predictions for 2011: the caffeine crunch

The Four Loko alcohol/energy drink controversy put it over the top for me.

I predict that in 2011, America will be more conscious of caffeine intake, and that caffeine will be the next "cigarette," "carb," "trans fat" - the next demonized commodity. Caffeine-induced health problems will saturate the news, despite what probably is a strong Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts lobby, and soon enough, people will understand that... well, you got jacked.

Ever-increasing coffee sizes. The DD "Great One." Kids drinking Monster Energy drink for breakfast - the caffeine rush will come to and end and we'll remind ourselves 1) that sometimes it's best to treat yourself to good coffee, rather than the corner deli nonsense, and 2) that the normal size isn't a venti, or a Great One, but an eight-ounce cup.

How did we ever function with such high levels of caffeine surging through our systems? How did we not know better up until this point? We'll all be asking ourselves these questions during 2011, when we realize that we've been walking around over-caffeinated and dehydrated for as long as we can remember.

In college, sometimes I'd make coffee too strong, and you'd feel your heart racing in your chest as you tried to sit down at a desk and read or write. Nothing you could do but ride it out. After school, while working as a reporter, I found that the afternoon coffee became a regular occurence. It was easier to write while awake, but more difficult to focus. Caffeine triggers a gland that secretes a hormone that triggers a gland to produce adrenaline - you know, the stuff that allows boxers to stay in the ring, taking hits without feeling pain, or allows little old ladies to lift cars to free trapped children.

Recently, if you're like me, you limit your coffee intake to before noon, unless there's a specific reason not to - an evening work event or a date.

But I genuinely feel like we're ready to make this happen, that we're advanced enough to see this from a higher perspective and be conscious of our health, particularly the deleterious effects of caffeine.

So, want to see how much caffeine will kill 'ya? Check out Death by Caffeine, where you can enter your weight and see how much Pepsi, Monster, Starbucks and Snapple it'll take to take you down.

Chart courtesy of the I-guess-now-defunct Theory World.

Photo: Bob's Diner on a Saturday Morning

Bob's Diner, Roxborough, November 20th, 11:55am

Good and bad news for dogfish 120-min IPA

So, is a 3-hour drive (or a 2-hour drive...) worth it for a little Dogfish 120?

It should be.

This week, Sam and company down there at Dogfish said that after dumping an earlier bad batch of their famed high-octane 120-minute IPA, things are looking up for batches currently being brewed.

"If the next test batch of 120 goes well at the R&D brewery in our Rehoboth pub and you happen to be in the area you might want to swing by and try it," said an official Dogfish blog post.

There's still no definite time frame on a national release, but want to know when it'll be on tap down in De.?

You can find out by checking here.

Food and Politics

Election day usually means that I treat myself to some sort of politically themed alcoholic beverage.  I try to drink a few of them while I am ranting about the election returns and how this time I am serious about moving outside the United States.  This beverage of choice this year is the Dark and Stormy.  There is no shortage of symbolism in the drink's name, but I am drinking it out of desire and convenience.  I will also decide on a food option over the next few hours.  Either way, I think that the first Tuesday in November is always a fine excuse for something tasty.

I also wanted to use this post as an excuse to link up a post from the weekend.  Obama was in Philly on Saturday giving a speech to volunteers at Temple University.  On his way back from the speech he stopped by Famous Deli on 4th and Bainbridge.  The deli is widely known for its massive sandwiches that you end up eating for three days after.  It is also an essential stop on a Philly politics reality tour because of the many local officials that go there on a regular basis.  If you were to goto Famous Deli right now you would see a lot of politicians and poll workers stopping for an election day meal.  I had dinner there on Thursday night when Bill Clinton was here campaigning.  I thought there would be an off chance that he might stop by the deli after his appearance, but he did not.  Instead of Clinton I was able to see retired District Attorney Lynne Abraham chowing down in her stonewashed jeans.  Sort of a humorous consolation.

I am certainly not the first to mention the food and politics of Famous Deli, but in the spirit of election day it is a nice reminder.

link: Philadelphia Lunch Stop: President Obama Visits "Famous 4th Street Delicatessen" [Obama Foodorama]

The Moto-Wheeling Mario Batali

10/28/10, 8:56 a.m. (16th Street and 5th Avenue)

Stock: Make Some

What you're looking at is this: 1 (one) lobster carcass, frozen shrimp shells saved from the last few months, 2 (two) leftover pickerel fillet pieces, including tails and some meat, 2 (two) large cut up white onions, a handful of baby carrots, 1 (one) half lemon, 1 (one) fist-full of celery roughly chopped (if chopped at all), several dashes salt, a pinch of peppercorns, and whatever herbs that are in your cabinet.

Or on your windowsill, if that's not too much to ask.

In the past, I've made stock using fresh herbs wrapped in a bouquet of cheesecloth (which comes out easily like a teabag at the end). Either way, the process is always the same.

