Wade Eats so You Don't Have To: Doritos Loco Taco from Taco Bell
Apr 22, 2012 in Food
You may have seen the ads on TV: the orange shells, the nostalgic road trips, the promise of deliciousness — it’s Taco Bell’s new, heavily-hyped, Doritos Loco Taco. Just the… Read on…
El Cocinero
Mar 15, 2012 in Food
So I usually think of myself as a good cook, but — I think I might’ve mentioned — I’m slow. Glacial. Weeknight meal? Sure, I’ll have that up for you… Read on…
Bounty
Feb 26, 2012 in Food
We have this lemon tree in the backyard. Every year, it gave a bounty of lemons; we hardly had to buy a one at the market. Except for last year;… Read on…
Wade Eats So You Don't Have To: Steven Seagal's Lightning Bolt, Asian Experience Flavor
Dec 3, 2010 in Food
A casual boast on Facebook has led to a new feature here on juniorbird.com: Wade Eats So You Don’t Have To, a series in which I try wacky-ass shit and… Read on…
Thanksgiving: The Year We Make Contact
Nov 25, 2010 in Food
2010 has been quite a year; there’s a lot to give thanks for, and a lot to worry about. Today’s a day for great food and great family, and I’m… Read on…
Me vs. Breakfast
Aug 27, 2010 in Food
Every once in a while I feel inexplicably compelled to confess to something that’s bound to make all six of the people who read this blog hate me. Today’s just… Read on…
Summer Squid Stir-Fry
Aug 15, 2010 in Food
When it’s summer around here, the grill and the wok both come out. They’re two incredible tools to cook light food with flavors that cut through the heat — and… Read on…
Drinks of the Month: Cold Comfort & Barbed Wire
Aug 1, 2010 in Food
If you’re a long-time reader, you may remember the old days of the Drink of the Month. Well, we might not make this a monthly thing any more, but I… Read on…
One Milk Product to Rule Them All
Apr 4, 2010 in Food
First, let’s get one thing straight: I’m a bad Jew. I don’t know what holiday it is (It’s Passover - Ed.) and I’m unclear on what my legal obligations are… Read on…
Well, I'm Jewish and Scottish, so This Entry Will Be About Cheap Scotch
Mar 6, 2010 in Food
I love Scotch. This is fortunate, since I pretty much can’t drink any other kind of whiskey. It’s that corn allergy thing — only a nice single malt Scotch is… Read on…
Daytime TV-Friendly Dinners
Mar 1, 2010 in Food
Christmas brought a lot of things, not least of which was Rachael Ray’s Big Orange Book Cookbook. Now, I’m admittedly a big Rachael Ray fan, not so much for her… Read on…
Just Souper
Feb 8, 2010 in Food
This winter has been full of cold, wet weather. This kind of environment is unfamiliar in LA, a land of single-pane windows, minimal insulation, and even less drainage. Given my… Read on…
Official 2009 Holiday Kitchen Buyer's Guide
Dec 3, 2009 in Food, Otherwise Uncategorized
I like to cook. You may have read. Any chef loves their gadgets, and, being a geek, I do so more than most. While I do tend to think that the solution to almost any problem is technology, I don’t like to keep things around that don’t really, really work. Since it’s the holiday season, and that means getting stuff for both of the major world religions of which I am a member, here are a few such gadgets I suggest you put on your wish list this year. For your online shopping convenience, I’ve included links to buy all these goodies at Amazon, which incidentally gives a smidge of the price of your purchase to me, at no cost to you. I’ve also tried to pick reasonably-priced entry-level options, for particular holiday season. Read on…
And I Am Become Old
Apr 27, 2009 in Food, True Life Stories
Growing up, we were always big on the family meal. Breakfast was in a nook behind our kitchen, at a yellow and white Formica table that just fit in the corner next to the basement stairs. When I was young, I would read the cereal boxes while my parents read their newspapers; I learned every ingredient and every serving suggestion and solved every puzzle on the back. While we weren’t a sugary-cereal household, my mom and I did have our own breakfast indulgence: back in the days before most people used skim milk, we’d pour whole milk on our cereal and then top it off with some half-and-half. Read on…
Salmon with Asian Pesto
With all the basil from the housewarming party, I could hardly resist making all manner of pesto. The Thai basil basically dared me to make an Asian-flavored pesto, and, once made, the perfect match was clearly a simple grilled salmon. Read on…
Peanutty Tofu & Cabbage Asian Salad
The summer just won’t quit here in Southern California, which means summery dishes even as the night comes sooner. A good Asian salad is a great weekend lunch or light weeknight dinner, and this recipe is pretty low-fat and responsible. Read on…
