California Chardonnay Taste Test Winner

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 From the 6 bottles tested in round 1 of the Dude of Food’s search for the best inexpensive Chardonnay on June 22, 2015 we have a winner. The results are in. The notes have been compared and the winner of this tight competition was Sonoma County’s Storyteller Chardonnay. That was until I updated this story on July 28, 2015.  While the Storyteller was holding down the 1st place spot the Dude of Food added three more bottles of Chardonnay to his list. The new results follow-

1st Place –  Nitty Gritty Chardonnay Napa Valley 2012   3.9

2nd Place – STORYTELLER 2012    3.8

3rd Place –  Ghost Pines Chardonnay blend 2013    3.6

4th Place –  Kendall-Jackson Vinter’s Reseve 2013   3.5

5th Place – Benziger 2012    3.3

6th Place-  Frei Bros Reserve 2013    3.2

7th Place – Hawkstone 2013    3.0

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8th Place – EDNA Valley 2013   2.9

The Dude of Food likes Georges Burgers in Santa Monica

http://georgesburgersla.com/

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You are on the Westside. The traffic is a bitch. The air is not as hot as the valley that you escaped from. It’s overcast and you don’t surf anyways. There is no parking by the beach. It’s a mess. The Dude of Food knows the best thing you can do is go get some food at Georges Burgers on Lincoln Blvd and head back home. Georges Burgers is located at 3101 Lincoln Blvd in Santa Monica,  CA  90405  

You can call in your request ahead at 310-452-0445

They serve breakfast all day too!

Thank you George’s Burgers.

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“Saibling, Char, whatever, it’s delicious!”, said the Dude of Food.

http://www.austrianwine.com/our-wine/wine-food/austrian-food-wine/trout-char-of-whitefish-forelle-saibling-oder-reinanke-muellerin/

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  So if you like fish, especially salmon then you will love Saibling fish. Sometimes called Char. It is a lake fish once forbidden to be eaten by all Bavarians except the king himself. It’s referred to sometimes as ‘the kings fish’.

  When south of Munchen in one of the small villages on farmer’s market day you will most likely find a vendor selling freshly smoked Saibling fish. The Dude of Food says Run, don’t walk to the vendor and get the biggest one you can. I cannot speak for the Forelle, which is supposed to be ‘as good’ but never sells out as fast as the saibling fish. The third fisch you see is Mackerelle which are good too. Saibling is the best. They can be eaten for breakfast, brutzeit, lunch, dinner or when sleep eating.

Better than ice cream!

The Dude of Food tries to infuse tequila

After a visit to the Border Grill in Santa Monica on Easter Sunday where I was introduced to this cool new flavor, the Dude of Food decided to try to recreate this awesome taste. Famous chef and restaurant owner, Susan Feniger, knows food and her staff impresses. The bartender on Sunday made us try this tequila infused with cucumber and jalapeno peppers and it was delightful.

Today I went to the store and bought some agave tequila, cucumbers and a pepper and put it all together. In a few days I look forward to a cool refreshing taste.

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The Dude of Food likes Loveless Cafe Plain Ol’ Hot Sauce.

Off of Highway 100 in Nashville is a place called the Loveless Cafe. You may not be close enough to walk in but you can go to their web page and check out the stuff they make.

http://store.lovelesscafe.com/product/hot-sauce/sauce-seasoning

The Plain Ol’ Hot Sauce is one of the secret ingredients the Dude of Food adds to his homemade micheleada recipe. It adds the perfect amount of spice. Truth be told, the Dude of Food also likes Red Rooster from Louisiana hot sauce. They both go great in my micheladas and on my grits, greens, smothered chicken, gravy, stuffing  and waffles.

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The Dude of Food does the LA Michelada test.

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   There was a long time that the Dude of Food would not ruin a beer with tomato juice. Then I grew up and learned something. After a trip to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico a few September’s ago my mind was forever changed. It was the time of the annual Revolution Fiesta and San Miguel is where it began.

