The U.S. House of Representatives took up rancorous debate and passed yesterday its version of the Farm Bill (which is actually the Food, Conservation and Energy Act), that gargantuan piece of legislation renewed every five… The Farm Bill: gerrymandered for failure
The U.S. House of Representatives took up rancorous debate and passed yesterday its version of the Farm Bill (which is actually the Food, Conservation and Energy Act), that gargantuan piece of legislation renewed every five… The Farm Bill: gerrymandered for failure
I have a love-hate relationship with bananas.
I love the way bananas taste and they provide great pre and post workout nutrition. I like that they come pre-packaged in their own wrapper making them easy for on-the-go. They are a great way to add creaminess to smoothies without adding fat and who doesn’t love PB and B?
I hate bananas because they act like bratty children—they want to ripen whenever it pleases them and spoil immediately there after. My solution to this problem is to eat the entire bunch of bananas in one sitting when they are all at peak ripeness OR toss the occasional smushy banana into the freezer, wait until 3 or 4 accumulate and then make banana bread.
How does one introduce themselves to a blog? Who is MinnesotaMrs and what qualifies me to be contributing to The Hack’s Bloated Belly? The answer is just that—I have on more than on occasion cooked up a meal that contributed to The Hack’s bloated belly, and he approved. I guess he decided that my amateur cooking talents and opinionated personality qualify me to offer up my thoughts on food to the virtual world…or he’s amused that a skinny pageant queen would bake pie crusts the old fashioned way, with lard (don’t judge, some things just have to be done right) and savor a lamb burger with a couple rounds of Summit Pale Ale. Whatever the reason, here I am, qualified or not- with plenty of opinions to share.
As the perfect house wife (c’mon this is the Internet, I get to be who ever I want) I shop for and prepare approximately 21 meals every week. As a fitness professional I do my best to ensure that the majority of those 21 meals are healthful and well balanced. As a foodie I refuse to compromise taste, texture and flavor for nutrition. I want to have my cake and eat it all, or at least one appropriately portioned slice. So what’s my secret? How do I do it? All those meals, all so healthy, all so delicious? The answer my friends, is salad dressing.
Last week the American Medical Association (AMA) officially declared obesity a disease. The political and social motivations behind this are obvious. Obesity has become a scourge on our nation with at least a third of… Doctors take on Farm Bill in obesity battle
There was The Hack, sitting there in a fifth floor conference room at the posh Graves Hotel in downtown Minneapolis, attending another food and drink event. He did that a lot for his job—but that job was gone. Laid off he was, along with his ad rep, after a decade with the company, and seven-plus years managing a small business-to-business publication that covered Minnesota’s foodservice industry.
Yet there he was. As if he were still walking the beat. A habit’s firm hold.
Dear reader, fear not. This is not a tale of woe.
He looked around the room and saw familiar faces—industry folks, including several all-stars among the local mixology scene, some other food media types. And an idea began to percolate as he sipped from the 10 glasses placed before him.
After a decade of writing about food and restaurants for actual publications, and, in particular, being the photographer for all my work, there is a food shot I’ve come to appreciate the most. And that’s shown above. The “After” shot. There is much food porn to be had out there on pages and the web, and, yes, some of it is wonderful stuff. But, a lot of that stuff doesn’t taste so good, or, in the case of the many ham-fisted attempts at Ferran Adria’s molecular gastronomy brilliance, what looked beautiful was revolting in the mouth (thankfully, the overt use of those techniques is going away). And what is that singular food photograph anyway? It’s food that has not been eaten, that has not been enjoyed, and, depending on the shoot, might have wound up in a garbage can. It’s a pretty moment, forever unconsumed, except with the eyes. But that one, up there, that’s the real money shot. It’s food (and drink) that’s been thoroughly enjoyed. It’s record of a successful evening: friends meet, cook, eat, drink, talk, laugh. Dishes empty while stomachs, heads and souls are filled. That’s a good shot to throw in once in a while. It leaves something to the imagination.
It surprised me to admit I’ve become something of a coffee aficionado. I was forced to acknowledge that when, during my annual e-mail in-box dump that there was $90-worth of Amazon gift cards accumulated… A better grind
There it is. A nice label. Nothing spectacular, just a simple sticker, but inside, a straightforward, great wine. Introduced to me by Harold, who came for a visit during the winter (his bottle was a 2008). Cost? Under twenty bucks, wherever in the country you buy it. From Spain, as many good wines come from these days. Color: a nice ruby brick. Cling-y on the glass. On the nose: stone fruit, dark cherry, some wood. Mouth: dark fruit on the front, kitchen cabinet spice and some chocolate on the back, a little jammy, medium tannin finish. It’s smack dab between legit merlot and a cabernet sauvignon.
