Culinary Detective

2006-10-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks for defending me!

I have to say a huge thanks to all the people that commented on the show and I read them all. I appreciate good and honest feedback even if it is critical.

I do take offense to people who sit behind thier computers and rip people to shreds on public forums, finding fault in everything about them. I am not one to take that lightly and will defend myself and my reputation against those who have nothing better to do than try and lift themselves up by putting others down (which never works by the way).

I answered some mean postings on a web site (not e-gullet) defending my appearence and my show. I also answered a ton of really nice posts concerning the show and gave posters some insight as to the production of the show, choices made etc..

We all my posts were deleted by Mgt of the site and I was asked not to respond to any more postings on the subject. I told them I wanted to respond to defend myself against any flat out slanderish posts from trolls and the like. They responded, that people had a right to critisize me, my apperance or anything else, to which I agree. They also informed me that I did not have a right to respond to the postings and defend anny comments made.....hhmm...

What a dissapointment at the managment of the site (CNET) and a blow to free speech....people wonder why celebs and public persona never come to post on public message forums...maybe its just, they are not allowed too!

Food for thought....and thanks again for your support and glad you like the show....we worked really hard on it!

Chris

Wow, filming is a lot of work

2006-09-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to all of you guys out there. Filming a show for Food Network is much harder than it looks! I though, oh yea, fly someplace, eat some great food, fly home...no problem!

Boy was I wrong, it is tough, with 13 hr days, and the crew works so hard to make sure what goes on the screen looks great (it does)! There are tons of things to think about like lighting, food placement, colors...does the dish look the sme each time.

I have found some great outta the way places like Bowens Island in Charleston SC and Canela in Miami (which we filmed during Tropical Storm Ernesto).

I cant wait till you guys get to see the show, its called the Hungry Detective and should start soon!

Oh by the way, filming the Feasting on Asphalt stuff with Alton was a fun as it looked!

New York City and Iron Chef America

2006-03-10T10:54:00.000-08:00

New York City and Iron Chef America

Well, I just got back a few weeks ago from a great trip to what is an amazing food town, New York City. I went to be a judge on the Food Networks Iron Chef America. I can this this, wow what a great experience!

I really enjoyed eating out for 4 days, dining in NYC is really so different from L.A.. Here in L.A. its very "casual" where as in NYC dining out is an "event" and the restaurants are much more visual than in L.A. I must admit, the first place I ate was a brassarie called "Pastis" in the meat packing district. I was expecting so much more, man was I dissapointed in the entire meal from the quality of the meat to the really weak onion soup, I would not reccomend going there if you are looking to dine in NYC, it appeared to be really trendy/yuppie.

Alton Brown told me to go to the Pop Burger the first night, I should have listened to him...doh! that place was pretty cool, with good prices for NYC, but a strange thing about it is they have a "porno" booth in the back so you can eat and look at porn..strange place.

We had the "wrap party" for the crew at the Pizza Bar a few doors down, it was really cool and they had great Mojito's. I must say that Alton is such a great guy, he bought a round for the entire crew at the party (which must have cost a pretty penny), they (mojitos) were good too!

You can just cruise around on foot and run into something good to eat, like I did at Jarnac where I had a great cheese plate with a nice port!

The whole "Chelsea Market" is really neat too, its in the old Nabisco factory and tthe bottom floor is where there are some great little shops and restaurants as well as where the Food Network is located (actually they are on several floors, with the main studio upstairs).

My trip to NYC was well worth it and was a great experience for this California guy...I really think I will go back someday, hopefully to judge more Iron Chefs!

Laughlin Nevada, Vegas Light?

2006-01-08T11:15:00.000-08:00

We took a trip to Laughlin NV a few weeks ago, just to check out the whole "river thing". I decided to stay at the Golden Nugget thinking that it would be kinda like the one in Downtown Vegas, classy and sophiticated. Lets just say, it was not! I have never seen so many of the "depends" crowd. Wow those folks can sit at a machine for hours, spending the money that should go to theyre kids!

We cruised around the riverside area and noticed that there dont seem to be many dentists in Laughlin NV. We also noticed that the "wife beater" was totally acceptable as being "dressed" for dinner, well that or a Raiders jersey. We decided to embrace our inner white trash (even though Martha is Cuban) and go bowling at the Riverside Casino. I must say it was pretty damn fun, we even got the most "white trash" of foods, Nachos with that plastic cheese and a light cheap "Riverside Resort" beer in a can.

We had to check out the river itself and went for one of those river cruises you get for 12 bucks, I miust say it was pretty fun and you could get a nice stiff drink while checking out the shorline and the dam. I was dying for a decent meal and remembered through my research that there was supposed to be a good place in the Edgewater Casino called the Hickory Pit. We went for dinner and I was once again worried if I should wear pants and a nice shirt to dinner. Well, we were seated next to a guy wearing you guessed it, a Raiders jersey. Well, much to my suprise we had a fantastic meal of BBQ Tri Tip, Chicken and goodies, plus the price was a total bargain!

We decided to check out another casino called the River Palms. I dug on this casino, it was a big tower and was pretty nice inside, with a 2 level casino. I sat down at the roulette table for about 90 mins and was rewarded with my first ever "comp" of 2 tickets to the worst breakfast buffet ever. I always join the slot clubs when I go to a casino, the great thing here is when you join the slot clu, you get a free night on a return visit....and you dont have to spend a dime!

Would we go back to Laughlin, yea....but in the summer when we can hang out along the rivers edge and drink some cheap light beer....and we will stay in the River Palms as its a sweet "Low Roller" joint that is easy with the "comps"!...Oh yea, our trip had a soundtrack which was Molly Hatchets "flirting with disaster"....Rock On!

Investigations?

2006-01-02T16:58:00.000-08:00

Do you ever wonder what it looks like when the "research" is done for my Culinary Investigations for the newspaper column? Well here is some "footage" from the Tailgate column "research.

Myself and John Lee of the Gastronomic Society of Southern California grilling the Allen Brothers and Omaha Steaks. Dr Julia Chung the "Official Culinary Detective Medical Advisor" Displaying an "Olde English 40 oz" during our Beer Tasting....

Mexican Shrimp

2006-01-02T16:46:00.000-08:00

I love shrimp and I love the way they are cooked in Mexico. The way that Mexican chefs use spices and garlic.....oh yea, and butter....I went to this really neat place called "El Marlin" just outside Nuevo Vallarta right along the highway. It was amazing, a really huge dining area with a playground for the kids. Martha and I ordered almost the entire menu, you should have seen the look on the guy face when Martha told him in spanish what we wanted for dinner!

There is a great place in Redondo Beach called El Baja Chef that reminds me of this place.....its worth checking out for the amazing Mexican style Shrimp Cocktail alone!

What it looks like from Air 55

2006-01-02T15:57:00.000-08:00

You ever wonder what it looks like from the cockpit of a Police helicopter during an orbit? Here is a great shot of Air 55 Pilot Jim Woodaman that I snapped from my seat while we were orbiting one night. The other picture is of what I see on my side as a Tactical Flight Officer, you can see the moving map on the lower portion of the pic...pretty cool huh...see I do stuff other than food!

Now Back to the food!

Tacos

2006-01-02T15:47:00.000-08:00

One of the things I really like about living in L.A. is thet fact that you can get some really good taco's. I love a good simple taco and a nice cold cerveza, few things are better on s sunny day. These tacos were eaten by myself and my friend Alton at El Gringo in Hermosa Beach, the ones in front are chicken and the back ones are carnitas (pork)

2006-01-02T15:43:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years!!!

Top 10 Wines in 2005

2005-12-30T10:09:00.000-08:00

Well, we tasted about 300 wines this year and here are the top 10 wines of 2005.

Top 10 wines of 2005

Our wine-tasting panel has had a lot of fun learning about wines and sharing the information with rave! readers. Here are the top 10 picks in order of preference from Gene Kato, Lisa Weeks, John Lee and myself. (Note: We tasted hundreds of wines in '05).

1. Dover Canyon Old Vine Zin 2003. (The best wine I have ever had.)

2. Cline Los Carneros Syrah 2004.

3. Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay 2004.

4. Talus Cabernet 2004.

5. Chateau Ste. Michelle "Columbia Valley" Chardonnay. 2003.

6. Yellow Tail Shiraz 2004.

7. Row 11 Pinot Noir Santa Maria 2002.

8. Graffigna Malbec 2004.

9. 7 Deadly Zins.

10. Cold Creek Chardonnay 2003.

Dessert Wines and Bubbly Stuff

2005-12-29T15:26:00.000-08:00

Nugan Estate Semillon: $19.00 7 of 10: Nice honey flavor and hint of a “flower”, nice dessert wine, serve it chilled and sit back and enjoy.

Trader Joes Late Harvest Moscato: $5.00 4 out of 10: its an inexpensive dessert wine, don’t go out of you way to drink it, but its not THAT bad at least its only 5 bucks.

Dover Canyon “Zin-Port” : $28.00 (750 ml) 7 out of 10: Dover Canyon took some of that amazing Zinfandel they make and blended it with some Port, how can you go wrong with that. It’s a very rich wine, enjoy the raspberry and chocolate flavor with some good cheese’s, and ring in the New Year yum.

Lorikeet Shiraz (sparkling wine): $7.99 8 out of 10: Lots of people loved this sparking wine, it had wonderful pinkish red color and great flavor, my wife is still talking about it, if there was one wine to recommend out of the 26 we tasted its this one!

