Wendy's is no Roy Rodgers and/or pull my finger: Daily Links

Wait, you're still open?

We have some cool links for you today. An employee craft beer vending machine, Wendy's is actually still around and commonsense grain eating. I'm off to dinner to celebrate my wife's birthday tonight. She's nine months pregnant - so I will drink for two, or eleven.

Bernie Fine, Bernie Fine, Bernie Fine. Say it isn't so.

Wendy's North American President Resigns
David Karam, president of North America for Wendy's, will be leaving the the company at the of the end of 2011. Karam intends to return to his Cedar Enterprises business, which operates 151 Wendy’s restaurants in six states.

2012 NYC Michelin Guide: 7 'Exceptional' New York Restaurants

Long before Yelp or Zagat, there was the Michelin Guide, still considered the reigning champion of restaurant ratings systems among most culinary experts. Every year for more than a century, Michelin has announced its city guides, causing restaurateurs around the world to clamor, quiver and quake over the amount of prestige their business has earned—"stars" in Michelin terms. This year is no different.

A traveling Man's Breakfast

I ate at The French Laundry two nights ago. Yesterday’s lunch was lamb loin and pumpkin ravioli served overlooking plucked grapevines at the Staglin Family Vineyard in Napa Valley, and dinner was whipped up by Masaharu Morimoto (geoduck and snapper with compressed apple), Scott Conant (rabbit agnolotti with fois gras and horseradish), and Cindy Pawlcyn (“Bachelor’s Lamb Tagine”) at the Silverado Resort. I’m being fed very well at this, the inaugural Flavor Napa Valley Food Festival, so I woke up and thought: do I really need to leave my hotel room to get breakfast?

Employees Create Beer Vending Machine

I’ve read articles about cool places to work such as Google where they have free massages and sushi lunches, Facebook which provides free laundry and daycare services, or Clif Bar which has a 40 foot rock wall and fitness center. Add to the list of cool places to work Arnold Worldwide, a Boston-based advertising agency.

Commonsense eating: The Grains of Energy
There’s nothing so controversial these days as a loaf of bread. Is it the staff of life? The harbinger of fat? A miracle of fermentation? A veritable gluten-laced poison? Are grains even fit for human consumption? How can we untangle this mess?

Congratulations to Kilpatrick Family Farm: A visit from Joel Salatin

As many of you know I joined a the Kilpatrick Family Farm CSA. They are great group of passionate young people that are making a positive impact on the local food landscape. From the weekly email blast they send out, it looks like they had a nice visit from "celebrity"  farmer (if that's a thing?) Joel Salatin . Joel is owner of the popular Polyface farm and author of two great books, Salad Bar Beef and You Can Farm. I've met a Joe and few times and he is a funny, quirky guy that has great knowledge of the American food system and is regarded as a pioneer of the local food movement in this country.

 Click here to read the article on Joel's visit to Kilpatrick farm.

Polyface farm was actually a  farm that went against the grain during a centralized industrial boom decades ago. They built huge compost piles, dug ponds, moved cows daily with portable electric fencing, and invented portable sheltering systems to produce all their animals on perennial prairie poly-cultures. This procedure made absolutely zero sense financially at the time.

The farm represents America’s move into non-industrial food production. The Salatin family invites like-minded folks to join in the farm’s mission: to develop emotionally, economically, environmentally enhancing agricultural enterprises and facilitate their duplication throughout the world.

From one pioneer farmer to another,

"It's the freakin' weekend".....R. Kelly (actually I believe Robert Kelly was not a farmer) My mistake.

Chopbiscuit pompous wine review: Cycles Gladiator '09 Pinot Noir

Welcome to Chopbiscuit's elitist, smarty pants and stiff-neck wine review. We will be completely patronizing and pretentious as we review some of our favorite wines. As we do with with the barley pop, we will review anything from your local "box" of magistracy or the most pompous french cardinal blush. We drink our wines wearing plush mock turtleneck's and Lee jeans. It's about the wine people.

