The Internet Delivers Again!

Thanks to my friend Angie Brown for sending me THIS:

A Bacon-Wrapped Deep Fried OREO!

The image is from the website “ohbiteit.com”, and I thank them for the stacked majesty of their image…but I found the entire recipe for this new treat at a different site:

Angie sent me the link to “Elitedaily”, where there are pictures of the entire process for making your own bacon-wrapped oreo snacks!

Kudos To Elitedaily.com!

Thanks to this website for posting all of the pictures, showing you step-by-step instructions for making this delicious treat! Of course, you can see them all by checking out their website here:

http://elitedaily.com/envision/someone-invented-bacon-fried-oreos-photos/997097/

Thanks again to both “ohbiteit.com” and “elitedaily.com” for a great taste sensation.

As you can see, the “bacon wrapped” frenzy continued! Remember when I told you about this?

Bacon-Wrapped Pickles!

Yes, we are almost at that time again: bacon is once again being used to wrap just about everything!

As we head into summer, items like “bacon-wrapped pickles” are going to show up at state fairs across the nation!

State Fair Fast Food Madness!

It will be a summer of bacon-wrapped fun! Read all about the bacon-wrapped pickles and deep fried Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe’s by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/06/14/krispy-kreme-sloppy-joes-your-state-fairs-deep-fried-madness/

It seems that the “perfect storm” of deep-fried goodness is always the state fair, where anything goes!

And finally, if this food just isn’t “wild” enough for you, then you need to check THIS out!

“The “Fish Dog!”

Somewhere in the world RIGHT NOW, there is someone eating a “fish hot dog”….it makes me feel good about the world…see some of the wildest food being consumed right now by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/13/top-ten-wildest-food-ramen-burgers-a-fish-hot-dog/

And if you forgot that I am always here to bring you the best tastes from around the world, then let me remind you of this:

Yes, you can eat a mac’n’cheese cone that is covered with bacon bits, just click on my story below to find out how:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/09/23/bacon-macncheese-cones-bacon-oreos-foie-gras-burgers/

Please leave a comment and let me know if you plan to make any bacon-wrapped deep fried oreos soon!

“You’re my boy, Blue! You’re my boy!”

There are moments in film that become immediately iconic – such as this deadly baby oil wrestling match between “Blue” and two co-eds:

But let’s not forget another “Blue” character….you know:

Hail “Bluto!”

Yes, it’s so much fun to watch as movie stars are born, and from the moment John Belushi put on a toga in “National Lampoon’s Animal House”, he was legendary!

TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!

Time to head back to college for two cult movie comedies!

“Old School!”

An instant classic, this is the story of Mitch, Frank and Beanie – three friends who are all disillusioned with their personal lives. When Mitch’s girlfriend cheats on him, Beanie convinces him to take over an old frat house and re-live their college glory days.

Check out the trailer:

Will Ferrell co-stars and promptly steals the movie, as he joins the group and reverts to his college name of “Frank The Tank!”

The film’s most hilarious moment – in a film with many – takes place at a birthday party, when a despondent Frank grabs a tranquilizer gun to inspect it. What happens next is one of the funniest moments on film:

Peppers: Hey, hey. Careful with that. That’s the most powerful tranq gun on the market. Got her in Mexico.
Frank: Cool.
Peppers: Yeah, it is cool. They say it can puncture the skin of a rhino from…
[Frank shoots himself in the neck with the dart]
Peppers: YES! That’s awesome!
Frank: What?
Peppers: You just took one in the jugular, man.
Frank: What? I did.
[feeling his neck]
Peppers: YES!
Frank: Oh, my God. Is this bad? Is this bad?
Peppers: You better pull that shit out, man. That shit is not cool.
Frank: Wait. What? Pull what out?
Peppers: You got a fucking dart in your neck, man.
Frank: [laughing] You’re… you’re crazy, man. I like you, but you’re crazy.

“You’re My Boy, Blue!”

And of course, there is “Blue”, the oldest “pledge” at the fraternity, and “Blue” became a legend to all…

The late character Actor Patrick Crenshaw will live forever as “Blue”, a hilarious comic turn in one of the best comedies about college!

And speaking of classic comedies about college, there is perhaps no better one that this:

National Lampoon’s Animal House!

Ok, this classic comedy is known for so many iconic moments in film, such as these:

Togas!

“Double Secret Probation!”

NIEDERMEYER!

Check out the trailer:

“Animal House” turned John Belushi into a star, and became one of the biggest comedy hits of the 70’s…it also has the best food fight since the Marx Brothers! It all begins one day in the school cafeteria, when John “Bluto” Belushi takes a slow “stuff your face with food” crawl down the cafeteria line – eating, slurping and pocketing a massive amount of food – and piling up his tray.

He winds up at the table with his buddy Boon and a few of the OTHER Frat guys and Sorority girls. There is an amazing amount of uncomfortableness as Bluto sits and begins to stuff his face…to the point where one of the sorority girls exclaims:

“You are a P-I-G PIG!”

Belushi nonchalantly ignores her. “Guess what I am” he says pointedly before he stuffs his mouth with a jello concoction,then presses his fists into his cheeks and spews it out all over the table. “A zit! Get it?”

Let the food fight begin!

The food fight is just one of the many memorable scenes in a classic cult comedy!

In honor of John Blutarsky – Bluto! – here is the perfect recipe for a “jiggly jello” concoction to use when you replicate this scene for friends and family!

Animal House Jiggly Jello!

8 oz. cottage cheese
1 pkg. jello
2 cups cool whip
1 can mandarin oranges
1 can crushed pineapple

Mix the jello according to instructions, then add the cottage cheese, oranges, pineapple and cool whip. Refrigerate until ready to pop!

This is guaranteed to put you in “double secret probation!”

John Belushi’s performance in the cafeteria scene was entirely improvised. When he began piling food on his tray, Director John Landis urged the camera operator to “stay with him.” The infamous “I’m a zit” gag was also improvised, and the reaction from the cast is completely genuine.

The hole John Belushi makes in the wall with the guitar is the only physical damage to the house the movie-makers made during the entire shoot. Instead of repairing it, the fraternity placed a frame around the hole with an engraved brass tag around the hole commemorating it.

So here’s to two of the greatest college comedies of all time!

Look At This! It’s An “Italian Popper!”

Yes, it’s a hollowed out meatball stuffed with spaghetti – a true “Italian Popper” of an appetizer!

If you like that, then how about this?

A Fried Chicken Mashed Potato Wedding Cake!

Yes, it’s exactly what you think it is – a cake that is made of cornbread, covered in mashed potato and topped with fried chicken!

Where, you ask, did I find such amazing food?

Welcome To The Raucous World Of “The Vulgar Chef!”

This picture of a buffalo chicken mac’n’cheese-stuff mushroom cap is just the tip of the culinary iceberg at this incredible website!

Be warned that every post is littered with profanity, but that’s part of the sense of humor that permeates every food post, and they are hilarious! For example, you can read about the “mushroom cap” by clicking here:

http://thevulgarchef.com/2014/12/23/buffalo-chicken-mac-the-fuck-cheese-stuffed-mushrooms/

And let’s get back to that “Spaghetti-stuffed meatball” recipe: I love how easy this is to pull off…first, make your meatballs….

I mean, if you don’t know how to make a meatball, there are probably a million recipes online…then, cook them and let them cool a bit, hollow them out – using the unused meat in the spaghetti sauce if you like…then cook up your spaghetti and stuff your meatball…delicious!

One of the best things about the internet is that there are SO MANY sites sharing wacky – and inventive – recipes with all of us. And, if you find these recipes and images to be funny – or delicious, then it’s time to look at this:

Yes, it’s a “cheesy bacon ramen pop!” And yes, the recipe lives forever online…

Behold The Hilarious Food Ponderings Of “The Vulgar Chef!”

As I said before, “The Vulgar Chef” is hilarious, very entertaining, and FULL OF PROFANITY! To find the “ramen pop” recipe – and a ton of other fun stuff, go right now to:

http://thevulgarchef.com

You will laugh out loud – and eat incredibly inventive stuff!

