Rold Gold Pretzels from Frito Lay. I forgot how tasty simple pretzels can be. First of all, the name of this blog being RoodonFood, I appreciate the silly brand spelling. It feels like a throwback. The bag was $3.29 for a full pound so there are plenty to share. You get a satisfying crunch and nice texture. They’re quite salty but that’s half the fun of a pretzel. The size is reasonable, fitting nicely in my palm.
They’re deceptively light so in a weak moment you may be tempted to pick up 3 at a time and stuff them into your mouth. I maintained composure and dipped them one at a time into guacamole and hummus (not at the same time). It’s worth noting that these are low fat for those concerned with such things. Also available are Cheddar, Bagel, Sourdough, Honey Mustard among others. I’d definitely get these again but there are so many in the bag that it’s going to be a while till the next purchase. Mental note – next time I’ll pick up some nutella to dip them in.
Okay RoodonFooders. I’m starting a new monthly post for Food Song of the Month. To qualify it has to be a great song and invoke food. If you have suggestions for future posts, please leave a comment.
There is no better way to kick off this recurring series than Bhi Bhiman’s song Kimchee Line. He has quite the buzz going right now with mentions in the Times, Village Voice and radio stations all over. His style is heavily rooted in the blues which isn’t normally a favorite for me but his voice and lyrics demand attention. He was nice enough to answer some questions via email about the meaning of the song (below video).
Here is a live version of Kimchee Line. Enjoy.
Rood:How did the song Kimchee Line come about? Why choose that particular food?
Bhi: First I came up with the melody, which is based on a pretty classic guitar riff. The lyrics are loosely about a state-owned worker who, while daydreaming of a freer existence, still has love for his country and government.
Rood: You have a rich voice, and hearing all the ingredients gives me a craving. What do you like to add kimchee to?
Bhi: Most things – rice w/ some sort of meat or vegetables…but I’ll also eat it straight out of the jar.
Rood: Are you a foodie? What are your favorite foods?
Bhi: I wouldn’t say I’m a foodie but I love to eat all types of cuisines from curries to deep dish pizza. Toasted Ravioli is a signature dish from my hometown of St. Louis as well.
Rood: You’re of Sri Lankan descent. I know nothing about Sri Lankan cuisine – what do you recommend?
Bhi: Stringhoppers and pittu for sure. Also fish and prawn curries.
Rood: You come to New York frequently, do you have a favorite place to get a drink or a meal?
Bhi: I like David’s Brisket House in Brooklyn a lot. Also Miriam is a great place for an Israeli breakfast.
Rood: On tour what snacks must you always have?
Bhi: I bring a lot of nuts and dried fruit…and if it’s a long tour I’ve been known to buy a jar of kimchi, much to the dismay of whomever I’m traveling with.
Rood: Do you have any upcoming shows you want to plug?
Bhi: I’m on tour right now through the East Coast, Midwest and South
Bhi’s latest CD is available here. If you’re in the New York area he has a show on 7/14 at Joe’s Pub. Here are the rest of his tour dates:
July 12 – Washington DC @ Jammin’ Java*
July 13 – Easton, MD @ Nightcat*
July 14 – NYC @ Joe’s Pub*
July 15 – Somerville, MA @ Johnny D’s*
July 17 – Cleveland @ Beachland Tavern*
July 18 – Chicago @ Uncommon Ground*
July 19 – Minneapolis @ Turf Club*
July 21 – STL @ Plush**
July 22 – Kent, OH @ Kent Stage**
July 24 – Pittsburgh @ Byham Theatre**
July 26 – Raleigh, NC @ Slim’s
July 27 – Atlanta @ Chastain Ampitheater***
July 28 – Chattanooga, TN @ Track 29**
July 29 – Birmingham, AL @ Workplay Theater**
Immortal words in a song sung with conviction. If you haven’t heard it yet, this is a funny cover by Cookie Monster with cookie related lyrics of that Carly Rae Jepsen “Call Me Maybe” song. The blue guy’s version is titled “Share It Maybe.” It must be flattering to have Sesame Street ask to do a cover of your song. In this case, the cover is far better than the original. A link to the lyrics can be found here.
Dulce de Leche Cheerios is total eye candy but not my favorite cereal. I like the dual colors and perhaps the little kid in me liked the idea of a caramel flavored cereal. The package is 12oz and was on sale for $2.99.On the plus side it features whole grain oats, corn and is lowfat.
It’s a nice idea but not my favorite cereal. The Cheerios crunch is there but it’s a little too sweet. I realize that buying Dulce de Leche means an agreement to buy a caramel flavor (technically translates to sweetness of milk) cereal but maybe the sweet could be toned down? This cereal would work better for kids or as a dessert snack. Some people though disagree.
The Vegemil Black Bean milk caught my eye because the flavor sounded fun. I like red bean products like red bean mochi so why not black bean milk? It’s a product of Korea. The 190ml (6.42 oz) bottle was $1.29 at Hmart in Manhattan (W 32nd between 5th and 6th Ave).
The base is soymilk. The bean flavor isn’t overpowering but noticeable, in particular, the sweet characteristics. Occasionally drinks with a soy base are grainy, the Vegemil Black Bean though is smooth and satisfying. It’s actually a perfect size bottle for this type of craving.
