You Look Hungry

I look hungry. My name is Helen Hollyman and I’m a food writer. Despite my physical downfalls (which include the likes of heartburn, lactose intolerance and asthma brought on by zucchini, pumpkin, and the entire squash family), I keep it real to bring you good topics all about food. Yes, this is just another blog, another opinion, but if nothing else, I hope that the little glimmer of food insight I have to offer each day will provide you with confidence the next time you order that sizzling plate of Pork Belly. When you do, James Brown will descend from the heavens in a cloud to sing Hot Pants to you because you my friend, well, you look hungry. Remember kids, everybody eats.

[boohooray]

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Swayze Sauce. Not Swaggu.

What do Patrick Swayze, heartburn and oozing white queso have in common, besides your ultimate fantasy/worst nightmare? 

It could only mean one thing: Casa Blanco, the brand new pop up Brooklyn based Tex-Mex restaurant, invented by chef Courtney McBroom. Think pimento cheese quesadillas, crispy beef tacos and George Jones approved chalupas, all served up in the backyard of RES during the Le Gouter dance parties, every other Sunday until labor day.

Tune into U Look Hungry live today, Thursday July 18th, 2013, only on the Heritage Radio Network as I chat with Courtney about Houston native Patrick Swayze, the future fate of pop up restaurants, what the hell Tex Mex cuisine is all about, and so much more.

If you miss the live broadcast, peep the interview at your leisure by downloading the (free) iTunes version of the ditty right here.

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Hansen's Sno Bliz hits U Look Hungry

Hansen's Sno Bliz is a New Orleans institution, as quintessential as red beans and rice, necessary as Professor Longfellow, and magnificently appreciated for creating the only snow in the Big Easy. The seventy four year old shop, once owned and operated by the late Ernest and Mary Hansen, makes the best snoball, not sno-cone, in all of New Orleans. 

No, it's not like your typical crusty sno cone, the one that's repping a crunchy heap of pebbles of ice, doused in basic flavors like lemon or mint. A sno ball is better than a real one, with it's perfectly fluffy, snowflake texture, generously drizzled with homemade sweet syrups like cream of nectar. The late and great Ernest Hansen invented the first ice shaving machine; the second prototype, now sixty something years old, still operates as swiftly as it did on day one.

Ernest and Mary's granddaughter, Ashley Hansen, is the current owner and magical operator of all things behind the counter. Early in the mornings, she mixes up homemade syrups like cream of nectar, stewed blueberries with maple syrup, ginger cayenne, and hazelnut, to name a few. By early afternoon when the heat index has reached debilitating numbers, the doors to the shop open like the gates of heaven, when she's cranks up the shave ice machine, churning out perfectly fluffy bits of man made snow that most ski mountains would kill for. 

There's no way to skirt this issue. It's hot as hell outside and we're well into the dog days of summer.

So here's what you need to do to chill out:

Tune in live at 6pm (EST) today, Thursday July 11th, 2013, to U Look Hungry, only on the Heritage Radio Network, to hear me chat with Ashley Hansen about the history of Hansen's, what this New Orleans spot is all about, and so much more.

You can stream the live broadcast here, but if you miss the live interview because you are trying to order a garbage can sized container of sno-ball, take your time and download the (free) iTunes version here.

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150,000 Followers.

Thanks for supporting the U Look Hungry blog, ya'll.

Nothing says I love you more than Sean Connery & a tumbler/Tumblr filled with scotch, except maybe a session with this minks mitten. 

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Getting Wedding Caked, Making Groceries & Becoming a Duckoff.

Have you ever been wedding caked? Do you know how to make groceries? 

Have you been or become a duckoff?

Am I speaking English?

On today's episode of U look Hungry, we're going on a lingistical tour of true New Orleans lingo, ya hurd me?

Tune in live at 6pm (EST) only on the Heritage Radio Network to hear me chat with a roux of locals as we get soup deep into the heart of this city's mysterious lingo.  You can stream the live broadcast here, or if you're too busy trying to pronounce Calliope Street, take your time and download the (free) iTunes version of the interview here.

