Digest

SPECIAL REPORT: All Candy Expo (part 2 of 2)

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:01:45 -0800

CHICAGO, Illinois (UrHo) -- This is Part 2 of Urban Honking's SPECIAL REPORT on the All Candy Expo from Laura Pearson and David Sampson. You can read Part 1 here. ICEE Spray Candy: Not so NICEE. Speaking of cracked out candy: ICEE Spray Candy. You know the super concentrated syrup that goes into ICEEs? It's like that, but as a fine mist dispensed from a teeny tiny spray can. The pictures say it all.... Funley's Stix in the Mud: A candy that stix with you. The people at the Funley's booth were the friendliest candy folk we met at the ACE. How can you not love a mom-and-pop op that sends this follow-up email: "David Sampson came by our booth at All Candy Expo.... He took what we hoped would be some stellar pics and heard a bunch about us and our candy company.... How can we track down this fella and get him more info on the Funley's Fenomenon?"? (Answer: You cannot not love.) Stix in the Mud are chocolate covered cookie bits--a bit salty, a bit sweet. There are also caramel stix and peanut butter stix and a classic rock flavor called Styx in the Mud and a bluesy flavor called Stix in the Muddy Waters. (OK, kidding about those last two.) In any case, it was well worth it to stop by and pick up Stix. 5-Hour Energy: When four hours just ain't enough. You don't need to go to the ACE to know that energy drinks and shots--especially those promising hours upon hours of energy--are currently all the rage. And yet David and I realized neither of us had ever done a 5-Hour: the shot that guarantees "hours of energy without the crash." By early afternoon, not only were we seriously craving anything but sweets and snacks, but we were also dramatically descending from the morning's sugary heights. So we hit Au Bon Pain for some "food" food, then each slammed a 5-Hr. Sure enough, we were soon buzzing around the expo once again. Sidenote: Do you know? One 5-Hr. Energy shot provides 8,333% of your daily Vitamin B12 needs. I am approx. 62% intrigued by this fact and 38% frightened. Meat Snacks: Where's the beef? Oh, right here. The ACE threw some meat snacks into the mix, some of which David sampled. He mostly just wanted to consume a few non-sweet foods. I was kinda hoping there'd be some fake meat varieties, but no such luck. Instead, I kept busy posing with meat mascots and playing the claw game. Hey! I won a T-shirt prize. Oddly enough, the shirt advertises Matador, a new brand of beef jerky that targets teens "with an action-driven lifestyle." Y'know, snowboarders, skaters, BMXers, people who love the claw game, etc. Apparently beef jerky "snack sticks" taste really good to people living on the edge. Toxic Waste: Helping the planet while destroying your taste buds. Toxic Waste is "hazardously sour candy" that comes in various forms, e.g., Hi-Voltage Bubble Gum, Nuclear Sludge Chew Bars, and Sour Spray Candy. (Oh no! More sprays!) Sure, they're ridiculously sour. But it occurred to me that the only thing truly hazardous thing about Toxic Waste is the marketing campaign. Rather than ride the "Go Green" wave, Toxic Waste is all about nuclear sludge, poisonous fumes, and chemical spills. But the Toxic Waste PR team has wasted no time in diverting attention away from this potentially uh, toxic image by promoting environmental awareness. On the website, the company offers games like Professor Sauernoggin and the Landfill of Doom (in which kids help Prof. Sauernoggin clean up the landfill), as well as a list of