Sometimes you come across something that just touches you in all the right places.  For me the combination of technology, function, and a good narrating voice made this video I stumbled across too good to pass up.  While some may pass it off as just the national anthem of the Netherlands, this “The William” is [...]]]>

Sometimes you come across something that just touches you in all the right places.  For me the combination of technology, function, and a good narrating voice made this video I stumbled across too good to pass up.  While some may pass it off as just the national anthem of the Netherlands, this “The William” is so much more.  This reminds me of what the Microsoft surface would be if used for cooking.  It’s part cook-top and part touch screen computer, hell it even has a built-in timer.  If you can’t imagine having a cook-top that allows you to deal with every item that’s placed on it individually, don’t worry, just give your imagination a rest and watch the video after the jump.

Wow, what a year!  So many things have happened since last we posted here at Flavourgasmic.  In the coming weeks and months Flavourgasmic is coming back!  We are going to bring you cheese making, bread baking, new kitchen gadgets, more restaurant reviews, more foods in cans, wedding planning, and hopefully some good times and better [...]]]>

Wow, what a year!  So many things have happened since last we posted here at Flavourgasmic.  In the coming weeks and months Flavourgasmic is coming back!  We are going to bring you cheese making, bread baking, new kitchen gadgets, more restaurant reviews, more foods in cans, wedding planning, and hopefully some good times and better food!  I am also planning a new weekly column on how I learned to stop worrying and love scary ingreidents.  Thanks for keeping up and I can’t wait to share what we are cooking.  Look forward to hearing from you all soon.

If you don’t know the name Mauricio (Tony) Harion, you soon will.  He is the brilliant mind behind what has to be one of the best drinking games I have ever seen.  As a product design student hailing from Belo Horizonte, Brazil he created the ultimate mash-up with the Enigma – Battleship Bar Game.  I [...]]]>

If you don’t know the name Mauricio (Tony) Harion, you soon will.  He is the brilliant mind behind what has to be one of the best drinking games I have ever seen.  As a product design student hailing from Belo Horizonte, Brazil he created the ultimate mash-up with the Enigma – Battleship Bar Game.  I think we all get he concept here.  When one of your “ships” is hit you have to take a shot, what better way to fight for control of the seas.  Hit the link to see more pictures.

<via Coroflot>

[Show as slideshow]

While I know this is not the typical subject matter for Flavourgasmic I feel it deserves a mention.  Katt was recently honoured with an article in the College of Charleston Magazinediscussing her career as a special effects make-up artist in L.A.  The article features several alumni who have succeeded in the world of Film and TV.  [...]]]>

While I know this is not the typical subject matter for Flavourgasmic I feel it deserves a mention.  Katt was recently honoured with an article in the College of Charleston Magazinediscussing her career as a special effects make-up artist in L.A.  The article features several alumni who have succeeded in the world of Film and TV.  By far the most famous of which is obviously Katt.  Hit the link to read the article (I’m the Zombie in the background).

 <College of Charleston Magazine :: Starmakers>

Ever dream of raising a colony of nuclear powered mutant super bees?  You have to start somewhere, and why not with a Beginner Beekeeping Kit.  I am certainly no stranger to hobbies (I have several hundred, need chainmail, no problem) and I defiantly love honey, but the idea of having hundreds of swarming bees (ok beekeepers [...]]]>

Ever dream of raising a colony of nuclear powered mutant super bees?  You have to start somewhere, and why not with a Beginner Beekeeping Kit.  I am certainly no stranger to hobbies (I have several hundred, need chainmail, no problem) and I defiantly love honey, but the idea of having hundreds of swarming bees (ok beekeepers I know that bees are least likely to sting during a swarm but suspend disbelief) in my backyard is a little extreme even by my standards.  But wouldn’t it be nice to lure your enemies over with the offer of drinks only to trap them in your apiary of death?  Hit the link for info.

Being billed as a way to help boost the dwindling honey bee populations the beginner beekeeping kit includes everything necessary to get started as a beekeeper.  You get hive, wax, smoker and fuel, gloves, helmet, veil, brush, nails, assembly instructions and a book titled “First Lessons in Beekeeping” (seems fitting).  All of this for $299 keep in mind however that the bees are not included.  From a honey standpoint this would be awesome, there really is something wonderful about the idea of harvesting your own, but I just can’t get past the bee stings.  Am I the only one that thinks Blofeld would have been the perfect beekeeper?  Whether you are a member of SPECTRE or not check out the Beginner Beekeeping Kit at Real Goods and get a jump on evil plan season.

