MidAtlantic Wine and Food Festival Recap
This weekend was an embarrassment of riches; it was one of those truly indulgent weekends in which all my activities–and I mean all–centered around food. Needless to say, there is no other way I’d care to spend my time. As a native Delawarean, I was thrilled to attend the MidAtlantic Wine and Food Festival—a 4-day event with over 40 demos, lectures, and dinners that span the entire length of the state. While there were plenty of celebrity chef appearances and collaborations, the festival focused on local chefs who are doing progressive cuisine and are pushing the culinary...
Read More10 Commonly Mispronounced Foods
Does hearing someone mangle a food’s name drive you crazy? Ever wanted to slap someone for saying broo-SHET-ah instead of broo-SKET-ah? I found this list of commonly mispronounced foods on the Foodista blog this morning and thought it was worth a reprint. Pay close attention to #5–do you pronounce the cult hot sauce’s name correctly or do you (like me) opt for the popular mispronounciation see-ra-cha? Surprised to see that foie gras didn’t make the list–it’s an oft-butchered name. REPRINTED FROM THE FOODISTA BLOG Let’s paint a picture....
Read MoreIn Poor ‘Taste’: ABC’s New Culinary Crapfest
I hope Nigella Lawson, Ludo Lefebvre, Brian Malarkey (what an appropriate surname), and Anthony Bourdain are proud of themselves. The rather accomplished quartet is just the latest group of culinary pros to conspire with a major television network to craft undoubtedly one of the most insipid reality/game shows in history. With what could be called an abysmal choice of programming, last night ABC aired its premiere episode of The Taste–a weird, confounding culinary game show in which a panel of esteemed judges blind taste contestants’ one-bite concoctions and decide whether...
Read MoreHow I Wish Elections Were Decided
It’s that time of year–election time–and, though I am a self-proclaimed political junkie, I’m getting tired of all the TV ads (yes, yes we know you approve this message) and mud-slinging. Wouldn’t it be so much cooler if candidates faced off in a cooking competition à la Food Network’s Chopped rather than those boring policy-heavy debates? During the first disaster presidential debate, chef and Chopped judge Alex Guarnaschelli tweeted the following: Responses were swift and brutal. Waffles (that’s for you, Mitt). Flip-flops (Romney again). ...
Read More[PIC] Cleanliness an Issue for Philly Restaurant Employees?
![[PIC] Cleanliness an Issue for Philly Restaurant Employees?](http://thepalateprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/et_temp/Khyber-Pass-15438_186x186.jpg)
Call me a germophobe, but I rarely use public bathrooms. I mean, have you seen the movie Contagion? Recently, I had dinner at one of my Old City favorites and used the bathroom there for the first time. When I was washing my hands, I was greeted by this lovely reminder to employees for whom anal cleanliness must be an issue. Clearly, the toilet artist made “hands” into “anus.” Brava, lady and bonus points for your tongue in…ahem…cheek creativity. Can you guess the restaurant? (Clue: Bacon grease...
Read MoreFoie Gras Faux Pas? The CA Ban Begins Today
Foie gras literally translates to “fatty liver” and is achieved primarily through force feeding an animal (usually a goose) in an effort to encourage the rapid, unnatural growth of its liver. I am not a fan of foie gras and the means by which it is produced disgusts me; however, there is no difference between its production and the often times cruel and poorly maintained cattle feedlots or chicken coops. Today, the California foie gras ban goes into effect. Compliant restaurateurs and chefs have until midnight tonight to sell the fatty duck liver before it is officially...
Read MoreWho is The Palate Princess?
Iris McCarthy is a food writer and author of the popular book Food Lovers' Guide to Philadelphia. This website is where she gets to sound off on all things culinary.