Now, go get me some crackers and some Himalayan sea salt and turn on the Bravo network for some clever metro sexual programming for the perfect backdrop

Poncho approved cheap Pinot

What I Drank: Cycles Gladiator '09 Pinot Noir

One of the questions that the I get asked all the time is “What’s a good, cheap Pinot Noir?”  And, when I say all the time I mean, maybe one person asked me. To which I answer, “Hardly any.” Pinot noir is costly and difficult to grow for there to be much quality wine for less than $15, and especially for $10. Ya dig?

Cycles Gladiator may well be the best of the $15-and-under-class out in the market place right now. I've been a fan of this wine since I tried it on a Carnival Cruise ship in the buffet line. (I'm kidding) It certainly has the most Pinot character, and it's less jammy and  far less fruity, with more earthiness, than the other wines at this price or even a little more pricey. It’s light enough to drink on its own, and will pair with almost anything from chicken to takeout pizza. I actually drank it last night with a Portuguese hooker in Sri Lanka. Luckily I made it back home to work this morning.

For my money, this is the most consistent Pinot Noir for the price. Now, go out and buy a shit ton and drink til' your happy again.

Every recipe in the world and/or online oligarchy - Daily Links

Well I'll be damned! Food Oligarchy - call the henchmen!

Yummly for every recipe you've ever needed

Yummly will even tell you about recipes for food that hasn't been invented yet.

Beer's Health Benefits, consumed in moderation, may be similar to those of wine

Oenophiles have been looking down their noses at beer drinkers since time began. But the past few years have given grape-lovers a particularly powerful weapon against the unwashed masses of grain-supporters: health claims. A series of studies showed that red wine had life-extending health benefits, possibly because of a chemical called resveratrol, unmatched by any other alcoholic beverage. Two recent studies, though, may turn the tables on smug wine drinkers.

*God bless the beer lords

Chicago - 5 Milkshakes we love

I know it's a bit out of season, but Chi-town has some great shakes - even for the colder months.

Vertical Farming - how close are we?

By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth's population will reside in urban centers. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends, the human population will increase by about 3 billion people during the interim. An estimated 10⁹ hectares of new land (about 20% more land than is represented by the country of Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today. At present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is in use (sources: FAO and NASA). Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices. What can be done to avoid this impending disaster?

Food News: Does Burger King have new fries?

Very interesting report from our friends at BurgerBusiness.com, who’ve let it slip that Burger King is selling new thicker fries, at least in the Chicago market. Has anyone tried them?

* I have an innapropriate love for Grub Grade.

Chopbiscuit Dining Review: Max London's - 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. (Poncho Sinatra style)

Max London's
466 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

One of the great sins of living here in Saratoga Springs, NY is to have not partaken in a Max London's brunch. Shame on me. I've frequented the establishment for many dinners and cocktails, but the brunch has eluded us since we've been in town. The general reason is that the past year has seen some heavy travel, weekend projects and early morning breakfasts made at home. So, I was excited to visit to engage in some brunch-ery Tom foolery this past Sunday.

I've eaten a lot of great brunches in my lifetime and I started to think - what makes a good brunch?  Brunch to me is that lazy weekend repast fueled by Bloody Mary's and mimosas that bridges breakfast and lunch and, after a long week at work, passes as a full-day glutenous activity. Brunch in a way is a weekend lifestyle for many - Poached eggs, any classic, whatever is in season in a comfort food style environment. Mimosas and Bellini's make it a little bit more fun for those that are not yet still hungover.  Maybe some oatmeal brulee, with fluffy pancakes? On a good brunch menu, you can include some hearty breakfast staples and simple lunchtime options with a uniqe non-partisan twist. It's the only time a restaurant has to creative a simple conduit of flavors that works for different dayparts.