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    The place goes nuts.

    To make a long story short I love a homemade michelada and it appears that many others do as well since the big brand brewers are beginning to see the light. These 2 were chosen because they were both brewed in Mexico and imported to the US.

   The Dude of Food decided to compare the Tecate Michelada DIABLO to the Modelo CHELADA. I have had a few of these Modelo CHELADA’s and they are OK.  When compared to the Tecate DIABLO though, a world of difference unveils itself.

   The DIABLO is softer with a more subtle tomatoey and mildly spicy finish. Compared to the Modelo CHELADA which hits the tongue a bit cleaner and crisper, albeit less tomatoey and the finish falls of quickly.

   After tasting separately, what the Dude of Food ended up doing was to mix the 2 equally and drink them that way. The crisp beginning and the tomatoey spice finish were a great combination.

Any responses should be submitted to the Dude of Food –  weallgottaeat(at)gmail

The Dude of Food knows business is best done over meal.

The Dude of Food likes to put his money where his mouth is, so to speak. No, I don’t eat money but I like to make money while eating.

And when the Dude of Food says he likes a  ‘meal deals’, don’t think he is looking for a local burger special.

According to Lakshmi Balachandra, the asst. professor of entrepreneurship at Babson College, ‘The consumption of glucose enhances complex brain activities, bolstering self-control and regulating prejudices and aggressive behaviors.’

And here this whole time I thought eating just made me happy.

So if you are getting a chance to make a deal, debate a contract or bid on a job, do it over a decent meal. The Dude of Food can always recommend a good restaurant and be a 3rd party witness, if needed.

— Babson College is a private business school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts near Boston.
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The Dude of Food wonders, Can Africa feed the world?

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/jul/27/africa-potential-to-feed-world

This dude from the UN, Kanayo Nwanze, the president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) seems to think it is possible. 

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Time to start farming.

The Dude of Food explores Prop 65 warning labels and coffee.

Many people have created myths and formed opinions about Starbucks for posting the state regulated Prop 65 warning label. While exploring this topic the local Dogtown coffee barista told the Dude of Food ‘our coffee isn’t like Starbucks cancer coffee because our coffee is organic’, not realizing the warning comes from the roasting not the beans origin.

The following information may help shed some light on the subject of Prop 65 warning labels at coffee stores.

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A little research shows that it is not Starbucks fault. It may be possible Starbucks could alter their process and possibly avoid the warning altogether, but that would cost money, and is a different story.

The warning is prompted and occurs due to the following research.

Acrylamide is on the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity (such as birth defects and other reproductive harm).

For many years, acrylamide has been used in grouts and cements, pulp and paper production, ore processing, permanent-press fabrics, and dye manufacture. It is also used to produce polyacrylamide, which is used in water and wastewater treatment, soil conditioning and oil drilling. Acrylamide also is present in tobacco smoke. 

In 2002, Swedish researchers discovered that acrylamide forms during the baking, frying, or roasting of certain kinds of foods, particularly starchy foods.  

Acrylamide is not added to foods.  It is a contaminant that forms during the baking, frying or roasting of certain plant-based foods.  Boiling and steaming foods does not create acrylamide. 

French fries, potato chips, other fried and baked snack foods, roasted asparagus, canned sweet potatoes and pumpkin, canned black olives, roasted nuts, coffee, roasted grain-based coffee substitutes, prune juice, breakfast cereals, crackers, cookies, bread crusts, and toast all contain varying levels of acrylamide.

the Dude of Food gets blessed. 2 yolks – no jokes

Is it the year of the chicken or what?

 Don’t know what they are feeding these chickens but my luck seems to be changing in 2015.  The first egg i cracked revealed 2 yolks inside!  It happened to me at the sushi bar with a double yolked quails egg too!

Now if i can just get that kind of return when i buy beers!

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