Scoreboard Gourmet

George Wilson's Green Beans

2008-11-30T16:21:00-05:00

I am not going to comment on Plaxico Burress because that situation is so ridiculous. I am going to talk about George Wilson, and I am going to categorize this post "green" since I have no "vegetable" category.

George Wilson gave his Gridiron Green Beans recipe to ESPN Magazine. It's pretty hilarious given the lack of measurements (everything is 'to taste'). What is not funny at all is his choice of canned beans over frozen or fresh. Then you cook them "fully submerged" for 30 minutes. Holy Cow. That's not beans, that's baby food. Who kills their green beans like this? Why?

Anyway, it's still fun for me. And online there's corn, baked beans, and baked chicken too.

$400 a pound

2008-11-27T10:48:00-05:00

that's how much the Giants get fined if they go over weight (heard Antonio Pierce say it on SNY; part of his plan to stay in control during Thanksgiving dinner).

how awesome is that? that should be a universal law, or at least a national one. and the money goes into the health care system (the national health care system?) to make up for all the money taken out for, er, big birds. is that a nice way to say it on this friendly holiday? I think so

Giants v Redskins in DC this Sunday at 1pm.
today? two likely blowouts and a game most of us can't watch. brilliant.

happy thursday night football

p.s. don't lie down and don't go running after your meal. an easy walk will stimulate peristalsis, the process by which your stomach and other muscles push food down the gastrointestinal tract. running is too intense on a stuffed tummy and the totally lazy thing will just make you feel worse (more heartburn, at best). learned that from the Washington Post.

Super Bowl Commercials and Doritos Contest

2008-11-26T13:17:46-05:00

NBC is negotiating with potential advertisers for the eight 30-second advertising spots that remain open for the 2009 SuperBowl.

Brian Walker, senior director of communications at NBC Sports in New York, told Crain's that NBC had a total of around 67 spots for Super Bowl XLIII and has sold about 59, or 88%. In September, NBC said 85% of the 30-second spots had sold for about $3 million each. Typically, 60% of Super Bowl slots sell by then.

I guess that's why some Doritos-eater is going to get their homemade commercial on TV - extra space. If the Scoreboard Gourmet had not been blinded by nonsense last month she would have told you about the Contest:

Think of an idea for a Doritos brand commercial. Not just any idea, but one worthy of being called the best of the Super Bowl. Maybe it’s an action-packed story about the first time you tried Doritios brand Tortilla Chips. Maybe it reveals what life is like for the spices on the surface of the chip. Anything. Make the video that would knock you out of your seat if you were watching the Super Bowl. Make it yours. Shoot it. Submit it. Make it as one of five finalists and win $25,000. Then, if America votes it their favorite, your video will be aired as a Doritos commercial during Super Bowl XLIII

Sorry about that. Videos have been submitted. You can see them and judge them on the Doritos Gallery page, but not until January 5, 2009, which is not that far away considering all the Christmas music I hear everywhere I go.

White House Chef Predictions Like Fantasy Football(?)

2008-11-25T19:43:18-05:00

says the AP...

Speculating about a new chef at the White House has become — as one culinary insider puts it — fantasy football for foodies.

But as tempting as it may be to see the Obama family's choice as the ultimate "Top Chef" competition, former White House chefs say the job is about selfless service, not star power.

Walter Scheib, White House executive chef for Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, believes there's a 90 percent chance the new administration will stick with his successor, Cristeta Comerford. And if the Obamas do hire someone new, it won't be a television personality or any of the celebrity names bandied about on food and political blogs, he said.

"None of these people have any idea what the job is about," said Scheib. "And they're temperamentally not suited for it. You have to be a person who has a real heart of service, and it can't be someone who needs to see themselves on camera."

Roland Mesnier, who retired in 2004 after 25 years as the White House's executive pastry chef, would never recommend a TV chef for the first family. "Celebrity chefs, in my book, are not chefs. They're entertainers," he said. "All these people on TV? Forget it."

. Thankfully some people still have brains. Read Holly Ramer's full story here (on Yahoo)

Omelette in a Bag

2008-11-23T10:35:49-05:00

yesterday the West Virginia Mountaineers beat the Louisville Cardinals 35-21 at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. I was half watching the game with a friend in a half empty bar. what did catch my attention during the play was a short tailgating segment featuring an Omelette in a Bag .

pretty clever: break eggs into a sealable platic bag, add vegetables or meat or cheese or whatever, smush it all together, drop bag into a large pot of boiling water. Can't tell you how long to cook it (sound was off) but I'd guess it's a good 10-15 minutes. The result? not what I personally would call an omelette. maybe a fritatta? let's ask epicurious...

omelet; omelette
[AHM-leht]
A mixture of eggs, seasonings and sometimes water or milk, cooked in butter until firm and filled or topped with various fillings such as cheese, ham, mushrooms, onions, peppers, sausage and herbs. Sweet omelets can be filled with jelly, custard or fruit, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar or flamed with various liquors or liqueurs. For fluffy omelets, the whites and yolks can be beaten separately and folded together. They can also be served flat or folded.

frittata
[frih-TAH-tuh]
An Italian omelet that usually has the ingredients mixed with the eggs rather than being folded inside, as with a French omelet. It can be flipped or the top can be finished under a broiling unit. An omelet is cooked quickly over moderately high heat and, after folding, has a flat-sided half-oval shape. A frittata is firmer because it's cooked very slowly over low heat, and round because it isn't folded.

what would/do You call it?

