The real question with antibiotics and livestock

Happy Cows at BN Ranch

There are so many things in our country that if "We The People" knew, we would stand in protest, or that's what we would like to think. We continue to smoke, over 25million of us, even though we know and fully understand the potential outcome. And, that list goes on and on with our addictive and destructive habits. I'm by no means a saint or perfect, but when some things just slap you in the face when you become a little older and (hopefully) wiser you shift your priorities and values. Such is the case with me regarding antibiotics being abused for the raising of livestock. There are numerous reports and leading scientists that warn against the abuse of antibiotics even in humans and the reasons and possible outcomes are as scary as any sci-fi or horror movie you will ever see. But, a large majority of us seem to not be asking the right questions. We get caught up in the "he said she said" bullshit, or we make it a political game to dodge the issues. 

Or we just ignore it. Hell, that's so much easier!

Recently there was an article published in the National Agricultural Library where the USDA commissioned a report on the antibiotics used in the raising of livestock. Here is the link to the article in Mother Jones. Ironically the article just vanished last Friday once the watchdog groups got a hold of this powerful document. For me it's not about the occasional use of anything in particular it's the abuse and cover up and lack of transparency that concerns me greatly. So I ask you to ask yourself this question "if something goes against the natural order of things, is it worth the risk of continuing?" It's really that simple and apparently it is that simple to Sweden because 20 years ago they banned the "routine" use of antibiotics in raising livestock and European Union thought the same as well because they followed suite in 2006.Hat's off to Europe, well done.

Just to clarify I'm not saying we should never use antibiotics in raising livestock, but there is no reason to routinely add small doses of antibiotics their feed for no apparent reason other than the "if they get sick"excuse. Vote with your fork, educate yourself and understand where your food source comes from. Your life just might depend on it.

The photo above was taken at BN Ranch in Bolinas, CA. Where Nic & Bill NEVER use antibiotics and their cattle live free on hundreds of acres of land.

Chopbiscuit daily links: Grubbin' with a sunset

10 Best U.S. Restaurants to watch a sunset
Most of us normally consider two things when picking a restaurant. First, how good is the food? Second, how much does it cost? But sometimes setting is more important. Sometimes you want décor, ambience, or a sense of place to be what's memorable. And when it comes to the perfect setting during dinner, what's more awe-inspiring than a sunset? (I've visited two so far - looks  like a need a few more road trips)

Making Gâteau St. Honoré
Every so often a pastry comes along that makes even the most jaded sweet-eater throw down his fork, stomp his foot and shout out loud: my GOD that’s good. Gâteau St. Honoré is that pastry. Yes, you may think you know what it tastes like: cream puff dough, pastry cream, meringue and caramel. But I’m telling you friends, until you actually prepare and serve one of these you won’t understand the impact that all those components can have when they’re delivered together. The uninitiated are always, always stunned.

10 Blueberry Dishes to Savor Before the Season's Over
If you're as mad for blueberry season as I am, then you'll be dismayed to know that there are only a few weeks of it left, as the fruit is at its best between May and August. So while there's still time, buy up all the wild and cultivated varieties you can find, and eat these puppies until you're, well, blue in the face. Need some inspiration? Here, are 10 recipe suggestions.

Digital Menu Boards will change restaurant industry
To begin I would like to state I am not stupid enough to believe the development of digital menu boards or digital signs are nearly as important as the development of computers. However, I do believe it is valid to make some comparisons.

Are you serving flextarians?
After a decade of intense meat worship, chefs are procuring, preparing and serving vegetables with the same love and attention they previously reserved for Ossabaw pork or grass-fed marrow bones.
If you're not vegetarian or carnivore, what are you? The term "flexitarian" is catching on, although author and all-around food guru, Mark Bittman, likes the term "smartly thought-out omnivore." His most recent books, Food Matters and The Food Matters Cookbook, arose from his own vegan-by-day/carnivore-by-night lifestyle. Lately, we've seen consumers looking to flexitarianism to cut out meat during the day to save calories or cut back on it during the week to save money or wear-and-tear on the planet.

Pizza Week
The ladies at Fromscratchclub are doing a homage to pizza with their classic little spin. These girls get down with dem flatbreads!

Chopbiscuit {at home} dining review: The Farmhouse at Top of the World - Lake George, NY

Welcome (again) to another delightful ad hoc Chopbiscuit inspection of some of the USA's most frequented saloons, dining halls, dive bars, food trucks, in-room dining and high end bistro's. At least one of your humble contributors is on the road virtually every week and luckily have the opportunity to dine at some of the finest institutions and loathsome watering holes known to man. Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, some deity would permit us to be pirates and savage our nutriment.

