Posted by Iroquois Plisken
Yesterday, the heralded Southern chicken franchise Chick-Fil-A unveiled their Spicy Chicken Sandwich. For those of you unfortunate enough to live outside of the range of these gods of the restaurant industry, first of all, fall to the floor and weep for your sake. Seriously. It's that good. However, you may also know them from the Peach Bowl or from the cow ads.
A brief overview: first, the chicken is soaked in what I believe to be a dill mixture, presumably to complement the pickles on the sandwich. Next, it's breaded and fried in a peanut oil, to 1) lower the cholesterol content and 2) make it taste like heaven. Finally, the sandwich is served on a buttery bun with two dill pickle chips. Then, you can sauce it however you want, with a traditional BBQ sauce, a Polynesian sauce, regular catsup, or you can go with the Chick-Fil-A sauce (renamed from the honey-roasted BBQ sauce, so that's the hint of what it tastes like there).
What makes this sandwich so special, you may ask? It's hard to put in words. Perhaps it is how the breading is light enough to where it doesn't interfere with the natural tastiness of the chicken. That's probably why the spicy sandwich works so well. Apparently, in this piece by the AJC, Chick-Fil-A has been working on this monstrosity for over five years. Clearly, this move has not been hastily considered, and with good reason. Customers (like myself) have been demanding this for many years and while a non-successful spicy sandwich would not be enough to stop me from going, it would be out-of-character for Chick-Fil-A to fail.
Anyhow, they've really been milking the publicity like it was some sort of debut from Apple. You could even reserve your sandwich online at www.getspicychicken.com. The closest I had ever come prior to making a reservation was telling my buddies to "save a sandwich for me" if everyone was going to get food. I did happen to get a reservation (seems like the blue hairs in my home town aren't too keen on eating at 1 PM) and here was how it went.
I walked in and I was shown to a table (in a typical fast food restaurant!) I sat down and was asked what I'd like to drink (a Coke Zero, please. Yes, I have no problem drinking beverages since banned in Venezuela). They then asked if I wanted the Spicy Regular sandwich or the Deluxe, with lettuce, tomato, and pepper jack cheese. Of course, I wanted fried. They bring out the meal, which consists of the sandwich, any sauce I wanted (I elected for Chick-Fil-A sauce), a side of cole slaw, and a sample of the peach milkshake. It gets consumed. They ask me how it was and I respond positively and ask for the bill. Turns out, if you made the reservation, it was FREE. That's right. F-R-E-E. Wouldn't even accept my gratuity.
The spice wasn't all too intense, but you know it was there. It would start out subtle and build ever so slowly. It shouldn't be enough to turn anyone away from it, unless you just can't handle heat in any fashion. My only complaint is that it's a bit salty. Clearly, Chick-Fil-A did all their homework in crafting a great recipe.
All in all, if you can get one, go and get it. You won't regret it. And yes, this is a slap to Slate because he can't acquire one. Take that.
Showing posts with label Amazingium. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amazingium. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Taking a Stomp in Weezy F. Baby's Sneaks---The New Orleans Trip
Posted by Iroquois Plisken
Having now made it back from New Orleans in one piece (and a couple days at the beach), I now recap what I can remember about the whole thing. There were a lot of good stories and I will do my best to recollect what was going on, including a couple of places visited and the logo on the outside of the place just so others can follow in my trail or (dis)agree with me on how great some of the places are/were.
First, I want to make a couple of points about food. Being there pretty much makes you want to eat everything and I certainly did my best to do so. For those unfamiliar with the New Orleans cuisine, this guy provides a good primer. Typical examples include jambalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice, etouffes, and the like. Two places that particularly stood out (and what I got):
1. Serio's Deli and the Muffeletta Sandwich - If Serio's sounds familiar, it might be because you saw it on TV...
Yep, Bobby Flay took on these guys in a muffeletta challenge and lost. So there you go. It was especially close to where I was staying, so I snagged one of these bad boys before I left town.
