Reviews, Etc. Posts
5 Last-Minute Gifts for Foodies
True to form, I’m still finishing my Christmas shopping. One of these years, I’ll get ahead of myself. Here are some great markdowns I found this morning, that can still be shipped in time for Christmas if ordered from Amazon today. All of these are eligible for one-day shipping, which looks like it works out [...]
10 Fabulous Holiday Gifts for Under $30
I don’t know many folks who aren’t watching their pennies these days. Here are 10 neat foodie finds that won’t drain your piggy bank. All the prices are accurate as of tonight. 1. Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Everyday Pan with Lid—$19.99 Every once in a while, Calphalon has a ridiculously good sale. This pan lists [...]
The Tea Drinker’s Handbook, A Review
The Tea Drinker’s Handbook By François-Xavier Delmas, Mathias Minet, and Christine Barbaste Published by Abbeville Press The Tea Drinker’s Handbook: Think reading about tea sounds kind of, well, bland? Think again. The Tea Drinker’s Handbook is an insightful, educational, and thoroughly delightful read. I liked it so much, in fact, that it’s earned a place [...]
Don’t Dilute Your Drink! Use Whiskey Stones Instead!
Wow. OK. It’s late in the evening after a long day, so this may be me being impressed with something overly simplistic. But…this seems like a really neat idea—especially if you’re a cocktail connoisseur. Ladies and gentleman, I present to you: Whiskey Stones! I saw these on Daily Candy today, and thought they were too [...]
Feasting on Cupcakes: A Photo Tour of Lyndell’s Bakery
One of my favorite things in the world is to get up early on a Saturday morning and go cupcake shopping. (I mean, what better way to start a day?) This means heading to Lyndell’s Bakery in Somerville’s Ball Square. Established in 1887, Lyndell’s is one of the oldest bakeries in New England—and one of [...]
Tea Tasting, Part I
One of my fondest—and most vivid—childhood memories is going to the tobacco shop with my father, who smoked a pipe.* Bear with me, I’ll get to the tea in a sec. Pipe-shop adventures Now, Dad has long since quit smoking and tobacco shops are getting harder and harder to find. When you do happen upon [...]
Beauty and the Feast, Part I
Welcome to Beauty and the Feast, a series of food-based skincare reviews. Let me tell you a little secret. For all my video game playing, comic book reading, and UFC watching, I’m secretly a girl-y girl at heart—and a bona fide beauty product junkie. From my daily diet of drugstore brands to the occasional, obnoxious [...]
A New Santoku Knife, in Pink for the Cure
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. While there’s no breast cancer in my family, it affects hundreds of thousands of people each year. Now, I’m not really one to get up on a pulpit. But I’ve known several people who have been affected directly or indirectly, so every October, I try to do my [...]
Cheese Tasting, Part 1: Blue Cheese
Ah, cheese. Where to begin. It has to be one of my favorite things in the world. I love creamy cheese and stinky cheese and cheese that comes wrapped in leaves. I love cheese in things and on things and on its own. I even once made fudge with cheese. (I admit, that was more [...]
Chocolate Tasting, Part 1
With Halloween approaching, the Angry Chef and I have candy on the brain. Consider this the first article in a series of chocolate tastings. We spotted these at Whole Foods and couldn’t resist picking them up. If you’re familiar their mind-bogglingly vast chocolate bar selection, you know we’re lucky we walked away with just two. [...]