1) Bring all to a boil
2) Simmer on low heat with lid on for as long as you can
3) Strain

Freeze it, 'fridge it, make ice pops with it - see if I care. But what I can promise is that not only will your house or apartment smell like you've been slaving over a stove for a decade, but your chowder, gumbo, soup, and bisque recipes will also absolutely glow with flavor thanks to your easily made, homemade, stock.

So, on the theory side, think this: stock is a broth, used in place of water. Usually, stocks are made from a combination of meat and vegetables. Any combination. You can make a delicate stock or a stronger stock, depending on the amount of time you leave it on the stove. Particularly with red meat stocks, you'll want to scoop off the coagulated blood and proteins that rise to the top, but leave the fat that surfaces. The fat will help during the cooking process and can be removed afterward if you're about to cook with your stock. If you freeze it, keep the fat on the top of the stock and freeze, removing it later on when you do use the stock.

cooking on a fire: lamb with root vegetables and asparagus

If that doesn't break your heart, I don't know what will.

This summer, I rebuilt what was my grandfather's outdoor fireplace. As a kid, during summers, we'd use the thing occasionally for marshmallows, bonfires and such. This past summer, I cooked on it once, then was instantly captivated by the whole idea of it, which sparked the rebuilding plans. I installed a lip on either side of the bricks to stick out just one inch (maybe less) to perfectly support a grill rack over the flames. It was among my proudest experiences of the season.

Thursday night, two days before putting this delightful piece of meat on the fire, I purchased it from the local Key Food - a half leg of lamb - for about $18. It weighed close to 3 lbs., actually at least three pounds. That night I went home, pounded out about 7 cloves of garlic in a mortar and pestle, rubbed said garlic on outside of lamb with sea salt and pepper and wrapped the whole thing up with plastic wrap. But not before some good olive oil and four branches of windowsill-grown rosemary.

Then, this weekend, I transported this puppy up to New Jersey, got some coals going, put 'er in a tin foil tent/package, added a little more olive oil and let it sit for about three hours.

All week, cooking on a fire had been on my mind, and I was originally thinking brisket, but settled on lamb, which is one of my favorite foods. It was just me and Dad heading up to the lake, and I was pretty sure he didn't care for lamb all that much (turns out he doesn't mind it at all; I was wrong) so I figured there'd also be some steaks or burgers going over the flames, too, but nope. Friday, mind you, Friday, I read in the Times this whole, long glorious article by Michael Pollan about a 36-hour outdoor cooking feast he recently took part in.

It was that article that gave me the idea to cook some root vegetables in the ashes and embers, and on the way up, I picked up some turnips and parsnips, along with some asparagus I figured I'd toss on the grating.

So, some logistical things you'd probably secretly wonder/worry about regarding cooking outdoors.

1. First, you aren't really cooking over true flames. Flames provide much more heat than you'd need, but not the kind of prolonged, steady heat that you'd need to cook a piece of meat that's of any substantial size.

2. If you're just starting out, use charcoal. Buy a medium-sized bag of charcoal and pile them up in a pyramid if you don't have one of those metal charcoal-lighting devices. Because it is more fun, I prefer to do is start a true wood fire, then pile on the charcoal, add in some more wood, then have sort of a mix.

3. To do the actual cooking, spread the charcoals around the outer base of the fire pit, so that you're cooking in the middle, where there isn't too much heat. You can always replenish the charcoal or stir it around if you feel there really isn't much any heat in the middle, but a good indicator is this - the middle cooking space is too hot if you can't hold your hand there for more than three seconds.

4. It helps to not touch anything. Anything at all. Make sure the fire's OK, but other than that, walk away, get a cold one, or do some fishing.

5. Think about finishing your food - meat or otherwise - over true flames to impart a smoky, elemental flavor. It's worth putting in the extra firewood and getting the heat up, plus it's enjoyable.

So, I did all that. Somewhere in the middle of the lamb cooking, I took the turnips/parsnips and literally threw them into the ashes. No washing, no cutting, no oil, nothin'. Only thing was that I left them in while finishing the lamb (which - pictured above - I had unwrapped from the tin foil and placed directly on the grating) and grilling the oil-salt-pepper asparagus.


At least one turnip turned out looking like a burnt golf ball, as did half a parsnip.

The lamb finishing went really well. It sizzled up and turned golden brown and crusty. I turned it over a few times to hit all sides, then threw in the towel. Done.

Yes, I let the lamb sit while Dad prepared some emergency lentil soup, but there was no need for a backup plan. It was perfect. Medium for me on about half of it, well-done for Dad on the other half. Easy as that. The crusted outside was crispy, mildly salty, and delicious. All was heartwrenchingly juicy. That old, classic, comforting lamb flavor in a beautiful piece of meat cooked in a rustic, smoky way outside in the fall.

And the veg.? Great. You could taste the flames on the asparagus and you got a mild, tasty little char on the root stuff, which was great. They came out roasted just the same as if roasted inside an oven. There will be more ash/ember cooking in my future, and there should be in yours, too.