Watch: This Sushi Chef Thinks Rice Is More Important Than Fish

February 28, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

How a Tick Can Pass You a Horrifying Meat Allergy, Explained

February 28, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

The Normcore Cult of Flavored Coffee Creamer

February 28, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Want to Make Your Own Dumplings? These Tools Could Make Things Easier

February 28, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Sonic Drive-In Staff Quits Via Scathing Note Taped to the Door 

February 28, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Eat Like Boba Fett at Disney’s `Star Wars:` Galaxy’s Edge

February 27, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Stop Engineering the Fun Out of Ice Cream

February 27, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Whole Foods Kills Its Millennial-Pandering 365 Stores

February 27, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Menu for Trump’s Dinner with Kim Jong-un Gets Last-Minute Rewrite 

February 27, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

James Beard Foundation Awards 2019: Winners, News, and Updates

February 27, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Everything you need to know about the restaurant, chef, and media awards

The James Beard Foundation Awards are among the highest honors in the American food world.

Semifinalists (aka the “long list”) for restaurant and chef awards will be announced on Wednesday, February 27. Finalists in restaurant, chef, and media categories will be announced on March 27. The James Beard Awards Gala, where the recipients of America’s Classics awards are also acknowledged, will be take place in Chicago on Monday, May 6.

Winners in the book, television, and journalism categories will be announced at the James Beard Media Awards dinner in New York City on Friday, April 26.

Why Velvet Is Everywhere, Including Restaurants, Right Now

February 27, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Here Are the 2019 James Beard Awards Restaurant and Chef Semifinalists

February 27, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Dude Eats Expired Food for a Year and Lives to Tell About It

February 27, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

The New Zealand Chef Bringing Māori Ingredients to the Fine Dining Stage

February 27, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Michelin Announces 2019 Stars for Germany

February 26, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Wine Glasses, a Teeny Whisk, and More Things to Buy This Week

February 26, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Dear Chains Serving Fancy Fries: Disco Those Fries or GTFO

February 26, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Watch: This Seoul Omakase Blends Japanese Tradition With Korean Ingredients

February 26, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Watch: What It Takes to Feed Over 3,000 Animals a Day at the San Diego Zoo

February 26, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

The Myth of ‘Ugly’ Produce

February 26, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

The startups Misfits Market and Imperfect Produce say they’re rescuing food that would otherwise be wasted. One scientist is calling bullshit

How California’s Indigenous Cafes Repair Colonial Damage

February 26, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Here Comes Guy Fieri’s Chicken Tender Chain

February 26, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

The Fancy Restaurant Wine Glasses That Aren’t Actually So Fancy

February 26, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Is This the Death Rattle of Mail-Order Meal Kits?

February 26, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Watch: Hawaiʻi Locals Can’t Get Enough of Zippy’s

February 25, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Jonesing for Johar Joshanda

February 25, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Pakistan’s ephedra- and poppy-infused answer to Emergen-C is a cold and flu remedy that actually makes you feel better

As someone who rarely makes it a few months without a cold, I’m very familiar with the wide range of cold and flu tonics marketed to suffering consumers, especially the kind you find at pricey organic grocers sold at three times the cost of a normal drink. I know they aren’t very effective, but I still partake in the charade as testament to how badly I want to escape my symptoms.

These beverages, meant to alleviate sore throats, runny noses, and coughs, often promise more body-altering properties than they deliver. Emergen-C, those bright-orange packets filled with Tang-like vitamin C powder, do little more for the average cold-sufferer than deliver a pleasant, fizzy sensation that sometimes provides temporary relief to stuffy sinuses. An expensive cold-pressed orange juice with cayenne pepper and ginger is the medical equivalent of sipping a 7-Up. Spending $5 on an immunity-enhancing “shot” of turmeric and lemon juice is stupid, but the act of buying and drinking it somehow beats wallowing in misery and just gulping down water.

I was in that familiar state of self-pity and joint aches when I learned of a new breed of tonic: Johar Joshanda. If you don’t recognize the name, it’s probably because you don’t live in Pakistan, where it’s commonly referred to as Joshanda, and during the chilly months when cold and flu viruses run rampant, it’s on the tip of everyone’s tongue.

I moved to Pakistan for work about a year ago, and once my friends clued me in to the wonders of Joshanda, I started noticing it everywhere. Drivers kept it in their glove compartments. Aunties carried it in their purses. Uncles drank it as a replacement for their afternoon chai. It was only a matter of time before I came down with a cold and finally had a chance to try Joshanda.

Joshanda is Pakistan’s answer to Emergen-C. Sold in sachets, the powdery substance is meant to be mixed with hot water or milk and served like a tea. It’s marketed as a relief from cold and flu symptoms and sold in nondescript boxes decorated with faded illustrations of flowers and herbs.