Andre Pink Champagne $2.50 5 out of 10: If you like yours sweet and cheap, then this is the drink for you, I actually didn’t mind it at all, but I like sweet things, at $2.50 a good deal.

Domaine Ste Michelle, Blanc De Noris: $6.99 7.5 out of 10: Lisa Weeks loved the nose of juicy strawberries, this was very well liked by most of the panelists, a good recommendation and you can get it at Bev-Mo stores. All the Domaine Ste Michelle wines did very well in this tasting.

Barefoot Bubbly Premium Extra Dry: $4.00 6.5 out of 10: A great little champagne from Barefoot who always produce a nice affordable wine, this is no exception as it had well balanced flavor and was an all around good drink and at 4 bucks you can get a few bottles.

Cooks Brut Champagne: $3.99 3 out of 10: Spend the extra penny and get the Barefoot, your head will thank me later!

7-11

2005-11-20T09:25:00.000-08:00

Culinary Detective

7-11, The Investigation!
Open 24 hrs

I know you have done it, we all have, admit it you have stood inside a 7-11 at one time or another and looked at the food thinking, that looks pretty good doesn’t it. Most of you just got your big gulp and left out the door, forever wondering about the neatly wrapped items in the refrigerated section, or the baked goods or god forbid the stuff on those metal rollers, you know you wanted it but you were just to chicken to try it. You wanted to wait till someone more daring with a “semi-iron stomach” told you it was ok and tasted good. I have done that so many times I have lost count, times when I am really hungry but don’t have the time to get food at a sit down or even a drive thru. Well I decided to throw caution to the wind and eat everything I can at 7-11 so I can tell you the real scoop on the food offerings at the largest 24 hr convenience store around.

It all started with the sandwiches! I brought a bunch of them to the wine tasting panel and didn’t tell people where they were from in order to get honest feedback. We cut the sandwiches up and plated them to be eaten by the panel. There were the “big eats” sandwiches which I have come to find are made everyday at a central kitchen facility and shipped to the stores about 2 am. The 2 wraps we tried were pretty darn tasty; there was a chipotle chicken wrap and a turkey wrap with herbs. They both had nice flavorful tortillas and were filled with cheese and meats with a flavorful sauce and crisp lettuce. They were not big portions by any means but a nice quick fresh meal for under $3.00. The next batch sandwiches were very, very good. The turkey and capicolla had fresh quality meats including a nice spicy capicolla, topped with some lettuce and cheese. The ham and cheese on wheatberry bread was delicious, in fact my wife Martha made me go out and get her one a few days later. I was skeptical of the chicken salad on wheatberry but since the others were so good I went for it. Boy was I wrong, it was actually quite good, the best sandwich of the bunch in my opinion. The roast beef and cheddar on an onion roll is fresh filling and tasty as well. There were a few more sandwich items I didn’t get to try but based on the great quality of the others I tasted, I would say they are worth a try.

Baked goods are not something I would seek out at 7-11, until now that is. The baked items at 7-11 are fresh, donut shop fresh (remember I am a cop and we know donuts and baked goods). I tried a chocolate muffin with a white creamy center that was so moist and rich it had me screaming for a cold glass of milk (which I didn’t have). The apple pasty was delicious with a delicate pastry that was not too flaky; the apples inside were fresh and crunchy, if I only had ice cream! 7-11 also has big brownies that were a hit with the panel. Take my advice, if you need a quick sweet tooth fix, grab a 7-11 pastry product and a carton of ice cream, you wont be sorry.

The “hot” items at 7-11 are another story altogether, you know what I am talking about, the stuff on the metal “rollers” next to the register. I along with everyone else I know, always wonder how long the stuff has actually been rolling around on those heated metal rods. The hot items are always a crapshoot, and like Forrest Gump said “you never know what you are going to get”. That hot dog could be amazing, bursting with flavor, or it could be the hot dog that is so bad, you turn vegan (little chance of me doing that). I have eaten a million 7-11 big bites, with the “chili” and “cheese” product over the 37 yrs of my life and about 3/4 of the time, it’s the best dog around and really hits the spot. I ventured off the traditional “menu” at the metal roller display case and tried the new chile- lime big bite ($1.99), it was a nice dog with some “snap” to it and the flavor was quite mild. 7-11 has these “flauta/taquito” things rolling back and forth on the rollers in the display case. I tried the beef and cheese which was really good and reminded my of my school cafeteria lunches at Madrona elementary school. The Buffalo chicken was miserable, an insult to the spices that make up “buffalo” sauce, it just did not work. The chicken and jack cheese was “ok”. The steak and cheese, forget it, yuck, I tried a southwest chicken with blackbeans and corn a few months ago, but couldn’t find it anymore, it was great, 7-11 should bring it back! Now, last but not least, the “cheeseburger bite” $1.79. The folks at 7-11 decided to try and make a cheeseburger in the shape of a hot dog, roll it around on the rollers and tell people it was good. It was not, not in the least, it was gross, which is an understatement. My “cheeseburger bite” felt and tasted like a rubber doggie chew toy. What were you people at 7-11 thinking when you came up with this? I have this final thing to say about it, you know what the cheeseburger bite looks like when its sitting on the rollers; well it tastes like it too!

The bottom line on 7-11 is they have some great fresh food items that I really enjoyed and the majority of the tasting panel was surprised when I told them that the stuff was from 7-11. Give the sandwiches and baked goods a try, they are great and will surprise you. If you want to venture into the “other” category of hot items, be my guest!

Wine Ratings and Iron Chef

2005-11-20T09:21:00.000-08:00

OK its getting near the holiday season and I have been doing some wine tastings and the lot, so I will post em here for you guys...

Another cool thing is I am going to appear as a judge on the new season of Iron Chef America on food network...nobody knows yet so SSSHHHHH!!!!

0-9 points, awful, worse than grape juice, call in the haz mat team.
10-12 points, not bad if its on sale, go for it, but there is much better.
13-16 points, nice wine to have around the house, good flavor.
17-21 points, great wine, awesome flavor and an excellent all around wine
22-25 points, nectar of the gods, if you can find it, buy it at any price.

Smoking Loon, 2003, California $7.99 17.5 of 25

Nice all around flavor and aroma, good fruity taste, short finish, guru Lisa Weeks called it a “happy little wine”

Eberle “up shiraz”, 2002, Paso Robles Ca, $16.00 11 of 25

If you like “bite” go get this wine, none of us liked the bite of this wine, it was dry and left the mouth dry, Novice Julia Chung stated “have you ever chewed a Tylenol?

McManis Family, 2004, Ripon Ca. $9.99 17.5 of 25

I enjoyed this wine and noted it had a wonderful nose, sweet and spicy, with a nice finish. Some of the Gurus rated it in the low 20’s all in all a great wine under 10 bucks.

Cline Syrah, 2003, California $7.99 18.5 of 25

Novice (and harsh critic) Brandi Lazorek stated the Cline was smooth from beginning to end, giving it a 20. Novice Cathy Mao stated “this one (Cline) can carry its own with heavy and smoked meats” giving it a 20 as well. Cline Wines do not disappoint, always making good quality affordable wines, pick one up next time you are looking at wines.

Coppola Syrah, 2003, California , $15.00 18 out of 25

Coppola wines are always a good buy, quality and taste are sure to come in every bottle and the Syrah did not disappoint. A little sweeter than the other Syrahs, which is not a bad thing. The Coppola had a nice body and good color, Guru Lisa Weeks called it “liquid complexity” when referring to its concentrated flavor.

Yellow Tail Shiraz, 2003, Australia, $5.00 20 out of 25

Yellow Tail, what can I say that I have not already said when referring to the stellar wines that Yellow Tail produces for such a low price. The Shiraz “laid the smack down” on the others in this tasting. It was loved by Novices and Guru’s alike, I gave it a 21 and wrote “oh my god” on the rating sheet. It had a lovely spicy huge nose, great body and wonderful finish. This wine is now tied for our highest rated wine ever.

Big Tattoo Syrah, 2003, California, $8.00 14.5 out of 25

I noted this was almost “Zin like” and had a great nose and a good body, but lacked a bit on the finish. Novice Julia Chung didn’t like it and stated it had hints of “Durian”. I thought it was better than it rated, but that’s the reason for having a tasting panel, to get a feeling for what most people like so hence the low score.

Cline “Cool Climate” Syrah, California, $11.00 16.5 out of 25

This offering from Cline had a great body and color, but left a bit to be desired in the finish. The flavor is berry, fruits and earth says Guru Lisa Weeks, I liked the Cline Syrah much better (it scored 18.5 in the same tasting).

People have been asking where I get my wines that are reviewed in this column. I buy my wines at Trader Joes, Albertsons and a few local markets. Some of the wines are shipped from the Vintner and some are wines that people bring to the tastings. If you want to try a specific wine I have reviewed, e mail me and I will tell you where to get it.

The panel of 13 novices and 2 gurus rated Syrah/Shiraz blends. Syrah/Shiraz is a red wine and these are blended Syrah/Shiraz wine and another type of red wine. These blends are very nice, easy to drink and go well with BBQ and cheeses; I decided to explain the ratings to make it easier to understand the 25 point scale.

0-9 points, awful, worse than grape juice, call in the haz mat team.
10-12 points, not bad if its on sale, go for it, but there is much better.
13-16 points, nice wine to have around the house, good flavor.
17-21 points, great wine, awesome flavor and an excellent all around wine
22-25 points, nectar of the gods, if you can find it, buy it at any price.

