Producing Various and Sundry

How Bearable are the Kitchen Scenes in The Bear?

The Bear, FX’s much-lauded, frequently-awarded show is coming back for its fourth, and potentially final, season. Readers of this blog may recall I love the show for a number of reasons, none of which are dependent on it being a comedy. In fact, an arguable element to admire in the show is its depiction of the inherent drama within a restaurant kitchen. But how accurate is that portrayal? Veteran chef and restaurateur Paul Liebrandt weighs…

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Various and Sundry

Some Restaurant Chains Have a Slow Fade

The official unofficial start of summer is coming, which means more than a few families are planning some road trips. And on those trips, you may be tempted to stop at a restaurant that isn’t as familiar, perhaps a regional chain. But did you realize some of these regional chains might have once had visions of national grandeur? Ernie Smith, in an article on Atlas Obscura, dives into the occasionally deep-friend origins of some of…

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Various and Sundry

Are You Ready for National Waffle Day?

I could ask the question, “Who doesn’t like waffles?” — but we all know the answer. Communists. Communists hate waffles. Communists hate the liberties freedom-loving folk take in placing any variety of fruits, whipped cream, or simply syrup –but not simple syrup— on their waffles. Wait, scratch that. If you want to put simple syrup on your waffles, do so. We can’t let those Commies win. I know you have questions. Have I always been…

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Various and Sundry

Give a Moment to Mourn the Fallen Arch Deluxe

The McRib and the Shamrock Shake will always have their adherents. Chicken McNuggets and Egg McMuffins will be the go-to McItem for many. But since the debut of the McDLT and its egregious use of Styrofoam, I’ve always had a soft spot for the “other burger” on the McDonald’s menu. For a brief time in the late 90s, that role was filled by the Arch Deluxe, McDonald’s attempt at a “grown-up burger.” It failed. Miserably.…

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Various and Sundry

Travel the World… via Sandwich

Thanksgiving feasts will be on the tables of millions of Americans in less than a week, but for this Friday before said feast is completely on everyone’s mind, let’s talk about sandwiches. Social media exercises frequently make the rounds regarding where people have traveled, so I read this article by Terry Ward for CNN about some of the world’s best sandwiches, and I thought this was just as interesting a score to tally… and far…

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Various and Sundry

Resistance to Pumpkin Spice is Futile

Full confession: I wrote and scheduled the first version of this post in the depths of Summer, convinced that “Fall flavors” would be in stores before the end of August. I was not wrong. “But why?” you may ask. “Why must the end of Summer be sullied with an impatient corporate lust for seasonal profits that ignore all seasonal boundaries?” You know why. Allecia Vermillion covers the intriguing origin story of the Pumpkin Spice Latte…

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Various and Sundry

The Nutty History of Nutella

Continuing my Friday theme of food posts, I switch from savory to sweet. This week, it’s Emily Mangini’s article for Serious Eats which goes into the history of Nutella. Okay, apart from a lot of hazelnuts, it might not be that nutty, but if you like food histories like A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage, you’ll find this a nice appetizer of an article. A connection to last week and…

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Various and Sundry

As American as Sriracha Meat Pies

Look, I’ve been doing food posts for the past few Fridays, so I’m not going to stop now… certainly when I can share the story of Sriracha, which is a surprisingly American story. Okay, maybe it’s surprising to me because I first noticed Sriracha when I was in Indonesia, which was sometimes next to homemade sambal on the table. I got so used to its omnipresence at Indonesian food stalls, the first time I saw…

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Various and Sundry

McRib: From Only the Best Boneless Pigs!

Continuing the Friday food series and hinted at earlier this week, it’s time to talk about the McRib: McDonald’s occasional and much-coveted porcine menu item. Unlike the Choco Taco, I have had a McRib within recent memory (though I think it was still in the Before Times). I have not used the online McRib Locator, though I know people who have that site permanently bookmarked on their browser. Now, I am somewhat interested in comparing…

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