Earth Day Tips for Helping the Environment. At least they're blazing their own trail! Le Whif: One moment on the lips, so NOT a lifetime on the hips. Le Whif is a chocolate inhaler made in France. It's also the exact sort of innovation David and I were hoping to stumble upon at the ACE. "Combining chocolate and aerosol science," Le Whif is packaged in a sleek brown and pink lipstick-like tube. Each tube contains a single inhalation of fine chocolate powder, which packs a grand total of zero calories. Apparently, a Harvard professor came up with the idea. Figures! At the All Candy Expo, it was in an (Ivy) League of its own. Le monsieur at Le Whif's booth was very eager to speak with me about the wonderful psychological and emotional and physical benefits of whiffing, but unfortunately he was out of samples!!! What?! NOOOOOO!!! So although I listened to his long and animated pitch, I cannot gush on and on about this curious calorie-less experience and just how far the combination of chocolate and aerosol science has come. The rep did say they want to extend the science of whiffing to other things--i.e., soup. Can you imagine inhaling a bowl of tomato bisque? Minestrone? Curious indeed. Whiff it; whiff it good. Candy Teeth: All up in our grillz. Candy teeth/grillz seem to be something of a trend right now. We encountered quite a few versions. Taste never seems to be much of a concern with these things; it's all about the novelty factor. Flavor 101: Move over açaí berry: the future lies in lulo. Maybe the best thing David and I did at the expo was to attend a seminar called Flavor 101. Via PowerPoint presentations and taste tests, experts in the field taught us about the newest trends in exotic fruit flavors. Whereas pomegranate was all the rage a couple years ago, and then we saw the rise of fruits like açaí berry and mangosteen, tomorrow's market will be all about fruits like cupuaçu, rambutan, cherimoya, soursop (guanabana), lulo, and camu camu. Many of these flavors are already popular in other parts of the world, but they are just starting to show up on US shelves. Some are shockingly delicious and others taste like sunscreen. In any case, come quickly, guanabana! Playing in Candy Land: More images from the expo. Candy Names We Liked: OOBZ TOOBZ TANGY ZANGY BELTS JUICY OOZERS BIG FAT HISSEE FIT NUT DEMONS Candy Wrap-Up As expected, the All Candy Expo was an intense sensory experience. Sights! Smells! Flava flaves! It was also very much an industry-only trade show in the sense that if you were wearing the right color of nametag--particularly the color that designated "buyer"--you were guaranteed much better treatment from candy reps. Had we worn suits and ties (ties featuring jelly beans/candy corn/M&Ms, of course) and gone incognito as confectionary and snack buyers, David and I surely would've gotten a whole new perspective on the candy biz. Oh well, next year...! Despite a certain expo hierarchy, we met quite a few people--like the Funley's fellow--who were stoked that we were reporting for a food blog and who spoke very passionately about their products. Such vendors presented us with extra samples and press packets and (I think) recognized our mutual candy connection--that shared candy-related glimmer in our eyes (just before the 5 Hour energy shots finally wore off). After leaving the convention center, we reboarded the bus on Dum Dum Drive and headed home, expo-nentially more sugared up than before. And we learned this, too: After it's all about sweets and snacks, it's all about real eats and naps.