I’d definitely purchase this product again. Hmart are really fun stores to pick up all kinds of cool Korean foods at decent prices. They have a handy locator on their website here.
I’ve pretty much switched over to white wines for the season at this point. The Geyser Peak 2010 (Sonoma) Sauvignon Blanc was $9.99. It’s worth noting that they have been making wine since 1880 according to their website. In California, that’s equal to 1,000 years.
Day 1
Geyser gave us a great first impression. It has a crisp taste, clean finish with hints of grapefruit. It’s bright and airy which is ideal for this time of year.
Day 2
Today it’s just as bright as day 1. The flavor hasn’t changed much. It’s still slightly tart and citrus-y. Not much sweetness to speak of. Still liking this wine. The RoodonFood official wine of the summer is yet to be determined but this is a great sauvignon blanc option.
The Wise Owl eye logo is among the coolest logos out there. I still don’t buy Wise chips often though because I rarely crave regular potato chips which Is my association for the brand. These though are Kettle Cooked and Salt & Vinegar which kicks up the potential for tastiness up substantially. As an added bonus they were on sale as indicated with a comically large sticker indicating $2.
It’s been months since I’ve had Salt and Vinegar chips of any kind. The Wise version is actually great. On the kettle cooked spectrum they’re not the crunchiest of say the Herr’s but certainly are at a satisfying level. The salt and vinegar levels are in a perfect balance. My girlfriend and I finished the bag in one sitting. (Actually is that a good thing?) The bag is 6.25 ounces. The product is labeled as gluten free. I’d definitely get these again preferably at $2 but would pay the marked $2.99 as well.
Unless you’re a terrible person a Moonpie is one of the best foods ever created. An old friend posted on Facebook about the 18th Annual RC Cola and Moon Pie festival in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Bell Buckle’s population is only 500 but it swells into the thousands for this event. There are vendors, a 10 mile run, games, and it all culminates in the cutting of the world’s largest MoonPie. There is also a MoonPie “drop” on New Year’s Eve in Mobile AL. Needless to say, this Southern expat felt very jealous. To mitigate the jealously I went over to the local 7-11 to pick up two Moon Pies. An RC Cola and a Moon Pie is considered the Breakfast of Champions or Workingman’s Lunch in parts of the SouthEast. The Chattanooga Bakery website has a nice origin story circa 1910s Chattanooga:
It all began when Mr. Earl Mitchell Sr., a bakery salesman, visited a company store that catered to coalminers. The miners said they wanted something solid and filling, because they often didn’t get time to break for lunch. “About how big?” Mr Mitchell asked. A miner held out his hands, framing the moon, and said “About that big!” When Mitchell returned to the bakery, he noticed some of the workers dipping graham cookies into marshmallow and laying them on the window sill to harden. The idea of adding another cooking and a generous coating of chocolate was tried, and samples of this new Moon Pie were distributed. The response they got back was so enormous that the MoonPie became a regular item for the bakery.
It’s not clear why RC Cola goes hand in hand with it, but both cost a nickel which is hard to argue with. These days I prefer to eat MoonPies with coffee. ProTip: Heat it up for about 10 seconds. The marshmallow filling is delicious heated and the chocolate or vanilla melts just a wee bit. I grew up in Chattanooga, home of the Moonpie so it will always have a special place in my heart. MoonPies are truly a great southern invention.
In typical RoodonFood fashion I had an expiring Groupon and waited until the next to last day to redeem it. I’m so glad it didn’t go to waste. Mozzarrelli’s Gluten Free Pizza is fantastic. Located at 38 E 23rd (between Madison and Park), the restaurant is exceedingly clean otherwise it looks like any other pizza place. The deal included pasta, a 12 inch pizza and a gluten free dessert. The pasta was a delicious penne (corn based) in tomato sauce. To be honest you’d have no idea it was gluten free. The tomato sauce was a little sweet which usually indicates San Marzano tomatoes or just a little sugar added to the sauce.
Not Cheap but Certainly Delicious
We loved the pizza as well. The crust was fluffy, with a hearty nuttiness and totally different than any other pizza I’ve had. Made of a brown rice and bean mixture the crust had a pleasing sweet aftertaste as well. It contrasted perfectly with the saltiness from the daiya (vegan cheese), onions and black olives. The bonus is that those that are gluten free can buy individual slices in-store. You also buy the gluten free crusts ready-made and cookies online. The dessert was a slice of chocolate cake with a raspberry/strawberry cream. I apologize for the picture. I stepped away for a minute and someone ate half of it. The cake was very moist. Accompanied by the frosting, which was very light, this cake didn’t taste as heavy as expected. Without the special the GF pies start at $24 so they are a treat but Mozzarelli’s did not disappoint. The next time I’m in Gramercy I’ll grab a regular slice and my girlfriend can grab a gluten free.
Rold Gold Pretzels from Frito Lay. I forgot how tasty simple pretzels can be. First of all, the name of this blog being RoodonFood, I appreciate the silly brand spelling. It feels like a throwback. The bag was $3.29 for a full pound so there are plenty to share. You get a satisfying crunch and nice texture. They’re quite salty but that’s half the fun of a pretzel. The size is reasonable, fitting nicely in my palm.
