Posted by Ed Levine, February 28, 2006 at 12:59 PM
Returning from a series of business meetings, I found myself wandering through the food market in New York's Grand Central Station. At the Murray's Cheese shop kiosk I came across a container of Largueta Almonds. Murray's proprietor Rob Kaufelt is actually a pretty good writer, so without his permission I am reciting the copy he put on the label, because it's shockingly accurate: "There are snacks you can't stop eating that you know you really need to get the monkey off your back. There are other snacks you can't stop eating, and it's no big thing. These are those snacks: artisanally produced, toasted, lightly salted and high in Vitamin E. Good for you, so chow down." I'll tell you something else he doesn't mention; these almonds are incredibly delicious, light and crunchy and addictive. So order some. You might never reach for a Planter's peanut or a Jordan Almond again.
Posted by Ed Levine, January 3, 2006 at 1:25 PM
I managed to get through the holidays without gaining any weight. In fact, I lost a pound between Christmas and New Year's Eve. I am particularly proud of this given the amount of food that not so mysteriously makes it way to our house during the holiday season. You see, for a food writer, every day is Xmas in terms of the flow of food presents. While the rest of the world only has to resist temptation from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day every year, food writers are constantly tempted by people who send us food to sample 24-7 the entire year.
This year we received the following at our house between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day:
- Buttered pecans and candied pecans from North Carolina.
- Peanuts from Virginia
- Six pints of Graeter's Ice Cream in Cincinatti
- Six pints of Capogiro Gelato from Philadelphia.
- A huge gift basket of food sent by a writer client of my literary agent wife
- Samples of what turned out to be an awful low-cal ice cream.
- Two kinds of pound cake.
- A pound of delicious Smoked Salmon.
- Three different kinds of designer chocolate
- An eight pound smoked brisket from Texas.
Most of these were holiday presents from friends and colleagues. I know it sounds churlish to complain about this flow of free grub, but if you're someone who adores food who happens to be on a diet, it does make it difficult.
I am accepting all gifts of kelp and miso this post-holiday season.