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The Dinner Lab on U Look Hungry

On today's episode of U Look Hungry radio, I'm catching up with Brian Bordainick, founder of the New Orleans based Dinner Lab, an unconventional approach to dining in unique settings with baller chefs. 

They're currently posted up in three cities: New Orleans, Austin and Nashville, and are rapidly expanding at a cheetah's pace. Dinner in an old iconic New Orleans church guarded by giant elephant ear plants and honeysuckle, anyone? 

Check out some of their past events to see what I mean.  

Tune in live at 6 pm (EST) today, Thursday June 20th, 2013 as I chat with Brian about the underground dining scene and so much more, only on the Heritage Radio Network.

If you miss the live broadcast, take your time and tune in at your leisure by downloading the (free) iTunes podcast version of the radio interview right here.

For more information on the Dinner Lab, move thyself this way.

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Finding love on the internet.

Aw shucks. Peep this flattering bit on Fine Dining Lovers (the San Pellegrino & Aqua Panna site) about U Look Hungry.

(It looks like the U Look Hungry blog was considered one of thirteen inspiring blogs setting the trend on the internet when it comes to food, in the good company of folks like Anthony Bourdain, Momofuku, Ruth Bourdain and Scanwiches.)

While you're at it, check out the Selleck Waterfall Sandwich.

[mrgif]

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DJ Mustard just came out with a new mixtape, "Ketchup."

Anybody have a napkin?

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Disappearing Austin: A Tribute To Dry Creek Saloon

I'm from Austin, Texas. 

Beyond the fact that it's the state capitol, what do you know about this place? Perhaps you've been to SXSW, and perhaps you've noticed how quickly the landscape is shifting here as the population (and heat) rises. This town is in its booming period of success, but what happens when all of the quintessential spaces that have made up what we know and love as Austin slowly start to disappear?

Today, I'm on a quest to pay tribute to a space that has nurtured the souls of many an Austin character, one beer at a time. This magical place is known as Dry Creek Saloon, a spot where you can still manage to buy a $2 Pearl beer and catch the sunset over Lake Austin as George Jones croons on the jukebox.

Tune into U Look Hungry LIVE at 6pm (EST) today, Thursday June 6th, 2013 as I sit down and chat with Dry Creek owner and Austin native, Jay Reynolds, about how this place got it's start, the tales that have taken place here, and so much more, only on the Heritage Radio Network. I also get a chance to sit with a few of the characters that have graced the bar stools of Dry Creek over the past fifty years and hear their stories involving Willie Nelson, a Texas shoot out, the late and great Dry Creek owner, Sarah, who was known as "the meanest bartender in Austin, Texas," what it means to be a Texan, and so much more.

If you're too busy drinking a Lonestar beer, sit back, relax, and listen to the interview at your leisure. That's what the Dry Creek Saloon is all about. You can download the (free) iTunes version of the radio interview here.

Queue up Redheaded Stranger by Willie Nelson, and get ready to learn about one of the most iconic cultural places on the disappearing Austin map that's holding steady as parking lots and skyscrapers come to roost.

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Marbles E. Coli, or Melissa McCarthy, please become the next NY Times food critic. 

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James Booker, Brought Back from the Dead.

For the outsider (translation = you're not a native, perhaps even if your family has lived there for one generation) there are a few ways to try to get to know the lady that is New Orleans. A wise sage once told me to listen to the song, "Suzanne," covered by Nina Simone to truly understand this elusive and intoxicatingly unforgettable place. Another Southern soul told me, "when you walk barefoot through the streets of New Orleans, you'll never leave her, but you'll love her forever." 

Onwards past the swamps, through the curtain of debilitating humidity that wraps around you like a velvet cloak, beyond that life changing bowl of mud hued gumbo, do you really know what it means to miss New Orleans?

