There’s this place I come regularly that has a nice eggs, salmon, avocado and toast brunch. One day, trying to reduce my diet coke consumption, I checked out the menu and saw they offered smoothies. I’m a sucker for red fruit, it said red fruit, the base is orange juice, no milk, crunched ice. Comes with a themed coloured straw that I use until it stops working and I go manual mode which is remove the straw and drink like an adult man. Hope you enjoy the looks of it. Other photo posts I just…

The second of two I got from Japanese Snack Republic before they stopped shipping to the United States. I feel like I really scored on these – very curious! Let’s cook it up! Nissin Thai Signature Stir-Fried Curry Sea Crab – Japan Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Unsure but guessing it contains seafood. To prepare, boil noodle 4 minutes and drain. Add in sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy! An instant noodle block. A sachet of powder seasoning. A sachet of liquid seasoning base.…

At L’Ambroisie, the first impression is not of arrival so much as quiet admission; like being allowed into a members club that has no interest in explaining itself. Tucked inside Place des Vosges, all symmetrical calm and aristocratic brick, it feels less like a restaurant and more like a well-kept secret that has somehow resisted the vulgarity of being discovered. There are no theatrics, no open kitchens clattering for attention, no earnest lectures about provenance. Instead, an atmosphere of…

If you love simple, elegant fish dishes that let fresh ingredients shine, this Tomato & Herb Sauced Cod is a recipe you’ll want to make again and again. Tender, perfectly baked cod is paired with a vibrant sauce made from burst cherry tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and a swirl of butter, and finished with a trio of fresh herbs for brightness. It’s a beautiful balance of light, fresh flavors and comforting richness — the kind of dish that feels restaurant‑worthy but comes together easily at home.…

Chef Batty is wild in the kitchen again, this time with a Potato-Crust Quiche. I used a 10” springform cake pan which was nice for the thick potato crust, a 9“ pan would work better with regular pastry, an 8” pan could work (with smaller quantities of ingredients.) Grease the pan sides, it may be non-stick for cakes but this cheesy, starchy amalgam will adhere to almost anything. Solid food,

a squid, a stack, a recipe, a bridge. the most repulsive thing you could ever imagine is the inside of a camel's mouth. that and watching a girl eat octopus or squid. — marlon brando butter bread butter cheese squid cheese butter bread butter

standard walking sandwich toasted everything bagel fillings in order vegan mayo¹ spread on bottom of bagel three slices of cheddar (mature) to cover entire bagel pickles² sliced to similar thickness to cheddar and placed in same orientation coarse freshly ground pepper french mustard spread on top side of bagel oxford creamwich toasted white (preferred for the improved toasted crispness and glaze) or wholemeal bagel (better energy for long excursions) fillings in order garlic aioli³ spread on…

Haven’t seen this one in a long time. Looks like new packaging to some degree as well. A seafood ramyun sounds good – getting colder here. It’s the tail end of September 2025 as I type this. Lewt’s give it a try. Nongshim Squid Champong Ramyun – United States Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains seafood. To prepare, add in sachet contents and room temp water to line. Microwave 4.5 minutes at 1000W. Finally, stir and enjoy! Detail of the lid (click to enlarge). An instant…

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When I was a kid, orange juice concentrate was a freezer staple. It's just a tube of highly concentrated juice you can mix with 3 parts water and have a pitcher of ice-cold orange juice ready to go. It's a simple but brilliant idea: why pay for the inconvenience of a bunch of extra water when you can supply your own? Well, I recently learned that you can also get apple juice the same way, which was exciting. I like orange juice, but the main time of day I want to drink fruit juice is as soon as…

By popular demand, here are a few more Inspiration vs Perspiration Wedding Wrecks. And shame on you all for finding them so funny.What was ordered: What was received: Fortunately Christine C. reports the the bride and family had a great sense of humor about this Wreck, and even dubbed it the "bamPOO" cake. Heheh. Ordered: And received: Uh, since the cake itself leaves me speechless, I'm going to comment on the background. Hey Jessica M., is that Chewbacca through the window? I mean, given the…