I had never had one of these sandwiches before. For the unenlightened, a muffeletta is a Creole sandwich with salami and ham and swiss cheese with an olive salad on the top, primarily consisting of pimentos, both black and green olives, carrot coins, celery, and maybe pickled cauliflower (which is what I recall this particular sandwich having). Typically, they are enormous sandwiches served on circular bread and can be purchased by the half or whole (and in some places, quarter).
Now I may not have been many places in my entire life, but I am a sucker for a) popularly endorsed stuff on television and b) eating, but this meal in particular ranks up there with the best meals I've had. It was breathtaking. In fact, I couldn't stop raving about the sandwich and convinced two of my friends to get one as well. Wow. Besides the cold cuts being choice stuff, the olive salad was the star and the support of the sandwich. I am now looking for something to come close to recreating this masterpiece of human achievement.
Additionally, I was told I missed out on the Central Grocer, who serves a dynamite one of these as well, but I didn't get the memo before I left town.
Speaking of places I saw on TV...
2. The Acme Oyster House and the Chargrilled Oysters
I'm not one for raw oysters. They're pretty dirty creatures on the whole. Still, I was on vacation, so I would set aside any preconceived notions of anything. The very first night we were looking for some grub, and I just happened to spot the above neon. Because I love watching shows about eating and cooking, I remembered this episode of Man v. Food. Adam Richman does the 15 dozen (180) oyster challenge. As of the filming of the episode, only 28 out of 150 people had finished them, but Man won that round.
Now, I didn't attempt to try 180, but two dozen was the order of the day. Simply amazing and this coming from a guy who doesn't normally eat oysters. I found a recipe that matches the description that the waitress gave me for how it was prepared so I will have to try this again someday. Because I live close to Appalachicola (Oyster City; it provides a lot of SE states with oysters), this may be sooner rather than later. This was definitely #2 in foods on the trip (close behind Serio's), and they definitely blew everything else out of the water.
Incidentally, I also went to Mother's for the Ferdie Special, where Richman also dined. That was where I was beginning to speculate upon my previous article.
I also want to give an extra special mention to one of my hosts this weekend, who manages the Gordon Biersch in New Orleans, right across the street from Harrah's. Definitely recommend checking them out if you have one nearby, especially for the beer. If you're a stud muffin, you can get a beer boot. Yes, like the one from Beerfest.
Coming Friday...bar reviews.
Having now made it back from New Orleans in one piece (and a couple days at the beach), I now recap what I can remember about the whole thing. There were a lot of good stories and I will do my best to recollect what was going on, including a couple of places visited and the logo on the outside of the place just so others can follow in my trail or (dis)agree with me on how great some of the places are/were.
First, I want to make a couple of points about food. Being there pretty much makes you want to eat everything and I certainly did my best to do so. For those unfamiliar with the New Orleans cuisine, this guy provides a good primer. Typical examples include jambalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice, etouffes, and the like. Two places that particularly stood out (and what I got):
1. Serio's Deli and the Muffeletta Sandwich - If Serio's sounds familiar, it might be because you saw it on TV...
Yep, Bobby Flay took on these guys in a muffeletta challenge and lost. So there you go. It was especially close to where I was staying, so I snagged one of these bad boys before I left town.
I had never had one of these sandwiches before. For the unenlightened, a muffeletta is a Creole sandwich with salami and ham and swiss cheese with an olive salad on the top, primarily consisting of pimentos, both black and green olives, carrot coins, celery, and maybe pickled cauliflower (which is what I recall this particular sandwich having). Typically, they are enormous sandwiches served on circular bread and can be purchased by the half or whole (and in some places, quarter).
Now I may not have been many places in my entire life, but I am a sucker for a) popularly endorsed stuff on television and b) eating, but this meal in particular ranks up there with the best meals I've had. It was breathtaking. In fact, I couldn't stop raving about the sandwich and convinced two of my friends to get one as well. Wow. Besides the cold cuts being choice stuff, the olive salad was the star and the support of the sandwich. I am now looking for something to come close to recreating this masterpiece of human achievement.