I prepared a warm mug, expecting little more than a cup of generic herbal tea. The first few sips seemed to confirm my suspicion — the licorice and eucalyptus flavors cut through to my dulled taste buds, and the warm liquid soothed my throat, but not much else was happening. “I guess every culture has its own overhyped flu remedy,” I thought.

But halfway through my first cup, I felt a rush, a swell of adrenaline that made me grit my teeth and clench my jaw. My brain fog cleared, and I had a sudden urge to chat with anyone about anything. I felt bright, like my cold-induced malaise might be ending. I finished the cup. I felt amazing. This was not the sickly-sweet feeling that comes after chugging a glass of Emergen-C, nor was it the gritty, earthy aftertaste of a garlic-turmeric-something-or-other shot. This was different, and it was familiar.

Like a lot of women I know, I briefly dabbled in diet pills. One short-lived but particularly intense phase of my college career was fueled by a bootleg brand I ordered online. These pills both suppressed my appetite and gave me sudden bursts of energy, which eventually led to crippling panic attacks, an unsurprising result given that I think the product was called “Cobra Sting.”

The active ingredient in those pills was an herb called ephedra, a substance banned by the FDA in 2004 for contributing to a wide range of issues from mood swings to heart palpitations. Ephedra is an upper, the precursor to pseudoephedrine, which is the active ingredient in Sudafed as well as the key ingredient in making methamphetamine. There’s a reason that Cobra Sting had me twitching like a Requiem for a Dream character and breaking out in cold sweats mid-lecture: The stuff was low-grade speed.

Ephedra’s history, however, is more than just a diet supplement gone wrong. It’s been used in herbal medicine throughout Asia for millennia, included in concoctions that acted as expectorants for chest coughs and the like. Scholars in traditional medicine, though, found that even in those recipes, the adverse effects of ephedra plant were clear, and it was rarely if ever used for energy or weight loss. It wasn’t until the herb began appearing in weight-loss formulas in the United States and Europe in the late 1990s, when people reported psychosis, stroke, and heart palpitations after taking it in high dosages, that a concerted effort to regulate it led to the FDA ban.

I haven’t touched diet pills since my own brush with ephedra, but once the mood-lifting energy of my first cup of Joshanda hit and I began answering emails at warp speed, I realized why the tea felt so familiar. The box, in its ’70s palette of pinks and deep brown, confirmed my suspicion with its ingredients list: Each sachet contains a whopping 53.19 mg of ephedra. It doesn’t sound like much, but Cobra Sting was half as strong and it sent me into near psychosis. So much for my “soothing” cup of herbal tea.

But Joshanda, crucially, anticipates the hard edge of a hefty dose of ephedra and counters it with a dash of khashkhash, the Urdu word for poppy seed extract. The same poppies that made Dorothy fall asleep in the fields of Oz, and the same ones that produce the flowers that produce the paste that can be processed into heroin. That’s why drinking Joshanda feels so pleasant. It’s the herbal, over-the-counter answer to a speedball. And although the drink might be described as a distant cousin to these hard drugs, Joshanda’s effects are fairly mild. Chewing on coca leaves is not freebasing cocaine. You won’t find Joshanda drinkers strung out all over Karachi. The mixture is, however, the perfect relief for my cold symptoms. The ephedra jolts me out of my flu-induced haze, while the poppy extract dulls the rush enough that I didn’t resort to frantically papier-macheing candle holders and plates in my apartment, as I had during my Cobra Sting days.

Ephedra is legal in Pakistan, as it is throughout most of South Asia, which explains Joshanda’s popularity. There’s nothing illicit about middle-aged uncles drinking Joshanda with their afternoon biscuits or aunties who won’t leave home without it. Alcohol is banned in Pakistan, as part of the country’s enshrined religious code, so social drinking tends to revolve around caffeine. As a nation of chai-drinkers, it’s easy for Pakistanis to replace an afternoon tea with a packet of the herbal mixture. And Joshanda’s kick is not unlike that of a Red Bull: just a few notches above the traditional doodh patti that fuels the country.

Qarshi Industries, the company that makes Joshanda, is the nation’s leader in selling mass-market versions of age-old medicinal recipes that use the region’s abundant plants and herbs to treat everything from constipation to cancer. Universities offer five-year degrees in the field, called yunani, or “Greek” medicine (rooted in Hippocrates), with courses taught by masters in the craft, including the makers of Joshanda. More traditional outfits create the herbal concoction from scratch, a time-consuming process that involves boiling and straining and cheesecloth — the kind of stuff we don’t want Gwyneth Paltrow to hear about, lest she include it in the next issue of Goop.

Joshanda is sold to the Pakistani market as a consumer-friendly version of the health tonics South Asian great-grandmas might have made. One of the product’s TV commercials depicts a familiar cold-and-flu ad scenario: A man jolts out of his sleep, coughing and clutching his head, and the voice behind the camera asks, “Why not Joshanda?” His reply: “Wake up my wife at this time of night, for Joshanda?” Cue a montage of the old man ripping open a packet with satisfaction.