Homemade Margaritas
Nov 9, 2008 in Drink of the Month, Food, Photos
One of the benefits of living in California is the year-round summer. That means every day is a great day for a Margarita, and, with a lemon tree in our backyard, that means homemade sour mix for those Margaritas! Read on…
Grilled Pesto Flatbread
Pizza’s great, and with all the great basil we got for our housewarming, a pizza with pesto replacing the marinara seemed obvious. The AIG also has this great, old, well-seasoned grill pan that we use for just about everything, so grilling the pizza sure sounded fun. Thus, super-adult, super-fun, grilled pesto flatbread! Read on…
Delicious Meatless Low-Carb Lasagna
Healthy cooking can be fun. So can unhealthy eating! Everybody loves a good lasagna, but that Italian delectable is filled with fat and calories and not exactly great for the ‘ol ticker. So we whipped up a meatless, cheeseless, low-carb, and otherwise trend-compliant version, semi only because we added a bit of Pecorino for some richness. It came out light and delicious! Read on…
Meal of the Month: Fricassee
Feb 25, 2008 in Food
This Meal of the Month is quickly becoming a method-of-cooking of the month; but what’s more appealing than a general approach that works well? And, in the winter, what could be better than a delicious stew? The fricassee is a traditional French dish, the more haute cuisine version featuring chicken in a white sauce, but the farmhouse version can include vegetables and a roux-based dark or light sauce. I’m a fan of the dark sauce, with delicious flavor, although I’ll admit I like to steal the fine dining use of vermouth to flavor the sauce. Read on…
Meal of the Month: Red Snapper en Papillote
Jan 27, 2008 in Food
Don’t you like things of the month? I hope you do because, with the Meal of the Month, that’ll make four monthly types of content that you and I can expect from me. This month’s meal is the super-easy Red Snapper en Papillote, which is a delicious, light meal for people who want some good, healthy flavor. Read on…
Dear Wade, Thanks for Keeping All That Fast-Food Sauce
Jan 10, 2008 in Dear So-And-So, Food
Thanks so much for keeping those two containers stuffed full of sauces you took home from fast food places. I really needed a Hot sauce from Taco Bell to go with my new Fresco Menu Taco, and our forethought ensured I had just such a sauce. Read on…
Drink of the Month: Rob Roy
Jan 5, 2008 in Drink of the Month, Food
The regularly-updated content I promised here on Juniorbird.com? Well, here’s part 1 of the complete calendar: a monthly fun drink that you can join me in boozing it up with! This month’s drink is the Rob Roy — a version of the Manhattan made with Scotch. (A Manhattan is basically a Martini, but with whiskey, traditionally Rye.) A Manhattan should be sweeter, richer, and more flavorful than the dry, understated Martini; the Rob Roy adds on to that Scotch’s traditional peaty flavors.
Read on…
Noontime Martini
Aug 14, 2007 in Food
Now, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with a gin and tonic on a hot day— nothing a Campari and soda can’t fix, anyway — but sometimes you want something with a little more pizazz, and the champagne drinks are just too hoity-toity.1 Here’s my proposal for a nice brunch or post-brunch sippin’ martini.2 Read on…
I Guess I'm All Grown Up Now
Jul 2, 2007 in Food
I realized I was all grown up late last week. It’s been quite hot here in Southern California, and my apartment has enough power to run either my air conditioner or the freezer chest for the chemical ice my company ships with. I bet you can guess who wins that. Anyway, it’s hot. And usually hot weather makes me want good things, like Lik-M-Aid, Big Red soda, and fried dough. But, this summer, it made me want fruit.
Read on…
In Which I Reveal My Real Feelings on the Martini
I fear I’m about to make a great many enemies; but it can’t be avoided. Sometimes, one has strong opinions, and it’s at those times that one must stand up and state one’s beliefs, damn the consequences. This is one of those times. And this is my belief: A Martini is not a gin drink, or a vodka drink: it’s a vermouth drink. Read on…
Introducing the Italian Blind
Jun 16, 2007 in Food
I swear they should have an Iron Bartender TV show, because you discover the most fun things that way! The AIG and I wanted a nice drink, and I don’t exactly have a well-equipped bar in my apartment. But I fooled around with the mismatched alcohols I had, and I came up with something absolutely delicious. So, here it is: the Italian Blind: Read on…
Hey Easterners: Carvel's Here!