Additionally, I was told I missed out on the Central Grocer, who serves a dynamite one of these as well, but I didn't get the memo before I left town.
Speaking of places I saw on TV...
2. The Acme Oyster House and the Chargrilled Oysters
I'm not one for raw oysters. They're pretty dirty creatures on the whole. Still, I was on vacation, so I would set aside any preconceived notions of anything. The very first night we were looking for some grub, and I just happened to spot the above neon. Because I love watching shows about eating and cooking, I remembered this episode of Man v. Food. Adam Richman does the 15 dozen (180) oyster challenge. As of the filming of the episode, only 28 out of 150 people had finished them, but Man won that round.
Now, I didn't attempt to try 180, but two dozen was the order of the day. Simply amazing and this coming from a guy who doesn't normally eat oysters. I found a recipe that matches the description that the waitress gave me for how it was prepared so I will have to try this again someday. Because I live close to Appalachicola (Oyster City; it provides a lot of SE states with oysters), this may be sooner rather than later. This was definitely #2 in foods on the trip (close behind Serio's), and they definitely blew everything else out of the water.
Incidentally, I also went to Mother's for the Ferdie Special, where Richman also dined. That was where I was beginning to speculate upon my previous article.
I also want to give an extra special mention to one of my hosts this weekend, who manages the Gordon Biersch in New Orleans, right across the street from Harrah's. Definitely recommend checking them out if you have one nearby, especially for the beer. If you're a stud muffin, you can get a beer boot. Yes, like the one from Beerfest.
Coming Friday...bar reviews.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Obligatory Food Post
By Slate Quicksilver
After going back through the archives and having a startling realization, it dawned on me that we have not done a solid food articles in more than 2 weeks. Because we are potlucksports, being devoted to sports AND food, this cannot stand.
Thus we bring the flavorgasm scale back from storage (it was mildly successful) to better the sex in your mouth. Wait that's not right. We bring back the flavorgasm scale to improve the explosive orgasms in your mouth. No, that isn't right either but time is fleeting, so we'll begin without proper re-introduction.
Orange cream soda, in general, was created by God so that if the world were to fall into a massive war on the scale of WWII, there would be a drink to be had at the treaty signing/after party/after-after party (Italian Prime Ministers know how to get down...). But it is this brand, Henry Weinhard's, that is of particular awesomeness. It's like drinking a creamsicle. That's nothing new. Drinks like this have exists for years. But what Mr. Weinhard does, whether or not he tells you on the bottle, is that he puts some derivation of cocaine in his fine elixir. That's the only explanation for why I woke up at 2 A.M. after downing one of these with the shakes craving this drink. Worse still, I had only had one at that time.
I am reminded of growing up in an elementary school that had the D.A.R.E. program. Officer Lisotte (I think) was our resource officer. Short guy, NICE police mustache, New York accent and was always chewing bubble gum. A likeable guy if you are 8 years old and are being told that if you drink a beer you will become like the guy in the cartoon who instantly turns to crime and debauchery. I remember in 5th grade he brought in a new tape, which was amazing considering we had the old cartoon about 56 times and it did not have the production value of the Children's Christian Access TV channel. I think the dude who voiced Doug, on "Doug", was the main character. I remember that he went from "land" to "land" saving various people. Each "land" was like "Marijuanaville" or "Heroinsburg" and each drug had its own personification. "Queen Mary Juana" was a giant joint. Anyway in "Crackton" the hero is told by his companion that with cocaine its "one hit and you're hooked." "Hooked" was echoed like 5 times for effect. Well, Officer Lisotte, I have met cocaine, and I am hooked. Just typing this up thinking of Henry Weinhard's Orange Cream Soda is making my tingle and making me think strange thoughts. My pockets hurt and after my quest to Memphis, I'd rather not have to swordfight former Dolphins punter Reggie Roby for the right to sit along side the King of Denmark. But that's for another time and it will be between me and my future parole officer.
Oh yeah, in the end Officer Lisotte got fired, no lie, for buying crack from an undercover officer.