That ephedra features prominently among Joshanda’s active ingredients isn’t controversial in Pakistan the way it might be in the States, where the herb is associated with fitness instructors keeling over on ellipticals mid-workout. Yunani medicine has a rich history in the region, much the same as Chinese traditional medicine in East Asia, and ephedra’s presence in traditional remedies laps its role as a weight-loss supplement by several thousand years. Ephedra’s FDA ban has little effect on its reputation in Pakistan.

Restrictions on ephedra outside of Pakistan, however, have limited Joshanda’s chances at global expansion. If you’ve already begun Googling how to buy Joshanda in the United States, yes, it’s available on Amazon, but unfortunately, the overseas product lacks the Cobra Sting that gives Joshanda its kick. For that, you’ll have to come to Pakistan.

Meher Ahmad is a journalist based in Karachi, Pakistan.
Copy-edited by Rachel Kreiter

Watch: A Live-Fire Hearth Is the Centerpiece at Washington, DC’s Maydan

February 25, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

The Secret Chinese Restaurant Influencers of WeChat

February 25, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Bloggers on WeChat are the biggest source of Chinese restaurant reviews in New York — even though they’re essentially ads

The Best Food Moments From the 2019 Oscars

February 25, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

For Investors, Food Waste Startups Are the New Meal Kit Companies

February 25, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Chef Marcus Samuelsson to Open Marcus in Montreal This Spring

February 25, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

To Win on Instagram, Consider the Tabletop

February 25, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

A Guide to the Restaurants of Netflix’s ‘Chef’s Table’ 

February 23, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Here’s a map of all the dining establishments featured on David Gelb’s hit culinary documentary series 

Netflix’s culinary documentary series Chef’s Table brings viewers into some of the world’s greatest kitchens. And while the show often focussed on high-end restaurants in its first few seasons, creator David Gelb and his crew have gradually expanded their scope in recent years to include more destinations where guests can enjoy amazing meals at a reasonable price. The one thread that unites these restaurants is that they all serve food that reflects the personal journeys of the talented chefs in their kitchens.

Here’s a guide to all of the restaurants prominently feature on the first six seasons of Chef’s Table, plus the France-themed mini-season, listed in the order they were released on Netflix. This map includes one restaurant per chef, with notes about affiliated establishments and other projects, plus information that might come in handy if you’re planning a visit.

For more information about the people and places featured on Chef’s Table, check out Eater’s episode guides.

‘Russian Doll’ Perfectly Captures the Late Night Bodega Vibes of NYC

February 23, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

What Kind of Comb Did Amy Klobuchar Use to Eat Her Airplane Salad?

February 22, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

RoboCop Colonel Sanders Is Here to Threaten People With Kentucky Fried Chicken

February 22, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

KFC’s latest ad is as weird as you think it is

KFC’s venerable founder and chameleon-like mascot Colonel Sanders has once again morphed into a new form — RoboCop. A new ad campaign features the dystopian zombie cyborg police officer, voiced by original 1980s RoboCop actor Peter Weller, defending the fried chicken chain’s secret blend of 11 herbs and spices in a nuclear bunker in Stockholm, Sweden.

In one spot, Colonel RoboCop offers a family one of KFC’s $20 Fill Ups meals and demands that they comply. In another, he attends a dinner party and deflects questions about the recipe with an “If I told you, then I’d have to kill you.” The awkward silence is broken by a mechanical laugh. In the final spot, RoboCop scans the city streets for all-white meat $5 Full Ups instead of criminals.

As usual, the KFC campaign is incredibly weird — it stars a chrome-plated cyborg donning the white-haired wig of the Colonel to urge people to eat fried chicken — and uncannily aware of the ways in which it’s manipulating nostalgia and a sense of satisfaction that remix culture often traffics in, of being in on the reference. But it’s all the weirder given that the original movie, a Christ allegory and one of the most blood-soaked movies of the 1980s, heavily satirized Reagan-era consumerism and brand tyranny in the form of OCP; KFC is part of Yum brands, which also owns Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, and was once part of PepsiCo, one of the largest food corporations in the world.

This is the latest in a long string of celebrities taking on the Colonel’s persona, including Reba McEntire, Jim Gaffigan, Rob Lowe, Billy Zane, Ray Liotta, and Norm Macdonald.