It took me over a decade to come back to Ina Garten’s Roasted Shrimp and Orzo, and I’m honestly annoyed I waited this long. This is one of those deceptively simple dishes with a few smart steps that take it to the next level. The big one: tossing the orzo with the lemon vinaigrette while it’s still warm. The warm pasta actually absorbs the dressing, so you’re seasoning it from the inside out instead of just coating it. And roasting the shrimp is absolutely non-negotiable – you get a slightly…

This is the first of a few posts about 2026’s Mild Magic, Stockport and South Manchester CAMRA‘s annual celebration of mild. Last year I wrote: I visited 48 pubs during MM so I won’t comment on every single one, just note down what comes to mind as I go along. But what if I did “comment on every single [pub]”, by “just [noting] down what comes to mind as I go along”? Challenge accepted! At the Smithfield Market Tavern, the Blackjack/Newbarns Six MPH Mild was just superb: a rich, enveloping dark…

This Creamy Crock Pot Rice Pudding is an easy, old‑fashioned comfort dessert made right in the slow cooker. Using simple ingredients like arborio rice, milk, sugar, vanilla, and a touch of orange zest, it cooks low and slow until thick, silky, and perfectly tender. The slow cooker does all the work, creating a rich, creamy rice pudding with no scorching and very little stirring. Finished with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and served warm with optional raspberry or cherry sauce, this classic…

This Dr Funk original features mezcal, rum, Aperol, coconut, pineapple, and fire! It’s still really great and the flame last night was quite impressive. Mrs Mai Tai let it burn all the way down, leaving a charred breadcrumb at the top of the drink, but still really good. Meanwhile I ordered an off-menu Three Dots and a Dash that tasted fantastic and just like it should be with juices and spices. The team at Dr Funk really nailed this. My second drink was the Mai Tai, still amazing and made with…

I’m glad that Dorie was so generous with her headnote suggestions for playing around with this Maybe-This, Maybe-That Ham and Cheese Loaf, because mine was more of a Definitely-Not-This, Definitely-Not-That Loaf. There are lots of add-ins stirred through the batter of this easy savory loaf cake, but the only two from the recipe I actually had on hand were the mozz and parm. What can I say? It was a rainy day and I just wanted to make this without going to the store, so I raided the fridge for…

Another one from Saar’s Super Saver. I tell ya, that place was a real score. Alas, my trove is dwindling as it does… But no matter – time to cook! Vifon Ho-Ya Pad Thai Chicken Flavor Instant Rice Noodles – Vietnam Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Says Vegetarian but check for yourself. To prepare, add rice noodle and vegetable sachet and boiling water. Cover for 2 minutes and drain using lid. Add in remaining sachets. Finally, stir and enjoy! Rice noodles. A sachet of liquid base. A…

The concept is simple: take an otherwise passable cake, and then stick a completely unrelated piece (or pieces) of plastic flotsam on it. Voila! Flotsam plop.Oh, and when I say "completely unrelated," I mean "completely unrelated." And lo, unto us a carrot cake is borne.And high, we suspecteth the Wreckerator was. Eth.Look, this carrot cake was doing just fine without divine accompaniment - so why the plastic angel pick? Did the Wreckerator think that was actually helping, or was s/he meeting…

I’ve walked past spear thistles (Cirsium vulgare) for decades. I cursed them when they put a spine through my trousers. Most farmers and gardeners ... Continue

If you love delicious homemade bread, these Herbed Oatmeal Pan Rolls are soft, hearty, and wonderfully flavorful — the perfect companion to soups, stews, or any cozy meal. Made with a simple oat‑and‑flour dough and finished with a buttery herb topping, these rolls bake up tender and golden in a single pan. Soft, wholesome, and full of homemade flavor. Made with oats, two flours, and a buttery herb topping, they bake into tender pull‑apart rolls that are perfect with soups, stews, or enjoyed…