Apr 19, 2007 in Food
Do you remember those Carvel ads growing up? Did you love your Fudgie the Whale and Cookie Puss?1 I never did, because I thought Tom Carvel sounded so phlegmy and I was afraid that eating his cakes would give me tons of phlegm. But, man, those were some special ads, nothing could ever match them! Well, except for Schmidt’s Blue Ribbon Bread.2 Read on…
A La Vapeur
Apr 12, 2007 in Food
I’ve recently become obsessed with steaming my vegetables. I realize this is not a particularly exciting revelation — but it’s like I’ve discovered an entire new method of cooking. I mean, it was always there, and I’d steamed before, but all of a sudden it’s actually delicious and wonderful. Read on…
Santa Barbara Winery 2000 Sauvignon Blanc
Mar 19, 2007 in Food, Otherwise Uncategorized
I’ve been drinking a lot more wine lately — about a bottle a week. I’ve always enjoyed wine, and it was finally time to learn about it, which means trying a lot. I have little storage room, so there’s not much space for me to keep around bottles that I don’t plan to drink soon; but there are two bottles that have been taking up precious wine rack space for a while now.
Read on…
On Gluttony
Right now, lying on my back on my bed in my hotel room, my bloated stomach in the air, I fear I must be channeling Nero Wolfe. Well, insofar as I’m overindulging, not insofar as I’m solving crimes. And I must also say that I am killing the orchids I have, so maybe I’m not that much like Nero Wolfe. Except that I’m currently approaching hemispherical in profile, thanks to my most recent, outrageously large, dinner. Read on…
Just Call Me Tannin Jones
Oct 31, 2006 in Food
I have no idea exactly how to describe this, but I seem to be craving tannins lately. OK, I take that back, I know exactly how to describe it: I’ve been craving tannings lately; I’m more confused as to what the heck is going on. Who needs bitter flavors with an astringent feel on the tongue? But I can’t stop drinking tea and cheap, young red wine. It’s a cost-effective jones, as these things go — tea’s mostly hot water anyway — but sometimes that $6 bottle of wine does go wrong. Read on…
One (Exceedingly Small) Miracle
Jun 16, 2006 in Food
I have food allergies. For the sake of simplicity, it’s easiest to say that I’m allergic to pretty much everything. If accuracy is a priority, then I’m specifically allergic to corn — whose byproducts are in most everything — and to cow’s milk, whose byproducts are in most everything else. For extra added bonus I’m also allergic to pineapple and dates. None of this fine food will kill me or anything crazy like that, it’ll just make me boring to hang out with, unless your idea of a good time is rifling through my stuff while I’m in the bathroom. So, for years, I’ve avoided anything that most of the readers of this blog would consider “food”. Or, at least, anything that most of the readers of this blog would consider “yay food!” But now, there may be hope — there may be something that we can do about my little excessive histamine response problem. Read on…
Battle Pork
Mar 4, 2006 in Food
For weeks, my absent-minded friend Stu has been threatening to invite us all over to his house for an Iron Chef-style battle; finally, Friday night, he delivered. Or, maybe more accurately, we delivered, and he hosted. Read on…
Tha Nogg
Dec 24, 2005 in Food
Egg Nog was quite the tradition in my family; I loved, my grandmother loved it, and, well, with those two powerful votes in favor, my parents would drink it too. But, add in a milk allergy and, starting a few years ago, a few glasses poured from a carton from the supermarket became nothing more than a nice memory. Read on…
Cuisine Non Minceur
Dec 21, 2005 in Food
I know you all, my beloved readers, know me as Wade, but you can just call me fatty fat fat. That’s right, I’m portly, I’m rotund, I’m disgusting, I can no longer see my belt buckle, I am unattractive to the other sex and I’m now unable to fit into some of the coture in my closet. Read on…
Mmmm, Ice Cream
Dec 16, 2005 in Food
Since I can’t eat cow’s milk, my life has been rather ice cream-free lately. Sure, there are soy- and rice-based substitutes, but, with a few exceptions, they’re pretty mediocre. My… Read on…
Merry Xmas to Me!