Langhorn Crossing, Cabernet-Shiraz-Malbec, 2003, South Africa (15.5 of 25) $9.99

This was not a “universal score” I liked this wine and scored it an 18 as did several of other members. It has a nice fruity nose but was a bit shallow in the finish. Some of the members didn’t like it at all and scored it very low. I would say based on the split rating from the panel it’s a personal thing if you like those wines then you will like the blend, I know I did.

Sideshow #4 Puppetmaster, Syrah-Malbec, 2004, Argentina (16 of 25), $6.99

Sideshow has some really neat and inventive blends and this one is no exception and the price is right. I noted that the wine has a “powerfull berry melon nose” and a “big body”. Guru Lisa Weeks called it the “little black dress of wines” and gave it a 23 ( a very high rating).

Trumpeter, Malbec-Syrah, 2004, Argentina (14 of 25), $8.99

Another blend from Argentina including the Malbec, this one was not bad but nothing special. Novice Cathy Mao stated “bland but drinkable”. It had a bit of pepper on the nose and was “ok” at best.

Yellow Tail, Shiraz-Grenache, 2004, Austrailia, (17.5 of 25), $5.99

I have to admit I was pleased when this wine was revealed after the tasting as being from Yellow Tail. I think without a doubt Yellow Tail makes the best, most consistently delicious affordable wine available today. The Shiraz Grenache blend did not disappoint me, it was very sweet in flavor with a black cherry finish, and a hint of chocolate with no harsh tannins. I am sure Yellow Tail is starting to make the Sonoma wine snobs quite nervous. Spend the extra 4 bucks and ditch the “2 buck chuck”, go grab a bottle of yellow tail and enjoy a great wine that’s worth twice the price.

This time the panel of 6 guru’s and 11 novices blind tasted what used to be my favorite white wine, Sauvignon Blanc. Sauv Blanc is a dry white wine with some hint of melon in the flavor. It goes well with fish, herbs and some light oil based pasta sauces and of course, melon. I must say that we are not a “difficult” panel but we did seam to enjoy the sauv blancs the least of any wine tasted so far, so keep that in mind when choosing a white if you don’t have a lot of experience in choosing wines.

Kenwood, 2004, $8.99 (14 out of 25)

Novice Darlene Oliver thought the Kenwood was “sophisticated and smooth”, giving it a 20, Novice Greg Toya gave it an 18 stating a “nice, pleasant kiwi flavor and aroma, with a long finish”. A few people really liked this wine, the price is right and it was a top rated wine out of 11 wines tasted. I rated this the top Sauv Blanc of the tasting, go buy it.

Helederberg, 2004, $ 8.99 (12 out of 25)

Helderberg wines from South Africa make a great Chardonnay (16 out of 25) , but the Sauv Blanc leaves something to be desired. Average at best, it was described as “bitter” and I noticed it really lacked in finish, it was “empty” but my wife Martha loved it and gave it a 21. Novice Julia Chung states “bitter, oh the horror”.

Brancott Vinyards, 2004, $9.99 (14 out of 25)

I liked this and gave it a 17 describing it as “fruity and good”. Guru Jim Kennedy said it had hints of grapefruit and rated this wine his personal highest at 17 as well. It was not a universal love with this wine as several panelists rated it low.

Buena Vista, 2004 $5.99 (no score)

Once again, we have bad luck and get a really skunky bottle of corked Buena Vista, which just goes to show you, if you don’t like a wine, it might not be you, it might be the wine itself that has a problem so send it back.

Charles Shaw, 2001, $1.99 (11 out of 25)

You know I cant have a blind tasting without something to keep the panel on they’re toes so I threw in another bottle of “2 buck chuck”. Guru John Lee stated it had a taste of melon (like it should) but was “no good”. Novice Julia Chung remarked “make it stop” and I just stated “yuck” and spit it out.

This time our ever-growing panel of 18 (7 guru’s, 11 novices) blind tasted one of my favorite red wines, Malbec. Malbec is a nice easy drinking red wine often produced in Chile and Argentina. Malbec does not have a lot of tannin, which can sometimes make for a harsh finish. Next time you try some beef, open of a bottle of Malbec. Our panel was pleased to include Wine Guru, Ian Blackburn, who runs the “learnaboutwine.com” website and holds frequent tastings here in L.A. . If you are just getting into wine as I am or even if you are a “guru” learnaboutwine.com is a great resource so check it out.

Budini, Malbec , 2003, Argentina $9.99 (17.5 out of 25)
The Budini has a nice spicy aroma as noted by several of the panelists. guru and wine professional Ian Blackburn noted that it was “jammy, with toasted orange peal” and he rated this wine a 22, the highest of any Malbec.

La Posta, Malbec, 2004, Argentina $15.00 (17 out of 25)
This wine had a wonderful deep red color and according to guru Lisa Weeks, had th e aroma of dark earth and toasty oak with a candied cherry, creamy chewy finish. I noted some tannin of the finish, but it was a nice wine

Ben Marco, Malbec , 2003, Argentina $15.99 (15 out of 25)
This wine was all over the place with scores ranging from 21 from guru Gene Kato who stated it was “Zin like” to 11 with novice Julia Chung stating it “looks beautiful but tastes unpleasant”. I enjoyed it and noted it didn’t have much aroma but enjoyed the flavor and rated it an 18 (my highest Malbec). To each his own I guess.

Clay Station, Malbec , 2003, Lodi California, $9.99 (12 out of 25)
Where do I start with this one, some panelists rated it a 6 or 7, I noted the aroma of soaked canine and damp earth. Two panelists actually liked it with ratings of 19, I could have sworn the bottle was corked but 4 of the guru’s stated it was not corked. The lone California bottle didn’t stand up at all to the South Americans, blech!!!

Jean River, Malbec, 2003, Argentina $14.00 (no score)
This wine was corked per the guru’s so we did not score it but I noted a mild flavor when I tried it. We seam to have been having bad luck with corked wines lately, so remember when you order wine at a restaurant and it does not smell right, have the staff check it out, if its corked they will replace it!

Graffigna Malbec, 2003, Argentina $14.00 (18 out of 25)
Fruity with spice and a little bit nice was my description of the Graffigna. I enjoyed it a lot and it was my highest rated Malbec. Most tasters on the panel rated the Graffigna highest of the malbecs and positive comments all the way around. Nobody disliked it, the Graffigna is a good solid wine and is a pleasure to drink from nose to finish.

Culinary Detective

2005-08-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

ratings....all wines are blind tasted by a panel of 12....

Turley, Howell Mountain Zinfandel, California $50 (no score)

I thought it was not bad, but the guru’s noted that it tasted corked (when bacteria get into the wine via the cork and ruins the flavors) and I decided not to use the ratings, although it must be a pretty good wine, cause even corked it was not to bad.

Dover Canyon, Cujo Zinfandel 2002, Paso Robles 18 of 25 ($18.99)

Another split on this wine, a bunch of us loved it, with several tasters including myself rating it the top Zinfandel, a few didn’t like think it was anything special. I thought it had amazing finish and a wonderful aroma. Guru Lisa Weeks noted the baked berry and raisin aroma with a blackberry pie and jammy fruit finish. I say it was just darn good! This wine is now part of my growing collection at home.

Rabbit Ridge, Barrel Cuvee Zinfandel, 2002, California ($7.99) 16.5 out of 25

A pleasant aroma and nice flavor combined with a quick finish make Rabbit Ridge a nice bottle for under 8 bucks. I noted it had a nice body and sharp finish, Novice Ann Salisbury noted, “more please”

Wente, Smith Bench Reserve, 2003, San Francisco (17.95) 11 out of 25

Wente has the distinction of having our highest rated wine so far with its wonderful Merlot (19.5 points). Wente also gets the distinction of having our lowest rated wine. The Smith Bench Reserve was terrible; in the words of Novice Julia Chung (who speaks for the panel on this one) the contents of our dump bucket are probably better.

Cline, Ancient Vine Zinfandel, 2004, California ($18) 15 out of 25

The Cline Ancient Vine Zinfandel, had mixed reviews with 2 novices giving it 18 and 20, most found it to be a decent wine, I noted that it had lot of tannin on the finish, but a great aroma of berry. The initial taste is sweet, but it lacks on the finish, Julia Chung stated it had as much depth as Paris Hilton, Guru Gene Kato said the Cline was smoky and woody with an “ok” finish.

Now onto the Merlots....There were some really good ones in here....I loved the PKNT for its amazing aroma and great price!

Rabbit Ridge, California, $9.99 15 out of 25 points

Nothing special here, everyone rated it average at best with nobody raving about it. The flavor was on par with the other wines and the aroma was nice, novice Ann Salisbury said it has a “harsh” end, but nice flavor and tasted stronger than the other Merlots.

Fish Eye, California $7.99 16.5 out 25

The Fish Eye rates a 16.5 and good solid scores across the board with the exception of Novice Henry Jenkins who referred to it as “grape juice”. Novice Catherine Mao said it is a simple Merlot with good flavor and I agree, it had a nice finish with some chocolate aroma. I like the Fish Eye and all of the wines from Fish Eye tend to be quite drinkable and they are reasonably priced with a really cool label.

Hogue, Washington State, $8.99 17.5 out of 25

This Merlot had great aroma, body and flavor but lacked just a bit in the finish. I would go with the Hogue if I were recommending a nice affordable full flavored Merlot to a friend to enjoy at home or with a friend.