Anyway, this drink of addiction isn't everything that will give you a flavorgasm. This will too:
Holy sweet NASCAR Jesus are these amazing. I got them thinking that they would taste like, duh, buffalo wings and blue cheese. They do... sort of. Actually there is evidence that it was just a rebranding attempt. Honestly, I don't care. This stuff is completely insane. You take one bite and your mouth shutters. Just like the orange cream sodas, it has copious amount of cocaine. I unintentionally downed a whole bag in about 18 hours. When I was done, crazy thoughts ran through my head about how I could get more.
Step 1: Steal a zeppelin
Step 2: Kidnap Rob Schneider
Step 3: Crash the zeppelin into a supermarket carrying these chips
Step 4: Grab all the chips
Step 5: Run away
The worst part about the crazy thoughts were, I don't even know why I wanted to kidnap Rob Schneider.
Anyway, we have two completely addictive food items and like most stupid addicts, I decided to mix the two in attempt to get the high from both squared. When I did, let me tell you something, it was everything I ever hoped for. I think heaven will have waterfalls of orange cream soda and houses made out of buffalo bleu kettle chips (Yes, I did see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs... it was awesome). When you take a bite of the chips you get a blast of paprika, chili powder, sweetness and a touch of sour cream. Then you watch it down with a sip of sweet sweet oranges with vanilla ice cream. The Awesome molecules react with the OMG molecules to make the rarest of rare elements: Amazingium. The crack, I believe, is just there to turn you in to a zombie husk of a human being craving solely oxygen and the combination of these two foods.
Flavorgasm scale:
Henry Weinhard's Orange Cream Soda: 9 out of 10
Buffalo Bleu Kettle Brand Chips: 9 out of 10
Combined together: 81 out of 10
Yes it defies the laws of the scale, but then again the scale wasn't made for this. It's like a hurricane with 200 mile per hour winds, the scale is inadequent for this grade. I fully recommend all to go try this combination (or them individually) but please note that they don't have warning labels on them telling you about full physical and psychological addiction to them that results in hallucinations and delusions on a grand grand scale.
Yet.
After going back through the archives and having a startling realization, it dawned on me that we have not done a solid food articles in more than 2 weeks. Because we are potlucksports, being devoted to sports AND food, this cannot stand.
Thus we bring the flavorgasm scale back from storage (it was mildly successful) to better the sex in your mouth. Wait that's not right. We bring back the flavorgasm scale to improve the explosive orgasms in your mouth. No, that isn't right either but time is fleeting, so we'll begin without proper re-introduction.
Orange cream soda, in general, was created by God so that if the world were to fall into a massive war on the scale of WWII, there would be a drink to be had at the treaty signing/after party/after-after party (Italian Prime Ministers know how to get down...). But it is this brand, Henry Weinhard's, that is of particular awesomeness. It's like drinking a creamsicle. That's nothing new. Drinks like this have exists for years. But what Mr. Weinhard does, whether or not he tells you on the bottle, is that he puts some derivation of cocaine in his fine elixir. That's the only explanation for why I woke up at 2 A.M. after downing one of these with the shakes craving this drink. Worse still, I had only had one at that time.
I am reminded of growing up in an elementary school that had the D.A.R.E. program. Officer Lisotte (I think) was our resource officer. Short guy, NICE police mustache, New York accent and was always chewing bubble gum. A likeable guy if you are 8 years old and are being told that if you drink a beer you will become like the guy in the cartoon who instantly turns to crime and debauchery. I remember in 5th grade he brought in a new tape, which was amazing considering we had the old cartoon about 56 times and it did not have the production value of the Children's Christian Access TV channel. I think the dude who voiced Doug, on "Doug", was the main character. I remember that he went from "land" to "land" saving various people. Each "land" was like "Marijuanaville" or "Heroinsburg" and each drug had its own personification. "Queen Mary Juana" was a giant joint. Anyway in "Crackton" the hero is told by his companion that with cocaine its "one hit and you're hooked." "Hooked" was echoed like 5 times for effect. Well, Officer Lisotte, I have met cocaine, and I am hooked. Just typing this up thinking of Henry Weinhard's Orange Cream Soda is making my tingle and making me think strange thoughts. My pockets hurt and after my quest to Memphis, I'd rather not have to swordfight former Dolphins punter Reggie Roby for the right to sit along side the King of Denmark. But that's for another time and it will be between me and my future parole officer.