Dec 7, 2005 in Food
Three years ago, I got a Sur La Table gift certificate for Christmas. I’d always meant to use it for cooking classes but I only managed to use it once and, as much fun as that one experience was, it hardly drained the gift card. Throughout the year since I’ve looked at the calendar and tried to make time for the classes I wanted to take, but I never seemed to be able to schedule them in. As it got closer to Christmas and I started thinking of food-related gifts for some of my friends, I started to feel guilty about my unspent gift card. After a few days of bouncing back and forth, I finally decided to blow the cards on kitchen stuff. After all, who doesn’t need kitchen stuff? Read on…
Butter-Related Guilt
Nov 10, 2005 in Food
I won again this week; my masala chicken was spicy and flavorful and had a spectacular sauce. Ahh, that was a fine sauce. But there was one problem: The sauce was made with cream. Read on…
Back on Top
Oct 19, 2005 in B-School, Food, Spurts
I got back on track tonight with a win in the cooking competition. My Thai Beef Noodles turned out tasty — I believe the flavor was described by one of my competitors as “very smooth.” Read on…
2-3, 2-3, and Now 3-1
Oct 13, 2005 in B-School, Food, Spurts
I love to compete, so it’s no surprise that I’m in two Fantasy Football leagues and one weekly cooking competition; I like to win, too, which is why it’s a little bit surprising that I’m 2-3 in both leagues and, now, have dropped from 3-0 to 3-1 in the cooking competition. Read on…
Not Even Remotely Smurfy (But Very Snowy)
Sep 10, 2005 in Food, True Life Stories
It was a wonderful summer. One of the many perks of being the child of two university professors was a month-long family vacation, every summer, and this one was in France. Now, France is a good thing for a seven-year-old, to the extent that a seven-year-old notices France, but what really stood out was the ice cream. Sure, it was all better than American ice cream, but my favorite was Smurf flavor (in French, “Schtroumpf”). Read on…
Foremanized
Mar 18, 2005 in Food
Like most foodies, I’ve been dismissive of the George Foreman Grill. But, earlier this week, my Wonderful Girlfriend cured me of that. Boy does that grill make a good sandwich. Read on…
Thank Goodness For The Third World!
Mar 6, 2005 in Food
One of the many injustices and trials heaped upon little ol’ me in this life is that I’m allergic to corn. I actually figured this out a few years ago after spending a couple of years being sick and miserable all the time! But removing corn from my diet has been difficult, it’s in everything. I cook a lot of my own food, and eat a lot of organic stuff, but who wants to eat crunchy-granola additive-free foods all the time? That’s why I thank goodness for corn-free foods imported from third-world countries. Read on…
Sur La Valentine
Feb 14, 2005 in Food
If you knew me, you’d know the way to my heart is through my stomach; and, if you knew me, you’d know I’d never date a woman about whom you couldn’t say the same thing. And what’s better than a shared love? So, no prix fixe menu at a packed 21-Food-score-on-Zagat restaurant for me and my Wonderful Girlfriend; instead, our big Valentine’s Day event was a cooking class for couples at Sur La Table. Read on…
Chemical Warfare Chili
Dec 8, 2004 in Food
Around this time of the year, when it turns cold and wet (for Los Angeles), there’s nothing like chili to warm the bones. And those bones I do like to… Read on…
Mmmm Muffins
Jul 25, 2004 in Food
I’m not much for baking; there’s too much of magic in it for me. You mix ingredients just so, put the amalgam in the oven, cook it for a precise… Read on…
Mmmm Mayo
May 8, 2004 in Food
I’m never buying mayonnaise again. Not that I buy it much, what with the artery-clogging side effects and all, but never again am I spending my money on the jarred… Read on…
Garbanzo-Tomato Curry
Apr 30, 2004 in Food
If two recipes from the Best of Sunset magazine worked, well, I’m just a sucker for a third. The Garbanzo-Tomato Curry struck my eye, so I decided to make it… Read on…
A Confession About Rice
Apr 27, 2004 in Food
I love to cook. I know all sorts of tricks. But I just can’t cook rice, at least not the usual way…. Read on…
Mmm vacuum-packed
Apr 24, 2004 in Food
I love to cook, but I don’t cook every day. Believe it or not, even a food snob like me needs to eat packaged food. I picked up this vacuum-packed… Read on…
Malaysian Tamarind Tofu
Apr 19, 2004 in Food
That Malaysian Tamarind Shrimp recipe works well with tofu too. Mmmm! Just brown the tofu a little bit before throwing it in the sauce so that the tofu is firm… Read on…
Chicken Piri-Piri
Apr 18, 2004 in Food
