An Artisanal Cajun Salumeria Adjacent to chef Donald Link‘s famed Cochon (a.k.a. the Cajun restaurant of your dreams), Cochon Butcher is a sandwich shop, wine bar and salumeria specializing in Louisiana-style housemade charcuterie, terrines and sausages. Link is bringing back traditional old-world techniques and authentic Cajun flavor with the andouille, boudin, tasso and head cheese (among… Read More →
Food Served With Love I’m excited to announce my partnership with Love With Food, a subscription service that allows you to try gourmet products for only $10 a month. For every tasty box Love With Food sells, they donate a meal to food banks all across America – to date, they’ve donated more than 50,000… Read More →
Reviving Cajun Cuisine Born and raised in Cajun country, James Beard award-winning chef/restaurateur Donald Link knows a thing or two about Louisiana cuisine. In New Orleans’ Warehouse District, his much-lauded Cochon is a tribute to the food he grew up eating and it’s one of the best restaurants in the city (and probably one of… Read More →
Consistently Creative American Fare This contemporary American bistro in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood has become a staple in the city’s booming restaurant scene. Chef Chris Pandel’s adventurous plates and relentless attention to detail packs the boisterous dining room with loyal fans every night (a focus on local ingredients, a knowledgable waitstaff and a serious cocktail program… Read More →
The Italian Visionary With a beloved James Beard award-winning cooking show, acclaimed restaurants in NYC, Pittsburgh and Kansas City (including the industry-changing Felidia that set the stage for authentic Italian food in America), several best-selling books, a cookware line and supermarket products, you could say that Lidia Bastianich is the unofficial spokeswoman of Italian-American cuisine (not to… Read More →
Everything you need to know about horse cuisine. Horse has a long and proud culinary tradition, and is eaten all around the world. I happen to think horse meat is not only delicious, but also a great alternative protein. For facts, figures and cooking techniques, take a look at this infographic from Great British Chefs.… Read More →
Vermicelli con le Vongole Salsa Rossa By Lidia Bastianich Pasta with clam sauce is my grandchildren’s favorite, and I get no greater enjoyment than watching them slurp down the pasta with the juicy clam sauce. Vermicelli, a type of very thin spaghetti, cooks as quickly as the clams do, so have your ingredients ready and… Read More →
It’s a No-Brainer Brains aren’t just for zombies. Brains are a delicacy eaten by people all around the world. The most popular are lamb, pig and cow brains, but you can really eat any animal’s brain, provided it’s fresh. I’ve even dined on squirrel brain. It was delicious! Brains are full of healthy nutrients like… Read More →
Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Owners John Soranno and John Puckett have created an incredible pizzeria in my home town. The individually-sized, handmade, hand-tossed pizzas are topped with artisanal ingredients (think San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella di bufala) and put into a 800 degree wood-burning oven for only 90 seconds – the perfect amount of time to… Read More →
An Ode to The Sea Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, the duo behind the popular meat-centric Animal, are bringing LA gourmands a piece of their Floridian roots with the seafood studded menu at Son of a Gun. It’s a small space with a laid back vibe, a long communal table and walls covered in kitschy nautical… Read More →
Portland’s Passionate Salumist European-style housemade charcuterie is the bread and butter of this Portland eatery. Salumist and owner Elias Cairo uses Old World techniques (hand-butchered local pork, cased in natural hog intestine and dusted in natural white mold) to craft salamis with the traditional flavor profiles you’d find across Europe, from Spanish chorizo and Italian soppressate… Read More →
Los Angeles The City of Angels Andrew calls into Food Works HQ from L.A. He and Molly talk about their favorite places to eat in the city of angels. Plus, they discuss the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas, and new studies that show a link between diabetes and diet sodas. Questions We want to… Read More →
Alabama’s Barbecue Kingpin Nick Pihakis and his father, Jim, opened the first Jim ‘N Nick’s barbecue joint 25 years ago in Birmingham, Alabama. Known for the slow-hickory-smoked pork and an everything-made-from-scratch mentality, the meaty empire has now grown to 28 restaurants across the South (even the James Beard Foundation has taken note, consecutively nominating Nick as… Read More →
She’s Got Your Goat Located in the heart of the West Loop restaurant corridor, Girl & the Goat is one of Chicago’s most popular eateries, and for good reason. Chef/owner Stephanie Izard, the energetic always-smiling winner of Top Chef season 4, is taking an iconic alternative protein and putting at the top of her menu, with… Read More →
Calling All Bourbon & Pork Lovers Jack Riebel’s stunning gastropub is a welcome addition to downtown Minneapolis. The industrial, masculine decor creates a rustic-meets-chic vibe that echoes the meat-centric menu and the scent of smoked pork wafting through the dining room. The best way to approach the menu is family style, ordering sausages and meat a la… Read More →