What I ingested:

After taking way too long to decide, my wife Katie and I decided to share the Ranchero pizza and classic Steak 'n Eggs with Potato Hash. The Ranchero pizza is baked on their gold standard pizza crust with tomato, spicy cherry peppers, baked egg, fontina and house made mozzarella. The Steak 'n Eggs is a hearty dish comprised of Grilled strip steak, potato hash and eggs. I felt like keeping it simple, but the Salt cod potato cakes were definitely calling. If you've never had the Max London's flatbreads, they are on par with the likes of Pizzeria Bianco and Al Forno in Providence. The two that I measure all flatbread pizza against. Wonderfully charred crust that's flaky and compliments most any toppings. To wash it down, I chose the Beer-me-mosa which is comprised of Butternuts wheat beer and orange juice. Strangely enough, a perfect brunch style compliment to the entire experience. A nice crisp wheat body with an acidic finish.

If you're ever in The Spa City during brunch time, make sure you head over to Max London's to see the perfect example of what a brunch menu at it's highest level should be. Make sure to check out the menu below.

Honey isn't actually in my honey and/or fast food facts? Daily Links

Facts about fast food around the world

From Lonely Planet's new book, How to Land a Jumbo Jet, a visual exploration of travel facts, figures and ephemera. Available now from Lonely Planet. Anywhere you travel around the world, you're likely to find a McDonald's waiting: With restaurants in 128 countries worldwide, they're hard to avoid.

The Great Honey Swindle

As if bees weren’t having a hard enough time of it lately, now there’s this: According to a report released last week by Food Safety News, the vast majority of store-bought honey sold in this country isn’t technically honey.

Finally a whiskey for horrible people

With the launch of their first liquor brand, an upstart company called Fabulous American Beverages (or FAB, if you’re feeling suicidal) is going where no other whiskey-maker I know of has purposefully gone before: Ladies Night at the Jersey Shore.

Making Pumpkin Bread (Recipe - Joe Pastry)

I should do more pumpkin recipes, they match so well with my overall color scheme. As with most tea breads, the only trick to this is avoiding over-beating. Otherwise it’s a snap.

Warming up to the Joys of Cask Ale

My wife is not one for cask ale. “It’s too warm,” she bemoans whenever I try to pass her a pint. “And where are all the bubbles?” I sigh, that deep sigh of a married man for whom this will be an ongoing issue till death do us part. “That’s how it’s supposed to be served,” I explain, once more running down the intricacies of cask-conditioned (or real) ales.

Carter Johnson - Thank You {In a completely non-food related post}

Sometimes you see things on the intertubes that you just have to share with your loved ones. Meet Carter Johnson. Carter just happened to see a wild car chase and was interviewed by a local television crew and he spewed out some absolute gems.

A few things to love about this video:

• He's wearing a Coonskin Cap in 2011.
• Dale Jr. reference
• Dukes of Hazzard reference
• He came in Dewksa Hazerd, gitnit, diggin' li' 'at, li' dale joonyer, and he hook'd up n' shot for'erd, n' when hook'd up n' shot for'erd 'at's when 'e came n', n' n' hit-

A restaurant will bankrupt you and/or make you rich - Daily Links

The Cost of Starting up a restaurant

Opening a restaurant isn't only logistically complicated, it can also be very costly. John Kunkel, who has opened 10 branches of the Mexican eatery Lime, explains the costs involved.

*I'm going to give this one a "no shit sherlock".

Meet Barley Wine, the beer that's never met a grape

Don't let barley wine's name throw you for a loop: The beer style has little in common with fermented grapes -- except for an alcohol content that can hit double digits. That explains why the thick, sometimes fruity, always strong belly-warming ale has become a signature sip for cold, chilly nights. But to suss out the style's genesis, we need to turn to 18th and 19th century Britain.

Bacon and zucchini tart (recipe - Daisy's World)

My zucchini plants are finally slowing down, and I think I’ve harvested the few remaining ones, so this will most likely be my last zucchini post for a while.  I never thought I’d cook as much zucchini as I have in the last couple of months and I’ve been very pleasantly surprised at how much I’ve enjoyed them.  This tart is no exception.  While it’s great for breakfast, this savoury tart is also great for a light supper, with a salad. Of course, omitting the bacon and using low-fat milk instead of whole milk and heavy cream will reduce the calories and make for a healthier meal.

