Ultimate Foodie

I’m pretty stoked as the election season is FINALLY over…. so I can go back to actually enjoying the occassional commercial on TV without it bashing some candidate or another.

The fine folks at Starbucks are offering a free tall drip coffee for anyone who comes in and tells them that they voted tomorrow.   I know where I’ll be at about 7:30

Today there were big goings on in bucolic Sedro-Woolley, Washington as people came out from as far as Seattle to meet, shake hands with and get pictures with Captain Phil Harris of the wildly successful Discovery Channel reality series The Deadliest Catch and his son Josh as they released their new Deadliest Brew coffee line.

The crowd was out in force at Food Pavilion as over 150 people showed up to buy and try the new coffee line featuring flavors like Midnight Sunrise (dark Italian roast), 24/7, In the Trough, The Deck Hand Blend and Greenhorn Blend. Curiously, there was a lot of Greenhorn Blend left on the shelves while the Midnight Sunrise and 24/7 blends were flying off the shelves to their fate at the hand of “sharpies” wielded by Josh and Phil.

Phil looked good - but he indicated that he definitely wasn’t feeling 100% yet.

I got the chance to try a sample of the Midnight Sunrise blend and it was definitely a dark roasted coffee. It was heavy on the richness, but with a sweet creaminess to it, with full flavor and definitely wasn’t for the Folger’s drinker. It tasted like the kind of Joe you’d make to stay awake on a 48 hour long fishing jag. I loved it.

Late addition: I just got the chance to try the “In the Trough” blend for my morning cup this morning and they have done a nice job with this. The bold taste of a dark roasted coffee, by smooth and not too acidic. It definitely packs a punch, but it’s a really nice cap.

I’m hoping to line up some time with Phil and Josh here in the next couple of weeks to chat about their new venture. I talked to Glenn, their business partner and he indicated that this wasn’t just another celebrity endorsement thing where Phil and sons are signed on to rep a product. They are actually full partners in the business and are behind the brand 100%.

They seemed like really cool guys and the entire crowd got a laugh when with about 25 minutes to go on the signing, and with about 50 people still in line, Josh stood up to ask if anyone would mind terribly if they went outside to have a smoke. I considered taking up smoking for 10 minutes so I could go out and hang with them, but I decided to pass.

You can buy Deadliest Brew Coffee in Food Pavilion stores in Washington State or you can order online at www.deadliestbrew.com

That’s right, for all you western states folks, and a few worthy states back east, this Thursday is Free Taco Day! On June 26th, Jack In The Box is having an awesome promotion. Just bring in any gas receipt on Thursday and they’ll give you two free tacos! Sweet! Visit http://www.2freetacosday.com to find out more, or click below to hear directly from Jack.

No purchase is necessary and only one redemption per person, but still… it’s free tacos!

On June 11th, I met up with my little brother in Chicago and we went out for Chicago style pizza, as I mentioned in my previous post. What I neglected to tell you was why he was there in the first place. He and one of his good friends decided to make a series of baseball stadium pilgrimages this summer and part of their journey happened to bring them to Chicago at the same time I was attending a conference. They kindly let me tag along to the Cubs game that evening and we watched a riveting game where Kosuke Fukudome hit a three run homer in the first inning, Alfonso Soriano was hit with a pitch by Jeff Bennett of the Braves in the second inning, and the Cubs went on to win it 7 runs to 2. (Check out their travels at FoulBlog.com.)

And what’s a trip to the ball park without a hot dog? I figured if there was anyplace to try a Chicago Hot Dog, it was definitely at Wrigley Field. I mean, it’s the great American pastime, so they surely would be featuring real Chicago food, right? During the top of the sixth, I hopped up and went down to the concession stand to pick up a couple of Chicago Dogs. I asked the guy at the counter what goes on an authentic Chicago hot dog and gesturing to the condiment stand, he said “everything EXCEPT the ketchup.” So I loaded up my all beef hot dog with everything they had out, except the ketchup, which really wasn’t much…just mustard, pickle relish, and sauteed onions, all on a poppy seed bun. Honestly, it looked pretty pitiful for the grandiose song and story I’d been told about these.

All in all it tasted fine, but really…it was just a boring hot dog, just like I’ve had a thousand times. Verdict? If this was a “real” Chicago Hot Dog, they were uber lame. If it’s not a real Chicago Hot Dog, someone please get me one to review, because as good as the Cubbies were, their stadium food left a lot to be desired.

Man… I thought that the BK’s prices were out of whack but this is borderline retarded.

I was perusing the web yesterday when my attention was instantly seized by the words “Burger King Launches Worlds Most Expensive Hamburger.” Apparently, a Burger King in London has developed a burger that sells for $200. What does $200 buy you in a burger? I’ll tell you… or rather the fine folks at Fox News will:

The fine ingredients of what is called simply ‘The Burger’ include Wagyu beef, white truffles, Pata Negra ham slices, Cristal onion straws, Modena balsamic vinegar, lambs lettuce, pink Himalayan rock salt, organic white wine and shallot infused mayonnaise in an Iranian saffron and white truffle dusted bun.

I was blown away… my thoughts are conflicted. On one hand, I am thinking to myself:

“What kind of rich a__hole can afford to drop $200 on a burger of all things…. you could feed 4 families in Africa on that for 4 months”

Then, on the other hand I was thinking:

“How in the heck can I round up a flight to London and $200… I have to try one”

I hope that comes with an onion ring and a diet coke as well.