Souffle Pancakes Are Here to Save Your Instagram Feed From Irrelevancy

February 22, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

‘Top Chef Kentucky’ Recap: A Meal for Mentors 

February 22, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Be the Kind of Person Who Makes Their Own Bread With These Tools

February 22, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Hollywood’s Oscar Party Wars Flare Up

February 22, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Machiavellian Mega-Chain Domino’s Wants to Trade Pizza for Data 

February 21, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Watch: Testing Three Recipes on the Legendary $1,850 Thermomix

February 21, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Immersive Comic Book Restaurant Wants to Bring Batman to London

February 21, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

An art deco steakhouse could make way for Wonder Woman and Bruce Wayne

Beyonce and Jay-Z’s Oscars Party Will Reportedly Serve Caviar by the Gallon

February 21, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

José Andrés Will Help Present the Best Picture Nominees at the Oscars

February 20, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Kirsten Gillibrand Speech Interrupted by Iowa Ranch Dressing Fanatic

February 20, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

The 38 Essential Honolulu Restaurants

February 20, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Where to find sashimi perfection, heaping plate lunches, bubbling hot pots, and Mai Tai’s with a view in Hawai‘i’s own paradise city

There has never been a better time to eat in Honolulu. “In the last few years, Honolulu’s dining scene has been changing rapidly,” says Honolulu-based writer and editor Martha Cheng. “A unique food landscape has emerged as chefs are combining a mindfulness towards Hawai‘i’s history and culture with modern global influences. And perhaps because of its location, smack in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Honolulu is simultaneously fiercely protective, where diners are as loyal as ever to decades-old institutions, but also open and vulnerable to the visitors and immigrants shaping new culinary destinations.”

From stellar sushi and sophisticated afternoon tea services to poke by the pound and neon-colored shave ice, Honolulu dining runs the gamut from high-end fare at the city’s cushy resorts to grab-and-go from roadside shacks. Many of the city’s key establishments fan out along King Street, which Curbed hails as one of the streets that define America.

If you’re looking only for what’s new and hot, head over to the Honolulu Heatmap. Want to brush shoulders with chefs at industry haunts? Honolulu’s got plenty. Looking for the city’s best cheap eats? There’s a guide for that, too. Want to know how to cram in as many of these restaurants — and more — into one day? We can help. And lastly, want a full guide to eating your way through the Hawai‘ian islands? Look no further. Here now, in geographic order, the restaurants that define Honolulu’s restaurant scene.

Prices per person, excluding alcohol

$ = Less than $10

$$ = $10 - $20

$$$ = $20 - $40

$$$$ = More than $40

A Critic for All Seasons

February 20, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Chip and Joanna Gaines Will Add a Coffee Shop to Their Lifestyle Empire

February 20, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

A Vintage Glass Knife, Colorful Mugs, and More Things to Buy This Week

February 19, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Netflix Will Finally Release Its Star-Studded ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ Series This Year 

February 19, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Trash Talk and Broken Promises at the ‘Inclusive’ World Restaurant Awards

February 19, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

‘Golden Girls’ Cruise Sets Sail in 2020 With Cheesecake and a Bar Crawl

February 19, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Noma 2.0 Gets Two Michelin Stars in the 2019 Nordic Countries Guide

February 19, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

The Restaurant Chair That Seems to Be Everywhere

February 19, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Watch: How Benton’s Makes Its Perfectly Smoky Bacon

February 18, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Delightfully Warped Comedy ‘At Home With Amy Sedaris’ Returns This Week

February 18, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Starbucks to Kill Off Its Fake-Independent Coffee Shop in Seattle

February 18, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

The Best Tweets About Trump Waiting for an Omelet 

February 18, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

In-N-Out’s Sneaker Collab Is Better Than Its Fries

February 18, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Watch SNL’s Sketch About Cake Fails

February 17, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Netflix’s ‘Flavorful Origins’ Is a Celebration of Food From China’s Chaoshan Region

February 16, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

‘Top Chef Kentucky’ Recap: A Culinary Tribute to Muhammad Ali

February 15, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Please Send All Your Fried Brains and Micro-Brisket to Novelist Gary Shteyngart

February 15, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Will Democrats Actually Boycott Starbucks?

February 15, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Your First Stop in Poland Should Be a Milk Bar (Not That Milk Bar)

February 15, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Nikkei Cuisine’s Time Is Actually, Finally Now

February 14, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Shamrock Shakes Are a More Reliable Sign of Spring Than Punxsutawney Phil

February 14, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

This $11 Ice Tray Gets You One Step Closer to Aviary-Level Cocktails

February 14, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

‘This Land Is Meant Only for Saffron. Without It, It Means Nothing.’

February 13, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Midwestern Season of Netflix’s ‘Queer Eye’ to Debut March 15

February 13, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

How a Heart-Shaped Candy Box Came to Stand for Love

February 13, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Watch the Trailer for Netflix’s ‘Chef’s Table’ Season 6

February 13, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Artist Forks Over $2K for Piece of Donald and Melania Trump’s Wedding Cake

February 13, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Chuck E. Cheese’s Swears It Isn’t Recycling Pizza Slices

February 12, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Food Shirts, Cheese Knives, and More Things to Buy This Week

February 12, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Watch: Can This Gadget Solve Your Indoor Korean Barbecue Problems?