We like eating. It fascinates us. We sit and look at the food for hours. We often eat while laying down in my hotel room with a bib in my lap and my outlook calendar open. Eating is our tweeting, except it's much cooler. Food is often made into the celebrity of carnage, which makes us appear to be pompous and scarce in regards to the act of eating itself. You eat because you fuel. We eat because we're hungry. We eat because it's our job. We go out to these establishments to consume their lineups with arrogance.

I then judge it. (Poncho Sinatra style)

 

The Farmhouse Restaurant
441 Lockhart Mountain Rd
Lake George, NY 12845
(518) 668-3000

If you want a truly Farm To Table restaurant experience just north of the Capital Region in New York - get yourself to the Farmhouse at Top of the World in Lake George, NY. We had the opportunity to visit this amazing place this past weekend and it was one of my best restaurant experiences in sometime. The Farmhouse gets 100% of it's menu from it's local farm (Top of the world) and regionally located farms nearby. The menu changes often and is focuses on what's in season and appropriate.

Situated on a few acres on the backside of the mountain, Top of the World Farm grows sustainable and all-natural produce to be used to offer the freshest and highest quality products for the restaurant. The chef, Kevin London uses his experience to craft regional dishes showcasing only the freshest seasonal ingredients. Menus are frequently evolving, inspired by the organically-grown vegetables and herbs coming from our organic farm.

What I ingested

Can I get a little foul mouthed on here? This meal was one of the best effing meals I've had in the past 6 months. For all of you that shun the farm to table freshness movement as one for hippies and elitists - suck it. It's simply better and tastier when the chef knows the ingredients point of freshness and capitalizes on minimal processing. It's just simply better, period. I started out with an amazing green gazpacho with goat cheese crema. It was nicely balanced with a sweet mix of sweet and savory. I chose the farmer ground polenta w/ squash and chevre, romesco (seen above) .This was a top five dish of my summer. The nice, creamy polenta was cooked to perfection with some additional heat and bold flavors. I'm not going to say anything about the desserts - I will just let the visuals make the case. Amazing.

 

Concept & Design

The restaurant boasts a 19th century Adirondack dining room.  You will find the Adirondack style warm and informal  with wholesome cuisine and professional service that matches up to the interior.   Every Thursday they do a Harvest Dinner at 7pm which  is a 7 course dinner served family style on their community table.The view from the dining room shows the Eastern mountain range and picturesque landscape of the beautiful Lake George region. A great place to relax in the Adirondacks with an amazing view.

Chopbiscuit Daily Links: Get your market farmin' on!

{Weekend Reading} Local Edition
The gals over at FromScratchClub always do a great job promoting the regional farmer's markets and events related to good, local eating. Make sure you go check out their blog - it's the female roller derby of food blogs.

One for the road: Vodka Bars
Pick just about any bar in the country, and it's bound to have at least one vodka. It is, after all, America's most popular tipple. But many establishments go well beyond that, offering bottling from around the world and tasty cocktails made with the spirit. Here are five of our favorites.(Remember, Vodka is a great way to make shady, innapropriate decisions)

Brown Butter Brown Sugar Muffins
(Say that five times fast) Muffins are usually studded with berries, speckled with chocolate or laced with generous amounts of spices. They are rarely left plain because, well, plain muffins can be pretty boring. These muffins look plain and don’t have anything like berries or coconut or chocolate mixed into the batter, but when you take a bite you’ll discover that they are far from a plain muffin. These Brown Butter Brown Sugar Muffins pack an unexpected burst of flavor from both brown sugar and browned butter.

Bruegger's intros Ciabatta panini options
Bruegger's has announced the addition of a new lineup of sandwiches made on artisan ciabatta bread, adding to its expanding chef-inspired menu items. Bruegger’s will add artisan-style ciabatta to its daily selections, as well as two new panini creations, which will pair with the ciabatta bread. Among Bruegger’s new panini options, guests can choose from either a Turkey, Artichoke and Mozz sandwich or a Chicken Aioli Melt. (This looks eerily familiar to another concept?)


Consumers prefer organic food, survey says
A new Thomson Reuters poll found that the majority (58%) of consumers prefer organic food to conventional food. This preference is particularly strong with those with a higher education, and those of a younger demographic. Sixty-three perfect of respondents under age 35 choose organics when possible.

Since I'm feeling a little extra chipper today, check out this guy in San Luis Obispo, CA offering free hugs. Hug it out brotha!

Chopbiscuit {at home} dining review: The Cupcake Lab - Saratoga Springs, NY

Welcome (again) to another delightful ad hoc Chopbiscuit inspection of some of the USA's most frequented saloons, dining halls, dive bars, food trucks, in-room dining and high end bistro's. At least one of your humble contributors is on the road virtually every week and luckily have the opportunity to dine at some of the finest institutions and loathsome watering holes known to man. Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, some deity would permit us to be pirates and savage our nutriment.