I was really relieved at lower down in the article to see that the proceeds are going to a “Help a London Child” charity. Got to assuage that “foodie guilt” somehow. My favorite part of the whole story is where a London celebrity chef comments on the fact that he looks great…. but why is it coming from Burger King?

The $200 burger from BK “trumps” the previous record holder for most expensive burger the “DB Double Truffle Burger” from Chef Daniel Boulud at $130

Perusing the ingredients list again… where’s the foie gras?

Yesterday was Father’s Day and I was stoked to get an invite from my step mom to head over to my dad’s house and join them for a good old fashioned dad’s day barbecue. Nice - a relaxing afternoon to have a couple of beers or a couple glasses of wine and enjoy some BBQ food and relax.

Hah!

I brought a salad dish with me - my signature Colorful Coleslaw ( a tweaked Weight Watchers recipe) and was ready to site back and enjoy some nice sausages and burgers. After some nice conversation I asked my dad when the burgers were going on.

“We thought you could handle the grilling duties” was his reply.

“No worries” I thought… where are the burger patties.

“Can you make them?” my step mom added.

So - next thing you know I am up to my armpits in ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, dried onions, dried garlic chips and some really awesome herbed sea salt (wow) and cranking out some serious patties. I think it was a good move all and all and everyone in attendance but my 4 year old raved about the grub. I even managed to drink a few glasses of a nice white wine (really rare for me) while I slaved over the hot grill.

It’s the curse of the Foodie though.. once everyone you know discovers your passion for food and appreciates your palette, you are going to be on the hook for cranking out the quality grub for others.

To all the dad’s out there, I hope you had an awesome Father’s Day. I know I did… it just rolled out a little differently than I thought it would.

For more than three decades, maybe even four, my family has made the jaunt once or twice a year to Buscaglia’s Ristorante in Jackson, California to celebrate. Sometimes it’s a birthday, sometimes Mother’s Day, sometimes for other important family events like confirmations and baptisms. We’ve always considered it our restaurant of choice for really special family events.

Until May 11, 2008, that is.

When I was a kid, Buscaglia’s was an awesome little place…right on the road with this huge, beautiful stained glass window of roses and a light-up dance floor in the lounge, straight out of the seventies. The food was to die for, homemade minestrone, succulent pastas, and this amazing fried chicken that I swear I can still taste, even though they discontinued making it more than 15 years ago. The place was cozy and warm, the staff was always friendly and attentive and it really felt like you had gone to an old friend’s home for dinner.

Not so anymore.

The day before Mother’s Day, we made the trek to Buscaglia’s for dinner. All told, there were eleven of us, eight adults and three kids. Buscaglia’s recently built a new restaurant farther back on the hill from the original location, and although my parents and grandparents had been there since the new spot opened, my siblings and I had not. I must admit, I was saddened to see that all that was left of the old building was some brick pillars and foundations. The new building is really quite impressive, but the rubble at the foot of the hill made it seem bittersweet.

To get to the restaurant entrance, you have to enter the courtyard and walk up a short incline to the back of the building. When I arrived with my kids, my grandparents were talking to the waiter about getting a different table location, and although we were the first people there (the place opens at 5pm and we were there on the dot for our reservation) they refused to move us. Ok, no problem I thought…I wasn’t sure why my grandparents had wanted to move in the first place, but once we sat down, it became all too apparent. The main walkway from the kitchen to the outdoor seating was right along our table. With all the coming and going, you would expect that we would have received better service, but not really. Our drinks were a long time coming and our ordering even longer after that. By the time the waitress came with our soup and salad, our bread was long gone and she forgot my brother’s minestrone. We managed to get that rectified and about 7 or 8 minutes later, another waiter came by to ask us if we wanted grated cheese on our food…except that we were almost done with it at that point, so it was pretty silly. It took quite awhile longer for our dinners to arrive and in the meantime, the traffic behind my chair increased in pace and it was incredibly distracting for my three year old.

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Oh how I regret that I can’t post any of the pictures here.

I just came across an awesome slideshow at Asylum.com featuring “The Most Bizarre Bacon Products”

I am a big fan of bacon.. but don’t get as much of the real stuff as I used to thanks to my wife’s fascination with the healthier turkey bacon. Real, honest to goodness, sliced of a slab of pig bacon is one of the real culinary gifts from above. On it’s own, wrapped around a scallop, wrapped around a Filet, fried up with some liver and onions… it’s all good.

Like Emeril said… “it’s a pork fat thing”

Check it out.

Eat Well..Eat Often… Repeat

Wade

Okay all you Red Sox fans.

I’m going to my first game at Fenway in August at Affiliate Summit. I am a baseball junkie and I have been waiting to do this for a long time (no thanks to you Miller… you know what I mean) and will finally have the chance.

Of course, I am also a devoted foodie and I am wondering what the “can’t miss” ballpark grub items are at Fenway or outside of it. Like I said previously… I am a foodie… NOT a gourmet. I have no problem eating from a dirty water hotdog stand or a hole in the wall restaurant.

I got some tips from FoodTV, but I want to hear from the fans. So - what should I eat? The best tip I get will be lavished with praise on this here blog.

Eat well…. Eat often… Repeat

Wade Tonkin

(photo from www.baseballpilgramages.com)