TV. Food. Pop Culture.
After hearing Nicki Minaj’s ubiquitous hit Starships for about the umpteenth time today, I couldn’t help but get the phrase “Starships were meant to fly” in my head for the latter part of my afternoon. It made me think: starships might be meant to fly, but is that all they can do?
After the jump, ten other things that starships are meant to do. Continue reading “10 Things Starships Were Meant To Do (Other Than Fly)”
In general, when I cook I always follow a recipe. Chalk it up to a lack of “instincts” or “internal know-how,” but I’m not very good when I attempt to create something of my own. Of course, this is utterly frustrating given how many home cooks love to boast about how the true joy of cooking is experimenting. Well, risk is not a quality I’m always known for, but lately, I’ve been venturing into the Wild West of my kitchen and attempting things all by myself. Enter Red Curry Chilaquiles!
The back story here is that I’ve been making a lot of chilaquiles lately — a zingy, Mexican dish featuring chicken, cheese, and tomatillo sauce all layered amongst tortillas and baked. I kind of can’t get enough of them. Nevertheless, last weekend, I decided to do some clearing out of my freezer and fridge. I had a good amount of frozen chicken and an even, er, gooder amount of random Thai ingredients hanging around. I decided to throw all this junk into my slow cooker and attempt some sort of Thai chicken madness (think mint, cilantro, Thai chiles, galangal, coconut milk, lemongrass, lime juice, etc). Six hours later, I definitely had some Thai chicken but a) it was a little dry, and b) while flavorful, it wasn’t the BEST. I decided this chicken would be best used in some other recipe. But what would that recipe be? Perhaps… chilaquiles?
Continue reading “MINI ADVENTURE IN DOMESTICITY: Red Curry Chilaquiles Edition”
It’s hard to believe, but we’re on our eighth season of Food Network Star, and this year, the competition began a little earlier than usual, premiering last week in the middle of May. Our old friends Bob Tuschman and the incomparable Susie Fogelson are back, as well as the show’s mainstay of mentors — Bobby Flay, Alton Brown, and GIada De Laurentiis. However, this time around, things are a little Voice-y. Flay, Brown, and De Laurentiis each mentor a team of prospects who go head to head in a variety of challenges (so far we’ve seen a Restaurant Wars-esque battle and a NYC food tour). Each week, the winning team receives immunity, while one person from the other two teams is selected to battle it out for a reprieve. This means cooking a signature dish (often with some sort of twist), presenting it to camera, and then finally pleading to “The Network,” which is the imposing new name given to Bob and Susie.
At its heart, Food Network Star remains the same show, and even with the format changes, it still remains one of the best reality competitions out there. Of course, what truly sets it apart (aside from the icy presence of Susie Fogelson) is knowing that the winner of this series will soon be a regular on Food Network, and as such, we as the audience feel rather empowered in forming our opinions about these people (thank goodness that this season will allow for a viewer’s choice). Since one of these jokers will soon be joining the ranks of Ina, Alton, and, gulp, Aaron McCargo Jr., I feel like it’s important to take a look at the field of contestants and assess their strengths and weaknesses. Let’s take a look, shall we?
Continue reading “Sizing Up The ‘Food Network Star’ Contestants”
Last week I extolled the virtues of Apt 2B, and once again, I have to say the store has filled me with joy. This morning, while I was procrastinating like usual, I came across an item I immediately loved: The Casa Ave Tissue Box (in avocado, naturally). Did I really need a glorified tissue-box cozy? Probably not. But I loved it so much that I couldn’t resist. Unfortunately, the site was out of stock, but after tweeting to Apt 2b, I learned that there was one left at the pop up store on Melrose. Fast forward a few hours, and now I am the proud owner of this funky little thing.
I continue to love it.
This Sunday is Mother’s day, and if you live in the Los Angeles are, you might want to do something nice for mom. Well, you should want to do something nice for mom even if you don’t live in the LA area, but what I’m trying to say is that Brentwood market / restaurant Farmshop has a nifty, albeit pricey option for those locals who want to treat Mother with something dainty. The treat in question: a “Breakfast in Bed Kit” for four.
First off, you get a basket; so you should already be sold at this point. But if not, don’t worry. There’s more. The basket boasts a variety of raw ingredients to be used at the discretion of the purchaser as well as many of Farmshop’s famous pastries and assorted snacks. Plus there’s juice and sparkling wine and eggs and blah blah blah. I can go on, but I won’t. To get the full list of items, follow the jump.
Meanwhile, if you want to snag one of these baskets, don’t think it’ll come cheap. The Breakfast In Bed Kit will cost you $220 and orders must be placed twenty-four hours in advance. They will then be available for pickup at the store during normal hours from today through Sunday, 7AM to 7PM. Oh, and you can make a custom basket too if you’re feeling creative.
So there’s that.
Full list of basket contents after the jump…
Farmshop
225 26th Street – Suite 25
Santa Monica, CA 90402
(310) 566-2400
http://farmshopla.com/
Continue reading “Angelenos, Here’s A Way To Celebrate Your Mom”
Late last year, I purchased a Thai cookbook that turned out to lack several classic Thai recipes, including anything pertaining to rice or noodles. Turns out the book was a modern take on Thai cuisine, which meant certain staples such as pad thai were nowhere to be seen. The good news was that it wound up being a pretty decent cookbook, but I still needed a go-to source for classic Thai stuff. After much research, I opted for an oversized and photo-heavy book called Thailand: The Beautiful Cookbook. I mean, how could I go wrong? IT’S A BEAUTIFUL COOKBOOK.
