
The Salt takes a nostalgic look back at a book of Grimm’s fairy tales in search of culinary delights such as sugar-paned windows and strawberries in the snow—and along the way, finds cannibalism, famine, and dismemberment. Sleep well, kids. [NPR] —AL
Food for Thought
Grist takes a look at Blue Ridge Produce—the Elkwood-based entity that plans to make locavore dreams a reality, and make a profit doing it. [Grist] —JV
The “link” between chocolate consumption and Nobel Laureates. [NEJM] —TK
The French right wing uses pain au chocolat to wage a cultural war. [The Guardian] —TK
At Your Service
Bon Appétit puts together a refreshingly unstuffy guide to pantry products approved by its editors and test kitchen. It mixes high (Red Boat fish sauce) and low (Skippy peanut butter), and best of all, it won’t have you running too far beyond Whole Foods and Harris Teeter. [Bon Appétit] —AL
Forgotten Foods
Wait, what happened to Magic Middles? [Buzzfeed] —JV
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