Now, I know what you are thinking: I’ve seen that Fired Chicken Mashed Potato cake somewhere before…and you are partially correct, because you are flashing back to THIS!

The Chicken Wing Cupcake!

Remember? I posted this recipe a while ago, but it just won’t die: a chicken wing perched on top of a mashed potato cupcake…delicious!

You can find the entire recipe here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/02/03/buffalo-chicken-wing-cupcakes/

And if you just want to eat the wildest burger you’ve ever laid your eyes on, then I have this for you:

The “Pornburger” website continues to impress with unique burger recipes, all lovingly photographed and documented, and you can see them all here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/06/05/pornburgers-the-delicious-online-world-of-burger-food-porn/

But remember, not all food porn is a “happy meal”:

I’m not sure who decided to make a cake homage to the film “Alien”, but click here to see the world’s most disgusting food art!

http://johnrieber.com/2014/11/04/the-worlds-wildest-food-art-disgustingly-wacky-food-creations/

And check out “The Vulgar Chef” and pop some spaghetti and meatballs now!

Paris! City Of Lights!

It is still my favorite city in the world….located in country with some of the greatest wines ever produced…many of them in vineyards like this one in the Chateauneuf du Pape region of Provence…

Whether you go for a tour of French wine country – and there are several to choose from – or you stay in Paris and enjoy sights like this:

France is a great country to explore – eating and drinking is such an adventure – and here are two such adventures that Alex and I went on…

Say hello to the vineyards of Chateauneuf du Pape!

Everyone has an adventure of a lifetime…for us, it was a wine-tasting drive through one of the most beautiful places in the world…Provence!

And Gigondas To You, Too!

This is the view from Gigondas – if you don’t know it, you soon will – there is so much beauty from afar – and so much up close as well – like these beautiful provencal olive trees!

Welcome To Provence…

There is nothing more exhilarating than a driving trip through Provence, and in many ways, a drive back in time – because these villages of Provence live in a world of suspended animation – classic old cobblestone streets where cars aren’t allowed, and time never catches up…

The key is to rent a car and just drive…and stop in small town after small town to pose for pictures that prove you were there, like we did in Seguret…

First stop, Gigondas…a French wine Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in the southern Rhône wine region of France. Being a little brother of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the wine is moderately prestigious and can yield beautiful results when treated with care.

Nestled in the rocks above rolling fields of vines, Gigondas is surrounded by grapes…and when you head into town, there are plenty of shops and restaurants to try their wines…but it is also a beautiful little town to explore – like their many ancient ruins…

What makes it such a special place is that they make great wine, have fun restaurants and wine tasting rooms, and it is all set amid the ancient walls of the village:

Seguret

Time now to get back in the car and drive twenty minutes to our next destination:

The small village of Seguret is even smaller than Gigondas – but it is still full of restaurants, such as the one that offered this unique option for Whiskey:

I didn’t order the Whiskey Baby, choosing to enjoy the local wine instead – and we met a local winemaker who spend a lot of time with us…telling us how he grows and harvests his grapes, making a few hundred cases of wine a year, to sell to people like us, who taste with him and then load up with way too much to get back home…

Seguret is built against a hill, so you can take lots of pictures of the beautiful countryside beyond you, which of course we did:

Orange Is In Ruins!

Let’s head now down the road a half hour or so and check out Orange, a commune in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region – known for their Roman ruins…and a miniature version of the Rome Coliseum:

It’s a beautiful structure – smaller than Rome’s – open to the public to explore and enjoy…

You can wander the ruins, take lots of pictures, and sit down to imagine what it was like to see a “show” there…

The original Roman Orange was founded in 35 BC by veterans of the Second legion as Arausio (after the local Celtic water god), or Colonia Julia Firma Secundanorum Arausio in full, “the Julian colony of Arausio established by the soldiers of the second legion.” The name was originally unrelated to that of the orange fruit, but was later conflated with it…and there you go…

The town itself is unmemorable – you go to Orange for one reason, to see the ruins and sit in their version of the Rome Coliseum, which we did of course…

Avignon – Talk About Your “Bridge To Nowhere!”

Then it was back in the car and into the region’s largest city – Avignon…

Avignon is bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river, which gives you one of the city’s most unique attractions…

Over 90,000 people live in the city, with about 12,000 living in the ancient town center surrounded by its medieval ramparts. Here we are with some of those medieval ramparts behind us…

Often referred to as the “City of Popes” because of the presence of popes from 1309 to 1423 during the Catholic schism, it is currently the largest city and capital of the département of Vaucluse. Avignon is one of the few French cities to have preserved its ramparts, and has, as you would expect, old Roman ruins as well…

Avignon’s Bridge To Nowhere…

Avignon has a beautiful historic center, and the bridge of Avignon – the “bridge to nowhere” – for you see, it just ends halfway across the river…

Yep, the bridge ends right there – and you can walk out onto it and gaze across at the far side of the river…and wonder why they never finished it…don’t worry, the story is right there to read…

Avignon is where the bullet train from Paris arrives in Provence, under three hours from Paris…it’s very convenient and a beautiful trip, and from here you rent a car and head out to explore…including the greatest area of all for wine lovers:

Tasting and Touring Chateauneuf du Pape!

The village and three other surrounding communes produce wine, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in the southern Rhône wine region. It’s less than a half hour from Avignon, which makes the region very convenient for exploring…

Before wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. began promoting them, the wines of Châteauneuf were considered rustic and of limited appeal in the U.S. However, his influence increased their price more than fourfold in a decade. And you can drive right up to them and get shots of the vineyards…

The town itself is a beautiful town full of tasting rooms…you park your car and walk through the town’s center, stopping off at tasting room after tasting room….

You can spend hours wandering the streets, having a great meal and tasting great wines…

And since every trip to France begins in Paris, here is our culinary adventure at the iconic:

Eiffel Tower!

It is, of course, one of the greatest structures ever made – and one of the best places to visit when you are in Paris – here are two great reasons!

The View!
First, how can you beat this view from the second level of the Eiffel Tower:

Second, The Jules Verne Restaurant!

As you look up at the beautiful Eiffel tower, note the second level. That is the main viewing deck – and it is ALSO the Michelin 2-star Jules Verne restaurant that sits right on top of it!

How Do You Get To The Restaurant?

The great thing about eating at Jules Verne is you take a private elevator to the restaurant, and therefore you can avoid the long lines that form to get to the observation deck!

And yes, when you go to the Jules Verne restaurant, you go straight up the middle of the tower!

As you get ready to board, you notice that it looks like you are about to go on a roller coaster!

And then you arrive – and Jules Verne is a very beautiful restaurant – very formal and classy…and yes, expensive as well, but the food is terrific – and I am about to show you…here is Alex as we waited for a glass of champagne…

Our table was right against the window – because of the structure of the tower, you will see steel beams outside, but there are plenty of great views of Paris from your table:

As you can see from the picture above, just below where we ate lunch is the observation deck – for me, that is why Jules Verne is such a good idea – you see everything from inside with great food to boot!

Time to check out the menu – Jules Verne is one of acclaimed French Chef Alain Ducasse’s restaurants, so the food is imaginatively prepared and beautiful to look at – and, as you can see, pricey:

The “Amuse Bouche”:

After champagne, we were brought a great starter – fresh pea served atop a pea puree and herbs:

Then it was onto our appetizers:

I started with crab and minutely diced vegetables, topped with a touch of crunchy marinated turnip…

Here was Alex’s appetizer – butter-poached langoustines topped with a tempura french bean and diced vegetables:

As great as the food tasted, and as you can see it was also immaculately presented – we kept looking back outside at the amazing Paris skyline!

And here is a closer view of the iconic Paris architecture…the classic french look of the buildings below…

Now onto our main course – Alex had turbot that was poached inside a cabbage leaf, served atop a “cookpot” of root vegetables – and topped with caviar:

Alex made sure we documented all of our courses:

I had roasted quail with fava beans and fresh baby lettuce:

Here’s another view from out table as we readied ourselves for dessert!

Alex had a pistachio cake topped with fresh raspberries, slices of fresh coconut – and gold flake!

