Ripped from the Headlines
How oysters can help alleviate the effects of a hurricane (and not just by eating them in a blackout with some bubbly). [NYT] —Anna Spiegel
When the apocalypse comes, whoever’s in line at Starbucks had better make sure they’re wearing Kevlar. HuffPo reports on the last coffee chain outlet standing when Sandy hit Manhattan. [HuffPo] —Sophie Gilbert
All Andrés All the Time
He’s the most influential man in the world. Coconuts talk to him. And now you’d better start calling him “professor” and making sure your assignments are in on time, because José Andrés is teaching a class at George Washington University. Students, this is why your tuition is so astronomical. [GW Today] —SG
It’s definitely not “eh.” The Grey Lady takes a look at é by José Andrés [NYT] —AS
Season’s Eating
Can I lobby to have this weird orange-and-black lobster be the official mascot for Halloween? [Grub Street] —Tanya Pai
Because it is Halloween week: a guide to trading candy [BuzzFeed] —AS
I have never attempted a Grace Parisi recipe that did not result in delicious things. So if she says these things are what we should bake this time of year, bake these things we will. [Food & Wine] —Jessica Voelker
Keep the Halloween thing going by making this incredibly terrifying yet tasty-looking pizza tonight. Then invite me over. [The Gastronomicon] —TP
This Week in Food Diaries
File this under “unbelievably gross”: Brit eccentrochef Heston Blumenthal keeps a food diary for the Guardian and reveals he uses tampons to clean his palate between courses. What in the world is wrong with good old-fashioned Badoit? [Guardian] —SG
To me, reading this Bon Appétit interview about Taylor Swift’s food habits was the equivalent of hate-watching an entire season of Glee. But hey, I love Diet Coke, too. Stars: They’re just like us! [BA] —TP
The Culinary Arts?
Today tapenade, tomorrow . . . Tyler Perry? The Times has an op-ed by William Deresiewicz on why foodism has undermined our culture’s ability to appreciate art. “What has happened is not that food has led to art, but that it has replaced it.” [NYT] —SG
As if to prove the point, Aviary releases a video about its “ice program.” (Truth be told: It’s pretty damn cool.) [YouTube] —JV
Deliciously Random
The most amazing thing about this video—in which a “time traveler” from the ’90s gets Pizza Hut to honor a 20-year-old coupon—is that the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Name” (circa 1995) seems to be playing in the background just by coincidence. [via Dog and Pony Show] —JV
NPR examines why we are endlessly fascinated with tiny foods. Um, because if it’s in tiny form it’s only got a fraction of the calories, right? [The Salt] —TP
“They have a chocolate version, which means they’ve figured out how to make chocolate gross.” And 20 more things you didn’t know about Necco wafers. [Buzzfeed] —TP
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.
