Wednesday, October 29, 2014

The Feed: October 29, 2014

Who wouldn't want to share a glass of wine with The Good Wife's Alicia Florrick? New York Times' wine writer Eric Asimov discusses the increasing popularity of wine among women TV characters (Source: Screengrab)
The Feed is my weekly round up of interesting food-related stories from newspapers, magazines, blogs and websites.

New York Times: "A Velvet Touch With Chicken," by David Tanis
I'd never heard of "velveting" a chicken breast, but Tanis writes how this Chinese technique can cook an ever-popular boneless-skinless chicken breast without drying it out. It involves an egg white and cornstarch marinade.

New York Times: "Red Wine Is the Drink of Choice on ‘Scandal’ and ‘The Good Wife’," by Eric Asimov.
This article caught my attention because it mentions my current favorite show--The Good Wife. Asimov writes about how red wine has become an important character device in several popular shows, observing that it's particularly popular among strong women characters like Wife's Alicia Florrick and Scandal's Olivia Pope, and the implications of its use on the small screen.

Washington Post: "Unearthed: The GMO Debate: 5 Things to Stop Arguing," by Tamar Haspel.
The debate about genetically modified organisms (GMO) in our food supply is complex and charged. I praise Haspel for bravely wading into it. In this latest Unearthed column on the subject, she looks at tired arguments on both sides, an important step for moving the discussion forward. Perhaps the best news is in the note to readers: Haspel reveals that will continue Unearthed for another year.

The Wall Street Journal: "Salt: The Other Shaker Cocktail Recipes Are Calling For," by Luke O'Neil.
Cooks know that salt is a critical seasoning in cooking for enhancing and bringing out flavors. Bartenders too are discovering its use in cocktails beyond a margarita glass's rim. O'Neil's article discusses, for example, how salt can soften the edge of bitter flavors, making certain amari and bitters-loving drinks more palatable for serving alongside food.

The Wall Street Journal: "Texas’s Olive Oil Boom," by Ariel Ramchandani.
California's olive oil industry has gotten a lot of press lately, now it's time for Texas's burgeoning industry to get some attention. I love that the Tuscan-inspired building in the article's photo is located in Florence, Texas.

NPR: "Tracing A Gin-Soaked Trail In London," by Ari Shapiro.
London has a storied history with gin, which Shapiro chronicles here from gin's abusive 1700s boom (when England's per capita annual consumption of gin reached a staggering 48 bottles) to the current boom of small-scale distilleries making higher-priced gins.

Smithsonian "Want to Know How to Make Great Pizza? Consult the Guy Who Wrote the Bible on It," by Laura Kiniry.
When it comes to pizza, Tony Gemignani is apparently one of the most expert people around, having done so for the last 22 years; he currently owns 7 pizza restaurants and is the official U.S. Ambassador of Neapolitan Pizza. And, yes, he wrote the bible on it.

Thrills: "The 16 Essential Regional Burger Styles in America," by Adam Lapetina.
I knew there were regional styles of pizza, but burgers? I had no idea.

The Aubergine Chef: "Pumpkin Spice Latte Creme Brulee," by Jason Shriner.
It's fall, which means that pumpkin spice whatever is everywhere. While Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte may not actually contain pumpkin, The Aubergine Chef found that the popular squash and coffee do work well together in this inventive Creme Brûlée. Shriner's advice on torching creme brûlées? Skip the so-called kitchen torch and go for the real deal.

Food52: "Mimi Thorisson's Butternut Squash Gratin," by Mimi Thorisson.
Food 52: "Butternut Squash and Saffron Risotto," by Emiko Davies.
It's fall, so I want to cook with squash, especially butternut, which is my favorite. I often roast cubes of it for dishes like crostini and grain bowls. These Food 52 recipes use butternut squash in different ways: folded into a rich gratin and as a key ingredient in a golden risotto. Both sound really delicious.

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