I had their version of a pineapple upside down cake with almond ice cream and fresh sliced coconut…

You can also see the Basilica of Sacre Coeur in the distance…

Finally done, it was just a matter of finishing our wine!

And then we stepped outside, and went down a small flight of private stairs, and we walked around the entire tower, getting additional shots of the city…

We made sure to take a lot of pictures while we were on the main observation deck:

It’s also a great view of the Seine, flowing through Paris…

After we finished taking our pictures, we headed back up to the restaurant for coffee – and one more look at the view…this really is the best way, in my opinion, to see the city of Paris from the Eiffel Tower…

This was our second time eating at Jules Verne, and it is well worth the cost…a great way to see Paris and have a great meal at the same time!

May Is National Burger Month! So Celebrate With Some “Ketchup Leather!”

Time to celebrate national burger month by looking at one of LA’s most acclaimed burger joints: Plan Check! When I say these are burgers worth biting down on, here’s what I mean:

Time to celebrate a month of great burgers – and let’s get started with one of the newest – AND BEST – burger bars in LA:

Plan Check!

“Plan Check” opened in 2012, and now has three locations om Los Angeles, I checked out the Sawtelle restaurant near work, which is always packed with people eager to bite down on this:

.

Bring On The “Ketchup Leather!”

“Plan Check” has half a dozen burger options, plus pastrami and chicken sandwiches…I tested the tradition “PCB” – and yes, they all come with ketchup leather! See it there?

It tastes like a ketchup fruit roll up, and a nice chewy addition to the soft bun and juicy burger….there is so much going on here it’s almost impossible to capture it!

Here is the PCB:

PCB (PLAN CHECK BURGER) $12.00
americanized dashi cheese, ketchup leather, schmaltz onions, mixed pickles, crunch bun

You can see the “schmaltz onions” and the pickles as well:

I also tried another one of Plan Check’s specialities:

The “Beef Tallow” Fries!

Plan Check serves fries up two ways:

FRIES $5.00
beef tallow, smoked salt, fresh ketchup

SWEET POTATO WAFFLE FRIES $6.00
beef tallow, peach ketchup

Of course, they can all be “suppressed” with schmaltz onions and cheese, which we did:

“Plan Check” is packed to the rafters for a reason: a great menu that is well executive, and fun stuff like “ketchup leather” make it a memorable bite…oh, and since it’s National Burger Month, let’s remember a few more “memorable bites”, like this one:

The “Mac’n’Cheeseburger”!

Sure it’s way more than you need, but isn’t that the point? You can see more about the majesty of the “macaroni-n-cheeseburger” by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/02/23/bacon-mac-n-cheese-corn-dogs-wild-macncheese-bacon-burgers-mac-up/

And when you celebrate burgers, it’s more than just an appreciation of the taste…I love that burger can also be works of art:

Yes, there is a website that turns burgers into mini-masterpieces – check it out here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/07/30/sushi-burgers-the-porknado-check-out-these-amazing-burger-works-of-art/

Let me know what your favorite burger is!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

It’s National Shrimp Day!

What a terrific holiday – and what better way to celebrate shrimp than by putting a bunch of them between a bun and biting down hard!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Here is a great website where I found these great looking shrimp burgers, and equally great recipes! Check out “Gastrophoria” by clicking here:

http://www.gastrophoria.com/2013/02/26/shrimp-burger-umamicatessen/

What a great website for cool food and recipes! And if you aren’t in the mood to cook on your own, then just head over to Japan to enjoy Lotteria’s brilliant burger:

The Shrimp Tree Burger!

What better way to celebrate “National Shrimp Day” than by stacking them a mile high! It’s five fried shrimp patties on a bun, with some shredded lettuce and a tartar-like sauce…bite into the deep blue sea!

And they have many other options as well…in fact, if you need more of a bite than just shrimp, then add some beef, chicken and avocado as well!

Behold The Avocado Beef Chicken Shrimp Burger!

I love burgers! I love Japan! Therefore, it makes sense that I would love the latest burger from McDonald’s Tokyo – it is the majesty of an avocado beef, chicken and shrimp burger with bacon!

First, look at it again:

Yes, it’s only beef and avocado, but it is so much more…

Here is how RocketNews24 describes it: “The Avocado Beef burger comes with sliced onion, chunks of avocado, a slice of cheddar cheese, and a dollop of wasabi sauce, all topped off with two rashers of bacon. The other two, as well as swapping their main ingredients for chicken or shrimp, respectively, are served with avocado and spicy cobb salad sauce, with the chicken sandwich also receiving a cheeky slice of cheddar.”

“Cheeky Slice” Indeed!

So, as you can see form the delicious description, while this burger has meat, you can also order it – still loaded to the gills – with chicken OR shrimp – so three ways to try this avocado monster!

I loved the idea of it having ALL THREE AT ONCE – but am willing to enjoy it for what it is – a fun, “ciabatta-bunned” burger that makes avocado a main component…but you need to keep the shrimp on it, especially today….and for dessert, why not bite into this:

Chocolate-Covered Shrimp!

My love of Japan continues to grow, especially when I see how they make shrimp part of every course! You can cover them in chocolate, or better yet, have them in a Kit Kat!

This brilliant Kit Kat store in Tokyo sells them in every flavor you can imagine – read all about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/03/05/shrimp-flavored-kit-kats-baked-potato-too-the-wildest-kit-kat-flavors-ever-plus-canned-pancake-soda/

And don’t forget, today is the day to bite into one of these!

“He’s dead. They stuffed him with pages torn from his favourite book. Could you cook him?”

Ready for a “tasty” cinematic journey into the delicatessen of CRAZY????

Time for some shocking films revolving around FOOD!

Here are two films that take very provocative looks at the relationship between food, sex and death…let’s begin with experimental Director Peter Greenaway’s greatest achievement, with an eye-opening performance by Helen Mirren:

The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover!

This is one of the most shocking films about food ever made, as the wife of a barbaric crime boss takes a secret lover – between meals at her husband’s restaurant!

When the mobster discovers his wife’s secret, things turn VERY NASTY.

“He’s dead. They stuffed him with pages torn from his favorite book. Could you cook him?”

Helen Mirren plays the wife who turns the tables on her husband, and indulges in her own voracious sexual appetite at the same time…

“The Bowel Shot!”

Director Peter Greenaway has made several mesmerizing films, but this is his masterpiece. According to IMDB, the lengthy tracking shot from the restaurant to the toilet is supposed to be symbolic of food passing through the intestinal tract! And the film has an amazing visual style throughout…

What An Ending!

And of course, this movie was rated NC-17 when it was released – for the many scenes of sex and violence throughout…while Helen Mirren won her Oscar by playing The Queen, she is a brave and fearless Actress, as this movie shows:

“Bite Down” On This Ending!

“The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover” is a controversial masterpiece, and nothing tops the “food finale”, which is almost “too much to swallow…”

If you have a fearless appetite for film, check this movie out! And if you aren’t full yet, there’s still time for another bizarre tale of sex and food:

“FEED!”

How can you not be intrigued by a film that begins with this title card:

“Although the events depicted in this film are fictional, they are based on actual behaviours that are happening between consenting adults… right now.”

“Actual behaviors…” between “Consenting adults”…Well then, buckle up, grab a knife and fork and dig into this movie!

“Feed” is a crazy 2005 Australian thriller directed by Brett Leonard. The plot involves a police investigation into the sexual fetish known as “feederism”!

“Feederism!”

Yes, there is a sexual fetish known as “feederism”, where a ‘feeder’ will feed ‘gainers’ – who are woman who get sexual pleasure from eating and fattening up! The film explores this fetish, along with themes of dominance, submission, love, and power.

Here is the very provocative trailer:

“Feed” is very well made, and very disturbing as well. But the plot is interesting and the subject is bizarrely fascinating – yes, this is a very tough movie to watch, but it is extremely well done, and for the adventurous moviegoer, these are two films worth biting down on!

This Is A Post About A Very Strange Social Media Trend…

You are about to experience celebrity coverage with a VERY unique twist – celebrities eating food!

Sex Symbols Like Their Burgers Too!