A return to sample a few different places in what surely has to be one of the best beer towns in the country. I visited a popular micropub, a newly-opened brewery bar, a traditional pub that is a magnet for real ale afficionados, a lovingly-restored community pub, and an excellent brewery taproom. Here we go....I had been planning to come back to Stockport for a while. All the word seemed to be it was up and coming, new bars were opening, there was a great vibe about the place, and there was…

The outdoor Portland farmers market is officially back, and having it a couple blocks from our apartment is the perfect way to kick off our Saturday morning! We’re not quite at peak season yet, but you can feel the shift happening. The endless parade of beige root vegetables is finally giving way to actual color—asparagus, rhubarb, arugula, leeks—all the things that make you want to cook again. If you’re anything like me, you get home, unpack everything, and then immediately think … now what?…

Let’s pretend it’s January, because I’m ready and excited to present to you the #new chips, cookies, cereals, and assorted garbage I found in the wild during 2025!! Last year, we started a new (temporary?) Panic tradition — at the very end of our Monday status meeting, I run through all the new snacks I’d found in the last week. Then we gather in the kitchen and try them. Either everyone is very accommodating or they’re just afraid to say anything, but it’s been a lot of fun. (Sidebar: should…

This is an irregular column that rewinds the clock back some years to see what was on the taps at certain pubs. Too many of these will no doubt be from my local, The Great Northern Railway Tavern (GNRT), in North London that has been a tremendous pub over the years for its beer selection.…

This is another that came by way of Hong Kong Foodies – they’ve got some really great stuff I’ve never seen and so far what I’ve tried has been really great! This is tonkotsu – ooby dooby! Let’s cook it up! Nissin Demae Iccho Bar Udon Noodle Rich Tonkotsu Flavor – Hong Kong Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Contains chicken, pork, shrimp, and fish. To prepare, boil one bundle of udon in 600ml water for 8 minutes. Add one dry and one liquid base sachet. Finally, stir and enjoy! Two…

You can’t buy a hot dog from a cart in the city of Chicago–home of the what are arguably the world’s greatest hot dogs. In Los Angeles, vendors sell bacon-wrapped hot dogs from carts as well as quesadillas, tacos, elotes, and all manner of prepared foods from their carts. Street food carts are encouraged–in fact, they’re giving them out. Portland, Oregon famously has over 500 licensed food carts gathered into pods throughout the city, selling barbecue and birria, sandwiches and sushi and almost…

oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no ...i keep thinking about piiiiiiiizzzzzzzaaaaaaa #pizza

I don’t think there is one single right way to appreciate a wine. But that doesn’t mean anything goes. Wine appreciation is not like solving an equation. There isn’t one correct answer sitting there waiting for us. Still, some responses fit a wine better than others. Some open the wine up. Others shut it down. So while there may not be one right way, there are certainly better and worse ways to respond. Most of us begin with perception. We notice the silkiness of the tannins, the sharpness of…

I ate red velvet cake a fair amount as a kid, so it was a bit nostalgic to make one of my own for the first time. I used a random online recipe and the result was good but not great. My hunch is that it cooked a bit too long. Following the recipe was easy enough. I used cake flour as recommended, and tried to be careful not to over-mix it. I skipped the optional hot coffee. I baked the cake in two dark 9" pans. I initially put it in for 30 minutes, then added another 2 minutes when a toothpick…

If you’re craving classic comfort food, these Country Meatballs & Gravy are everything you want in a cozy, home‑cooked meal. Tender, well‑seasoned meatballs simmer in a rich, savory gravy that tastes like something straight out of a farmhouse kitchen. This is simple, satisfying, old‑fashioned cooking — the kind of dish that fills the house with warmth and makes everyone eager to sit down at the table. Perfect for busy weeknights or a comforting weekend supper, this recipe is hearty,…