Wente Crane Ridge Reserve San Francisco $17.95. 19.5 out of 25

Well, I guess spending a bit more makes a difference, at least in the case of the Wente 2002 Merlot. I will say this wine was really good and in fact 9 of us rated it highest. Guru Lisa Weeks said the Wente has rich, dark fruits with black cherry on the nose and a subtle cedar/mineral finish (it was her highest rated wine). I enjoyed my glass of the Wente Crane Ridge Reserve, it oozed class from its lovely bottle to the wonderful finish of the great wine inside.

Screw Kappa Napa, Napa $7.99 16 out of 25 points

A decent Merlot with a nice fruity aroma and medium body, Novice Cathy Mao described it as “very drinkable”. The flavor was on the light side so if you don’t like heavy wines this might be for you.

Covey Run, Washington State, $7.50 15 out of 25 points

Nice aroma, but lacking in the finish with a lot of tanins, not bad though and very drinkable tasted much like the Screw Kappa Napa but Novice Ann Salisbury said it was “sublime”. (note, I found this at the 99 cent store last week)

PKNT, Chile $4.99 17 out of 25 points

This was the most talked about wine of all the tastings so far, it had an aroma of bell pepper, which was not unpleasant and in fact intriguing as it made me want to hurry up and drink it. I loved it as did many of the panelists, although not all. Guru Gene Kato said it’s the perfect wine for a California summer afternoon. My recommendation is to go out and get a bottle to see for yourself.

Charles Shaw, California $1.99 17 out of 25 points

I slipped a bottle of “2 Buck Chuck” in to see what would happen and well, stuff happened. I rated it a 20 as it had great body and finish, but Guru’s Jim Kennedy and Lisa Weeks were not fooled and gave it 14’s. The rest of us seemed to like it, so once again, “2 Buck Chuck” was well worth the 8 quarters I paid for the bottle, heck I thought it was an expensive bottle (you gotta love blind tastings).

Vegas cheap Eats

2005-07-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

Culinary Detective

Just a quick note as I just got back from 4 days in Vegas...there is a great steak and lobster deal at the Stardust Hotel...Get a coupon out of the Showbiz or "Whats On" Vegas magazines and you can get a pretty decent steak and lobster dinner with potato, veggie and soup of salad for $9.99! In my opinion its worth the extra 2 bucks from the $7.77 steak and lobster at the Bourbon Street casino....

I was also unable to finish a 3/4 lb Mega Dog at the Westward Ho...thats the second time I have tried!

Remember, Vegas can be affordable for everyone, just look around you and pay attention to the coupons and specials.

Food and Culture

2005-06-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

Culinary Detective

I was having a hard time sleeping cause I couldnt stop thinking...so I wrote....here is what I came up with!

Eat America: Food and Culture
By Chris Cognac
The Culinary Detective

One of the things that I have learned as a Police Officer in this great melting pot we call America, is that food is the great equalizer simply because everybody eats. I learned in my dealings with people from all over the planet who have made the journey to the United States that everybody likes food! Since everybody likes food, we all now have something in common (I use this analogy often to calm things down in certain situations). Everybody has to sit down at the table and eat, now what we eat and how is eat it is a different story entirely

What and how we eat is often based on where our ancestors or we came from. There are many different “ways” of living here in the United States, different religions, cultures and beliefs. Take the Amish for instance, they live a simple life, don’t use electricity or powered machines so what do they eat? How and why do they make certain foods, with no electricity to boot! What about the Iraqi community in Pontiac Michigan? Do they “break bread” the same way as you and I? Why don’t they eat pork, what the heck is “Halal” anyway. Native Americans, along with many other cultures pay homage to the earth and they’re ancestors thru food from its methods of preparations to the way it is eaten.

When people open they’re eyes to what and how people eat, many questions get answered like “why are Vegans, Vegan anyway? Is it a belief, a diet, what is a Vegan anyway? Why do certain cultures eat with chopsticks or eat without utensils at all? How is “chicken soup” made in the Thai community vs the Jewish community? What’s the difference and why? Heck its just chicken soup isn’t it, or is there more to it than just chicken?

I would love to get a giant kitchen and assemble a few cooks from every culture we have here in the U.S. and have them all work together cooking a giant meal. I wonder what they would make? I can tell you that they would all find out that they aren’t all that different after all. One guy might use a little more salt or saffron in the soup than other guy. The Rabbi might get a great recipe from the Buddhist Monk standing next to him and the Italian lady from Brooklyn might find she has a lot more in common with the Amish women from Pennsylvania than she thought.

Next time you are in the grocery store, why don’t you head over to the “ethnic” isle and try a new spice or flavor you have never had. Better yet, you know that neighbor you have, the one from that foreign country, the one you never talked to. Why don’t you take a walk on over and ask for a recipe? I bet you bring a smile to not only they’re face but to yours as well. Heck, who knows, you might even end up having them over for dinner and just imagine what you can learn then.

America is a great country full of culture, pride and some darn good cooks. I have learned a lot about people while walking the beat. Those people have given me some good inspiration in the kitchen as well. America is like a big pot of Gumbo; lots of different ingredients make it that much more flavorful. My advice to you my friends are keep and open mind and an open palate, you will find that the world is a much more flavorful place than you thought.

Wine Ratings

2005-06-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

Culinary Detective

Here are some of the wine ratings from the tastings so far.
The Culinary Detective wine-tasting panel conducted its first tasting of “affordable” wines, this time focusing on a very common wine, cabernet sauvignon. It’s a nice red wine with good flavor and should go well with beef and works well in sauces. I went to Trader Joes and picked up some inexpensive bottles to review.

We (6 novices and 2 wine guru’s) rated the following wines for aroma, taste, appearance, body and finish, all of which are important factors in really enjoying a glass of wine. Each area had a maximum allowed 5 points with a total of 25 maximum points possible. Oh yea, I learned its also pretty important to get a good wine stem (glass) that allows the wine to “breath” and helps you enjoy the aroma.

Charles Shaw, 2002 $1.99 Total score 10 out of 25
This wine, also known as “2 buck Chuck” is responsible for getting me and a lot of other people to start drinking wine, cause hey, for 2 bucks you cant go wrong. The flavor was not bad and it rated highest for its appearance and lowest for the finish, but hey its only 2 bucks!

Trader Joes, Cabernet Sauvignon $3.99 Total Score 11.5 out of 25
Not a bad wine but nothing special, I would stock it in my house as a “need a quick bottle to serve with dinner and dont want to go the store ” wine. Appearance was highest rated and its finish lowest as well.

Yellow Tail, Cabernet Sauvignon $4.99 Total Score 19 out of 25

This Australian wine was head and shoulders above the rest with good body and aroma and a good flavor, a great wine to keep around the house and for $4.99 it’s a real bargain. Australian wines are really starting to give Napa and Sonoma a run for the money and provide a great wine at a great price for folks like us.

Next time we will be reviewing “Red table wines” by Red Truck, Cote Zero and Coppola “Rosso Classic” so get some and learn along with us.

The Culinary Detective tasting panel (3 guru’s and 7 novices) conducted “Blind” tasting’s on the following wines. The wines were evaluated for appearance, aroma, body, taste and finish We went with Chardonnays since it’s a great fruity white wine that is so nice on a warm southern California afternoon. It goes great with white or goat cheeses.

Quail Ridge Napa 2003 $9.99 (17 out of 25 points)

Great aroma with a really fruity nose with hints of pear and pineapple. It rated highest in this category and was a surprise when revealed to the panel, as most didn’t expect it to be this good. I agree and think it was a very nice all around wine for under 10 bucks.

Crane Lake California Chardonnay 2003 $3.99 (14 out of 25)

Not a great wine by any stretch of the imagination, but for fewer than 4 bucks, who can really complain. It had a nice aroma but not the finish or body of the Quail Ridge. Novice panel member Greg Toya said that it was a sweet taste but not much of a finish or smell and Guru Gene Kato just didn’t like it at all.

Helderberg Chardonnay South Africa 2003 $7.99 (16 out of 25)

A nice affordable Chardonnay from South Africa, rated high in apperance and aroma. Novice panel member Gigi Camisa loved the Helderberg so much she scored it a 21. I agree that I was impressed with the overall body and flavor of the wine, a great choice for a novice drinker not wanting to spend a fortune on a bottle of Chardonnay yet still have an enjoyable glass of wine

The Culinary Detective wine tasting panel decided to go with a basic red “table wine” this time, table wines are a blend of different types of wines blended together. Table wines are great all around red wine and a good choice with tomato based pasta sauces as it has a nice hearty flavor, but isn’t to heavy. The 8 member (2 guru’s and 6 novices) panel rated the following wines on appearance, aroma, body, taste and finish.

Cote Zero: $5.99 (12 points out of 25)
Pretty decent flavor but nothing exciting, it rated highest in aroma with a pretty good nose, but lacked in flavor. It is an organic wine with no sulfites, I expected a bit more and was left disappointed, which was pretty much the overall feeling of the panel. I guess I would call it “hollow” as the flavor didn’t follow the nice aroma the wine gives.

Coppola Rosso: $8.95 (17 out of 25)
A nice wine for a decent price, Coppola wines tend to be a good quality wine at a good price and this one did not disappoint. Good aroma and good solid scores all around, I would recommend this wine as it’s a good buy for the price, much better than the Cote Zero.