Israeli cuisine is extremely diverse being comprised of foods brought by Jewish immigrants from all parts of the world.  There are however two main avenues that Israeli food tends to follow, those of the Jews originating from the Middle East and those from the immigrants from Europe and the West.  It’s the food from the [...]]]>

Israeli cuisine is extremely diverse being comprised of foods brought by Jewish immigrants from all parts of the world.  There are however two main avenues that Israeli food tends to follow, those of the Jews originating from the Middle East and those from the immigrants from Europe and the West.  It’s the food from the first group, with its roots in the Arab world that have inspired the menu at a new eatery Naf Naf Grill in Naperville, Illinois.  Continue on for the review.

Snapshot:
Restaurant Type: Middle Eastern/Mediterranean
Dress Code: Casual
Alcohol: Nope
Price Range: Bargain (6-15)
Flavourgasmic Factor: Highly Recommended

Full Review:
Having just opened in January of this year the first thing you will notice about Naf Naf Grill is an unshakeable feeling that the building might have been at one point a Taco Bell.  However unlike any Taco Bell I have ever been to the food at Naf Naf is really good.  I can only hope that more Taco Bells are shut down to make way for chefs that truly want to share their culinary perspectives with the world.  Given the cramped confines of the layout however, things can get a little tight when they are busy, so plan accordingly and give yourself 15-20 minutes to order and get your food.

Focusing on fresh ingredients, just about every thing in this unassuming restaurant is made to order including their heavenly pita bread.  This is without question some of the best pita bread that I have ever tasted.  Perfectly golden brown and light as a feather it’s the perfect partner for one of their delicious pita sandwiches.  Choices include along with several Kababs, chicken shawarma, Falafel or Kifta.  Their chicken shawarma, think gyros meat with chicken instead of lamb, is a thinly sliced, perfectly seasoned, spit roasted chicken which matches perfectly with the subtle sweetness of their warm pita bread.  Their Falafel, a mixture of chick peas and herbs formed into balls and fried, proves to be another perfect filler for their pitas.  Perfectly seasoned and fried to perfection the Falafel strikes a great balance with a crisp outside and soft inside.  Either of these sandwiches can be had for just $6.59 which given the quality is a real food bargain.  All the meats that star in their sandwich selections are made available in entrée portions as well for just a few dollars more.  Included with the entrées are a pita, pickles, and your choice of Basmati Rice, Salad or home made fries, you will not be disappointed by any of their choices.

I have found that after eating at Naf Naf more then a dozen times I try to make the pitas the focus of my hunger lust.  One of the best ways to showcase the pitas is with their homemade hummus.  Available plain or topped with falafel or shawarma this blend of chick peas, sesame paste and spices is topped off with extra virgin olive oil to provide a silky texture that just begs to be scooped up with a warm pita.  At only $4.99 for their plain hummus and $.50 for a pita you can get yourself 6 pitas and some hummus for a cheap meal for 2 that will beat the pants out of any fast food in both price and quality.

If you have a sweet tooth then save some room for Baklava, while I have never tried them myself if their other food is any indication then for those with a passion for sugar should not be disappointed.

Peppermill that is!  If there is one spice in the kitchen that Katt and I can agree should belong in just about every meal, its’ pepper.  As a matter of fact on one of the very first dates Katt and I ever went on I actually stole a pepper mill.  It occurred while at a [...]]]>

Peppermill that is!  If there is one spice in the kitchen that Katt and I can agree should belong in just about every meal, its’ pepper.  As a matter of fact on one of the very first dates Katt and I ever went on I actually stole a pepper mill.  It occurred while at a restaurant in Las Vegas, the pepper mill on the table worked so well that it left when we did.  It continued to serve us well on the remainder of the trip.  Many dates and pepper grinds later Katt and I needed a new mill, something that would hold up to the demands of a high pepper use household and some serious au poivre action.  All of our research and testing lead us to one grinder, the Magnum by Unicorn Peppermills.  Hit the jump for the full run down.

After trying about a dozen different pepper grinders at various kitchen stores we came to the conclusion that all pepper mills just suck and we would just have to settle on something that looked nice.  That all changed during some extended research when we started seeing some amazingly positive reviews for the Magnum peppermill from Unicorn.  After finding a store locally that carried them we purchased one without having tried it first based solely on the reviews we had read.  This was one of the best purchase decisions we have ever made.