True Thai Cuisine Andy Ricker’s obsession with Thai food was born out of a backpacking trip he took in the 80s, when he discovered that the gloppy noodles he’d been eating stateside were not representative of the diverse culinary traditions he found in Thailand. In 2005, Ricker opened his first restaurant in Portland, Pok Pok.… Read More →
Meat Inventory If you think I keep a stash of bizarre animal parts on hand, you are correct. Duck balls and tongues, cockscomb, sweetbreads and even a pig’s head could be in my freezer at any given moment. Where do I get these fantastic products? My friends at D’Artagnan keep me stocked. If you’re looking to… Read More →
Nothing but Noodles Portland chef Andy Ricker expanded his acclaimed Thai food empire to New York City last year with Pok Pok Ny and the noodle-centric Phat Thai, a pint-size spot on the Lower East Side with a stripped-down menu dedicated to pad Thai. This isn’t the popular noodle dish you’re used to eating in… Read More →
A Wild Weekend in New Orleans You knew you were in New Orleans and you knew it had to be Super Bowl Week: elevator to baggage claim, 200 limo drivers holding up signs for corporate types and A-List celebs. Background music provided by a Second Line band, all set to the staccato backbeat of the… Read More →
A Wild Weekend in New Orleans You knew you were in New Orleans and you knew it had to be Super Bowl Week: elevator to baggage claim, 200 limo drivers holding up signs for corporate types and A-List celebs. Background music provided by a Second Line band, all set to the staccato backbeat of the… Read More →
A Timeless Neighborhood Eatery Chef/owner Jimmy Bradley opened The Red Cat 12 years ago,with a simple concept: a less is more approach to food, melding seasonal American ingredients with a bit of Parisian je ne sais quoi. On my last visit, over a plate of roasted tomatoes and striped bass, I realized I eat here nearly… Read More →
Devoted to the Art of Preservation One of Chicago’s most celebrated chefs, Paul Virant has been pickling and preserving produce at his award-winning restaurant Vie since 2004, expanding the program to his second restaurant, Perennial Virant, when he took the reigns in 2011. In his new cookbook, The Preservation Kitchen, Paul shares his wisdom and… Read More →
Microscopic Turkey I was a guest at HUGE Theater‘s Show X on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. I shared stories from my life based off of audience suggestions. The cast of talented improvisers then created scenes based off of my stories. It was very fun and very funny. This is the final segment. To see the rest check out… Read More →
Savoring the Seasons Located just outside of Chicago in Western Springs, chef Paul Virant’s celebrated Vie restaurant is a great choice for solid farm-to-table cooking. Virant, a preservation expert with an everything-made-in-house philosophy, is known for preserving and pickling produce at its peak and incorporating those bright seasonal flavors into almost every dish. The cuisine… Read More →
Airports Best Eats Before Take Off Andrew and Molly talk about the best airports in the U.S., and where to eat while you are waiting for a flight. Plus, they discuss food fraud, MasterChef for kids, and the new trend of restaurants banning photos at the dinner table. Questions We want to include your listener… Read More →
Comfort Food Redefined By Bob & Sue Located in a refurbished Nabisco factory, New York City’s new gastrobar features creative comfort food by executive chef Todd Macdonald, who ran the kitchens at Cru and Villa Pacri. Among his many specialty dishes are spicy lamb burgers with a cilantro and sumac aioli, mac and parmesan cheese… Read More →
Inspired by Peter Dale By Adam Roberts Chorizo is a magical ingredient, the kind of thing that makes your food taste way more accomplished without asking anything of you beyond just buying it. D’Artagnan sells a good-quality chorizo that is readily available; just make sure you’re buying Spanish chorizo, which is already cooked, and not… Read More →
Amateur Schmamateur Adam Roberts took a big risk when he quit law school to start an amateur food blog in 2004. As it turns out, he’s pretty good at it. Seamlessly weaving recipes and photographs with personal narratives and humor, Adam transformed his a hobby into a full-fledged career (jealous?). For his new cookbook, Secrets of… Read More →
“Burro” I was a guest at HUGE Theater‘s Show X on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. I shared stories from my life based off of audience suggestions. The cast of talented improvisers then created scenes based off of my stories. It was very fun and very funny. This is part four. Here’s part one, part two and part three. More stories and improv… Read More →
Austin’s Favorite Neighborhood Bistro Opened in 2010 by Ned Elliott, this 47-seat small bistro is celebrated for creative seasonal cuisine and unforgettable pastries and desserts. A golden-winged pig adorns the outside of the building, so it’s no surprise that pork plays a vital role in the menu, but it’s not the only praiseworthy protein—the expertly… Read More →