Oh yeah, in the end Officer Lisotte got fired, no lie, for buying crack from an undercover officer.
Anyway, this drink of addiction isn't everything that will give you a flavorgasm. This will too:
Holy sweet NASCAR Jesus are these amazing. I got them thinking that they would taste like, duh, buffalo wings and blue cheese. They do... sort of. Actually there is evidence that it was just a rebranding attempt. Honestly, I don't care. This stuff is completely insane. You take one bite and your mouth shutters. Just like the orange cream sodas, it has copious amount of cocaine. I unintentionally downed a whole bag in about 18 hours. When I was done, crazy thoughts ran through my head about how I could get more.
Step 1: Steal a zeppelin
Step 2: Kidnap Rob Schneider
Step 3: Crash the zeppelin into a supermarket carrying these chips
Step 4: Grab all the chips
Step 5: Run away
The worst part about the crazy thoughts were, I don't even know why I wanted to kidnap Rob Schneider.
Anyway, we have two completely addictive food items and like most stupid addicts, I decided to mix the two in attempt to get the high from both squared. When I did, let me tell you something, it was everything I ever hoped for. I think heaven will have waterfalls of orange cream soda and houses made out of buffalo bleu kettle chips (Yes, I did see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs... it was awesome). When you take a bite of the chips you get a blast of paprika, chili powder, sweetness and a touch of sour cream. Then you watch it down with a sip of sweet sweet oranges with vanilla ice cream. The Awesome molecules react with the OMG molecules to make the rarest of rare elements: Amazingium. The crack, I believe, is just there to turn you in to a zombie husk of a human being craving solely oxygen and the combination of these two foods.
Flavorgasm scale:
Henry Weinhard's Orange Cream Soda: 9 out of 10
Buffalo Bleu Kettle Brand Chips: 9 out of 10
Combined together: 81 out of 10
Yes it defies the laws of the scale, but then again the scale wasn't made for this. It's like a hurricane with 200 mile per hour winds, the scale is inadequent for this grade. I fully recommend all to go try this combination (or them individually) but please note that they don't have warning labels on them telling you about full physical and psychological addiction to them that results in hallucinations and delusions on a grand grand scale.
Yet.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Foods that give you Flavorgasms
By Slate Quicksilver
As we mention in the brief description of our site at the top of the page, we also are devoted to food. The three primary writers for this site all have different tastes and takes on various foods. Some like pickles, others think that pickles are just cucumbers soaked in evil. Some love sushi. Others think sushi is an active invitation for salmonella. Some like white chocolate. Others will be vaporized just by being within a 10 foot radius of it.
But there is one food that is common bond. A lingua franca of food: The Pizza Pot Pie.
Simply put, this is the pinnacle of what food can be. First let's break it down. Pot pies are always excellent. The slight crispiness and the total flakiness of the crust is always awesome and even in 69 cent cheapo brand frozen food form is hard to mess up.
69 cents for: A kickass chicken pot pie done in 6 minutes AND you have a chance to go the Daytona 500. What a world we live in...
As we mention in the brief description of our site at the top of the page, we also are devoted to food. The three primary writers for this site all have different tastes and takes on various foods. Some like pickles, others think that pickles are just cucumbers soaked in evil. Some love sushi. Others think sushi is an active invitation for salmonella. Some like white chocolate. Others will be vaporized just by being within a 10 foot radius of it.
But there is one food that is common bond. A lingua franca of food: The Pizza Pot Pie.
Simply put, this is the pinnacle of what food can be. First let's break it down. Pot pies are always excellent. The slight crispiness and the total flakiness of the crust is always awesome and even in 69 cent cheapo brand frozen food form is hard to mess up.
