Try a New Beer this Weekend/Year

I first tasted Dogfish Head's Sah'tea beer several months back, and I was hooked. It's one of their "super-expensive-only-comes-in-750-ml-bottles" varieties, but I was lucky enough to find it on tap for normal prices at a time when I was feeling adventurous in my beer selection.

Now, don't get me wrong. As you know from my thorough exploration of Custom Brewcrafters over the summer, I do enjoy experiencing new and exciting developments in liquid bread. However, when I hit the bars (let's face it, I'm an old man. When I hit "a bar"), I often set aside my Magellan-like indefatigability and opt for a basic sipping beer.

Put differently, sometimes, you don't want The Bridge on the River Kwai; you just want to watch a rerun of How I Met Your Mother. You don't want Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back; you want Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.

On this fine evening, however, I was piqued to try something new. I chose the now-fabled sah'tea, nevermind that I had no knowledge or understanding of the pleasures that awaited me. Obviously, I'm now a fan -- both because of the magnificence of the beer as well as the knowledge that the sah'tea is Dogfish Head's creative, modern spin on a Finnish style of beer called sahti. 

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How to Improve Canned Chicken Noodle Soup

I've been sick the last few days. It's felt a bit as though some sort of demon virus was trapped in a little cage in my throat, tearing at my vocal chords in an effort to break free. Or something.

Accordingly, I've been eating/drinking a lot of chicken noodle soup. And, as Hungry Sam, I've put what little energy I've had into experimenting with improvements to an often bland, texture-less experience!

As my base, I've been using Epicurious' favorite canned chicken noodle soup, Progresso Traditional 99% Fat Free Chicken Noodle Soup:

Yeah, I know it's not the 99% fat free version.

Having eaten six cans in the last two days (truly I was sick, else I would have made some soup from scratch) and experimented with each one, here are my findings and suggestions (after the break). Also, apologies in advance for the totally unnecessary Star Wars references.

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Avocado Margaritas, Decoy Cakes, and SLIDERS TO GO

I hope all my hungry readers had an excellent and food-filled Labor day weekend! I was in Santa Fe at a pretty fantastic wedding, so mine was jam packed with interesting and decadent foods and drinks. And some incredibly cool touches, like sliders! In a doggy bag! After the wedding at like 11 PM. I was physically and gastronomically incapable of leaving that wedding hungry.

Read on for more.

Although I was in constant possession of my camera, you'll have to forgive me if I was primarily focused on people. I did, however, get a few good pictures of some of the dishes served. Perhaps the most exotic of these (and one for which I have yet to find a recipe) was this Avocado Margarita:

"That's right, woah," I respond to your inevitable exclamation. "Woah indeed."

Come to think of it, this might be as simple as blending the makings for a margarita with half an avocado. 

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The View from my Phone: Darth Vader

Stay tuned for a lengthy look at one of Rochester, NY's greatest treasures: Custom Brewcrafters. Until then, I leave you with this photo I took on my phone:

This was such a whim, and so poorly thought out, and so much simply an urge to view Darth Vader in his natural (i.e. cookie) form, that I used the sugar cookie recipe on the back of the box (terrible) and we failed to decorate (unconscionable). Next time I will a) use my mom's cookie recipe (life-changing) and b) have black icing on hand.

Friday Food News Digest!

(Replace the word "war" with "food")

 
Get it? IT'S A PUN.

Every now and again I read some food-oriented news item (beyond my foodie-ness I am also a news junkie) that makes me think, "Gee whiz, the wonderful readers of my blog deserve to know this awesome/hilarious/horrifying news!"

So, welcome, dear readers, to the first ever Hungry Sam Friday Food News Digest! I will be taking liberal creative license with headlines, so, you know, please don't sue me, or whatever.

The Only Context in Which a McDonald's-Only Diet Might Be Acceptable
Maybe. This dude is training for a marathon eating pretty-much ONLY food from the golden arches, which is kind of, you know, alarming. Folks, remember: it's not just calories that matter. I sincerely hope McDonald's is paying for some part of his regimen or inevitably necessary diabetes medicine.
Via the Chicago Sun-Times

TMRESTRICTEDCOPYWRITEWHATEVER

Didn't Anyone Wonder Why There Were So Many Adults Buying Ice Cream?
When engaging in criminal activity, Hungry Sam says "Always have a good front!" These guys were creative -- they were selling oxycodone out of an ice cream truck. I'm not sure I have a joke for this -- you know, other than the drug dealing out of an ice cream truck thing.
Via The Huffington Post

...sinister.

The 50 Most Important Inventions (And Discoveries) in Food and Drink
Ok, I could probably live without liquid nitrogen in my kitchen, but hey -- most of these are pretty good. Courtesy of a fantastic food blog, The Daily Meal, this article hits nearly everything I would have included in a list of 50 critical food inventions, and clearly, several I would not. Come on, though, where's the spatula? I REALLY love my spatulas. (RELATED: I almost bought a Darth Vader spatula not long ago.)
Via The Daily Meal

I love my spatulas.

Congressman Accepts Campaign Donations *cough* Bribes *cough* in Wine
I hope it doesn't shock anyone that members of Congress accept enormous campaign donations. I'm a little concerned that this essentially amounts to bribery, but hey -- everyone's doing it! Turns out, some dudes and gals here in D.C. are taking their "contributions" in the form of fine wines. ALSO: in other related Star Wars news, the linked article also notes that another member of congress accepts her "gifts" in the form of art -- which includes a replica lightsaber given by Star Wars creator George Lucas. It's good to be the king, no?
Via Roll Call

I want to read this.

That about wraps up this week's food news extravaganza. I like this, and intend to keep it coming -- and feel free to send me articles as you all see them!

Love,

Hungry Sam