The Guilty Pleasure: The annual batch of limited-time holiday Pringles flavors. Where to Get It: Walmart for the new ones, your favorite grocery for the others. Price: A buck fifty, give or take. What it Really Costs: I’m starting to wonder who the hell comes up with these flavors. The…
As I look at the calendar, I realize that my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, is sneaking up on me faster than I’d care to know. The refrigerator is getting filled with all manner of tasty treats, and soon the house will be full of food and friends. With all the madness…
Few food trends I’ve seen have developed such mass appeal as the cronut. While the true Cronut is a registered trademark of Dominique Ansel Bakery, imitations with other names have sprung up around the world. See also: Cronut™ Battle: Herb Box vs. Karl’s Quality Bakery The croissant/doughnut hybrid has managed…
If you weren’t at this past weekend’s Pie Social, you missed out on a terrific time. The “What Should Go Here?” lot on Roosevelt Row was filled to bursting with happy pie makers and pie eaters. See what you missed — in our slideshow. I was there on a special…
Count me in as a fan of egg nog. Not that stuff in a carton at the grocery store masquerading as egg nog, mind you, the real stuff laden with egg yolks and cream. And, of course, plenty of brandy and rum. However, around my house, egg nog has fallen…
The Guilty Pleasure: Ordering food via smartphone apps. Where to Get It: Too damn many places, if you ask me. Price: Varies, but usually under $10. What it Really Costs: I suppose that depends on your recreational habits. What’s going on with seemingly every restaurant under the sun jumping on…
It’s getting to be that magical time of year when thoughts turn to egg nog. In recent years, I’ve seen a lot of discussion regarding proper egg nog making technique. To be specific, I’m talking about how long to let egg nog sit in the refrigerator before drinking it. Due…
The Guilty Pleasure: Frito pie on a pizza. Where to Get It: The Papa John’s delivery guy. Price: $12 for a 14-incher. What it Really Costs: How much is a bottle of Tums? I’m quite intrigued by Papa John’s R&D department. Every now and again, they release an oddball specialty…
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet.” I keep trying to tell myself that it’s always true. But let’s face it, sometimes you see a product with a name so horrible that you can’t bring yourself to try…
The Guilty Pleasure: Surge soda. Where to Get It: For now, exclusively on Amazon.com. Price: $14 for a 12-pack. What it Really Costs: New bigger cans mean even more empty calories per serving! If you are of a certain age, you may well remember Surge soda. It was Coca-Cola’s attempt…
In my humble (but correct) opinion, the quintessential carnival food is the corn dog. I know I can get a (barely passable) corn dog from a number of outlets around town, but there’s nothing like savoring a hand-dipped corn dog while basking in the lurid lights of the Arizona State…
The Guilty Pleasure: A new app for Coca-Cola Freestyle soda machines Where to Get It: A handful of Freestyle machines, at least for now. Price: A couple of bucks, give or take. Depends on the restaurant. What it Really Costs: A potential sharp uptake in high-fructose corn syrup and artificial…
The other day when I was behind the stick, one of my guests ordered a drink that I haven’t made in a while, a Salty Dog. It’s one of those basic drinks that you learn early on as a bartender, then almost never make because hardly anybody orders them anymore…
The Guilty Pleasure: Deep fried everything on a stick. Where to Get It: The Arizona State Fair. Price: $5 and up. What it Really Costs: I’m staying the hell off my bathroom scale for at least a week. Ladies and gentlemen, the high holy days of guilty pleasure food are…
In last week’s Last Call, I got to show off a punch recipe with a sanguine hue. It’s great for just about any variety of Halloween party you can imagine, especially one that leans more toward the sophisticated end of the Halloween party spectrum. However, there’s a lot of fun…
The Guilty Pleasure: Marshmallow-filled, Ghostbusters-themed donuts. Where to Get It: Krispy Kreme, several locations around town. Price: About $1.20 each. What it Really Costs: Oh, sugar! Nostalgia for the 1980s and 1990s is in full swing these days. The latest entry is the Ghostbusters franchise celebrating its 30th anniversary. Yes…
I’m more than a little excited that Halloween is almost here. Part of my excitement is that Halloween parties can be some of the most enjoyable soirées of the year. The mix of spooky kitsch and childhood nostalgia is irresistible. Of course, now that we’re grown-ups, our Halloween parties are…
I find the classic French 75 a perenially enjoyable cocktail. It’s a simple but elegant affair of champagne spiked with gin and a splash of lemon. It’s sort of a Tom Collins with an extra kick. See also: The French 75: Not French, But It’s So Good, Who Cares? While…
The Guilty Pleasure: Two new flavors of Oreos. Where to Get It: Caramel Apple flavor at Target. Pumpkin Spice flavor everywhere. Much like pumpkin spice flavor in general these days. Price: About $3 a box. What it Really Costs: The usual danger of a box of processed cookies suddenly disappearing…
Can I declare patio brunch season open? I’m excited enough about the change in seasons that this night owl bartender is almost willing to get out of bed before noon. Almost. My favorite part of brunch is, of course, the accompanying cocktails. After all, without them, brunch is just a…
The Guilty Pleasure: Hansen’s kale-flavored soda. Where to Get It: Your favorite natural foods store, as long as their buyer has a sense of humor. Price: Three or four bucks a six-pack. What it Really Costs: Lucy, you got some ‘splainin to do! (Also, as with any soda: Whoa, lots…
There’s a decent chance you’re familiar with Watson, IBM’s artificial intelligence computing project. Its most noteworthy public appearance was a few years ago on the classic quiz show Jeopardy!, where it beat the tar out of the game’s two best human players. More recently, the team of people in charge…