We like eating. It fascinates us. We sit and look at the food for hours. We often eat while laying down in my hotel room with a bib in my lap and my outlook calendar open. Eating is our tweeting, except it's much cooler. Food is often made into the celebrity of carnage, which makes us appear to be pompous and scarce in regards to the act of eating itself. You eat because you fuel. We eat because we're hungry. We eat because it's our job. We go out to these establishments to consume their lineups with arrogance.

I then judge it. (Mark Mcdonough style)

Great BLT from The Cupcake Lab

The Cup Cake Lab in Saratoga Springs, NY is one of the hidden jewels that you hope you find no matter what city you happen to travel to, or in my case,  live near. Over the last few months I have gotten to know Mike and Liz and I can tell you that out of all the cities and restaurants I visit - this dynamic duo get it!

They understand the connection that they have to the community as well as the connection to the food that is produced around them. Not all of the ingredients they serve fall into the 100 mile locale mantra,  but instead they put quality above all else and in some cases it just so happens that some pretty great food is produced in the counties surrounding our little nook here in Saratoga Springs. Such is the case with my lunch yesterday.

What I ingested:

I met up with my blogging partner Poncho to catch up on some work and see our friends at The Lab. As always, the specials of the day were nothing short of amazing.  Spicy Andouille Potato Soup, Smoked Salmon BLT with Locust Grove black pepper bacon (pictured above), tomato mozzarella and arugula on homemade freshly baked ciabatta.  And, what can you say about the cookies.  Liz had baked some great cookies as she does everyday, but yesterday on the special board was Oatmeal Butterscotch & coconut. Slap me and call me Sally. (Sorry, I'm a country guy from Memphis) The options threw me into an hunger fit,  but I narrowed it down to the miso soup and the BLT.

All I can say is that I think Poncho was "talking shop",  but all I could do was nod and smile between thoughts of how incredible my soup and sandwich was. So, the next time you find yourself hungry in Saratoga Springs get your butt over here and enjoy some great food & beverages in an inviting and warm space.

*Also, don't forget about the coffee. Poncho knows coffee and he'll tell you it's the best coffee from here to NYC.

Chopbiscuit Daily Links - Is your city fast food friendly?

The ten cities that spend the most on fast food.

They say that apple pie is the quintessential image of America, but if you wanted to take that image further, you could say that nothing is as American as the rectangular apple pie sold in little cardboard boxes at McDonald's.

Food truck names that should be banned

Me so hungry, Shrimp Pimp, Shrimpin' ain't easy are just a few to make the list.
 

My experience at the Food Network studios

Recipe extraordinaire and food blogger, Joanne over at Fifteenspatulas recently got a chance to film a demo at the studios.

10 craft beers to try right now

You may or may not have noticed, but we are suddenly in a golden age of beer consumption, the likes of which this country has not seen since around the time the light bulb was invented.

How did you celebrate the Wienermobile's 75th birthday?
Between 1,000 and 1,500 college seniors apply for the 12 posts piloting Oscar Mayer’s six Wienermobiles. Hopefuls have been applying for the position since 1988.


Parents, don't let your kids drive the wienermobile after too many wieners.

Chopbiscuit at home recipes: Mark's Spicy Peanut Sauce

Spicy Peanut Sauce and Chicken Skewers - Whoot!

A couple of years ago while attending the Fancy Food Show in New York,  (yes, it's actually pretty fancy) I discovered the BEST PEANUT BUTTER in the world. Let me introduce you to  Peanut Butter & Co.  Lee Zalben created the company years before I tasted it, but none the less no one takes peanut butter to the level that Lee does.  Lee started Peanut Butter & Co in 98' on west 3rd in Greenwich Village and they have lot's of great flavors including the one I'm blogging today "The Heat is on". This jar packs a kick ass punch of heat and just enough to keep eating it right off the spoon.

So, I've had this jar on Spicy Peanut Butter in my cupboard for a month and all I've done with it is grab a spoon and eat it. A few weeks ago Sharon and I were craving Thai and didn't feel like going out and that jar of P-nut Butter jumped into my mind and the heat was on - Don Henley style. I wanted to create a spicy peanut sauce for the chicken satay we were having for dinner.