On today's episode of U Look Hungry radio, I'm throwing you a skeleton key to a hidden and crucial part of the Big Easy. Tune in today, Thursday May 30th, 2013 LIVE at 6 pm (EST) as I chat w/ filmmaker Lily Keber about James Booker, one of the most quintessential musicians to grace the streets and pianos of New Orleans, and our known universe. James Booker, who described himself as "the black liberace," and a "one eyed, heroin addicted, bi-polar queer musician" by many others, was a child prodigy who grew up to create some of the most important/iconic New Orleans songs that we have to date. His playing style has been articulated by some as, "a gang of spiders on the keys," while others were convinced that he had a third hand hidden somewhere beyond the piano for his insanely swift playing abilities.

Until a few years ago, no one knew much else about James Booker (who passed away thirty years prior) beyond the juke box. That's where Lily Keber comes in with her documentary surrounding the life of James Booker, "Bayou Maharajah, The Tragic Genius of James Booker," which attempts at revealing more about this eccentrically brilliant character beyond the music.

Queue up your favorite Booker song, and get ready to hear Lily bring back James Booker from the dead. You can stream the live broadcast here via the Heritage Radio Network, or take your time and download the (free) iTunes version of the radio interview here.

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U Look Hungry Radio Summer Sessions

U Look Hungry radio is back! Summer is here, and I thought it was time to take you, dear listeners, on the open American road.

On today's episode, I'm broadcasting to you from the Big Easy, as I sit down and chat with Ali Mills, the mastermind/bartender behind the hottest New Orleans pop up bartenders salon/speakeasy, Dash & Pony, only on the Heritage Radio Network.

Tune in live today, Thursday May 23rd, 2013 at 6pm (EST), to hear us talk about the contemporary New Orleans cocktail scene, termite swarms, bugs and why you'll find them in your booze, why it's okay for bartenders to be rude, and so much more. 

If you're too busy holed up alongside the nearest air-conditioning unit, take your time and stream the podcast version of the show via U Look Hungry on Itunes. It’s free after all. 

More importantly, if you find yourself in New Orleans this Sunday, May 26th, head on over to the Dash & Pony cocktail salon at Le Fin Du Monde Restaurant. Things kick off at 8 p.m. sharp.

To find out more information about the location, etc. find Dash & Pony on Facebook.

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Short Stack Recipe Teaser

(Photo via ShortStack)

Yesterday, I waxed poetic about the brilliant Short Stack cookbook series, the new kind of food publication that's kicking things old school in a brand new way. 

Short Stack needs your help! Donate to their Kickstarter campaign so we can all see this incredible project come to life.

Nick Fauchald, publisher and founder of Short Stack (and all around miracle worker), has been generous enough to provide all you omnivores with a little sample of what's in store for volume one.

Below, a recipe that should be consumed on a back porch with a rocking chair and a glass of lemonade, a.s.a.p.

Strawberry Salsa

Recipe by Susan Spungen, Short Stack Vol. 3: Strawberries Makes 5½ cups

Almost anywhere tomatoes go, strawberries can go, too. Salsa makes a good home for them, where their juicy, bright flavor mixes well with chilies, lime, avocado, and cilantro.

This recipe makes enough for a party, but it can easily be halved. It also makes a refreshing accompaniment for fish tacos, and grilled shrimp or scallops.

1 pound strawberries, hulled and diced in ½-inch pieces (3¼ cups)

1 avocado, diced in ½-inch pieces

1 habanero pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 large beefsteak tomato, diced in ½-inch pieces (2 cups)

1 teaspoon lime zest

2 teaspoons lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

½ medium red onion, finely diced and rinsed 3 times

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and gently stir to mix.

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Attention cookbook nerds and kitchen pirates:

If you've got an addiction to old book smell like yours truly, I'm guessing that your cookbook collection is bursting at the seams like a muffin top on a pair of skinny jeans. I think I've got over 500 cookbooks at the moment, and it quite simply, isn't enough. But is it ever enough?

Thankfully, the brilliant Nick Fauchald, (who has worked as Food Editor at Food & Wine Magazine, started up the insanely popular Tasting Table as Editor in Chief, and is currently leading the pack on all things technology and kitchen related), has a solution for us and our dog-eared desires.

By now, you probably watched the video above. Short Stack, Nick's newest project, focuses on specific ingredients with a variety of recipes, written, tested and cooked by some of the brightest talents in the culinary world.

