A Full Belly

press vs electric juicer

Is it pulp fiction or juicy fact? "We don't know why, and science can't seem to explain it, but the juice out of a press just tastes better." I don't care if it's from a press or an electric juicer, so long as it's sweet and sans pulp—I hate pulp! Ick.

mmmm, bacon

The Bacon Show: "One bacon recipe per day, every day, forever." Yes, this is exactly my kind of my blog, and no, I'm not secretly writing it, so stop asking, people!

vanilla

The White Stuff: How vanilla became shorthand for bland. "But the vanilla that wearies us is rarely vanilla at all. Anywhere from 90 percent to 97 percent of vanilla-flavored products are made with vanillin, a substance found in small quantities in natural vanilla but made synthetically for processed commercial foods. Real vanilla contains hundreds of different components that contribute to its nuanced taste and aroma. It is as different from vanillin as sugar is from Equal; vanilla possesses subtlety and depth, while vanillin is loud, brassy, superficial. And yet most Americans have become accustomed to the latter" Also: did you know that Coca-Cola is made with real vanilla? It's the truth! [via kottke.org]

beef, french-style

Ask MeFi: Why do steaks in France taste better than those in the US? Lots of answers to do with what cows are fed, how steaks are cut, aged and cooked, and recommendations on where to find hanger steaks in NYC.

spam, like diamonds, is forever

Ask MeFi: "I found a can of spam in the trunk of my car which, I think, was purchased in 1996. I wondered: Is it still safe to eat?" Hormel says shelf life is indefinite, so I will take that to mean SPAM will be edible when the only creatures left walking the earth are cockroaches and Cher. (Warning: I may have made this joke on the Belly before.)

mmm, grilled cheese

Grilled Cheese Lifehack! Me, I just wrap mine in aluminum foil and put it in the George Foreman. [via kathryn yu]

diet cokes

Demystifying Diet Coke(s). "For those of you who have expressed confusion over the many forms of diet and sugar free cokes now available to you, I offer an explanation, because I was confused so I did the research." Leslie Harpold rocks.

Food Fans Have Their Say

Food Fans Have Their Say: The Baltimore Sun on food blogs, including the Belly.

buttermilk pie

Buttermilk Pie recipe. I like buttermilk and I like pie, so why is it I didn't even know there was such a thing as buttermilk pie till now? Haven't seen any around NYC so perhaps I will have to bake one myself.

sweet stuff

NYC Manhattan User's Guide: Sweet Stuff. Charlie Suissman lists his favorite treats from around the city; he will never lead you astray, so pay attention.