Yes, Marilyn Monroe enjoyed a burger, and why not? In her day, photographers hovered for any chance to photograph the star, even if it was while she was dining…

Raquel Welch was a 70’s sex symbol, and it appears that she also always had a burger – and a photographer – at the ready…

And don’t forget “The King”…

Elvis And A Cheeseburger!

Elvis enjoyed a good burger as well, and as usual, there was a photographer nearby to capture the moment…just like the time that Led Zeppelin Guitarist Jimmy Page enjoyed his hamburger…

It seems that everyone has been photographed while eating – but I need someone to please tell me why Robert Plant has an ice cream cone AND a devilish look on his face!

Time To Investigate: Celebrities Eating Food Online!

It’s a scary thing to look up on the internet – if you enter search words celebrities and food – SO much stuff shows up, including compilations like this:

So George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the rest like to eat too – and someone took the time to create this tapestry celebrating it! It’s almost disturbing in a way – so many pics of celebrities eating – even funny stuff like this:

Yes, President Obama likes a good burger and fries like the rest of us. In fact, there is a Tumblr blog that has a ton of these pics – it’s called, of course:

“Pictures Of Celebrities Eating Food!”

It’s hilarious, check it out here:

http://picturesofcelebritieseatingfood.tumblr.com

The site has a picture of another President, President Kennedy, eating what they suggest is a hot dog at a ball game:

Today’s Hot Dog Eater!

And if you want a more current “celebrity” eating a hot dog, well this blog has that for you as well, courtesy of a very mod Lady Gaga:

Oh, Gaga like sandwiches too:

“Hey Miley! What’s For Lunch?”

If you have always wanted to ask Miley Cyrus that question, now the internet will answer it for you:

The correct answer is: she is having a salad in her bathrobe. As I said, there are tons of pics – and many funny websites – that highlight celebrities eating…and of course, there are tons of Kim Kardashian dining photos to gawk at – like these for starters:

You get the idea – there are literally a thousand more just like it – sometimes I can’t tell if the pictures are trying to show that celebrities are just like us, or is there something more…

Stop! I mean, what was on Robert Plant’s mind? Anyway, I find this “food trend” humorous and worth pondering as well…and there is a trend toward hot dog consumption as well.

I will leave it at that.

And finally, I have been guilty of adding to this trend. I always say a big “thank you” to Sara Underwood for agreeing to “wear” her food – yes, she dressed up in a bacon bikini for a G4 shoot!

Let me know your favorite “eating” celeb!

Time To Start Planning Your Memorial Day 2015 Menu!

I love this holiday! Of course, we are honoring our Veterans who have made great sacrifices for this country, and we are proud of them for that service. For an All-American celebration like this – what beats a burger?

This post is going to celebrate burgers of all shapes and sizes, and share some great recipes for your grilling pleasure – with no shortage of BACON!

Time To Be Inspired!

Why are burgers America’s greatest food? Well, a great burger picture answers that question, but also, remember the words of one of our country’s most beloved Chefs:

“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”

Julia Child.

That’s right, this is the kind of food that says “I LOVE AMERICA!”

A cheeseburger, when done right, is a thing of beauty. When done with doughnut buns, as you see above, it’s a thing of PERFECT BEAUTY. And what do you do when something is perfect? You double it!

Now THAT is a thing of beauty! And since the Memorial Day weekend is a time for families and friends to gather, I call on all Artists to rise up and create a masterpiece or two – like this!

To begin, here is my ALL-TIME FAVORITE SLIDER!

I am happy to get this celebration started by showing you what, to me, is the greatest taste imaginable…

MY “FRENCH FRY ‘N’ TARTAR” BACON CHEESEBURGER!

I love burgers. And bacon. AND TARTAR. So why not take care of all of my vices in one big bite?

It’s so easy to be so happy: cook up a burger (i add diced onion and garlic to mine) and just before you finish cooking it, lay a few cooked french fries on top, then top with tartar sauce…finally, lay down a piece of cheese….i use both sharp cheddar AND Mozzarella….once it melts you are ready to bite down hard!

Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it – and you will never knock it again! OK, I understand that some of you don’t want to mix your burgers with spuds, so if that’s the case, here are some other fun recipes to try!

SLIDERS, SLIDERS, SLIDERS!

I like sliders because you can try more variations due to their smaller size. The key to a great slider is what holds it all together. That’s why I use sweet Hawaiian dinner rolls…they are the perfect size AND they add a nice bit of flavor, which you need when you are piling your mini-bun high like this:

The Ingredients For A Perfect Patty!

Now, time to get down to basics. A great hamburger uses good quality ground beef with at least 15% fat content, to ensure lots of juicy flavor. I put minced onion and garlic in mine, to provide a bit of sassy crunch. Other than that, I like to use a fun salt – like pink hawaiian sea salt, and a fair amount of pepper.

Let’s get cooking!

The All-American Bacon-Cheeseburger!

What can you say? Here is the all-american classic! Build it this way and you are golden – your ingredients are easy:

Sweet Hawaiian bun, Cheese – melted and dripping
Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!
Hamburger patty
Tomato, Pickle, then Mayonaise, Mayonaise, Mayonaise!
Ketchup and mustard if you MUST

If you do it right, it will look like THIS (you can shift things around in terms of order, but it needs to end up like this):

See that? DO NOT DEVIATE – this is perfection.

But what if you have a “spicy tooth?” Well, we have an answer for you as well:

The Sriracha Burger!

This is a GREAT idea…the recipe is from the terrific “Serious Eats” website, and it takes advantage of one of America’s most popular new condiments!

3 pounds ground beef (preferably chuck, 80/20)
1/4 cup soy sauce
10 tablespoons Sriracha
4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 slices thick-cut bacon
2 large sweet onions
3/4 cup blue cheese dressing
8 sesame seed buns
8 thick slices Swiss cheese
1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced
Arugula or romaine lettuce

This great looking Sriracha burger pic came from “cookingwithcristen.com” which is also a great site for recipes!

This is easy and fun: just combine the ground beef, soy sauce, 5 tablespoons of the Sriracha, and the pepper – make your patties.

Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium high heat.

Cook your bacon – once the bacon is cooked, remove the slices and drain onto paper towels, reserving the remaining bacon fat in the pan. Cook sliced onions in the bacon fat over medium-low heat until they caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.

Grill the burgers, turning once, 4 to 41/2 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer registers 130° to 135°F for medium-rare.

While the burgers are cooking, in a small bowl, combine the blue cheese dressing with the remaining 5 tablespoons Sriracha. Lightly toast the buns on the grill during the last minute of cooking time.

To assemble, spread the blue cheese mixture on both halves of each hamburger bun. Stack a burger patty, Swiss cheese slice, bacon, caramelized onions, tomato slice, and a small handful of arugula between each hamburger bun.

Bam! Spicy good times for all!

Our next stop on this burger journey take you to a very unique and gooey place:

The “Bacon Mac’n’ Cheeseburger!”

That’s right, make a bacon cheeseburger and load it up with mac’n’cheese as your topping!

As you can see, simple and so so delicious – especially when serves with tater tots on the side!

And if you want a subtle “international” feel to your slider, this this on for size:

Australian Sliders!

I uncovered these two years ago in Melbourne. They add a slice of beetroot – OK, we call it beet, they call it beetroot – just add a slice underneath the burger. It adds a great, slightly sweet and nutty flavor to the taste. Look at how beautiful that big chunk looks on the burger above…Everything else is the same – but if you want to go totally Aussie, add a fried egg on top….the best!

Finally, if you want to begin your holiday weekend with a slider, do what I do:

The “White Castle Breakfast Slider!”

Here is a recipe for making your own breakfast sliders using frozen White Castles cheeseburgers!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/06/28/white-castle-breakfast-sliders-behold-the-380-calorie-wonder/

Enjoy your holiday!

Who Loves Fast Food?