Since the Malaysian Tamarind Shrimp went so well, I decided to try another recipe from my Best of Sunset magazine (I’ve always found that a cookbook that gives one good… Read on…
The Most Wonderful Tacos In The World
Mar 8, 2004 in Food
I write a lot about cooking, both because I love to cook and because I love to eat. Since I love eating, I especially love restaurants. I particularly enjoy eating… Read on…
Malaysian Tamarind Shrimp
Mar 1, 2004 in Food
I’ll be honest, I’ve not had the greatest success in cooking Asian food in the past. I love to cook, and I love Asian food, but I haven’t shown off… Read on…
Frittatas: Flat Italian Omelettes Of The Northern Veldt
Jan 1, 2004 in Food
Omelettes are tasty and fun but aren’t good to keep in the fridge and reheat. Quiches reheat well and can be filled with different yummy ingredients, but they’re a fair… Read on…
Simple Leftover Brunches
Dec 14, 2003 in Food
Sundays are good days to have something out-of-the-ordinary for breakfast. It’s impossible to be too motivated to work on the last day of rest, football is on the TV, and,… Read on…
Dal, Dal, Cursed Dal
Dec 9, 2003 in Food
It’s getting cold as winter hits even Southern California, so I wanted something nice and thick and warm for dinner this week. Lentils are a great winter treat, and I… Read on…
Leftover Turkey Gumbo
Dec 6, 2003 in Food
I have the tremendously useful ability to eat the same leftovers day after day for nearly an entire week. This is convenient and money-saving, because I can buy food in… Read on…
A Thanksgiving Cornucopia
Nov 29, 2003 in Food
Ahh, Thanksgiving, when others cook so that I may overeat massively. There’s no other holiday like it! Of course, everybody does their bit, and, this year, my bit was… Read on…
Broiling, Or Something
Nov 17, 2003 in Food
Usually I cook a tasty and reasonably gourmet meal weekly, so I’d anticipated more entries in this section. Sadly, I’ve been foiled. I moved to a new apartment, and the… Read on…
Quick & Easy Fajitas
Oct 19, 2003 in Food
I’m not all about cooking quick and easy things — a little effort in cooking usually pays off with incredible flavor, and, frankly, I love the zen of getting into… Read on…
Compulsiveness Is Tasty!
Aug 12, 2003 in Food
Every weekend I work up a full menu for the coming week; I like to have a dinner and a lunch to cook, as well as the normal sandwich, cereal,… Read on…
Broth Of Vigor
Aug 10, 2003 in Food
Struck down by the cold that’s going around, I desperately needed something to make me feel better. I had a sore throat, a stuffed nose, a fever and general lassitude…. Read on…
Whole Paycheck. Mmm.... paycheck.
Aug 8, 2003 in Food
Since I’ve been on this crazy diet I’ve had to buy almost all of my food at Whole Foods; the stuff at Ralph’s is all filled with additives and other… Read on…
AOC
Jul 24, 2003 in Food
Okay, so first things first. Old people: AOC is just too loud for you. Especially early on before I got used to the noise level, I had to ask my… Read on…
Sharp And Pointy!
Jul 23, 2003 in Food
One of the first things I discovered when I started to take cooking seriously as a hobby was just how important having a good knife is. For most home cooks,… Read on…
Restaurants That Aren't Worth It: Spago
Jul 9, 2003 in Food
In a review in today’s LA Times, local food maven-in-making Irene Virbila waxes ecstatic over the food at Spago. Well, I’ve been there twice, both visits about a year apart,… Read on…
The Arsenal
Jul 2, 2003 in Food
In West LA, at the corner of Pico and Bundy, is this scary-looking place called the Arsenal. It’s been around for, well, forever, from what I hear. At the beginning… Read on…
Splendaiferous
Jun 27, 2003 in Food
My latest purchase: low-fat cranberry juice sweetened with this stuff called Splenda. It’s apparently made directly from sugar, but doesn’t contain a lot of the stuff in sugar. This being… Read on…
Emergency Backup Chicken Strips
Jun 26, 2003 in Food
A defining feature of my recent life is dietary restrictions. I’m allergic to something (not yet determined, so I avoid a lot), and my girlfriend’s on the Atkins diet. There’s… Read on…
Cooking With Wade
Jun 11, 2003 in Food
Hello, and welcome to Cooking With Wade! For those of you who like to prepare a whole week’s worth of food in advance, and have every meal ready before… Read on…
Um... The Oven
Jun 8, 2003 in Food
I cleaned the oven today, and, um, I don’t really have any amusing anecdotes about that. Spray on, grime off. Oh, so here’s an idea. Now, a lot of the… Read on…
Mmmm... beer
Mar 18, 2002 in Food
I’m having a bad booze night. First I tried to have some beer with dinner. Elizabeth, a wonderful woman with whom we work a great deal, had met with us… Read on…