February 12, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

When The Kitchen Isn’t Built for You

February 12, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Whole Foods Prices Are Creeping Back Up

February 12, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Milk Bar Is Booming, But It Won’t Be the Next Starbucks

February 12, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Want to Make Your Own Falafel? Here Are the Tools Pros Use

February 12, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

‘Parsleyed Noodles’ Are the Perfect Blank Canvas for a Delightful Food Meme

February 11, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Watch: Which Electric Meat Grinder Is Best for the Home Butcher?

February 11, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

What — Or Who — Will We Eat in Space?

February 11, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Watch: Inside a Vermont Dairy Farm With the Country’s Largest Cheese Cave

February 11, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Is the World Ready for This Gelly?

February 11, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Cattle Ranchers Revolt Against Trendy Fake Meat

February 11, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Culinary Documentaries ‘Chef Flynn’ and ‘The Heat’ Are Both Worth Seeking Out

February 09, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

What Is the Difference between Mousse and Pudding?

February 08, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Although mousse and pudding are both delightful endings to any meal, they are not to be confused. Both mousse and pudding can be made in a sweet or savory fashion, but mousse has a much lighter texture. Mousse is made light by whipping air into it with the addition of egg whites and often some heavy cream; unlike pudding, mousse is not usually cooked.

Mousse contains raw egg whites so you should be careful to use the freshest eggs possible. Mousse is often served chilled or sometimes frozen—the most iconic mousse, chocolate mousse, is usually served chilled with a dollop of whipped cream. Pudding is often bolstered with cornstarch, gelatin, or tapioca and thickens during the cooking process. Pudding is an easy dessert to scale up for a crowd, and occasionally includes add-ins like fruit or nuts.

Both pudding and mousse can easily be made vegan or without dairy. Looking for a quick and easy dessert or savory side dish? Pudding and mousse are versatile picks that you can quickly tailor for any occasion—check out these nine recipes and get started.

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, $499.99 at KitchenAid

A stand mixer makes airy mousse easy to achieve. Use code CHOWHOUND10 to get 10 percent off everything at KitchenAid.com.

See It

1. Dark Chocolate Avocado Mousse

   

   Jeanine Donofrio

If you’re looking for a dairy free recipe that’s luxurious, this is your best pick. Almond milk, avocados, cocoa powder, and 70 percent cacao baking chocolate make it hard to tell this chocolate mousse isn’t actually made from cream. Get the Dark Chocolate Avocado Mousse recipe. 

2. Easy Vanilla Pudding

   

   Chowhound

An extremely simple and classic dessert, vanilla pudding is made from sugar, whole milk, egg yolks, butter, vanilla extract, salt, and thickened with cornstarch. Let it set in the fridge for a few hours before serving. Get our Easy Vanilla Pudding recipe.

3. White Chocolate Mousse with Blackberry Compote

   

   Chowhound

An elegant dessert best served in a dramatic glass, this white chocolate mousse pairs beautifully with the blackberry sauce made from fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and a tablespoon of cornstarch. Get our White Chocolate Mousse with Blackberry Compote recipe.

4. Vegan Butternut Squash Pudding

   

   Love and Lemons

The perfect recipe for a colorful side dish, this pudding contains roasted butternut squash and is flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and sea salt. Get the Vegan Butternut Squash Pudding recipe.

5. Parmesan Mousse

   

Parmesan cheese with sliced and caramelized onion, rosemary, canola oil, and white wine are whipped with heavy cream for a mousse that pairs beautifully with any grain or roasted vegetables. Get the Parmesan Mousse recipe.

6. Easy Rice Pudding

   

   Chowhound

Arguably the most comforting dessert of all time, rice pudding is made with only a few ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry and can easily be dressed up with the addition of fruit, nuts, and spices. Get our Easy Rice Pudding recipe.

7. Basic Chocolate Mousse

   

   Chowhound

A dinner party standby and Valentine’s Day staple, knowing how to make a basic chocolate mousse is an admirable life skill. This quick and easy recipe comes together in a snap with five ounces of semisweet chocolate, a cup of cold heavy cream, and egg whites. Get our Basic Chocolate Mousse recipe.

8. Salmon Mousse

Martha Stewart

Combine smoked salmon with fresh lemon juice, salt, and sour cream to create a creamy whipped texture and then serve with fresh dill and a crusty baguette.Get the Salmon Mousse recipe.

9. Savory Bread Pudding

   
   

   The best possible reinvention for stale bread, bread pudding is easy to make for a crowd and the perfect choice for a make-ahead meal. This recipe includes spinach, cheddar cheese, and applewood-smoked bacon, making it a great breakfast pick. Get the Savory Bread Pudding recipe.