Below is the super easy, minimum ingredient Spicy Peanut Sauce for your eating pleasure:

Heat is on Peanut Butter 2 Tablespoon
Nama Shoyu 1 Tablespoon (don't just use soy sauce)
Water 1 Tablespoon 
Agave nectar 2 teaspoon (don't just use honey or sugar)
Mirin 1 teaspoon

Mix together the ingredients and use for dipping sauce

*A quick tip from Mark - If you really want great food, you have to use great ingredients and allow them to speak for themselves. This will also allow you to use fewer ingredients. You should never have flavors trying to compete with each other but rather flow harmoniously together.

Chopbiscuit at home: Coffee Review - Ethiopa Kilenso Mokonisa {Counter Culture}

Every morning when I'm not on the road, prior to performing 100 one-handed push ups (Jack Palance) style,  and acrobatic worthy somersaults,  I make my cup of morning Joe. Generally, I have a new blend from one of the many favorite joints and roasters I've seen throughout my years on the road. Lately, I've been ordering most of my coffee (mail order) from Counter Culture. For me, it doesn't get any better than this. These guys and gals eat, sleep and breathe coffee and all the nuances around it.


This month's shipment featured selection: Ethiopia Kilenso Mokonisa - Sidama

(Via: CounterCulture)

Since before recorded history, Ethiopians have been picking coffee cherries and simply drying them in the sun before husking, roasting, and brewing. A beautiful rendition of that natural sun dried tradition comes to us in the form of Kilenso Mokonisa, which offers notes of blueberry, raspberry, and cocoa in the cup.

If you like any hint of dried fruit or berries in your coffee - this sun dried bean is your best bet. Lot's of complexity and hints of strawberry make this a bright, interesting cup of coffee. As always, I'm completely and utterly (I enjoy saying completely and utterly) dumbfounded by the folks at Counter Culture's passion around coffee. Make sure you go over here and check out slideshow they put together on this bean. This is such a great cup - that I'm going to use this as my gold standard for any coffee that has notes of fruit and berries.

I also enjoy fruits and berries in this context as well - Just let your soul glo!

Sometimes food is just charming....

Hey Diabetes Type II,  I want you to come here and meet some one. His name is The Sheboygan. I figured you two would get along well together.

I've never been to the city of Sheboygan - but I'm thinking about stopping by. You know how I like "The Cheese Curd".

Chopbiscuit at home recipes: Mary had a little lamb {Lamb Burgers}

Lickety Splickety!

My wife Sharon has been craving lamb burgers ever since she ate a fantastic LB a few weeks ago at one of our favorite local spots Tallulah Bistro in downtown Glens Falls, NY. And, since my In-Laws were in town I thought I would break down and make a Gyro style lamb burger with goat cheese from Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery.

I began with 2 lbs.of organic ground lamb and added the following ingredients:

garlic cloves, minced - 2 medium cloves

garam masala - 1.5 teaspoon
black pepper cracked - 2 teaspoon
sea salt - 2 teaspoons
cumin, whole cracked - 1 teaspoon
worcestershire sauce - 2 teaspoon
oregano, fresh chopped - 2 tablespoon

Grab your burger buns and  butter and drizzle with olive oil - we love the Italian Sesame Seed Soft Rolls baked by the Mastroianni Brothers in Rotterdam, NY. Mash it all together and divide into 4 large burgers (I made ours into 5 but 4 would have been better)

Next, start your fire. You want to give the burgers a little time to begin to absorb some of the flavors - but not too long because the salt will begin to draw out moisture and this is No Bueno. With fires, I use the old chimney starter method because we really don't care for propane cooking.

Now that your fire is kickin' ass and your grates are hot,  place a little olive oil on a paper towel and rub across each grate and place the burgers on the grill and close the lid. Let it be and relax. Give it 4-5 minutes depending on the amount of heat, but you want some charring before you flip'em. Wait another 4-5 minutes and slap on the goat cheese mixture (recipe below) give it another 2 minutes and remove from the heat. Place the buns on the fire and do not move, don't get distracted or you will be making a nice salad with balsamic vinaigrette to place the burgers on because you just burnt them. For the goat cheese spread, mix approx 4 oz of goat cheese with 2 tablespoons of sour cream.

Make someone happy today and enjoy some lamb burgers

Food hangover

  A light Sunday dinner at the Carberry's

I remember back in college when I would have those days where I would say, "never again, I'm done.....never again". The long nights of drinking cheap beer, wine, booze and washing it down with the late night pizza at 3am in the morning. Remember those nights?

Well, as we get a bit older I often feel that same drubbing with eating good food. This weekend was one of those gluttony sessions. A few of us inappropriately went "Comfort food crazy" eating fries, burgers, pizza and heavy sides and desserts. So, last night we kept it lean and simple. We finally grilled some corn and eggplant with a guacamole salad. One of my favorite summer side dishes is grilled corn with sprinkled with a little peri-peri.  A pretty light and stomach friendly option after a hearty weekend of heavy food. Also, I recently went on a 15 week travel bender that brought me to Saint Louis, Nashville, Chicago, San Diego (twice), and Boston. So, I'm ready to be home this week to catch up some work and fasting from airport provisions and late night dinners.