Easy question: almost everyone! And “fast food” doesn’t have to mean “bad food”! I am proud to have been included in the latest issue of The Henry Ford magazine, all about fast food…

I profiled a number of great restaurants and Chefs who are taking our perceptions of fast food and turning them upside down – please check out the magazine online here:

http://thehenryford.uberflip.com/i/516192-the-henry-ford-magazine-summer-2015

I love the whole issue, and hope you do too! I want to thank the great burger brains at Seattle’s Lunchbox Laboratory:

I profiled them in the article, and had the chance to eat there again recently…here is that tasty story:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/03/12/classic-burger-joints-dicks-drive-in-lunchbox-laboratory-seattles-burger-magic/

And if you want to see what some other folks are doing with fast food, then you want to check out this “Ketchup leather”:

Plan Check in LA is a great new burger spot…check out my review here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/05/02/incredible-plan-check-burgers-ketchup-leather-bite-into-national-burger-month/

Leave me a note and let me know what you think of my article, thanks!

Feel like some “Sea Urchin Pie?”

OK then, are you in the mood for a nice poached oyster in custard with caviar?

These are two of the most imaginative and delicious bites of the food in the world – and the creative Chefs behind those dishes have taken their show on the road!

“The French Laundry” Ad-Libs!

Chef Thomas Keller turned Napa valley’s “French Laundry” into one of the world’s greatest restaurants. This 3-star Michelin restaurant even allows you to wander through their garden, which is open to the public and includes maps to show you what they are growing for dinner!

In the fall of 2011, Chef Keller took The French Laundry on the road, doing a “pop up” version of the restaurant at legendary Harrods department store in London!

Recently, The French Laundry closed in order for a short period in order to expand the kitchen. This inspired Keller to launch a “pop up” restaurant nearby, called “Ad Lib.” And while The French Laundry is once again open, Ad Lib’s incredible success has also kept that “pop up” open as well!

I will share my meal at “Ad Lib” in a moment, but first, another acclaimed Chef also offered a “pop up” restaurant recently, but this one was for a limited time only – and caused a foodie sensation in Japan!

“Noma” Hits The Road!

Noma restaurant in Copenhagen Denmark is one of the best in the world. 37-year-old chef and founder, René Redzepi, is what Newsweek calls “the high wizard of ‘New Nordic’ cuisine. Using traditional Scandinavian techniques like smoking, pickling, curing and fermenting, he and his small, dedicated team transform native ingredients into something entirely new and, more important, delicious. ‘The idea is to force creativity by setting limitations,’ Redzepi says.”

A 60,000 Person Waiting List!

Chef Redzepi decide to take his restaurant on the road, so Noma did an incredible “pop up” in early 2015 – it moved temporarily from Copenhagen to Tokyo’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

According to Newsweek, there was a waiting list of 60,000 people for reservations!

From January 9 to February 14 2015 Noma served a fixed menu, including wine pairing, for 64,900 Yen ($550). And what did diners get for that price? Well, here are a few examples:

Try This: “Langoustines and Ants.”

As I said, Noma is considered the most inventive restaurant in the world right now. They forage in the wilds of Denmark for much of their menu items, and in Tokyo they utilized Asian ingredients like this:

This is “Wild Duck in Rye and Soy.”

And how about some “Black Garlic Leather” on the side?

Pie, Anyone?

Well, the kind of pie that Noma serves isn’t for dessert….like this “clam pie”:

Or you can have a slice of “sea urchin pie” instead.

18 courses. Amazingly inventive. Some hard to believe.

Kudos to the incredible majesty of the food – and an important thanks for the pictures from the Instagram of Ivan Orkin (@ramenjunkie) and René Redzepi (@reneredzepinoma). These were all posted as part of a great article in “Gizmodo” – see all of the menu items here:

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/restaurant-noma-moved-to-japan-and-this-is-what-its-new-1682250555#

I would love to try Noma some day, but until then, I can share my incredible meal at Chef Thomas Keller’s “Ad Lib” restaurant in Napa Valley!

Chef Keller celebrated opening night by making Caesar salads table side. The menu celebrates a classic steak house environment, with unique twists.

Our night started with a platter of “tastes”: deviled eggs, a crab salad in an edible bowl, yellow beet with a rice cake, and a zucchini pan perdue – all delicious…

Classic steakhouse dinner rolls are served from Bouchon bakery, along with creamy butter and a side dish of salt:

Bring On The Crudite!

My wife had a collection of fresh crudite, served with a classic Green Goddess dressing…

I ordered the Caesar salad served table side…here is the progression as they make it for you from scratch…beginning when they roll a salad making station up next to you…

As you can see, everything is fresh: an egg yolk, garlic, olive oil, croutons, lettuce and a healthy shower of parmesan cheese…

After crushing the garlic clove in the bowl, next comes the egg yolk, which is stirred with a steady stream of olive oil, followed by anchovies and romaine lettuce…

After a snowstorm of freshly grated parmesan, the croutons are added and the salad is plated for you…

Bring On The “Ribeye!”

Since it’s a classic steakhouse, I order a “ribeye” steak, but this is a special cut that makes it tower on the plate, topped by a slice of grilled onion…

My wife ordered classic lamb chops, which show up stacked high on the plate and ready to be devoured…

Classic side dishes included glazed carrots, creamed spinach and of course, whipped potatoes…smooth as silk..

The dining room evokes a classic east coast steakhouse, with white linen and well dressed servers…and the food was terrific. Kudos to Thomas Keller and his team for a great pop up, which will be open through October of 2015.

This is a classic Napa valley sunset view as you exit the restaurant, a great way to end the night.

Keller also has a terrific french bistro in Yountville called Bouchon, and another restaurant in town as well called Ad Hoc. Both are great, under the loving culinary care of Chef Ross Melling at Bouchon and Chef Katie Hagen-Whelchel at Ad Hoc. Chef Keller’s fine dining menu at “The French Laundry” is a culinary treat, and the iconic restaurant recently celebrated its 20th Anniversary!

My wife Alex and I were lucky enough to attend the celebration, and get to enjoy a 14-course menu from Chef Keller – featuring some of his favorite dishes from his culinary past and present, including of course his legendary “salmon cone”:

Read about the entire celebration here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/07/07/the-french-laundrys-20th-anniversary-celebration-chef-thomas-kellers-xx-party-food-pics-galore/

Kudos to Chef Keller and his amazingly talented team for another culinary success – and take advantage of “Ad Lib” being open through 2015! Also, we can’t wait for our next trip to “The Laundry!”

I was inspired to write this story because of Eventbrite, and joined their “Trends in Food & Drink” project. To me, this “pop up restaurant” trend, when executed by the world’s greatest Chefs, takes fine dining to a whole new level!

I like that Eventbrite is a great platform for finding events in your areas, and also offer event management tools to get the word out about your own “pop up” events!

You can check it out here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/l/event-management-software/

Time to stop reading and go pop up your own event!

Time For Some John Legend Selfies!

Singer John Legend was the “selfie” King alright, as he was swarmed by music and wine fans! Why? Well, Legend was just one of the many participants at a terrific charity event, the Napa Wine Auction 2015!

The event was hosted at Meadowwood Resort in St. Helena, California. Acclaimed Chef Michael Chiarello presented a marketplace of incredible food to begin the day, including polenta with mushrooms under glass!

More than 850 people converged on Meadowood Resort to enjoy lots of wine, eat great food like this fried chicken, then head into the auction to raise lots of money for charity!

Fifty different “lots” are auctioned off for charity – with wine, food and travel being highlighted. It’s also a great way to celebrate this incredible wine region, as winemakers share some of their greatest bottles with the crowd!

The top single lot of the day sold for $850,000, and was introduced by singer John Legend. It features a private performance for thirty of your friends by Legend, plus bottles of a new reserve blend that the singer will be involved with.

According to the Napa Valley Register:

“John is very deep into wine,” said vintner Jean-Charles Boisset, who owns Raymond Vineyards in St. Helena. Boisset said he and Legend did a blending session about nine months ago at Raymond Vineyards and he encouraged the musician to come to Auction Napa Valley to help raise money for the auction and to kick off the brand.

Legend then surprised us all with a live performance of “All Of Me.” Here is a clip from that performance:

Bravo, John Legend!

Afterwards, the singer hung out with the crowd and posed for lots of selfies!