SPECIAL REPORT: All Candy Expo (part 1 of 2)

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:41:17 -0800

CHICAGO, Illinois (UrHo) -- How does one get to the ALL CANDY EXPO: "The Largest Confectionary, Cookie & Snack Show in the Americas"? One might try boarding a free shuttle on Dum Dum Drive (AKA the street adjacent to the Hilton in downtown Chicago). After a quick ride--during which time one's candy-related excitement might well reach max levels (despite the fact that it's like, 9 in the morning)--the shuttle will drop one off at McCormick Place, a huge convention center near the lakeshore, home to such epic expositions as The National Restaurant Association Show, WINDPOWER 2009, and The International Plastics Showcase. But for three days in May, at the National Confectioners Association's ALL CANDY EXPO, "It's all about sweet & snacks." How does one describe this trade show? First of all, one switches to a more casual narrative style, i.e., first person: It was I, Laura Pearson, along with photographer David Sampson, who experienced this exceptionally sweet expo (or should I say, "expo-rienced"?) It was we who got sugared up, came crashing down, consumed still more sugar, crashed further down; encountered new candy and new spins on classic confections; witnessed weird aspects of candy culture and candy merchandising; braided candy into bracelets; sprayed candy into our mouths; traversed new flavor frontiers; and looked around frantically for a sandwich. What follows are some notes and images from the 2009 ALL CANDY EXPO (or, for brevity's sake, the ACE) that took place from May 19-21 in Chicago. In the words of that legendary CEO/candy pioneer Willy Wonka, the show offered "little surprises around every corner, but nothing dangerous"...or well, nothing too dangerous (did I mention candy sprays?!). In the words of P Diddy, "let's goooooooo!!!" CrEATables: They roped me in. One of our first stops was the CrEATables table (an innovation by Dutch candy co. Fascini) where I learned to braid candy "laces" into lanyard jewelry. The nice CrEATables rep explained that this is a way for kids to play with their food without making a huge mess. I can see how this candy encourages kids' crEATivity, but the plastic-y ropes--in strawberry, apple, tutti frutti, and blue razz--don't pack much flavor. Still, I love a good candy craft. Sidenote: I wore a CrEATables bracelet of my own CrEATion throughout the day, until I decided it was gross to sport wearable candy in public bathrooms. Surf Sweets: A new wave in gummies? This was one of David's favorites of the ACE. Surf Sweets are gummies--some of which are gelatin-free (yessss)--that are made with organic fruit juice, provide 100% Vitamin C per serving, and just generally promote a Cali lifestyle of "healthy living and fun." AKA Endless Summer Candy. WaveBake Treats: Or, everything the Slow Food movement is against in one microwavable bowl. WaveBake offered us a taste of their premixed (and patent pending) products. You microwave 'em for 40 seconds in order to achieve some sort of warm, doughy brownie-like thing. I asked if they tasted like freshly baked cookies, and the WaveBake rep said, "Yeah. Well, one of them does." (The oatmeal one, in case you were wondering.) Brownie points for being an almost-ready-to-eat treat. Brownie demerits for looking pretty unappetizing. Brain Power Potion Bracelets: The kid-friendliest candy in the land? Quick quiz: What are the three things kids love most? Answer: Candy. Jewelry. And magic! I admit that I did not try the powdered candy inside The Real Magic Potion Company's JARM bracelets. Not sure why, since these particular specimens were packed with both "Brain Power Potion" and "Lucky Candy Potion." Whoa! However, I did love this sweetly simple sales pitch ("What are the three things kids love most?"), naïve though it may be. I was about to guess that the three things kids love most are Flamin' Hot Cheetos, those Heelys shoes, and the Jo Bros. GÜDFÜD: Will not harsh your mellow or marsh your mallow. Featuring some of the cutest packaging of all the candy at the ACE, the GÜDFÜD company offered samples of their chocolate- and jelly-filled marshmallows. I'm not a big fan of either jelly filling or marshmallows, so this combo wasn't really my thang. However, I am a fan of the über positive GÜDFÜD vibe. According to their website, "Our mission is to bring to the market the most yummy products from all over our happy planet. The umlauts above each letter "U" in our name creates a smiley face that everyone loves." Crackheads: You do the math. Crackheads are chocolate-covered espresso beans THAT ARE CRAZILY CAFFEINATED!!! That's why they're called CRACKHEADS!!! How much caffeine do Crackheads pack? Apparently, 1 Box = 6 cups of coffee, 7.5 cans of Red Bull, or 11 cans of Mountain Dew. I thought it would be hilarious to ask the Crackheads dude if they offer any decaf varieties, and this was my response: Crackheads remind me of that short-lived energy drink Cocaine: Its name led to its demise. I guess the people behind Crackheads are also jittery that their product might be pulled from shelves, because on their website they've already revealed a backup plan: "Love the product but not the name? Jitterbeans™ now released." Tomorrow is Part 2 of Urban Honking's SPECIAL REPORT on the All Candy Expo from Laura Pearson and David Sampson.

The Turtle Dies Too

Mon, 18 May 2009 13:54:50 -0800

The Mayo Clinic defines alcohol poisoning as a potentially deadly consequence of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time.