Related Video: How to Make Easy Vanilla Pudding

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

Why I Eat Black Bean Noodles Every Valentine's Day

February 08, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Table for One is a column by Senior Editor Eric Kim, who loves cooking for himself—and only himself—and seeks to celebrate the beauty of solitude in its many forms, even on Valentine’s Day.

If Americans have delivery pizza, then Koreans have jjajangmyeon (often romanized as jajangmyeon), a popular noodle dish with a salty-perfect, fermented black bean gravy studded with fatty pork. “Jjajangmyeon is everybody’s favorite food,” YouTube star Maangchi writes on her blog. In Korea, you can order it over the phone and have a bowl of it delivered to your door in a matter of minutes. It’s not uncommon to see delivery men biking around the city with huge steel boxes on the backs of their bikes, filled with white plastic bowls of these incredible black bean noodles, tightly wrapped with cling film and served alongside small dishes of danmuji (Korean pickled daikon radish, often luridly yellow in color) and raw white onion (which tastes great doused in vinegar and dipped in black bean sauce). Once you finish your bowl, you can leave it outside your door, unwashed and all, and the delivery person will come back in a few hours to retrieve it.

Read More >>

How to Host the Perfect Galentine’s Day Bash

February 08, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Galentine’s Day has officially transcended the television screen, where it was mentioned by Leslie Knope on “Parks & Recreation,” to become a holiday that many hold near and dear to their hearts. Celebrated on February 13, the holiday is meant to be a day wherein you celebrate the leading ladies in your life–and we can’t think of a better reason to gather around the table (or bar)!

While Galentine’s celebrations can really take any form you’re partial to, we’ve rounded up some food, drinks, and party accessories that will help you toast to the leading ladies in your life.

Step 1: Set The Scene

You’re definitely going to need to set the scene, but don’t worry—that doesn’t mean breaking the bank. In addition to purchasing some cute decorative accessories, make sure to bust out the pink and red throw pillows, duvets and throws that you already own. You’ve got this!

XO Garland, $6.80 on Etsy

Etsy

This garland would be so perfect for the mantle, door frame, or even draped across your kitchen cabinets. It definitely makes a big impact for less money.See It

Flower Shop Candle, $24.50 at Bath & Body Works

Bath and Body Works

There’s no better scene-setter than placing candles around your home. Bath & Body Works has some beautiful (-looking and -smelling!) candles available that are perfect for any Galentine’s celebration.See It

Vintage Goblets, 6 for $36.99 on Amazon

Amazon

These gorgeous vintage goblets are the perfect scene-setters for your Galentine’s bash. Their light pink hue is so pretty you’ll definitely use them year-round.See It

Valentine’s Dish Towels, $7.99 at TJ Maxx

TJ Maxx

While you don’t necessarily need to decorate your entire place in pink and red, make sure to grab some fun dish towels or other small details that will make all of your friends grin. These cuties are from TJ Maxx.See It

Alma Cake Stand, $18 at Anthropologie

Anthropologie

This cake stand would be perfect for displaying your Galentine’s treats!See It

Step 2: Drink Up!

Galentine’s Day calls for the most delicious, friendship-affirming cocktails. Of course, it’s never a bad idea to throw in a couple of wine options as well. While you’re welcome to pre-make some cocktails for the girls, it could also be a fun activity to do together.

Honeymoon in Paris

Del Frisco’s Grille

The Honeymoon in Paris, which lives on the menu at Del Frisco’s Grille, is the perfect sweet, fresh cocktail that will have the girls asking you for the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces Cognac
• 1/2 ounce Benedictine
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce lavender syrup
• 1/2 ounce apricot nectar

Instructions:

• In a shaker, combine the ingredients with ice and shake well.
• Strain and pour.

D.O.M Benedictine Liqueur (price varies), on Drizly

Twenty seven carefully selected herbs and spices make this liqueur unmistakable.

See It

Zuma Mai Tai

Zuma Restaurant

It may be the middle of winter, but you and your best girlfriends will think you’re on the beach with this take on a classic Mai Tai from the restaurant Zuma.

Ingredients:

• 2 dashes orange bitters
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 1/4 ounce orgeat (almond cordial)
• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce blood orange juice
• 1 1/2 ounces pineapple puree
• 2 1/2 ounces Zuma grog (or try our Grog recipe)

Instructions:

• In a shaker, combine the ingredients with ice and shake well.
• Strain into a pint glass with crushed ice.
• Garnish with a mint plouche, dried lime wheel, cherry skewer, and a straw.

Angostura Orange Bitters, $10.97 on Amazon

This snappy selection from the OG bitters producer will make a frequent appearance in your cocktails.

See It

Monin Almond Orgeat Syrup, (price varies) on Drizly

No Mai Tai is complete without sweet and nutty almond cordial!