The legendary Ian Knauer, former Food Editor at Gourmet, the incredible Chef, Soa Davies, (formerly of Le Bernadin and currently behind the wheel at Salt Hospitality), and Susan Spungen, (founding Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living) are just a few of the heavy hitters in the first release of this worthy project.

Wouldn't it be nice to add a truckload of cookbooks to your bookshelf? You could sleep peacefully through the night knowing that your bookshelf weighs less/won't fall through the floors of your apartment building, yet it now contains much more information? 

Donate now. Reap the benefits. Your accident-prone bookworm roommate will also thank you on the way to your living room. 

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SMALL BLACK BRINGS THE BREW.

Are you waiting for the release of Small Black's forthcoming album, Limits of Desire to drop? This is the summer album we've all been waiting for, the one that inspires long drives, make-out sessions and beach scenes, if only in our minds.

Take a deep breath. You've got until May 14th to get your summer on in full effect.

In the meantime, you can kill some time and watch Friday Night Lights.

You could also listen to the time Small Black paid me a visit in the radio booth to talk about their music, touring, and Friday Night Lights.

OR you could unwind on this boozy news update: Small Black has paired up with Stillwater Beer for the second volume of the brewery's Sensory Series. Stillwater crafted a black saison repping the band's moniker and overall swag.

According to beer master (and former music producer/DJ) Brian Stillwater, "After many listens to the new album we agreed on the track 'Breathless' as inspiration for the beer. The tune instantly jumped out as a summer anthem and reminded me of my days as a electronic music producer & DJ. Uplifting pads, soothing vocals, and a solid 4/4 kick give the song a powerful drive while still maintaining its beauty and elegance.

In constructing the accompanying beverage I took a similar direction - a dark black beer that maintains the elegance of the song. I decided on a base of German malts and a debittered roasted barley to provide more dark color with very little actual roast flavor. German Hallertau hops are used to create a smooth bitterness and spicy, floral aroma. And while the beer is black, it's extremely light bodied, fermented with Belgian yeast for a dry, slightly fruity, spicy finish at 5% ABV. Perfect for those late night summer parties."

When you purchase the beer you can creep on the video for Breathless (for free.) 

Wait so, I can listen to this album, drink beer and wear short shorts outside? I'm putting my Jazzy Jeff Summertime vinyl on the back burner.

Small Black has already figured my summer out for me. Thanks dudes.

Go see them live because they might kick it in your town this summer. See what I mean here.

Clear Eyes. Full hearts. Can't lose.

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BURGERLORDS + PIZZAPRAYERS + JEN PELKA = RADIO VIBES

Have you noticed how tight the art/GIF game is on Tumblr? Especially in the food and drink section?

(via PizzaPrayers)

What I'm really trying to say is check out BurgerLords and Pizza Prayers, the incredible art blogs from a dynamic duo of L.A. natives (and brothers), Max and Fred. 

Restaurateurs by day, art  gangsters by night, Max and Fred own The Oinkster (that makes some of the most killer burgers in all of California), Maximiliano ("kinda" old school Italian) and Little Bear (a Belgian Beer Cafe). 

Visiting the BurgerLords or PizzaPrayers sites are like falling into a rabbit hole. By the time I snap out of it, I'm answering my door, tipping the pizza delivery guy, or firing up the grill to make a burger worthy of the ones I've been swooning over for the past couple of hours.

(via BurgerLords)

I guess this is the part where you figure out that I'm having them on my radio show, U Look Hungry, today, Thursday May 2nd at 6pm (EST) on the Heritage Radio Network.  When I thought this show couldn't get any better, the inimitable Jen Pelka, Tumblr Food & Drink Evangelist, is also coming on the show to discuss what's shaking on Tumblr, the state of the GIF, the L.A. food scene, and so much more.

(via PizzaPrayers)

Stream the live broadcast here via the Heritage Radio Network. If you miss the live broadcast cause' your going in on that second pizza pie, take your time and listen at your leisure by downloading the (free) iTunes version of the show.

I promise that today's show will be nothing like this situation.