A Full Belly

death by caffeine

Death by Caffeine. "How much of your favorite caffeinated drink would it take to kill you?" 270.99 cans of Coca-Cola Classic in my case which is far less cans than I drink in a year—and I drink much less now than I did as a kid, when I would guzzle two liters a day no problem! A little terrifying, no?

are you a supertaster?

Are You A Supertaster? "Highly sensitive tasters tend to have more food dislikes and perceive bitter tastes in many different foods; they are more likely to ask for sauce and dressings on the side, according to research done by Virginia Utermohlen, MD, of Cornell University. Moderately sensitive tasters tend to think about food in the most positive way of all three groups; chefs are most likely to fall into this category. Nontasters (who can't detect PROP but can detect other tastes) are the most likely of all three groups to prefer food that is intensely sweet." According to the article, one-third of Americans are supertasters!

From the Supertasters entry on Wikipedia: "Although not directly harmful, being a supertaster is not without some risk. A tendency to dislike certain generally beneficial foods such as green vegetables and grapefruit can make supertasters face additional risk for the conditions these foods prevent. On the positive side, however, supertasters generally do not enjoy alcohol or coffee, and thus are at considerably less risk of conditions like alcoholism and caffeine addiction." Hmm, I don't like vegetables, most alcohol and coffee. I wonder if I'm one?

meat from a vat?

Brave New Hamburger. The Village Voice's Geeta Dayal on cultured-meat production: "The basic idea is this: All meat is essentially muscle tissue marbled with fat. If you grew enough of these cells, you could theoretically make actual meat—without resorting to soy or slaughterhouses. Ideally, you could make thousands, if not millions, of nuggets from a single chicken using this method."

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.

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.

assam double wall ice tea glass

Assam Double Wall Iced Tea Glass. Gorgeous glasses that keep your drinks colder for longer and won't sweat in weather that's got you drenched. Ah, science. $40 for a set of two. [via A Whole Lotta Nothing]