To give you an idea of how unique these “lots” were, one included a two-week, first class trip to top wine producers and estates in Europe! That went for more than $800,000 as well. Although my wife Alex had a bidding paddle, we didn’t get this great trip…

All For A Great Cause!

This is all to raise money for great charities in Napa Valley. As the Napa Valley Register reports: “The most sentimental lot of the day was Fund-A-Need, which raised funds for early medical intervention for Napa Valley children. It was introduced by a video illustrating how early intervention benefited a Napa Valley toddler named Mia, with the medical condition of spina bifida. After the video Mia danced on the stage with her father Jaime. Then she spoke into the microphone and said “thank you” to the crowd.”

After every sale, confetti is shot into the sky, as more money is raised for this great cause…leading to a very festive end of day…

Napa Valley winemakers have done a great job raising money as they put on a terrific event!

The weekend event raised more than $15 million, and is now in its 35th year!

And if you are in Napa valley, you must dine at one of Chef Thomas Keller’s incredible restaurants…we were lucky enough to pose with him in his kitchen, and here is a look at the 20th anniversary celebration at The French Laundry, one of the greatest restaurants in the world:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/07/07/the-french-laundrys-20th-anniversary-celebration-chef-thomas-kellers-xx-party-food-pics-galore/

Time to head back to Napa for more fun!

Behold The “Cheetos Crusted Mac’n’Cheese Pulled Pork Cake”!

Not much to say here except “Kudos!” Yes, the vulgar minds at “The Vulgar Chef” have created a masterpiece of wackiness! Here is the video:

I love the thinking here, and if you follow me, you know that I posted about “The Vulgar Chef” once before…for this:

The “Spaghetti Stuffed Meatball!”

Yes, The Vulgar Chef turned spaghetti and meatballs inside out for our tasty enjoyment!

Here is that link:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/04/22/spaghetti-stuffed-meatballs-wacky-recipes-from-the-vulgar-chef/

Kudos once again to “The Vulgar Chef”…check out the websites for daily food madness!

Help Me! I’ve Got A “Mac” Attack!

And if the words “Macaroni and cheese” take you to places like this:

Then you can read all about the craziest uses for it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/02/23/bacon-mac-n-cheese-corn-dogs-wild-macncheese-bacon-burgers-mac-up/

Enjoy life!

Say Hello To “Samurai Red!”

Burger King Japan has done it again! Time to show you the red “Aka Samurai Beef” and “Aka Samurai Chicken” sandwiches! How do they do it? Easy!

Tomato Powder Rules!

The buns and cheese are red because of tomato powder, according to a company release, first reported by Kotaku. The burger comes with a grilled onion slice plus “Angry Sauce” flavored with doubanjiang spicy chili bean paste. The chicken gets lettuce and tomato.

According to “Burgerbusiness.com”, the “Aka Samurai Beef” costs ¥540 or $4.35.

Thanks to “Burgerbusiness.com” for this story – this is a great website for the latest and greatest burgers – go there and see the latest and greatest burgers from around the world!

“Hold Your Tongue!”

I would love to see if there is a unique flavor to a red bun, so I have to head to Tokyo to try it out! And don’t forget this “black tongue” burger as well!

“A Burger That Licks Back!”

I love this “black tongue” burger, and of course, a burger that comes with a black bun as well…check it out here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/10/11/burger-kings-black-tongue-ninja-burger-a-burger-that-licks-back-japans-greatest-hits/

I also love this burger from London that is served with black pudding:

You can read about a whole slew of creative burgers by clicking on here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/08/22/burger-of-the-gods-black-pudding-burgers-phillys-best-glaze-me-up-a-cheeseburger-we-are-going-bacon-burger-big/

Time for a red bun!

Hungry For A Peanut Butter And Jelly Sandwich? ON A STICK?

It’s become an annual tradition: the Iowa State Fair has unveiled their list of new food item to be presented that this summer’s huge event!

Fairgoers walking along the Grand Concourse at the 2004 Sesquicentennial Iowa State Fair on Saturday August 21, 2004 in Des Moines, IA. (Iowa State Fair Photo)

Iowa’s Amazing State Fair!

Kudos to the Iowa state fair – for not only putting on a hugely successful event every August, but for now actually releasing an annual list of the new food to be unveiled at the fair!

A “Bacon Explosion!”

For bacon lovers, this was probably the biggest news: “The Ultimate Bacon Explosion” features 8 oz. of fresh brisket trimmings infused with a light jalapeno cheese, blended with seasonings, and then wrapped in bacon. It is then smoked and lightly sauced in a homemade Sweet Chili BBQ Sauce.

Here is one of many stories from local media showing you what to expect this year:

http://www.kcci.com/news/iowa-state-fair-to-release-new-foods-list-wednesday/33737086

And Iowa’s not the only state that is getting into the state fair food madness!

Thank You, Texas, For Your Deep-Fried Coke!

“Fried Coke” is Coca-Cola-flavored batter that’s deep-fried and garnished with Coca-Cola syrup, whipped cream, and cinnamon-sugar. Abel Gonzales Jr. won Most Creative for this concoction at the 2006 State Fair of Texas. Good job, Abel!

Indiana’s Pizza Cones!

Indian’s state fair offers this portable version of a pizza slice is a cone-shaped pizza crust filled with cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and tomato sauce, baked in an oven. And just like an ice cream cone, the cheesy treat comes wrapped in its own paper sleeve for on-the-go handheld ease. Sounds tasty and fairly healthy, considering the next item:

California Fried Avocado Bites!

It wouldn’t be California if avocado didn’t get a starring role! This recipe consists of spears of tender avocado that have been coated in a corn-dog batter and fried until golden. These vitamin-rich nuggets come with a choice of two dipping sauces: ranch or herb-infused oil.

Texas Unveils Chicken-Fried Bacon!

This ode to bacon won the award for Best Taste at the 2008 Big Tex Choice Awards. Creator Glen Kusak had been a fair vendor for 12 years running, but 2008 marked his first year entering the annual State Fair of Texas food contest.

Glen Kusak is now our hero!

The Huffington Post Food Section Digs Into Fair Food, Too!

The Huffington Post also had a great story in their food section, all about great state fair food. Among their choices:

Fat Elvis On A Stick – Wisconsin State Fair

Elvis loved his peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwiches. Wisconsin paid tribute to this with their latest on-a-stick creation, the Fat Elvis: a peanut butter cup dunked in banana batter, then deep-fried, and served with bacon on top, of course.

Deep Fried Cotton Candy – Texas State Fair

And how can you top this? We saw deep fried Kool-Aid last year, so we should have known that cotton candy couldn’t be that far off. As the Huffington Post says, this is pretty crazy, because it seems like the spun sugar would melt in the deep fryer. Life is full of mysteries. Not enough sweets for you? Don’t worry, this treat is served by a frozen yogurt purveyor, so feel free to use these giant balls of fried sugar as a topping on your froyo.

Enjoy your state fair “food on a stick” experience!

Melbourne – Australia’s Most Beautiful City!

That’s right, one of the largest cities in the southern hemisphere is also the most beautiful city in Australia!

Oh wait, did I mean to say:

Sydney – Australia’s Most Beautiful City!

That’s right, it’s actually Sydney, with the incredible Opera House and Harbor bridge that is Australia’s most beautiful…well, as you can see, both cities offer an amazing view…

What a dilemma! Is Sydney, with a beautiful skyline and incredible scenery, Australia’s most beautiful city? Or is is the classic, european vibe of Melbourne, with an iconic train station:

I was lucky enough to travel to both great Australian cities, which leads me to ask this question:

What Is Australia’s Most Beautiful City? Melbourne or Sydney?

Trust me when I tell you that Australians have a very strong point of view on the matter! For the entire time I was there, I was told by people from Sydney that Melbourne was dull and lifeless, even with this incredible beauty:

Down Under Pride!

Yes, residents of Sydney proudly extolled their virtues. And the folks in Melbourne told me that Sydney residents were crass and unsophisticated:

Well, let me say that it was mostly good-natured, and certainly based on pride for their environment – so I decided to show you what made BOTH cities so special…beginning with Melbourne’s Eureka Tower:

The Eureka Tower!