Red Truck: $7.95 (18 out of 25)
A nice blended wine from the Cline winery. Good solid flavors and a nice pleasant finish. Nice color and body with a good finish to it, another nice selection that suits my palate just fine. Red Truck just beat out the Coppola Rosso for the top spot in this tasting.

“Sofia Rose” Carneros Pinot Noir 2004 from Coppola winery ($12.99) 15 of 25

An absolutely beautiful bottle with a wonderful aroma and a nice finish made for a nice all around rating. Guru Lisa Weeks stated it had a wonderful deep berry color and a berry candied rhubarb on the nose with a slightly bitter cranberry hint. Novice Julia Chung stated it was “boring”. I liked it and would buy it again if it were on sale.

Hunter Valley, Margan Family Shiraz Saingee, Australia, 2004 (7.99) 19 of 25

A nice surprise from down under, rated the highest by the panel with strong ratings across the board. I really enjoyed this wine and it has become my favorite of this type, the price is a real bargain too. The sweet berry flavor, nice aroma and wonderful finish make a warm day outdoors that much more enjoyable by simply having a glass of this wonderful wine.

Robert Hall, Rose de Robles, Paso Robles California, 2004 ($3.99) 14 of 25

While the Robert Hall rated a 14, just under the Sophia Coppola, I think it didn’t even come close. The aroma was nothing like the other 2 wines rated and it didn’t have the finish either. Its not an expensive wine by any means but it also tastes that way. Novice Mark Houseberg said it had a bitter finish and I agree but Guru Lisa Weeks said it had a a great nose with some tannins on the finish. Novice panelist Julia Chung stated it had a nice color, but looks can be deceiving. In the case of Robert Hall, you get what you pay for, an “ok” wine for under 4 bucks.

What I have learned so far: 5 bucks tends to be the cut off for the wines that are truly “drinkable” and a decent glass. So as a general rule, if you are standing in the wine section of the store with no idea, get something over 5 bucks and it will be a much better experience than something for less.

Next Food Network Star

2005-06-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

Culinary Detective

I have been watching the Next Food Network Star and have been pretty impressed with the folks so far....But I have to say I am kicking myself for not submitting my own tape.

I took the host, Marc Summers out for BBQ at Baby Blues BBQ in Venice last week. He is a super nice guy, as are all the folks at Food Network. Check out the review on www.culinarydetective.com if you want to check out Baby Blues.

Culinary Detective

2005-06-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

Culinary Detective

Some photos to check out, I am still trying to figure this out

www.flickr.com

More of culinary detective's photos

Wine

2005-06-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

Culinary Detective

I have been conducting wine tastings once a month and reviewing them in my column. We are focusing on affordable wines that regular schlubs like myself can afford. So far I like the following:

1. Red Truck table wine....what a great wine for under 8 bucks
2. Yellow Tail Chardonnay....5 bucks, awesome aroma and finish
3. Fat Bastard Cab.....nice and deep with hints of chocolate
4. Margan Family Shiraz Sangiee....awesome rose from down under

Keep checking out the column for more wine reviews...

Shooting Show

2005-05-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

Culinary Detective

I just returned from an interesting time in the desert of Parhump Nevada where I was part of a shooting competition show called "Front Sight Challenge"....I suck and lost, but I did get to eat a fantastic Filet Mignon at the Center Stage restaurant in the Plaza Hotel downtown Vegas.....what an amazing place with great food and a killer view, check it out....

Stay tuned for some Culinary Detective TV stuff....heck maybe one day I can even be on the food network....but I am not holding my breath!

Potato Chip Test!

2005-03-05T15:41:00.000-08:00

Culinary Detective

A few weeks ago a bunch of us foodies from egullet.org, the best online food forum around, got together and taste tested 49 different types of potato chips froun around the USA and Japan. Each taster rated the chips on flavor and crunch then gave it a score from 1-10, those were then averaged to come up with the percentage scores and here are the results!

1.Tims, Cracked Peppercorn 93.6%
2.Herrs, Steak and Worcestshire 85.3%
3.Tims, Jalapeno 85.0%
4.Herrs, Sour Cream and Onion 83.0%
5.Tims, Wild West Habanero 82.9%
6.Tims, Cascade (Plain) 82.5%
7.Herrs, Salt and Pepper 81.7%
8.Cape Cod, Jalapeno/Cheddar 81.0%
9.Tims, Wasabi 80.5%
10.Herrs, Jalapeno 77.1%
11.Tims, Sour Cream and Onion 76.7%
12.Utz, Honey BBQ 76.1%
13.Tims, Luau BBQ 76.0%
14.Dirty, Salt and Vinegar 74.2%
15.Herrs, Heinz Ketchup 72.7%
16.Kettle, Salt and Pepper 71.7%
17.Cape Cod, Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper 70.0%
18.Cape Cod, Sea Salt and Vinegar 70.0%
19.Yomayoshi, Wasabi Beef 68.3%
20.Herrs, Old Bay seasoning 68.2%
21.Utz, Crab Flavor Chips 67.3%
22.Herrs, Ripple 66.7%
23.Tims, Dill Pickle 66.5%
24.Kettle, Jalapeno Flavor 65.6%
25.Mike Sells, Salt/Vinegar 62.3%
26.Kettle, Classic BBQ 62.1%
27.Dirty, Mesquite BBQ 62.0%
28.Lays, BBQ 61.0%
29.Mike Sells, Jalapeno/Cheddar Flavor 60.7%
30.Utz, Natural Light Salt 60.0%
31.Utz, Kettle Classic Crunchy 60.0%
32.Kettle, Goat Cheese and Red Pepper Flavor 59.7%
33.Ruffles, Sour Cream and Onion 58.0%
34.Utz, Sour Cream and Onion 58.0%
35.Dirty, Spicy Cajun 56.3%
36.Kettle, Sour Cream and Onion 55.0%
37.Herrs, Crisp and Tasty 55.0%
38.Cape Cod, 40 Percent Reduced Fat 55.0%
39.Ralphs, Sour Cream and Onion 54.0%
40.Utz, Homestyle Kettle 50.0%
41.Tims, Hawaiian Kettle 50.0%
42.Japanese, Seaweed 49.2%
43.Dirty, Roasted Garlic and Herb 48.5%
44.Utz ,New England Mystic Chips 46.7%
45.Dirty, Sour Cream and Onion 42.5%
46.Utz, Chocolate covered 40.9%
47.Dirty, Honey Mustard 36.7%
48.Japanese, Camembert 25.8%
49.Japanese, Potato Butter 23.8%

Live life to its fullest

2005-01-12T18:43:00.000-08:00

Culinary Detective
I always am an advocate of living life to the extremes and making the most of everyday. I have had 3 friends leave this earth in the last 4 weeks, that along with the chaos and tragedy around the world reminds me to make the most out of everything. Stop, take a look at the stars in the sky, watch the clouds go by, smell the fresh air. Drink in life my friends, for you never know when your glass will go empty.

Happy New Year

2005-01-02T11:42:00.000-08:00

Culinary Detective
The New Year is upon us and I have lots of work to do. I am in the process of writing several articles on food and travel as well as cruising. I am also on the never ending quest to find good places to review.

People often think it would be "so cool" to be a food critic. It is, but let me tell you its a lot of work to find places to write about. I dont really like to write strictly negative reviews so I eat at a lot of places that dont get "reviewed" cause they suck. I think that people want to read about places that are good and that they can check out themselves. Dont You?

My wife is off to New York City next weekend to be on Calorie Commando with my pal Juan Carlos Cruz on the food network. She is pretty excited and will be eating at Mario Batali's Babbo on Sat night...should be pretty cool, I will get there someday and tear the place (NYC) up.

I wrote a "best of" column for the end of the year in the Daily Breeze, check it out on my web site...I have some choice words for Chuck E Cheeses and Joes Crab Shack...man those places need some work!

Cheers, Chris

Las Vegas Cheap Eats food review

2004-12-28T14:55:00.000-08:00

Culinary Detective

Remember the good old days of Las Vegas, when it was the land of the bargain buffet, the $ 2 prime rib and the $ 5 steak dinner. There were good food bargains to be had in almost every hotel and casino. Most casinos would offer great food specials just to get a chance at your money in the their casino. Those were the days when the average family could take a trip to Las Vegas, enjoy themselves and not have to spend a fortune to eat a decent meal.

Las Vegas is not like that anymore, not by a long shot. Ever since the “Family” was removed from the Las Vegas casino scene and replaced by casino’s wanting “Families”, Las Vegas food bargains have slowly disappeared, or have they? There are still plenty of great places to eat for cheap in Las Vegas, you just have to look a little harder and venture off the Strip to places like the Ellis Island casino on Koval St. or the Golden Gate casino or Plaza hotel downtown on Freemont St. These places may not have water filled canal’s, flaming volcano’s or rollercoaster’s, but they do offer plenty of value for your Vegas buck and make it possible for you to enjoy some great food while saving you a whole bunch of money.

The following places are sure bets to beat Las Vegas at its own game, at least as far as dining is concerned:

For a great breakfast you need go no farther than the Wild Wild West gambling hall and hotel, located at 3330 W Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas NV. Just head past the freeway behind the strip and you will see this funky little casino. Head to the Gamblers Grill inside and for $1.99 you can have a great breakfast of 2 eggs cooked to order, potatoes and sausage or bacon, plus toast. This is good breakfast value and I was impressed with the quality and quantity of the meal. Great stuff and after I used a coupon from the Las Vegas Advisor the bill was only $ 6.54 for 3 of us, including drinks! If its lunch you crave, the Wild Wild West has a 1/2 lb burger and fries for $1.99 as well; it’s a good lean beef pattie with all the fixins, you would pay 7-10 dollars on the strip for the same meal.

