Food & Drink category, Page 108
Celebrate film buffs’ favorite snack on National Popcorn Day
A snack that’s been around for hundreds of years clearly has staying power, and should have its own day, right? Welcome to National Popcorn Day, celebrated annually on Jan. 19, says the Popcorn Board. What was once — and still is — transformed into garlands to decorate a Christmas tree,...
Oakland Restaurant Week returns with 16 sites for six days of lunch
Oakland Restaurant Week returns, with 16 eateries offering $6 lunches for six days, Jan. 28 through Feb. 2, according to sponsors Oakland Business Improvement District and Sustainable Pittsburgh. Diners also can enter to win free lunch for one month, along with other prizes from participating Oakland retail businesses. Also, people...
Dr Pepper petitions to be official soft drink of Texas
Why not? Some states have rather strange official symbols — Mississippi has an official toy: the teddy bear; Maryland has an official exercise: walking; and Utah has an official snack: Jell-O. So, when Dr Pepper started a Change.org petition to become the official soft drink of Texas, it really doesn’t...
Pittsburgh friends show off creative skills on Food Network’s ‘Winner Cake All’
This baking experience definitely was the icing on the cake. That’s what Pittsburgh-area friends Cathy Lucas Burnheimer and Lesley Polinko Wasielewski say about their upcoming appearance on the Food Network’s “Winner Cake All.” The episode airs at 10 p.m. Jan. 21. The two say the experience was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity...
Gooey goodness: Eateries put unique twists on grilled cheese
The Ancient Romans did it. Ate cheese on toasted bread, that is. For centuries, the grilled cheese sandwich has satisfied appetites. During the 1920s, America embraced the classic grilled cheese, thanks to a readily available supply of inexpensive sliced bread and American cheese. The Armed Forces cooked thousands of grilled...
Wooden barrels: The fifth ingredient in making flavorful beer
One might consider a wooden barrel the fifth ingredient in beer after water, malt, hops and yeast. Brewers use them to impart additional flavors into the beer. But why barrels — bourbon in particular — and how did this come about, you might ask? Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all...
Metallica now has its own beer — Enter Night
Metallica has teamed up with California-based Stone Brewing Co. to create a dark beer named after one of the band’s most popular songs. Enter Night, a hoppy pilsner, clocks in at 5.7 ABV and should be hitting shelves near you soon, USA Today reports. Until now, it’s only been offered...
Wigle Whiskey releases Phil’s Shadow in advance of Groundhog Day
On Feb. 2, Punxsutawney Phil may or may not see his shadow. But before he predicts six more weeks of winter — or not — he and the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club will visit Wigle Whiskey Distillery, 2401 Smallman St., Pittsburgh, from 6-9 p.m. Jan. 18 for the release of Phil’s...
Superior Motors kicks off Dinner Series with guest chef Simone Tong
Superior Motors will kick off its 2019 Dinner Series on Feb. 5, the first night of the Lunar New Year celebration, with guest chef Simone Tong of New York’s Little Tong Noodle Shop visiting the Braddock location. “We’re excited to introduce and showcase (Tong’s) amazing Yunnan-inspired cuisine to Braddock and...
Bud Light debuts bigger nutrition labels
DETROIT — Nutrition labels are coming to the beer aisle. Starting next month, packages of Bud Light will have prominent labels showing the beer’s ingredients, calories and the amount of fat, carbohydrates and protein in a serving. The labels aren’t legally required, but major beer makers agreed to disclose ingredients...
Pittsburgh Restaurant Week — how it works
Intrigued by Pittsburgh Restaurant Week? If the event, scheduled for Jan. 14-20, already has you salivating, just call or click. It’s really that simple. “Several of the restaurants do offer reservations through Open Table, which is on our website,” says Brian McCollum, now directing his 15th culinary event.“Those that don’t,...
Ligonier’s traveling soup sampling returns in March
Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce is planning its 10th annual “Soup’s On” event, set for 11 a.m.-2 p.m. March 23. The popular winter activity lets participants walk around the borough and visit its merchants, as local restaurants serve samples of their soups. Visitors are encouraged to check out the town’s...
7 new spots to try for Pittsburgh Restaurant Week
Meal deals will be on the menus of more than 50 popular dining spots during the Winter 2019 edition of Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, Jan. 14-20. Pittsburgh is one of several cities that offer Restaurant Week promotions in January and August to help boost business during typically slow months in the...
La Riviera will operate ‘to go’ soup kitchen on February Mondays
Every Monday in February, French bistro La Riviera will operate as a to-go soup kitchen for people in need in Pittsburgh, according to a news release. The restaurant, at 5925 Baum Blvd., will be closed for regular business hours on Mondays, however, the soup kitchen will be open from 2-5...
Low, slow is the way to go when making this fish dish
Low and slow is the way to go when it comes to making this yummy fish dish. A low-temperature oven (set to just 300 F) ensures that the fish cooks slowly, without drying out. Crispy, buttery, garlicky panko bread crumbs get a head start in a skillet so they’re golden...
No-knead focaccia is a gateway into the world of baking bread
One of the wonderful things about living, breathing and working in food is all that is new, or at least new to me. New recipes to try, new photos to drool over, new cookbooks to peruse. My desk is piled with those cookbooks, stacks about as stable as a Jenga...
Make tomato sauce and cook spaghetti squash in one pot
Delicately flavored spaghetti squash makes for a fun and interesting vegetarian main, but often the squash must be roasted in the oven while a separate sauce is made on the stove. In the multicooker, however, we could make a simple fresh tomato sauce and cook a large 4-pound spaghetti squash...
Get ready for Westmoreland’s Wine Shine ‘n Spirits Palooza
Westmoreland’s Wine Shine ‘n Spirits Palooza will be held noon-4 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Ramada Inn Hotel and Conference Center, 100 Ramada Inn Drive, Hempfield. Participating wineries and distilleries, according to the event’s Facebook page, include Bee Kind Winery, Big Spring Spirits, Black Dog Wine Company, Bushy Run Winery,...
Make a hearty chicken and sausage gumbo without all the work
This classic New Orleans specialty is built on a roux — a cooked mixture of fat and flour that must be stirred constantly, sometimes for an hour or more, until it is deep brown. To get the same depth of flavor with much less hands-on work, we turned to a...
For foolproof poached chicken, turn to sous vide cooking
Poached chicken gets a bad rap for being tough, dry and a little squeaky between your teeth. But that’s probably because poaching is a relatively imprecise cooking method. If your poaching water’s too hot, the meat overcooks; if you leave the meat in the water too long, it overcooks; if...
The secret to crisp, fast and gluten-free vegetarian pizza? Chickpea flour
My favorite recipes are those that open up a new lane of cooking and prompt me to imagine that lane leading in all sorts of new directions. Take the Pesto Socca Pizza I came across recently in “The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook,” a collection of more than 600 recipes by seven...
What’s Brewing? Craft beer rules for your waistline (and your tastebuds)
Keeping your waistline in check throughout the year can be a challenge even without the holiday season’s cookies, cakes and festive beverages. However, at the end of the day, it’s about adjusting your habits and consuming in moderation for a healthier lifestyle. Knowledge is power, and knowing the things that...