69 cents for: A kickass chicken pot pie done in 6 minutes AND you have a chance to go the Daytona 500. What a world we live in...
Pot pies will vary in awesometude depending on variables like gravy flavor (dark or light), gravy quotient (heavy or light) and chicken-veggie differential (high to low). Really, the only way you could screw this up would be to eat one that is 4 years past expiration date or not cook it enough. Scientifically speaking, it's practically impossible to overcook.
That brings us to pizza. I don't need to tell you how amazing pizza is. Yours truly prefers a greasy thin-slice NY style pizza with mushrooms and any meat. But there's nothing wrond with a Chicago deep dish or even one of those wacky California creations like a chicken pad thai pizza. You just can't go wrong: flat bread, tomato sauce, cheese, meat, heat, serve. If you can't do that, it may be time to turn in your "human being" card... in America, that's your social security card.
So now we come to the evolution point. Not unlike the first fish-like thing that jumped from the water to escape a predator and decided "Hey, this oxygen thing ain't so bad!" Pizza + Pot Pie = X?
That brings us to pizza. I don't need to tell you how amazing pizza is. Yours truly prefers a greasy thin-slice NY style pizza with mushrooms and any meat. But there's nothing wrond with a Chicago deep dish or even one of those wacky California creations like a chicken pad thai pizza. You just can't go wrong: flat bread, tomato sauce, cheese, meat, heat, serve. If you can't do that, it may be time to turn in your "human being" card... in America, that's your social security card.
So now we come to the evolution point. Not unlike the first fish-like thing that jumped from the water to escape a predator and decided "Hey, this oxygen thing ain't so bad!" Pizza + Pot Pie = X?
X = Excellence in food form. You can get this in Chicago from the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. You have to wait at least an hour to sit at any given time of business hours. You walk up to the maitre'd and tell him how many to sit. You go amongst the crowd, but he remembers your face in order with all the other ones. Almost exactly to the time he says, he comes and gets you... in order.
So what exactly is the pot pie of pizza? Well, sit and listen. In a ceramic bowl, mozzarella cheese of the tastiest form is put on the bottom. This is smothered with basil tomato sauce, mushrooms and meat (the last are optional but certainly recommended even to those who don't eat either) . Then the flaky crust is applied over the top of bowl which is put into a wood fired brick over. From here, science takes over as tasty molecules interact with savory molecules to make the rarest of all food molecules: amazingium. Amazingium is only found in foods of the rarest quality. This is almost pure amazingium. When served, the pot pie is cut out of the bowl by the server and then plopped on to your plate. The following is what stares back at you:
This is a 9 on the flavorgasm scale. It would receive a 10, but like the SATs, you can't get the 100% percentile even with a perfect score. If you are ever in Chicago, it is recommended with the greatest of urgency to go there. Even if it means you only have 2 hours on a connection in O'hare. Don't worry, there will be more than one flight from O'Hare to whatever Pizza Pot Pie-less locale you are traveling to.
So what exactly is the pot pie of pizza? Well, sit and listen. In a ceramic bowl, mozzarella cheese of the tastiest form is put on the bottom. This is smothered with basil tomato sauce, mushrooms and meat (the last are optional but certainly recommended even to those who don't eat either) . Then the flaky crust is applied over the top of bowl which is put into a wood fired brick over. From here, science takes over as tasty molecules interact with savory molecules to make the rarest of all food molecules: amazingium. Amazingium is only found in foods of the rarest quality. This is almost pure amazingium. When served, the pot pie is cut out of the bowl by the server and then plopped on to your plate. The following is what stares back at you:
This is a 9 on the flavorgasm scale. It would receive a 10, but like the SATs, you can't get the 100% percentile even with a perfect score. If you are ever in Chicago, it is recommended with the greatest of urgency to go there. Even if it means you only have 2 hours on a connection in O'hare. Don't worry, there will be more than one flight from O'Hare to whatever Pizza Pot Pie-less locale you are traveling to.
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