Cheesy pumkin thyme crackers (recipe - from scratch club)

Easy to buy from a store, but boring when you do.  Here’s a great way to Do It Yourself when you’re prepping for holiday festivities.  You can go the predictable cracker route, but I wanted to try something a little different.  I found a couple recipes for crackers, but they mostly just called for cheesy flavors. I was inspired to create a cracker that would be more than just a bland slate for some sort of topping.  I wanted my crackers to be the showpiece, so I came up with Cheesy Pumpkin Thyme Crackers.

Why don't you let Natalie tell you that all the food you are eating will cause you a slow, physically debilitating death. Enjoy!

Chopbiscuit Preeminent Booze Review: Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale

Since we just wrapped the day of drinking sponsored by the Ye Olde folk from Ireland, we figured it's time to get back to our roots here at Chopbiscuit and continue the reviews of The World's Best draughts. We have poked fun at our favorite canned beers in the past, but ultimately we love the best in beer making. Whether it's a Belgium White, American Brown Ale, Japanese Rice lager or an oatmeal stout - We enjoy a good beer.

So, let's continue the exposition with our reviews.

Maybe the perfect Pale Ale?

Brewery: Flying Dog

Beer: Doggie Style Pale Ale

Beer style description: American Pale Ale


A friend brought a sixer of this beer over this past Saturday to enjoy while watching a little college football. This is a very popular beer since it's been rated as the number one American Pale Ale in the country. Not bad eh? I would have to agree with those cheeky New York Times writers, this is a great, solid traditional American Pale Ale. Not a overwhelmingly hoppy back tone and it drinks like a full bodied lager. A very respectable and easy to drink, sessionable APA.

I noticed a bright, clear orange amber with decent white head that laces nicely. Carbonation level and mouthfeel are pleasant. Caramelized malts and pines in the aroma follow into the taste, with the hops more prevalent in the latter. Well balanced flavours end with the tropical fruit and citrus expected in this style.

A great beer to enjoy with people that appreciate what a good American Pale Ale should stand for. If you're surrounded by Bud Light drinkers - kick them in the knee and tell them to never step foot in your house again. They are everything that is wrong with the world of beer. They are the Joe Paterno sympathizers.

Dining in the future - The Restaurant Membership?

Imagine.

Imagine a world where you paid a membership to your favorite local restaurant or watering hole. You would walk in sans wallet and be able to enjoy your favorite meal. Per your membership you would be able to participate in special deals, member appreciation nights and potentially own a share of the business as a community shareholder.

You might say this is a Co-op right? Well, yes and no. Most Co-ops are independently fueled grocery models that are a conduit of goods from local artisan's to retail space. It's a bulk format that focuses on the niche of moving away from the national grocer and convenient chains - to a more local centric focus. An applied method for grocery shopping. I get it. But, what about an actual restaurant? Would you pay a monthly membership fee in which that fee tier would allow you to visit your favorite local restaurant without bringing any duckets? (as most early 90's rap lyrics referred to money)

Within that membership would be a community supported model that actually fueled the business cycle. The shareholder would actually also support the establishment by donating a few hours a week working there. A collaborative effort from the owners, operators and community. Unlike a membership such as the large retailer Costco, where the focus is on selling products at low prices at a very high volume, this concept would be focused on selling limited items at a limited volume to the preferred membership participants. Membership arrangements could be varied among concepts. For instance, some restaurants would limit membership to the neighborhoods where members live or work, while others arrange for members to come to the restaurant and help support the production. Some restaurants could expect members to work at least once a week, while others only expect members to support with their membership. It's an intriguing idea for sure.

The idea of your customers donating their valuable time to support a community supported model is understandably concerning. The model has to have a substantial impact on it's participants. With the restaurant being a cash flow centric model, intermittent opportunities for cash flow need to be determined and validated. So, in actuality the membership model would be the baseline driver with weekly activities that create traffic outside of that models lens.

More to come shortly on this concept. I believe at one point in the future, most communities will have vested interests in local commerce. A collective of shared values, affiliation and fortune.