See It

Little Black Box, $49 at WineSociety

WineSociety

This little box is not only pretty, but it contains the most perfect red, white, and rosé wine blends that all of your friends are absolutely sure to love.See it

Don’t forget the treats! While you’re welcome to host a full-blown feast, having the girls over for some tasty treats is never the wrong move. Plus, fun fact: calories don’t count on Galentine’s Day.

Step 3: Let Them Eat Cake!

Everyone looks forward to food at any party, so make sure it’s warranted. I’ve rounded up some sweet treats that will bring a smile to all of your girlfriends’ faces.

Red Velvet Cake

Chowhound

Red velvet cake is not only one of the most delicious, decadent desserts—it’s absolutely perfect for Galentine’s Day. Our simple recipe is is based on the one from “The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook” by Matt and Ted Lee. Cream cheese icing? You better believe it. Get our Red Velvet Cake recipe.

Heart-Shaped Pizza

Shutterstock

It never hurts to have some actual, non-dessert food available for the girls that showed up hungry. Lucky for you, we’ve rounded up the perfect gear to help you make a heart-shaped pizza.

You’re also welcome to order a few snacks ahead of time. After all, no one has ever complained about having more food options.

Frosé Ice Cream Bar, $58 at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream

While an ice cream sundae bar would also be amazing, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream went the extra mile and created a flavor just for the best unofficial holiday. This frosé sorbet is light, refreshing, and perfect.See It

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries, $30 at Sheri’s Berries

Shari’s Berries

Is there a better treat for the ladies than chocolate-covered strawberries? Sheri’s Berries is offering a full dozen with a variety of flavors, including milk, dark chocolate, and white chocolate versions!See It

Doughnut Plant Mini Valrhona Rose Cake Doughnuts, 12 for $65 at Goldbelly

Goldbelly

Doughnuts are always a hit, plus it’s super easy to arrange them on a gorgeous cake stand for presentation. These Doughnut Plant treats feature a chocolate cake doughnut with a rosewater glaze and gorgeous rose crystals on top. Don’t worry, I’m sure none of your friends will mind if you go the Krispy Kreme route either.See It

Step 4: Entertain the girls!

Valentine’s Day Photo Props, $10 on Amazon

Snap a photo to commemorate your sweet evening with good friends.See It

Cupcake Decorating Kit, $11.99 on Amazon

Amazon

This doesn’t have to be a huge part of your evening if you don’t want it to be, but you could set up a cupcake decorating station and let your friends head on over and decorate to their hearts’ content!See It

Step 5: Don’t forget the party favors.

Check out our Galentine’s Day Gift Guide for perfect presents to give your girls.

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‘Top Chef Kentucky’ Recap: Bouillon, Basketball, and Boxed Mixes 

February 08, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Best Cooking Shows On Netflix for the Foodie in You

February 08, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Binging cooking shows on Netflix. Yes, you can do it anytime of year, but there’s something especially satisfying about doing it bundled up in your comfies on the couch during the mandatory, months-long, anti-social hibernation period that is the winter season.

And, of course, the bonus hooray for us food-obsessed viewers is that there is tons of compelling culinary content streaming right now. From wanderlusty docuseries and fluffy baking competitions to insightful commentaries on food and culture, these are 10 food and cooking shows we’re devouring on Netflix right now.

“Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat”

Netflix

Based on the award-winning cookbook of the same title, this docuseries chronicles cook and author Samin Nosrat as she deep-dives into four of the essential elements involved in making food taste so damn good. It’s part culinary wanderlust—complete with gorgeously captured shots of far-flung locales and engaging up-close-and-personals with experts—and part friendly, approachable cooking show. What I love (aside from the envy-inducing travel porn that’ll make you want to jump up off the couch and cash in your credit card points), is that the cooking show bit is so relaxed and broadly helpful. Instead of being presented with a formulaic one-off recipe, you’re given foundational, reusable advice on cooking philosophy. I.e., “This is why you want to season different components of a dish individually,” vs. “Add two cups of salt to the water.” It’s fun, and you will leave hungry, and hungry for more.

“I’ll Have What Phil’s Having”

PBS

Finally! A show about a foodie and his international culinary exploits that doesn’t make you want punch said person in the face. Quite the opposite, in fact. Originally aired on PBS, this absolutely charming show follows Phil Rosenthal, the writer and creator behind the sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” as he eats and explores his way around the world with wide-eyed, gushing enthusiasm. Obviously, it’s a formula we’ve seen before: Food-obsessed person ventures to a food mecca to dine, drink, take in the culture and hang with the local culinary luminaries. But in this case, the food-obsessed person is not some higher-than-thou snob, but rather a nerdy, average dad type. And watching him totally and genuinely geek out in each hour-long episode makes for some refreshingly fun food TV. (Can you tell I’m a little obsessed?)