In the fable of the Tortoise and the Hare we are led to the conclusion that slow steady progress is better than quick bursts of activity. Had the Tortoise and the Hare been in a drinking contest, the Hare would likely have died. But what would have happened to the Tortoise? A person can usually eliminate 0.5 oz (15 ml) of alcohol per hour. So, it would take approximately one hour to eliminate the alcohol from a 12 oz (355 ml) can of beer. Our subject started at 0900 hours and drank one alcoholic beverage per hour until 2300 hours. 0900 - mimosa 1000 - mimosa 1100 - coffee with a shot of bushmills 1200 - pabst 1300 - coke with a shot of bushmills 1400 - alaskan amber 1500 - shot of makers mark 1600 - budweiser mixed with sierra mist 1700 - pabst 1800 - pabst 1900 - pabst 2000 - glass of red wine 2100 - glass of red wine 2200 - glass of red wine 2300 - glass of red wine Subject felt terrible as the experiment ended. While initially the plan was to continue the pace into a second day, it was decided that the risk was too great. Contents of the Subject's stomach were evacuated and subject was given a hydration formula. Subject later explained that after the 2300 mark he, "felt bad, but not extremely bad. There was a sense of anticipation of much worse to come. I was aware that there was alcohol in my stomach that was not yet in my system, and i was afraid of it." CONCLUSION The Subject was able to operate throughout the day at a diminished capacity. We estimate, based only on observation, his BAC reached a high of no more than 0.15. Returning to the concept of the fable, it seems that while the Subject was able to operate for one day as the Tortoise, he was not able to continue into day two. While the Hare would certainly be dead if he tried o consume all the alcohol at once, we can't conclude that this method created a "winner", only a slightly better loser. It is our final conclusion that a person should not drink alcohol in any sort of competitive setting.

Tour de carts: Samurai

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:06:10 -0800

Met up with Greg for lunch and we went to the best cart in Portland: Samurai. First of all, the place is huge. It's shaped like a barn and it's at least twice the size of the other food carts. We both got the veggie soba and it was awesome. I've eaten here a few times and it's THE BEST. That's it. Short review.

Tour de carts: UGARIT

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:00:19 -0800

Josh and I went to Ugarit, the Mediterranean Meals cart on SW 10th and Alder. I've always liked this cart because they are blaring music before they open and they seem to be open or at least occupied far longer than their neighboring carts. Ugarit has a few small tables and there is a patch of grass around a nearby tree. There is always a line at lunch and you can bet some jerk will likely claim a table before they order. I ordered the Super Halal Chicken Gyros and Josh ordered the Super Falafel. Much of the menu involves foods described as "super". I'm not sure that that means. The food was fine. Because of the steady line of customers and the $5.50 price we both expected the food to be a little better than it was. The ingredients were unremarkable and the whole thing felt a little rushed. Ugarit: ***/of 5

RIP Hamdog and Luther

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:11:25 -0800

RIP Hamdog and Luther from curt on Vimeo. There once was a magical place where you could indulge your taste buds upon delicacies known as the "Hamdog" and "Luther." We visited that place once, and this video serves as a reminder of those joyous times which can never be re-created, for that place is now lost to the forces of real estate development.