My yogurt is all "There's something about Mary"

In the world of absolute absurdly, a New Mexico man was indicted on charges that he handed out yogurt samples tainted with semen at a grocery store. On certain occasions I like to say, "Well, you haven't walked in his shoes". But, this is not one of those occasions.

Anthony Garcia - you need a fastball to the head from Kenny Powers.

From the AP,

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A New Mexico man indicted on charges that he handed out yogurt samples tainted with semen at a grocery store has made his initial appearance in federal court.

Anthony Garcia was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury on charges of adulterating food and making false statements to federal investigators. He made his first court appearance Thursday. The 32-year-old Garcia remains in custody pending a detention hearing Friday. He has not yet entered a plea, and it wasn't immediately clear who his appointed attorney would be.

Garcia is accused of handing out tainted yogurt samples at a Sunflower Market in Albuquerque in January.
Officers responded after a woman called to report an employee had given her what she was told was a yogurt sample. The woman told police she believed it was actually a bodily fluid. Police say they tested the yogurt and found semen. They say they linked it to Garcia using DNA.

On that note, have a great weekend everyone - stay away from the parfaits.

Chopbiscuit on the road dining review: The Dutch Pancake cafe - Stowe, VT

Welcome (again) to another delightful ad hoc Chopbiscuit inspection of some of the USA's most frequented saloons, dining halls, dive bars, food trucks, in-room dining and high end bistro's. At least one of your humble contributors is on the road virtually every week and luckily have the opportunity to dine at some of the finest institutions and loathsome watering holes known to man. Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, some deity would permit us to be pirates and savage our nutriment.

I like eating. It fascinates me. I sit and look at the food for hours. I often eat while laying down in my hotel room with a bib in my lap and my outlook calendar open. Eating is my tweeting, except it's much cooler. Food is often made into the celebrity of carnage, which makes us appear to be pompous and scarce in regards to the act of eating itself. You eat because you fuel. I eat because I'm hungry. I eat because it's my job. I go out to these establishments to consume their lineups with arrogance.

I then judge it.

Mike D approved

Dutch Pancake Cafe
990 Mountain Road
Stowe, VT 05672
802.253.8921


If you're like me, you enjoy gettin' your "Dutch On" every now and then.Whether it's using your Dutch Oven, or giving one (sorry I had to sneak that one in), Nederland culture is one that sits silently in our hearts. Did you know that 21% of it's culture is located below sea level? Me either. Well, anyways, if you're ever in Stowe, VT you can appreciate a little Dutch right in the heart of the Green Mountains. The Dutch Pancake cafe is located on the famous Mountain Road at the Grey Fox Inn hotel. It was reviewed by the New York Times as “The World’s Most Decadent Breakfast” and by Stowe Guide as “One of Stowe’s Most Unique Dining Attractions”

I had the opportunity to visit the Pancake cafe last weekend with my wife and her family and wasn't disappointed. The cafe serves 80 varieties of Dutch Sweet pancakes. Each Pancake is prepared in a traditional Dutch skillet. They are 12” in diameter and thinner than an American style pancake. Special gourmet ingredients are added to create a unique sweet or savory breakfast treat. I believe it was Mike D from the Beastie Boys that said it best with, "When I'm in Holland I eat the Pannekoeken." What's amazing is that you can do this in Vermont as well - who woulda thunk it.

What I ingested

I decided to go with The Rembrandt, which contained apple, shredded potato, pineapple, raisins, ham and cheddar cheese seasoned with curry. It was a nice mix of savory and sweet flavors with a nice pinch of curry. They even  had some Dutch honey syrup, but I went with the home team and obviously chose a nice Vermont Maple. The pancake was a great filling breakfast, which I was only able to finish about  1/3 of it. This was the Ford F350 of pancakes - enormous.

Concept & Design

The cafe sits within the Grey Fox Inn, which is a standard, resorty style ski hotel nestled right on Mountain road heading up to the mountain. It has a quiet, quaint feel that denotes the Stowe laid back lifestyle. As simple as simple comes, it's a great place for a mellow breakfast with family and friends. Right next to the cafe is the The Pub which serves standard American fare and draught. If you're ever in Stowe, it's a great simple, hearty stop to fill your belly prior to a ski run or hike.