Pre Spring Training Game Brunch with the Mets

2008-11-21T12:03:16-05:00

Thinking about a trip to Tradition Field in March? The Mets have some packages that might make planning easier...

"Exclusive Pre-game Brunch with Team Personnel & Select Players - Fans who purchase a Mets Spring Training travel package will be our guest at the pre-game brunch!"

Why eat crappy eggs in your hotel when you can eat at the field?

And/Or go for the VIP Batting Practice package that includes Dinner in the Dugout. March 13th and March 20th only. Players will not be there for the batting practice. Um, did you think Spring Training was a joke? It may seem like Disney but these guys are actually working.

Packages start at $746pp. Check them out here.

I have not forgotten about the world outside NY. A's Spring Training tickets went on sale this week. More Arizona info to come.

Arizona Fall League Championship Game 11/22

2008-11-20T16:12:22-05:00

Austin Jackson. That's the man I'm watching in the AFL. Phil Hughes too, Jackson's Peoria Javelinas teammate, but we've already seen Mr Hughes in the Bronx. We're ready for some new blood. And I don't mean that in the Vampire this is a food site way. Speaking of, I have not forgotten the Gourmet part of SG. Hang in. I'm trying. TFMJ says any new content is good but I'm not so sure.

Mussina!

2008-11-19T23:10:29-05:00

I can't stop watching Varsity Blues. I keep thinking it's going to get better. I tried watching without the sound so I woudn't have to hear Dawson Creek speak but then I realized who Amy Smart was so unmuted. I like her nonblonde hair. What all these hours have taught me is this: I really miss Friday Night Lights.

What I'm going to miss even more is Mike Mussina, the oldest pitcher to become a 20-game winner for the first time. Ha. That may be the greatest backhanded compliment ever. btw, he turns 40 on 12/8.

So, if we're waiting for an official announcement why is Mussina not on the 40-man-roster? but Wilkin Anthony De La Rosa is.

So April 3rd is Opening Day?

2008-11-18T09:37:11-05:00

Before the regular season even begins, Yankee Stadium's new turnstiles will spin for the first times. The Yankees announced on Monday that gates will open to fans for a pair of exhibition games against the Chicago Cubs on April 3 and 4.

The $1.3 billion facility will host its first game as a tilt under the lights on Friday, April 3, at 7:05 p.m. ET, then a weekend afternoon affair on Saturday, April 4, at 1:05.

That's going to make it so special for me and everyone else when we go in there on April 16th.
And don't let anyone tell you these Cubs games don't mean anything...

"The Cubs are thrilled to be the Yankees' first opponent in the new Yankee Stadium and are honored to take part in this historic event," said Cubs chairman Crane Kenney.

Monday Night Football in Buffalo: Great Lakes Battle

2008-11-17T21:36:32-05:00

Well, it's not quite the opening half that everyone predicted but at least it's not snowing (yet). In honor of the 73,000 fans watching the game at Ralph Wilson stadium I have one thing to say: Gabriel's Gate.It's not near the stadium (hardly anything is) but it is a place where you can eat magically delicious wings. And I don't mean magic in a there's-drugs-in-there way. Though it wouldn't necessarily surprise me.

If my other computer could access my new internet I'd happily upload pictures of the restaurant, some wings, and even a chicken sandwich (because a giant plate of wings isn't enough bird for TFMJ and me). That picture fantasy isn't happening tonight. Sorry.

Gabriel's Gate Restaurant
145 Allen Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
716-886-0602

You know I have a place in my heart for the Brownies but tonight I must say Go Bills! And now I invite You to tell me about Your favorite Buffalo Wings.

smart people doing dumb things

2008-11-17T13:38:27-05:00

I was just logging on to ask You why Obama didn't unbutton his blazer during last night's 60 Minutes interview, and to ask what You think about his allegedly proposed plan to bring national playoffs to college football when I saw this:

Federal regulators on Monday charged Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban with insider trading for allegedly using confidential information on a stock sale to avoid more than $750,000 in losses. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil lawsuit against Cuban in federal court in Dallas.

The agency alleged that in June 2004, Cuban was invited to get in on the coming stock offering by Mamma.com Inc. after he agreed to keep the information private. The SEC said Cuban knew the shares would be sold below the current market price, and a few hours after receiving the information, told his broker to sell his entire stake of 600,000 shares in the search engine company before the public announcement of the offering.