“Chef’s Table”

Netflix

Do you follow the chefs behind the world’s top-ranked restaurants the way some people follow players on a favorite sports team? Are you interested in the stories and experiences that have shaped their careers and personalities? Do you crave behind-the-scenes access to their lauded temples of gastronomy? Do you geek for cinematic, porn-y shots of food (that you might never get to try yourself and most likely won’t be able to recreate yourself)? Yeah? Then “Chef’s Table” (and its offshoots “Chef’s Table: France” and “Chef’s Table: Pastry”) will be your jam. It’s the gold standard of culinary escapism meets aspirational chef profile.

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“The Final Table”

Netflix

Basically, this show is like “Chef’s Table” and “Top Chef” had a baby. The schtick of this “global cooking competition” is that each episode is dedicated to the cuisine of an iconic food country. In the initial round, the chefs have to cook their version of that country’s signature dish, which has been decided by a panel of local “culinary ambassadors” (aka food writers, media personalities, and celebrities). The chefs responsible for the least successful plates are forced to cook in an elimination round for a surprise big-name chef who is briefly profiled “Chef’s Table”-style. And there’s an added twist too: Instead of playing solo, the cheftestants—who come from across the world and are all quite well established in their careers—are participating in teams of two. In most cases they’re friends but have never really worked together, and so watching them navigate each other’s styles and personalities brings an added layer of intrigue to the competition. And unlike some other cheap thrill cooking competitions where the ridiculousness of the ingredients is more important than the actual dish being produced, this show really has you marveling at and learning from the techniques and creativity that the chefs display.

“The Mind of a Chef”

Netflix

Chefs are constantly being questioned about their inspiration: “Where’d you get the idea for this dish?” “Why did you use that technique?” “How does where you grew up and what you ate affect the food you make today? Inquiring, hungry minds want to know and thankfully we have this smartly put together program to help satiate some of these curiosities. Narrated by the late, great Anthony Bourdain, each season focuses on one or two chefs and explores the many topics that have inspired them and driven their success. For example, noodles and David Chang, preservation and heritage and with Sean Brock, leftovers and “nasty bits” with April Bloomfield. It’s got cooking demos, eating, traveling, learning, cameos from chefie friends—all in all, entertaining brain food to be sure.

“The Great British Baking Show”

PBS

I can’t bake, don’t bake, don’t care about learning to bake, and yet even I can’t get enough of this show (also known as GBBS or GBBO to many fans). Legit, it is the most friendly, low-drama cooking competition you’ll ever watch. There are no provocative villain types looking for their 15 minutes of fame. Instead of sabotaging one another, these competitors actually jump in to help each other out and give thumbs-up to their opponents when they have a “good bake” or get an elusive congratulating handshake from Simon Cowell-esque judge, Paul Hollywood. It’s fascinating. Episodes are an hour long and feature three different challenges—”signature bake,” a surprise “technical challenge,” and the “showstopper”—that center around a weekly theme (i.e. bread, pastry, spice, vegan, etc.). “Ready? Set. Binge watch!”

“Cooked”

Netflix

This is the food studies student’s food show. Hosted by best-selling author and activist, Michael Pollan, this sleekly shot four-part docu-series is essentially a heartfelt, motivational speech about the fundamental role of food in our lives and why caring about what you eat really, truly matters. Each episode uses a different core cooking element—fire, earth, water, and air—as a vehicle to discuss everything from food history, culture and tradition to technique and industry. It’s cerebral stuff to be sure, but presented in a way that feels less patronizing lecture and more inspiring rally cry. (It’s worth mentioning also that if this sort of program speaks to you, definitely also check out “Rotten,” which gives a no-holds-barred look inside some of the biggest industrial food production businesses.)

“The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell”

Netflix

If you like crafty, project-centric baking and watched a lot of “Beetlejuice,” “Addams Family,” and  “The Nightmare Before Christmas” as a kid (or still do now, no judgement), then “Curious Creations” is for you. In this unquestionably unconventional take on the conventional how-to baking show, host Christine McConnell, assisted by her charming band of miscreant puppet creatures, displays how to create playfully macabre sweet treats. Even if learning how to sculpt a realistic-looking bone out of peanut butter, white chocolate, and pretzel sticks isn’t your thing, you have to applaud McConnell’s innovation of what can easily feel like a stale show format.

“Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”

Netflix

In case you need a reminder of the gift that was Anthony Bourdain’s smart, thought-provoking, and irreverent approach to the intersection of food, travel, and culture, “Parts Unknown” lives on, thankfully.

“7 Days Out” — The “Eleven Madison Park” Episode

Netflix

Ok, ok, so this one is maybe a bit of a cheat because it’s not technically a full show. Still, for anyone who’s curious about the level of detail/stress/work/pressure/multitasking/putting out of fires/absolute general insanity that goes into opening up a restaurant at the highest level, go watch this immediately.

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