Chopbiscuit on the road: Share and share alike - Los Angeles style

Two weeks ago while in Los Angles for business I hooked up with with my good buddy and great chef David Bass. We headed over to one of his favorite restaurants The Lazy Ox Canteen in Little Tokyo for some killer grub. I was really excited to check out Chef Josef Centeno's food.  It was great to see that the place was PACKED! I got a little nervous (really I was super hungry and didn't feel like driving anywhere else...joking),  but we managed to be seated outside and it was a beautiful night in L.A.

I was trying to focus on the menu but all of this beautiful food kept coming out to tables around us made it really difficult to focus, but focus was super important because I wanted to be ready order when the waiter returned. With Bass' guidance and input he helped narrow it down to five menu items - yeah it was a light night for me. After reading the menu from top to bottom one item that I couldn't wait to devour was the burrato with heirloom tomatoes. This is the only time of year that I eat tomatoes so every chance I get they are on my plate and even more so this year because for the first time in years I'm not growing my own.

Here comes the waiter and the pressure mounts, with a couple of last minute changes I was ready.  Bring it on! First up I ordered the burrata with tomatoes and then the waiter stopped me... "I'm sorry but someone just ordered the last one, but the cauliflower would be a great substitute." WTF are you serious? I quietly thought to myself with a smile on my face. As if there is a sub for heirloom tomatoes in the prime of tomato season paired with melted burrata cheese. Ok, we will make the sub and I continued my order with hesitation after each selection. After regaining my thoughts and composure, Bass and I continued our conversation about our incredible families, food, travels and some of the great events our careers have taken us to.

Next to us was a young lady dinning alone and after a few minutes I couldn't help but notice that that little lady was eating the last of the tomatoes. For the next few minutes all I could think about was creating a distraction so I could steal a bite. Luckily, at that moment our food began to arrive beginning with the fried clams. Next thing you know she mentions "oh man I should have ordered those clams they look amazing, trade you a bite of the tomatoes for some clams"

Let the Sharing begin.

Now, we are all talking like old friends and sharing food and laughs. Our server, which happens to be her server, commented "Now this is what great food and dinning is all about" and even the manager came over with a big smile on his face and made a great comment.

Everything we ordered was amazing.  For me this is what life is all about, SHARING. Sharing your experiences, your passions and love for life. Because after it's all said and done these are the things you remember most. I will never forget this experience coupled with great food. For the life of me I can't remember her name but I do remember that she was from Seattle. I want to say to her in this post, THANKS! Thanks for sharing and thanks for not being afraid to share with total strangers. This is the great food you should expect at every restaurant, food in an environment that makes you feel so comfortable you forget about life's shitty moments and all of the challenges.  Lastly, that was the best cauliflower dish I have ever eaten in my life.

SHARE ON playa.

Planning that trip to Napa in 30 years? Think again....

For those wine lovers that have a trip to Napa Valley in mind for the distant future, you may want to think again. Apparently climate change is playing "god" with the regions grapes and the land might be 50% less suitable for the region's finest bluish red, fruit thingies. The good news, those grapes might be available north in Oregon and Washington. *Good for all your Seattle Seahawk fans.

These changes aren't in line to take place for another 30 years, so if you're only about 2-3 years of age - take advantage right after your 21st birthday. They will still have a pink stretch Hummer model available for you and all your friends to exhibit questionable and inappropriate behavior during a long weekend in the famous wine region. So, if you haven't been - book now or forever hold your peace and enjoy the your mom's favorite box wine.

Chopbiscuit on the road dining review: Hannah's Bretzel - Chicago, IL

Welcome to another delightful ad hoc Chopbiscuit inspection of some of the USA's most frequented saloons, dining halls, dive bars, food trucks, in-room dining and high end bistro's. At least one of your humble contributors is on the road virtually every week and luckily have the opportunity to dine at some of the finest institutions and loathsome watering holes known to man. Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, some deity would permit us to be pirates and savage our nutriment.

I like eating. It fascinates me. I sit and look at the food for hours. I often eat while laying down in my hotel room with a bib in my lap and my outlook calendar open. Eating is my tweeting, except it's much cooler. Food is often made into the celebrity of carnage, which makes us appear to be pompous and scarce in regards to the act of eating itself. You eat because you fuel. I eat because I'm hungry. I eat because it's my job. I go out to these establishments to consume their lineups.

I then judge it.

Hannah's Bretzel
Chicago, IL
Various locations

A few of us were out in Chi-town again this week for work and were led to this little uber sandwich maker joint. I've never heard of Hannah's before, but was pleasantly surprised and delighted after our visit. First off, there isn't anything about Hannah's not to like. From its healthy and seriously tasty sandwiches and whole grain organic pretzels to its dedication and stewardship as an environmentally conscious business.  All of Hannah's meats are certified organic, free of antibiotics, growth hormones, sulfites and nitrites. On the "Green" business side, Hannah's is the first USGBC-LEED certified fast casual restaurant in Chicago. The cafe uses 100 percent biodegradable containers, lids, utensils and plates and even transports catering orders via low emission vehicles. It's truly a standout in a cluttered field of great eateries in Chicago.

