June | 2013 | ideas that taste good

the sound of pizza

June 30, 2013 by antdina

Simon and Garfunkel wrote a song about the Sound of Silence in 1964 to point our attention to the sobriety of a fallen president in a time of mass doubt. 12 years before John Cage composed 4’33”, a score with three movements and no music. At least not from any instrument. Rather the audience were invited to focus on the natural ambient sounds. Both meant to sharpen our thoughts by quieting our senses. So why is that when we consider […]

Categories: Communication, Food Finds, Storytelling • Tags: 4'33'', brain scientists, espresso, grilled pizza, John Cage, melody, Paul Simon, Pizza, poets, Serious Pie, Simon and Garfunkel, Slip Slidin' Away, Sound of Silence, Starbucks, Tom Douglas

We eat with our eyes and beat with our hearts

June 23, 2013 by antdina

The restaurant Sweet Basil is tucked away on a side street in Vail, Co. All streets are side streets in Vail. Inside the tiny restaurant stands a visionary chef who feeds us through our eyes. Chef Paul Anders is a visual artist as much as he is a culinary one. Each dish measures up to color, composition, contrast that any critic dare impose on a masterpiece. Off the Grid is how we describe holidays. It’s not a vacation from technology […]

Categories: Food Finds, Meaning • Tags: cod, Colorado, eat with your eyes, Food Porn Daily, Galaxy S3, jalepeno, Lacrosse, Paul Anders, Samsung, Sweet Basil, Vail, venison

Delight dinner guests with a hidden surprise

June 16, 2013 by antdina

Long before Tootsie gave us a pop or Kinder hatched their eggs, kitchens in Naples surprised us with arancini, or “little oranges.” The recipe is quite simple. Gooey rice wraps around something tasty and forms a ball. Then these delicious treats bob in a fryer until they gain the perfect crunch. Typically Italians embed a hunk prosciutto cotto (cooked ham) and maybe some cheese. If you ever wander the streets of Naples, don’t hesitate to savor them from a street vendor. It is part of the immersion process. […]

Categories: Food Finds • Tags: arancini, arborio, asparagus, bacon, blue cheese, Cherry Street, crunch, gouda, Italian, Kinder egg, little oranges, Naples, prosciutto, rice, surprise, Tootsie

Draw them closer with symbolic food

June 9, 2013 by antdina

Bavarians got it right. Cars, lederhosen, and dirndls are timeless icons. But more importantly they bring people together. Sure, ein masse of heffeweisen helps with frivolity. However the beer garden with long picnic benches provides THE place to gather, to laugh, and to share. Stands full of fish-on-stick, brats or beer-cheese line these outdoor places. The linchpin for this sacred time is a baked hunk of twisted dough. Funny thing, the shape of the pretzel means something. Southern Germany is steeped in Roman Catholic history. […]

Categories: Communication, Food Finds • Tags: Bavarians, beer garden, beirgarten, Catholics, I'll have what she's having, Munich, pretzel, When Harry Met Sally

One thing to supercharge simple dishes

June 2, 2013 by antdina

Good chefs know that amazing food comes from amazing ingredients. They turn over produce at farm stands looking for the tomatoest tomato. Or the potatoest potato. Quality is the number one ingredient in remarkable restaurants. However there’s another unwritten rule of culinary wizards. Despite the name, carpaccio is an ultra simple dish: shaved, raw beef. It made it’s first impression in Venice Italy. Named for a famous painter, its is the presentation of raw sirloin, olive oil, lemon juice with […]

Categories: Food Finds • Tags: carpaccio, juniper, lavendar, lemon, lime, olive oil, Palace Kitchen, pine nut, Tom Douglas, truffle, Venice

ideas that taste good

storytelling through food

Monthly Archives: June 2013