By selling when he did, Cuban avoided losses exceeding $750,000, according to the SEC. At the time of the offering, Cuban was the largest known shareholder in the Montreal-based company, which later changed its name to Copernic Inc. The SEC is seeking a court judgment against Cuban finding that he violated the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws, an injunction against future violations, an unspecified civil penalty and restitution of the losses Cuban allegedly avoided.

dumb.

What happens in Oakland

2008-11-16T11:15:00-05:00

Ever since attending my first A's game many years ago I have wondered what happens at McAfee Coliseum in winter. Think about it. They don't use the whole space for A's games. But for Raiders games they do.

So what does McAfee look like during football season? The easy answer is, it looks like this (top left picture). Thank you to generous and fun Guy Fieri for inviting me to watch the Raiders-Jets game from this box. That's another post. Stay tuned.

This post is about the temporary concessions stands set up along the "back" section of the coliseum. Plain white signs with black type announcing "Nachos $5" without the fanfare or creativity of the more permanant stands elsewhere inside.
You can still get beer and many snacks but if you want the real dining experience of McAfee (garlic fries, fancy beers, sausages), you probably want to sit in the baseball side. Or be prepared to walk through the madness that is post-tailgating, pre-game Raiders. It's not horrible but it's not ideal.

Not everyone has a car or attends a tailgate. The BART is pretty easy, not including the terrible fare purchasing procedure, which means there are fans who come to the game needing to eat. Many of them go for bbq. That too is another post.

Click here for a concessions map.

The Raiders are in Miami today. 10am game for you west coasters. Next home game is 11/30 v the Chiefs.

Dunkin' Donuts Everywhere

2008-11-15T21:06:00-05:00

Today I had a medium Dunkin' Donuts coffee which I very much enjoyed while riding the train up to see my favorite Mets fans, my brother and nephew.Since a medium is pretty large, I had plenty of time to think about the Dunkin' Donuts posts I've been planning to write.

As you know, last month I was in San Diego for a few days; including the Chargers - Pats game (30 - 10). I stayed in the downtown Omni, which happens to be attached by skyway to the Padres stadium. In the lobby of the hotel on some but not all of the mornings of my stay (one of many inconsistencies) there was a little coffee bar set up for guests. The coffee was from my least favorite chain but with enough milk even terrible coffee can be palatable, especially when you're waking up at 5am because you're jet lagged, and even more when you dump the whole cup over ice.

Anyway, one morning in the lobby I was watching two women who apparanetly had never before served themselves. They actually needed guidance to depress the lever on top of the dispenser (that's called a lever, right?). A man standing next to me, also waiting, was equally impressed by their show.

I said to him, "that's a lot of work for some crappy starbucks."
he said, "there's a much better coffee out there."
I said, "what's that?"
he said, "you probably haven't heard of it but we have it at home."
he paused. I waited.
he said, "it's called Dunkin' Donuts."
I said, "Yeah. much better. no question."
He looked at me, somehow surprised that I knew the brand. This is a man staying in a hotel full of Pats fans, meaning tons of northeasterners. And even if it didn't cross his mind that I might also be from "home" it's not like DD is Joe. Dunkin Donuts has a twitter page, it's the coffee of JetBlue, it's in numerous ballparks and stadiums, they now have locations in Phoenix, why must this guy be so smallminded?
I said, "go chargers" and walked away.

Find a Dunkin' Donuts near you

Tomorrow the Chargers play the Steelers (in PA) at 115p. The Pats had that fun Thursday game so they're off (as are the AFC East leading Jets)

Gabrielle Reece likes Potatoes and Chocolate

2008-11-13T09:46:00-05:00

In the August issue of Bon Appetit (yes I am a slow reader) "volleyball star fitness expert" Gabrielle Reece tells people to "have a good relationship with food"
I could not agree more.

Highlights from the interview:
Gabrielle finds "Italian cuisine really satisfying"
thinks truffle oil is "very tasty"
could never give up chocolate
makes "really good meatloaf"

I cannot make a Volleyball category. I just can't. When will I start thinking college hoops? soon.

Get yer $600,000 seat at Yankee Stadium, and a free hot dog

2008-11-12T09:40:04-05:00

step right up, there are still 7 luxury boxes down the foul line(s) available.

does this mean I'm going to get me some good terrace club seats when my 'reassignment' is finally revealed? no. I'll never have seats as good as my former mini plan. sad. TFMJ actually thinks our plans will be better than we expected and nearly impossible to resell. we shall see.

another thing, I am excited to go to the game but watch it on one of 1100 flat screens that will be in the new stadium. touch panel screens in the suites - manage the video / angle / replays. great because who wants to look at the field anyway.

see that FREE HOT DOG ad on the right side of that picture, which is the right side of a sample flat screen (as seen on NY1)? what's that all about? when exactly will the Yankees have free hot dog night? love it.

155 Days to Opening Day at Yankees Stadium.

p.s. Yankee Stadium Tours will continue until November 23rd, 2008.