What I Ingested:

After a long, drooling stance in line I was forced to decide. I chose the Serrano Ham, fennel and manchego cheese with a side of roasted vegetables. (That's right, they offer local, roasted vegetables as a side) I say this often and sometimes should muzzle myself when crowning the best, but this may have been one of the best sandwiches I've ever tasted. Fennel is such an aromatic herb and added some great subtle flavors to the manchego cheese. A truly genius pairing on the part of Hannah's culinary team. Did I mention the pretzel bread? No, well it was a perfect compliment to the proteins with enough grit and mouth feel to hold the flavors together. Again, one of the best flavor combinations I've had in a sandwich yet.

Hannah's has truly created a method of generating "feel good" sandwiches. For those who want to eat only sustainable meat, there used to be two tough options: Spend big money at a stuffy, high-end restaurant, or stay home and spend big money. But, as more chefs have expanded their repertoire with casual dining, several have carried their sustainable preferences with them to the cafe style or QSR model. This has produced a new herd of grass-fed meat options, pastured chicken and organic pulled-pork sandwiches that can make even indulgent eating feel religiously  virtuous for the internal foodie.

Picture via (TammyGreen.com)

Concept & Design:

Being the fist LEED certified QSR restaurant in Chicago is pretty cool. Even cooler is the space and design model they created to showcase their values and passions. My co-worker used the words, "it's very much like an Ikea with great food". Well, maybe he's right in some perspective.  Everything in the environment is thought out with a very progressive German flex. All the lines and colors are in sync and compliment the layers of food tones. The green messaging is bold and clear, which shows they aren't in that game for showcasing a slight bent on sustainability. It does have an over-engineered uber feel to it, but it suits the food. You can't over-engineer great food and that's what Hannah's offers first and foremost. So, if you're ever in Chicago, it's a must stop for lunch
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Chopbiscuit at home: Coffee Review - Counter Culture Coffee {Santa Elena, El Salvador}

Every morning when I'm not on the road, prior to performing 100 one-handed push ups (Jack Palance) style, I make my cup of morning Joe. Generally, I have a new blend from one of the many favorite joints and roasters I've seen throughout my years on the road. Lately, I've been ordering most of my coffee (mail order) from Counter Culture. For me, it doesn't get any better than this. These guys and gals eat, sleep and breathe coffee and all the nuances around it.


This month's shipment featured a seasonal selection,  Santa Elena.

My Panera cup really enjoys this bean, in a non-competitive way.

I've been drinking this roast for about three days now. I'm really enjoying the nutty, chocolate notes in this bean even though I'm usually a fan of a more bright balanced flavor. Its' a nice soft, chewy cup of coffee that goes well with a nice slice of toast and fresh preserves.  According to their website, The classically delicious sweetness of the heirloom Bourbon variety underscores notes of milk chocolate, toasted nuts, stone fruit, and citrus. Although I didn't sense any citrus tang in my mouth, the other descriptors are right on.

The best thing about Counter Culture is the story they tell about the farms. Make sure you click here to read about the farm and the history. It makes you realize what passionate people can accomplish when they set their minds on being the best at what they do. Maybe the prosecutors for the Casey Anthony trial could have used some of this passion. Whoops, did I just say that?

Because this picture is awesome....

 

If you don't like this picture, you don't support the rebellion. 

A holiday weekend hangover (with a dollup of Lee Greenwood)

Welcome back to the real world. After an extended weekend of eating, drinking, eating, Lee Greenwood (America - eff yea!) and eating - it's back to work time for most of us. It was actually a much quieter fourth of July weekend than usual since my travel schedule killed some of my zest for some of the late night festivities. Also, was a change to my dietary habits. Katie and I ate less meat and ventured into some more vegetarian options.

We started out the weekend by picking some strawberries at a local farm. Obviously it was at the end of the season for full, ripe strawberries, but we were able to muster up a few pints of decent pickin's and make some strawberry shortcake for dessert Saturday evening.

 On the way back from strawberry picking, we made a stop at one of my favorite ice cream joints in the country, the Ice Cream Man. If you're travels ever bring you north of Albany, it's a must stop. They've revolutionized what a milkshake should be in American pop culture. More to come on this in the next couple days.

On Sunday, Katie whipped up some fresh gazpacho andulaz with farm fresh ingredients from our local farmers markets. Even though she's Irish, she likes to add some punch to her cooking and may have put a little too much chopped jalapeno, crushed red pepper and peri-peri in the dish. Otherwise, it was pretty tasty - just needed my Peak Organic Pale Ale or two to wash it down.