Hungry for something big, something so over the top it could only be found in Las Vegas, then you are in luck. The Westward Ho casino, located at 2900 Las Vegas Blvd. South is actually right in the middle of the strip. Inside they have a great bargain called the “Mega Dog” and is the largest hot dog I have ever seen. You can plop down a measly $1.49 and you get a 3/4 lb hot dog with all the fixings, if you want cheese and chili, its only 50 cents more. I was surprised that the Mega Dog actually tasted good, my friend Paul Moreau downed the entire thing and didn’t even flinch. Thirsty? You can walk over to the margarita bar and get a giant frozen margarita for 99 cents to wash down the mega dog with. They also have a 99 cent shrimp cocktail, although I was not impressed as it was mostly lettuce and didn’t have much shrimp, if you want a good shrimp cocktail go the Golden Gate (One Freemont St) and spend your 99 cents there for some real shrimp!

If you thought that a nice dinner in Las Vegas for under $10 was long gone, you are wrong, in fact here are 3 great deals all for under $ 8. If you are in the mood for good, and I mean good BBQ, then head on over to the Ellis Island casino and brewery located right behind Bally’s at 4178 Koval Ln. There are actually two great deals at Ellis Island, the first was recommended to me by Anthony Curtis who is the publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor (great resource for bargains in Las Vegas). If you have a $ 5 bill you can have a great steak dinner at the restaurant. $4.99 gets you a 10 oz filet cooked to order, a nice big baked potato and green beans, plus a really good Caesar salad or a bowl of the homemade soup. I was not expecting much, but I have to admit it was a really good meal and the steak was a good quality cut of beef. The Brew Pub at Ellis Island has a nice outdoor patio with a really good view of the strip (which is a nice plus) and for $6.99 you get one of the best BBQ specials anywhere. The BBQ special consists of 1/2 a BBQ chicken, 1/2 slab of great tasting pork ribs, coleslaw, BBQ beans, corn on the cob plus some tasty grilled garlic bread. Ellis Island brews its own beer and is very reasonable as well. My advice is if there is only one place you are going to check out off of the strip, make it Ellis Island.

The Bourbon Street hotel and casino is just down the street at 120 E Flamingo Road and is an easy walk from the strip. Inside the casino is the French Market Café, and you will find one of, if not the most inexpensive steak and lobster deals on the planet. Bourbon Street is nothing fancy, but when it’s late and you “need” to get steak and lobster but might not have much money left this is the place. $7.77 gets you an 8 oz sirloin with 2 small 3 oz lobster tails a baked potato and some nice soft rolls. It’s all served with lemon and drawn butter. While the steak was not the best, it wasn’t bad either; it was nowhere near the quality of Ellis Island’s steak. The lobster tails were small but tasty and for less than 8 bucks or the price of a value meal combo at the airport it was a pretty good deal.

So you don’t want to venture off of the strip, well then go to the end of it. The Stratosphere hotel and casino is located at 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. South. and is home to some great bargains and even better views. Try going to the Hamada of Japan inside and getting the $12.99 special, which is “teppan style” (cooked right in front of you) chicken, rice, veggie, salad and soup. When you are finished at Hamada, take a trip up the tower and have a drink with the best view in the west at almost 1000 ft high in the “Top of the world” bar. I was able to buy a round of drinks for 6 people for $ 33, which is a pretty good deal considering the view and the décor, and it’s a lot better than the $ 24 I paid for 2 martini’s at the Bellagio (with no view I might add).

There are great deals in Las Vegas to be had night and day; you just have to look for them. Remember to check for coupons and Internet deals. Check out the Las Vegas Advisor, which publishes a monthly newsletter and has a great book of coupons to use (www.lasvegasadvisor.com). Check out the hotel magazines like “What’s on Vegas” also www.cheapovegas.com is a great web site with humorous, honest and thorough reviews of all the Las Vegas hotels and casinos.

Westin Hotel, Las Vegas

2004-12-23T14:08:00.000-08:00

Culinary Detective
I love Vegas and remember what an eyesore the old Maxim casino was after it was abandoned, so I was excited when the Westin decided to do something with it, here is my review.

Westin Casuarina Las Vegas
By
Chris Cognac

If you are not into the flashy bright sensory overloading hotels on the strip or downtown but still want to visit Las Vegas have no fear, the Westin Casuarina is the perfect combination of comfort, taste and with just a little bit of glitz that reminds you are indeed in Las Vegas. Like a flower rising from the ashes, the Westin Casuarina transformed the old Maxim casino (ridding Las Vegas of a real eye sore) into a beautiful and classy hotel for those who want to relax and unwind, yet still have the opportunity to play in the casino and see a show while in Las Vegas.

The Westin Casuarina is located just off the strip near Bally’s Hotel and Casino on Flamingo. There are 816 rooms that all come with the “heavenly bed” that Westin hotels are known for. If you like coffee, then you are in luck as all the rooms come with Starbucks coffee for the in room coffee maker. Located inside the Westin Casuarina is the Silverpeak Grill, with a lovely open design serves everything from pancakes to panini and also makes come great soups as well.

The Westin Casuarina is easy on the eyes as its designers made a smart move to buck the mega resort trends in Las Vegas. You wont find pirate ships or exploding volcano’s, what you will find are subtle earth tone colors and brass fixtures. The pool at the Westin Casuarina is small but cozy and well appointed with nice wooden deck chairs and lounges to catch some sun. The casino inside the Westin Casuarina is intamite yet still has most of the table games and video machines found in Las Vegas. My favorite part of the casino is the fact that its not filled with a ton of smoke due to its open design.

The Westin Casuarina is a nice alternative for the business traveler or family that wants to go to Las Vegas and not be overwhelmed 24 hrs a day by the neon, smoke and crowds of the strip.

160 East Flamingo Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 United States
Phone (702) 836-9775 Fax (702) 836-9776

Jennie O Turkey,

2004-12-22T14:59:00.000-08:00

Culinary Detective

I have gotten more e mails from readers about this turkey product than on any other article I have ever done. I continue to get e mail to this day from people who cant find the darn things....I keep e mailing the folks at Jennie O but they dont seem to be able to help. So until they give me an answer here is the link to order online....

http://www.jennieoturkeystore.com/ovenready/

Cheap Eats Las Vegas

2004-12-20T16:52:00.000-08:00

Remember the good old days of Las Vegas, when it was the land of the bargain buffet, the $ 2 prime rib and the $ 5 steak dinner. There were good food bargains to be had in almost every hotel and casino. Most casinos would offer great food specials just to get a chance at your money in the their casino. Those were the days when the average family could take a trip to Las Vegas, enjoy themselves and not have to spend a fortune to eat a decent meal.

Las Vegas is not like that anymore, not by a long shot. Ever since the “Family” was removed from the Las Vegas casino scene and replaced by casino’s wanting “Families”, Las Vegas food bargains have slowly disappeared, or have they? There are still plenty of great places to eat for cheap in Las Vegas, you just have to look a little harder and venture off the Strip to places like the Ellis Island casino on Koval St. or the Golden Gate casino or Plaza hotel downtown on Freemont St. These places may not have water filled canal’s, flaming volcano’s or rollercoaster’s, but they do offer plenty of value for your Vegas buck and make it possible for you to enjoy some great food while saving you a whole bunch of money.

The following places are sure bets to beat Las Vegas at its own game, at least as far as dining is concerned:

For a great breakfast you need go no farther than the Wild Wild West gambling hall and hotel, located at 3330 W Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas NV. Just head past the freeway behind the strip and you will see this funky little casino. Head to the Gamblers Grill inside and for $1.99 you can have a great breakfast of 2 eggs cooked to order, potatoes and sausage or bacon, plus toast. This is good breakfast value and I was impressed with the quality and quantity of the meal. Great stuff and after I used a coupon from the Las Vegas Advisor the bill was only $ 6.54 for 3 of us, including drinks! If its lunch you crave, the Wild Wild West has a 1/2 lb burger and fries for $1.99 as well; it’s a good lean beef pattie with all the fixins, you would pay 7-10 dollars on the strip for the same meal.

Hungry for something big, something so over the top it could only be found in Las Vegas, then you are in luck. The Westward Ho casino, located at 2900 Las Vegas Blvd. South is actually right in the middle of the strip. Inside they have a great bargain called the “Mega Dog” and is the largest hot dog I have ever seen. You can plop down a measly $1.49 and you get a 3/4 lb hot dog with all the fixings, if you want cheese and chili, its only 50 cents more. I was surprised that the Mega Dog actually tasted good, my friend Paul Moreau downed the entire thing and didn’t even flinch. Thirsty? You can walk over to the margarita bar and get a giant frozen margarita for 99 cents to wash down the mega dog with. They also have a 99 cent shrimp cocktail, although I was not impressed as it was mostly lettuce and didn’t have much shrimp, if you want a good shrimp cocktail go the Golden Gate (One Freemont St) and spend your 99 cents there for some real shrimp!