Anyone who has ever shopped for high end peppermills will tell you that at $45.00 the Magnum actually represents a bargain.  Some “high end” peppermills can easily run 80-100 dollars with results that cannot even compare to the Magnum.  The first thing you will notice about the Magnum is its appearance.  Unlike most peppermills available the Magnum is all about function.  No fancy wood, copper, or clear acrylic.  Ok let’s be honest if this bothers you than get a cheap wood peppermill or some antique to leave out on the table and whip out your Magnum when you actually want some pepper.  In addition to the nonsense looks you will get a mill that requires no crazy contortions to grind pepper and no instruction manual necessary to fill it.  Speaking of filling, this mill simply swallows up the pepper corns, simply slide the plastic ring around the middle to expose the fill hole and pour in the pepper.  Since we use so much pepper around the Flavourgasmic kitchen having a huge capacity was a big plus and with the Magnum there is not a lot of wasted space.  Even with the large capacity Katt and I will probably be moving up to the Magnum Plus, this taller cousin of the Magnum holds a whopping 1 ¼ cups of pepper corns, easily enough for a couple days in our kitchen.  Keep this in mind if you use a lot of pepper.

Now about the grind, one of the biggest down falls of most peppermills is grind consistency.  On non-adjustable models you will get everything from pepper dust to pieces that seem larger then the pepper corns you filled the damn thing with.  On most adjustable models you will spend hours finely tuning the adjustment only having it go wildly out of adjustment when you are trying to pick up some beautiful girl with your precisely dialed in pepper grind.  “It happens to all guys” she will say as she takes her pepper needs elsewhere.  Yep you heard it here getting a Magnum peppermill almost guarantee getting the hot chicks.  Joking aside the Magnum is an adjustable mill, but my god will it hold a setting.  Adjust it to cracked pepper and guess what?  You get cracked pepper.  In a week you get more cracked pepper, a year even more.  I think you get the point, not only is the Magnum easy to dial in the grind it will hold it!  Katt and I like a coarser grind and in 3 years and what seems like several hundred pounds of pepper later it hasn’t changed a bit.  This friend is what peppermills are all about!

While it may not be the prettiest girl at the prom, the Magnum is certainly a lot more fun to play with.  If you can get past the rugged plastic looks you will be rewarded with a peppermill that should last you the rest of your life and remains as consistent as the day you bought it.  Whether you are looking for a new mill or just about ready to rectally insert your current model into the person responsible for making it do yourself a favour and check out Unicorn Peppermills.

If your idea of a good German restaurant requires Oom-pah music, lederhosen, musty old dark wood, and more dead animals than live people then the Bavarian Lodge in Lisle, Illinois may not be the restaurant for you.  If however you are in the mood for some good German food and an incredible beer selection then [...]]]>

If your idea of a good German restaurant requires Oom-pah music, lederhosen, musty old dark wood, and more dead animals than live people then the Bavarian Lodge in Lisle, Illinois may not be the restaurant for you.  If however you are in the mood for some good German food and an incredible beer selection then read on.

Snapshot:
Restaurant Type: German / Pub
Dress Code: Casual
Alcohol: Oh Yeah (Lots of Beer)
Price Range: Middle of the Road (15-30)
Flavourgasmic Factor: Recommended

Full Review:
Although they do not go over the top there are enough beer steins, taxidermy animals and dark wood to let you know it’s a German restaurant, in a good way.  The restaurant is family owned and has been in business since 1986.  The atmosphere is casual and should not make anyone feel out of place.  They have both a dining area and a pub room to try and promote a happy bar crowd.  Since we at Flavourgasmic are happy and typically like the bar crowd, the pub room is where we have dined.

Since neither Katt nor I are beer drinkers we are typically not impressed by beer selections.  I completely understand the draw to a good selection of beers for those that are beer aficionados.  Now to get a better understanding of the beer selection at the Bavarian Lodge know that this is the ONLY restaurant that Katt and I visit that we not only drink beer, but look forward to it.  Featuring a constantly changing selection of approximately 25 draft brews that come not only from Germany but from all over the world including exotic beers from North America.  In addition to the draft selection they feature an incredible selection of bottled beer from around the world as well.  Of course they also have a full bar if beer (even good beer) is not your thing.  For Katt and me the selection is simple, we drink the 1809 Berliner Weiss (bottled) with a shot of Raspberry Syrup.  This magical elixir, which is hard to come by outside of Germany, is known as Weiße mit Schuss (basically Weiss with syrup) and is typically made with either raspberry or woodruff syrup both of which are available at Bavarian Lodge.