Last night she made some Pesto chicken that is one of the best dishes in her repertoire. It's one of my favorite pesto recipes of all time. She makes the fresh pesto with a variety of secret ingredients and sautes the chicken so it's nice an tender. Grate it with a little fresh parmigiana and it's a classic dish. We finished our weekend with some grilled peaches and vanilla ice cream. If you want a simple, sweet and tasty treat - this is the one. Simply split some peaches in half and add a little olive oil and place on the grill with medium heat for about 3-4 minutes each side. Brush a little honey, salt and pepper and let mixture soak into the skin and add a little vanilla bean ice cream.

 

On Monday, we got our fitness on to work off a few of those hearty beers I threw down over the weekend. So, we decided to go for a hike with our Golden Retriever Lucy. For those of you not aware, the Adirondack mountains offer some of the best hiking trails in the country. Our home in Saratoga Springs sits at the foothill to these mountains. We kept the hike simple and trailed up Buck Mountain, just to the east of Lake George, NY. In the hiking world, this is about as easy at it gets. Except for a pregnant wife, a lazy golden retriever and an out-of-shape dude with a bum knee. We did end up making it to the summit and the view of Lake George was well worth it. 

Chopbiscuit food 101: The Restaurant of the future {flux capacitor style}

Editors note: This is a series of posts on food, cooking and sustainable eating habits. We will explore the culture around food in this country and the little steps we can make to secure a laudable future in the world of provisions 

Chapter 4 - The restaurant of the future (flux capacitor style}

 As I travel around the country, I'm often always asked - "What's the future restaurant going to look and feel like?" Well, maybe I'm not asked that too much. I'm just being a little pompous. I like to think I have a keen eye for concept, but that's just the serial entrepreneurist in me.  So without further adue, here are some thoughts about future food, concept and strategy moving forward in the food circuit.

I think we're truly at a crossroads in the large food retail market. Eating has always been a sociable, celebratory event from the first campfires, Greek banquets to the most visually stunning Japanese sushi cafes in Tokyo. Although glorious waterholes have existed since man had figured out how to ferment - the actual word restaurant didn't appear until the 16th century. We actually have to thank post-revolutionary France for bringing in the restaurant circuit that we're accustomed to today.

Let's switch over to the American movement, to the restaurant style that we're accustomed to today. The 1930's saw the minimalistic movement towards the simplification of restaurant design and menu applications. Eventually in the late 1950's we saw a true democratization of mobile dining patrons to the new surging middle class in America. Restaurant design and menu simplification was a powerful tool to distinguish the difference between high-end hotel bistros, taverns, diners and the new fast food options. During the later half of the 20th century we saw a return to the "elite" class of dining institutions with superstar chefs, extravagant layouts and big name designers such as Adam Tihany and Philipe Starck. The big budget productions had it's run in the world of provisions, but everyone knew they would eventually have a bust. Well, it's currently happening.

Today it's not about what and where you eat. It's about "how" you eat. It's about where that food was gathered from and the practices used during that gathering. It's about how "in touch" the restaurant or concept is with it's surroundings. You can splatter all the Vegas style layering's, interiors and food showcasing you want, but it's eventually going to hide what your experience is really about - the food. If you've never been to San Francisco's Ferry Building Marketplace or Eataly in New York, you're missing out on the new "ruling class" of food design and concept in culinary innovation that fuses retail and restaurant to it's grandest. These ultimate dining experiences are based around the simplistic styling of food - with the sheltering backdrop of creative design. This design is the shell that holds the key to the culture of the food.

The mecca for foodies in San Francisco

The farm to table movement is guiding this Renaissance of simplistic dining by creating self sufficient models for eager and creative entrepreneurs. Proprietors harnessing grown, harvested, prepped and cooked items all in one location is the psyche where most people are headed. People are moving towards honest, pure and simple deal points around food when they are making decisions dining out. Our eating habits are less formalized - smaller portions and portable options are a must today. The movement for open authenticity and food experience, both on the menu and design is bringing the human touch back to the people that work in these restaurants.

Real food is the new luxury around fine dining. With new and exciting enhancements in technology, the human connection will come through the food instead of the maitre d' or waiter. Restaurant concepts are now powering culture into more of an egalitarian outlook. There is more than ever, a desire for artisan brands to go global in ways we've never thought before. Look for these brands to adapt to the characteristics of the locale in a way we've never seen.
 

Chapter 1 - Eating Seasonally
Chapter 2 - How you should eat {Meat, no meat, both)
Chapter 3 - Eating will always have the fringe