If you thought that a nice dinner in Las Vegas for under $10 was long gone, you are wrong, in fact here are 3 great deals all for under $ 8. If you are in the mood for good, and I mean good BBQ, then head on over to the Ellis Island casino and brewery located right behind Bally’s at 4178 Koval Ln. There are actually two great deals at Ellis Island, the first was recommended to me by Anthony Curtis who is the publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor (great resource for bargains in Las Vegas). If you have a $ 5 bill you can have a great steak dinner at the restaurant. $4.99 gets you a 10 oz filet cooked to order, a nice big baked potato and green beans, plus a really good Caesar salad or a bowl of the homemade soup. I was not expecting much, but I have to admit it was a really good meal and the steak was a good quality cut of beef. The Brew Pub at Ellis Island has a nice outdoor patio with a really good view of the strip (which is a nice plus) and for $6.99 you get one of the best BBQ specials anywhere. The BBQ special consists of 1/2 a BBQ chicken, 1/2 slab of great tasting pork ribs, coleslaw, BBQ beans, corn on the cob plus some tasty grilled garlic bread. Ellis Island brews its own beer and is very reasonable as well. My advice is if there is only one place you are going to check out off of the strip, make it Ellis Island.

The Bourbon Street hotel and casino is just down the street at 120 E Flamingo Road and is an easy walk from the strip. Inside the casino is the French Market Café, and you will find one of, if not the most inexpensive steak and lobster deals on the planet. Bourbon Street is nothing fancy, but when it’s late and you “need” to get steak and lobster but might not have much money left this is the place. $7.77 gets you an 8 oz sirloin with 2 small 3 oz lobster tails a baked potato and some nice soft rolls. It’s all served with lemon and drawn butter. While the steak was not the best, it wasn’t bad either; it was nowhere near the quality of Ellis Island’s steak. The lobster tails were small but tasty and for less than 8 bucks or the price of a value meal combo at the airport it was a pretty good deal.

So you don’t want to venture off of the strip, well then go to the end of it. The Stratosphere hotel and casino is located at 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. South. and is home to some great bargains and even better views. Try going to the Hamada of Japan inside and getting the $12.99 special, which is “teppan style” (cooked right in front of you) chicken, rice, veggie, salad and soup. When you are finished at Hamada, take a trip up the tower and have a drink with the best view in the west at almost 1000 ft high in the “Top of the world” bar. I was able to buy a round of drinks for 6 people for $ 33, which is a pretty good deal considering the view and the décor, and it’s a lot better than the $ 24 I paid for 2 martini’s at the Bellagio (with no view I might add).

There are great deals in Las Vegas to be had night and day; you just have to look for them. Remember to check for coupons and Internet deals. Check out the Las Vegas Advisor, which publishes a monthly newsletter and has a great book of coupons to use (www.lasvegasadvisor.com). Check out the hotel magazines like “What’s on Vegas” also www.cheapovegas.com is a great web site with humorous, honest and thorough reviews of all the Las Vegas hotels and casinos.

My look inside "Kitchen Stadium" on Iron Chef America

2004-12-18T10:35:00.000-08:00

There is a place in the world that is home to fierce competition, sweat, struggle, triumph, defeat, honor, and humiliation. A place where culinary gladiators battle to the finish, utilizing whatever items are at their disposal in order to achieve victory. Some such as Masaharu Morimoto use $5000 bone handled sushi knives; others are masters of spice and chili pepper such as Bobby Flay. Then there are conjurers of herbs and oils like Mario Batali or masters of fusion like Wolfgang Puck. What is this place I speak of, where a great culinary warrior can be humbled and a virtual unknown can become a culinary superstar in a mere 60 minutes? Why Kitchen Stadium of course.

Kitchen Stadium is the home field of the Iron Chef’s, each of whom is a culinary master. Fuji Television in Japan came up with the Iron Chef program in 1993 and it became a huge hit in Japan where it is taken very seriously by viewers and competitors alike. The program featured the “Chairman” of the “Gourmet Academy” (Actor Takeshi Kaga) who is supposed to be a wealthy, eccentric gourmand and each week, pits one of his Iron Chefs (well established chefs in their own right) against a Challenger in his “Kitchen Stadium”. They each have 60 minutes to prepare a multitude of dishes featuring the secret “theme ingredient” which arises from the floor amid smoke and lights.

The stakes are high for both the Iron Chef and the Challenger for if a Challenger defeats the Iron Chef, people will flock to whatever restaurant that Challenger cooked in (which could mean serious money). If the Iron Chef were to lose, then it was a loss of face (a serious thing in Japan) as well as a blow to the ego. While Iron Chef may seem kind of odd to the average viewer in the United States, it’s as true a test of skills that a chef can be put through.

The chefs (each with 2 assistants) cook in side-by-side kitchens known, as “Kitchen Stadium” and they do not know what they will be cooking ahead of time. Iron Chef has been known for coming up with some “challenging” theme ingredients to say the least. In the past Iron Chefs have had to do battle using the likes of “Milk”, “Natto (sticky beans)”, “ Watermelon”, “”Buckwheat”, “ Chocolate” or “Lotus Root”. Its not always a strange or unusual ingredient and is often something that viewers can really enjoy such as “Lobster” or “Kobe Beef”. The dishes are judged by a panel of various politicians, food critics and media persons on presentation and taste as well as originality, then scored, with the winner announced by the Chairman at the end. Iron Chef is serious business for all the people involved and amazing for the home viewer to watch. Its one thing watch at home on television, but it’s a completely different thing to actually be inside “Kitchen Stadium” during an Iron Chef battle.

I was lucky enough to be invited by the Food Network into Kitchen Stadium to watch the new Iron Chef America: Battle of the Masters. The Food Network realized the appeal and following that Iron Chef had developed over the years in the United States and decided to bring Kitchen Stadium to the United States along with two of the Japanese Iron Chefs, “Iron Chef Japanese” Masaharu Morimoto and “Iron Chef French” Hiroyuki Sakai. They are going up against some of the best Chefs of Food Network, Iron Chef Bobby Flay, an accomplished chef who cooks with a southwest flair, Iron Chef Mario Batali, an amazing Italian style chef known for authentic preparation, and Iron Chef Wolfgang Puck, who has brought California fusion style cuisine to the entire world. Each of these men is a successful restaurateur and television host in his own right and all were eager to put it all on the line and do battle in Kitchen Stadium.

During the battles in Kitchen Stadium a team of announcers calls all the “play by play” action. Kevin Brauch (host of the “Thirsty Traveler” on Fine Living) is the floor reporter checking out the action “up close” right amongst the flying garlic and smoking shrimp. Alton Brown (host of “Good Eats” on Food Network) serves as the expert commentator and does an absolutely amazing job of describing the complex action and techniques being used by the Iron Chefs, putting things into terms easily understood by viewers who may not be culinary school graduates. Alton Brown makes the show easy to learn from for the viewer and explains, “No part of cooking isn’t science, its physics, biology and chemistry, and in the end it’s all science”.

The “theme ingredient” is always sure to challenge the Iron Chef’s in the method’s they use in preparation and presentation. I asked Iron Chef Mario Batali what his favorite types of ingredients are, he told me “anything taken from the sea, still alive and fresh”. I asked Iron Chef Batali if he could cook with an everyday ingredient such as Spam, he replied “sure, I could do Spam”.

Soon it was time for the new Chairman, Mark Dacascos to shout “Allez Cuisine” and the battle began. I watched in anticipation as the lights went wild and the theme ingredient arouse from the smoke. The Iron Chefs ran to get the best pick of the ingredients and then it was time to get down to business. It was simply amazing to watch the action and I soon realized something I had never thought about while watching Iron Chef on television, the smells! I could not believe how amazing some of the dishes smelled, Iron Chef Bobby Flay created a basil and chili sauce that filled the air with a sweet hot smell and made me realize that this battle was serious. I wondered if any of the dishes created in Kitchen Stadium ever made it onto the menu’s in the Iron Chefs restaurants. Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai told me that several of the dishes he created on Iron Chef in Japan have made it onto the menu at La Rochelle his restaurant located in Japan, he is even going to put the “trout ice cream” on the menu.

I asked Food Network’s Vice President of program planning, Bruce Seidel, exactly who gets to pick the theme ingredient? Seidel states that its actually chosen by a team of people who look at the visual aspects of an ingredient, how complex it is, how long it takes to prepare and how a chef can take it and make it “grand”. Seidel told me that the Food Network was very serious about Iron Chef America: Battle of the Masters and stayed true to the original concept focusing the show on the chefs, the preparation and the ingredients. I asked him to choose one word to describe what he has witnessed during the Iron Chef America: Battle of the Masters production. Seidel responded “Intensity”, stating that the word describes it well, the intensity of the competition, the ingredients, the pressure on the chefs and the flavors as well. I must admit that Seidel is correct, seeing the Iron Chef’s battle each other first hand was intense, and it gave me a newfound respect for the skills they possess. It also made me very, very hungry!

My Turkey Investigation

2004-12-18T10:21:00.000-08:00

The holidays are rapidly approaching, If you are like most people, you both dread and revel in the holiday tradition of cooking a Turkey dinner, and that usually depends on if you are your families designated Turkey “cooker” or “eater”.

There are many options for the “designated chef” when it comes to cooking a Turkey for the holidays. Some are complicated and involve soaking the bird in brine, then seasoning, injecting, stuffing, covering and removing foil, etc. The possibilities go “on and on” as Turkey is a pretty diverse dish and can be prepared in a number of ways.