The Eureka Tower is the largest skyscraper in southern hemisphere – 88 stories, and the views of Melbourne and the surrounding area was beautiful from he top:

The Secret Of The Tower!

I was lucky enough to shoot a sequence at the top of the tower with my Host Sasha Grey. I filmed this sequence as Sasha discovered the secret of the tower:

I love that video – you can look straight down 88 stories and see people like ants below….and as I showed you, the views of the area are beautiful..and I also love this short snippet I filmed from the 88th floor just moments before, when I caught Sasha in a “candid” moment:

Sasha was such a great talent to work with, and you can see more of Sasha’s adventures in Melbourne by clicking on my story here!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/11/sasha-grey-goes-88-stories-high-in-australias-eureka-tower/

So Melbourne made a great case for itself: European style and class with a “down under” sense of adventure…and if you look on a map, Melbourne is one of the world’s southernmost cities!

I’d love to go back and be able to explore more of the surrounding areas, but on this trip was was just two days of fun and then off to Sydney!

Welcome To Sydney!

As much as I loved Melbourne, Sydney had plenty to offer as well. First of all, you are amazed by the beauty of the Opera House and the Harbor bridge, which you can actually climb up with a group if you want!

You can see those intrepid climbers on the upper right…offering an incredibly unique vantage point of Sydney –

It is a city that celebrates its beauty – with so much water everywhere you look – and what’s in water? That’s right – seafood! If you go down to Sydney’s acclaimed fish market, you can see one of their unique food items – “bugs”!

“Bugs!”

These “bugs” are a strange combination of shrimp-like creature with a “flattened” lobster head…but they are delicious! My Host Alison Haislip had no problem digging into them!

And Sydney is also home to one of the world’s most famous beaches as well…

Welcome to Bondi Beach!

It’s simply gorgeous – pristine sand and waves that curve around a gorgeous slice of Sydney…

Sasha was up for anything in Sydney, including surfing for the first time ever! But that wasn’t her only “first!”

Sasha jumped at the chance to step into a tank filled with sharks – her first time using scuba gear! And after a thirty minute instruction, she entered the pool – filled with sharks and stingrays – with NOTHING between them! Here is a short snippet of her “walk among sharks”:

And of course, one shark flipped his fin at her, but she didn’t panic! She also kept her cool when two sharks decided to “photobomb” her!

Surfing Bondi!

As I showed you, Bondi beach is absolutely beautiful, and Sasha agreed to learn to surf for the first time! This led to my favorite “candid” moment of all – when I captured Sasha telling me about surfing Bondi Beach – and then she discovered something about Australia’s water!

I appreciate that Sasha was a good sport – she still laughs about these videos – like this one that I love: I happened to be filming her as she was telling me how she did a special “circular” shot for me, then realizes she stepped in gum!

Here is a look at the entire Sydney adventure:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/03/sasha-grey-surfs-sasha-steps-in-gum-surfs-up-at-bondi-beach-australia/

Sasha wasn’t the only great G4 talent that I traveled to Australia with: I also got to hang out with the incredible Alison Haislip!

She got the chance to dig into a big meal in Sydney, which you can read all about here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/08/alison-haislips-mega-surf-n-turf-aussie-alison-digs-into-sydneys-bugs/

Alison was also great to travel with, and she made Sydney a fun culinary adventure…

So, the question was: which city is more beautiful – Sydney or Melbourne?

As you can see, they are both beautiful, so I will give style points to Melbourne but energy credits to Sydney – if you’ve been to either, let me know what you think!

4th Of July – Burger Fireworks Galore!

Everyone loves the 4th of July! Celebrating our independence from “bangers and mash” is one reason – grilling burgers of all shapes and size is another – like this “double decker!”

Yes, we can “live free and eat hard” this holiday season – for me, I plan to have a more “subtle” cheeseburger…like this one:

Talk About A “Sloppy Joe!”

Ok, that may be just a bit more than I need this weekend, but how can I stop piling on the goodness when it can lead to one of these:

This post is going to celebrate burgers of all shapes and sizes, and share some great recipes for your grilling pleasure as well!

WHAT THE PACHISLO???!!???

I love this picture. My daughter Jessica posed in front of an ad for the “Green Peas Pachislo Burger” when we were in Tokyo…we don’t know what it was, but in hindsight we should have walked in and ordered one, just to get a real picture of it!

First, a big shout out to “Taylor’s Refresher” in St. Helena, California for their great bacon cheeseburger…you can read all about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/15/napas-burger-battle-taylors-gotts-great-burgers-a-mondo-burger-fight/

I am going to profile a few of America’s best burger joints as I showcase some great burger recipes….

Building A Better Burger!

Look at this picture above. Your basic hamburger uses good quality ground beef with at least 15% fat content, to ensure lots of juicy flavor. I add minced onion and garlic, pink hawaiian sea salt, pepper, and a bit of Worcestershire sauce….boom, you are ready to grill!

The All-American Bacon-Cheeseburger!

What can you say? Build your better burger this way and you are golden:

Top Bun
Cheese – melted and dripping
Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!
Slider Patty
Tomato
Pickle
Mayonaise, mayonaise, mayonaise!
Bottom Bun

See that? DO NOT DEVIATE – this is perfection.

OK, you can deviate a little…since my daughter and I were in Tokyo earlier, let me share this japanese burger!

The Japanese Wasabi-Avocado Burger!

Make your patty as usual, but this time top it with sliced avocado, and a heavy dose of wasabi mayonaise. Trader Joe’s sells it, or buy some great mayo and wasabi and mix it together to the strength you can handle…this is delicious with a Sapporo!

Lotteria’s “Bacon Cube” Burger!

If you are inspired by a Japanese take to your cheeseburger, check out these unique burgers from Tokyo, thanks to the unique restaurant “Lotteria”…read all about them right here….

http://johnrieber.com/2015/01/29/vote-for-japans-wildest-burger-shrimp-stack-ramen-burgers-everything-burgers-lotteria-wants-you/

If you head to Seattle, you can find one of America’s best burgers…

Bite Into The Dork!

Here’s an incredible burger being made by Seattle’s “Lunchbox Laboratory”! Check out the recipe by clicking on my review here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/03/12/classic-burger-joints-dicks-drive-in-lunchbox-laboratory-seattles-burger-magic/

I am also a fan of bending the “burger rules” as necessary to offer up a unique taste sensation…and what better sensation to celebrate than “Sriracha!”

The Sriracha Burger!

This is a GREAT idea…the recipe is from the terrific “Serious Eats” website!

3 pounds ground beef (preferably chuck, 80/20)
1/4 cup soy sauce
10 tablespoons Sriracha
4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 slices thick-cut bacon
2 large sweet onions
3/4 cup blue cheese dressing
8 sesame seed buns
8 thick slices Swiss cheese
1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced
Arugula or romaine lettuce

In a large mixing bowl, make your burger patties with the ground beef, soy sauce, 5 tablespoons of the Sriracha and pepper.

Cue The Bacon!

Cook your bacon, then use the bacon fat to cook your onions into a cartelized taste treat!

Grill the burgers, and while they are cooking, combine the blue cheese dressing with the remaining 5 tablespoons Sriracha to use as a topping!

There you go: a cheesy, oniony, spicy, bacon-y thing of greatness!

And speaking of “GREATNESS”, how about a bacon-covered macaroni-and-cheeseburger!

A Bacon Macaroni-and-Cheeseburger With Tater Tots!

Once you’ve tried this, you will never go back to a plain old cheeseburger again!

It’s easy! Instead of cheese, cover your burger with mac’n’cheese! Throw some bacon in there and make sure your tater tots get under the bun as well!

And if you really want to get weird, try my favorite burger of all:

Behold The French Fry Burger!

And of course, my favorite burger of all is this: just add french fries to the top of the burger, then a bit of tartar sauce, and top it off with cheddar cheese – a burger and fries all in one!

No matter which recipe you try, spend this fourth of July doing what all Americans should be doing: eating meat and waiting for the fireworks! Happy July 4th!