Anyway, the reviews on Amazon were all very enthusiastic about this cookbook; so I decided to put it to the test. With the help of Lisa Timmons behind the camera, I tackled this book’s coconut chicken soup (Tom Kha Kai), which is not only one of my favorite soups of all time, but also something I made from the previous cookbook. It would be the perfect way for me to compare the two cookbooks (I also made pad thai, but that’ll be in another video).
Nevertheless, check out our video above, and if you want to know how the two soups stacked up, follow the jump!
Continue reading “ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Kai)”
Ah, the frustrating joys of watching Teresa Giudice argue. We got a double dose of that Sunday night (if you count Celebrity Apprentice) with our first blow-out screaming match of the season on Real Housewives of New Jersey. The quarrel was long and stupid, emphasis on stupid, which is more or less par for the course with these women (and pretty much all the women on Bravo).
It all can be traced back to Teresa telling her brother Joe that Melissa would leave him if she ever found a wealthier man. The comment was tasteless, and of course Joe told Melissa because, you know, they’re MARRIED. However, Teresa somehow thought that brother-sister confidentiality trumped all, and instead of owning up to her mean-spirited statement, she made this whole brouhaha a damning accusation on Joe Gorga and his loose lips.
Well, this utterly fascinating scandal came to a head at a Solstice Party of all places that was supposed to celebrate positivity and happiness. But like so many fashion shows and Christenings before it, this supposedly joyous event instead went down the shitter faster than you can say “I’m from Paterson, BITCH.”
Continue reading “REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NJ PHOTOCAP: Summer Solstice Feels As Cold As Winter”
Last week, my friend Guy celebrated his birthday, and in typical, punny form, we threw him a potluck with the theme of “Guy foods.” Get it? (If you don’t, you’re an idiot). Anyway, I didn’t know what to make, but I knew it probably should revolve around some sort of giant slab of meat. Ribs? Nah — I’d have to make too many for all the hungry mouths. Wings? Same problem. Then I remembered some dish that Tyler Florence once made on Tyler’s Ultimate. After some internet rummaging, I found the recipe: a Pork Shoulder “Pernil” with Cilantro-Citrus Adobo. I instantly recalled having watched him make it on Food Network, my mouth watering the whole time. Now would be a perfect time to attempt it. And it couldn’t be simpler: just make a rub, put it on the meat, and let ‘er rip!
My experiences after the jump… Continue reading “ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Pernil Edition”
About a year ago, my friend Mat launched a funky, new online furniture store called Apt 2B, which aims to sell stylish pieces at affordable prices. The timing seemed perfect: I desperately needed a new couch, er, SOFA as my current one was in a murky state of disrepair (speckled with red dots thanks to an explosion of fake blood from a 2006 House MD screener — long story). The only downside for me was that I would have to order a sofa sight-unseen as this was an online-only venture.
Well, a year later, I still have my decrepit couch, but perhaps not for long. Mat and his team have taken over the Alpha space on Melrose Avenue here in Los Angeles for a month-long “pop-up” of sorts. I dropped by the opening night to finally see the goods in 3D, and I have to say, it was all super cool. I’m not just saying that because Mat is a friend of mine. I say it because I really liked what I saw. I swear I’ve fallen in love with a sectional, and at just over $1300, it’s a total steal. This could in fact signal the end of days for my old Crate & Barrel sofa.
Don’t take my word for it though. My friend Phamtastic tagged along as well, and given that she definitely knows her interior design, I hold her opinion in high regard. In short, she loved Apt 2B too, and already she’s planning on purchasing some big ticket items for her friend (who has charged her with redecorating his living room). The point is this: if you live in Los Angeles and are in the market for some stylish, funky furniture or decor, be sure to swing by the Apt 2B pop-up this month. Tell Mat that B-Side Blog sent you!
Apt 2B at Alpha
8654 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood, CA
Mon-Sat: 11a – 7p; Sun: 12 – 6p
Until 5/31 only!
Ah, stupidity. As usual, much of it was on display this week on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and while Teresa is normally the epicenter of the intellectual vacuum, it was truly Ashley who served as the black hole of cognitive processes. You see, she had a very simple task: get thee on an airplane. However, with the amount of difficulty she faced, you’d think she had just plunged right into the most challenging leg of The Amazing Race.
For those of you who may not remember, Ashley has spent the past three years being generally worthless: pulling bitches’ hair, complaining about life, pretending to be a model. Somewhere along the line her mother Jacqueline realized that perhaps disciplining her daughter with a steady stream of Range Rovers wasn’t quite working. And so Jackie and husband Chris announced that they were sending Ashley to a city known for its straight-and-narrow lifestyle: LAS VEGAS. That’ll reform her. Ashley, of course, would fit right in in Sin City, what with her porn star makeover; however, she was reticent to leave home, mainly because she knew she’d have to fend for herself in the real world and perhaps use her brain, which as of press time, seems to be on sabbatical somewhere in East Timor.
Continue reading “REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NJ PHOTOCAP: Ashley’s Leaving On A Jet Plane… We Think”