I gathered several of my friends recently and we decided to spend an entire day cooking turkey and checking out the different options then letting Daily Breeze readers know the results in order to help readers choose the best way for them to prepare the Turkey this holiday season.

Turkey #1 was a 21.59 lb “The Californian” frozen Turkey. It required 2 days to thaw, but was not too messy in the process.

Preparation: The Turkey was stuffed with a sourdough and pork sausage stuffing and was filled in both cavities to capacity with stuffing. This was done to see what its like to cook a really big single Turkey to serve 10-12 people instead of perhaps 2 smaller Turkeys. The Turkey was seasoned on the outside with a bit of salt and pepper, and then several pats of butter were placed on the outside to assist in “browning”.

Cooking: The Turkey was placed in a 350 dgs “convection” oven for approximately 3.5 hrs, until the inside was 165 dgs.

Results: The Turkey cooked much faster than we had anticipated, due to the “convection” effect of the oven. The skin was a nice golden brown and it was cooked all the way through. The taste was bland and the breast meat was dry, requiring a good dose of gravy. If cooking a bird of this size again, I would use a “cooking” or “roasting” bag to keep the turkey from drying out.

Turkey #2 was a frozen 10 lb Butterball “lil butterball young Turkey” . It took about a day to thaw, but was really messy with lots of liquid coming out of the package.

Preparation: The Turkey was injected thoroughly with a store bought “Cajun butter” injection marinade, the skin was seasoned with a store bought Cajun seasoning mix the Turkey “rested” overnight.

Cooking: The Turkey was “deep fried” in 400 dgs peanut oil for 30 mins and then allowed to cool for approx 15 mins.

Results: The smaller bird and the “deep frying” combined with the injecting made for an amazing taste throughout the entire Turkey. The skin was crisp and full of flavor and the meat was moist. This Turkey was the most popular one of the afternoon according to everyone present and tasting.

Turkey #3 and #4 Were two 1/2 “Oven Ready Turkey’s” from the Jennie-O company. They are from a brand new line of Turkey products that were just released this year. The Turkeys come in a frozen and pre-seasoned in a cooking bag, with a choice of “Home style” or “Butter, Garlic and Herb”. Note: Oven Ready Turkeys also come “whole bird”, as well.

Preparation: This Turkey is designed to go from the freezer, to the oven so the preparation consisted of opening the bag, cutting six “1/2 inch” holes in the roasting bag.

Cooking: It went into the convection oven at 350 dgs for about 2.5 to 3 hrs, until the temperature gauge “popped up” in the Turkey.

Results: The Turkeys were amazing, they both came out with the skin nicely browned and the meat ran with juices when we cut into it. The flavors were wonderful and the spices permeated the meat. I preferred the Home style best, as the blend of herbs and spices was delicious. This Turkey is a true “no brainier” and is so easy even the most inept cook can have a wonderful, delicious Turkey for the holidays. If you don’t want the mess or don’t have the time it takes to prep a “regular” Turkey, then the “Oven Ready” Turkey is the way to go, I cant believe they didn’t invent this decades ago!

Overall results: The general feeling after testing the Turkeys and different methods is that I would not attempt to cook a large Turkey unless I was very skilled in the art of Turkey preparation, the fact that the Turkey was so large made it difficult to control and left the meat dry on the outermost portions of the meat. If cooking for a large crowd, I would attempt 2 smaller Turkeys and consider using a roasting bag if using a convection oven.

The “deep fried” Turkey was delicious, but there has to be a great amount of care when using hot oil and it must be done outside, taking the proper safety measures into consideration. There is also a cost factor as the peanut oil is not cheap, but if you can do it, its sure good.

The Oven Ready Turkeys were great and perfect for the small family as they come in 1/2 Turkey sizes, plus it’s a snap to cook, open freeze, open bag, put in oven, eat good Turkey. This Turkey sure takes the hassle out of cooking a holiday meal.

I "take on" Food Networks Calorie Commando

2004-12-17T21:40:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been watching a cooking show on the Food Network and wondered “does the stuff those chefs make really taste that good”? I was watching this show called Calorie Commando which is where the Chef, Juan Carlos Cruz takes recipes that we all love such as chocolate chip cookies, fettuccini alfredo, fried pork chops and lots of other fattening comfort foods and makes them healthy. I told myself, yea some skinny guy is going to tell me how to eat healthy when he has never been a carbohydrate, gravy, extra cheese loving guy like your truly. It turns out that Juan Carlos Cruz was once a fat guy who liked butter, cookie dough and bread (since he is a pastry chef). He lost over 50 lbs replacing the “junk” in his favorite foods, and came up with a whole new way of cooking.

I decided to put this Calorie Commando to the test; I called the Food Network and issued him a challenge. Can the Calorie Commando cook something that the Culinary Detective will enjoy, yet will still be considered “healthy” and to my surprise, he accepted my challenge. I was not going to be easy on this guy, after all I have my reputation as a lover of greasy spoon joints, butter covered breadsticks and big giant meaty, greasy, tasty hamburgers to uphold. So when I got an e-mail from the Calorie Commando asking what I would like him to prepare, I tried to think of my favorite, fattening dish to challenge him with. I thought about it for a few seconds and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I began to laugh an evil “mad scientist” laugh and uttered some of the most dreaded words to any health conscious person “chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy” oh yea, and throw in some dessert I told him. Calorie Commando replied “O.K. no problem I am looking forward to cooking for you”. “Sure” I thought to myself, but would he show up!

Juan Carlos Cruz, the Calorie Commando is a man of his word and arrived on schedule armed with a bevy of knives, spices and one thing I would soon come to love “Molly McButter”. Juan went to work in the kitchen of the Hawthorne city hall; first off he started with a “mud pie” made with a crust of crushed non-fat chocolate wafers mixed with espresso and canola oil. He topped that off with a mixture of puffed marshmallow crème and cool whip topping, white chocolate instant pudding mix and more espresso powder. I was not buying it, it was not going to even come close to a “real” mud pie, I used to work at the Chart House so I know mud pie. We put it in the fridge to cool down and got on to the real challenge, the chicken fried steak.

Cruz told me we were going to be “air frying” the chicken fried steak and that it would reduce a lot of the fat and calories from the original way of frying it in oil. He coated a nice round steak (pounded out) with egg substitute and then covered it in Italian breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and then some chopped lemon zest (which was a new one for me). He had me spray some non-stick cooking spray over the tops of the steaks and into the oven to “air fry” they went. He told me that spraying them with just a little cooking spray helps make them crispy but does not add much fat and very little calories.

What’s chicken fried steak with out gravy and potatoes, so he went to work making both. Cruz took that fat out of normal gravy by roasting chopped yams, garlic and carrots in the oven and pureeing them with beef stock until it’s nice and thick. He is able to get nice and thick gravy without using flour or grease that really makes gravy fattening. He made the mashed potatoes using diced and peeled russet potatoes, added some beef stock and Molly McButter placed into the microwave so it could “steam” into the mixture. When the potatoes were cooked, he mashed them up and added some more Molly McButter (at my urging) and they were done. Cruz said that using Molly McButter really allows you to have the taste of butter while leaving out all the fat.

Well, it was time for the final test and the Calorie Commando plated up his healthy version of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy. I took a bite of the chicken fried steak and was shocked it actually crunched! I could not believe that this “air frying” had worked. The lemon added a subtle citrus flavor to the steak and I was impressed, it really tasted good and was not full of grease. I tried the potatoes next; they were great as well, with a nice butter flavor to them and they went well with the steak. The gravy came out smelling wonderful but was really thick, but too thick in my opinion. The gravy tasted really good, the combination of garlic; yam and beef stock gave it a bold flavor. I asked him about the gravy, he agreed that it came out really think and said just to use more beef stock to make it as thin as you want, he also said to feel free when adding things like pepper and spices to adjust the taste.

It was time for dessert and I was “intrigued” to say the least with the Commando version of a mud pie. I drove my fork downward into the “mud” and was pleased that it felt thick, kind of like ice cream. I could smell the aroma of espresso as I brought my fork up for a taste. I took a bite and was rewarded with cool, silky smooth chocolate flavor. I yelled you “you are the King”, and informed Cruz that he had surpassed my every expectation. The mud pie was the best; in fact it was better than 99 percent of the “real” mud pies I have ever eaten. I told Cruz that he must stick his mud pies in boxes and sell them in the store, as they are that good!

I had a big meal of what would normally be very fattening dishes, prepared with care and ones health in mind. It tasted good, made me full and was good for me. I didn’t have that “greasy, bloated” feeling I get after eating a big meal like that. I was impressed with Cruz’s ability in the kitchen and the fact that he had agreed to cook for me; it shows a lot in the confidence of his meals. Cruz took on the biggest, most fattening challenge that I could think of and made it healthy and taste good so the result is Calorie Commando 1, Culinary Detective 0. I feel that there should be a rematch, so now I have to think of more food for him to “go Commando” with.

My love for Coffee

2004-12-17T08:08:00.000-08:00

I must say that without the brown nector of the gods I might not be able to pull these 17 hr days off! I am so damn tired that without the caffine injection in the morning, its just not going to happen. I am a big fan of Gevalia coffee's, love the chocolate and rassberry!

Here we go!

2004-12-16T14:34:00.000-08:00

Well, its time to start one of these "blog" things to go with the web site. I will include some of my favorite reviews, stories and try to include some photos if I can figure it out!

Most of the stuff will be food related but some will be police related as well.

OK, lets get started!