If you are unsure of what to get I have found that the staff are very knowledgeable about their beer selection.  During our last visit they where out of Raspberry syrup at which the pleasant woman working behind the bar recommended I try the Berliner Weiss with a couple of ounces of the Lindeman Framboise which is a Raspberry Lambic.  Wow was she right, not only was the taste close to what I wanted it had the added benefit of being 100% alcohol, no syrup to dilute the happy juice.  Later in the evening when I drank them out of Berliner Weiss they again suggested a switch to the Franziskaner Weissbier which again was spot on.  If ever in doubt their website is constantly updated with not only what beers are currently on tap, but also what beers will be available soon.

But enough about the beer we came here to eat!  The food did not disappoint.  Certainly not fine dining, but if you came here expecting haute cuisine that you are missing the point.  This is good honest stick to your ribs heavy Germany food done well at reasonable prices.  You are almost guaranteed to not leave hungry.  I should make a brief mention that they do offer three Vegetarian entrees which I have not tried but I guess are there for that odd man out that got dragged to the German restaurant by friends.  They can of course enjoy their meal dinning under a stuffed raccoon!

For starters Katt and I have tried the Potato Pancakes, Wurst Platter, Tiroler Schnitzel Bites, and the Breaded White Cheddar Curds.  The savory potato pancakes are served with sour cream and apple sauce and are an ideal way to start a meal.  Just the right combination of sweet and savory to get your appetite kick started.  The Wurst Platter is a sampling of three types of German sausage all sliced and fried served with spicy horseradish German mustard.  The sausages were all well prepared and each offered a nice experience both in texture and flavour.  Paired with the horseradish mustard it’s another solid starter.  The Schnitzel bites are exactly that, small pork and beef schnitzels served with chopped onions and more German mustard.  For those unaware a schnitzel is just typically a boneless cutlet of meat that it breaded and fried.  This appetizer is a little heaver than the other two but equally as good, it’s fried breaded meat which is always a winner in my book!  The breaded white cheddar curds are Wisconsin white cheddar curds that have been breaded and fried.  Basically the Bavarian Lodge equivalent of the cheese sticks available at just about every restaurant and bar in the US.  Their version is very good but probably the least interesting item on the appetizer menu, which can be good if you want something easy to get you going or if you have a picky eater with you.  They are served with a roasted red pepper garlic sauce for dipping which is also very good.

As for entrees the choice was easy for me, I got the Sauerbraten.  Sauerbraten starts by marinating a cut of beef usually from the bottom round or rump for several days in vinegar and a host of spices.  The meat is then braised in the strained marinating liquid for hours after which the remaining liquid is made into a dark gravy thicken often times with gingersnaps.  The Bavarian Lodge’s version is excellent, the perfect balance of sour, sweet and savory.  The gravy is well seasoned and flavourful and makes the perfect compliment for either bread dumplings or Spätzle (both of which are done very well).  The only complaint I had about the meal was the red cabbage, which in my opinion was overly sweet.  Katt had the Bavarian Rouladen when is basically a beef steak that is wrapped around onion, carrot, celery, egg and sausage then baked and served with a peppercorn gravy.  While I cannot speak for Katt I know she did enjoy her meal but had the same comment about the red cabbage being too sweet.

All in all we have never been disappointed by a trip to the Bavarian Lodge.  The staff has always been gracious and extremely knowledgeable when it came to the selections and the beer.  The prices are reasonable for the food you receive with appetizers coming in around $7-$8 and entrees averaging $17-$18.  Beer on the other hand will not come cheap.  Their beer prices are not high but when you are drinking higher end beers prices start to go up.  Expect to pay around $70 for a couple with appetizers, entrees and drinks, of course you could dine on the cheap by not drinking, but where is the fun in that?  If you are in the south western suburbs of Chicago and looking for some good German food, check out Bavarian Lodge.

Ever wonder what gives your steak that beautiful brown crust and amazing aroma?  How about why bread dough goes from white and unassuming to toasty golden brown and delicious?  Both of these phenomena, and many others, are the responsibility of the same reaction which is represented by that picture up there.  This reaction is known [...]]]>

Ever wonder what gives your steak that beautiful brown crust and amazing aroma?  How about why bread dough goes from white and unassuming to toasty golden brown and delicious?  Both of these phenomena, and many others, are the responsibility of the same reaction which is represented by that picture up there.  This reaction is known as Maillard browning which along with caramelization are the two non-enzymatic browning methods responsible for delicious food.  To find out what ducks have to do with cooking, read on.