The $45 Burger

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:43:42 -0800

Flip Burger Boutique is the latest venue for Richard Blais to show off his culinary creativity. The Top Chef Chicago runner up has bounced several Atlanta kitchens, according to coverage in Creative Loafing. While perhaps not as adventurous as some of his previous gigs (i.e. Element), Flip seems to give him an outlet for his imagination. As the name suggests, the menu is entirely burger-based and supported by sides and milkshakes. There are 18 burgers to choose from; nine are traditional, beef-based and the other nine are based on alternative patties including mushroom, shrimp and lamb. The $45 price tag on the Kobe burger immediately caught my eye, but I was unwilling to spend that kind of money for one burger. I called Mike to discuss the options and he, too, was interested in the $45 choice. I repeatedly expressed my opposition, but our conversation was interrupted before a different burger could be settled upon. About 15 minutes later, I received $45 via PayPal with the following message: "No excuse." And so it came to pass that I ordered a $45 burger. For my side, I went with the sweet potato tots, and the liquid nitrogen-cooled Krispy Kreme milkshake rounded out the meal. The milkshake arrived first. The liquid nitrogen caused a fog that cascaded out of the glass when it was placed on the table. It had a vaguely sci-fi appearance, but the fog dissipated too quickly to snap a photo. Having heard about the shake prior to our visit, I had high expectations for its re-creation of the famous donut's flavor. I wasn't entirely disappointed, but I didn't find the shake as spectacular as others had. I believe I could re-create it at home using the same technique as for a pie shake (but without the fog of the LN2). A short time later, the burger and tots arrived. Instead of the traditional barrel form, these tots were shaped like coins or thick discs. I'm not a fan of sweet potato fries, so I was nervous about the tots. My trepidation vanished when I tasted the first one. The sweet potato tots were cooked to perfection -- crispy but soft, and lightly seasoned. I could have made a meal out of them. The main event was the $45 burger: a japanese Kobe beef patty with foie gras and truffles. The idea of foie gras kind of grosses me out. Thinking about eating liver conjures memories of trying, and violently disliking, liver and onions as a child. And then there's the production method: The forced over-feeding of fowl to produce an oversized liver doesn't sit well with me. On the other hand, I've eaten some weird food (like a tongue hot dog) and plenty of other people have eaten foie gras and lived to tell the tale. So once I put it in context and got past my initial aversions, I was able to eat freely. The foie gras spread provided a creamy texture to the burger, which I liked, but I couldn't tell you whether or not I tasted any truffles. I probably did, but I can't identify the flavor with any specificity. And I'm not sure my palate is sensitive or developed enough to discern the difference between Kobe and "regular" beef. The burger was very good, but not more than four times as good as a $8 to $10 burger from the corner pub. The $45 isn't just paying for a good burger with premium ingredients, though. It's paying for its own price tag. It's paying for the ability to say, "I ate a burger that costs $45." And that stays with you well after you've pushed yourself away from the table. Even if someone else paid for it. Reposted from cmerrill.com. Comments? Click here!

Pie Shakes

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:00:38 -0800

George from G-Rad.org told us about Pie Shakes. We investigated...
Making Pie Shakes from Mike Merrill on Vimeo.

Tour de carts: EURODISH

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:14:39 -0800

EURODISH is some serious comfort food. While it may sit right next to Huong's Vietnamese Food, these carts share very little in common other than a penchant for delicious fare. EURODISH serves hearty warm foods that counter Portland's damp and cold winter. I had a delicious and incredibly filling Pork Schnitzel Sandwich and a mix of some of the best pierogies I've ever had. It's hard to beat a grilled kielbasa sandwich and the cheese blintzes. I will say one flaw of EURODISH was the time it took to prepare, but the taste more than made up for it! It struck me while devouring my lunch that the food carts are the opposite of mall food in almost every way. Carts are smaller, slower, better tasting food created by a very small number of people. Mall food stands are part of massive chains, serve food quickly, and are usually bland to terrible. Also, carts are cheaper! Why can't the cart experience exist within the food court? EURODISH is located on 10th ave. They have Coke (and Pepsi). Cash only. Very friendly, but the service can be slow. The info on Food Carts Portland is a little out of date.

Tour de carts: Huong's Vietnamese Food

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:46:42 -0800

The good news is that you no longer have to drive all the way out to 82nd for a Bánh mì sandwich! The bad news is that it might be faster than eating at Huong's. Welcome to Tour de carts, an exploration of the wonderful food carts that surround the City Center parking lot between SW 9th and SW 10th, and SW Alder and SW Washington. These are the carts near my work and I'm incredibly excited about them. Huong's Vietnamese Food is all about the Bánh mì, which will cost you $3.00 and comes in Pork, Chicken, or Vegetarian (tofu). The Pork is the best. It's hard to beat a $3.00 sandwich, even if you do have to wait a little too long to get it, and the fact that it tastes so good only makes you feel guilty for paying just $3.00. The Veggie Curry is also good, as are the salad rolls. I found the Egg Rolls to be very good, but also very greasy. And I did try the grilled pork chops and Vietnamese egg-pork patty over rice, but I just can't see why anyone would order anything other than the Bánh mì. Huong's Vietnamese Food is located on the 10th ave side. Unfortunately they serve Pepsi products. Cash only. Very friendly, but the service is slow. Read more on Food Carts Portland.

