Budget Finds -- Bottletop Basting Brush

We've been talking BBQ a lot around the office, be it because of the up-turning weather, the fact that we may be getting some BBQ clients on the roster, or the sheer love that everyone in this office has for all things BBQ. Regardless, it seemed like perfect timing to stumble upon this little gadget, a bottletop basting brush that helps sauce up those ribs without the mess. I recently read that it's not worth owning kitchen gadgets that serve just one purpose, but when they cost less than $5 a pop, I see no problem with breaking that rule. This little baby is only $3.99 right here, which makes it a seriously budget-friendly grilling accessory. Enjoy!

Link of the Day -- In-Pool Pong

On the one hand, I wish I could say I was too classy for beer pong. But on the other, I've always been the split personality foodie--as much as I love upscale fine dining, my favorite kind of food has always been down n' dirty BBQ, and I can't ignore the side of me that really loves simple, lowbrow drink and dining. Beer pong falls into precisely that category--even though I don't partake on too regular an occasion, it's always a welcome way to unwind with friends in the most casual of ways. When I saw a short blurb on inflatable beer pong tables for in-pool summer play in amNY this morning, I knew it would make the perfect link of the day. Now to find an appropriate pool!

Want your own portable beer pong table? Check out this site, but be warned--they don't exactly have a classy side ;)

Recipe Lust -- Chili Lime Peanuts

Last night I met with a talented group to start piecing together a magazine that I'm working on in my spare time. You'll hear more about that some other day, but what I really wanted to share was the idea of simple entertaining. Our gracious host has an apartment that's plenty of space for one, but perhaps not so much space for a group of 6. She made great use of her tiny 2 person table by serving lots of small appetizers--cheese and crackers, tappenade, edamame, and so on. It was a beautiful way to entertain, and easy at that! In thinking about the possibilities of small scale/big impression entertaining, I came across this wonderful recipe for Chili-Lime Peanuts--seems like a great way to pack a filling snack into a small bowl. I'm guessing multiple batches may be necessary, though!

See the full recipe here. Enjoy!
[photo via learninghowtocook.com]

Food Porn

This weekend marks the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which celebrates the gift of the Torah. It's a beautiful holiday--Jews sing and dance with the Torah and it's one of our most upbeat holidays (nobody dies, nobody mourns, nobody fasts, nobody is persecuted, woo!) which makes it great fun all around. What I never really knew until this year is that the holiday is also marked by eating lots of dairy (none of the commentary I've read really explains why) and in the States, this tends to take two forms: blintzes and cheesecake. I have a soft spot for good homemade blintzes, but let's face it--cheesecake is even tastier and way easier to find/make. Today's food porn takes us to the reliable Jew-spot, Carnegie Deli, home of New York's best cheesecake (in my book, at least!) --if this doesn't whet your appetite for a dairy-crazy weekend, I'm not sure what will! Happy feasting, and as we say, Chag Sameach!

[photo via flickr]

Link of the Day

I've never been shy about the fact that I love myself a good, cheap meal--especially one that comes straight off the streets. And though Manhattan definitely offers a solid array of street food, traveling the world always shows how many cultures have yet to bring their mobile eats to the big apple. This article in the New York Times dining section yesterday brings a temporary solution, with several street fairs that are centered around celebrating less explored ethnic cuisines like Burmese, Indonesian, and Swedish. For more of a preview, see the full article here, but be sure to have a calendar handy--you'll certainly want to write some of these dates down!

[via NYT]

Budget Finds -- Mustache Napkin Rings

As I was grazing on Serious Eats this morning, the perfect Budget Finds popped up on my screen. It's been a rough (read: sleepless) return to reality after the long weekend, and a few laughs were just the remedy. Anyhow, these adorable napkin rings shaped like handlebar mustaches come in sets of 4 for $24, and they're so cheeky I just can't stand it. Who doesn't smile at the sight of a big furry mustache, much less one with your name on it on your dinner plate? That's right, with chalkboard paint, they're customizable and reusable, which makes them as practical as they are hysterical. Talk about a great dinner party ice breaker--I just love it.



Mustache napkin rings by Modern Dose available right here. [via Serious Eats]

Vacation Porn!

Dear lovely, lovely readers,

Red is off to sunny Miami for the long weekend, and she's so excited she can hardly contain it. Since she really, really, desperately, horribly, tremendously needs a vacation, eatmywords is taking a short break for the holiday. See you on Wednesday for a return to our regular schedule, and until then, think of me! I'll be right over here....



Love,

Red