Ok so I guess the Mallard reaction is slightly different than the Maillard one but that’s another article.  This reaction in food was named after the chemist Louis-Camille Maillard who discovered it in the 1910′s while trying to synthesize proteins.  This is of course not to say that it had not been employed in cooking until than.  Since the man first cooked dinosaur over a fire (well at least according to the cartoons I have seen) he has been enjoying the flavours and aromas produced by the Maillard reaction.  So just what is it than?  Enjoy this simple diagram.

Well it’s actually a super complicated chemical reaction as shown in that simple diagram above, but can be explained rather easily.  When the amino acids in foods (the building blocks of proteins) react with the sugars in foods, particularly in the presence of heat, the resultant molecules are responsible for the range of aromas and tastes that a particular food has.  Depending on the amino acids involved dictates the resulting flavors, it’s through this reaction that we are able to chemically create artificial flavouring.  Take a steak that is seared on a grill for instance the resulting Maillard reaction creates as many as 600 unique flavour compounds.

Armed with the above knowledge this can help us immensely when cooking food.  Since it is known that the Maillard reaction occurs most rapidly in the presence of heat between 300° F and 500° we now know why it is so important to have a really hot grill when searing steak.  Since only the outside will reach these really high temperatures, thus triggering the Maillard reaction, the strongest flavours will be on the surface.  This explains why most recipes that call for cooking methods such as braising suggest first browning the meat over high heat.  Doing so assures you will unlock all the unique flavour compounds released by the Maillard reaction.  Also of interest is how this affects lean cuts of meat.  Since most lean meats contain little to no sugars the browning that occurs here is usually a result of the proteins themselves breaking down and not their reaction to sugars.  This helps explain the distinctly inferior flavour of lean meat.

Bread is another great example of the Maillard reaction, when baking or toasting bread the proteins and sugars combine, not only to give off that nice golden brown colour but also to give the flavour we describe as toasted.  Yep the reaction in bread and the resulting compounds is what is responsible for the smell and taste you get from bread, one of the best aromas around!

Hopefully with a little knowledge of this complex chemical reaction we can bend it to our wills and make sure that the reaction from those eating our foods is as good as the one from Maillard.

With father’s day rapidly approaching my thoughts are starting to turn towards the meal I will prepare for my father.  After viewing Mr. Walken‘s preparing roasted chicken he mentioned this might be something he wanted.  Of course this isn’t just any roasted chicken, it’s vertical roasted chicken.  This of course requires, you guessed it, a [...]]]>

With father’s day rapidly approaching my thoughts are starting to turn towards the meal I will prepare for my father.  After viewing Mr. Walken‘s preparing roasted chicken he mentioned this might be something he wanted.  Of course this isn’t just any roasted chicken, it’s vertical roasted chicken.  This of course requires, you guessed it, a vertical roaster.  When it comes to vertical roasters there is only one name to go with and that’s Spanek.  Read on to find out why.

The reason they are the go to guys for vertical roasters is simple, they invented it.  Of course they didn’t invent vertical roasting, this was done by the Chinese several thousand years ago.  What Spanek did was invent the iconic “Eiffel Tower” shaped vertical roaster that everyone thinks of.  The vertical roaster as we know it was invented by George Spanek when his wife Anna, a Cordon Bleu chef who had lived in Paris for 30 years, grew dismayed over the inferior quality of produce and meat that was available to her in the US.  She asked her husband to create a way to stand the bird up during cooking.  This allows the inside to sear locking in the natural juices.  Meanwhile all of this was being observed by a young Denis Spanek who was only 6 when his parents moved to the US from Paris.

After seeing how much work was involved in running his parent’s French restaurant, Denis instead went into real estate.  He started to get a reputation for preparing vertically roasted chickens for new homeowners.  Challenged by his father to try and successfully market the family’s vertical roaster, Denis was originally hesitant.  Only after he started receiving more calls on the roaster, then he did on homes, did Denis take the vertical roaster business full time.  That was in 1976, since 1979 Spanek has sold over 10 million vertical roasters and in 1981 was named on of the top ten most innovative products at the Paris Gourmet Show.

Given the response that the vertical roaster received Denis designed larger roasters to accommodate turkey, and smaller ones for game birds such as hen, pheasant and quail.  He also developed a ring that can be fitted to the top of the roaster that holds 8 skewers for roasting chops, kabobs and other cuts of meat.  Since they are vertically roasted they require no additional fat and produce a tender flavourful meat.

Available directly from Spanek you can get an entire set of roasters for turkey, chicken and game birds for just $44.95 in chrome and $54.95 in non-stick black.  So why not make your father and Mr. Walken happy this father’s day and vertically roast a chicken?