Mall Food: Nordstrom Cafe

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:59:03 -0800

Nordstrom Cafe is nothing short of a ray of golden sun in the midst of the dark and troubled world of mall food. You order. You sit at a table or a booth by a window, with a view of the actual outside world. Someone comes with your food. They bring you a glass for your sparkling water. You have tomato basil soup, or a grilled panino. They ask if you'd like anything else. It's a very civilized way to dine! Yes, prices are higher than at Steak Escape, Taco Time, or Medi-Grill. Sometimes, you have to treat yourself. Take a break from processed, from breaded and fried. Enjoy a salad and Perrier, good company and conversation. Relax in the cafe just off the young women's clothing department on the ground floor of Nordstrom. You deserve it. Josh: ***** Mike: *****

Mall Food: McDonald's (breakfast)

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 08:17:27 -0800

If you don't know the difference between McDonald's "Big Breakfast" and their "Deluxe Breakfast," you're not alone. Both are seemingly random but standard assortments of the following breakfast items: hash brown, hot cakes, english muffin, biscuit, sausage, and eggs. We started into our Breakfasts optimistically, with enthusiasm. We poured syrup, and made sandwiches of the various items. We played the Monopoly promotion. It was not long before our enthusiasm waned. For one thing, the McDonald's Express in the mall does not actually offer biscuits in any meal or item. They replace it with an english muffin. This is not a big deal, but it left us miffed, especially since they didn't even spring for signs that replace the biscuits with e-muffins. More importantly, none of the individual items really tasted very good. The hash browns were the best, obviously. The scrambled eggs were awful, though. Hard and rubbery. Who screws up eggs? Josh: ** Mike: * ("I will never order that again.")

Mall Food: Sarku

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:31:59 -0800

I told Jessica there was a place in the mall called Sarku Japan and she asked, "Sarku? Are you sure that's what it's called?" Apparently Sarku is not only not a Japanese word, it's not a Japanese construction. That is to say, it couldn't even be a Japanese word. Similarly, it would be a stretch to say it serves Japanese food. A meal at Sarku is grilled chicken, shrimp, or beef, with some vegetables (mostly cabbage), served over steamed or fried rice. Pre-packaged sushi rolls are also an option. But we ate all of this, Japanese or not. The best part for me was probably the cabbage, though not due to any dramatic taste. It was just good to get some vegetables in me. Eating mall food, day after day, it would be quite easy to develop a vitamin deficiency. The shrimp literally tasted like nothing. The fried rice was bland and unadorned. Beef left no impression. The chicken, I think, was slightly overcooked -- it been sitting on the grill for a while. The slight char that it developed actually gave it a bit of flavor! It was the best of the meats, without question. Let Sarku take this as a tip -- burn your meats, it's the only way you'll get any taste into them. Josh: ** Mike: **

The Hottest Food In Portland

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:18:17 -0800

We have a new intern at the office. His name is Davey. He doesn't care for spicy foods.

Davey Attempts El Jefe from Mike Merrill on Vimeo.

Mall Food: Hot Dog on a Stick

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:06:07 -0800

Look: Hot Dog on a Stick was really good. NO JOKING! Steve had a veggie dog on a stick, fries. Mike had a hot dog on a stick, cheese on a stick, fries. I had a veggie dog on a stick, onion rings. Lemonades all around. All of it was good! If you don't know, they dip your dog (or your cheese) in batter and immediately drop it in the fryer when you order it. It's a "real" corn dog, not a pre-packaged frozen one. You may have never had one of these before, unless you've been to a State Fair. We're not talking about much of a healthy square meal here, I acknowledge that. But as a snack, this is a knockout. **** from me, and from Mike as well.
Hot Dog On A Stick from Mike Merrill on Vimeo.