“Smile! You’ve Got Bacon!”

Here are more ways you can get the most out of bacon this holiday weekend – we begin with a monstrous bacon cheeseburger that is a work of art:

No, not THAT work of art. I mean bacon that is used as it should be used: to smother a cheeseburger!

Shake Shack does a great job with their bacon-drenched double cheeseburger, but imagine if you added just ONE MORE THING:

Behold The Mac’n’Cheese Burger!

That’s right, it’s burger that is topped with mac ‘n’ cheese…and yes, it’s good! It’s just one unique item topping off a burger…how about this one?

Japan’s Burger King Goes Pumpkin Crazy!

Burger King Japan’s BK Pumpkin, and its bigger, pumpkinier sibling, the Pumpkin Bomb. Via a Google translated press release: both burgers come with beef patties, fried kabocha pumpkin slices, bacon, and lettuce. They’re also topped with a nut sauce made from sesame seeds, peanuts, almonds, cashews, and hazelnuts. The difference between the two? Pumpkin Bomb has a whole bunch more pumpkin on it, ten slices in total. A Pumpkin burger? I don’t think America is ready for this yet….

5 Guys!

So I had my first 5 Guys burger, and yes, it lives up to the hype…this is one juicy, cheesy, tasting burger – and it’s BIG!

I also mentioned that it’s “cheesy”, right? This baby was “all in” – everything they wanted to put on it, they put on it – and it oozed real good…

Your Bacon Org Chart!

However you want to utilize bacon, just follow these simple rules of social media:

And here are some other examples of burgers taken to the extreme…like my favorite from Big ‘n’ Little’s in Chicago – their homage to the Big Mac called the:

“Big Mack Daddy!”

Big ‘n’ Little’s is also famous for their “pork belly po’boy” which you can bite into right here:

Big ‘n’ Little’s really knows how to take bacon and turn it into something special! Of course you need to read more about this amazingly good restaurant, and you can by clicking on my review here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/27/behold-the-pork-belly-poboy-big-littles-bites-down-hard-deep-fried-cheeseburger/

Burger In A Box?!?!?

Oops! A cheeseburger in a box? Who else has ever bought a frozen, pre-made cheeseburger in a box and taken it home to the microwave…..

And sometimes you just want a burger that is SO juicy, you might have to eat it with a spoon?

And of course, you can always just have your bacon ON A STICK!

Read all about the “bacon explosion” being sold at this summer’s Iowa State Fair by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/06/25/bacon-explosion-pbnj-on-a-stick-deep-fried-beer-iowa-state-fairs-latest-food-mashups/

And don’t forget your bacon social media – smile, you’ve got bacon!

Behold The “Fish Parfait!”

Here is another reason why I love the internet. What you see here is a “fish parfait”. Yes, an ice cream parfait topped with fish. According to my friends at the terrific website “RocketNews24″, this is:

“a lightly grilled sashimi bonito parfait, which combines the rich, succulent flavours of seared fish and garlic with the sweet taste of ice cream!”

Yes it is – a FISH-TOPPED ICE CREAM TREAT!

Behold The New Taste Sensation!

RocketNews24 reports that this unusual dessert is available from Restaurant Yuzuan in Nankoku, Japan. The restaurant specialises in “katsuo tataki”, or as we would say, “lightly grilled bonito”. The unique tuna parfait comes in three sizes: small (1 slice of bonito) for 490 yen (US$3.91), medium (2 slices) for 790 yen ($6.30) and large (3 slices) for 999 yen ($7.98).

Of course, thanks to the incredibly entertaining website “RocketNews24″ for the story – this website is a never-ending series of fascinating stories from Asia. You can see the fish parfait story in its entirety here:

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2015/06/09/japanese-diners-are-raving-about-fish-parfait-made-with-grilled-bonito-and-ginger/

And speaking of unique food mashups, I want to remind you of some of the more memorable efforts of the past, beginning with Asia’s unique take on the all-american hot dog!

The “Fish Dog!”

You can take it as an insult to hot dog lovers everywhere, but I see it as a fascinating cultural exchange…instead of a mystery meat hot dog, why not a fish? See more here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/13/top-ten-wildest-food-ramen-burgers-a-fish-hot-dog/

And if a fish hot dog isn’t what you crave, then what about this black-bunned masterpiece:

The “Frog Burger!”

You can have frog the way nature intended: as a burger! I would try this without flinching – frog’s legs taste good, and a burger is a burger is a burger, right? Read all about the “frog burger” here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/03/02/frog-burgers-japans-incredible-burger-magic-earth-burgers/

And if you really want to try a unique flavor mashup, have a strawberry burger! Just like the fish parfait dessert, someone had the bright idea to make your burger a bit more “fruit forward!”

Lotteria in Japan offers up a burger topped with a strawberry sauce…along with a whole bunch of other unique burgers – read all about them here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/10/05/amazing-strawberry-burgers-bacon-cubes-choco-chicken-burgers-lotterias-top-five-burgers/

Meet you in Japan for a fish parfait!

Welcome To Spain’s “Wild Coast!”

You are looking at Spain’s Costa Brava, their “wild coast”, located just northwest of Barcelona…it is gorgeous, isolated, and pristine…

Yes, I have posted about our Spain trip before, but while we looked at this gorgeous scenery, I forgot to share the memorable meal we had while overlooking this rugged coast…

Say Yes To “The Mas”!

When we were lucky enough to visit Spain’s Costa Brava, we stayed at the amazing Mas de Torrent hotel two hours outside of Barcelona…

Mas de Torrent is perfectly situated for exploring Spain’s Costa Brava, since there is a major highway nearby, as well as a LOT of small roads that take you on a visual journey into the past…

Many of our trips took us through small towns and villages, and one day we ended up at Mas de Torrent’s sister hotel, Hotel El Far de Sant Sebastia, located nearby in Palafrugell, which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea…

The hotel’s restaurant is perched on a cliff that overlooks the Mediterranean, and as you arrive, you park your car near a lighthouse. Before you head in to eat you can spend a few more minutes checking out the amazing view…..

The restaurant was located inside the hotel, with an outside terrace overlooking the sea. Once we were seated, we noticed that the restaurant’s “specials” for the day were posted on a chalkboard…

Even with limited ability to read spanish, we realized that seafood was the way to go…and of course, we started immediately with some spanish wine!

One thing we loved about spanish cuisine: you always began with a spanish tradition: peasant bread and ham…this bread is rubbed with fresh tomato and garlic, and topped with a touch of olive oit….the ham is of course, Iberico….

We were also told to order the restaurant’s specialty, which is also noted on the chalkboard as well:

Bring On The Paella!

The restaurant was known for their paella, which is cooked in a classic paella pan – we got their seafood version, as you can see from the shrimp and mussels that were baked in a very hearty spanish rice…

And of course, they give you more bread to make your own “peasant” style version as needed…

Afterwards, you can head back outside to take a walk along the cliffs – and everywhere you turn you see another beautiful and pristine piece of the “Costa Brava”…

As you can imagine, this is a popular tourist destination, but I never felt that the Costa Brava was crowded…there was plenty of room for everyone…with the exception of Cadaques…so let’s depart this quiet, beautiful lunch and search out one of Spain’s most legendary Artists…

Hey Sal!

Here is a beautiful life-size statue honoring Salvadore Dali. As successful as our paella adventure was, our attempt to see the legendary Artists home and museum was the opposite!

The small town of Cadaques is serene – when you are down by the water…but in the center of town it was crowded, windy and a bit rainy – and there are virtually no directions to find the place!

It seemed that that favorite pastime was to chuck rocks into the water. Read the rest of our “misadventure” by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/11/02/searching-for-salvadore-dali-our-costa-brava-adventure-hello-dali/

So we never saw Dali’s house, but we did see some amazing medieval villages…

A Bike Tour Into The Past!

Another fascinating aspect of the region are the medieval spanish villages that populate the area, and you can bike between several of them!

You can see that adventure by clicking on my link here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/12/01/cycling-through-wild-spain-biking-costa-bravas-medieval-villages/

We can’t wait to get back to Spain and continue our exploration – and eating!